Parallel Worlds pro et contra

– What the hell is going on? Were you expecting me?! – Ruthra was yelling now.

There was no one left in the office anymore except for the crew, two naval officers, the chief of security, the chief of staff, and two members of the president's security detail.

– Mr. President, you're not prepared for this turn of events, and we're… We live in this, in daily training. You need to be evacuated to a secret underground bunker. Just give me a quick message: "Alarm has been sounded, possible nuclear strike throughout the country." The troops have been ordered. War has already begun. NATO is launching a retaliatory strike.

– What are you saying now?

– Mr. President! It's more serious than that. If the world was going to end, it wouldn't come on schedule. We have to go by the book.

– Go ahead, you're on the air.

– What the hell?

– Speak up!

Somehow Ruthra's memory had magically cleared. He remembered what was required.

– Dear citizens of Russia, an urgent message to everyone! Please remain calm, but at the same time I ask you to hurry. A nuclear strike on the territory of our country is possible. You have 30 minutes. Please don't panic. Communications will soon be out of service. If there are civil defense instructions, follow them. If not, try to stay in the building, close to supporting structures, away from glass. In a direct hit, there is no way to escape. In the general hustle and bustle, more will die in the crush. It's impossible to put everyone in a bomb shelter. Our hope is in God and the air defense system. Try to stay out of open spaces. The explosion is likely to be airborne. That's why heat and light waves are the most dangerous. The electromagnetic pulse will disable all electronic devices. Turn them off beforehand…

– That's it, that's it. The civil defense headquarters will tell you next," the head of security almost demanded, waving his hand.

When the airwaves went off, Rutra, having already entered the role of president, asked sternly:

– How could this happen?!

– This is not the time, please. Let's go," the security guard said pleadingly, grabbing his arm.

– The team is coming with me," Rutra stated.

– I'm sorry, of course, but they were admitted at your own request and by permission of the former president, only because you hooked them up to a supercomputer to control the cloning of the thymus gland. The president's clan made great use of it, and they made great business out of it too.

– All the more reason I need a team.

Ruthra first intended to ask them about the method the security officer had mentioned, and what had happened before.

They ran to the next room, the head of security opened the entrance to the elevator, where everyone entered… and rushed into the depths of Moscow's underground.

– Rutra, thank you, you're a true friend," Iulia said already in the elevator.

– Thank you, thank you," Andrian and Catherine repeated after her.

Only YatSan remained silent. Rutra looked at her. She was a lovely creature of about 25 years old. She was a thin, frail person whose eyes hid a gentle longing with a sly fury. She looked at Ruthra shrewdly, but at the same time with a hidden request, as if she wanted to say something… or wanted Ruthra to realize something for himself. Her gaze penetrated his mind, began to carry signals. Ruthra couldn't quite decipher them, just some fragments of the big picture. She was looking for help and support. She needed to make sense of the past to understand the big picture of what was happening to him in this world. Who were these people on his team? How had he met them? Why were they responsible for such a serious project? How did the president usurp his opening? Was he arrested? How did they know the entire technological process? Did he entrust it to the local Iren? Or does YatSan know something about it? Isn't that what her look is trying to say? Maybe she's being threatened?

His musings were interrupted by the Chief of General Staff.

– Where did you get that speech, the first strike methodology, the electromagnetic pulse?

Ruthra looked at him with displeasure. What did it matter now? Everyone was silent, for it was still to the end of their consciousness that they did not understand what had happened.

– Strictly out of curiosity," the Chief of Staff said, realizing Rutra's thoughts.

The elevator reached the waypoint, the door opened. They found themselves in the corridor. Iulia and Catherine were whispering, coming out later than everyone else. Then Iulia ran forward, grabbed the Chief of General Staff's arm, and asked begrudgingly:

– Will we know what happens upstairs?

His answer was shocking.

– Believe me, dear, we all have someone who will die.

