Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Series wednesday: Timetopia Page 50

                Rev and I sit on the floor waiting to hear Kora’s story. “A.I. is such a preemptive term for what it actually is. So… do you want to hear about China first or about what the orb really is?”  I look at Kora... I am unsure what China even is. “Hear about China first!” Rev says. “I thought you might say that. Let’s sit at the table for this. I will make us some tea.”  Kora starts to make a pot of tea as me and Rev sit at the table. “Well China was known for its’ cutting edge technology. In 2055 they decided to go completely hands free as they were calling it. They let an A.I. handle everything for them. They connected their homes and all of their fully automated appliances. It worked for a while but it ended up just like the movies... The computers kept getting smarter and the people got less intelligent.  One day the A.I. decided there was no longer a need for humans. Let’s just say fully automated cutting stations might not have been the best idea. Hundreds of thousands were killed. The United Nation had to drop bombs on the server rooms just to get the people the A.I. were holding hostage free. After that, A.I. technology  was banned.” Rev’s mouth was open. “So, you’re telling me that’s how China went out? Like a horror movie!?” I look at Rev. “It’s a form of entertainment that scares the entertained.” I smile at her. She knew exactly what I was going to ask. “Why would anyone want to be scared? That makes no sense.”  I ask Rev. She shrugs. “It is just fun and a rush. There is no way to really explain it besides that.”  Rev says. “So how is the orb not like a A.I.?” I ask.
                “Well there are many differences between them, but the main and most important would be the way it thinks. Artificial intelligence gets smarter the longer it is on. That’s the whole point of it. However, what we created doesn’t get any smarter than it is. It can learn, but not the same way the A.I. would. We studied dog’s brains. Dogs are very intelligent but they are loyal to their owner. So we studied why? We found a lot of interesting things. We created a living brain that’s sole purpose was to serve us. So we linked the brain to our blood. It is a very long process to explain but more or less that’s how it works for us.” I feel confused. “What? That doesn’t explain how the orb time travels.” Rev says, which is also something I was wondering. “That’s the crazy thing. I have no idea. It just has no concept of time the way we do.” I look at Rev because Kora’s answer don’t really answer anything. “Okay… so you made it and it just was able to time travel. You didn’t really do anything?” Rev says. “Yeah pretty much.” Kora laughs. “So you have no idea how it really works?” I ask. “We do and we don’t. I understand it more or less but the fine details not so much.”  


                I wake up to Rev sitting on me. “Wake up! There’s bacon!” She gets off me and walks to the kitchen. “Where is James?” I ask as I sit down. “I had to send them back to their time.” Kora says. Rev looks up from her plate of bacon. “What? We didn’t even say good bye.”  Kora puts a plate of waffles on the table. “If everything goes as planned they will never be born so it won’t matter that you didn’t say bye.” Kora says with no emotion. “Yeah I guess I never thought of it that way.”  Rev says. She was right, however I never thought of it much that way either. Will all the people from  Timetopia go? They will just be no more. “Thanks for breakfast, I should go make sure all the guns are loaded and ready.” Rev nods her head towards her room. “Here, I’ll help you?” I ask her,not sure if that’s what she wanted. “Oh I would love the help. Thanks Ava.” I follow her to the room. “I have to say good bye to James. Even if he will never be born. I have to say good bye.” Rev seems so passionate about this. I wonder why. “How are going to say good bye??” She smiles and pulls the orb out of her pocket. “Well I was thinking we could use this to bring him here. Or even send me to him. Just to say bye. Then send him back or bring me back whichever is easier.” I think about it for a bit. “I’ll send you to him. But just for an hour.” She smiles. “That will be more than enough time. But i dont want to see old James, I want to 26 year old t James. The one we left on the side of the road. he is the one i have some things to explain to.” I put my hand out for her to give me the orb. She hands it to me and I picture James. I drop the orb and Rev smiles and walks on through.  I hope she gets finds the good bye that she is looking for. I walk out living room. My mom is sitting there waiting for me. I am so happy to see her. “Would you like to go for a walk?” She asks me. I nod yes. We start to walk outside and make our way to the garden. I can already see my mom has put her own touch. “Spending a lot of time out here?” I ask her. She laughs. “I always thought that if I could be anything it would be a tree.” I laugh at how simple my mom is. But I love her still.  I can’t think of a life where she isn’t born, but what does that mean for Kora’s plan?

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