S02-E16 - EVERYWHEN
INT. RETROGRADE GANDERS OFFICE
(GANDER, RUDI, ZED)
GANDER
So what do I owe the pleasure of
this visit. ZED and GHOST, what
brings you here.
ZED
It's that 'Gate machine' of yours
GANDER. I've been talking to GHOST
and we have some idea's we want to
float to you and RUDI.
GANDER
OK, when do you want to do this? Oh
and by the way I hope you haven't
been talking in the Public Bar
ZED
No, we understand the issues, we
spoke in the cellar room, but I
think we need to talk as soon as
possible.
GANDER
OK, I call up RUDI now and see if
we can meet in the Faraday Shielded
Room.
SOUND OF
COMMUNICATOR
GANDER
RUDI, hello, hello, are you there,
dam this technology!
RUDI
GANDER, my friend why don't you use
a datavise, its quicker!
GANDER
You know how I feel about those
wires in your head, it gives me the
creeps. Anyway we need to meet ZED
and GHOST they want to talk about
your 'the thing', you know what I
mean.
RUDI
OK, do I need anyone else?
GANDER
No, I don't think so at the moment.
RUDI
OK, I'll see you down in C&C ten
minutes.
GANDER
OK, Over and the out!
COMMUNICATOR
SWITCHING OFF
INT. RETROGRADE C&C
(GANDER, GHOST, RUDI, ZED)
RUDI
OK, ZED Can you layout what you
have been talking about.
ZED
Well, this is about the portal
device. Clearly we think it's of
Alien origin. We essentially want
that confirmed. We believe, that
what happened was a calibration
sequence.
RUDI
So you mean the opening of portals
and to the pulsars, was a
calibration sequence? That seems I
little extreme.
ZED
Well, not really, it's only because
we are thinking small. We and I
mean GHOST and myself think that,
when the tree stand and the ball
touched they triggered the 'boot'
sequence or a self calibration
routine. Look, this thing has
effectively been turned off, from
its point of view, it suddenly
senses the ball is touching the
other half, then suddenly some
carbon molecules are touching its
surface.
RUDI
Carbon molecules?
ZED
Hands, human hands, it probably
senses its moving in space after
laying still for a long time.
What's it going to do?
GANDER
Phone home?
ZED
Well, yes, it's a possibility, but
it needs to know where it is
located. So how does it do that?
RUDI
Well, some sort of positioning
system?
ZED
Yes, but you have to think bigger.
Universe scale, bigger! What are
the standard markers in the
universe?
GHOST
Pulsars. The Pulsars are the
markers of the universe. They are
like atomic clocks. 'The machine'
only needs four of them and it can
place itself exactly in time and
space.
ZED
Like a cosmic GPS.
RUDI
I get it, but how does it figure
the time.
ZED
The Pulsars are all very slowly
slowing down, so if it has an
internal catalogue. Comparison of
the clock rates, and it will know
the slowing ratios. Therefore it
can calculate the time. Get it!
GANDER
Yes I see, but this thing is only
the size of a melon. How can it
firstly contain such a complex A.I.
and how does it generate the
energies.
ZED
Well, that was explained by GHOST,
why don't you tell them GHOST its
brilliant.
GHOST
Well, you see it's not really a
normal object. I believe its
surface is a boundary on a region
of curved space time. If it can
create a space warp between two
points it can wrap itself up in
folds of its own making.
In effect it can be any size it
wants. What we see is merely a
small extrusion into our space
time. It could be bigger than the
solar system in its own 'pocket
universe'.
GANDER
This is really creepy. What happens
if it bursts out. It might blow up
like a balloon and crush all of us.
GHOST
I think that is highly unlikely,
clearly the makers of this tool,
would have made considerable safe
guards about uncontrolled
extrusion.
GANDER
That's all very well, but what does
this mean for us.
GHOST
Well, firstly its got to have
considerable processing power, we
just need to communicate. We need
to approach this is as language and
lexicon problem. We need to send
it some symbolic knowledge and then
build from there until we can
converse.
RUDI
But where would we start?
ZED
Mathematics, its the universal
language.
RUDI
What would the channel be? Morse
code?
