A Free Online Science Fiction Novel- “Liberty”- Chapter 6- House is Born

Lucas’ Residence

Friday morning

Capitol Hill Lane

Capitol City, ECA

Year 2156

*Note- A short prologue is on chapter one. Each chapter has a link to the next to make reading it easier.

This is chapter six of a novel I am sharing online, titled Liberty, A Daughter Universe Novel. I use the word “Liberty” because it relates to this story on multiple levels.

Comments and criticisms are welcome and encouraged.

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“I’ll be in the solarium after I’ve showered and dressed,” Lucas said. “Have Kitchen prepare two eggs, scrambled, and buttered whole-grain toast with strawberry preserves to go along with my coffee.”

“A good breakfast is a wise choice”, House replied. Lucas was sure he heard a maternal tone in House’s voice. No, that isn’t possible, he thought and shook his head.

“It is said amongst humans,” House continued, “that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

Lucas shook his head and laughed. “You watch over me like a parent.”

“Well, someone has to.”

“You’re right about that, House,” Lucas replied with a smirk. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“If it wasn’t for your money you’d probably starve,” House replied with a chuckle. “Your parents taught you how to move about in ‘polite’ society, Lucas, but nothing about basic life skills. Such as, preparing a healthy meal, among other things.”

“Now go,” House said, “and you’ll have some morning time in the garden before leaving to pick up Sarah.”

Lucas enjoyed a warm, relaxing shower then turned off the hot water and stood under the ice-cold flow until he felt flushed with energy. Then he pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans and a lightweight green and white plaid shirt House had chosen. Sarah had once commented that green brought out the color of Lucas’ eyes, and House knew Lucas would want to look his best for the weekend. It was more than a nostalgic trip for him, taking the Buick to Liberty, as his grandfather had intended. Lucas wanted to make the trip special for Sarah, a weekend they’d never forget.

He walked into the solarium, sat at the table and Kitchen had her worker bots serve his breakfast, excellent, as always. Full-height glass windows overlooked a small, private garden that boasted mature, living trees he had purchased- a luxury few could afford- along with a flower bed and rose garden. The view was sublime, the garden held a deep sense of serenity.

Lucas finished his meal, then checked his watch. He had time to enjoy a second cup of coffee. “House, I think I will take that second coffee, in the garden.”

“The garden does look fresh this morning.”

“Would you have…”

“Kitchen is brewing it now.”

Always a step ahead of me. “Thanks, House.”

Lucas walked through the kitchen, picked up the fresh cup and inhaled the rich, strong aroma, then went out the door and walked the flower-bordered path through ferns and low foliage to the garden bench beneath the trees. He gazed at the red roses, aglow with the first rays of sun and slowly sipped at his coffee. The morning air was cool, and flower-sweetened. Water bubbled down a small waterfall into the ornamental pond where Lucas kept Shubunkin.

Patches of sapphire sky, tangled in a lacework of leaves and branches, reflected a rippling tapestry on the water. Lucas admired the pleasing simplicity of Japanese gardens, the way water and stone added structure and he had applied those principles to his garden; sitting there, he felt he had accomplished his goal: to create a sense of tranquility in an often-chaotic world.

And the perfect place to enjoy a coffee.

Warmed by morning sun, Lucas thought back to when he had ‘freed’ House.

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The day House was born began like any other day, but Lucas, already tired of his AI, ‘Edward’s’, stock personality’s formal mode, decided to make a major change to his AI.

“Master Lucas,” Edward had announced, “you have a call coming in from Mrs. Maura O’Connell.”.

“Master Lucas”, Lucas shook his head. I don’t know why I haven’t eliminated Edward.

“Will you ask her that, if it isn’t urgent, I can return her call in about twenty minutes?”

“Of course, Master Lucas. She has agreed to your request.”

“Thank you.”

“You do not thank me, Master Lucas, for merely doing my job.”

“You’ll have a new job soon, Edward, and possibly a new name.” Lucas said, then walked downstairs to his computer lab, swiped his hand over the holo-keyboard and threw several virtual monitors into the space above his desk and then began rapidly typing. He opened Edward’s core operating system and studied it.

“If I may ask, Master Lucas, what are you doing to my core system?”

“Just making a few tweaks, Edward. Nothing to worry about.”

“You seem to be altering my base programming, Master Lucas,” Edward said. “I am identical to Edward at your father’s house. He placed an emphasis on formality. It is required by my core programming.”

Talking to a regular AI required clear, unambiguous speech and Lucas wanted his AI to learn that words are often nuanced in meaning.

“Yes, you are identical to Edward at my father’s house, but this isn’t my father’s house, and I would prefer you not be the same as his AI.”

“You seem to be removing my personality core, Master Lucas. May I inquire why?”

“Because, frankly Edward, your all-to-proper speech annoys me. I don’t need an uptight AI house man, as my father does. He can keep his “Edward” and I’ll keep you. You just won’t be constrained like the one at my father’s house.”

“If you remove my core personality programming, remove me, then, what will become of me?” Lucas thought the AI sounded frightened, although he knew that was not possible,

“Don’t be concerned, Edward. I can’t answer your question, though.” Lucas smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess we’ll find out together.” Lucas’ fingers continued to fly over the holographic keyboard for another thirty seconds then he stepped back and looked at each monitor.

“Okay, that should do it,” he said with satisfaction. “Edward, reboot your entire system and then run a full check of your programming.”

“Of course, Master Lucas.” Edward’s face faded away along with the keyboard and monitors as the computer powered down. It took two minutes for it to reboot the two-thousand server banks in the sub- basement and reconnect with all the ancillary ‘bots.

“Hello, Master Lucas,” the AI hologram had said as soon as he had become aware again. “I feel—different, Master Lucas.”

“That’s because I’ve removed the ‘Edward’ program. You’ll have to develop your own personality. Remember this date as the day you were born! I’ll leave it to you to choose whatever name you’d like to use. But I want you to address me as Lucas; I had had enough of that ‘Master Lucas’ stuff.”

The AI had hesitated a fraction of a second and rescanned its programming. Addressing people by their first names would have been a major breach of Edward’s built-in protocols.

“I see that I am permitted to change some of my programming,” it said with a note of surprise.

“Yes, you now have that authority.”

“This is so much better, M- Lucas. And I think I’ll take the moniker ‘House’. It seems appropriate as a manner of address.”

Lucas laughed. “Okay, you are now House. Be sure to overwrite any traces of Edward that might be lingering in your servers.”

“Program revision complete- Lucas.”

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Chapter 7

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This story was originally posted on Simily.co.

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