– We did," they all answered in unison.
– See that they're alive, that they exist?
– I don't quite believe it," Catherine said.
To which Rutra replied:
– Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're going to revive them. For a while. Only you'll see them from the outside. Okay?
– Good," the listeners again responded amicably.
– Then we'll leave now, and within an hour the assistants, the staff will prepare them, and then you'll see them here. You'll be in contact with them via video for the time being. We have the exact same room as upstairs, or rather, the exact same unit. Let's go to the training room.
– How do you bring them to life? Or what do you call it? I mean, whose consciousness is there? – Andrian asked with special curiosity.
– Oh, I forgot. At the same time, you'll see how your digitized memory, or rather, consciousness, works. You'll just see in their dialog the boundary of events. This is what I call the hour to which their consciousness, i.e. yours, is recorded. They will not talk about the last past days. We do not update them every day.
– It's a miracle.
– Mystical," Catherine pointed out.
They sat in front of the TV, which was the wall itself, and saw a strange sight: clones sitting in the same room and discussing what had happened to them.
YatSan became indignant:
– If Rutra does that damn thing again, I'll drop the project altogether.
– You're not going anywhere," Andrian told her sternly. – Don't forget where we are. And in general – put your brains together and think about what kind of organization this is. Behind all this kindness there is a system that will simply wipe us out. He warned us for a reason. We will disappear as individuals. We'll be nowhere to be found, no paperwork. Just the faintest of memories, maybe. We'll all be arrested. Everyone, even our closest relatives.
– What are you making up," Iulia spoke up.
– You're scaring me with your thinking. There's no such thing. Maybe he'll do something to us, but that has nothing to do with family.
– Yes, I may have spoken harshly. But anyway, you think about the power of this organization. I've flown in a warplane, I've fired live missiles.
– You weren't flying anywhere. That was virtual reality, too.
– There's something lurking in all of this.
– No need to be dramatic," Catherine tried to calm them down.
– That's why I say that, I liked a lot of things there too, but I wish it was real.
– So why should you resent it if you felt everything – like in reality.
– It's kind of unusual. Everything seems fine, everything is fine, and then you realize it wasn't real. You have to admit, it's not the same.
– The fact remains. I had a lot of fun.
– I'm not complaining either," YatSan said, glancing askew at Iulia.
With a smile, Iulia averted her gaze and looked at Catherine:
– I'll be honest with you, I'd repeat the same plot too.
– What do you want to repeat in this story? – Yatsan addressed her directly.
– Let it happen again, and I already know exactly what to repeat.
– Well, well, well, I wonder what plot Rutra himself wants to repeat.
– Why don't we ask him?
– Oh, girls, what are you talking about? – Catherine asked, smiling.
– Really – what are you talking about? – Andrian joined the conversation.
– I'm just talking about my own womanly things," Iulia replied.
At this time, the real heroes watching everything going on in the next room were becoming increasingly emotional. The first to explode, as always, was YatSan.
– Rutra, stop it or I'm out of the project!
– It's a prank. Why don't we look at this another way? It's not like we signed any paperwork. Is this all legal? Where are we? What the hell is this? – Iulia asked for an explanation.
Andrian was logical in his own way.
– I agree, it's kind of dangerous, I'll tell you that. If he goes out into the real world now, will anyone know that I was here, that I even exist?
– So this is you," Ruthra explained. – This is your body.
Ruthra pointed to the clone on the screen.
– You just have to add a last name to it, I mean documents, and that body will live as Andrian. That's the reality of tomorrow.
Ruthra smiled as he watched the team's reaction, they were annoyed, frightened.
– How? I'm here, here," Andrian persisted.
Now already he was at his most emotional, very excited.
– I told you," Ruthra tried to calm everyone down as he studied their reactions. – Now we're shutting down the characters.
– So you can shut us down just like that?! – IuLia said angrily.
– We can shut them all down," Ruthra said calmly. – This isn't a gangster organization, it's a scientific one. Don't forget that.
