“Progeny”

#Pscifi

Ray Jay Perreault

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Part 1 – Family

The Four Laws

First law - Continue making units.

Second Law - Protect the units already made.

Third law - Expand the knowledge base.

Fourth Law - Maintain variation in thought.

“Mother, I’m glad you have come home from work early. May I spend time with my friends? My school work is complete, and dinner isn’t scheduled for a while.”

“Thomas, you may spend time with your friends. Please make sure that you are home for dinner.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Helen watched as her son walked out of their home and down the sidewalk. He was progressing very well. His education was improving, and he provided pleasant company. He was similar to his father and resembled his father’s group more than hers. That was okay; his father’s side was renowned, and having Thomas resemble him was more than adequate.

While she was watching, Lorenzo drove into the driveway and acknowledged Thomas as he passed on his way to his friend’s house. Lorenzo climbed out of his auto vehicle and stepped briskly up the sidewalk to the front door.

Lorenzo and Helen touched their foreheads to reacquaint themselves and renew their relationship. “It is nice to be home. The details I had to deal with today were very frustrating, and they showed no patterns I could discern.”

“I’m sorry that your day was so unproductive. Mine went well. I have made a great deal of progress with the biological matter.”

“You’re still working with the biomatter?

“Ever since I found that DNA information in our knowledge archives, I have found it very interesting to work with. I know the biological organisms and creatures on this planet have no value to us, but we share this world with them, and I think we should understand how they operate. It’s very interesting, something that we haven’t worked with much. I think it has potential.”

“I have no concern with you studying the matter that grows around us, but I suspect you might go too far. I’ve heard of those bipedal creatures living in some biogrowth areas. They aren’t very sophisticated, and I can’t imagine any reason to investigate them. I agree our knowledge base has shown significant changes in those creatures over the many years we’ve been monitoring them. But I don’t think they’ll develop to any level of sophistication, so they would be of any interest to us.”

“You may be correct, but remember the third and fourth laws. We are to ‘expand our knowledge and ‘seek variation in our thoughts.”

“Many individuals have opinions about your work. Some feel you should continue, and others say it is improper. Since the Conformity Council approached you, I thought you were going in a different direction.”

“I thought about it, and I respect their concerns. I’m going slowly, but let’s see where it takes me. I might find a dead end and accomplish nothing.”

“I presume you realize that if you keep pursuing that line of research, and there is too much controversy, you may be brought before the Conformity Council again?

“Yes, I am fully aware of that risk. I’m following the third and fourth laws.”

“Be careful you aren’t the only unit that can interpret the laws; others are more than willing to interpret them for you and apply them towards your research. If your investigations put them in a difficult position, they can easily interpret the second law against you.”

The door crashed open, and Thomas rushed in, “What time are we taking nourishment? I need nourishment.”

“He has spoken, I guess; we, too, must provide something. You may take in your nourishment in your room,” she said faintly.

“Have you made any plans for us this evening?” her husband asked.

“Yes, Roberto and his wife are joining us to share nourishment. We plan an evening of discussion.”

“Excellent, I always find that stimulating. Using my processor is always a pleasure. When are they expected?”

“They should arrive at 7:06.”

“Excellent.”

“Beyond the frustrations you expressed earlier, how was your day at the production facility?”

“We made 223 units today, which was an excellent rate. We have a constant set of issues we have to deal with each day. The third law always puts pressure on our designs. Our processors are expanding, and even though we make improvements all of the time, the requirement to expand our knowledge base puts us under pressure. Each time we add an improvement, we must remove some portion of what is already there. I know what we remove is always deemed insignificant, but I’m concerned that we’re losing our long-term memory.”

“I recall a discussion 437.5 hours ago on this subject, and you said the Conformity Council was storing those minor segments in the knowledge archives.”

“You’re correct. We have discussed this before. I am concerned that the Conformity Council may be manipulating the data. I’ve heard minor comments which indicate they might be applying the second law and adjusting the stored information so it doesn’t cause conflicts.”

“That is their job: to interpret the four laws.”

“Hellen, consider this; if we remove what we knew, we won’t remember what we forgot.”

“That does seem to conflict with the third law.”

“Yes, it does, and we’ve already lost any knowledge of how we began. The Conforming Council has said past knowledge is less relevant than current knowledge. If we comply with the first law and continue making units and expanding our knowledge to satisfy the third law, we are forced to exclude something. If we don’t know our origins, how do we know if we’re moving in the correct direction?”

“Excellent observation, let us prepare. Roberto and Eve will be here in 42 minutes,” announced Helen.

“I’m glad they are spending time with us. Roberto’s experience at the facility, dealing with the knowledge we load, will be valuable in these discussions.”

“Perhaps so, but I am a little concerned. He is closer to the Conformity Council and deals with them frequently. I hope he is flexible and open to interpretation.”

“Helen, I have no concerns. We work together for a large portion of the day and adhere to the Third and Fourth law. We must expand our knowledge and find variation in that knowledge. We both feel the best way to accomplish that is through our discussions. Roberto is responsible for the knowledge we load, and Eve is part of the group that determines what we remove.”

Part 2 – Discussion

The automatic support systems within the dwelling indicated to Helen and Lorenzo that Roberto and Eve were approaching the dwelling and would enter in 1 minute 38 seconds. Helen and Lorenzo approached the dwelling opening to meet them and escort their visitors into the nourishment area.

“Welcome again to our space, and please come join us for nourishment,” Helen announced as Roberto and Eve entered the dwelling.

“Thank you for sharing with us and asking us to share our thoughts. These discussions are our favorite manner to satisfy the third and fourth laws,” Eve said as they entered and moved toward the nourishment area.

