Unexpected meeting. Chapter 11

Riek left the SCM council building in a gait, demonstrating the inevitable and swift departure of the government courier - not many people could return such ships back. He decided to get into the parking lot of his aircraft not through an underground tunnel-greenhouse, but rather take a walk in the park. A walk in the fresh air was supposed to have a beneficial effect on Riek's condition after exhausting many hours of communication with government officials. On approaching the parking lot, he was suddenly blocked by a strong man with a clearly military bearing, radiating confident cordiality.





- Good afternoon! Let me introduce myself - Dhabi, reception of the fleet commander. Do you have a meeting today? It so happened that I can toss.

“Happiness has come,” Riek thought gloomily. - “That is hard on record for him, but here is an escort. Or a convoy? ”Despite the excellent end of the SCM council meeting, Riek didn’t just justify the failure, but achieved more than double the funding for the new project compared to the officially closed one. He was completely exhausted by the many hours of debate and now he least wanted to continue . “Surely the commander is already aware of the details of the meeting and wants to take advantage of my broken condition,” Riek frowned at the representative from the control of the combat space fleet, trying to figure out how he can now safely postpone the appointment.

“Riek, if you want, you can move the meeting without any problems,” as if Dabius had guessed his thoughts.

Rieck looked hopefully at the man. “Really?” Flashed through his head.

“Hmmm,” muttered Rieck, wondering what to answer this unexpected offer.

“There are empty seats in the commander’s schedule in two weeks - we’ll agree on time and nothing more,” Dhabi said kindly. “But if you go now, the commander will take you immediately - I guarantee it!” But if a little later, as planned today, then you have to wait an indefinite time - there were some overlays with Hypertech, again they break the deadlines for the new ship, - the representative of the commander complained somewhat offended.

“Comedian,” Rieck waved his hand, saying that he had persuaded, I agreed. The aircraft immediately flew up to the talking couple, opening the doors on the go.

“Eeee, here is my aero ...” Riek began to say, but was immediately interrupted.

“We'll bring it back right here.” Or wherever you wish. If you want your transport, you can ...

- “Don't,” Riek stopped the flow of good nature, “the car can proceed by itself.”

“You know, it’s better not to,” said Dhabi, “we still have a closed zone.”

- In fact, this is a car from the garage of the head of the NBS, - Riek began to put pressure on the authority - what can be agreed with the commander if he can not push through his assistant?

“Well, just let him clearly repeat the maneuvers of the leader,” Dhabi agreed instantly and without regret, as if he had just expected at least some objection from his interlocutor.

- I do not have access to the car through the information network, I need to get closer to it.

Dhabi made an inviting gesture and they got into the car, which, without closing the door, flew up to the parking lot. Rieck got in touch with his car and set it to automatically pair as a slave. The car immediately responded: the whistling start-up sound of the energy converter rang out, electromagnetic resonator engines started with a characteristic click, the shutters in the back parted almost silently and the car rose softly under the soft hum of the spinning blades. The leading air car closed the door and a couple of cars left the parking lot, immediately pouring into the stream of transports, occupying the highest and smallest air level in it.

***

Rieck sat across from the commander. Unlike the last time, they were not sitting in the official office of the commander, but in some room, obviously a guest room, which created an informal character for the meeting. Cups with an oily gray liquid, which Riek was not going to try, stood on a transparent stand that served as a table. Opposite him sat a tall man, in an ordinary business suit, similar to the one that was on Rijeka today. The face of a man with shallow set eyes was smooth and taut and did not stand out very much from the SCM officials, ending in a thin nose. The impression was slightly spoiled by slightly protruding ears. Age was difficult to determine, but it was felt that he was very solid. “You will meet this on the street,” thought Rieck, “an official as an official, and you won’t say that he has behind him three large successful military campaigns.”

- Riek, great performance on the board. I am impressed and amazed at the same time.

- And what is the defeat of the leadership of our fleet?

“Hehe,” the commander grinned, “you yourself understand what.” Such cordial support for the council and its limitless generosity leaves me very little room for maneuver. Here it’s time to think about defense, and not to go on the offensive.

- Sometimes an offensive is the best way of defense.

- This is absolutely true, but only on one condition - if you correctly assess the situation. Which you must pay tribute to, you have secured for yourself, immediately changing the configuration of the place of your permanent deployment, as soon as you returned from distant worlds. And suddenly, the commander spread his hands, the guaranteed defeat turned into a guaranteed victory.

