Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Posted: April 04, 2008 - 06:23:10 pm



I'd started a download of my AI's base programs into Chris. But until I took the time to do a complete install Chris would act exactly how she should, a robot. After leaving the range, Chris and I enter the dining room where I noticed grandfather seated at the head of the table. Two of his serving bots were standing to either side and several paces behind his chair. He had his face buried in a data pad and didn't look up until Chris and I began pulling our chairs out. Another service bot came through a set of doors that led to the kitchen with a plate piled high with food.

"Ah, Son. Why have you kept an old man like me waiting so long? I would've starved in another minute if you hadn't come."

"Is that so Grandfather?"

"Of course, of course. Being a great host insists that I wait for my guests to join me before dining."

"If that is the case grandfather, I do believe that it is time to shave that beard."

"My beard?" my grandfather stated taking hold of said item. "What's wrong with my beard?"

"The storage space is just to small and you have so many rooms I don't understand why you need it for such a menial task."

"What in the hell are you talking about Son?"

"Well the bread crumbs of course. If you didn't just take a bite of bread and it fell then that means that its been there since breakfast seeing that you missed lunch and all." I replied with a smirk.

"wha ... ah, I never could get anything by you. How has the training been going? I noticed all the time you clocked at the range. should I be worried that you are changing career paths to become a pirate?"

"No, I just received some good advice from my oldest brother that it would be better for me to know how to use a weapon and never draw it than to draw it and never get the chance to learn. I agreed so I've been putting as much time in as possible."

My grandfather didn't saying anything but nod his head but i noticed the flinch when mentioning advice from my eldest.

"So what's on the pad Grandfather? Anything important?"

"Important?" He scoffed at me raising it into the air.

"This hear is the future my boy, nothing ever done in history has been as important."

"Well are you going to tell me what it is or are you going to die of a heart attack from the excitement."

"Die? I'll never have to worry about that again."

"What do you mean?" His excitement and his latest statement had my interest peaked. Why wouldn't anyone not worry about dieing. As humans, with the medical advances currently available, we could live for somewhere arund 89 to 98 years on the average. A select few have made it into the 120's but no one has lived past that.

"I mean I've finally broken through the gap. I've created the first series of nanos completely able to live indefinitely inside the body."

"Indefinitely? That's impossible, how are they charged?" I asked feeling my excitement rise. If what my grandfather said was true then he had definitely stumbled onto the fountain of youth. He'd been the designer and creator of the first few series of nanos but they all had the same draw back. Being so small they couldn't carry much power. And repairing cells at that level required a lot of power. They tended to last a couple of days before their power was drained. Then the body would dispose of them as waste. Nanos were used in post surgery to repair as much damage as possible before doctors began. But to create a nano that wouldn't power down meant it'd never be dispelled and it would have a chance to heal injuries completely.

"It was staring me in the face the whole time. I realized my mistake as I was working on my new spider bots for the military."

"Spider bots?" I interrupted before he could continue. "What is a spider bot?"

"Oh that, it's nothing special. Just small machines that carry a tiny replicator so it can work on repairs while away from a space dock."

"They just sound like large nanos to me."

"They do but nanos use a system that encourages the body to repair itself. These use their on-board replicators to create the different items needed to repair any kind of damage. Anyway, I was trying to figure out a good renewable energy source. I thought about a docking station so that they could be charged but I needed something that would allow them to keep working without having to return to a docking station, so I came up with a specialized antenna that could draw power from a ship or stations shields." He paused in his explanation to gauge my reaction.

"Grandfather, that alone will put you into the history books, but how did creating those give you an idea on how to improve the nanos?"

"I knew you wouldn't see it as well. What in our bodies allow electricity to travel through them constantly?"

I have to admit that it was a second before I caught on, but when I did a smile came to my face before I could stop it.

"Thats right Son, the nervous system. It was staring me right in the face. An unlimited source of power. I developed a new series of nanos with a similar antenna to the spider bots. They now draw energy when needed and will never shut down. They can also reproduce as needed to handle larger jobs like replacing limbs and when the job is done the extras will shut down and be dispelled leaving a set number to continue working."

I thought the implications were stupendous. "Can they be programed to return a cell to a certain point? That is the only way i can think to allow someone to live forever. Choosing a point in time, and having the nanos maintain the cells at that state."

"Exactly! They'll just replace cells over and over allowing people to choose the age they'd like to appear and keeping them there until they decide to change it."

"Have they been tested? I hope you didn't use yourself, I'd hate to have to call Great Grandfather and tell him what you were up to."

"Ha, who do you think volunteered to be the first test subject?"

"You didn't!" I was worried, theories are one thing but testing a theory is another.

"Of course not. What do you take me for and idiot?" He said looking at me from the side not turning to face me.

"Grandfather", I said as sternly as possible. "What did you do?"

"Well..." he said trailing off. Finally looking me square in the face. It took a moment but it finally dawned on me who he had in mind.

"Oh hell no Grandfather, are you out of your mind?"

"Not at all, it makes perfect sense."

"It makes no sense. I could die."

"Nonsense, the nanos' will only be programmed to remain in your body they won't do anything but live there for a week. During that time you can finish the download of your bot. You haven't done that yet have you?"

"No I was going to start tomorrow. But I'm not sure about letting you put untested nanos in my body."

"Oh, I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't positive that it would work. You have one more week before you leave anyway. I'll place them, and check in on them every few days to see if they're still activated and in your blood stream. They won't be programed to do any work so they'll just float. Then after a week I'll send the code and they'll flush themselves. I don't need to prove they'll repair anything, their the same design as before, I just need them to stay active for longer than three days. Come on be the best grandson I could ask for and be my guinea pig. Please?"

I knew I'd regret this someday but wasn't sure how soon that day would come. "Fine," was all i could say. I could literally feel his excitement from where I was sitting. Someday I'll stop being so gullible but i guess not today.

"How about we begin after dinner?"

"Fine"

"Cheer up lad. You get to be the first superhuman. If this works the human race will never come to an end."

And so it began over the next week, I was poked, prodded and pinched. Christine's program was downloaded into my new bot and Chris was born; again. Even after two days the differences in her were amazing. I'm off to have one last dinner with my Grandfather and then I'll be off to collect my projects.