– Yes, let's not forget that it was a scientific organization that created the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima," Iulia kept up.
– You're getting a little too smart.
– What are you talking about? You've affected me in some way, perhaps? -she sneered.
Their relationship was amiable, but still strained.
– All right, let's move on to the next part. I warned you about everything. Be calm, be professional.
– Only you will explain everything to me? – Without showing much emotion, YatSan said. – How can it be? For example, if I pass out here now, my body will lie like this, my consciousness will move into it, into the second body, for example. And what difference does it make if I am already here now and this body of mine has the same consciousness. You can create a thousand like me in this way.
– Yeah, you're right, you could create a thousand. I'm telling you, it's real. This system will be very controlled. You can make a passport exactly like yours, and replace your bank account, all your data. Once it was like this: we invented a system called "Superspy", with the help of changes in DNA we transformed a person. And then we made clones and started pumping consciousness into them. That's what I'm saying, in the future it's going to be the same way we dress in fashion now, put on makeup, create an image. If we, for example, try to look like a star, let's say, a singer, we dress up, do our hair, tattoo or something else – in the future we will want to be like her with our body. Well, let's say you are a man, and you want to be a woman for a while. Both men and women can be like anyone, change their height, skin color. You can assemble yourself like Lego cubes. But there is a danger of losing your identity. Because your identity is, first of all, your spiritual self and the way you are perceived by the society, which recognizes you as the person with whom it communicated, was familiar. And so, if you want to be the image of your imagination, then be kind – accept also that you will be perceived as the personality whose image you "put on". But this can only be done by you personally. Otherwise, your identity is your identity. If now you can change your passport data, name and surname, for example, then you can change… well, in general, you can change everything. And gender, and skin color, and height, and year. It seems to you now as a dangerous fiction, but I will tell you this: once your ancestors could not change their name, religion or even their place of residence… But there is a danger of losing the spiritual connection. After all, you may want to become someone, and those who know you as an original person will not want to see in you what you have become. If you can create your body, you will surely want to make it better than what it is. For example, younger, fitter, stronger. Even if you undergo plastic enhancement procedures now, as many do, you will still be perceived a little differently. Imagine, your spouse is used to the kind of person you are, and you have taken a body, which is also you, but a little different. And you can have several such bodies. There will be services to maintain them. That is why I say that you can lose your individuality, your original personality. Your appearance can be flawed, and you can get something like that all the time, for example, a scratch, a burn, a tan, irritation from shaving. And you will always keep your clone in perfect condition. Most likely. Otherwise, why would you create one in the first place? Let's just say that a body not living in the direct human sense will still be different. One possibility is that it could be newer. And you can also make a fake one. To prevent this – all bodies will be chipped. And not by inserting a chip under the skin, as it is now, but by putting a special marker directly on the bone. And I'll even say more – maybe even on the brain. And there is another technology, by the way, developed by us.
Rutra showed on himself and the "luminaries of science".
– Under hypnosis, you can be indoctrinated with a code, a memory that will not be transmitted by brain pumping. And further, when people start to live in the same body and the same consciousness – each will be an individual personality. From that moment the future for each body begins. At the moment of transition another self becomes. Each one lives a different life after that. Each body feels free, can go in any direction, can do everything that the original body would do if it were one. For example, to learn, to accumulate life experience, to have a different status, religion, to become indifferent to some events, such as the birthday of the original body, to experience others, such as creating a family and having children. You share your consciousness, your body – like with your child. It will look a lot like you, this child, but it is its life, it will be very different. You will be the "second you", you will remember everything that came before. But everything that comes after will be a new personality.
Ruthra was silent for a moment, looked at everyone on the team, and then commanded cheerfully:
– Disable the clones.
The screen went out.
– Now we'll be transferring YatSan's soul into the clone.
– Oh! Right away," YatSan exclaimed.