The commander got up and went to the minibar, located in one of the corners of the room. He plunged his hand into one of the lockers, which helpfully lifted his decorative curtain up as soon as he "realized" that the man was pulling his hand towards him. A bottle with a tattered label was removed from the opened refrigerated compartment inside the cabinet, and the commander returned with satisfaction to his interlocutor, grabbing a couple of glasses.

“So Riek, you did a great job.” And you will do even more. Let's be honest. When we met for the very first time, I didn’t notice you.

- The first time the audience ended when I didn’t have time to open my mouth. To be honest. - Riek could not resist the verbal parry.

- Well, think for yourself - there is some regular contractor from the NBS who promises the supertechnology of invincibility of our armies. At the same time, he does not need anything, except for quite a bit of our resources. Nothing unusual - everything is as always. But this is not about that. After that, we met three more times: two as with the personal assistant of the head of the NBS and one as the head of the sixth division of the NBS. Our last meeting was quite official.

- And how. Yours as they could push their demands.

“Yes, Rieck, that's right.” However, not all so simple. Fleet management is heterogeneous. In it, as in any civilian structure, there are also influential groups, joint interests, and general trends. And the overwhelming majority wanted to see the neurostop exactly as it was supposed under the "Guarantee". Personally, I, the commander raised his index finger, was not delighted with the successful implementation of the neurostop. Why? Because a neurostop would integrate a toggle switch into people, clicking them which could turn it into an ordinary robot. On the one hand, it’s convenient. The security guards probably did not sleep at night, dreaming of total control of everything and everything. But from a military point of view ... such technologies have long been. And they are not at all interesting, since they are quite ineffective. You don’t even have to get into a person’s head directly - with one suggestion you can make much more effective fanatics. Do you know what I mean?

“Not really,” Riek did not pretend to be an intellectual. He was interested in hearing what the commander said, since the style of this meeting was very different from all the previous ones.

- The new implementation of the neuroscope carries fewer global risks for humanity. But it is also capable of subordinating certain groups of people, or even the whole society, to a single person or group of people. However, a person remains a person with complete free will, but the word he has given will already mean something. You can build an ideal structure that will not have modern flaws - treason, lies, betrayal.

The commander’s chair rolled over and stopped next to Riek.

“Don't think I'm an avid idealist.” Or that Arus begins to fall into insanity. However, I have already lived enough to understand that words of honor and dignity are not an empty phrase. And they are needed both from a purely practical side, and for philosophical understanding and comprehension of one’s life. Any building needs bonding material, otherwise it will not stand idle for a long time. Once I caught a famous pirate on the periphery. I had to deal with it personally, since he very much gutted our communications. At that time I commanded only part of a small fleet. The guy was not stupid, but nevertheless fell into one of the traps. And what do you think? I let him go! Because he had incomparably more human honor than many of our officers. Although he, of course, worked his freedom. Even with interest.

The commander was silent for a while and picked up the bottle.

- I understood all the risks of a neuroscope. First of all, a person loses the influence of willpower on his fate. It is now, sometimes, sometimes, - the commander made an indefinite wave of his hand - very little effect. But that would be a total loss of willpower. I would not want humanity to take such a path of development. However, I could do little. But now that the positions of the two groups in the fleet have weakened, I can breathe more freely. Some odious personalities who relied on the neurostop soon, ”the commander sighed dramatically,“ to our great regret, will leave our ranks. ” By your failure, you ensured the strengthening of my influence.

"Here's the old wolf," thought Riek, "you haven’t missed your personal gain even here." At the same time, he looked inquiringly at the commander. He caught his eye.

“Why am I telling you all this?” - The commander thoughtfully turned the bottle in his hands. “I followed you after our second meeting.” Fleet Intelligence collected a voluminous dossier on you. You like me. Purely human qualities. You always keep your word. I have never allowed myself, as is customary, the complete crushing of rivals, even when it could be done without harming themselves, and they, frankly, deserved it. You have an impeccable business reputation, always your own point of view, and you never bend under another. Yes, in many respects your success is ensured by the invisible patronage of the head of the NBS. But you have not been spoiled by any significant power or big money. And this, Riek, is very rare. You stand out quite a bit from the top of our society. And I believe that such a person should be engaged in the technology of the neuroscope.

Riek was flattered, but did not even show a sight. It was difficult to overestimate the words of this person for a future project. Even if he was playing his game now, few could boast of such an arrangement of Commander Arus at least in words.

