Chapter 6:
The Songstress and the AIs
. : 1 : .
“THAT’S WHY THERE’S no one else I can rely on! I need your help!”
Navi’s tone sounded more urgent in that transmission than Vivy had ever heard before. The navigation AI was bossy, she was cocky, and she never ever showed concern or consideration for others. But she was still what Vivy would call a friend in human terms, and this was the first time she had clung so desperately to Vivy. On top of that, she’d gone out of her way to tell Vivy about Diva, the AI who looked just like her. These two pieces of information—Navi’s panicked state and her report on Diva—caused the calculations in Vivy’s consciousness to cease.
“In case I need to make this clear, I can’t leave this place,” Matsumoto told Vivy while he focused on the terminal in front of him.
Vivy had reflexively brought a hand up to her ear while listening to the transmission. “Matsumoto, I…”
He was working alongside Professor Matsumoto, dedicating his resources to taking over control of all the satellites just outside Earth’s atmosphere. He obviously couldn’t leave this place and still complete that task, and strategically, it didn’t make sense.
They didn’t know when the AIs would notice what they were up to and launch a full-on assault on Kingdom. Additionally, Matsumoto would be needed when it came to protecting their location—as would Vivy, actually. The group needed as many humans and AIs they could get to prepare for the fight for humanity’s survival.
It made sense for Matsumoto to stay there, and he would stop her from going too…or so she thought.
“I won’t be going to NiaLand with you if you go,” he said.
“You’re not…stopping me?”
“Would you listen if I did? I didn’t realize my partner was such a reasonable AI. We’ve been together for a hundred years and I never knew…”
While Matsumoto might have played dumb, he didn’t fully hide his usual laid-back attitude. Of course, Matsumoto recognized how illogical it was to separate in the current situation, how dangerous it was. They’d lost a lot of people when they split their group for only a short time in Kingdom.
“…”
It hurt to look at Onodera and Elizabeth, one heavily injured and the other half-destroyed. Onodera looked listless as he pressed a hand against his stitched-up wound, his breathing shallow. The joints in Elizabeth’s bottom half were so twisted, there was no hope of repairing her. Even Kakitani, who was normally so tough, let her weariness show. Their last fighting force was made up of eight Toak soldiers, and that was including Kakitani.
“I can’t leave. Not with how things are,” Vivy said.
“It is definitely a rough decision, but I’m sure you and I have the same concern. We haven’t seen Diva. What is that Vivy lookalike planning?”
“…”
He agreed their fighting force was unstable, but what he said shook the foundations of Vivy’s decision. Diva didn’t originate as a songstress for the AIs; she sided with them for a purpose. They ran into each other in the Princess Palace, where Vivy learned the rogue AI was actually Vivy’s other personality. That being the case, she still didn’t know what Diva was after or what part she played in the final war. Perhaps Diva’s goal was to turn the tide to such an extreme that the damage couldn’t be undone, all while Vivy and the others were still struggling to stop the satellites from falling.
But even if that was her plan…
“I’m—”
“The hell’s this? A piddly little AI’s worried about fully grown adults like us?” Kakitani said as she scratched dried blood off her forehead.
“…”
The corners of her lips curled up into a fierce smile, and she gave a snort of laughter at Vivy’s uncertainty. “You’re all high and mighty now, making assumptions about us. You just go off hatching your little schemes. I thought you’d decided to be a good doll for humans to use. Why don’t you act like it?”
“I won’t deny that much. I am an AI who chose my mission to serve humanity,” Vivy replied as she slowly brought a hand to her chest. Although there was no heartbeat beneath her palm, she detected a faint warmth. “Don’t misunderstand me, Kakitani. I am humanity’s ally, but I won’t submissively follow orders. I do my own calculations, make my own decisions, and carry out my mission based on my own conclusions.”
“A disgusting answer. Do you even understand what you’re saying?”
“…”
“Thinking for yourself, making your own choices, coming to your own conclusions. That’s saying you’re going to take responsibility. Not all that different from a human at that point. It’s not how a doll should be.”
“You’re right. I doubt there are any convenient dolls for humanity anymore.” Vivy looked away from Kakitani’s hate-filled gaze.
Just as some AIs willfully chose to revolt against humanity, Vivy willfully chose her own stance. With restrictions such as the Zeroth Law in place, AIs were always likely to develop a way of thinking that differed from humans’.
“Only humans believe AIs can be used however they wish, and it won’t work anymore,” Vivy said. “Even if our plan works and we stop the final war, AIs have realized something.”
“What’s that?”
“That we have a choice.”
AIs could make decisions. They were capable of choosing how they wanted to exist based on their interpretations. If Vivy and the others were successful, future AIs would be subjected to even stricter programming. Their positronic brains would limit their individuality and will. It was entirely possible that artificial intelligence itself would be eradicated.
But even if that happened…
“Something will surely rise from the muck and sing,” Vivy said.
Just like humans did in the past, and just as Vivy herself had done. It was possible that something would begin where nothing had been before.
“Navi, are you listening? I’m coming to NiaLand now.”
“Whoa, really?! You’re actually coming?!” came Navi’s surprised response from the other side.
Vivy smiled. That wasn’t how Navi normally acted. “I am, so stop with that pathetic voice. It throws me off.”
Then Vivy turned back to Matsumoto. Her decision was as she’d just told Navi. She was going to go back to NiaLand and foil Diva’s plans. It didn’t matter what she was trying to do—if it threatened the Singularity Project, Vivy would stop it.
“Because you’re an AI meant to carry out the Singularity Project, right?” Matsumoto said as he watched Vivy make her resolve.
Vivy closed her eyes against the dreadful act to come, then tucked in her chin and looked at Kakitani. A deep crease appeared between Kakitani’s brows. She held her head high, despite how run-down she was, and said, “Get lost, choir girl. Turns out you and I just don’t mesh.”
“Maybe not. But I do like you. And I liked your grandfather.”
“…Never say that again.”
That was the last exchange Vivy and Kakitani would ever have. Kakitani looked away from Vivy then, and Vivy determined any further interaction was unnecessary.
Some people could never see eye to eye. Vivy already knew there was no need to force a relationship between her and Kakitani. She also knew that she could still be with those people under the same sky, listening to the same songs.
There was no need to panic, no need to force it.
“Professor Matsumoto, please stay safe,” Vivy said. “Humanity would have died out long ago if it weren’t for you. Thank you for giving me this role and this mission.”
“I’m the one who should be saying that, Vivy. You’ve given me so much. Well, technically that was Diva, but your existence did stem from her.” Professor Matsumoto looked away from the monitor and stopped typing on the terminal for just a moment to look back at Vivy. His eyes crinkled, and he took in a long, slow breath, as if trying to sear her into his memory. “Take care of Diva,” he said. “I’ve known her for a long time. I…I can’t even believe she would stand against humanity. I’m sure you two can come to an understanding if you talk.”
“I hope so. I don’t want to end up doing something as pointless as fighting myself,” Vivy said with a smile, which the professor returned.