Navigators of Dune

18

Erasmus noted a metallic ring to his voice as it emanated from the speakers on a custom tray attached to his memory core. “Be careful not to jostle me.” The system obviously needed adjusting.

Dutifully, Anna carried his gelsphere through the large cymek assembly hangar. His memory core also had a new sensory module developed by Dr. Danebh and inspired by the work of Ptolemy, which could supposedly simulate all five human senses, though it was a poor substitute, and not at all the same as having his own body. Erasmus had been detached, inefficient, and helpless for too long.

At first, Danebh’s new sensory module had worked passably well, but the distortions and exaggerated responses had grown progressively worse over the past several days. Now, each jarring move sent a resonating feedback of signals into his core.

Anna sounded guilty. “I am so sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you.”

“Of course you don’t,” he replied, then added, “I appreciate your efforts.” The words had a soothing effect on her. He had become adept at intercepting potential emotional crises.

“What else can I do, Erasmus? I want to help.”

He had studied this young woman enough to know that she needed to help him, needed to be with him. Their relationship had come to define her existence. At first the idea had been interesting and gratifying, exactly as he had programmed her to be, but now it had become more of a challenge. He had made Anna this way, out of the wreckage of her mind, but he now realized he would have found an independent personality to be far more interesting. “Just locate Administrator Noffe so I can discuss my needs with him. Then we will go to my own laboratory, where conditions are better.”

Danebh had designed the sensory module to keep Erasmus satisfied so that he would continue to provide the Denali researchers with exhaustive information. The robot had intended to do so in any case, to help destroy the Butlerian fanatics who had killed Gilbertus, but he did not mind bargaining for something he wanted.

“This new module is inferior to anything that was available to me on Corrin. In particular, the simulated olfactory senses are extreme and distracting.” What he really wanted was a mobile and efficient new body. Perhaps even a biological one. And now it was time to ask.

Anna wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like the smells on Denali either. This building is not as well sealed as others. Stink leaks in from the outside air.”

She was so easily distractible. He reminded her of her current task. “Have you found Administrator Noffe yet, Anna? It is important to me.”

She turned around, searching among the busy scientists working on the machine walkers that were being readied for the major Lampadas strike. In the high bay, a matrix of elevated walkways granted workers access to the towering machines. Finally, she pointed to where technicians were accessing the connections inside an open armored fighting body.

A smaller, dronelike walker carried Administrator Noffe’s brain canister so that he could observe the operations. The Tlulaxa Dr. Danebh worked with him, tinkering with a walker’s thoughtrode connections.

“Take me up there,” Erasmus said. “The administrator can make the decision, and Danebh can advise.”

Carrying the memory core on a special detachable tray, Anna boarded a lift platform that raised her to the secondary catwalk, where Danebh and Noffe were discussing adjustments to the thoughtrode linkages. Danebh looked up, and Noffe’s cymek form swiveled to focus on them.

Erasmus said without preamble, “My sensory module suffers from flares, distortions, and feedback. The distractions make it difficult for me to ponder weapons concepts from the Synchronized Empire.”

Noffe said, “Your information has already been valuable. We have sent your designs back to Kolhar for large-scale manufacturing.”

“And I intend to provide even better information. I have many centuries of memories to impart, but my present form is no longer viable for optimal functionality. My memory core has been vulnerable for far too long. Therefore, I require something more appropriate from you — to benefit all of us.”

Danebh looked at the exposed gelsphere and the array of enhanced sensors. “I can make some adjustments and build an armored case around your core.”

“No need for that, Erasmus,” Anna interjected. “I’ll protect you.”

“That is not good enough! I have been a vulnerable gelsphere for eight decades, listening to one excuse after another. If I am to continue my work, I require a physical form. Surely with all the technology available on Denali, you can provide me with a useful body.”

“I would like Erasmus to have a body,” Anna added with building excitement. “I would like that very much.”

Erasmus ignored her, as did Noffe and Danebh. The cymek administrator answered in his artificial voice, “I know the simulated sensations you have are far from adequate. Perhaps we could find a standard robot body, a combat mek or worker mek to accommodate your memory core. In that form, you would be more independent and able to conduct research much more efficiently.”

“That would be an improvement, but still unsatisfactory.” Erasmus remembered when Gilbertus had given him a cumbersome old fighting robot to test, and Erasmus had been so ecstatic about the sensations that he’d ruined the machine body in the Lampadas swamps. “I prefer something more sophisticated than a robot body. I am entitled to it.” He directed his words to Dr. Danebh. “My primary body on Corrin was a marvelous flowmetal construction capable of expressions, full movement, sensitive responses to external stimuli. It would be too great a challenge to re-create something similar here. However, I have observed Tlulaxa cloning abilities. Considering the limitations, a biological tank-grown body would be my preference — a human form at long last.”

Anna’s surprise was so uncontrolled that she jostled his tray, but the sphere remained secure. She exclaimed: “That would be wonderful!”

Erasmus wanted to feel human, truly human. For so many centuries, studying the species had been his obsession, and that journey of understanding had also been frustrating. He only had an inkling of what it meant to be a mortal person. He could not quite grasp all the nuances, and the gaps in his understanding were maddening, yet he kept his voice calm. “I would find it appropriate and useful.”

Danebh’s eyes narrowed as he considered the question. “My own specialty is the interface between man and machine, thoughtrodes connecting a human mind to artificial components. It is all based on Dr. Ptolemy’s work. A machine memory core with a biological body … Combining the two would be quite a challenge, but Ptolemy could offer his assistance.”

Administrator Noffe moved his little mechanical cart. “My brain was removed from my damaged body, and my situation is much improved now. I can connect to any mechanical form I like. Is it possible to link a robot mind to a human body? All the nerves, the tissues, the muscle control…”

Smiling, Anna pressed her face closer to his gelsphere. She sounded warm and sincere. “I enjoy talking with your memory core, but I would rather have you. In the flesh.”

As he pondered the question, Danebh began talking quickly. “It will not be simple, but the principle is sound. The gelsphere contains an extremely sophisticated mind. When a clone body is grown in a tank, it is a blank slate, an empty cellular structure. I see no fundamental reason why a pristine brain can’t be replaced by the gelsphere.” He smiled. “Yes, it might be done. Let me consider how we might implement such a procedure.”

Erasmus felt satisfied with the discussion, thus far. “I look forward to it.”

Next, he had to choose the proper body to be grown for him, something that he would be proud to wear as his physical form. The Tlulaxa scientists could grow a body from any cells, living or dead. Erasmus had analyzed human bodies for centuries, studying them, dissecting them, even vivisecting them. He knew the differences, strengths, and weaknesses. He did not wish to be in a small-statured Tlulaxa form, but there were many other workers and scientists here at Denali. Many cells to choose from.

After studying the research dome databases, however, he discovered that Draigo Roget had managed to preserve a few last cells from Gilbertus Albans — hair follicles found on his garments from when he had tried to rescue the Headmaster from his Butlerian captors.

Erasmus knew exactly which body he wanted the Tlulaxa to grow for him. It would be perfect.