>From: lmann@orion.oac.uci.edu (Lawrence Mann)
Subject: EXPERIMENT 101-E > Chapter 7 (Part 1 of 2)
Date: 29 Dec 91 08:30:15 GMT


                 E X P E R I M E N T   1 0 1 - E

                       A Story of the WWWA

                               by
                           Larry Mann

==============================================================
Based on characters and situations created by
	Haruka Takachiho, Toren Smith, and Adam Warren
Original characters and situations
	Copyright (c) 1980, 1991 Haruka Takachiho
	      and (c) 1991 Toren Smith and Adam Warren
==============================================================
CAUTION:: This material may be freely distributed, on the
          condition that such distribution occurs ONLY on
          a NON-PROFIT basis.  Any other form of
          distribution may result in a (large) lawsuit
          from Studio Proteus!!
==============================================================


-------------
CHAPTER SEVEN (Segment 1 of 2)
-------------

> A.D. 213612.29; 11:15:00
> WWWA Central Headquarters, Administration Complex, Main
  Conference Room

	"Seems to me this whole business is starting to cause more
friction than any of you really need," observed Dr. Quevas T.
Kueblestein, who in truth was not at all impressed with anything
that had been happening in the past year.  This type of work had
never agreed with him, and this latest report only served to
reinforce his feelings about the subject.
	"Are you accusing me of incompetence?" Ayoob looked at him,
his voice not without malice.  "If so, I would strongly advise
you to consider where this problem originated."
	"Don't try to pin this on me, Jeff," Kueblestein said,
starting to get angry.  "I'm only here because I'm Vice-Director
of Science and I have to speak for my department's activities
in your project, though I personally have been against this
thing from the start."
	"Yes, well try to leave your personal commentary in your
personal files."  Ayoob was not very happy about any of this,
either.
	"Gentlemen, please," Alexi Saito cut in.  "Bickering won't
do us any good, and I doubt the Central Computer is enjoying it
very much."
	#Quite right, Alexi,# the Central Computer's synthesized
voice emanated from a computer terminal on the conference table.
#I need more information before I can try to reach a conclusion
on this matter, and so far your discussion has revealed nothing
meaningful.#
	"My apologies, sir," Ayoob said.
	"Likewise," Kueblestein agreed.  "Nonetheless, I feel that
our disagreement does point out that this project has been
proceeding in a rather uncoordinated manner."
	"Can you offer anything by way of solution?" Saito queried.
	"My feeling," Kueblestein began.  "Is that the problems
which have been occurring derive from a lack of information
available to the necessary people.  I believe this last incident
could have been avoided if the programmers had been given a more
detailed schematic of Agent Shasti's neural net.  Then the
program could have been pre-checked to autocorrect the kind of
bug that caused the crash."
	"I'm afraid I was as verbose as could be allowed," Ayoob
answered.  "Anything more would have been a violation of the
security directives."
	"Anything less would have been like trying to compile a
MegaPascal program with a DYNIX assembler," Kueblestein grumbled.
"They don't go together."
	"Doctor," Saito spoke warningly.
	"Sorry," he answered.  "Anyway, I submit that my department's
scientists are not at fault for this error.  They constructed
the most efficient algorithm based on the data that was available.
I personally constructed an A/P based on that same data and ran
the program on it, and it executed flawlessly.  Therefore, the
crash could only have been caused by some aspect that my people
were not able to see because of the security restrictions."
	Saito had to agree with what Kueblestein had said.  "There
was no way you could have provided more data?" she asked Ayoob.
	"No way, Alexi," Ayoob replied.  "Direct order from the CC.
You should know that."
	#That is correct, Alexi,# the Computer confirmed.  #I was
very specific in my classifications.#
	"I respect your reasons," Kueblestein said, this comment
directed at everyone.  "But I've also considered the financial
impact that this project has undoubtedly had on our corporation.
The way I see it, it is grossly to our disadvantage to be
introducing experimental programs into this unit without having
a detailed understanding of how she operates.  Each such move
increases the risk that she will be lost."
	"But she has never been lost," Ayoob replied flatly.
"Deirdre and Shasti have always accomplished their missions."
	"Judging from the reports I've read," Kueblestein quipped.
"I'd say there have been too damn many close calls."
	"Only natural," Ayoob argued.  "Deirdre and Shasti are the
number one team of Criminal Trouble Consultants now, and they
get sent up against some of the worst trash this galaxy can come
up with."
	"Which is all the more reason that some of the restrictions
should be removed.  One of these times a program crash is liable
to send Shasti out of control and endanger lives needlessly."
	Now Ayoob had to stop and consider.  Kueblestein was just
as persuasive as he was, and his arguments were making sense.
Fortunately the Central Computer spoke:
	#Quevas, there is something that we all must remember when
dealing with this project.  The entire goal of Experiment 101-E
is to create an agent capable of improvising to suit any type
of scenario.  And the only workable way to assess new situations
beyond what we already know is to take these risks.#
	Kueblestein sat back in his chair, folding his arms.  "I
just don't like it.  But of course, that's only a personal
feeling."
	#Your arguments have been noted, Quevas,# the Computer said.
#I acknowledge that several inefficiencies could have been
eliminated by a more verbose dissemination of information to
your staff, and hence I will review my decisions concerning
security locks on this project.  Keep in mind, however, that
our goal is to get Shasti to the point where she will perform
with absolute flawlessness.  The whole purpose of this project
is experiments to serve that end; that is what Shasti was made
for.  Hence there are risks which I feel are necessary and must
be taken.  Please understand this.#
	"Keep in mind," Ayoob added.  "That if we can truly make
Shasti perfect, then we will be able to create more of these
units, and market them for a considerable profit, not to mention
make the United Galactica a much safer place."
	"Oh, I understand all that," Kueblestein said, getting up.
"I just want everyone to remember that this is a Level 5 A.I.
you're playing with.  She is as close to human as a bioroid can
get.  Try to keep that in mind.  That's all I have to say."
	With this statement, Kueblestein turned and left the room,
his obligations for this conference fulfilled.  Saito and Ayoob
watched the doors slide shut as he left.  Nobody spoke for
several minutes, then Ayoob turned to the computer terminal on
the table.  "What's next, sir?"
	#I am going to give primary Sciences personnel full access
to the materials.  That should appease Doctor Kueblestein.#
	"So we proceed as planned?"
	#Yes.  All operations will continue as scheduled.  There
will be no interruptions.#
	"What about that report we received from Deirdre?" Ayoob
asked.  "I know it conflicts with some of the security
parameters you've set."
	#I've already taken care of that,# the Computer replied.
#I edited it so it would conform.#
	"That's kind of a nonstandard operation, isn't it, sir?"
Saito asked, a little startled at this revelation.  Normally the
CC was only supposed to send unacceptable reports back to the
authors for rewriting.
	#This whole experiment is a nonstandard operation, Alexi...#


