Rachel frowned, startled by this direct approach. Few AIs in the Library were ever transparent. The tone was emotionally present, so it must be a greatly reduced version, suitable for humans. Had this Sigma Structure welcomed Ajima so plainly?

“Thank you and greetings. I am a new friend who wishes to speak with you. Ajima has gone away.”

What became of him? the AI answered in a mellow voice piped to her ears. Had Ajima set that tone? She sent it to aural.

“He died.” Never lie to an AI; they never forgot.

“And is stored for repair and revival?”

“There was no way to retain enough of his… information.”

“Because?”

“He destroyed himself.”

“That is the tragedy that besets you Overs.” No pause from the AI; no surprise?

“I suppose you call the species who built intelligences such as you as Overs generally?” Rachel often used somewhat convoluted sentences to judge the flexibility of AIs. This one seemed quite able.

“Yes, as holy ones should be revered.”

“Holy? Does that word convey some religious stature?”

“No indeed. It implies gratitude—to those who must eventually die, from we beings who will not.”

She thought of saying, You could be erased, but did not. Never should a Librarian even imply any threat. Some had, in the early days—with bad results.

“You must know what you call the Sigma Structures are an impenetrably complex system, a language labyrinth far beyond the ability of the human mind to penetrate.”

“Yes, I do. At first I saw this as a barrier, as you do.”

A flat statement, giving nothing away. “And… now?”

“Now I take it as a compliment.”

“You are, frankly, surprising. You are…”

“Available?”

The voice came so quickly Rachel felt even more on her guard. “We would say, emotionally present.”

“Present? In your language there is available a… pun?”

“Ah. Prescient?”

“I had not thought of that one. I thought to ring the changes in your limpid dictionary, around your word ‘presentable.’ ”

This AI was at least smart enough to be ingratiating. Still, press the case. “Yet so greatly reduced that I, Rachel, can treat you as a… parallel intelligence.”

“Admirably well put.”

The mind behind this banter is fast, confident, seemingly at ease. It has learned us, far faster than we could plumb it. Certainly beyond the grip and range of Ajima. This thing is dumbing itself down….

She decided to get official, formal. This digital mind was getting too close. “Let me please review your conversations with Ajima. I wish to be of assistance.”

“As do I. Though I prefer full immersion of us both.”

“Eventually, yes. But I must learn you as you learn me.” Rachel sighed and thought, This is sort of like dating.

The Prefect Masoul nodded quickly, efficiently, as if he had already expected her result. “So the Sigma Structure gave you the same inventory as Ajima? Nothing new?”

“Apparently, but I think it—the Sigma—wants to go deeper. I checked the pod files. Ajima had several deep immersions with it.”