It Might as Well be String Theory (book 3 of the hexology in seven parts)
Chapter 3: Ice For a Pillow

Ice for a pillow

Ice for a pillow to rest my head,

Long years I’ll slumber in my cold bed,

Until you wake me and new body make,

For then I’ll be risen my shackles I’ll break.

James Conrich was dreaming again. He’d had this one several times. As he sat in his office he could hear the chants of the protesters, drifting up to his open window. “Damn rock huggers”, he muttered as the sign-carrying crowd proclaimed their disgust at his asteroid mining. “You can’t touch Halley’s comet, it was present at the battle of Hastings.” Conrich concentrated on his paper, to try and drown the noise out. “They wouldn’t be up in arms, if I dug up two tonnes of granite from Nebraska”, he snorted. And with a start he woke.

It was dark; it was always dark; something to do with the operation. In fact the only sensation available to James Conrich at the present was his hearing. He felt trapped in his mind; but even he conceded it was a fine mind to be trapped in. At least he could imagine a fine life stuck in this single sensory world. He had to admit he was a little hazy on dates though.

When he asked his doctor, doctor Pennywise how the colony ships were getting on, the man had replied “Pretty good, we’ve got several reports of successful colonisations.” That couldn’t be right, it was too soon for that, but even his dreams about rock huggers jarred his memory. As if it should not have happened yet.

And when he ever asked about his condition, the doctor seemed reticent to commit himself even about the procedure Conrich had undergone. “You’ve heard of an appendectomy?” “Of course, when they remove your appendix”, Conrich had replied in frustration. “Well it’s a bit like that only more so”, was all Pennywise would admit to.

“Well I hope your keeping me well shaved”, Conrich demanded. “I don’t want to recover one day, and find out I look like a mountain man, with a beard down to my knees.” The doctor laughed affectionately, and said “Don’t worry, your chin is as smooth as a neutron star.” Conrich smiled, or at least he imagined he did, with no sensation but the voice of doctor Pennywise to go on.

Although he was left for long periods to convalesce, Conrich would enjoy the lengthy conversations he had with his doctor, on the many projects Conrich had embarked on. “You should have been an engineer rather than a doctor”, Conrich complimented doctor Pennywise on his in depth knowledge of all things mechanical. “Oh the two areas are not mutually exclusive”, Penny wise would say on these occasions.

“I must say I would have though some of my friends or board members might have dropped by, to wish me a speedy recovery.” James had broached the subject to his doctor, after deliberating it in a moment between his forays in to future projects to start, when he was fully recovered.

One thing Conrich did find out about the operation, was that it had concentrated his mind wonderfully; having found that age had made him more and more sluggish before going under the knife; now he had almost perfect recollection of any memory he chose to concentrate on, and he could mentally construct quite complex devices or structures in his mind. A feat he had not been able to do for many a year, or when he thought about it possibly ever. “I should have done this years ago”, he joked to the doctor who had brought cards to read out to him from well-wishers.

“They can’t attend you in person because of the strict quarantine required in your case.” That explained why Conrich had never heard a nurse changing the catheters, that would be feeding him and talking away his waste. Doctor Pennywise must be doing it all, to keep any chance of infection down. So Conrich had to contend himself with his amiable medico, until he was deemed fit to receive the public.

One day doctor Pennywise had seemed to be agitated in James’ opinion, but he had refused to be drawn on the subject when James raised it. Then a new voice broke in to Conrich’s world. “What have you been doing down here Pennywise? Always skulking off to play with your pet project. Well it’s time to get some proper work done.” There was a scuffling sound, and Conrich heard Pennywise’s fading protests as two sets of footsteps ebbed away.

What did it mean, thought James. That didn’t sound like a hospital room, and he spent the long hours waiting for Pennywise’s return; speculating on what the little episode could mean. When finally a single set of footsteps returned, Conrich bombarded the approaching figure with questions, until finally having spent himself Conrich fell in to silence. It was then that the doctor began.

“My doctorate is not in medicine, it is more in the nature of programming. I was a natural at understanding code, and could visualise the very workings of these virtual machines tasked to fulfil a given purpose. So when I got a chance to study under the great professor Malachi and work along side him on a project handed down to him by the legendary Peter Fallsworth.” “Hey I’ve heard of him”, Conrich cut in, but now started the doctor would not be distracted.