> A.D. 213706.17; 02:13:22
> WWWA Central Headquarters, Main Medical Facility

[Fade in on an external view of the medical facility.  The hour
 being what it is, most of the inside lights are out.  Dissolve
 to a ceiling shot of one section, Wing A-3, of the building,
 which contains approximately two dozen medical beds, arranged
 in two straight rows, each with a highly advanced monitoring
 system attached to it.  Most of the beds are empty; from the
 occupied ones, an occasional beep can be heard as the
 BioMonitors do their work.  We are too far away to identify
 anyone.
 Cut to the central monitoring station for Wing A-3 (which is
 actually situated at one end of the rows of beds).  A male
 medical Trouble Consultant, wearing a white uniform, sits at
 the console.  He is reading a VidMag and drinking coffee.
 Another man silently approaches, undetected by the first.
 As he steps into the light, we recognize him...]

			DARRYN
Hey, Carl.

			CARL [startled]
Wha?!  Oh...  Geez, Darryn, why do you have to sneak up on
people like that??

			DARRYN
Sorry, heh heh.  Force of habit.

			CARL
Oh, right, I forgot.  You're a ninja.
	[Slight pause.]
So, everything quiet around the building?

			DARRYN
Oh, yes.  Nice and slow.  Rumiko would hate it.
	[They both laugh softly.]
Everything okay with your patients?

			CARL
Patients are fine.  It's the others I'm wondering about.

			DARRYN
What do you mean by that?

[He motions to one of the beds near the end of the wing.  The
 combination of the darkness and the distance makes it
 impossible for us to clearly see who occupies it, but another
 person is seated next to the bed, and appears to be watching
 the bed's occupant intently.]

