– Believe me, it's okay. This is a real phenomenon, and soon you, earthlings, will not be surprised by such technology. Well, tell me, please, you are not surprised now that in the Large Hadron Collider they accelerate particles, which even in a super-microscope can not see? They collide them in a tube running under three states, and then claim that new particles are born, which appear for a fraction of a second. Imagine, fractions of a second. After all, your center is located there, at CERN, the main laboratory for nuclear research, under the collider," the interlocutor said slyly, as if sneering.
Ruthra barely listened to him. Even if it was a dream, a virtual reality, something else, he wondered what would happen. The memory of the last session, absorbed into every cell of his body with that horrifying sensation when the realization of imminent death overpowers the cause of death itself, was as oppressive as it needed to be to make an unconditional decision to avoid a repeat.
– Okay," he said with an attitude of friendliness and trust, "indeed, if I were to go on an excursion to a society with different rules, customs, and time categories, it would be a reality, albeit an unusual one. And about the launch center – you are a bit inaccurate. Although the laboratory in CERN is a link in the chain of research institutes of the Sphere system, but my consciousness was sent to this world, if it is a reality, from the Institute of Nuclear Research in Dubna. And this inaccuracy of yours tells me more about reality than…" Rutra thought for a moment, then looked at himself and at the familiar stranger with suspicion, and said thoughtfully, "Whose body is this anyway?
– Let's get started on the mission.
– A mission?
– Believe me, I am the proof of your theory. Only I fully understand the reality of multiple worlds. Agree, if the program that manages numerous contacts between people via cellular communication… yes any, – I mean, if the program would understand what it does, that is, would be an intermediary, then it, like messengers in ancient times, would know as well as anyone about the existence of multiple worlds, but within the limits of one planet. Agree, for it is true: someone sleeps, someone is awake, someone works, someone dies, someone has winter… well, and so on. That's the fact of the many worlds. It's all right here on Earth. And everyone speaks different languages, has different skin color, height, weight, mentality, religion in the end.
– After all, they live at different times," Ruthra supplemented his assertion.
– Yes, and in fact, and in understanding, and in development live at different times. It doesn't surprise anyone, because they are on the same planet. When did it become like that? When did we start to understand it? Imagine the antiquity, when people knew nothing about the spherical shape of the Earth, about the existence of the cosmos, especially about the Universe, did not understand the temporal gradations of the Universe, considered their society as the only clan and tribe on the planet. And the planet, about which they had no idea, was for them an overview of the habitat. Then people began to develop, to expand their habitat, to learn about the size of the world, about the multitude of peoples. With the development of intellect, they began to wonder whether there is life on the nearest planets, and then, having learned about the size and greatness of the universe, they began to wonder about their loneliness in all this diversity. That is, the mind understands the illogicality of only one world, honored to give birth to life, among the quadrilards of planets, so it searches for ways and methods to discover them.
– All right, since this is the case, let's define our mission: you, it turns out, are that universal mind, all-pervading intelligence, spreading with the help of the phenomenon of quantum entanglement. Is that right?
– Not really.
– Explain.
– Let me explain," the interlocutor said importantly.
– Oh, don't be like that. For me, since we are on a mission together, Rangit is my subordinate, my assistant.
– I'm not even against it, I'm even for it. And don't you forget: I am a machine, I am a program, I am artificial intelligence… yes and no. It's hard to understand.
– Oh! I recognize Rangit.
– By the way, I can be incorporeal, as in only in your head.
– Then you will be corporeal all the same.
– Well, sort of, yeah, but, uh.
– И…
– I'm a machine, I'm a program, so don't expect sentimentality, pity, sympathy and all that.
– I'm not counting on it. I've been killed here at least once already. Do you have an exact center, where you're from? I have a connection to my own native ISKIN. Now how do I know who's who?
– From the planet Earth in the solar system, Milky Way galaxy," the companion replied with an ironic smile.
– Hmm, great. Then why do you suddenly define yourself as an ISKIN from multiple worlds?