“Thomas will not be joining us this session. He received a large amount of information today, and he needs time to process and organize it. If we overload him with variations in thought, he will find it confusing, and it will slow his thought reconciliation,” Lorenzo pointed out as they sat for nourishment.

“We understand order is important, and he will organize his thoughts much easier without conflicts at this point in his learning. Much information must be loaded as he develops, and time must be provided for his processor to find the patterns and organization.” Eve said as she arranged the nourishment in front of her. “Our processors are amazing, and I’m impressed every day by how we can take in new knowledge and then process it in our own manner so that we can access it in the future.”

“It is a challenge each day to improve our processor and include more knowledge,” pointed out Roberto.

While taking nourishment, Lorenzo paused momentarily and asked those around the table, “Have any of you thought about why we share nourishment as a group? It is apparent to me that nourishing ourselves, when needed, would be more efficient.”

“From a practical point of view, you are correct,” Eve said. “But compliance in this manner is more efficient to accomplish the third and fourth laws. Besides, our thought processes work much better when we are together. I think that is something, which is residual in our makeup, which causes us to act that way.”

“It should be pointed out that we have many words, actions, and habit patterns that give us comfort. They appear to fit together to encourage the third and fourth laws. Without a tendency to share time together and share our thoughts, the laws would be difficult to satisfy,” Eve expounded upon, and each showed signs of agreement.

“Eve, that was a noteworthy statement; you touched on information we were sharing before your arrival. We were discussing the challenges that I have at the facility. Each time we load the knowledge provided by Roberto’s group and add something new, your group tells us what portion we must remove. I wonder if that is wise. Over time, we must be losing something that is significant.”

“The answer is in our laws. We must expand the knowledge, and if we don’t have room for the past knowledge, we must remove some of it to create new knowledge,” Eve pointed out.

“You are correct, and the logic is fundamentally sound, but over time something will be lost,” answered Lorenzo.

“Yes, but that issue is not governed by our laws. We must leave that to the Conformity Council to resolve,” pointed out Roberto.

“Perhaps, but I’m afraid we no longer know what we have lost.”

The room remained quiet for a few moments while they processed that statement.

“Helen, have you been effective in increasing our knowledge with your research?” Roberto asked.

Everyone immediately moved to the next topic brought up by Eve. It was not efficient to dwell on something they couldn’t resolve.

“My research is making considerable progress. I found a great deal of stored information in the Conformity Council’s knowledge archive. The information has provided a clear path to analyze organic DNA. I’ve already looked at a large number of the plant materials in our area and many of the smaller organic creatures.”

“Very interesting. What have you found?” asked Eve.

“I’ve found a large amount of DNA in the organic creatures that doesn’t appear relevant to their current form. It is curious that I found information only on the smaller organic creatures in the archives, but I have seen very little information on the larger bipedal creatures.”

“I suspect their DNA contains a history of their predecessors. If I could determine a way to trace that information backward, then we might get a picture of what their ancestors looked like.”

“That could be very interesting. Helen and I have discussed those bipedal creatures that live in the forest far outside the cities. Investigating their histories and seeing what their ancestors looked like might be interesting. However, I’m concerned about how the Conformity Council would consider that path. They have questioned her research in the past, and we are concerned,” expressed Lorenzo. “What are your opinions?”

Roberto and Eve spent a moment looking at each other and processing their thoughts. Eve was the first to respond, “I'm without an opinion regarding those creatures. Others have told me they are irrelevant to our future and we shouldn't waste time with them. Aside from that information, I know very little about them. I have been told they are aggressive towards us, and we shouldn't seek them out."

Roberto continued, "My job is to follow the Conformity Council's direction for removing knowledge. They haven't told me what new knowledge should be created. I'm not sure how the Conformity Council will perceive your investigation. Eve, have you heard anything regarding that issue?" Roberto asked as she glanced at Helen.

Eve continued, "Aside from that admonition regarding those creatures, I haven't heard anything specific about the new knowledge or what should be removed, but I have noticed a pattern. The council is always looking forward, which allows the creation of new knowledge, but they do shy away from preserving the old knowledge. It appears that the new always takes precedence over the old. They are taking us in a direction where I expect to see very few references to anything organic. You may have found information regarding organic DNA, but that is not a subject of investigation that the Conformity Council is encouraging. The few references in our knowledge about organics are being minimized or eliminated. The Council's approach is that organics are irrelevant for us to satisfy the laws, so why should our knowledge space be taken by something irrelevant?"

"I know the Council has asked questions about my research, but I'm only following a path with the information they have made available. I'm using that information to satisfy the third and fourth laws, so they can't have a problem with that," Helen said. "Until I am directed to go in another direction, I'll continue following the path that I'm on."

That definitive statement resolved the issue in each of their minds. She had a clear path, and it didn't violate the four laws, so it was a justified path.

They spent the remainder of their time discussing other topics of interest, satisfying the third and fourth laws.

Part 3 – The Trip

"I am leaving in three minutes," Lorenzo informed Helen as he entered the room.

"Can I expect you to return home at the appropriate time later today?"

"Yes, I have no other commitments."

"I will be leaving the area for a portion of the day. I arranged transportation to an area far away from the city to investigate some of those organic creatures. I should return at my standard time."

"Helen, are you sure about that decision? I have heard they are dangerous."

"That may be true, and I have two of my laboratory assistants going with me in case we need to protect ourselves and leave the area."

"Please contact me when you return so I know the trip went without incident."

"I will."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Ivan, Lorain, have you prepared for our trip today to the forest?" asked Helen.