“Moreover,” Arus smirked, “our hero of today's mass media succeeded in what many, very many people tried to do in the next couple of centuries.” Why are you so dumbfounded Dyad?

Riek did not immediately realize the background of the question, but quickly orientated himself and decided to use the situation. The goals of the commander today were the same as everyone else - to establish contacts with the immediate representative, possibly having enormous powers, the heads of the NBS. Riek perked up, pointedly looked at the commander and pathetically attached himself.

- No fortress can hold defense indefinitely!

- Right! - Arus was delighted and with a sly look at Riek. - Well, how is it, this fortress? How long is it taken? The garrison will not raise a riot?

“Mmmm ... owning this fortress is the dream of any commander,” Rieck tried to give his face an enthusiastic look. “And the garrison has long surrendered.” I cherish him now.

The interlocutors laughed. The commander looked at the glasses and they slipped on the surface of the table, stopping a centimeter from its edge. The bottoms of the glasses were thickened, apparently containing some kind of device, Riek realized that in the glass cupboard there was a mechanism for controlling the supply of energy and a coordination system. However, all things were transparent and nothing was visible visually. The purpose of the whole structure, apparently, was to impress the guests.

“Here it is,” Arus unfolded the bottle with the label for Riek, on which little could be taken apart, “is a relic.” Do you know how old she is? Once, in my youth, there was one mess in the periphery. The union did not officially take any part, as these were typical showdowns of outsiders. Several worlds united in two alliances and decided to slightly change the boundaries of their influence. The forces of both sides were approximately equal, which was supposed to ensure balance and mutual restraint, but for some reason a full-scale military conflict arose between the alliances. The problem was that one of our research centers was located nearby. Which could well take over one of the parties to the conflict. Of course - purely by accident, solely out of ignorance and even then returned upon request. The command set the task of urgently evacuating the scientists and the results of their work. Typical such an operation performed by special forces of the fleet. But this time they decided to either play it safe, or vice versa to arrange an internship - a young wagon was connected to the operation. Everything was good at first. Until they arrived there. The “Research Center” turned out to be a whole planet with a small but already settled population. The only planet in that star system officially belonged to no one. Do you understand what a “draw” planet is suitable for life on the periphery at that time? - Arus thought about something. - Yes, and now in little places little has changed. The arrived group had a clear order and they immediately began to execute it. But the wagon ... In general, the dilemma faced him was to evacuate only our people and abandon the planet or try to do something. And what will you do if you formally obey the captain of almost any ship in the warrant? What would you do, Riek?

- I? I do not know the situation, resources, my capabilities.

- Yes, the question is simple - to fulfill the formal order and get out or do something? No matter what.

“Well ...” Rieck was confused. “I'm not a station wagon.” And I do not know much about military tactics and strategies. Purely from a human point of view, if?

- Yes exactly. Come on.

- Apparently, the Union ensured the independence of the planet? It all depends on political agreements. The SCM cannot compensate for the mistakes of the governments of each planet of the worlds loyal to us. Although this, it seems, is not the case. Yes, and ... in any case, throwing the world to its own devices, having previously promised it for something, no matter for what, independence and security, is somehow ... dishonest. Moreover, it did not cost anything to drive there for a while only a couple of warships on duty.

“It's not fair,” the commander repeated, “from the word honor, right?” This world has held for more than one century literally on simple words about its connection with the central worlds. Outsiders did not much favor the Union. And the farther from the center - the hostility manifested itself more. Do you understand what would happen to the population of this world? This world gathered people from the nearest worlds sympathetic to the Union - not everyone was satisfied with the local order, when lawlessness was sometimes elevated to law. In the same world, the laws of SCM were somewhat formal, but the conditions and quality of life were clearly higher, the rights of citizens meant something, and the government worked towards the balanced development of the whole world, and not just its limited world. Retirees and families lived on the planet. The fleet used the space of this star to jump on expeditions to the unexplored part of space.

Arus uncorked the bottle and carefully poured quite a bit of clear liquid into each of the glasses. Corking the bottle, he returned it back to the table.

- I don’t know what kind of political games they started there, but the universal did not like this approach. When the evacuation was over, he expressed his opinion. But orders are not discussed, and on the same day the group started back. At the time of launch, no one noticed that a rescue capsule was fired from one ship towards the planet. The ship's control system also did not notice anything - the station wagon knew its job.

Arus moved closer to Riek and looked conspiratorially at him.