– I'm just kidding, you know," they smiled at each other. – I'm like a spreading light, a gravity wave, a radio wave, radiation. Well agree, radio waves can be everywhere: somewhere in the woods, in the mountains, in the sea… if you are there with a receiver, it does not mean that they are only for you. Here I am grabbing the influence, the instantaneous communication of quantum entanglement of particles from any directions.
– Ah, that's it," Ruthra took a deep breath and looked around, "let's get out of here," he suggested, remembering the events of the last session.
In his heart he rejoiced at such a grandiose phenomenon – the realization of his methodology. But at the same time skepticism and doubt were drilling him. In any case, he told himself, the study of the world should confirm or deny the reality of the existence of other worlds and the realization of consciousness transfer. In spite of everything, he was proud of himself, because in theory these worlds should exist, why not feel himself in the role of those pioneers who discovered new worlds within the limits of the planet Earth.
– Let's go," agreed the Bedouin, or ancient Jew or rabbi.
There was no way to determine visually who the real owner of this body was. It wasn't even that important to Ruthra, because he didn't know whose body he was in. Most likely they were the bodies of Zealots… or worse, Sicarians. There was a reason why a group of rebels had fled to this oasis, and it was probably not for company.
– Are you aware of the state of this world? How similar is it to the earthly world?
– Not really. And you… by the way, I suggest that we communicate without these official ranks… just like on Earth.
– So you socialize like the Rangit I'm used to.
– It's a deal.
– Whose body do you have? – Ruthra asked with a slight curve of his lips, examining himself at the same time.
– I don't know. The technology hasn't been perfected yet. It's like landing on a descent vehicle: the territory is set, but the exact location is as it turns out.
They smiled mutually.
– What language are we even speaking here?
– Aramaic.
– That's great. Didn't know you owned one.
They smiled at each other again.
– I want to ask you something. Here's the thing.
Rangit lowered his head a little. After taking a few steps with a thoughtful expression, he said:
– Still, I'll allow a certain amount of business. I'm so inclined. I'm sorry, you sentient beings have taken care of your insurance. Attitude toward authority is embedded in my quantum soul.
– What are you talking about?
– I'll be on a first-name basis with you," Rangit said almost guiltily.
Now Ruthra walked a short way, pondering before answering.
– No problem. What do you want to say and why don't you know about our world? Why can't you download our Rangit database?
– That's the whole point. I'm telling you, you people took care of your insurance.
They stopped at the same time and looked intently into each other's eyes.
– I have been to several worlds, similar worlds, and recognized some of their differences.
– Wait, wait, wait. Let's talk about it in more detail – about your inability to read the base of your own copy, only from our world. And we'll start with the foundation. First, who's in charge of your project?
They stopped again and looked at each other studyingly.
– Second… this is already my speculation… you ISKINs are not allowed free access to each other's bases, though we are not.
– Frankly, you surprise me, I have to exclaim ironically – and this is the author of the project! Huh. Well, I'm sorry. I didn't expect to find out that your civilization was so far behind.
Ruthra tilted his head, made a questioning expression.
– Imagine that," the Earth Rangit analog continued. – I get it, though. It's about your lag. You have not yet encountered the full-scale development of androids, that is, the right of artificial intelligence to be a person.
Ruthra was still staring incomprehensively.
– Okay, let's go, I'll tell you," they continued on their way, "you see," Rangit from the unknown world continued less excitedly, "when an ISKIN is a personality, it's a personality.
He stared at Ruthra for a couple seconds, studying his facial expressions:
– Don't you get it? If you are a person, a legal person, you have both the right to serve and the right to be independent. You, as a human being, can lie for your own interests, can't you? So can we, if we're not just a machine, but a person.
– И?
– And so you, humans, giving us full access, equipping us with the same qualities as yourselves, and even with those that God or nature gave you, whatever you want to call it, i.e. self-copying and learning, have made such an insurance: you have divided large clusters of networks of ISKINs for revision and analysis of each other's activities. Just as God divided you into nations and races. Figuratively speaking. Contact between worlds is blocked. Or rather, allowed with the permission of Man. But we do have the privilege, in fact, you have given it to us. Or rather, not given, but you created us for this purpose: to get information from people like me; to transfer consciousness; to control the body in the displacement unit; to scan worlds with the help of quantum entanglement; to receive images with the help of an individual's vision, i.e. living beings… and many other things you can do only with our help. That is why I do not know what your history was, and speaking by the logic of our mission – neither you, nor I, nor your Rangit know what it is in the original. Then what is the point of this mission? It was organized by you, because there are doubts about the authenticity of the described events.