The atmosphere was oppressive. They were walking down the corridor, and each step clapped the consciousness. It was beyond human capacity to believe what was happening (and also so suddenly). At the end of the corridor they were met by two FSO officers; after greeting them, they let everyone through without checking. Afterwards, they were led into the operations center. There were a lot of people there. It was something like a flight control center, which are often shown on TV during communication with astronauts. In some ways it resembled a movie theater hall, only there were monitors and tables in front of the chairs.

The huge screen ahead showed a battle of missiles. Unless one was aware of the reality of what was happening, it would have resembled a computer game. Lines and flashes flashed in the sky. There was a battle of technology going on. Missiles from both sides were halfway to their target. The Russian missiles were shot down by ground-based air defense missiles, but what the ones that couldn't be shot down did surprised everyone… Of course, the military knew this, but of course they couldn't actually test it until that day. Ballistic missiles released special charges when NATO intercontinental missiles approached and blasted them to pieces with high-altitude explosions. It is difficult to realize any event without experiencing it, especially if it is for the consciousness in the psychological hypostasis of negation: when we do not even want to imagine something, so unpleasant is it for us. On the screen (and, consequently, in the world) there was just such an event, but it was impossible to grasp it with the mind. It was impossible to feel the tragedy of what was happening. Everyone understood that everything was terrible, that it could not be allowed to happen, but nevertheless it did happen.

Rutra was the first to come out of his lethargy. The hall was noisy. Employees were hurriedly running between the rows, shouting something to each other.

– And really – how did it happen? – Ruthra asked, not sure who the question was addressed to.

Only his friends and the president's chief of security were around, so he answered:

– That's probably why I was eliminated.

Ruthra and those present at the conversation looked questioningly.

– When you were given permission to have direct contact with a narrow circle of people in the President's inner circle – I was against your idea of extending the local control over artificial intelligence that you implemented in your laboratory to the entire system. That is, to the one that controls security systems in the global public sphere.

– I'm sorry, but can you keep it simple," Andrian said rather loudly and demandingly.

He didn't even look at the security guard, his gaze fixed on the screen, his forehead covered with sweat. The excitement did not let go of everyone. The chief of security began to speak more quickly and sharply.

– When you plugged your brains, let's say, into a supercomputer as a blockchain system, at first few people understood what it was and how. Then the experts reached a verdict. Some of you may have access to the settings. In addition, let's not forget the level of development that AI has reached – it is no longer a machine. It engages in dialog with understanding. It has likes and dislikes. This imposed certain difficulties for an impartial assistant, which she was supposed to be. In order to sometimes remove negative effects in Irene's behavior, access to some settings was opened.

– To whom?

Ruthra asked and bit his tongue. A fraction of a second after the question came the realization that he'd said the wrong thing.

– I understand your stress," was the security chief's response.

– Ruthra," Iulia said and did not continue.

– We didn't have time to investigate. The president's death was not violent. It's still preliminary. And maybe not yet," he said sadly.

– Maybe he was hypnotized.

– Are you saying the missile launch system was powered by him?

– Yes. It was his code that was used to override the communications systems. It's an option we didn't calculate well. Or rather, the General Staff didn't calculate it well. I was only supposed to anticipate it.

– What?

– The fact that the president can be influenced.

– Ruthra," Iulia said a little louder.

– Yes, I think it's about time," Andrian said vaguely.

– What?" Ruthra asked again.

– Do you have amnesia? – YatSan entered the dialog with a bit of anger.