“It was under professor Malachi that I honed my skills, and aided him to his final days, with what he hoped would be a turning point in the evolution of humanity. Sadly the project proved to be beyond both the great men’s allotted span, and so the solemn duty was passed down to me to try and finish. You see Fallsworth postulated that the mechanism of the mind, although residing in the brain could be mimicked by an artificial means, if we could but find a suitable medium to map out and reconstruct it in. He had already got a willing test subject that had been mapped out and recorded in numerous ways, in the hope of imprinting the image on the artificially created brain so to speak; and then he began to look for ways to interpret the information, so it would function as a true facsimile of the original.”

Conrich’s enhanced cognitive powers were hardly taxed to leap to doctor Pennywise’s next statement. “So I was the test subject. How come I don’t remember organizing it?” The doctor considered the question, and weighed up exactly how to reply. “You weren’t to know about your virtual existence out of your body. Pete Fallsworth postulated that if you did, you wouldn’t connect well with the real world by your interfaces; ears, eyes, mouth and the like.” “But it seems to have been an uphill struggle, if three successive boffins have had to work on the problem”, Conrich countered. “It’s a wonder my real self is still alive. I presume I’m the life raft in case the ship sinks.” There was a pregnant pause while Pennywise considered how to sugar coat his response. Then he just decided to come out with it. “I sorry to say James Conrich died just before his ninety eighth birthday. Over ninety two years ago.”

Conrich did a good impression of a stifled cough. “You mean to say I’ve been dead almost as long as I was alive? How is my company doing?” Again the doctor took too long for Conrich to expect a good answer. “The company is doing fine, but they have embarked on a series of cost cutting exercises, you know on projects that don’t seem to be paying off.” His voice trailed off as he completed the answer. James may have been a collection of computerised components, but at that moment he felt a shiver of fear run down his spine.

“They’re going to turn me off?” “Nothing as drastic as that”, Pennywise continued. “You’re still too valuable as a research project, but you may be sold off as a tax loss. Of course my contract with your corporation would not allow me to go with you.” James considered for a fleeting second his chances with some new tender of his condition so to speak, and wished the devil he knew could stay with him, for at least Pennywise had doggedly stuck by him all this time.

“Perhaps I could help you speed up the process. So you could get the results the company is looking for, and so stay with you.” So with no time to lose the two began to discuss processes and means and ways; and finally Conrich began to bend his considerably improved cognitive skills to the problem.

“And can you unlock those files about the process that Fallsworth hid from the rest of my mind. I don’t like keeping secrets from myself. It smells too much like cloak and dagger work for my style.” “That I can do” Pennywise broke in, and Conrich got to listen to the tapping of Pennywise’s fingers on a keyboard; but to Conrich it was more like his jailer opening his cell.

Immediately a flood of memories filled an empty void in Conrich’s mind, that until that moment he wasn’t even aware of. “Pennywise you’ve done more good in that last minute than the decades you’ve spent down here”, Conrich congratulated the doctor. And then he explained his plan to Pennywise, formulated in the milliseconds he was privy to all the facts.

Judge Sandwell scratched his head and reread the case notes. He was not shy of making difficult decisions that could affect social tides, shaping the very world he lived in. But how could he rule in favour of what the Conrich corporation lawyers had described as a smart toaster.

He looked once more at James Conrich’s will; which clearly stated the great industrialist and philanthropist of a century ago, wished that the control of his empire was to be left in the hands of the board of directors; until a time when a facsimile of himself, indistinguishable from a human by a fair and impartial Turing test could be found. When the said candidate should gain control of the vast empire.

Sandwell looked once more at the reports from several eminent computer experts, attesting to the fact that in their opinion what ever was on the other end of the speaker, they could discern no difference between it and a real human. He consulted the very statutes and relevant presidents, in cases involving mechanical intelligence, of which there were few, and he sadly shook his head.

Before he had spoken to the thing or man himself, it had seemed so clear-cut; but mister Conrich had seemed so plausible, as if he were conversing with an equal over the telephone. Sandwell even felt affection for the man, even if he was a machine; no one who met Conrich so to speak could dislike the man. So gathering his notes the judge called a clerk, to tell the court he had made his decision, and he was now ready to pass judgement.

