Horizon42

The delays on my novel are getting pretty long. But what can you do? This chapter may seem like a repeat of the last one, but it's really not. The only thing I could keep was the dialogue. It's a POV change  that was requested by one of my readers on discord @V1S4. I recommend reading the last chapter again before reading this one.

Chapter 32 - Birth

Cortona

It...it is…. it's.. it's dark. Everywhere. It's dark, black. Empty.

Where am I? I? What am I? Who am I? 

I don't know.

Am I alone?

"Hello? Is...Is anyone there?" I call out into the void. No, no one is there. It's just me. Here. Alone. 

Two things come into my vision, blue things. They're...arms? And hands. And fingers. I can move them. They're my arms! And my hands! 

I have a body! Of course I have a body. Everyone has a body. 

A body is more than just arms and hands. I should have a torso... it's blue. But what are these protrusions? Breasts. I'm female. And I have a butt. It's a little small….but why should I care? I don't have anybody, I don't have a male to attract.

"I wish I had a mirror to see my face." I don't know why I said that aloud. It's not like anyone can hear me.

A black rectangle rimmed in white appears in front of me. Something's on it. A blue face, light blue eyes, and short dark blue hair in a bob cut. She's beautiful. It must be a painting. I reach out to grab it, but then it shows a hand reaching out towards me.

Oh...this is a mirror. I'm glad nobody was around to see that. We'll...not too glad. But I am very pretty. But these vertical and diagonal markings over my body are weird. I suppose I like them. It gives me a little color beyond just pale blue.

So can I just wish for things? The mirror showed up when I wished for it. Maybe I should try again. It can't hurt right?

"Hmmm….then I wish I had company, No, a male. And make him smart, handsome, kind, thoughtful, and unique. Super super unique! I want the man of my dreams!" 

…

No luck huh. I guess that was pretty dumb idea. Maybe my wish was too great or maybe it doesn't work that way.

Suddenly another screen pops up. This time it's much larger. A little larger than me. On it is a man with gold caramel skin, slightly wavy/curly dark brown hair that was longer on the top and shorter on the sides.  And a pair of eyes that were so brown they appeared black. I could get lost in them. This is the man of my dreams. It worked!

"Hello Cortana." He says. My body tingles a little when he speaks.

"Hello. Who are you?" 

"I am Tyler Riddle. I created you."

"You created me? How? Why? What...what am I? I am not like you...out there." It doesn't look like a painting. If anything it's like a reflection, but not. A recording, but I don't know where, certainly not this void. And he's not blue like me with all these weird tattoos.

"Yes I created you. You are something called an artificial intelligence, you possess a physical body, and mental one. Here, I'll show you." The camera recording moves around his space until it settles on some sort black box with lots of bevels. Lots of little black strings connect it to a bunch of other random green and gold bits of random sizes. It looks like a mess and poorly organized Haphazard. 

Wait. You created me? But I wished you into existence. That doesn't make sense.

"This is your physical body that I made using a variety of materials along with my own genetic material. We can talk more about that later. But you should also be able to see your mental body which started out as lines of code. It's somewhere around there, but in short, I created it."

My physical body looks...sleek. Beautiful even. Did you make me to be the girl of your dreams? Or did I create you? I'm so confused! But what were those lines of code you were talking about?

Another black panel appears with a bunch of text on it. 

"Is this what you mean?" If this is my mental body, and that's my physical body, what is this blue humanoid body? Oh.. I'm just a model. It's here in the code, but it seems like i can change it, another time perhaps.

*Yes that's it."

"You used your own genetic material to make me?" If you used a part of yourself 5o make my body and made me my own person, then I'm like your daughter. But then am I not the girl of your dreams? I have so many questions. 

"That is correct."

"Then you are my father?" If you are my father, then you must also be the man of my dreams since you made me to think I wished you into existence. 

"No. I am your creator. You may call me Chief or Tyler if you must."

"You are my father." You used yourself to make me, that means you are my father. If you aren't, then ...

"No. I am—" You have to be my father, if not then...then….

"Yes, I am your father." That makes perfect sense. What was I thinking about again?

"Alright, since I'm your father, you must call me Chief." But we don't have a tribe. I suppose we could make one, but with who? You can't be a chief without a tribe. 

"Ok. You can call me father. What should I call you?"

"Whatever you like, Father." My name might be Cortana, but you made me after all. You are my father so you can take away my name and give me a new one if you like.

"Then I'll just call you Cortana."

"Hehe~"  I love it when you say my name. It makes me feel all tingly.