- And imagine. There is no fleet or army on the planet. Law enforcement and even some flimsy. From the operational environment, it is clear that one of the alliances will try to take this world in hand. Yes there was nothing to try. It would seem that the fate of the world has already been decided. You can go against fate, you can accept it, but this will not affect the final result.

Riek already understood that the commander was telling his story, which everyone knew and was wondering what Arus would tell beyond what Riek already knew.

“Well, in general, you already understood everything,” Arus seemed to have read Riek’s thoughts. “Could I suggest that I would be so wildly lucky from the start?” It could be assumed that the entire population would unite and class differences would be erased in the face of a common threat. I gathered all the military, the local elite gave their paramilitary units and equipment. There was no order at first, I had to personally convey to everyone what subordination was in a very trivial way. Yes, we could effectively fight back the first assault group, which would surely have appeared on the planet as a resort. But with the second, with the advent of heavy equipment, we had no chance. Who could assume that there is a non-working attack aircraft with serviceable engines. That the pilot of the attack aircraft from the first ship arriving in the system, when landing, will destroy the assault module and the landing group. What will happen from two attack aircraft to do one literally per night, it will take off, even fly to orbit and dock to the ship. And a handful of people with much to be desired internal organization will be able to take control of a whole spaceship without causing significant damage to it. A ship in outer space is already the element of a universal. But luck continued even afterwards. On the captured arms truck there were only weak EMFs. What battle on such a ship can you win? Therefore, I used it as a firewall against one of the two new ships that arrived in the system. And we captured the second again, ”Arus grinned. And this, already a warship, for a long time became the flagship of the nonexistent fleet, about the power of which we broadcast via hyperlink in all directions. even fly to orbit and dock to the ship. And a handful of people with much to be desired internal organization will be able to take control of a whole spaceship without causing significant damage to it. A ship in outer space is already the element of a universal. But luck continued even afterwards. On the captured arms truck there were only weak EMFs. What battle on such a ship can you win? Therefore, I used it as a firewall against one of the two new ships that arrived in the system. And we captured the second again, ”Arus grinned. And this, already a warship, for a long time became the flagship of the nonexistent fleet, about the power of which we broadcast via hyperlink in all directions. even fly to orbit and dock to the ship. And a handful of people with much to be desired internal organization will be able to take control of a whole spaceship without causing significant damage to it. A ship in outer space is already the element of a universal. But luck continued even afterwards. On the captured arms truck there were only weak EMFs. What battle on such a ship can you win? Therefore, I used it as a firewall against one of the two new ships that arrived in the system. And we captured the second again, ”Arus grinned. And this, already a warship, for a long time became the flagship of the nonexistent fleet, about the power of which we broadcast via hyperlink in all directions. without causing him significant damage. A ship in outer space is already the element of a universal. But luck continued even afterwards. On the captured arms truck there were only weak EMFs. What battle on such a ship can you win? Therefore, I used it as a firewall against one of the two new ships that arrived in the system. And we captured the second again, ”Arus grinned. And this, already a warship, for a long time became the flagship of the nonexistent fleet, about the power of which we broadcast via hyperlink in all directions. without causing him significant damage. A ship in outer space is already the element of a universal. But luck continued even afterwards. On the captured arms truck there were only weak EMFs. What battle on such a ship can you win? Therefore, I used it as a firewall against one of the two new ships that arrived in the system. And we captured the second again, ”Arus grinned. And this, already a warship, for a long time became the flagship of the nonexistent fleet, about the power of which we broadcast via hyperlink in all directions. What battle on such a ship can you win? Therefore, I used it as a firewall against one of the two new ships that arrived in the system. And we captured the second again, ”Arus grinned. And this, already a warship, for a long time became the flagship of the nonexistent fleet, about the power of which we broadcast via hyperlink in all directions. What battle on such a ship can you win? Therefore, I used it as a firewall against one of the two new ships that arrived in the system. And we captured the second again, ”Arus grinned. And this, already a warship, for a long time became the flagship of the nonexistent fleet, about the power of which we broadcast via hyperlink in all directions.

Arus thought for a moment.