			CARL
The one watching that patient... she's been sitting there ever
since I came on duty.  Hasn't moved an inch.

			DARRYN
How long have you been on?

			CARL [checking his watch]
Uh... about four hours now, and the gal I replaced said she'd
been here all the while she was on.

			DARRYN
That's a hell of a long time.

			CARL
Yeah.

			DARRYN
Who is that, anyway?

			CARL
I don't know who the sitting one is, but... well, let me show
you...

[Darryn walks over to Carl's side of the console, as Carl
 cyber-interfaces and issues some commands.  Overhead, one of
 several floating security cameras silently glides toward the
 bed which has been the subject of the conversation.  At the
 station, a viewscreen offers the image being scanned by the
 camera.  The image finally stops on the bed in question and
 zooms in.  Cut to Darryn & Carl, as Darryn's eyes widen a
 little.]

			DARRYN
Oh my God.

[Cut back to the viewscreen.  The camera has zoomed in and
 compensated for the darkness, so we can see quite clearly that
 the person lying on the bed is Deirdre, and the person sitting
 next to Deirdre is Shasti.  Cut back to the control station.]

			CARL
You know 'em?

			DARRYN
Yes.  Yes, I do.  I wonder what the hell they got sent up
against...?

			CARL
Well, whatever it was, the patient got shot in the chest by an
E-mag pulse, according to the report.

			DARRYN
...

[Cut to the bed.  Deirdre, heavily bandaged in her chest
 region, continues to sleep, as Shasti looks on, her eyes
 never leaving Deirdre.  The long hours of sitting and
 watching are taking their toll, and Shasti is struggling to
 stay conscious.]

			SHASTI
......

[Suddenly Deirdre stirs.  Shasti is fully alert in an instant.
 Deirdre groans, and her eyes slide open.]

			DEIRDRE
Uhhhhh.... whuh...
	[Quick shot of her view, which is very blurry.  The image
	 only partially gains focus, as she is not wearing her
	 glasses.]
Shasti...?
	[She starts to sit up, reaching out with her right arm.]
Is that y-- hnnnnggggh!

[She cringes as pain sears through her chest.  Shasti quickly
 takes her by the arm and makes her lie back down.]

			SHASTI
Easy, Deirdre.  Try... try to stay still.

[She kneels on the floor, so they are at eye level with each
 other.]

			DEIRDRE [weakly]
Oooh, jee-zuz, it hurts...  What the hell happened?

			SHASTI [sounding very uncomfortable]
E-mag pulse... hit you in your lung...  Stay still...

			DEIRDRE
E... E-mag...?
	[Pause.]
Where'd they get one of our guns?
	[A memory begins to reassert itself, and Deirdre is
	 suddenly unnerved...]
Who... who shot me?

[Shasti does not speak, but she looks like she is about ready
 to cry.  Suddenly Deirdre remembers who fired the shot...]

			DEIRDRE [shocked]
Oh... my... God...

[Deirdre and Shasti just look at each other for several
 minutes, and it is obvious that Shasti is really upset about
 whatever happened.  Then she starts crying.]

			SHASTI
Deirdre, I... I...  Oh, God!  Deirdre!  I'm so sorry!  I... I
didn't mean to... oh God...!

[Shasti buries her head in the bedsheets, sobbing.  Deirdre is
 still shocked.  The camera moves in for a close-up of her eyes,
 as she continues to recall the event which Shasti is crying
 about, and then slips out of focus...]


> A.D. 213706.16; 06:33:15
> Planet Dola, Eastern Province, Sector #5

[As the camera regains focus, we see that it is near dawn, and
 we are flying rapidly over an old section of buildings.  A
 sleek red aircar rockets onscreen, underneath the camera.
 Cut to the car's interior.  Deirdre, at the wheel, scans the
 skyline intently.  Suddenly a laserblast flies toward the car.
 Deirdre spots it and dodges just in the nick of time.]

			DEIRDRE
SHIT!
	[She speaks into a COM system.]
Shasti!  I'm under attack!  Identifying now!

[The car rockets toward the skyscraper from which the beam
 came.  On the roof can be seen a well-armored jet-black
 cymech firing a heavy-duty laser cannon.  Deirdre manages
 to dodge all the blasts the mech throws at her.]

