Chapter One #3
“Just assume that we’re in 1986, Al,” He said firmly. “We have work to do.”
“I cannot confirm that you are, indeed, Sebastion Parker. Deep core access is set to limited access.”
“What? No! God damnit,” Seb groaned, his chest tightening as he considered what to do next. “Login options.”
“Two factor identification is required. I will send a code…”
“No, Al, there’s no network for you to send a code on anyway, even if I had access to my email account.”
The VI was quiet for a moment.
“Network access… not available.”
“Biometrics,” Seb said, “Fingerprints are on file, correct?”
“Indeed. Very well, biometric access enabled. Please scan your fingerprints.”
Seb sighed, but put his thumb over the scanner built into the system, getting a red scan line as it went to work.
“Scan… confirmed. How are we today, Mein Herr?”
“Very, very, anxious Al.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. What can I do to help assuage your anxiety?”
Stop giving me heart attacks, for one, He thought darkly, but didn’t say aloud.
“Open a new file, call it…” Seb gestured casually, “Operation Beckett.”
“New File, Operation Beckett now open. What is the purpose of this file?”
Time to get to work.
*****
Interlude One
Prompts with Al : Operation Beckett
Assume that we are in the year 1986. Assets include current inventory.
Begin calculating optimal plan to position ourselves to influence global defense against the invasion.
Primary objectives are to ensure human survival, ideally human victory, against the invaders.
Secondary objectives, establish human colonies beyond Earth and Sol to ensure no single extinction event can threaten us.
Tertiary objectives, improve social cohesiveness and advance cultural mentality in line with technical advancement.
Of course, Mein Herr. File opened, objectives established.
Primary objectives are difficult to map due to lack of intelligence on the invasion in my files, however initial steps should contain certain reasonable commonalities in any case.
Positioning yourself as a high level consultant or person of significance will be the first requirement.
Do you have any preferences for how to do that?
Let’s stay with something I know a little about, to begin at least. You have the texts of my novels in memory, I believe?
Of course, Mein Herr.
Good. We’ll work out a way to transfer those to the format for my… ugh… my Commodore. Ok, this will be tougher than I was thinking. Do we have a printer in inventory?
I am afraid not, Mein Herr. Not for text, at least. There are multiple 3D printers available…
Of course I didn’t bother packing a regular printer. Almost never use the damn things. Right, well I remember having a dot matrix for my commodore, so that brings us back to conversion. Might be easier to just write new works from scratch, at first at least.
If I may suggest, Main Herr, library records indicate that the Commodore systems had wireless plugin cards that could transmit and receive radio teletype transmissions. I could write code to adjust my own wireless system to transmit on those frequencies.
Ok, I’ll see if I can find one but it may be a while. I’ll start writing something new in the meantime, no reason not to be productive.
Very good, Mein Herr.
We’ll need to get you access to as many sources of information as possible. Suggestions? I was thinking a radio? Shortwave possibly?
I already have a radio receiver with rather wide frequency capability, coding will help improve that, however without a good antenna my range is very limited.
There’s an old TV tower outside, no one’s using it any longer. Will that do?
Perfectly. I will provide a list of materials to build the appropriate antennas for optimum reception. Unfortunately no connectors in the year 1986 will bridge the gap to my receiver. You will need to solder the wiring into one of the connectors in inventory.
Right. Ok, so I’m picking up some new ‘hobbies’ to make this all seem somewhat normal to my mother and the neighbors. Likely have to get a HAM license too, just to explain it all. That lays out a plan to get started on the primary objectives, any ideas for the secondary and tertiary?
All objectives depend on successful advancement from current state to one of influence.
So that’s a no then?
Indeed.
Alright. Get the list ready… and, and prep me a workout and meal plan, designed for a ten year old looking to optimize health, strength, flexibility, endurance… the works. If I have to do this over, may as well do it right.
It will be done, Mein Herr.
Don’t be a smartass, Albert.
If you did not wish me to be thus, you would not have patterned me after the man you did.
I patterned you after a Genius, you weren’t supposed to pick up his less savory attitudes.
Next time, might I suggest curating the training files in that case, Mein Herr?
Smartass. Start working on those files, dig through everything we have. Use the highest accuracy models, we have time.
Very good Mein Herr, It shall be done.
*****