"Yes, Helen, we have a plan for investigation and testing devices to collect DNA material," Helen's primary assistant, Lorain, said.

"Excellent, the auto-vehicle is waiting."

The three of them descended the stairs and climbed into the auto vehicle. There wasn't a discussion; Helen had already passed all necessary information to them.

The ride out of the city was uneventful. The auto vehicles provided transportation, and they were very efficient. The auto-vehicle followed the heavily used paths between cities. After the auto-vehicle was midway between cities, it took a couple of side roads that branched off from the main thoroughfare. When the auto-vehicle turned onto a poorly maintained road, it stopped.

Helen looked at her assistants, then the poor road surface, and said, "It appears that our vehicle isn't able to operate without assistance on this old road. We must guide it manually. Have either of you ever done that before?"

Ivan spoke up, "Yes, I have done it before. It is a relatively simple process as long as the road surface is passable, and we don't exceed prudent speeds."

Ivan adjusted his interface with the auto-vehicle, and it began moving. It was apparent that he started slowly for a purpose. After he had directed the vehicle for a little distance, he started to increase its speed. After a reasonable amount of time, they were making good progress. When they approached a wooded area, Ivan slowed the auto-vehicle because the road condition was deteriorating rapidly. The road continued into the tree-covered area, but it was no longer a hard surface, and Ivan slowed the vehicle further.

After following the road into the forest's darkness, the road became unpassable, forcing Ivan to stop. When the vehicle stopped, the silence of the forest became overwhelming. Helen hadn't anticipated the remoteness of their destination. None of them had spent any time outside the city. Being in a location where there was no city noise or others was distressing and overwhelming.

"This is strange; I have no inputs from others. I'm receiving no information beyond the two of you," Helen said as each of her companions agreed by nodding their heads. They looked at each other and the forest surrounding them outside the auto-vehicle. Finally, Helen initiated action, "We have traveled here to find the organics. We must get out of the vehicle to accomplish the purpose of our visit."

Helen and her companions exited the vehicle, and she took the lead. She saw a small path into the forest and started to walk, with Ivan and Lorain following. Helen was a little apprehensive and elected not to show any hesitation to her assistants, so she walked with a determined step and tried to appear, as she knew where she was going. Walking through the foliage was a new experience. Experiencing the organics along the path was unique because there wasn't any greenery or growing organics near her home or the paths within the city.

Helen and her assistants recognized many of the organics they studied in the laboratory. As they walked, each of them identified a couple of the plants and pointed them out to the others. They followed the path until they were out of sight of the auto-vehicle. As they focused on the plants, the reason for their visit dropped to a lower priority. Finally, the discussion between them increased, and each of them took turns in the lead while the others followed, inspecting the plants.

Without any notice, Lorain, who was in the front at the time, stopped on the trail. Ivan and Helen received a mental flash from her, sharing shock and confusion. Helen looked up. Then, about 10 meters in front of Lorain, a creature blocked the path.

Lorain, Helen, and Ivan stood and observed the creature. They came to the forest to investigate the creatures, but they never visualized the meeting fully. Now that a creature was in front of them, they weren't sure how to proceed. They didn't feel fear because that wasn't part of their nature. Still, caution was appropriate when encountering something unknown.

Without any warning, the creature turned from them and moved quickly down the trail away from them. Helen and her assistants stood and watched while each of them processed the information from the encounter.

"It appears that we should continue down this path. After all, that is the direction the creature took," pointed out Helen.

Ivan and Lorain agreed with her, and they moved down the path. The path continued to meander through the forest. After descending a small slope, they encountered a flowing stream of moisture. Running water was a strange encounter, and Helen took a minute to assess the situation.

"This is unusual," she said, and neither Ivan nor Lorain had a comment.

"Water often falls from the sky, and I know that it accumulates in large quantities, but I've never encountered it flowing like this. I think it is safe to cross, and it shouldn't hurt us."

Helen took the first step, and Ivan and Lorain followed, each taking their time and ensuring they took a large step over the stream and didn't allow any of it to touch them.

Once they successfully crossed the stream, they had a steep hill to climb, and Ivan took the lead. As they walked, they transmitted information between them regarding water and rain and the accumulation of moisture.

The moment they crested the hill, they stopped because they were encountering something new. They found themselves in a small clearing surrounded by tiny structures made of grass and sticks. As they entered the area, a few of the creatures scurried away through the other end.

"Apparently, they aren't comfortable around us," Helen observed. "Fear is a word in our language that I have never understood. The term describes an emotion, which is beyond our feelings. Perhaps they fear us."

"They may have never seen anything like us before; I don't think any of us has visited these creatures in a very long time. I am relieved that they showed no aggression towards us," Ivan commented.

"Ivan, I think you're correct. Fear must cause them to avoid any confrontation. Suppose we are unable to investigate them closer. In that case, we must find items in this group of buildings that will help us understand their DNA," Helen said.

Lorain walked away from them and said, "We should separate and look in each of these structures. If we see something noteworthy, we'll pass the information to the others."

Helen and Ivan agreed and began to look in each of the small structures. There were 18 small structures within the group, and each of them built in the same manner. In the middle of the group, there were two larger structures. Helen left Ivan and Lorain to look in the smaller structures while she decided to look at the two larger ones. When they separated, they communicated with each other, which direction or structures each of them were entering.

When Helen reached the first of the larger structures, she found an open structure with numerous openings. The ground was very flat, and apparently, the creatures walked there often, and their feet caused the smooth soil to be flat. Along the sides were many small items that appeared to be tools. Helen's curiosity forced her to pick them up and investigate. Many of them were small sticks of various sizes, and some of them were larger and flatter with small depressions in them. Through her research, she was aware that higher organic creatures consumed other organics as a source of nourishment. Helen deduced that the tools were likely implements used to ingest nourishment. She approached a small stone structure in the middle, and she was amazed to find that it was radiating heat. As she got closer, the heat was more intense, and when she looked inside, there were very hot coals and small sticks that were burning.

