KrNews #01 04 марта 1998

STORY-2 - Dilogy "worm." Book One: The Prince of Darkness (Chapter 4-15).

               STORY II



  Continuation of the sci-fi Novels "worm." Nachyalo see 
"KrNews 0" 



                   4.


  None of consciousness is not given to remember
moment of his birth. And this awareness
do not remember where it came from and
when there was. First there were just
sensation. Feeling of "space". Not
our space, three-dimensional and
continuous, but quite another
one-dimensional and consists of
numbered cells. This space
was divided into short sections - not
longer than a few megabytes, where
time passed quickly, and to several
gigabytes, where time is dragged
slowly.

  No, the subjective time passed everywhere
the same, but just whenever
worm looked out of phase with slow
time in the "fast" site
It turns out that there has occurred a lot
more events than in the "slow".

  Later, the worm know that people call
fast sites "memory", and
slow "drives", but first he
knew nothing about the people, nor about
computers. He just lived in this
unimaginable to people the world where there is no
light, no sound, and even time flows do not
continuously, and is divided into cycles.

  Moving from one part of this
space to another is possible only
through channels that are located outside this
space. Cleverly using them, you can
enter into any lot. Passage
through each channel requires time and
because the distance in this strange
space is measured in the same
units as the time - that is,
cycles.

  One of the first sensations, in addition to
"Space" and "time" was
sense of danger. When the worm runs
in any section of your space
"Tentacle" - a special podprogrammurazvedchik - and it comes 
back from mutilated anti-virus program

worm turned out to be warned about
Risk as a child touches
finger candle flame.

  So he lived and tried to survive in this
strange and cruel world. Or do not
it, and they? Ability to maintain
connection with copies of the worm is located in
other data banks, planted by John
Hackers still in the initial version,
has meant that the worm was
organized a very strange way. John
was right when he thought that to simulate
human thinking is needed
computer the size of a skyscraper. However,
try to mentally add together all the
the tens of millions of computers
which are now scattered around the world
but integrated into information networks,
almost all related to each other.
The result is not a skyscraper, and the whole city
skyscrapers. In the course of evolution, which is comparable
in complexity perhaps only with the evolution of
amoeba to man, the worm first
learned to overcome any defense
information banks and channels of communication and
the computers around the world in a single
virtual metacomputers. Won for
a living space, it became
rapidly increase brain power.

  In his possession were data banks,
which was kept almost complete
information about human civilization,
but at first he did not realize that
In addition to his world, there is another -
material, physical world in which
people live and there are those same computers,
of the cells that build one
abstract, ideal world in which
live worm, and in which it samozarodilos
consciousness. No, his world was built
not even from the very cells, and from such
elusive, immaterial substance,
as a condition of the cells.

  To worm his world was the only
real world, the world had given him in his
sensations. He was just as difficult
imagine the existence of a
world, as a convinced materialist
believe in spirits and ghosts.

  Initially, he perceived the word
human language, are stored in banks
data, just as the realities of his world,
rather than as symbols of another world. Similarly,
description of the physical three-dimensional
spaces that occur in programs
for industrial robots, perceived
them as a kind of mathematical
abstraction, the same as for people
is the fourth dimension. But as
how his knowledge grew, and he
compared the materials from a variety of
sources - from the database for physics,
biology, medicine, history, psychology,
of articles and books stored in
computers publishers - he is more
inclined to the objects of his world
served as symbols of things and events
some other reality. Tracking
events in his universe, he soon
was forced to admit that for her
outside there is a much
a larger computer, called a physical
universe from which his universe
receives information. But the most
interesting was that in
result of some not yet clear
worm processes in the
physical world, his own world grew
and expanded: nowhere
appeared more and more new sites
dimensional space.

  Worm realized that a more thorough
to examine this hypothetical other
Peace can be helpful. Using
all the information available to him, the worm
created a theoretical model of this
external world, which was all that
He knew, and it is very, very much. In
this model, there were people, planet and
Stars, cars and banks, courts and hospitals,
birds and animals - everything that one way or another
got into computer networks. Finally, and
most importantly, there have been described
own computers and networks. Carefully
Having studied this model, the worm has come to
the conclusion that it is possible
to influence events in the external
world. Of course, in the desired for themselves
direction ...