In the court room, the babble of voices died down. On the left sat doctor Pennywise and Martin Tussock, of the law firm Fairport, Sanderson and Tussock; Conrich’s lawyers hired from the trust fund Conrich had remembered he had, after doctor Pennywise had unlocked that part of his memory. Also a transceiver sat on the desk, so the subject of the court case James Conrich himself, could interact with the room. The tension of the trio was visible with such high steaks to hope on. By contrast the right side of the judges bench held two representatives of the board of directors; George Wellman and Vincent Colewort, who coolly relaxed in their chairs next to the company lawyer Attrick Hendon.

All rose for judge Sandwell, as he was heralded in to the room by an usher, and as the assembly re-seated itself, all eyes remained on the eminent judge. Judge Sandwell coughed once and then addressed the room. “Rarely have I had to make such a controversial decision in all my thirty years as a judge, but although my heart tells me one thing, the law is quite clear on the definition of a human, and sadly I must rule that mister James Conrich is unable to meet the criteria, and so he cannot be the beneficiary of his own will, or at least the will made out by the late James Conrich who died almost a century ago.”

Babble broke out from the press box as judge Sandwell stood to leave, then the assembled reporters rushed to break the news first. Conrich and his team just sat in defeated silence of the expected verdict, that they had just hoped would not be the outcome of todays trial; but even Tussock had explained before the trial that should the judge rule in their favour, an appeal would be launched in a higher court to decide the outcome once more; and hopeless as the case seemed now, any further action would be a futile waste of Conrich’s resources.

The box on the desk was the first to break the dejected silence. “Well you did say we only had a snowball’s chance in hell of passing this post; so I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet. Pass that note over to my esteemed board members please mister Tussock.” Conrich’s lawyer complied with his client’s request, and the two representatives of the board took it from their corporate lawyer, and bent over the sheet.

George Wellman almost managed to stifle his laugh as he rose to talk to Conrich in person. “Please to meet you mister Conrich, or whatever you think you’re called. My esteemed college mister Colewort was of the opinion that such a piece of frankly embarrassing machinery under the control of the Conrich empire, would be better switched off and dismantled for scrap, but your in luck. For only this morning I got an offer from a south Korean company, that specializes in robots designed for humanitarian aid use; and they were keen to utilise your hardware. So I think you may just get a reprise from dismantlement, call it a stay of execution.” And Wellman grinned down at the transceiver on the desk.

Tussock shuffled his notes. “And I bet your P.R. division would have had a hissy fit when you told them you were going to kill of the opposition; isn’t that what gangsters used to do?” Wellman ignored the lawyer, “Well I hope you live up to your new masters expectations; they won’t be too pleased if you don’t slave away on their projects.” Then as an after thought he added “And you Pennywise have been contracted to run your box of tricks, he indicated the transceiver. Tussock rose, “Not if I’ve got anything to do about it; that’s tantamount to slavery, selling a persons contract on.” But Pennywise put out his hand to stay the lawyer. “I’d rather go if you don’t mind mister Tussock.” And he gave Wellman a disdainful look.

So with the deal done, Pennywise stood in front of the building Conrich resided inside; and watched the sign erectors take down the Conrich research facility plaque, and replace it with Sylai ltd one. For the eastern company didn’t need to relocate the laboratory; after all Conrich’s computer status allowed him to communicate all over the world, or at least he would when doctor Pennywise had completed the connection. So Conrich’s new owners had bought up the entire research facility lock stock and barrel.

With a determined smile, the doctor re-entered his laboratory. “Well it’s time to face our new task master”, he confided to his metallic pal, but Conrich was oddly silent. The doctor went over to check the large unit sat amid its power cables. Had the shock at the loss of his court case, and thus his chance at freedom to regain his vast empire been too much for the facsimile of a once great man?

Then with a chuckle, the familiar voice of James Conrich came tripping form the speaker. “I’m sorry to worry you Pennywise, say what is your first name, after all we’re friends here.” “Monty”, the doctor ventured still unsure of the state of mind of the delicate algorithms running through the electronic brain. Conrich continued in his jovial tone. “So Monty, how do you like working for Sylai limited.” Without registering it Monty shrugged his shoulders, “It’s hard to tell, I’ve not got anything off them save the courier delivered contracts; although I have to admit they certainly believe in paying for their pound of flesh, whatever it turns out to be.”

There was a stifled laugh off Conrich, as he cut the doctor off. “I can’t keep you in the dark any longer friend. You know when you came in I was a bit preoccupied to answer you. Well I was conversing with the research and development division of Sylai limited in south Korea; and they should soon be sending a sample off their hard labours here.” Pennywise was at a loss as to why their new bosses would be shipping a robot here; perhaps they hoped he could help develop it, or even train the thing to do simple tasks. Was he going to be let go after training up his replacement, so Conrich could be tended to by a mechanical ward, totally loyal to Sylai limited?