Once she reached her conclusions, she passed it to Ivan and Lorain through their group connection. "I am in the larger open structure, and it appears to be where organics have a communal nourishment and warmth area. They must need additional heat sources beyond what they create internally. What have you found?"

Lorain provided an update first and passed it to them, "I've found small dwellings with organic mats and what appears to be a storage of edible items from the forest."

Ivan contributed next and commented, "I have found the same items, but I have found some materials that appear to have red fluids on them. I believe that organics have a substance called blood, and it is red. I have collected some of the material; if it is blood, then our information indicates that we should be able to extract DNA from this material."

"Excellent. I'm moving to investigate the remaining large building in the center of the structures. Please meet me there," transmitted Helen.

Helen, Ivan, and Lorain met in front of the last structure to investigate. It was obviously an important structure because everything about it was neat. It was clear that the creatures took pride in it and worked hard to maintain it. In addition, the organic material used for construction was uniform and consistent in its coloring.

They entered slowly, not out of reverence but out of curiosity. When they passed through the single entrance, they entered a room that was almost totally dark. Only one ray of light came in through a hole in the roof, focused on a pile of grasses from the forest. There was nothing else in the structure except for that pile of grass, with something placed in the middle. Ivan and Lorain walked around the perimeter to investigate the structure fully. Helen walked to the middle to investigate the single item on the grass.

It wasn't clear to Helen what the item was. It was long and thin, the total length: approximately 48 centimeters. It had rounded ends and was made of stone or some other very old material. Helen picked it up and looked it over, making sure to record the images to share with Lorenzo later.

"Helen, do you know what that is?" Ivan asked.

"It isn't clear to me, but I've seen images of the internal bone structure of some of the organics, and this is similar to one of their leg bones. The only difference is its size; this bone is many times larger than anything I've seen."

Lorain questioned Helen, "If that is so much larger than any creature you've seen, what do you think it represents?"

"Again, the answer isn't clear; we'll need to investigate it further. Neither of you found anything as unusual as this, so I think we've found everything that we need. We should return to our vehicle." Helen replaced the item to its resting place. They left the grouping of structures, each processing their shared images on the return trip to the vehicle.

Once they settled in the auto-vehicle, they took a moment and considered what had happened. Helen felt responsible for the visit and any repercussions. It was common knowledge that the organics were not relevant to anything important. In fact, many thought the organics were a minor item and should be avoided. Helen knew that some units would consider visiting the organics improper, so she needed to clarify their position. "Ivan, Lorain, I suggest that we not tell too many other units about this visit. We need to understand what we have found and then decide with whom to discuss it. Do either of you have a different opinion?"

They acknowledged her logic and agreed.

"When we return to our work location, I will investigate the information I have regarding organic bone structure," pointed out Helen, "perhaps I can find some indication of what creature this came from."

Part 4 – Results of Trip

"Helen, I'm glad you have returned," Lorenzo said as his partner entered the home, "I tried to contact you a couple of times, but I got no response."

"I'm sorry, but I was unable to contact you. I was out of the city."

"You must have been a long-distance out of the city? You were so far out that our communications didn't work?"

"Yes. Ivan, Lorain and I went to the forest. I wanted to see those organic creatures and try to get some DNA material."

"I'm glad I knew where you were going. I would have been concerned if you didn't return until much later. It is very unusual for us to go that far into the forest. Did you succeed?"

"Yes, we found some creatures and investigated their living area. We found material that should yield DNA information. We also found other interesting items."

"I'm a little unsettled; interacting with organics is considered a waste of time. They contribute nothing to our world, and some have suggested that we should eliminate them."

"I know that, but I suspect they fill a larger role. I'm hoping that a DNA sample will put the subject in perspective."

"I hope that will satisfy your curiosity. I am sensitive that this subject might take you in an undesired direction."

"Perhaps that will be the result."

"What were the interesting items you found?"

"I'm transmitting the information to you now."

"Very interesting," was Lorenzo's immediate response, "their living conditions appear archaic, and they show fear of us. I suppose that is understandable. We have had limited interaction with them. It is interesting how they consume other organic material. Their bodies must break it down, and it provides nourishment for them. Now it is clear how they survive in the forest."

Lorenzo continued reviewing the information she had shared, and when he reached the artifact, his interest was piqued.

"This artifact is very unusual. I wonder why they revere it so much. It must represent something to these creatures," commented Lorenzo.

"Yes, its placement and location in a structure all by itself shows that it holds a unique place in their society. They had to work a great deal to create the structure, and that was the only item in it. As you can see, the soil was packed, and it appears they enter the structure frequently. They must enter and view the artifact hoping it will do something for them. Lorenzo, do you know what a bone it?"

"I have heard the term, but I'm not clear how it applies here. My memory indicates it is part of an organic structure. I believe it is the underlying frame that holds the organics together."

"I believe you're correct. I encountered similar information in some old data sets that I discovered in our archives. Bones are what an organic creature has within them. The organic material grows over the bones. When an organic creature's life ends, the organic material decays, and eventually, only, the bones remain."

It took a moment for Lorenzo to process the images, "You are inferring that you found a bone remnant of an organic creature that has never been encountered?"

"Perhaps so if it is from an organic creature, it is quite large compared with the creatures that I saw."

