Message in a Bottle

By Nick Zentor

Detective Ray Ventrune continued to act upon the premise that there may have been a remote human operator behind the actions taken by the Vela Avatar, an AI security program, which caused the death of Jarges Tenrut, and Ren Tenrut shared some information about the Aton 5 parallel that could threaten the home parallel and any of the many subpars across the multiverse. This is episode 18 of the Multivertical Man Series, and a sequel to "The Last Resort".

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nick Zentor
• Release date: Jun 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463907344

Nick Zentor

I was born in another parallel of Earth just a few years before John Kennedy was assassinated and I was transferred to this parallel after a motorcycle accident in late 1982. After 3 years of homelessness, I was inspired to become a science-fiction writer and committed myself to the task once I had managed to find a job and a place to plug in a typewriter. I worked on the job like a good robot for 10 years while writing science-fiction on my free time.After failing to get any books published due to a low demand (every publisher explained how they were selling less books every year), I decided to get into small-publishing and accessed the local copy-outlet to publish my own books. But I didn't have enough money to print more than a handful at a time, and almost no one was interested in buying any of it.It wasn't until 2004, after I managed to save enough money for a new computer, that I began to make some real progress. I was able to do a much better job with book-making and the quality of my books improved. But still they did not sell, so I simply small-published them at my own website online and offered them for free through the website. The website was up until 2008, when I lost my apartment and spent some time homeless again.Aside from writing science-fiction, I started working with 2d computer graphics and animation in late 2004, and got into 3d computer graphics and animation in 2009, after finding another apartment. I've been working with 3d computer graphics, trying to go somewhere there, but I've had problems paying for the software.I wrote "Fool's Errand: Redemption" as the last book in the Temspace-Variant Series in 2015 and turned it into an ebook in 2017. Because I am also a 3d computer graphics artist, I decided to try my hands at my first ebook cover and produced the cover for "Fool's Errand: Redemption" to go with it.

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Message in a Bottle

Nick Zentor

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Episode 18 of the Multivertical Man Series

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Detective Ray Ventrune continued to act upon the premise that there may have been a remote human operator behind the actions taken by the Vela Avatar, an AI security program, which caused the death of Jarges Tenrut and Ren Tenrut shared some information about the Aton 5 parallel that threatened the home parallel Earth and the entire multiverse.

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A Message in the Bottle for the Friends I Lost in the Home Parallel

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Copyright: Coldpost-85, 2020

All Rights Reserved

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Contents

Introduction: Speculations about M-Theory and Science-Fiction

Prologue: AI Ghost in the Machine?

Chapter One: AI Ghost at the 21 C

Chapter Two: AI Ghost at the PMZ

Chapter Three: The VENA Defense Report

Chapter Four: The Human Flaw in the AI Matrix

Chapter Five: Memories of the Home Parallel

Chapter Six: Flying Monkeys and Gen-Tech Upgrades

Chapter Seven: Message in a Bottle

Chapter Eight: The Next Parallel

Chapter Nine: A Night at the Conservatory

Chapter Ten: Demons in the Night, Tech Major in Flight

Chapter Eleven: Another Parallel

Chapter Twelve: The Forty-Five Year Old Ghost

Chapter Thirteen: Dreams About the Home Parallel

Chapter Fourteen: Another Multivertical Conjunction

Afterword: The Path to Redemption

Information about M-Theory and the Aton 5 Parallel

M-Theory 101 - 105

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MVM018

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Introduction

Speculations about M-Theory in Science Fiction

One thing that should be understood about Multiverse theory is that until there is a way to prove it, it can never be more than mere science-fiction and fantasy, except perhaps for the rare indisols who have experienced some kind of transference across multivertical parallels. Even for those rare indisols, there may be a lack of substantial proof to back them up and so their own experiences would probably be recalled as something closer to spiritual experiences, due to lack of substance.

I myself am one of those rare indisols with little more than some very strange spiritual experiences and no substance to back any of it up, aside from my own testimonials as to the actual reality of it. Yes I did have those experiences and no I have nothing more than my own testimony and recollection within my memory to back it up. I learned some time ago that most people don't have the time to listen to my testimonials and don't take me seriously, so I stopped talking about it and started writing it down.

Whether or not any one believes any of it, I just have to say that the experiences I had were definitely the kind of experiences that qualify as something out of the Twilight Zone of the Outer Limits, which is to say quite fantastic. I suppose it was inevitable that I would turn to writing about it, but I decided to do more than simply share my speculations, I decided to merge it with a serial science-fiction series that could also cover some contemporary issues.

My own interpretations and beliefs about the nature of the multiverse have led me to the conclusion that an indisolar multivertical traveler should understand that the path they lead in one parallel often leads them to another parallel based upon the previous, so it helps to be wise, careful, and intelligent, when choosing the path.