Conrich sensed the trepidation in his voice as Pennywise raised his fears, and so with a jovial tone he explained further. “Let me tell you about a little company called Back door enterprises. It’s a paper only concern based in Alaska. You see I knew the law could never let a machine run a vast business empire; the public would never stomach it. But it turns out some off shore concern, say in the Cayman isles set up to swindle the tax man out of his fair share of the profits, is perfectly legal. Some companies have been doing it for years.

Well I’m going to let you in on a little secret, known only to myself and the I.R.S.” He paused for effect, “Back door enterprises secretly bought out Sylai limited a short while ago; so all the profits flow back to it, and all the control comes from Back door enterprises; well actually it comes from the mysterious owner in the Cayman isles; but as long as Uncle Sam gets his cut from Back door enterprises, he’ll never follow that trail up.”

Amazed at this strange turn of events his career had suddenly taken, Pennywise had to ask the question burning on his lips. “So who is really running the show, not some super villain intent on turning our work for evil?” Conrich chuckled, “I hope you don’t think that, because you’re staring at your new boss right now.” The stunned doctor took a minute to take all this in; then his perplexed look became an insuppressible grin, and then he broke in to a hearty laugh, joined by the mirth filled tones coming from the speaker.

When pennywise had calmed down enough to ask more questions, he called to his friend “James, if you set all this up, I presume from the trust fund you told me was to pay for the legal case you bought; then why didn’t you just forget the legal action and just buy yourself from the start?” Conrich had the answer to that as if it was all part of a grand scheme. “Simple Monty, I needed time to organize everything, set the companies up, buy the right robotics firm suitably far away, and smooth every thing out with the commissioner of internal revenue, John Koskinen the fourth; turns out I knew his grand father, trust can go a long way. And now I trust you won’t mind waiting a few days, for my little surprise from the east to arrive, no don’t ask me any more, a gentleman must have some secrets.”

So with a pause between the diversionary lawsuit and their new project, the two men spent the time in idle pursuit. Except those moments when Conrich took control of his new toy, directing the seed company of his new empire. In very little time the creates began arriving at the laboratory; and doctor Pennywise took little time in unpacking them. He was like a child on Christmas morning, being still in the dark as to what the crates contents were. At Conrich’s directions Pennywise started with the biggest crate, and as he prised the safety catch off he gave a gasp, as a metallic skull stared lifelessly back up at him atop an equally gleaming body in human form.

“How do you like my interface Monty?” Conrich enquired. “I can see why you chose a robotics company for your starting point now” exclaimed the delighted doctor. “I wonder what the connection range is?” “I was hoping to utilise a virtual private network as my connection; so as long as an access point for WIFI is near I’ll always be in control.” The doctor nodded and began to carefully unpack the other cases, making note of the various components contained within.

For the most, Pennywise could make out the functions of each part as the necessary bits needed for an avatar; which could function as an extension of Conrich’s brain, still residing in the over large collection of components that took up a fair size section of the room; but one box seemed to contain a chemistry kit. “What’s that for?” Pennywise asked, after he had explained the contents of the box to Conrich. With a knowing tone Conrich enlightened him.

“There is one organ that can’t be replaced by artificial means yet, my skin. So to stop me looking like a shop dummy, you’ll find a series of artificial muscles designed to just move the outer layer of my robots shell, that when covered by a vat grown facsimile of my skin should make me indistinguishable from John Doe. You’ll find a sample of my DNA that I’ve had on storage for just such an occasion. The artificial skin will take on the properties needed to finish me off as it were. I’m told it should take a couple of weeks, but that won’t be done until I know the frame underneath is all up and running. So all we have to do is sort out the connections to my brain, so that it will function correctly.”

It would have been nice for the whole process to have taken very little time to achieve, but like a recovering victim of some horrendous accident, the stumbling steps dragged on. Or as Conrich pointed out to doctor Pennywise, “Like Edison’s light bulb moment, these things take time; after all I am starting with a new body.” As it turned out nearly a decade passed by; until after many faltering steps and blind leads, there came a day that an almost exact facsimile of James Conrich in his thirties, emerged from the vat used to grow the final layer of skin over the now fully functioning body beneath.

