The Singularity Trap by Dennis E. Taylor

Author:Dennis E. Taylor [Taylor, Dennis E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Worldbuilders Press
Published: 2018-10-04T18:30:00+00:00

* * *

Communications continued to improve over the next several hours. Ivan lay on his bunk, staring at the ceiling, but not really seeing it. In his mind’s eye, a three-dimensional representation of his room gave him details that he couldn’t possibly have seen. The area under his bunk, spaces between the walls, and the wiring and plumbing conduits were as visible to him as if the walls had been made of glass. Glowing spots and trails indicated the positions of nanites, on and in the walls.

This ability had simply appeared out of nowhere. He didn’t know if the computer had explicitly decided to give him this extra sense, of if it was simply a side-effect of the improving communications. He and the computer still couldn’t talk, as such. But a pidgin had been established, consisting of pictures, emotional overtones, and occasional words whose definitions had been agreed upon. Human. Nanite.Computer. And war.

This last session had been about the nanites. Sort of. Mostly. The chrome animals that he’d been seeing were, if he understood correctly, sentient beings who had gone through the same process as he had. But voluntarily. The nanites could form any shape, any desired physiology. Which meant that an actual decision had been made at some level that Ivan would continue to be shaped like a human being rather than a seven-tentacled land-squid.

I wonder if that’s subject to appeal?

If he could sense the nanites, perhaps they could sense him in some way.

Ivan held his hand up in front of his face and stared at his fingers. Then he glanced at the surveillance camera. If he could really, actually morph, doing it on Vid might not be in his best interests. How could—

A group of nanites made a beeline for the camera. A few seconds later, Ivan knew that the camera would show him simply lying there for as long as he wanted it to. Where had that knowledge come from? There’d been no voice; words hadn’t scrolled across his vision. Nevertheless, he was certain it was true.

But it only took care of the immediate problem. Someone could still show up at the observation window at just the wrong time. Well, that was almost always Dr. Narang, and he was fairly sure she was off-shift right now.

Again, Ivan held his hand up. It was foolish, nothing more than wishful thinking—

Or maybe not.

As Ivan watched, his fingers slowly elongated. Okay, long enough. The stretching stopped. How about something a little more ‘out there’? Ivan put his hand down, closed his eyes, and concentrated. He felt what could only be described as resistance, then a feeling of relief or release.

He opened his eyes and lifted his hand.

Six fingers.

Now that’s just weird.

Ivan carefully touched his thumb to each of five fingers in turn. He couldn’t tell which was the new one, and his brain didn’t seem to have any issues with the extra digit. Which meant he wasn’t using a piece-by-piece copy of his nervous system, but more of an emulation. More proof that there was very little left of actual Ivan.

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