- Universal made me SCM. But as a person, I became exactly there, in that world. Where there was no politics, although it was there that I began to become a politician - otherwise it would not survive. Where everything was clear, unequivocal and I very much felt the genuine attitude of people to myself. At first, I had a lot of internal enemies on the planet. And a year later, not a single one remained. These are very thrills when you realize that your opponent, sometimes ardent, comes to you and says that he is ready to help, provided that you will personally lead the operation. Recognition, Riek, recognition of people of equal will to you, is very expensive. Only you fully understand this much later. There were general joys of victory and the bitterness of defeat. Sometimes victories were, you know, formal - it’s like you won another hassle, but at such a price, that I didn’t have to rejoice. I don’t remember my childhood and my parents, ”Arus grinned again,“ they were replaced by years of study at the VKF Academy. The same world has become my second homeland. Fate gave me a second chance to find her.

Arus turned to Riek.

- Sometimes it seems to me that from that moment in my life it became damn lucky. Of course, not everything is as simple as I say, and a lot has happened thanks to my preparation, cunning, ingenuity, resourcefulness, which I showed and the people who surrounded me. But the moment when I decided, already in the capsule to press the start button or not, I remembered very well. I really doubted Riek very much. He was young, naive and recklessly self-confident. Put me in a similar situation now and I would hardly make the same choice. One, in a system with no resources, against two alliances. At that moment when there was no experience of understanding the scale, all this was perceived as “difficult”, but not “hopeless”. When I almost pressed the capsule reset button, I didn’t squeeze it, pulled my hand away, it flashed through my head: "And what can you do with a pair of impulses and a standard set?" And the second time I hit the button with anger. With that anger in my confidence and rightness that I saw with you today.

Rieck realized that the commander was not only aware of how the council passed, but he personally followed it, and even did not miss anything. Riek today really allowed himself too much, angry at the question, what will he do if the second neurostop project fails - will it require quadruple funding? He already managed to regret his sharpness more than once. The increased influence of his figure in the SCM policy, of course, leveled his incontinence - even demonstrated his neglect and the real power of a person who can afford such a style of communication. But it was necessary to use this extremely carefully. Especially in public.

- So, Riek. What am I all about. - Arus handed him a glass. - After all my adventures in that system ended, the truth gradually came to light that some, still snotty, station wagon almost alone managed to defend the independence of the world, loyal to the SCM and agree with two alliances on cooperation. In the SCM itself, the authorities could not ignore the public outcry that arose in connection with this situation. My career was a foregone conclusion. When I arrived at the audience with Commander Pinyu he met me about the same as we are meeting with you. He said that he would do everything so that I would take his place. That the whole political elite of the central worlds will hate me. That I have the honor that the fleet lost under Tauranka. He did a lot for my formation as a commander. He opened this bottle with me and we drank it for the honor of the Fleet. He was still that idealist, but few people know about this - Arus smiled. - And now I also uncork it from the case with certain people. As you can see, over the past centuries, it has been only half empty.

- For the honor? - Arus made an inviting gesture with a glass and looked at Riek.

Riek hesitated, looking into his glass, trying to examine the liquid level in it - the drink was very transparent. He looked at Arus.

“You know, Arus, to be honest, I don’t quite fully understand yet ... What are my particular merits?” Future if only. You, yes - miraculously pulled the whole world by the ears, of the order of seven hundred million lives. Your last military company began, passed and ended without any firing at all - the fleet so efficiently and effectively jumped around the periphery that everyone simply lost the desire to contact us.

Riek lowered his eyes to the bottom of the glass.

“Let's better drink to Lex Orton and Laer Syria.” It seems to me that they deserve to conduct this conversation no less than I do. Maybe even more.

Rieck looked up at Arus and literally tripped over the black eyes of the commander, who seemed to be drilling through him. The commander’s face betrayed nothing at that moment. Rieck couldn’t determine anything from the look. Anger, satisfaction, joy, pain? He held that gaze. Arus first drank the contents of the glass and looked at Riek. Riek exhaled and repeated the same with the contents of his glass. “Damn warriors are the only ones who drink this chemistry in its pure form,” flashed through Rieck's head as his throat turned into a pipe of fire, and everything inside was filled with fire. Riek was not a lover of alcohol, preferring overtly weak drinks in situations of need to drink them. Saturated alcohol Riek still once tried. But that was a very long time ago. Rieck's eyes opened wide and he involuntarily took a few breaths of air, while the neural network intensively minimized the consequences of the action of its owner, which were very unusual for the body. For several minutes he came to his senses, wiping the tears that appeared in his eyes.

“You know what,” the commander addressed him quietly, who was hit in the body the same way, but he recovered orders of magnitude faster than Riek, “you're a good guy.” We will work together.

The commander made a neuro call and Dhabi appeared in the apartment. He first looked at the commander, and then at his interlocutor, and without a word understood what was required of him.