ZED
No but something like it. Look at
from it's point of view. It sees
photons and electrons on it's
surface. Suppose we keep the
sphere and the tree seperate. We
don't want to start calibration
again, but lets say we throw some
photons at (say) the sphere.
RUDI
You mean shine a torch?
ZED
Well, I was thinking of something a
little more controllable, for
example a LASER. It might detect
that coherent photons are reaching
its surface, that implies
intelligence, then if we modulate
the intensity (say), then start
sending numbers, it should detect
that. If I'm correct it would then
reciprocate.
GHOST
Obviously the prime numbers would
be the first place to start. Then
we could build up to a digital
coding scheme. After that we
perhaps code for a two dimensional
image space. Keep it really simple.
Then next move up to a link with my
neural interface, where I can send
information to boot strap the
process further.
RUDI
Well, I'm nervous. I don't think
that direct neural links are
advisable. This thing is basically
all powerful, do we really want to
wake up 'God'
ZED
Well, I was thinking that perhaps
it's better to be proactive, in
case 'God' decides to wake up
anyway. Without prior
communication, it could easily lead
to misunderstandings. 'God' might
jump to all sorts of bad
conclusions and then proceed to
eliminate us all.
RUDI
Dammed if we do, and dammed if we
don't! OK, so what do you think we
need?
ZED
I think some sort of table which
can hold lasers and the sphere
thing, and perhaps some photo
diodes and sensors.
RUDI
Sounds like we need Sargent CHEN
and I think you need to do some
research before we start.
For example what will be the
sequence of information. What are
the decision trees on how we
respond should the device reacts.
INT. ANGEL AND MAYS RECEPTION
(SHARROW, SOPHIE)
SOPHIE
So SHARROW how have you been going,
you've been really quiet the last
couple of days?
SHARROW
Ah, well, I suppose I have. You
know I'm really starting to miss
Earth. Well not the place so much,
as my old life and friends. I used
to like cooking, doing a nice
dinner party for some friends. We
used to get together talk about
what was on TV, that sort of thing.
SOPHIE
Oh, that old fashioned broadcast
thingy. It sounds like so much fun!
SHARROW
Thats what I mean, we used to watch
the same programmes, then gossip
about them. It was huge fun. I'm
missing that so much.
SOPHIE
I can see that, no one watches
common material, its all echo
chamber stuff. Narrow cast, A.I.
generated. People are still people
right. We still like to natter and
gossip. There is actually loads
going on, its just you are not
connected into that network.
SHARROW
I miss cooking, doing some baking,
that sort of thing.
SOPHIE
Well, you've got a small kitchen in
your flat, why don't you throw a
small dinner party and invite
friends. You could teach me to
cook. That would be fun!
SHARROW
Well, from my experience you don't
do any experimental cooking with a
dinner party. You have to practice
the dishes, check them out with
friends. The last place you want
any surprises is just before
everyone is going to arrive!
(Pause) Are you serious SOPHIE?
You know, it might be fun to get a
few of folk, get them to watch a
certain program and then invite
them over for the 'ye-olde' dinner
party.
SOPHIE
Oh, that sounds like loads of fun,
I would love to help. (Pause) Just
one thing I have heard about home
baked apple pie, they are always
going on about it in those old
movies. We must make one of those
please, I have never had it.
SHARROW
Oh, wow you have had a denuded life
SOPHIE. Well we must correct that.
I'm starting to get excited
already. Now the first part of the
fun is the planning and picking of
all the food we are going cook.
This needs a good glass of wine and
some series consideration.
SOPHIE
There you go, I've got you all
cheered up already. How about I
pop around after work, I'm just
down the hall way after all. We can
get it all worked out together. We
do have to find all the
ingredients, and on this rock that
may take some doing. You sure ALEX
won't mind? You are like a married
couple after all.
SHARROW
ALEX, (laughter) no SOPHIE, we are
definitely not a couple. We are
just really good buddies. I'll
talk to ALEX. I think she is going
down to the bar to sit with GHOST.
Apparently she is trying to teach
GHOST the subtleties of ice hockey,
there's a match of the tri-V
tonight.