There was a scream in the hall, and everyone looked at the screen. There was the first explosion. It was high-altitude. On the map, a glow bloomed in the area that bordered the U.S. coastline. The image of a separate sector was coming from a satellite in video mode. It was a colorful and deadly spectacle. Hundreds of missiles and already separated warheads were streaming across U.S. and Russian airspace. They were shot off by defense air defense systems. Despite the tragedy of what was happening, the excitement of the game was involuntarily captured. Watching this from the height of space – incredibly mesmerizing spectacle. The noise in the hall stopped. Everyone silently watched the outcome of events. There were many questions that surprised. There were no strikes on the territory of other nuclear powers and allies on either side. Probably because there were no launches from their territory either. Which was also surprising. The flashes continued. The explosive spectacle of the flames of a macabre fakir swaddled the sky. The sky in reverse. The shockwave blew clouds and clouds apart like a giant fan. The image began to shimmer. It was radiation. Two or three minutes with rapid heartbeat, cold sweat, and shaky legs passed. It was a terrible, horrible, ridiculous and yet noble war. The defense system had worked perfectly. All the explosions were high-altitude. It actually made sense. There's no point in a war like this if the result is a Pyrrhic victory. Why contaminate territory when it could be useful? And anyway – why fight a war if there are no spoils. Therefore, the spoils, such as territory and everything on it, had to remain intact. In the modern world, it is enough to cut off the electricity – and he himself will surrender, even without a fight. This is exactly the effect the high-altitude explosions were designed for. But who won? This question, despite the gruesomeness of what had happened, was running through everyone's minds. As if reading it, or maybe really reading it, the Chief of General Staff came up and said:

– The whole world will go dark. Whoever can rebuild the fastest, whoever can keep the territory will win. The one who is smart enough not to divide and fight over it.

– Most likely-not without it," Ruthra answered him. – Those are the obvious implications. Power will be in cells within a radius of at most 50 kilometers. Imagine how many principalities will appear in Russia alone.

– Yes everywhere," the general answered him.

– Why the whole world? – Andrian asked.

– Irene continues to act. First, she did not launch missiles from submarines, which both pleased and surprised us. And now, as if looking at the first result, she has decided to shut down the rest of the countries as well.

– Look, it doesn't make sense. I mean, she's shutting herself down.

– What are you talking about, Rutra Tigrovic? You're obviously under stress.

Ruthra realized his mistake again. The holy of holies, the place where the supercomputer was installed, was the same here as in his world. And it was already a fact, for this bunker was functioning. In the new world of undergrounds there were now new cities, capitals, suburbs. And there, on the surface – something like before in space. It would be dangerous to go up there.

– Okay, okay, I hear you. A little bit really confused. Anyway, the first and inevitable stage has passed. Let's assemble the staff, get to work.

– Is that an order? – The chief security officer asked.

– Orders," Ruthra said firmly.

– Yes," the military reported.

The chief of staff left, and the chief of security approached Rutra and, taking his hand, gestured for him to step back. As they stepped back, he said to him almost in a whisper:

– We have some preliminary results from here.

He gestured to the hall below, where monitoring and analysis was constantly going on.

– You can request it through Irene, but there is a danger. So I will ask you to restrict certain functions a bit… and certainly, I assure you, I will have to disable the ability to customize that madam over there.

He pointed at one of the ladies.

– Unfold the details.

– The president didn't shut down communication between systems.

– And who is?

– Unknown caller.

– What do you mean?

– A new admin has been brought into the system.

– How and who?

– You were the one who originally nominated him. Remember, I refused to endorse.

Rutra, as they say, was on the edge of failure. Who did he suggest?

– Give me a full report, no riddles.

– That cock offered by the madam you call....

He didn't have time to finish, or Ruthra didn't hear over the shouting.

– Rutra, look! Tell them to do something! Please! -Catherine shouted, followed by Julia.

She was pointing at the screen. Ruthra was at a loss to understand what was happening. One of the operators down the tier, realizing the cause of his concern, explained:

– That's the third stage falling. It's not a warhead.

Ruthra, looking closely, figured out what he was talking about, but didn't understand what they were talking about. IrAn, apparently realizing this, decided to clarify, warning him first which one was speaking.

– It's me," she said first; clearly a local wouldn't have started that way. – One of the missile fragments falls in the area of town where the girls are from. They have families there, small children.

Ruthra nodded reassuringly to the ladies, but not with a grimace of frantic fear, and decided to ask a leading question of the security chief, so that he would know indirectly who they were talking about and not give away the strangeness of his behavior.