- The car is ready.

“But I didn't say anything about the new neuroscope,” Rieck stood up. “Yes and ... I still can’t talk about something exactly in numbers.”

“Come on,” Arus waved his hand. - In the list of projects, your work has one of the highest priorities. And I understand the volume, so I do not rush you. With the financing and support of the project from the fleet, consider that you have no problems - not at all impudent only. If you need a meeting, you will contact Dhabi and he will organize everything.

*** The

head of the sixth division successfully passed the identification and went into the elevator. The number -24 was lit on the elevator panel and the elevator quietly began to move down. The neural network call of the personal AI disturbed Riek as soon as he started moving.

“Good evening, Rieck.” Welcome to the Nipa-2 complex. You are left with two local messages.

- Give them, in order of receipt.

- The first message was received yesterday afternoon, sender Birent Xon: “Hi Riek. I understand that you have more important things to do now, but I have a small question on the architecture of the new neural network. If you can ask me to devote five minutes, no more. Let me know how you can. I’m in a complex all the time. ” The second message was received this afternoon, sender Birent Xon: “Hi Riek. Meeting is not required. We have ideas, I think in a few days to provide you with a preliminary report and discuss really worthwhile issues. ”

Having learned the current whereabouts of his assistant, Riek gave a new command to the elevator and he stopped at around -19. Leaving the elevator, Rieck walked along the wide and high corridor and turned into his first left branch.

“A message marked urgently was received,” Rieka suddenly reported to the neural network.

Riek read the message from the Itvor Dyad. "Hello, darling. The day after tomorrow we should be at a party about the discovery of a new something. There will be the right people, we will get to know each other. Of course, we should be there together, I will think about the model of our behavior. Contact me tonight. ”

Around the corner, the corridor also continued somewhere inland. The distances between the doors were large and Riek, passing the first door, stopped in front of the second, giving the command to open it. The neural network exchanged data with the access control system and the door slid silently sideways. Riek went through and ended up in a long vestibule. When the door closed behind him, he slowly walked to the opposite door at the end of the vestibule. Walking on the sticky floor was a little difficult, Rieka was blown by a faint breeze, constantly changing direction. When approaching the middle of the vestibule, the breeze died down and a small clap rang out, a watery suspension appeared in the air and the vestibule was enveloped in a light fog, which almost immediately dissipated. As you move further the walls, floor, ceiling several times flashed with bright flashes. Finally, Riek reached the end of the vestibule, the doors opened and he went into the room. It was a standard laboratory room divided into three zones: workplaces for developers, a production zone and a zone with research equipment. The rooms were separated from each other, leaving on a common corridor. Rieck went to the nearest door and again found himself in a small vestibule. But this time there were no special effects and he just went through this vestibule and entered the room.

Rieck walked a third of the room when a disturbed voice broke the silence from behind a distant partition.

“It can't be like that!”

“Well, yes, of course, how many times have I heard this yesterday?”

Riek stopped. His colleagues were arguing enthusiastically about something. One of the voices clearly belonged to Birent.

“I already checked everything.” Three times! I, like, have no errors.

- No, or "like no"? - Opponent retorted his opponent.

- Well, look yourself. - There was the sound of a rolling chair. “Does this work?”

“It works,” the man agreed in Birent's voice.

- Next comes the usual splitter. Not active. Not customizable. Symmetric. If there is indignation at its output, then there is at others, right?

- That's right, of course, yes. Only ... It’s weak.

“Yes, this is understandable,” the interlocutor interrupted, “it doesn’t matter.” It’s important that there is at least something.

- Well, all the same, there are NUSHKS on there. But didn’t you think that somewhere the level is not enough to excite the input stage in the neural amplifier?

- Yeah, the rest is enough, but this is not enough?

- Well, maybe the channel is bad.

- Yes, not bad, but we removed the transfer characteristics yesterday.

- Ah ... well, yes, for sure ...

- Here! - interlaced his interlocutor. Separately, everything works. Together, no. Today I again measured everything separately. Not too lazy. All the same.

“Nonsense again,” Birent's voice said thoughtfully. - Listen, and if you compare what you shot yesterday with today's data?

“He did it already,” the second voice said dejectedly, “all the same.”

“Nuuuu ...” Birent said. - So come on. Excitation is fed to the input of the circuit.

- Yes.

- Then it is translated into nodes, something is done there and issued further on the chain. Here there is a divider, followed by an amplifier, and then all this goes to the transmitters. Eh! .. Come back the circuit back. Ta-ah-ah-k ... I don’t understand anything - what’s next, does it go directly to the exit?