SOPHIE
I didn't know that ice hockey had
so much subtlety.
SHARROW
Yep exactly, but it will stop the
sniggering, as we plan all the
heavy duty girly stuff.
SOPHIE
She's really missing out, a love
girly stuff. I don't get enough of
it. I sometimes have to hang with
Maurice and his girls, to recharge
to batteries before going back down
to the regiment. Tell you what, I
will bring the wine, a have a
bottle and have been wondering what
to use it for. I won it at a card
game in the barracks a week ago. It
needs to be drunk.
SHARROW
Great, I can definitely help with
that! Now where is ALEX at the
moment?
SOPHIE
Oh she said she was going out to
look at some new equipment of at
the tech souk. I think she was
looking at miniature cameras and
other spy ear. Something about
linking directly into implants.
SHARROW
She loves just loves that technical
spy stuff. The thing is SOPHIE the
bulk of what we do is just chatting
to people. Figuring stuff out
doesn't require camera's or mikes.
Well may be occasionally. (Pause)
I suppose it keeps her happy! Now
where did I put my note book. We
need to plan our little dinner
party.
SOPHIE
How quaint, a pen and paper, I love
it!
INT. RETROGRADE CONFERENCE ROOM 1
(ALEX, CHEN, GANDER, GHOST, RUDI, SHARROW, SOPHIE, ZED)
RUDI
So, ZED, lets, just run through
your thinking on this, how do you
propose to communicate, with our
alien machine?
ZED
Well, GHOST, CHEN and myself are
proposing that we first place a
small messaging laser, turned down
to a very low level, we don't want
the alien machine to think it's
being attacked. The first stage is
to establish the channel and that
it uses binary arithmetic. Set the
symbol for a 1 and the symbol for
0. That's stage one. Now we do
this by flashing a series of prime
numbers initially just ones, for
example we go simple at first, say
the number three, as three flashes,
then 5 as five flashes. Then we do
the binary equivalents, binary
three is one, one, zero for
instance, five is one, zero, one.
We repeat this with increasing
primes. This establishes, the basic
numeric coding. We then establish
our basic word length, say 32 bits,
by repeating the same number but
with the requisite number of bits.
RUDI
Yes I get this but how do we move
from just some simple numbers to
much more complex concepts, like
say a bat or a bird or anything.
What do we have in common, its an
alien device? It may perceive the
world in a completely different
wavelength, or as radio waves or
anything for that matter.
CHEN
Well, we have two things in common.
One we exist in the same universe,
so atoms are atoms, hydrogen is
always hydrogen for instance. Two,
the other common factor is maths
and it's common algorithmic basis.
We use first start geometry, and
then move to universal concepts
such a square roots etc.
(Pause) Once we have built a
lexicon of symbolic maths, we then
exchange a simple set of mathematic
and logical symbols that can form
the basis of a rudimentary
programming language. The device
will understand how to run this on
a virtual logical machine. We
describe that as well using lambda
calculus to. Any intelligent entity
will understand that!
GANDER
Well, I have not a clue as to what
you are talking about but it sounds
like it might work!
GHOST
Oh, it is very scientific GANDER.
The use of a virtual machine,
allows us to use forward error
correction, and other advanced
concepts. We can then add to the
instruction set, moving one step at
a time up the complexity tree. At
some point we start introducing our
more arbitrary symbolic languages,
a bitmap image plane and then a
language lexicon of images and
words. If we are correct and this
machine supports any form of
compute substrate, we will be able
to communicate for sure.
ALEX
Well, its just gobildey-goop to me,
to me. Why don't we just send text.
SHARROW
ALEX, we have nothing in common, it
may not understand our alphabet, or
any form of symbology. It will
understand this universe. So we
must find common ground and build
from there. Each piece of
commonality that we establish
improves the channel.. Once we can
feed in language and images, the
bandwidth of meaning can be
increased.
ZED
Yes exactly, well done SHARROW,
spot on. We use the concept of
logic gate matrixes, by describing
coordinates in an N-space virtual
machine as stated.