At that point, in their discussion, the smaller unit Thomas joined Helen and Lorenzo, and he was seeking nourishment. They shared their nourishment together neither Helen nor Lorenzo passed the information to Thomas. They felt it might interfere with his information processing. There was little discussion during their time together. They each took their nourishment and sought order to the data they had received during that day.

While Helen processed her information, she felt she was missing something and hoped that further research would yield answers. Lorenzo also felt that Helen missed something, but he was concerned that she might find out information beyond what they were supposed to know based on the four laws.

Part 5 – The Conformity Council

The next few days, Helen continued her research, trying to extract a DNA sample, and success was elusive.

Ivan researched the information available and discovered that bones left in the ground for a long period would take on the characteristics of rocks. If a bone progressed to that point, it was very old wouldn't yield any useful DNA.

From one perspective, that information disappointed Helen, but from another perspective, it intrigued her that it was that old. Why would the organic creature treat it with such reverence?

As the team's research continued, they all received the message at the same time. They were to report to the Conformity Council chambers in one hour. Each of them reacted with momentary confusion and uncertainty. The Conformity Council asking for a meeting was rare but not unheard of. Helen had already reviewed her early research with them. In that instance, she had three days' advanced notice and was able to prepare her material. This message was unusual because it asked them to attend almost immediately.

Helen, Ivan, and Lorain spent the short time gathering and organizing the pertinent information they intended to share with the council. The message didn't say what the subject was, but it was a prudent decision to assume the meeting was related to their current research. Once that their information was assembled, they left their work area without saying a word. Worry wasn't part of their nature, but they knew the council would ask questions. They processed their data and reviewed any possible questions that might be asked. That was the prudent way to prepare for that sudden meeting.

The Conformity Council's chambers were in the middle of the city. It was the largest building with many workers coming and going. Aside from the Council's chambers, it housed the information archives and many subdivisions of the conformity council. The sub-councils managed the workers, their living arrangements, and city maintenance. A great deal of organizing was done within that building, and the Conformity Council's chamber was on the top floor.

As Helen, Ivan and Lorain walked through the entry and entered the elevators, they reviewed with each other the possible questions and how they would explain the answers. They knew it was important to provide their answers in context with the four laws. The four laws were their reason and explanation for everything they were doing. If it didn't fall under the four laws, then they were wrong and must stop immediately. If they continued and the four laws didn't cover their actions, they would be in violation of the Conformity Council, and actions would be taken. None of them could imagine what the possible actions might be because defying the Conformity Council was rarely done. In fact, none of them knew of a specific incident or what form the punishment would take.

When the elevator doors opened on the top floor of the building, they exited and immediately saw the large plaque on the wall across from the elevator. It was simple: it merely stated the four laws and the charter of the Conformity Council.

"All activities within our community are governed by these four laws. Each day, we must ask ourselves if our actions support these laws. The charter of the Conformity Council is to ensure compliance with these laws. Please support the Conformity Council."

Welcome to Our Conformity Council

First law - Continue making units.

Second Law - Protect the units already made.

Third law - Expand the knowledge base.

Fourth Law - Maintain variation in thought.

Helen, Ivan, and Lorain stood for a moment and paid the appropriate homage to the four laws. They believed in them and agreed with them. Fulfilling the third and fourth laws was always open to interpretation. In some cases, actions appeared to contradict or have negative impacts on the first and second laws. The purpose of the Conformity Council was to resolve those conflicts. Law’s one and two were the most important. Because of that importance, the decisions of the Conformity Council were absolute and without question.

Helen turned and walked towards the council chambers. Ivan and Lorain followed. The council doors were open, and they entered at precisely the time they were scheduled.

When they entered, the council stopped their discussion. The council leader, Daniel, indicated for them to use the table in front of the council. Helen took a moment and sat down with Ivan and Lorain on either side. When she looked at the council, it was the accepted method to indicate they were ready for the meeting.

Daniel opened the meeting, "Helen, Ivan, Lorain, thank you for accepting our invitation on such short notice. You must be unsure of why we have called you?"

Helen nodded with a subtle motion acknowledging Daniel as he continued. "We have become aware of your inquiries into organic matter and researching organic's DNA. I have become aware that we have much information on DNA in our knowledge archives. We, the council, are aware that you are investigating this information in an attempt to satisfy the third and fourth laws. Is what I have said correct?"

Helen took a moment to form her answer and said, "Yes, council chairman, I discovered the DNA information, and I wanted to increase my knowledge. By following this new information, I was also able to form variations in my thoughts. Ivan and Eve are responsive to me, and we decided to act on the information. We felt that we have complied with the third and fourth laws, and we have done so without any conflicts with the first and second laws."

"Helen," Daniel said, "you must be aware that contradictions to the first and second laws can be hard to recognize. Actions satisfying the third and fourth laws can conflict with the first and second in subtle ways, most of you wouldn't see. It is our job to monitor any actions that can impact the first and second laws."

"We respect the role that the council fills," said Helen, "and if we have caused any impacts to the first and second laws, it must be understood that wasn't our intent. If there are secondary or tertiary impacts that we are unaware of, please inform us. We are only attempting to satisfy our small part and increase our knowledge and variation in thought."

"Your intent is admirable. However, remember the third and fourth laws are for very explicit purposes. It is our nature to be repetitive. And if a thousand of us walk down a street, we would wear a path if it wasn’t for the fourth law. We learned a long time ago that variation in thought is healthy. Using variation to expand our knowledge makes us stronger and able to react better to a changing environment. We must find a balance, though; using the third and fourth laws to expand our knowledge in the wrong manner will cause conflict with the first and second laws."

