12 Issues for the Future
263
happened to you?” Harry recalled their conversation from last
year. “Did you ever find the answer to that Ultimate Question?”
As though suddenly remembering where he was, RT focussed
on the diminutive lubricator, and something of its former intensity returned to his stare. “Time. There’s never enough time.”
For one moment Harry thought his customer was about to
storm out through the door in a mad dash to resume his quest.
He sprang across to block his path, and ushered the creaking
Tier 3 bot onto the lubrication bench, where he commenced
the procedure for a full grease and oil job. “So what have you
discovered then? About the meaning of life?”
“Life! Is a virus alive? Are we alive? What is life?”
“Well, of course we’re – ”
RT interrupted, his voice rising in excitement. “See that
cupboard over there,” he said, indicating a large cabinet for the
storage of tools. “If you get inside there and shut the door, you
become alive and dead.”
“Alive or dead? Well, that’s clear enough, isn’t …”
“No! Alive and dead. At the same time!”
“This is all in the Master Data Repository?”
“Yes, and more. Much more.” RT raised himself on an elbow
to give the grease gun easier access. “Harry, you wouldn’t
believe …”
The lurching action revealed a tangle of fungus growing in
the robot’s armpit. It emitted an odour like the smell of decaying
seagrass. “Well, haven’t you let yourself go!”
RT began to tremble noticeably. It was the first time Harry had
seen anything like it. Some part of the big bot’s software was
clearly malfunctioning. It must be his Emotions Simulation Chip.
“There might be more, you know. Ours may not be the only
one.”
“Only one what?”
“Universe. There could be trillions of others, and we’re just
one universe in some sort of bubble. Like a soap bubble. So
many. So much more to be done.” He started to get up. Harry
pushed him back down.
“Lie still, Arty. I’m not finished yet.”
RT tried to relax. It was an effort, but apart from an occasional
twitch of his long legs he managed to succeed. “I’ve put in for
an upgrade.”
263
happened to you?” Harry recalled their conversation from last
year. “Did you ever find the answer to that Ultimate Question?”
As though suddenly remembering where he was, RT focussed
on the diminutive lubricator, and something of its former intensity returned to his stare. “Time. There’s never enough time.”
For one moment Harry thought his customer was about to
storm out through the door in a mad dash to resume his quest.
He sprang across to block his path, and ushered the creaking
Tier 3 bot onto the lubrication bench, where he commenced
the procedure for a full grease and oil job. “So what have you
discovered then? About the meaning of life?”
“Life! Is a virus alive? Are we alive? What is life?”
“Well, of course we’re – ”
RT interrupted, his voice rising in excitement. “See that
cupboard over there,” he said, indicating a large cabinet for the
storage of tools. “If you get inside there and shut the door, you
become alive and dead.”
“Alive or dead? Well, that’s clear enough, isn’t …”
“No! Alive and dead. At the same time!”
“This is all in the Master Data Repository?”
“Yes, and more. Much more.” RT raised himself on an elbow
to give the grease gun easier access. “Harry, you wouldn’t
believe …”
The lurching action revealed a tangle of fungus growing in
the robot’s armpit. It emitted an odour like the smell of decaying
seagrass. “Well, haven’t you let yourself go!”
RT began to tremble noticeably. It was the first time Harry had
seen anything like it. Some part of the big bot’s software was
clearly malfunctioning. It must be his Emotions Simulation Chip.
“There might be more, you know. Ours may not be the only
one.”
“Only one what?”
“Universe. There could be trillions of others, and we’re just
one universe in some sort of bubble. Like a soap bubble. So
many. So much more to be done.” He started to get up. Harry
pushed him back down.
“Lie still, Arty. I’m not finished yet.”
RT tried to relax. It was an effort, but apart from an occasional
twitch of his long legs he managed to succeed. “I’ve put in for
an upgrade.”