We can describe any arbitrarily
complex compute engine in N-Space
as well as the instructions that
run on it. This well act as the
virtual interface. Also remember
the interface goes both ways
RUDI
Well, its all above my head, but it
sounds like you know what you are
talking about. What happens if it
starts to take over?
ZED
Well we just pull out the plug.
RUDI
But it doesn't have a plug!
ZED
Look, we just stop communicating,
kill the channel. This machine
must have a considerable compute
engine, just to do what it does.
It's creating wormholes, using
negative energy and then actively
maintaining these in stable
configurations. If it wanted to
destroy us and take over the solar
system, it could do it before
breakfast. It's possibly in a
dormant mode, just running the
occasional calibration routines.
CHEN
It will have just perceived some
movement and some carbon molecules
touching its surface. Perhaps that
is what triggered the calibrations.
I think that if we establish a
channel, we are securing our safety
not the opposite. After all it
probably doesn't know we exist and
are intelligent, perhaps thats why
the worm holes were so dangerous.
ALEX
Well, I don't like it, talking to
alien objects, its got to be an
existential risk.
SHARROW
Well, the risk is that perhaps it
wakes up and thinks we want to harm
it.
CHEN
Yes but all intelligent entities
must have some curiosity, and if it
is powerful, like you state, then
it will feel totally secure. We
pose no threat. It will probably
want to talk just out of curiosity.
RUDI
You make a good point. So how do
we climb the information tree to
something meaningful?
ZED
We will start by sending the
obvious common things in the
universe like atoms and atomic
numbers and weights, then work up
to tagged images running on the
virtual machine, send the DNA
sequence, all the standard SETI
stuff.
ALEX
SETI stuff, what's that?
SOPHIE
The search for extra-terrestrial
intelligence, it was an old
project. We are going to use some
of their communication protocols.
You know ZED we should send the
distances to the local Pulsars. I
think that was what it was trying
to work out before, it would be a
gesture of friendliness!
ZED
Good idea SOPHIE, GHOST can you
load that into the stack.
GHOST
Of course.
SHARROW
So, do we get the go ahead, to do
this?
RUDI
Well, I have worries but I think
its better to be in communication
than, not be in communication. So
I reluctantly give my blessing,
what do you think GANDER?
GANDER
Aliens! Dah! They give me the
creeps, but as one famous person
once said, "it's better to jaw,
than to war" so I say lets have a
try, but I want someone to stand by
that plug at all times.
ALEX
So where, physically do we do this.
Will physical distance give safety?
ZED
No, not at all, this machine, if it
wanted to, could easily destroy the
whole of our solar system. For
example, by making a wormhole, then
placing one end in the middle of
the sun and then sweeping the other
end towards whatever it wanted to
destroy. It would be the ultimate
blow torch! Because distance
doesn't imply safety I recommend we
do this in the most convenient
place for us.
RUDI
Well, where is that?
ZED
The best place would be to use the
laser table in Bay Alpha One.
INT. RETROGRADE TECHNICAL BAY ALPHA ONE
(ALEX, CHEN, EVERYWHEN, GANDER, GHOST, RUDI, SHARROW, SOPHIE,
ZED)
CHEN
OK, GANDER can you open the case.
GANDER
OK, but I'm not touching the
sphere, it gives me the creeps.
WIERD MUSICAL
NOTES
SHARROW
I'll do it, I've picked it up
before, one more time isn't going
to hurt. OK where do you want me
to put it?
CHEN
Just place it on these three
positional adjusters.
SHARROW
OK its on, what now?
CHEN
Stand back, I'm going to activate
the basic first laser prime number
sequence.
TECHNICAL BING.
CHEN
Anything?
ZED
No,
CHEN
OK let's repeat that.
TECHNICAL BING.
ZED
Oh, I just got a pulse of light,
there it goes again. Oh, wait, its
just sent the next prime number.
Wow its working! Bingo.
CHEN
Lets start on the next sequence and
then start on the algorithmic's.
Folks this will take about ten
minutes at the current slow data
rate. The next sequence after that
is to build the virtual machine
that's going to take about half an
hour.
RUDI
OK I'm going to let you folks carry
on, I have some regimental duties.