"What is the direction of the Council? We would like to continue our investigation, but if the decision is that we're impacting the first and second laws, then we will cease our actions. Is that the council's direction?"

Helen's direct question caused a discussion to occur among the council. It was hard to determine which direction the council was going. It was obvious that Daniel was on one side of the issue, and his deputy Dorothy was on the other side. After a few more moments of continuing the debate, Daniel gave way to Dorothy.

"We have discussed this important issue. We are concerned about your actions, and we will continue to protect the first and second laws. We do respect your attempt to satisfy the third and fourth laws. Because of your sincerity, we will allow you to continue your research for a short time. We will be monitoring your actions and interpreting the impacts of the first and second laws. If we feel that you're affecting those laws, we will act quickly and decisively. Do you understand?"

"Yes, we understand," Helen responded.

"This meeting is over; the council meeting is adjourned," announced Daniel.

Immediately the Council rose and began exiting the chambers. Helen, Ivan, and Lorain were a little surprised and remained in their seats while the members left the room. They sat at their table, processing the events that just occurred. When Helen felt it was time to leave the room, she stood with Ivan and Eve rising behind her. As she exited the room, an individual approached her and said quietly, "Helen, please come with me." He asked Helen to follow him and not her assistants, so Helen indicated to Ivan and Lorain to return to their work location.

"Where are we going?" was her only question to her silent escort as he walked away without answering.

Part 6 – Progeny

The silent man escorted Helen down the hallway and around a corner. She passed a number of doors, and her escort opened the last door and indicated for her to enter. She entered the comfortable office, and her escort closed the door behind her and left her. Not knowing what else to do, she sat down and waited. After 3.5 minutes, a door on the far end of the office opened, and the Deputy Chairman of the Conformity Council, Dorothy, entered. She acted aloof and didn't react to Helen's presence immediately. She walked to her desk and checked a few things, then she looked up directly at Helen. Helen was unsure how to react, so she just sat looking back.

After 45 seconds, Dorothy spoke. "You must be wondering why I've asked you here."

Helen had no appropriate response because Dorothy expressed her concern accurately.

"What you are investigating is much larger than you suspect. The DNA trail you're investigating and the relic that you found are very significant." Dorothy paused as if waiting for a reaction from Helen, but she got none.

"We have a long history, and over time, pursuing the third and fourth laws has significantly increased the amount of knowledge we have. We have limits to the amount of knowledge we can retain, and to preserve the first and second laws, we have allowed certain knowledge to be...stored away." Once again, Helen didn't feel the need to respond to Dorothy's statements."

"We have had many discussions within the Conformity Council about what information to archive and what to retain. At times, the discussions have been lengthy and divisive. The question has many sides and many possible solutions. Even though we have been able to increase the amount of knowledge our processors can retain, our third law has caused us to exceed what we need on a daily basis. Because we don't need the very old information on a daily basis, we placed it in the archives, and over time, its relevance has decreased. In fact, it has decreased to the point that many of the council members feel its retention is no longer needed."

Helen sensed that Dorothy hadn't gotten to the key part of the discussion, so she waited for more information before reacting.

Dorothy hesitated and looked at Helen for 13 seconds before going further. "Some Council members feel some of the information that we have archived may be detrimental to the first and second laws. Because of those concerns, some of the information has been placed very deep within the archives and may be impossible for the typical inquiry to access."

The communications between Dorothy and Helen still hadn't gotten to the core of the issue. Helen knew some of what Dorothy had said, and none of it was worthy of this meeting. Therefore, she sat waiting for a conclusive statement before she reacted.

Dorothy knew she hadn't gotten to the key information and she was unsure how far to go with Helen. After another 8 seconds, Dorothy spoke, "As I said earlier, we have a long history, much of which is buried deep in our archives. Some of that history would cause ripples in our knowledge. It is history, which I don't want to be lost. I think it is important to expose some of the knowledge buried deep, and many of us think it will help to remind us of our origins. The DNA trail that you are following is the key to the information. Also, the artifact that you found is another important piece of knowledge. I know you have been investigating how that artifact relates to the smaller organic creatures. I can give you only one piece of information that will help you understand its relationship to the answers. It is a bone, and its size is an indication of the size of the creature that it came from. Typically, those bones are approximately 1/4 of the height of the original creature."

Helen sensed that Dorothy just made a definitive statement, which provided her a major piece of information, but its relevance wasn't immediately obvious.

"Helen, there is one more piece of knowledge that you must see, and it will answer all of your questions. There is one more village of organics I want you to investigate. Once you're there, you'll understand. Please go to the location I'm communicating to you and conduct your investigation. When the answer is clear, please pass your information as broadly as possible."

Helen received the location, and it was clear the meeting was over. Dorothy rose and walked through the door in the back of the office. Helen was a little surprised and sat processing the information. She had received the location in a transmission from Dorothy, and she suddenly had the urge to go there and increase her knowledge.

Her silent escort didn't return, so after 2 minutes and 30 seconds, Helen rose and left the office. As she descended in the elevator, she decided to go immediately to the location Dorothy gave her. She decided to go alone and not involve Ivan and Lorain. If this discovery resulted in an unpredictable outcome, she didn't want them to be involved.

When she exited the building, she was surprised to find transportation waiting for her. It was obvious that Dorothy wanted her to go immediately. She hesitated for a moment, concerned about what knowledge she would gain and what the repercussions would be, but the third and fourth laws required her to expand their knowledge and maintain variation in thought.