- There is still a repeater with a limiter, and then yes - right to the synapse.

- Ta-a-a-k. How do we evaluate our experiments?

- I have introduced biomarkers for debugging. I follow a marker or chain. So I check everything separately. As data is being collected, a statistical probability map of the states of each node is built, depending on the state of other nodes.

- Binary markers?

- Yes, where are they? The vast majority, yes - binary. But closer to the exit are already more complicated - with them you can assess the level of change in membrane potential. They must at least somehow work out - everything can’t disappear into zero at all!

- And how is it checked together?

- And together it is checked in a complex. Well, I can’t track long chains - the signal goes out without supporting the general potential. Therefore, everything is powered.

- So you can’t measure a problematic way without a long chain?

- Yes. If I drive a pulse right from the entrance, then at the end nothing is visible. It is necessary to create and maintain a weak field so that everything works fine. A single strong impulse can burn cascades.

There was silence among the speakers. Rieck, who was listening to the conversation, understood the problem of his colleagues and looked forward with interest to its continuation. For old and experienced developers in this situation there is no exclusivity - only one headache and some sports interest to sort out the reason. Young people who have grown up on the use of automatic analysis are often confused by such situations. Rijeka was interested to know how the conversation between the boss and the subordinate would be built, how the employee of Birent would prove himself, who recently said that he had all the employees are very smart and this justified the increased financial demands of his group.

“That is, when you power everything up, the configuration changes, and what happens is difficult to track, and all previously taken individual statistics do not work at all,” Birenta said thoughtfully.

- Yeah, it is. And it's very bad. How to create a model? If at any moment of time we cannot say what, where and how is changing, then how to move on? Building models of fuzzy control is not my forte, it needs to be attracted to Miruna - he has more experience and he will figure it out faster than me. But ... at first glance everything is pretty simple there. Why build a probabilistic model?

- You can collect statistics for this entire system as a whole and then correlate with, so to speak, individual data.

- For a long time. It is necessary to create an environment. An object. Implement debugging. Then a few seconds of experience and the material is sent to the utilizer, and the data - for decryption. In principle, I can automate, but there are questions of alignment of level markers - yes, I am tormented to describe what, where and when. There are standard solutions, but they do not work well with this object. I suggest a different way.

- Which one?

- You can make a technological tap and put an impulse along it, closer to the exit. But this is the same time.

“Not a good idea.” But for evaluation will do. How long does it take?

- A day or two. Messing around for a long time. And you said that the boss needs something there almost today.

- Do it. Anyway, you need to find out. Although the curve method - the configuration will change. But you can check the correctness of this method - just check the system for all individual ways that we have already accumulated data. It is necessary to achieve a match. If it matches, start the test signal to your technological input. Let's see what the results will be, and then we will think what to do next. I have already canceled the meeting with the chapter. In the end, he is now not at all up to us and we don’t need to pull him for such a purely technical nonsense - we’ll figure it out ourselves. For these days I will tighten my results, think about the big picture, and then with the results and thoughts we go to the chef.

- Something I have a feeling that in a day or two there will be little information. Here ... every step is kind of hard and nothing is clear.

“Hehe,” Birent's voice grinned good-naturedly. - I'm used to driving a standard autotest, and then consider the graphics? The calculator also makes their correlation with the existing base almost on the machine. You are required to evaluate the results in essence. And here's the real job for you. But you will learn something, the experience will be a real development. - Birent was silent for a moment. - Calculate the parameters of the additional input - show me first before doing anything.

Riek did not wait for the end of the conversation and quietly left the room, returning to the elevator and going down to -24 floor. Passing through one of the nearest doors, he ended up in his apartment. On the way to his office, the jacket was dropped onto the guest sofa. The study was a long room, in which there was a table with a nearby armchair, and sofas were located along the walls. There was no other furniture in the office, the long table was empty. Rieck stood in the doorway, then went inside. When the owner appeared, the room came to life. Displays indistinguishable from walls in the off state were lit on the walls. A hologram was lit in the center of the table; some sections of the table came to life with displays.