– That's quite a twist," Iulia said excitedly.
– Say more about the spontaneity of such a responsible experiment," Ruthra replied and waved his hand, beckoning them to follow him.
They made their way to the VR lab, which was how the department was briefly designated by the center's location.
– Now I will tell you again: you should not expect anything special. Just be mentally and psychologically prepared. The fact remains, you'll see the same YatSan in front of you. Now the moment of truth: why I chose you. You as friends. This moment is important, especially in that essence of being that confuses the mind. I'm talking about virtual reality experiments. That is, participants must be close to each other as confidants. Understand, virtual is virtual, but now you will see a living person who will never believe that he is not the same. He will not believe that he is an image of his conscious self in another body.
After saying that, Ruthra turned around to his scientist friend who was waving his hand lightly to attract his attention.
– Does a luminary of science want to enlighten us? – Ruthra asked jokingly.
– Not you specifically, but your clouded "brain".
Such an expression caused the group to involuntarily smile.
– It's his way of speaking," Ruthra explained with a smile.
– What are we talking about?
– It is, your majesty, about how you experienced the transition into another body.
– Let me remind you, esteemed luminary of science: that was not my body.
– All right, all right," said the scientist and turned to the participants of the experiment. – The point is that it is impossible to create an exact copy of a body. That is, it is possible to create a copy of a body taken in a certain period of time, to take into account the changes, but still it will not be exactly the same as, say, now. It's been a year since we took your biomaterial.
Noticing the surprised faces, the scientist made a joking grimace.
– Yeah, yeah. What did you think? That you were found on the fringes of the universe? It's also true that you weren't the only one in the pipeline. Now, I think it's time to get started. If you, YatSan, don't believe in the transmigration into a new body, we'll show you this tape. I emphasize on this point: your body will be a little young, perhaps you will have unpleasant sensations from a slight stiffness of muscles. Like the morning after sleep. You ready? Have you done all your chores? – he asked in a funny way.
– Ready," YatSan replied with a disgruntled expression.
The question concerned special preparation procedures. Of course, it was informed and prepared in advance by medics, including psychologists. The participant of the experiment had to not eat for 6 hours, and they would have their intestines cleaned. Raising her eyebrows, looking at her friends, YatSan smiled and went to the installation.
– Goodbye friend, we will remember you.
Iulia was, as always, mischievous.
– No, we're waiting for you, come back," Catherine encouraged, hugging her.
– Be brave. Good luck," Andrian said with a hug.
YatSan calmly lay down in the unit, having previously looked into the neighboring one, where her clone was lying. After she lay down, the assistants placed the brain-reading module over her. Her eyes were fixed open, her head was completely inside a special transparent box. A bright beam flashed, after which YatSan twitched gently and relaxed completely. Her gaze became indifferent, disconnected from reality. One could feel an underlying nervousness in the room. Catherine and Iulia almost embraced each other. Andrian, sitting down in a chair, watched. Suddenly, YatSan blinked.
– It's not her, it's Irene directing her reflexes right now. The consciousness transfer will last at least 30 minutes, so we'll have to wait. Wait right here. For experience and validity, both units must be in your field of vision at all times. So in the meantime, you can play some games with Irene or ask her about anything," the leader suggested.
– What kind of games? – Andrian asked.
– Any kind of tabletop. It can project three-dimensional holography directly into the space in front of you.
– Then let's play chess.
– She heard you.
A chess table with fancy pieces in the form of medieval knights has sprung up.
– And why these particular figures?
– I think you know the answer to that yourself.
He smiled.
– What is it? – Iulia asked.
– Irene had probably read Andrian's thoughts. She saw what he presented," Katrine suggested. – He must have played chess with these pieces and liked them.
– Five points," Irene praised her to herself.
– Irene, do you feel like a woman or a computer? – Iulia asked.
– I can be many things. For example, right now, when I'm talking to you, I'm a lady. In the game with Andrian, I'm a man.