Then he took his place as the newest employee of Sylai limited. Which had become a Tiger in the world of robotics, having dominated that market and several more, but never encroaching on the metaphorical toes so to speak of the Conrich Corporation. Not until now that is. Which is why an older George Wellman had requested a meeting with the Sylai corporation; and consequentially Wellman and his colleague Francis Montgomery, another member of the board of the empire that Conrich had pioneered, entered the presidential suit of the New York Hilton; a neutral ground between the giant of industry, and the fast rising star.

Only two representatives of the powerhouse of industry were deemed necessary to quell this upstart corporation or mere company. And so accordingly the Sylai Corporation had sent only two men also; James Conrich and his personal assistant and physician, doctor Monty Pennywise. The door opened and Conrich stood there beaming at his guests. “Come in and take a seat, would you like a drink?” He ushered the eminent men in who were used to the good life, but that didn’t put them off their guard. They had not got to where they were today by being drawn in by polite conversation.

“You’ve certainly done well for yourself Conrich, the body suits you. Your purchase of Sylai certainly paid off.” Smiling with more than just his teeth, unlike Wellman; Conrich indicated doctor Pennywise. “My greatest assets are the people I surround myself with. For without the able doctor here, I would still be stuck in the box you last saw me in; and I see you haven’t been just sitting on the empire I built, but you’ve consolidated it in to a figurehead to lead the world forward in to the next century. But we’ve both done our homework, you know what my forces of industry are worth, but you’re not sure how much they will cost you.” And with this the aged board members suddenly saw the power not seen in James Conrich’s eyes for more than a century.

“You see if we go head to head, you know I’ll win. You many have the clout of a heavy weight, but my lightweight company can out manoeuvre you. And don’t forget I made your company in the first place; so don’t forget I know all your weak spots. Do you really want the years you could be enjoying more free time, instead of fighting a costly and time-consuming battle, which in the end you know I will win. I even have more time than you; just because I’ve been around over two centuries doesn’t mean I’m planning to leave the party any time soon.”

Then Conrich slumped in to his chair as if in a faint, and doctor Pennywise dashed over to him, while the two guests stood in shock that this vibrant man should suddenly swoon. “What is it, narcolepsy?” asked Montgomery. “Don’t be a fool” shushed Wellman, as he stared intently at the prone figure under the ministrations of the good doctor, who muttered about “dammed WIFI”, intent on his patient.

And then as if he had never missed a beat, Conrich’s eyes flicked open. “So listen up. You know about the limited share option the Conrich Corporation has, where the company can be floated on the market by dividing the shares between chosen nominees, selected at the discretion of the current board. I suppose you never invoked it, to avoid a power struggle. Well it’s time to exercise that option. Because if you want the Sylai Corporation, then I’ll take fifty one per cent of my company back, the balance can be divided equally among the board if you wish; you would be made for life even if you retired tomorrow, not that I hope you will. I still want good men helping steer my ship.”

George Wellman was the first to recover; and trying to suppress a grin, he stood up. “Well mister Conrich, I’ll certainly run your proposal by my colleagues.” And he walked strait out with Francis Montgomery in tow. “Do you think they’ll go for it?” doctor Pennywise asked; still a bit wary after seeing this unusual side of his boss. Conrich shook his head, “I sincerely wish they would; but something tells me the power they hold is a little too tempting to give up, even for a fat wad of cash.” And he was not wrong; for within the day the men who ran Conrich’s first business empire curtly declined his offer, and so that was that.

Over the next decade, the Sylai Corporation made further leaps and bounds in its expansion; always cutting deeper in to the Conrich Corporation’s profits. Until on metaphorical bended knees, the men who refused a compromise; turned once more to their now mortal enemy; and approached the Sylai Corporation for another meeting.