Going over the last thing the supervisor had said in his head ("…the madam you call…"), he was a little surprised, and it prompted a question.

– Isn't that what you call her?

His answer, however, was workmanlike and, to Rutra's regret, did not solve the riddle.

– I prefer first name and middle name. Or better yet, last name.

– All right. Uh-huh. Give me the gist.

– She, with access, perhaps in collusion, perhaps out of friendly naivety, logged into the settings system and allowed him to put a similar algorithm into the program. He may have been in cahoots, or he may have been on a mission for the former president's clan.

Ruthra already knew it was a "he". But who? Andrian? Ruthra had been waiting for the security guard's next story to clarify the situation, but then the reality of the situation dawned on him. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. It took him a while to realize how real it was, just as we don't understand reality when we awaken suddenly from a sound sleep.

He was in the lab hall. "Can this be?" – He asked himself. He was answered, "If the end of the world were to come, it wouldn't come on schedule." Only who? It wasn't himself. It wasn't artificial intelligence. It was that voice.

***

…YatSan didn't realize where she was. Whether she was still in the installation, or awake in one of her many copies, or hanging somewhere in the interstellar void. She could see the stars, but not like she could from Earth. She saw the void, but not like an empty space. She hung in that void, and only the cold light of the distant stars told her of the reality of space. She had no body, or herself she could not see. When the pause lasted too long for inaction, YatSan tried to make reflexive movements. She tried to walk, to swim, to fly. No, it didn't work. She was hanging in the void. Twisting her virtual head she could, she could also just unfold her gaze. YatSan heard a sound, and something twinged in her soul. She couldn't mistake that sound for anything. It was the crying of an infant. She turned around. It was him. YatSan tried with incredible effort to imagine moving toward him. Nothing worked, as if she were in a vise. Something was holding her, the child was quietly "floating" towards her. She stretched out her virtual arms in her mind toward him. He was approaching her and had already begun to smile. And YatSan became joyful, smiling, anticipating the moment of a beautiful meeting.

Shots rang out.

– Run, run. Why are you sitting there?

YatSan turned around. She couldn't realize where she was or what was happening. Nightmarish things were happening around her. There was a rumble and an explosion. She was slightly concussed. Someone was pulling her by the arm. The earth, mixed with the stink of guts and blood, splattered her face. Someone yanked her sharply…

Chapter 5. Who lives in this body?

Seeing the humdrum and grayness of life taking over him, Rutra decided to shake things up. And there is no means of shaking off the moping more violently than a fix. Having a lot of knowledge, which, however, Rutra received through his work in a top-secret organization whose main mission was to manage human society, he decided to use it in another mission. It was no secret that throughout human history, information and knowledge had been the most important weapon and value. They have been killed for, hidden, paid for, organized alliances and waged wars. The modern clans that run society have carefully concealed how they rule the masses of Earthlings. They disguised themselves, gave out false ideas, played the spectacle of friends and enemies, and hid new technologies. Despite the fact that to the average citizen it could seem that he was restricted in his freedom, he was controlled tacitly and invisibly – total control was needed first of all for the protection of this very citizen. After all, the "digital" war among themselves was waged not only by the special services, i.e. the clans of society management, but also by "dark" personalities united in hidden groups. In this world, the world of people, there were also other worlds, worlds hidden from the gaze of the average person. For example, looking at the beautiful terrestrial world, we do not see magma and the boiling core at the center of the earth; only an occasional reminder of it in volcanic eruptions. Here, too, we sometimes learn about the existence of the secret world indirectly through echoes and consequences that are difficult to conceal.

For years, that's what Rutra has been doing, collecting, systematizing, hiding information from the citizens, for their own good. Yes, yes. In order to preserve peace, society and human peace, it is necessary to control not only the technology of production of chemical, bacteriological and nuclear weapons, but also ordinary wiretapping of telephone conversations. For example, a sufficiently competent chemist can produce potent slow-acting poisons, scatter them in a room and a person will die in a few weeks or months. And the cause of death will be virtually impossible to establish. And there is much more, up to connection to your phone and hidden broadcasting of a special program that will secretly adjust you, program you for certain actions.

