Sebastian Koch shook his head. “What are you afraid of, Mr. Vice President? That by accessing personnel files and designing a means to collect helium-3 from Europa, GOLEM will take over the world? Face facts: You and your scientists were wrong about using the moon’s supply of helium-3 to stabilize our fusion reactors. That setback, though painful for you to swallow, has been addressed by GOLEM. Thanks to the computer—and Koch Fusion, in six years our planet will have enough clean, self-sustaining power to meet our species’ energy needs for the next thousand years … and beyond.”

“It’ll take six years to build GOLEM’s ocean-mining habitat?” I asked, feeling a bit disappointed. “That doesn’t seem very efficient for a sophisticated AI.”

Sebastian Koch smirked. “For your information, Dr. Eisenbraun, Oceanus is already built. As we speak, it’s being transported, along with the GOLEM mainframe, to the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica for a six-week training exercise.”

Okay, that seemed pretty impressive. But it still didn’t answer my question. “General, why am I here?”

“You’re here,” the vice president interjected, “because ultimately it’s my decision whether the United Nations will spend another twenty-seven billion dollars to launch this damn computer and its crew of twelve handpicked scientists on a six-year voyage to Jupiter. And you, Dr. Eisenbraun, are the most qualified person to advise me.”

Taking his cue, the general stood. “Dr. Eisenbraun, if you’d remain behind for a moment. The rest of you, thank you for coming. You’ll know our decision by this evening.”

The conference room emptied, save for the vice president, his female assistant, and my uncle. I found myself breathing a sigh of relief. “Geez, thanks for the invite, Lee. Exactly how many people know their careers are hanging on my decision?”

“Too many to count.”

“You really believe GOLEM is acting independently of its programming?”

“According to an expert on biological DNA computers, the possibility certainly exists.”

“Who’s the expert?”

“You are, pal. General, refresh your nephew’s memory.”

My uncle activated the playback on his h-phone. It was a phone conversation recorded several years ago. The voice speaking to Dr. DeFriend was mine. “… artificial intelligence systems using biochemical algorithms possessing complex adaptive systems have the potential to internally overanalyze their own prime directives, creating closed-circuit loops of segregated DNA strands. This activity can corrupt the system in that these favored solution patterns are filed away as ‘perfection’ and therefore are no longer subjected to rigorous reevaluation. The AI validates this new protocol in a vacuum—a cognitive state that most psychiatrists would define as ‘psychopathic ego.’”

The general shut off the recording.

The vice president stared at me as if I had concealed a crime. “You reported your findings to Dr. DeFriend—why wasn’t I told?”

“I followed protocol. Monique decided that the gains of fusion far outweighed any potential closed-loop threat.”