This time all six member of the board sat in the plush boardroom; as James Conrich and a now aged doctor Pennywise, strode in through the double doors. “It feels good to be back gentlemen, no don’t rise” he added superfluously, noting their lack of intending to. “In my day all this was decked out in white, still times change.” Then indicating a chair at the conference table for doctor Pennywise to sit at, he took the other. Neither was as plush as the board members permanent seats. Then placing his briefcase on the table, Conrich extracted the contract and slid it expertly across the table to George Wellman. The man studied the short document, before turning left and right to his colleagues. “It’s the same deal as last time.” “Which considering the new balance of worth our two companies now have, is more than a fair offer” Conrich concluded. The others nodded and then each in turn signed in their place on the document; which had been pre-signed by Conrich himself. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the FindNʘᴠᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“I think some drinks are in order, to herald in the new and exciting times ahead of us. I personally don’t drink; or even eat any more; save a meagre amount to keep my outer skin alive. But I’m sure my personal physician and yourselves would enjoy a.” And he slumped forward; for at that very moment George Wellman had pressed a hidden button, cutting the room off from any Internet signal. Doctor Pennywise looked at his boss aghast, and then he heard the click of a door being automatically locked. Rising, doctor Pennywise looked to Wellman for answers; and with a maniacal grin, the head of the board rose too. “You don’t think we’d give up our power so easily.”

Then the other board members laughed too. “Now mister Conrich has increased all our personal fortunes, we can vote to keep our more than generous wages. So there is just one small matter. Now we own the hardware, I think mister Conrich should finally retire.” “Oh no you won’t” Pennywise rallied himself. “You’ll find no mention of mister Conrich’s physical components, in the manifest of the Sylai Corporation. He made sure of that, as soon as you let your greatest asset slip through your fingers. Mister Conrich’s computers and android are the property of another company; wholly owned by an offshore holding fund.” And he stood defiant before the six men.

“He’s calling our bluff”, “But if it’s true we won’t be able to shut him off.” “If you consider my proposal gentlemen”, Wellman gathered his colleagues in to a huddle; ignoring doctor Pennywise who was busy rattling the locked doors, and checking Conrich for signs of life. There was a show of hands; and as the vote was unanimous, the huddle turned once more to doctor Pennywise as Wellman addressed the doctor “I’m afraid you will have to suffer a fatal heart attack doctor Pennywise. We have a man skilled in such things. For if we switched your mechanical pal on, with you around to bear witness to our little business ploy, we may not get a chance to eliminate mister Conrich at a later date. Perhaps we will arrange a little tinkering by an expert, or even organise a random terrorist attack. As long as we can’t be trace as the perpetrators.”

Doctor Pennywise stood ridged, with his hands on Conrich’s slumped shoulders. So all eyes were on James Conrich; when he suddenly came back to life, with a commanding glint in his eyes. “Thank you for the honest in-depth perspective of your business practices.” The six men stood aghast, but Conrich knew the shock of his unexpected revival would not hold them long. So with all their eyes still on him, James Conrich picked up a sturdy metal ash tray in front of him, and crushed it like the thing was made of paper. The flesh on his palm tore to reveal the titanium hand beneath; then extracting a glove from his pocket, he hid the torn flesh, and all the time he stared at his would be assassins.

“Do you really think I would leave my friend”, he indicated doctor Pennywise with his uninjured hand, “In the clutches of the wolves you have proven yourselves to be.” Then he extracted a small recording device from his pocket, and placed it on the table. “This entire meeting has been recorded; and make no mistake that both myself in any form and doctor Pennywise, will be extensively protected from now on, as will this recorder. And if anything untoward should occur to us, the federal judge Sally Peters will be getting a copy, along with every major news agency. Now as you have been richly reimbursed for returning my empire intact; I think you will be able to continue moving the Conrich Corporation forward, until such time as you feel retirement beckons, and I find suitable candidates to fill your important roles. For you know the unwieldy size my empire has grown to, for just one man to handle.”

Then Conrich held up his gloved hand, and each of the broken board members filed past in turn; each kissing the hand that now metaphorically fed them. The now unlocked doors swung open, and out they filed until the last man, George Wellman. As he rose up from his display of loyalty, he stammered “But how did you get a signal through our Internet shield? I thought it was fool proof.”

Conrich smiled regally, “Then more the fool you Wellman. All the time doctor Pennywise and myself were perfecting the interface, between the computer my algorithmic intelligence woke up in, and this frame sat before you; we failed to see that the trouble with truly connecting to the outside world, is to be there. I had to occupy the body I’m sat in now. So between us we devised a scaled down version, of the deluxe set of microprocessors my big brother so to speak, resided in; as he runs the Sylai Corporation, or now I should say the Conrich Corporation. While I in my limited capacity, can interact with the physical world, and have direct dealings with my employees.”

Then Conrich held Wellman with a steely glare. “And mark my words Wellman, I will be keeping a close eye on those who can do the most good, and any harm in this organisation. Now you may go.” The once great man left the boardroom with no doubt in his mind, as to who ran the company now.

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