Read Online Aztec Century by Christopher Evans - Free Book Online Page A

affairs,’ Parkhouse said. ‘We can at least protect the integrity of the courts and the police.’
    I gave a harsh laugh. ‘Integrity? That’s an interesting word. You haven’t convinced me that you understand what it really means.’
    Now another member of Parkhouse’s group spoke up – a Fabian peer with a distinguished record of service.
    ‘Your Highness,’ he said, ‘we understand how much you regret the occupation of this country. So do we. But at this time we’re powerless in the face of it. Meanwhile, out there, many ordinary people are in a situation where they have no redress for genuine grievances. They may have lost relatives, suffered confiscation of their property, or they may be imprisoned. At present, they have no voice to speak for them. We have to accept that these people have little day-to-day concern for larger political affairs and considerations of true democracy. All they want is personal justice, the right to live their lives with as much freedom and peace as possible. So, some of us have decided that we would rather be considered fools or traitors in certain quarters if we can, none the less, serve the everyday needs of the majority.’
    This was more direct and touching, spoken, I felt, from theheart. Richard was nodding approvingly, and even Victoria looked convinced.
    ‘I respect your point of view,’ I said, ‘but if you’re asking me to approve of it, I’m afraid I can’t.’
    Late that night, while the city slept under fog, I unlocked the door which would admit Bevan to my suite.
    While Bevan settled himself at the terminal, I put a Burgess symphony on the player and returned to his side with a pad and pen. I made a careful note of each stage in the operating procedure to activate ALEX.
    Within minutes, ALEX appeared, framed in grey as before. When Bevan identified himself, he said,
‘Good to talk to you again, Bevan.’
There was a pause.
‘Is Kate with you as well?’
    I was amazed and somewhat in awe of the sophistication of the program. It really was almost as if ALEX were flesh and blood.
    ‘I’m here,’ I said into the microphone.
    A smile.
‘Kate. I’m so pleased we can communicate again.’
    Scintillae flickered in his simulated beard, and his eyes had a coppery sheen. I suddenly found myself embarrassed and utterly at a loss for words. I thrust the microphone back at Bevan.
    ‘You talk to him for a while,’ I said. ‘I’ll just listen.’
    He looked surprised and also mildly amused.
    ‘All right,’ he said. ‘What do you want me to ask it, then?’
    Though it was foolish, I didn’t like the way he referred to ALEX as ‘it’.
    ‘You’re the expert,’ I said. ‘I’ll leave it to you.’
    He turned back to the screen. ‘ALEX, this is Bevan again. I want to ask you some questions.’
    ‘Fire away, Bevan.’
    ‘OK. Last time you told us that your function was to interact with outside agencies, right?’
    ‘That’s correct.’
    ‘What I want to know is – what’s the nature of your program?’
    There was a longer pause than usual.
‘It would be helpful if you could be more specific, Bevan.’
    ‘Want me to use technical language, do you?’
    ‘That’s not necessary. I’m designed to work with colloquial English
,
but because of its inexactitudes there will be times when your precise meaning may not be clear to me.’
    ‘I’m with you.’ A brief glance at me, and then: ‘What’s your purpose? What functions can you offer a user?’
    ‘Of myself, I have no purpose. It would depend on the interactions of the outside agency. You’ll get out what you put in.’
    He grinned, exactly like the real Alex.
    I said, ‘Ask him if he can access confidential information for us.’
    Bevan eyed me appraisingly before repeating the request.
    ‘That would depend,’
came the response.
    ‘On what?’ Bevan asked.
    ‘It might be possible, provided the outside agency gave me suitable empowerment.’
    Bevan paused. Then he asked, ‘What sort of