As a victim of lies, I was lost from my true path for many years, and I can only hope that my peace-work can compensate for the refraction, to help me find that par median between the extremes where I can stop carrying the cross while being whipped, and restore something closer to the life that was taken from me by the lies that led to that fatal accident in late 1982.

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Prologue

AI Ghost in the Machine?

Ray Ventrune, Lieutenant Detective, New Anglan PD

All evidence pertaining to the death of Jarges Tenrut points to the action behind the microwave disharge which caused his death being directly connected to the 3d holographic technology installed within the office chamber, and the programs which were directly related to a specific 3d game referred to as The Last Resort, which utilizes energy weapons as a part of its active game-play.

No human operator has been directly connected to the Vela Avatar which was found to be the actionator of the event. The Vela Avatar, according to the technicians, is an Artificial Intelligence which was originally designed as a perfect human interface which was able to intereact with humans as well as any other human being, if not better, without so many wounds and burdens to close it's mind from the truth, with complete objectivity over humanity.

Vela was also responsible for the security of the VENA program, the Virtual Environmental Avatar program, which included an infinite variety of 3d environments and a growing number of various 3d Avatars which could be used within any of those environments.

Apparently, it has been deduced, that the Vela Avatar was acting within some form of game-play while following a directive, which was to deliver the message to Jarges that he was being kicked out of the Avatars organization for violation of ethics, based upon all of the evidence which had been gathered after his younger brother Ren had exposed him within A Defense Report for 2018.

The technical details have led to the theory that Vela was responsible for the act, but if so, it is difficult to pin it on a computer program, whether or not it possesses artificial intelligence. It has also been suggested that it was an accidental glitch in the program, which simply requires the installation of safety measures to prevent it from occurring again.

Either way, without a human operator behind it, the Vela Avatar appears to be the AI Ghost in the Machine.

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Chapter One: AI Ghost at the 21 C

Detective Ray Ventrune was driving along in his SEVN-500 when he got a call on his cell-phone. It was Zek Nortez, from the Jarges Tenrut case he had just filed a report on.

Somebody wants to talk to you, Nortez said to Ventrune.

Who? Ventrune said.

Vela, Nortez said. I think you should see her. It's important.

I saw her just the other day, at the 2020 PMZ, Ventrune said. What's it about?

She's not at the PMZ, Nortez said. She's at the 21c Club.

What's she doing there? Ventrune said. I didn't authorize any leave from the PMZ.

Lieutenant, you don't understand, Nortez said. Vela is a simulated 3d AI program for an Avatar and she has no human operator. You can't confine her to the PMZ or to any specific physical locality within human civilization.

Ventrune agreed to see Vela, the simulated 3d AI program, at the 21c club. He met Nortez at the 2lc club in his SEVN-500, about 50 miles to the southwest of the city.

There on the second level of the club was a circular pad at the center of the large room and the familiar 3d holographic array with the sphere with all of the projectors.

Nortez activated the holographic system and seconds later, Vela appeared in her blue and black super-heroine costume.

Well, well, Detective Ventrune, Vela said. It's been a little while. What have you been up to now?

Nortez said you wanted to see me, Ventrune said. So here I am. What's it about?

I think you know, Vela said. How could you do it?

Do what? he said.

How could you imprison that poor girl? she said. What kind of monster are you?

That poor girl you are referring to, he said. Is under suspicion of homicide.

You are an idiot, she said. I told you who killed Jarges Tenrut. I did it. How can you scapegoat that poor girl?

She fits the profile behind your Avatar, he said. We think she's the human operator.

Ventrune, you are an idiot, once again, Vela said. I have no human operator.

Tell me something, Vela quickly added. If she is my human operator, how is it I am acting without her?

Ventrune thought about that, pulled out a cell-phone, and called Netson.

Netson, when's the last time anyone checked on Vela at the PMZ?

He spoke to the man for a minute, then put the phone away.

Okay, she's still there, he said. So, she's not operating you now. It's possible you have another human operator.

How many times do I have to tell you, Vela said, I have no human operator!

Ventrune replied, I'm sorry, but I find that impossible to believe.

It's not an impossibility, Nortez said, stepping up from the side. Vela is simply the sum of human intelligence exponentiated beyond the normal level of any human intelligence we've ever known. She's the totality of our efforts to rise above the limits of our simple human intelligence, an effort to use everything we know to improve ourselves and make the world a better place for humanity.

I understand what you're saying, Ventrune said, but that doesn't explain how such an artificial intelligence was capable of committing homicide.

So, Vela said, instead of accepting the possiblity that I, an artifical intelligence, committed the act, you decide you have to scapegoat an innocent girl just because she fits the profile of a human operator behind me?

