Read Online Originator by Joel Shepherd - Free Book Online Page B

at this point,” Reichardt cautioned them. “But worthwhile.”
    â€œWhatever.” Ari cut them off with an impatient gesture. “The point is that if the Talee wiped themselves out as part of some psychological condition, they had it real bad. So the question then becomes, was this just the technology that made them crazy? Or is it something native to Talee psychology? Because if it’s the latter, we might be okay here. If it’s the former . . .”
    Sandy shook her head. “I don’t think it’s that simple. I know it’s dangerous to speculate given how little we’ve seen of the Talee . . . but their recent behaviour doesn’t suggest an aggressive or violent species at all. Quite the contrary. And they made Cai, and if it’s possible to judge a people by their creations, Cai’s nature speaks very well of them.”
    Ibrahim nodded a little, stroking his short beard. It was as good as a comment from him, when his people were talking. He liked to sit, and think, and absorb.
    â€œBut certain psychological types are reactive,” Sandy continued. “Compulsive Narrative Syndrome proves that the human addiction to narrative patterns is not a matter of violence. Very nice and apparently nonviolent peoplehave become so convinced in the rightness of a particular narrative that they end up doing terrible, violent things. Predisposition to violence is not a factor in a person’s predisposition to fanatical belief.
    â€œThe Talee could quite easily be a very kind and gentle people, but if there’s something in their psychology that predisposes them toward exponential, catastrophic pattern-recognition cascades, then introduce the wrong sort of uplink technology into that and there’s no telling how it could blow up. The real thing we have to be worried about is the degree of interaction between the uplink technology and the psychology. League are using Talee tech, far more than they ever admitted, because of course they never admitted they borrowed Talee tech in the first place. Whether that technology will interact worse with human psychology, or better, or whatever, is the real question.”
    â€œWhoever’s in charge of Pantala research would know,” Reichardt said solemnly.
    â€œThat might be hard,” said Sandy. “I’d rather take a run at Margaritte Karavitis, Renaldo Takewashi’s woman on the inside of that operation.”
    â€œOr Takewashi himself,” Ari added. “He might even cooperate.”
    â€œAnd then,” said Ibrahim, “we do have an example in our hands of some of the most advanced Talee uplink technology, in the head of a human subject.”
    Everyone looked at Ibrahim. Then at Sandy. Sandy nodded slowly, heart beginning to thump in dull panic.
    â€œSir,” she said, “I know you’re not suggesting it. But just so we’re clear—if it’s a choice between me subjecting my little boy to invasive testing or the entire human race dying, then the human race dies. I’m sorry, I’m completely unreasonable about his well-being. Completely.”
    No one challenged her on the logical contradiction that if the human race died, so did Kiril. She made her point. Everyone stayed quiet.
    Except Ibrahim. “I understand your position completely. How ever, surely there must be some medium?” Sandy’s heart thumped harder. She blinked hard, fighting the redness that threatened to descend. About the table, everyone watched cautiously.
    â€œPerhaps,” she admitted with difficulty.
    â€œI cannot tell you what that medium is, Cassandra,” said Ibrahim. “We all know there should be further tests, not merely aimed at his well-being, as previous tests have been, but at truly understanding what is going on inhis head. But the decision must be yours. And his, of course, small boys have rights too. If he refuses, then that’s that. But I’m quite sure