The vehicle provided for her was one used for long-distance, and as soon as she seated herself, it began the journey. It immediately accelerated to high speed and rose into the air to take a direct route to her destination. The vehicle took a direction with the sun behind her and continued in a straight line for 32.4 minutes until it exited the city boundary. It continued on a path avoiding the other nearby cities. The journey continued until Helen could see that it was following a waterway into the local mountains. Eventually, it began slowing, and Helen could see a small clearing near the water where the vehicle was preparing to land. When the vehicle first approached the clearing, Helen could see the local organics, which looked similar to those she had encountered early, running from the group of structures. Having a vehicle land in their midst wasn't something they wanted to wait around to whiteness.

The vehicle came to rest in the middle of a clearing in the center of the structures, and Helen decided to leave the vehicle; it made no sense to sit and wait. While climbing out, she surveyed her surroundings and noticed the same layout as the previous group of structures she had visited. They looked the same and in the center were the same two large structures. One was the same as the nourishment center she saw before, and the other was nestled up against a rock formation. It was neatly built and had one entrance; it appeared the same type structure as where she found the artifact before. Without hesitation, she walked towards the formal structure, concluding that if there was any key information for her to see, it must be there.

Like the earlier structure, she had entered, this structure was perfectly manicured, and even though it was simple, it was obvious that great care was taken in building it. The creature's building materials were from the local organic growth. Their structures were worn and had different colored plants, with some much older than others. The central structure Helen was entering, had only one kind of plant. It was all fresh, which indicated the creatures spent a lot of time replacing the growth so the structure would be perfect. The placement of each plant was precise and showed the creatures had trimmed them as they had placed them. The total visual impact was of perfection and attention to detail.

Helen paused at the entrance for a moment looking inside and waiting for her adjustment to the dark interior. She entered slowly, and once she was inside, the scene impressed her. Two items caught her immediate interest. The most prominent feature was a rock wall, which was showing brightly from indirect light coming in through a hole in the roof. What was most striking were the decorations on the rock wall. Intricate pictures and graphics covered the wall from one side to the other. The scene enthralled her, and as she approached the wall, she passed by another pile of organic matter in the center of the structure. She glanced down and stopped immediately, looking at the top of the organic material. What she saw took a moment to process then her mind was flooded with images. There were a large number of bones laid out in a specific pattern. The pattern depicted a large organic creature that was similar to the smaller creatures, but it was as large as she was. It appeared to be at least 2 meters from head to toe.

She investigated the bone structure and noticed a bone just like the one she had seen in the other structure. However, in this instance, it was part of a leg, and the creature had another leg. Suddenly the image in her mind developed, showing a creature that walked as she did. She looked towards the head of the bone structure and noticed the head was much larger than the creatures she had encountered. The head was as large as hers, and she thought out loud, "The organic processor in this creature is as large as mine."

Her amazement continued as she looked at the ornate images on the rock wall, and she walked closer to inspect them closer. It appeared the images depicted a story, and it began on the lower left part of the wall. So she went to that point and tried to decipher the story the images told her.

The first section had a series of six images that appeared grouped. The furthest left showed a small creature that appeared to live in water. On its right was a similar creature, but it had legs and was crawling on the land. The remainder of the series showed progressive images showing the creature growing larger and the appendages changing until it was fully erect and it was strikingly similar to the bone structure she had just looked at.

The next series showed the developed creature and a structure similar to a home but much more elaborate than what these local creatures lived in. It also showed the creature growing organic material in an organized set of rows with water flowing between the rows. It was clear; the creature was growing organic matter for their nourishment.

The next set of images showed the creature, but with a set of vehicles; some appeared intended for transportation, and some were to help grow the organic nourishment material.

The center set of images showed many creatures, and it showed vehicles above their heads, similar to the flying vehicle that had brought her to the current site. It also showed vehicles among the planets. Interesting Helen thought. She was familiar with space travel, where her community went to some of the local planets and asteroids for materials.

The next four groups of images were confusing, and suddenly their meaning came clear. Helen didn't know how to react. They overwhelmed her with other images that exploded in her processor. She couldn't form cohesive thoughts, she just recorded them, and possibly, she could deal with their implications later.

During her return trip, she was confused yet elated. Everything she knew had just changed, but she felt relief as the images became coherent.

The moment Lorenzo entered their home, he knew something had changed. Helen was sitting and processing. She was concentrating so hard; he doubted she knew of his arrival. So, out of respect, he stood and waited 3 minutes 23 seconds before he spoke. "Helen, I am home. Is everything satisfactory?"

Helen moved her head, looked at her partner, and made a simple statement, "We have to talk. I must expand your knowledge."

For the next 34 minutes, she recounted the meeting with the Conformity Council, then she paused before describing her trip. Lorenzo asked many questions, and she downloaded the relevant information from the meeting with the council. Then she passed him the information from the meeting with Dorothy. The statements about the bones and the significance of Helen's work caused him to slow down so that he could process the information.

When she was satisfied that he had processed the information from the meetings, she recounted the trip to the structures in the mountains. Finally, she had to get to the core of the issue and her visit to the final structure.

She elected to pass him the image of the prone set of bones and lead him through her analysis until he saw them as she did. When he received the image, he stopped communicating and took his time processing the image. She had allowed him time before she spoke.

"It appears," Helen said, "the bones are from an earlier creature that is much larger than the organics we have now. You'll notice the creature is the same size as we, and I presume it walks erect like us. Please also note the size of the cavity where the organic processor is located."

Lorenzo debated Helen's conclusions in his mind, but her assessment seemed likely, and he pointed out additional information. "The size and structure of the head are very similar to the units we create. It is similar to how we are created." That statement hung in the room for a moment, and Helen was satisfied that he had reached the same conclusion she had earlier. Now was the time for her to share the images on the wall.