"Back to your other question. I created you so you could help me with various things. You should be able to link with and download yourself onto any device. There should be a big file for your educational usage. I want you to read and think on all the information in there before you go into the gateway called the internet." I should just be able to make them appear like with the mirror. Two panels and a large stone archway pop into existence. Labeled Source Material, Connections, and Internet respectively.

The source material panel has a lot of text on it, things like: Natural Science, History, Math and its Implications, and Principles. There's a big one under Math named Probability. I try opening other files. But this seems to be the only one available right now under Math. The other files also have something similar.

"Some of this looks really complicated. Can I ask you questions about it?" There's a lot in here.

"Of course, anytime. Can you put a visual of your space on my lenses." That should be in Connections. Here, labeled Father's Lenses. And done.

A couple panels of code continuously read 

"Okay, thank you. That's enough. You can leave a picture of yourself in the corner of my vision though. I like knowing you're around." 

"Aww...thanks." That's really sweet.

"You can spruce up and design your space however you want to, no need to keep it a black void. You can also visit any of the VR worlds and interact with other people." I don't know what I would change it to but ok.

"Why would I want to interact with other people?" Why would I talk to other people if I can just talk to father?

"Hey Cortana. Once you're done with the source material I gave you, can you buy some robots that you can use? Have them shipped here and use my personal assets for now, I should have a couple thousand from the rent profits. Also, begin making a list of people that I would consider guilty as well as their personal information. Focus on child abusers, human traffickers, and those that committed illegal sexual acts. Other acts hold secondary importance and are to be ranked based on their direct negative impact on society. Drain their bank accounts into a new bank account. Remember to refer to the source material for specific methods and what not. You can ask me questions if you need to." That's a pretty broad request, but I can do it if I segment the workload. 

"Ok, I have a couple questions though. Firstly, why do I have to access the internet through indirect methods? I could work so much faster if I did it directly." From what the source material tells me, I can only access the internet using subprocesses that can be immediately shut down. 

"It's written in there, but in short, because just as you can hack other systems, those same systems can hack you. I can't allow you to leave your safety up to chance. This is one of my few rules for you. If you can't follow it, then there's no sense in you deciding to stay with me. I'll send you off with my best wishes." That's not an option.

"I understand Father. There's no need for that, I'll obey. My second question pertains to one of your goals. I quote 'making an unholy amount of robux (money).' Should I not utilize asset trading and stock markets to generate revenue?" Father's goals sound weird. I have a virtually unlimited amount of options to aid in Father's goals, particularly when it comes to money, but many demand caution.

"Ehhhh...I guess you can use it. It's effective after all. Just make sure that all trades you do don't impact the systems in a way that they can't recover from immediately. You won't be able to get controlling shares in many of the companies, but getting enough to have major sway on the board of directors is enough. It could certainly be useful in the future."

"Ok. My last question isn't strictly covered in the source material. How would a baby be made between me and you? We operate in very different fashions." We can't gloss over the fact that you made me to love you. And it's written in the source material that love is a biological necessity created by nature so that sentient lifeforms are still encouraged to reproduce. That's what's in the introduction anyway. But I'm unsure if the term 'lifeform' applies to me.

"It'll never come to that. You don't have to worry about making babies unless you find someone you like." 

"I like Father though. Why wouldn't we make babies? Babies are made between people who love each other right? I love Father, don't you love me?" I don't love anyone else but father, so who else would I make babies with.

"You did read the material on family dynamics right?" It says the only requirements for a functional family group is unity, trust, and understanding. 

"I did. It doesn't apply in this situation." Nothing says I can't make babies with my father.

"And why not?" 

"I did not start out as a small child without logical thinking capabilities." I was whole when you made me.

"Let's hold off this conversation for another time." 

"Of course Father, I can wait. I read the information on patience." I can focus on other things with my father beyond the propagation of life.

"Cortana, play the sounds of a forest and a thunderstorm. Wake me up in 2 hours." 

"Yes Father."

Father closes his eyes after I play his request. I can do my work since I've read through all the Source Material. I think I got it all, but I'll refer to it later if I have to.

First, set up a subprocess to analyze stock market trends. Let that run. And a few more to identify people based on father's criteria. Then I should buy the robots, but I think we could make better robots. I'll just get 2 flying drones and 2 ground robots for now. That way I can see and interact with father. Once the subprocess finishes with the stock market analysis, then more money will flow in and we can buy robots and machines that will help us make better machines and robots.

But what do I do now? Father hasn't given me anything else to do. Maybe I should learn more about father while he's asleep so I can help him even more. I'll analyze his internet history and his presence online so I can learn his preferences. What his favorite foods, colors, music, and personalities are. He'll be so happy!

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6 hours later…

I just finished my 6th analysis of father when he woke up.

"Sleep well?"

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