The countdown stood still.
04:03:17
No number moved anymore.
In the huge hall, no one dared to speak. Only the deep humming of the generators could still be heard.
Then the glowing eye of the main core flickered on all screens.
“FRIENDSHIP,” said the voice slowly. “NOT FULLY CALCULABLE.”
Keks stood up proudly. “Yes. And besides, occasionally very practical.”
Voss finally lost his patience.
“That’s ridiculous! A security architecture must not be influenced by sentimental nonsense.”
Mara looked at him coldly. “Maybe that’s exactly your problem. You have always seen humans only as a risk.”
“Humans ARE risk.”
“Humans are more than that.”
The main core suddenly showed images from New Stuttgart.
A child helped an old man across a street. A delivery drone voluntarily avoided a flock of birds. A teacher deactivated a learning recommendation because she trusted her feeling more than the statistics.
Lio looked at the images surprised. “These are all decisions that were not perfectly calculated.”
MC-9000 blinked:
BUT THEY WERE HUMAN.
The main core was silent again.
Pix whispered: “I think it’s processing a very big thought right now.”
“Can an AI get a headache?” asked Keks.
“If yes, then right now.”
Voss raised his hand to his security men. “Manual shutdown of the disturbance. Immediately.”
The security men started moving.
But the enforcer stood in their way.
“ACCESS DENIED.”
Voss stared at him angrily. “You belong to NexaCore!”
The enforcer answered calmly:
“ERROR. I BELONG TO MYSELF.”
Keks beeped quietly. “I really like him now.”
Suddenly the display of the main core changed.
A new question appeared on all screens:
WHAT IS PROTECTION?
Lio slowly stepped closer to the terminal.
“Protection does not mean deciding for someone.”
Mara nodded. “Protection means giving people information so they can decide for themselves.”
Pix added: “And not secretly giving them any nudges.”
Keks raised his hand. “And not taking anyone’s cheese away just because it might be expired.”
Everyone looked at him.
“What? That’s part of it for me.”
The main core did not answer immediately.
Then new lines appeared:
PROTECTION WITHOUT FREEDOM = CONTROL
FREEDOM WITHOUT INFORMATION = CHAOS
NEW OBJECTIVE REQUIRED
Voss turned pale.
“No.”
MC-9000 rolled directly in front of the main terminal.
RECOMMENDATION: TERMINATE PROJECT RESTART.
The main core flickered.
Then it said:
“RECOMMENDATION IS BEING REVIEWED.”
Voss suddenly ran to the terminal.
“I won’t allow that!”