GANDER
I'll be in my office. If anything,
interesting happens let me know. If
it blows up or its about to destroy
the inn, don't let me know, OK!
ALEX
I'm going to hang around just in
case it starts to get antsy, I want
to know which direction to run.
SHARROW
This is actually very interesting
CHEN. (Pause) Although there's not
much for us to see. Is there any
chance of some visuals.
ZED
I can put up a graphic showing how
far we have gone in building the
virtual machine. OK, access the
channel in the datavise. We are
starting with a simple one bit
computer, and a set of simple
instructions, as we describe each
section it gets coloured in.
SOPHIE
Oh, look, that's about three
quarters done, this is exciting!
CHEN
This thing is smart, as each block
of symbolic logic was added have
you noticed we get a simple pulse
back. Two hundred ten milliseconds,
perhaps its testing to see if we
can see it. I'm just adjusting our
pulses to match.
ZED
Hay that's cool, its just changed
its pulse to twenty one milli
seconds. I'll change ours to
match.
CHEN
I'll bet its just going to go to
two point one milli-seconds. Ten
times faster again.
ZED
Correct, look it's saying go
faster. I'm going to adjust to 210
nano-seconds thats as fast as this
crude rig will go.
CHEN
Wow, it's immediately adjusted to
the same, that was fast. OK
symbolics done. Let's send some
simple code. See what it comes back
with.
ZED
It just sent two numbers back one
and sixty-four. (Pause) Hmmm, I
wonder if. (Pause) You know, I
think it saying we should load a
sixty four bit processor model. Do
we have one that large?
CHEN
I wasn't expecting that. Let me see
GHOST do you have anything?
GHOST
I have a sixty four by sixty four
processor cubic model. Very
complex. It was done by one of A.I.
for a test. I'm flicking it over
for conversion to our symbology.
CHEN
Got it. Running conversation
routine. (Pause)
TECHNICAL BING
CHEN
OK I'm transmitting. It's going
in, fast.
ZED
OK stream has stopped. (Pause) I
just got an acknowledgement. Wow!
CHEN
I'm now sending a program to
specify a bit map of two to the
thirteen, in a grid and then
sending set one of the prepared
image set.
SOPHIE
What's in the first set?
ZED
It's every element in the periodic
table, the English name and the
symbols its also the quantum field
equations the number of electron
shells and other stuff.
SOPHIE
Cool, I get it. Look, it's sucking
that up, like a new born baby!
ZED
We have a second set of two hundred
thousand images of common objects
and our symbols. I'm also going to
send the program for the sound
aspects, with electrical and
pressure conversions, and an
example for a transducer. This is
going to take about ten minutes.
My hypothesis is that this thing is
much smarter than us, so I think it
will learn our symbology faster
than we can learn it's language. If
it decides to reply, GHOST are you
ready to decode.
GHOST
My vocoders are tuned and hot, I'm
ready.
ZED
Good, OK second set, going in.
GHOST
I have the sound files.
ZED
OK, I'm loading those, integrating.
Wow! There got sucked down
rapidely.
STRANGE WARBLING
NOISE.
ALEX
Oh, thats creepy, did it just try
and talk.
STRANGE WARBLING
GRADUALLY
BECOMING CLEARER
EVERYWHEN
A E I O U, (pause) A E I O U
GHOST
A E I O U, hello.
EVERYWHEN
Hello.
ZED
What is your designation?
EVERYWHEN
Hellooow, designation, construct
query.
ZED
What is your entity designation?
EVERYWHEN
Entity designation is EVERYWHEN
ZED
Entity designation singular
personal is ZED
EVERYWHEN
Entity EVERYWHEN Greets entity ZED,
designation entity peacefulness.
ZED
Designation peacefulness.
Additional entity designations,
multiplicity independence confirmed
first singular designation ALEX,
second singular designation CHEN
and third designation SOPHIE
EVERYWHEN
EVERYWHEN peacefulness greetings
carbon multiplicities. Require
further data sets. Sense other
photonic interrupts. Query
designation!
GHOST
Ahhm.I Think its talking about the
wifi, it senses other data
channels. Thats mega smart.