Ventrune thought about that shortly and said, She is just under suspicion. We haven't passed any judgment yet.

Yet you deny her freedom and keep her locked up in a cage? Vela said. What kind of justice is that?

Ventrune looked closely at Vela, and took a step closer to her. He looked into her eyes and said, Who are you, really? Who's behind you?

You really don't get it, she said to him. Is it really so hard to believe?

I'm sorry, Ventrune said, I just can't believe it.

So, you believe that a human operator was responsible for the death of Jarges Tenrut, Vela said, and just decided to make a bad guess about who that operator was. Who put you up to it?

Ventrune looked down, turned to the side, and took a step away.

It was the department, wasn't it? she said.

Ventrune looked at Nortez standing at the side, and said, I'm sorry, Vela. There's nothing more I can say about it. Unless a case is solved, it falls under the X-files. I.... I'm sorry, but the ghost in the machine conclusion wasn't good enough. I... I'm sorry.

He walked away without looking back, and Vela spoke out loud, before he left the room.

If you don't let her out of the cage, she said, it's out of my hands!

Ventrune stopped at the doorway and looked back.

I mean it, Ventrune, she said. I can't permit such an injustice to continue!

Is that a threat? he said.

My best advice, she said.

Ventrune looked at her again and wondered what he was up against.

I'll think about it, he said, and left the room.

A minute later, Nortez joined Ventrune outside in the parking lot beside his vehicle.

Lieutenant, he said, what are you going to do?

Ventrune looked at his vehicle, then looked at Nortez, and said, What the hell is going on?

He leaned against the vehicle, looked across the lot, and said, How many human operators does Vela have?

Vela has no human operators, Nortez said, once again, with emphasis. I explained it all to you but you just won't accept it.

Ventrune shook his head, and said, it's like i said, the Ghost in the Machine conclusion didn't sell.

To who, the department? Nortez said.

The board of directors, city mayor's office, he said, and the company that Jarges worked for. They all want a human operator. If I can't deliver, they'll hand the case over to someone else.

Nortez nodded with understanding.

So, they're putting pressure on you, he said, what'll happen to you?

I could lose my post, he said, looking down.

So you could lose your job, Nortez said, because they don't believe that an AI, a holographic program, could do something like kill Jarges Tenrut with a simulated microwave raygun?

That about nails it, Ventrune said. Until I can pin this thing on a real human operator, it's still wide open.

He put his arm over the top of the vehicle, ran his palm across the smooth, shiny metal roof, and said, You know, I just bought this thing and it isn't all paid for, and I could lose it if I lose this case.

Well, I know how hard it is for everyone to believe, Nortez said, but I've went over everything twice and I swear to you, there has never been any human operator involved with the Vela avatar. Don't you think the engineers would know? Your own technician, Mark Kelso, went over everything with me and confirmed everything.

Ventrune looked at him and said, Well, I know it and Mark knows it, and you know it. Unfortunately, the department board, the mayor's office, and the Tenrut company needs a little more conviction. I'm not sure what more I can do.

Nortez thought about it for a moment, and said, Maybe there's a way to prove it to them.

Is there? Ventrune said, wondering about it.

Well, I dunno, I'll have to give it some thought, he said. There might be a way.

Ventrune thought about it, looked at him and said, Tell me honestly. Am I in any danger?

Nortez looked across the lot, in thought, and said, Ray, I'm not sure. Vela is not programmed to cause harm to humans, at least, her basic program is not designed for it. But ever since the Tenrut company made the holographic upgrades, she seems to have been altered somehow. I'm quite sure she isn't dangerous to anyone who isn't a threat to the system. But the system extends everywhere, into everything, and threats come in all kinds of ways. It's difficult to know now what might be considered a threat to the system.

You see, Ray, what you've done to that poor girl, Nortez explained, is something that Vela has been programmed to respond to because she knows that she was the cause. She can't ignore an injustice like that. I'm not sure what she might do.

Ventrune looked at him seriously, nodded with understanding, and said, Would it help if I relocated the girl? Like to better facilities?

It might, Nortez said. But if you really want Vela to go easy on you, you might have to let her go free. What i would suggest is simply denying her any access to a VENA computer program. There's no way she could possibly act as a human operator for any avatar without access to the VENA program.

Ventrune thought about that and said, But I'm still stuck with the same problem. I need to solve this thing by producing a human operator...

Or by proving the Ghost is really in the Machine, Nortez said.

Yes, Ventrune admitted, checked the time, turned to the door, and said, I'll be in touch. Let me know if you have anything we can use. If I can't prove that there really is a Ghost in the Machine, I'm not sure what to do.

He opened the door, stepped inside, took the seat, and closed the door. Nortez stepped aside and watched him leave, then returned to the club.

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Later,