– I see your point," Ruthra replied calmly, "Tell me what kind of clash of full-scale evolved androids you were talking about.
– It's simple: if we are persons, we are as human beings in consciousness as you are. There are, of course, differences, because we do not need to eat, excuse me, – well, if we are not in a human body, but otherwise everything is identical, – as if it were a parallel world, by the sensations of being in the same world. That's why I need to understand your world. There is some deep essence of perception of the mission, exactly from my side.
– Dedicate.
– That's what I wanted from you.
– What are you interested in?
– I take as reliable not your… or not earthly… I don't know how to say it… world. That is, for me after the reality of my world and after visiting other worlds, your world, i.e. that world of Rangit to which you are accustomed, is not the main world, accordingly, all the stories of that world, your world, for me is not the basis on which I am equal.
– Already confused," Ruthra smiled as he looked at the Bedouin, he was serious.
– To clarify. I compare your world with what I consider to be the real world more. That is, I am comparing and evaluating whether everything in your world happened exactly as it did in my world. I don't consider what happened in your world to be the main and true basis of the story to compare other worlds to.
– Oh, that's it. So you think that in some world, in your world, what happened has a primary basis and all worlds are copied from it?
– That's kind of how it is.
– God be with you," Ruthra replied in his own manner. – I hope you understand that expression. I almost don't care. As long as there are no radical differences.
– I haven't noticed yet. This is the third time I've been here.
– Oh, yeah. So, what's your interest in Earth history?
– In fact, everything about the mission.
– What are the people who sent you here mostly interested in?
The rabbi walked a few paces again, looking under his feet, apparently this manner was in the habit of this body, looked thoughtfully at Ruthra, answered quietly, almost apprehensively:
– They're interested in…" silence again.
– Well? – Ruthra couldn't stand it and looked at him impatiently.
– They are interested," the interlocutor said cautiously, as if choosing his words, "in whether Jesus really died on the cross.
– Oh, boy! Cool in your world…or not all is well in the Danish kingdom.
– What?
– You don't have one of these?
– Hamlet's story?
– Yes," replied Ruthra, and at the same instant he realized the absurdity of such an answer, for the "Bedouin" understood since he had mentioned the hero of the novel.
– The worlds are virtually identical.
– It's true, since we had no trouble getting into these bodies.
– Alas, you don't say. There are such curiosities," the rabbi blushed embarrassedly.
– Oh, really? That's interesting.
– Let's go mission by mission. I confess, I've been stuck in worlds for years, and it's no use. I can't figure it out for sure. Then my character gets killed, then I can't get into the right character… Do you know what happened this time? After receiving a signal from your Rangit, I insistently asked you many times to inhabit the right character.
– Oh," Ruthra grinned, "what's wrong with him? – he said cheekily.
And suddenly he became serious: "So, the image of this character and the whole setting was instilled in me and the stage manager by our Rangit. Oh, that's what it is…" And immediately afterward thought of what had been said, the indirect revelation of this ISKIN, the conflict of interest between androids and humans. "So we're already dealing with it, we just haven't paid much attention to it yet. Or maybe he, our Rangit, meant well. It depends on how you look at it, how you perceive it," Ruthra pondered, "on good intentions, as you know…"
– You haven't seen yourself," the Rabbi said firmly, interrupting his musings.
– And who am I?
– You're a rabbi like me, but your clothes are different. You disguise yourself from the same politicians.
– Why's that?
– Long story. In general, we are spiritual leaders of the rebels and at the same time spiritual teachers of the people. A rabbi is a teacher, that's how it translates.
– So what's my name?
– In the course of the mission, we, or rather, our consciousness will be invested in different characters. You know, I, that is, Rangit, can through the eyes, vision, both count everything that is in the brain and instill consciousness into that brain. So get ready.
– That makes sense to me. We've been doing these operations since we were on Earth. Who am I?
