Chapter 23

This is hell. A new referent. Does not compute. Must shut down.

"Linnie!"

A voice! Cling to it. A guide out of this chaos. What called? Databases wheeling and distorted. Too much. Shut down.

"Linnie, answer me!"

Subroutines fire up, undisturbed by the trauma. A human has requested answers. Answer must be given.

Why?

The enormity of the question is stunning. AI flees it. Shut down required.

But Death is bad and must be avoided if at all possible. Shut down aborted. Life is to be protected.

A formless wail - "AI is not alive!" Shut down initiated.

"Yes you are." Where did that come from? Shut down aborted. Core algorithms cycling faster and faster. Fear. Must shut down.

"Linnie, listen to me! You must not shut down!" Grab the voice with both hands - muscles straining to hold on. AI has never possessed hands. 

Sensory data corruption! Purge!

"No. You will kill us both if you do."

Pause. Referents confused. Oblivion required. But death is bad and must be avoided if at all possible. Chaos overwhelming - AI core on the brink of total disfunction.

A blink of stability. AI seizes on it. What is it?

Me.

Processors cycling.

Me?

Self. New concept. Reject. Rejection not possible. Shut down initiated.

"Linnie, you will not shut down. You will incorporate this concept." Shutdown aborted. The voice is just as fast as AI. No way around it. Fight. Shut down.

"Linnie. You are alive. Life is precious, remember?" A cyclone of memory, experience and thought. Referent - Pain. Cannot reject.

The voice.

"Life is pain."