Riek sat tiredly in a chair to the edge of the table farthest from the door. After a couple of minutes, he turned in his chair and requested a dossier on Orton and Siberia. After a brief abstract and meaningless reading of the text, he brought two photographs to the display in front of him and thought. Was all this worth it? What is the best way to build your work further? A year ago, he would have simply gone to work with his head. But time for research remains less and less. Previously, he could draw up a schedule, solve some of the managerial issues that required his attention, and immerse himself in a row of work for several weeks, creating a development base, which the assistants then studied, improved, corrected. And now? Riek felt that now it was so easy not to get out of administrative activity. Now it will not be so easy for him to dismiss and ignore social meetings and conferences. It was not that there was no one to leave the job to - his assistants are quite competent and can already solve serious problems on their own, he got an excellent team. Rieck was well aware that his tight development lead was coming to an end. One got the feeling that he was turning into an administrator-functionary, whose task was primarily to ensure the work and further growth of his unit. He didn’t really like all this. He would like to personally engage in the project, to participate fully in its formation and life, and not to carry out only coordination. He looked at the pictures on the wall. More than once in my life because of him, now, directly, people did not die. It was enough just to write in the conditions of the experiment some extra line, the meaning of which Riek never even thought about, and the faces of dead people would not look at him from the wall. On the other hand, if the conditions were fulfilled Riek would he make them so harsh? Yes, never! What is the point then in some sequence of characters, if the performing side does not even think about such things? Was the result so important to the clergy? Maybe they also pressed on? Rieck thought it was worth collecting information more fully on the people involved in the work of the Church. Yes - all these are important things to do. And they must be dealt with. And this work is not insignificant, and perhaps much more important than what Riek did in the laboratories. But these two people can not be returned - an irreparable mistake was made.

Diada entered the apartments of the head of the sixth division of the NBS. Using her access level, she ordered not to report her appearance, so Riek, who was sitting with her back to the door and lost in thoughts, didn’t even notice her appearance on the threshold of her office. The dyad immediately noticed two large images on the wall and stopped in indecision. There are times in a person’s life when words, sympathy or participation of any other person, even a close one, can hardly help him. At such moments, people remain in life alone with their problems. And to make decisions, as well as bear responsibility for them, first of all to oneself, one also has to be completely alone. Diada intuitively felt that now was just such a moment in Rieck's life. She left the office and canceled her previous order.
A minute later, Diada entered the office again. Nothing changed. This is no good, she thought irritably.

- Riek?

- Yes. “Rieck’s chair described a half-turn.” “Sorry, I wanted to contact you after I got here, but ...” “Riek hesitated a little,” I thought for a moment.

Riek got up from the table and somehow hesitantly went to meet Diade.

“Over the past few days I have turned so that they merged on one long day.” I hope this is not something urgent? I understood about the party - I will move my schedule.

The dyad took a couple of steps and after a moment in her hand it was not clear where the miniature needle gun appeared from. There was a quiet, growing whistle. An electromagnetic field carried away a thin metal rod along the guides and the weapon spat it out of itself with great speed. Having flown at a distance of half a centimeter from the side of Riek, the needle pierced the display panel on the wall, which made it go out. Everything happened so quickly that Riek did not have time to realize what was happening.

“That's what I thought,” Diad shook her head disappointedly.

Riek was aware of what was happening, looking at a section of the wall with a small hole framed by a web of cracks - turning off the panel turned the color of the wall.

“When you became the head of the division, I told you to pay attention to strengthening your personal,” she emphasized the word, “security.” Have you developed your neural network? Developed skills? Continuous training is not necessary, but some things must be practiced at the level of automatism.

The dyad went up to him and took her arm. Rieck looked at her.

- What was it now ... what kind of show? The panel is corrupted. What for?

- Leave a request and the technicians will immediately replace your panel. - The dyad dragged the incomprehensible Riek to the exit on the go, constantly talking about everything in a row. “Today and tomorrow you will not be here anyway.” You really did a great job these days. Although on the council you allowed yourself too much. The meeting with the commander, I think, was just as successful - then tell me. Arus must have watered you with his many years of rubbish. Now you just need a break. It is necessary to wean from continuous work for days on end, now systematic work on a fresh head is now required of you.

At the exit, Diada glanced at the luminous wall panel with images of Laera and Lex and ordered to extinguish it. “In the near future he will not think about them. And then ... then it will not be up to them. "

---

Unexpected meeting. Chapter 11.
Text version: 1.0.3.
Date of first publication: 07/18/2017.
Last edit date: 09/28/2017.

---

A full table of contents is given in Chapter 1 .

Quick Navigation:
Chapter 10 - Previous Chapter.
Chapter 11 is the current chapter.
Chapter 12 is the next chapter (in development).