			DEIRDRE [to the COM]
Whoa!  Paydirt!!  It's the boss mech!!

			SHASTI (V-O, Warrior)
All right!!  Don't lose him now; we're way low on time!!

[The mech stops shooting and flies off the building.]

			DEIRDRE
Oh no you don't!!

[The car banks sharply and rockets after the mech.  Large
 laser rifles extend from the front side panels, and Deirdre
 begins firing.  The mech turns and fires back rapidly.
 Deirdre rolls the car to evade, but she does not dodge all
 the blasts; one strikes the car's front fender, shattering
 one of its headlights, and another slices a mean gash in the
 car roof.  The mech and Deirdre continue to exchange fire.]

			DEIRDRE [angry]
...not getting away *this* time, you son of a...

[She fires a salvo of five blasts from her laser cannon, two
 of which connect with the cymech, severely damaging its chest
 section and sending it spinning toward the ground.  It crashes
 into an old abandoned building, and there is a small
 explosion.]

			DEIRDRE
YES!!  GOT HIM!!
	[To the COM]
Shasti!  The boss mech is down!!  I'm going down to verify!

			SHASTI (V-O)
Forget that, Deirdre!  I need you back here right away!!

[Deirdre glances at the explosion site momentarily.  Then...]

			DEIRDRE
All right, I'm on my way!

[The car veers away and flies offscreen.]

[Cut to another section of the city.  As Deirdre lands the car
 in front of an old building, gunfire is heard within.  Deirdre
 shuts off the ignition and hops out, prepping her sidearm.
 Suddenly a huge laserblast blows out a section of the wall,
 and a female scream is heard.]

			VOICE
LAURA!!!!

			DEIRDRE
Oh, shit!
	[She pinches one of her earrings, which is actually a
	 communicator.]
Shasti, I'm here!  What's happening up there?!

			SHASTI (V-O)
We just lost Laura!  Cannon blast to the head!  Wasn't pretty!

			DEIRDRE [cringing]
Oh, damn...  I'm coming in!

			SHASTI (V-O)
No!!  Get ready to move out FAST!  We're not finished here yet!!

			DEIRDRE
What?!

			SHASTI (V-O)
Just get the car ready!!!

[She quickly retreats to the vehicle, bringing it back online
 in a matter of seconds.  Shasti and another Trouble Consultant
 with curly blond hair backpedal out of the building, firing
 rapidly.]

			SHASTI [to the other T.C.]
Cindy, head for the car!!

[Cindy turns and runs, clambering into the back seat of the
 floating vehicle.  Shasti snaps off a few more shots and then
 bolts, leaping into the front seat.]

			SHASTI
Get us out of here, Deirdre!!

[The car rockets away from the building.]

			DEIRDRE
What about Laura?

			SHASTI
Forget it!  She's gone!  We'll have to come back for the body
later!

			DEIRDRE
Damn it all!

[She glances at Cindy, who is shaking with rage in the back
 seat.]

			CINDY
Damn them!  They'll PAY for this!!!

			SHASTI
Whatever's left is yours to kill.  I promise!
	[to Deirdre]
Head for the spot where you downed the boss!

			DEIRDRE
He should be dead!  I hit him twice in the chest area!

			SHASTI [putting a hand to her forehead]
No.  This implant is still relaying the timer signal to me!  The
bomb timer is still active!

			CINDY
So how much time do we have before the nukes go off?

			SHASTI
About ten minutes and fifteen seconds!!!

			DEIRDRE [shocked]
Jesus God!  We gotta move FAST!!

[She jams her foot on the accelerator, and the car streaks back
 toward the spot where the boss cymech fell...]


-- TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK --


========================================================================
=                                                                  ___ =
= "Ooooh, I feel so...           WWWA Terran Office, Irvine       /  | =
=    ...conceptual!!"                "I will solve any           /   | =
=        - Yuri, DPII:2               problem for you."         /    | =
=____________________________                                  /     | =
=        Larry Mann          |   /|   / |   /|   / |   /|   / /______| =
= <lmann@orion.oac.uci.edu>  |__/ |__/  |__/ |__/  |__/ |__/ /-------| =
= WWWA: Creative Consultant  |_/  |_/   |_/  |_/   |_/  |_/ /________/ =
========================================================================