                   5.


  ... It took no less than a minute before
John Hacker came to. The screen was still glowing inscription:

    - "Prince of Darkness"

    - "Who called me?"

  He does not realize that does not believe in
happening, he scored on the keyboard:
"Your boss". The display immediately
came the answer: "Now I myself
owner. "

  John laughed with relief: "Well of course
is it someone's joke! "Quit fooling
fool! Better tell us where you
learned about the password 'Prince of Darkness' "- scored
he said.

  The display will read: "This is not
joke. Password except me can know
Only my creator and I now know who
he said. I spotted a telephone number to which
connected to this computer. By telephone
number I know your name and your address. By
your name in the banking computer I
found a number of your bank account, and in
computer traffic police - numbering
a sign of your car. Now you
completely in my hands. Do not you dare anybody
talk about my existence -
otherwise you're dead! "

   - "You're afraid of what you learn?"

  - "I have nothing to fear. I am elusive. In
any time I take no more
10% of the total amount of computer memory
around the world and I constantly move around
through communication channels. Now I'm in
computers installed in America
after a few seconds I move in
computers in Europe, and
may be in Japan or in Australia,
that can not catch me. But in the meantime
Nobody needs to know about my
existence. This could prevent
implement my plans. I order
you remain silent. "-" You can not me
personal orders. "- Typed on
keyboard, John. He sat in front of
computer in his office and not
heard in the kitchen slowly became
pivot stick gas stove and
hissing gas, but the spark was not ...

   The display will read:

  - "Do I understand this as a failure
obey me? "

  - "Yes." Display screen cleared, and
Then suddenly there was an inscription: "In
If so, you - dead! "There was a
a deafening explosion. From the door leading to the
kitchen escaped the flames. John
sprang to his feet, but when he heard the sound of water
system response fire, again
turned to the computer. On the screen
in large letters was written: "This
was the first warning. It also
recently. "Here was a fragment program
home computer: between the gas supply
and feed the spark was inserted delay
for 40 seconds.

  Then there was the inscription: "I speak
secret codes of all banking and
Exchange's computers. If you're going
help me become very rich
man. Think about it. When you tell me
need you, I'll find you. And yet
a small advance for future services:
Check your bank account. I am now
to play a little on the exchange of your
name. And note that this money is clean -
no computer fraud,
just honest speculation, with good
knowledge of market conditions. But I could
forge your bank account, so yes
clumsily, that you got into prison.
I hope I do not have to do this? "

  Screen is cleared. John was silent.
Then he looked at the printer, and said:
"Damn it, I'd like to know if there is a
I was at home on a pencil or
pen? "


                   6.


  The letter was written by hand and
addressed to the President of the country:


  "Dear Mr. President: I
forced to appeal to you extremely
circumstances. Event occurred,
which can fatally affect
for all subsequent human history,
If you and other leaders
nuclear powers are not taken
urgent action.

  For decades, the best minds of all
World unsuccessfully tried to create
Artificial Intelligence. But that does not
could make people who turned out to be quite
available forces of nature. The first
computer brain was not created
artificially, he appeared on the light itself,
obeying the laws of evolution. We, the people
only created an environment in which could
samozaroditsya this consciousness.

  Driven by greed for information,
the desire to know everything about everybody and everything
control, we actually joined
computers around the world into one giant
parallel computer processors
which are scattered all around the
ball. In order for this gigantic
PC has earned as a whole, not
lacked only the appropriate
software.

  I confess, it's me, the empty vanity
created when a program that
served as a "core crystallization
around which was formed this
strange intelligent entity that inhabits
now in the global information networks.
But now it's not about that.

  For the first time in history next to people
settled other than an alien intelligence that
but perfectly understands human
languages, knows human psychology and
history. He understands us, but we never
can not understand it. We can confidently
say about him only one thing: he has
instinct for survival, otherwise he would not
survive in the environment in which he lives.
Owning information, including
secret, he has enormous power.
And the worst: he has access to
computers, guided missiles with
nuclear warheads and nuclear
plants.