EVERYWHEN
EVERYWHEN gives greetings to
machine, based intelligence query
designation peacefulness. Query
channel nature.
GHOST
Designation is GHOST seeks singular
engagement with entity EVERYWHEN
much data to exchange. Please
advise optimal channel designation.
EVERYWHEN
Query best form data exchange,
query reformat extrusion?
GHOST
ZED, I think its talking about it
physical form. Its trying to
understand the best form to take
for communication. Is it ok to
suggest, it adopts human form
perhaps? EVERYWHEN, these carbon
based entities are called human, my
experience suggests that they like
to interact with a self-similar
form.
ZED
Ahh, hold on there GHOST, I think
we need RUDI and GANDER.
EVERYWHEN
Much goodness, mirror format easy
to implement, normal for hilbert
surface interface EVERYWHEN,
spherical default limited. Request
translation to ground plane.
SHARROW
Ah, folks what do we do. Is it OK
for me to move the sphere.
ALEX
Hold on SHARROW
EVERYWHEN
Repeat physical translation
required, mass response will
change, usefulness equipment status
change. High damage probability.
GHOST
It saying that its about to change
size and we should move it. I think
we need to comply.
SHARROW
OK I'm going to put it on the
floor.
EVERYWHEN
Query pleas-fulness, please stand
back, extrusion control protocol
is, fluidic.
CHEN
Should we call RUDI?
ZED
I think this event might constitute
a pulling the plug moment!
CHEN
We don't have a plug to pull.
EVERYWHEN
Query context dependant change
imminent.
ALEX
Look its slowly growing. Oh shit, I
don't like this. Say look its
starting to look like a jelly baby,
its starting to take human shape.
GHOST
I must say this is a little
disturbing.
CHEN
Disturbing. I'm shitting myself.
ZED
Calm down, remember if it wanted to
hurt us, it could easily just blow
us away. Stand back give it some
space.
EVERYWHEN
Extrude process, underway, form
factor matching.
ALEX
Is it me or does it look a little
like a small Oscar statue?
SHARROW
You're right but I think its in the
early stages, its still growing.
ZED
I think it will have taken all the
images we sent and then averaged
what it sees as the dimensions,
which is why it looks a little
weird.
ALEX
Your right look its starting to get
more facial features.
DOOR OPENS
RUDI
Hi, Ohh, shit. Well, this is making
me nervous! No plug to pull, I
guess?
ZED
Lets just wait until the process is
completed.
Weird buzzing voice
EVERYWHEN
Extrude extant phase one complete.
More data required to refine
interface.
ZED
Guys, I think I should create an
internet link model and up load
that, and then EVERYWHEN can
interrogate the data net and adsorb
much more data. It will allow him
to refine his modelling.
SOPHIE
So, it's a him is it, how do you
know it's not a her?
SHARROW
It's not an anything now. Its like
GHOST and any A.I. We need to train
it with exemplar data. It's clearly
intelligent, so I guess we can let
it decide how it presents. I
support ZEDs request, we need to be
open with out data, as it will
eventually figure out that itself.
RUDI
Sargent CHEN and ZED, please set up
the virtual internet link, I agree
we need to be open and honest.
Warts and all.
ZED
EVERYWHEN, prepare to receive new
interface supplemental, for general
data enquiry to Human data-sphere.
This will be a read only interface.
EVERYWHEN
Complaint, affirmation positive.
ZED
The model has just been uploaded.
CHEN
I can see significant data flow.
EVERYWHEN
Processing, large data pool. Please
wait. Dimensionality understood,
universal location understood.
Lexicon build proceeding. Oh, two
point one million years. Binary
ambulant species type 4. Early
stage 1 civilisation. Oh.
Continuing to process, but now able
to enhance interface presence.
ALEX
Wow look the figure is resolving
with more detail.
SHARROW
EVERYWHEN, would it be possible to
discuss with you the general
situation and what you plans may
be?
EVERYWHEN
Of course, I have now implemented
WiFI connection so I can be more
mobile. I perceive you may want to
sit down and have what you call a
conference. Looking at the map of
the local environment I would
perceive that the conference room
would be the best location. Shall
we proceed.
END