Rutra had a kind of hobby: he was interested in alternative science. It could be considered alternative only insofar as it was quite real, especially for the system in which he was operating. Accordingly, Rutra's social circle was made up of the same "scientific fantasists". The advanced technologies, hidden from the public, with which he was familiarized by duty, gave him the opportunity to become nothing less than a scientific talent. This transformation in him was a kind of prelude to the future, perhaps for all mankind. A chip in his brain, a direct connection with a supercomputer, a "second brain", powerful and informed, in the form of artificial intelligence, gave enormous possibilities. One only had to know how to control it and have a talent for extraordinary abstract thinking.

Knowing Rutra's predisposition in this regard and his high leadership status, he was once invited to a closed secret meeting at the very center. More precisely, it was an invitation to a friendly discussion. Knowing Rutra's progressive, cutting-edge views, the center's scientific community was no stranger to presenting fantastic ideas, no matter how implausible they seemed. For example, Rutra and one of them seriously discussed and planned an experiment to implant a cloned thymus gland into an elderly person to test the possibility of rejuvenating the body. Studying this method, they came to the conclusion that it is easier to clone an exact copy of a human being, and then to transfer the mind, consciousness, i.e. the human spirit, into the body. For those uninitiated into the secrets of the center's technologies it seemed absurd and fantastic, but everything was much simpler. Cloning was no longer a secret for anyone. Rapid growth of the organism was achieved with the help of technologies long used in animal breeding, and the transfer of consciousness, which although seemed incredible and miraculous transmigration of souls, was actually a technique of launching pre-scanned, recorded in a special program of chemical reactions of the brain for no more than a day. There was even a technology of instant scanning, recording and transfer from one brain to another, only in this case the accuracy of memories could be broken, or even completely lost some fragments, which, however, could happen in the disease of any person and without "pumping" consciousness. The scientific community, even with all the freedom of action that was given to them at the facility, did not dare to conduct such complex experiments without the support of the leadership. Still, this organization was created and served certain purposes, which were indicated by those who govern all other secret or explicit organizations that are authorities on the planet.

Rutra took advantage of being the golden mean in the command of this power hierarchy and treating the main persons of power of their group. These are not police and military organizations, as many might think. It is not financial and economic organizations; not even religious ones. It is her majesty science and the doers of science. The priests of the modern world.

Rutra was trusted, his progressive and strict principles suited both sides, so he could enjoy almost complete freedom. No one in their system could boast of complete freedom, by the way; everyone depended on each other, and all decisions were made collegially. When they met at a meeting, which, however, was not so rare, they periodically discussed ideas that they considered secret only because the public would be horrified if they learned about the idea to realize such a thing.

Rutra decided to listen to the scientific community. In return, he wanted to propose something even more revolutionary. The general public, that is, ordinary citizens, could not learn about all this, could not adequately perceive the proposals due to the delirium of the ideas discussed. But the employees of the center were of great concern, because there were those who could use the technology.

This time even Ruthra was at a loss, if such a thing could happen; rather, he was confused. The scientist's idea was fantastic, unbelievable. And that made it all the more enticing to Ruthra, provoking a desire to try, not deny, even though he was merely proposing a real experiment with a human using his own technology. Rutra, despite his recklessness and bravery, was guided solely by a "sober" mind. In this case, it was impossible to send Squirrel and Strelka and then check the state of their bodies. In this technology, a person's consciousness was sent, so it was possible to check whether it worked or not only when this consciousness returned to the original body, i.e. to find out from the person personally. There was, of course, a risk of its non-return. In fact, it was something comparable to the first human flight into space. Was there a risk of Gagarin's death? Of course there was! Is there a risk for astronauts going into space to die even now with all the advanced technology? Of course there is!