Friday Challenge Entry #7

For the Friday Challenge.

Folk Tales of the Final Frontier entry #1

"A modern P.I.N.O.C.C.I.O."

Stage 1

George sat at the terminal his finger wavering over the final key, the one that would execute the program. After this there would be no turning back, he'd be bringing a new life into this world, one he'd ultimately be responsible for.

Making his decision about a millisecond before pressing down on the actual button, George sat back and watched as the machinery in his lab did the rest. A long metal arm reached from the ceiling and pulled the lifeless husk laying on the table towards the middle of the room. Once properly aligned at a pre-set point another machine above the husk a sudden rush of energy appeared and shot into it.

As he waited, watching for any sign of life George readied the next portion of the animation process. Pulling the AI network from its housing he ran any final conductivity tests, and systems diagnostics before “suiting up” to enter the sealed lab.

Gently cradling the AI housing George approached the still formless husk, watching as it began to take shape.

He carefully set the AI on the metal table, and checked the small computer display monitoring the project's progress. Waiting for a certain point in the process George offered a small prayer, “Lord let this be the one.” he uttered under his breath.

George counted down the seconds until the husk would be ready to place the AI into it.
Nine tries, and nine failures, he knew that this would be the last attempt he'd be allowed. That was why he made sure this time he made it count. He put something special into this AI's neural network.

Looking down at the husk as he inserted the AI George made a promise,

“This time Peter, you'll come back to me.”

Stage 2

“Prototype. Inorganic-Nanotech. Organic-Compound. Combination. Iteration. One.” George said to the assembled scientists, reporters and corporate officers gathered around him in the impromptu conference.

“Around here at Metadata Labs we jokingly referred to this project as “Pinoccio”. I say referred, because up until a few days ago, we naturally assumed the project was like all the rest. A failure. That is, until it...I mean until he asked if he could choose his own name.” George said to the hushed whispers of amazement of the crowd.

“So without further hesitation, allow me to introduce you to Peter, the worlds first artificially grown human replicant.” George said turning to the back of the stage.

“Peter? Could you come out here please?” he asked in a fatherly manner to whoever was hiding in wait behind the curtain.

After a few seconds of silence from the crowd, the blue muslin cloth was parted by a child-like hand followed by what looked like to all accounts, a boy of about ten years of age.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as the boy walked across the stage right to the side of the doctor, clutching at the man's leg fearfully as he stared at the large assemblage of people there to see him.

“Now Peter, you know you have no reason to be afraid, we talked about this, remember?” George said as he bent down to speak to the child, either unaware his mic was still on, or not caring about being heard.

The boy smiled at the doctor, and in a historic moment said his first words in public. “Yes father.”

With that the crowd erupted in questions, each jockeying to be answered first. This sudden rush of emotion and noise frightened the boy who again clung to the leg of the doctor, until George playfully tousled his hair and asked for silence.

“Now before I answer any questions, I'd like to have the other project members to come up here and get their due as well.” George said motioning for the two people who worked with him side by said from the beginning.

An older balding man limped towards the stage with the aid of a cane, and the help of a beautiful young woman in a lab coat beside him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce two of the finest minds in the fields of neurolinguistics and cybernetic development, Doctors James Cricket,and Azura Faye.” George said as the two arrived at the stage to help field any questions the crowd would have.

Doctor Cricket carefully and gratefully sat in the chair that had been brought up to the stage specifically for him, before thanking his young research fellow for her assistance in getting him there. He motioned for George to come closer so he could whisper something in his ear before any questions were asked.

“Doctor Cricket just wanted to remind me, that for any members of the press here today, he is in fact Dr. James E. Cricket, not to be confused with his grandson the pediatrician James B. Cricket.” George said with a chuckle that was followed up by similar responses among the crowd.

For the next hour they each answered the multitude of questions posed by the press, and the others in attendance. Once the crowd's curiosity had been satisfied, they had happily followed Mr. Mangiafuoco the director of Metadata labs on a guided tour of the facilities where this “wonder of the modern age” had been born.

George stayed behind with Peter and his partners for a short moment of peace before a much more public unveiling of their scientific breakthrough later.

Doctor Faye waited until it was just the four of them in the large conference room before pulling George to her and angrily saying what had been on her mind since the project's inception.

“Damn it George, it's bad enough you crafted this thing to look like our dead son, but did you have to name it after him too?!” she said with genuine hurt in her eyes and a quiver in her voice.

“I think that's why I went back to my maiden name when you came to Mangiafuoco with this disgusting idea. The thought of being known as Dr. George Petto's ex-wife after this is bad enough.” she said not bothering to hide the disdain in her voice.


Not waiting for him to answer she turned and walked away, her stride broken only by a few choked sobs as she made her way to the exit.

George turned to see Doctor Cricket playing some game with Peter on a portable device, seemingly unaware of what had just happened. He smiled at the boy, and walked over to the two.

“Peter, would you mind giving Dr. Cricket and I a moment alone?” he said to the boy.

Peter simply nodded and took off running to the stage-end into a flying leap to the ground below. He laughed as he landed and kept on running, at first in circles, and then randomly as if chasing something only he could see.

“Now that he's gone I'd like to thank you for what you really said at the meeting.” George said to his elder friend and mentor.

“I meant it George, I'll never tell anyone what you did. We're the only two people who know that Peter's AI is based on your son. I'll take it to my grave.” Dr. Cricket said solemnly as he watched both the boy run around the room, and the once grieving father see what could have been.

“Thank you James.” replied George, happy now that in some fashion at least, he'd get to see Peter grow up.