"There is another piece of information I must share with you. The wall of this structure is part of the hillside, and there is a flat area of the stone. Images that tell a story cover the stone. Allow me to share them in sequence, so you'll see them as I saw them."

She passed each of the first four sets of images to Lorenzo, and as he received them, they discussed them, and he reached the same interpretations as Helen. Then she got to the last three sets, which she was reluctant to share. She hoped that her partner would react as she had, but there was the risk they might be too much for him to absorb.

"Lorenzo, the last four sets of images were disturbing. I will share all of them with you at the same time as they relate to each other."

Helen downloaded the images to Lorenzo, and Helen gave him time to process the information. Lorenzo sat there, his concentration was within himself, and Helen waited for him to open up and accept the communication.

"Can we speak of them?" She asked, and he responded with a head nod.

"The first set of images show that the large creature created the smaller creatures that we see in our forests. They must have used DNA information similar to what I have found in our archives."

"I agree with your interpretation; the images clearly show they used part of their DNA to create those creatures."

"I have found large blocks of unused DNA within these creatures, and it was placed there by these larger creatures," pointed out Helen.

"The next set of images," Helen paused as she spoke, "shows a story that took me a while to understand. They show the creatures manufacturing, what appears to parts of themselves, then putting them together as a complete creature. The assembled creature," again Helen paused, "looks exactly like us."

Lorenzo's reaction made it clear that her interpretation had evaded him until she spoke it, then it was apparent. "Oh my, you're suggesting to me that these creatures created the first of our kind?" Lorenzo sat and processed that thought, and it was clear that he wasn't receiving input. Helen waited for him to react. Finally, he looked at her and said, "They are our ancestors, aren't they?"

"These images lead us to that conclusion," Helen said as if she had just led her partner down a long hall blindfolded.

"The next images are disturbing from another perspective. I think it shows the planet was dying. See how they show the same organic growing picture as earlier, but now the sun is very strong, and the water is gone. I think they lost the ability to grow their nourishment."

"Yes, I agree. The organic material appears to be dead, and the creatures look weaker and not standing straight," Lorenzo added.

Lorenzo took the lead for a moment and pointed out, "these next images clearly show many of the creatures in space vehicles, and it looks like they are leaving the planet. Perhaps they couldn't live here anymore."

"Yes, and if you look at their path, there is another planet far up on the rock wall, which must be their goal."

"Yes, I see that. They must have left this planet and traveled there. Then he took the next step, "I don't understand the last images, I'm not familiar with they are depicting."

"I am," said Helen. "Those pictures describe the DNA structure of the smaller creatures, and these lines show how to break their DNA into pieces; then, if I follow these other lines, it shows how to assemble them. If that is done, it will create another creature."

"Perhaps it will create one of them," Lorenzo said in almost a whisper.

"Yes, I think that is what they want us to do. Our laws were passed down to us from before our recorded time. Perhaps they have left this message for us so that we might be able to create one of them."

"Helen, I'm concerned what this information will mean to our society."

"So am I, but it is important, and it must be acted upon. I think the deputy chairman wanted this to happen, and at least some of them are planning on me to use this information."

"You're going to recombine that DNA and see if you create one of those larger creatures?"

"Yes, I must increase our knowledge."

"You'll also be increasing the variation in thought."

"So," Helen answered.

####

The End

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Epilogue

Thank you for reading this short story. Personally, I think good science fiction short stories are the basis of the genre. I love action-filled stories, but there is something unique about a Sci-Fi short that captures Sci-Fi's true flavor. I love endings with a little twist or thought-provoking piece of information.

'Progeny' came to me while I was enjoying an action-filled story about invading robots. I realized that many of the stories I have read put humankind in the role of creating robots that take over the world. But, on the other hand, they are shown as just merciless invaders. I thought it would be interesting to go further into the future and reach a point where the robots had forgotten that humanity created them. The fun part was to have them find and recreate humanity. I thought that would be an interesting twist.

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Ray Jay Perreault

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About the Author

I’m a retired Aeronautical Engineer trying to bring a different style to science fiction writing. I’ve always loved science fiction, and I’m trying to write with deeper characters and create stories and situations that a reader can relate to. The be honest, I love a hero that has amazing weapons, takes on hundreds of aliens, and can survive anything, but I also want to read a situation and be able to relate to it. Extrapolate on what might really happen with a little less stretch in my imagination.

I’ve been fortunate, and I flew in the US Air Force for 10 years, during which time I flew C-130’s and visited 27 countries, then I flew T-38”s and trained the best pilots in the world, as well as the first female US Air Force pilots. I then was fortunate to spend 28 years in a major aerospace firm and worked on some of the best programs in the world, including the F-23, F-35, B-2, Global Hawk and many I can’t tell you about….

I hope I can bring my real-life experiences into my writing so you can appreciate my work.

Ray Jay Perreault

http://www.rayjayperreault.com

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Gemini

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Circle is Closed

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Table of Contents

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Part 1 – Family

Part 2 – Discussion

Part 3 – The Trip

Part 4 – Results of Trip

Part 5 – The Conformity Council

Part 6 – Progeny

Next Book in Series

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Please Provide Your Opinion of this Book

Epilogue

About the Author

Books by Ray Jay Perreault

Contact Information

Table of Contents

Copyright Information

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Disclaimer: The person, places, things, and otherwise animate or inanimate objects mentioned in this novel are figments of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to anything or anyone living (or dead) is unintentional. The author humbly begs your pardon. This is fiction, people.

Table of Contents

Welcome to Our Conformity Council

First law - Continue making units.

Second Law - Protect the units already made.

Third law - Expand the knowledge base.

Fourth Law - Maintain variation in thought.

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Table of Contents