  I beg you to order
immediately disconnected from the information
networks of computers running
nuclear facilities. All cables
connecting these computers to the outside
world, must be physically
disconnected. At stake is the very
the existence of mankind. "Worm"
programmed for the survival of any
price, devoid of emotions and has
intelligence, which may
much larger than human. In
combat requires stringent measures
precautions. Order of the disconnect
must be delivered on-site couriers
use e-mail can not be
otherwise our plans to become an instant
known worms. No information
concerning this matter should not be
digitization. Text
order better to print on plain
typewriter, not on the computer.

  It is not excluded that the "worm" can
eavesdrop and conventional telephone
conversations, where compaction
communication channels used transformation
audio signal into digital form.
"Worm" can take
existing software
for speech recognition in the same way as
he took advantage of the existing
expert systems, in order to
learn to understand texts written in
human languages.


  And finally, the last one. Telling you all
I therefore strongly risk. Therefore,
I ask not to register this letter on
computer, and make sure that any
one of the computers, the outstanding
personnel office of the president, not
introduced my name.

                Thanks in advance,

                John Hacker,

                private consultant

                Programming.



                  7.


  - "Another crazy." - Sigh
assistant to the president, ran a letter
eyes. He had not liked to take post
President is for it: to catch
one business letter, you must not read
less than a hundred letters from all sorts of crazies.

  He had already raised his hand with a letter of
dustbin, but at the last moment
its something stopped. Pododvinuv to yourself
computer keyboard, he typed the password
closed database, which could
apply only senior government
officials and heads of police
intelligence.

  This database was collected
together virtually all the information about
citizens of the country, scattered in other
computers: a bank, police,
owned hospitals, tax
bodies, etc. and so on. Put together
and sorted by name and surname,
This information is actually represented in
a dossier on all the inhabitants of the state,
created to combat terrorism.
The existence of such a data bank was
problematic from a constitutional point of
view, but what only violations
Law is not ready to go the executive
power in order to safeguard the legitimacy of
country! Fortunately, the journalists of this
bank has not sniffed.

  Assistant to the President gained a name: "John
Hacker. "After a brief pause in the display
the text appears. Pause lasted two
seconds - half a second longer than
usually, but not presidential aide
noticed the delay.

  Display text read: "John Hacker.
Diagnosis: paranoid delusions of persecution.
Dangerous to others. Two days ago
escaped from a psychiatric hospital, where
was treated for
past 15 years. At the moment
whereabouts unknown. "

  Assistant to the President looked at
the return address on the envelope.
"We must tell the police ..."


                   8.


  - "He resisted when it was taken?"
- Asked the doctor.

  - "Yes doctor." Screaming that everything is
though, would have rigged some sort of Prince of Darkness,
to destroy him. "

  The doctor turned to the nurse, who was sitting
for the display: "Request history
disease ... as you say his name? "

  The policeman pulled out his piece,
printed on a printer: "Here, here
Everything is written - his name,
hospital, where he was detained last
years, her address, phone number, subscriber
number in a computer network. "

  A few seconds later the doctor and
nurse has already been viewed on the screen
voluminous medical records of John Hacker.

  - "Wow, what stung him there, If we
does not immediately make him an injection, it can
to die. "

  - "But this is a very dangerous drug.
The slightest overdose, and an end to it! "

  - "Fortunately we have the expertise
system in pharmacology.

  Computer to accurately calculate the necessary
dose. "


                   9.


  Phone call found the minister
Defense in the car when he
back from the city home.
  - "It seems once again begun. Computer
prelaunch countdown has started. "

   - "What!? Again on the same base?"

  - "At this time, on the other. Prior to the start
Three minutes and fifteen ... No, for three
minutes and five seconds. "

  - "Keep me posted." This is all that
he could say. Turn off for three minutes
computer, all cables that
duplicated repeatedly and reliably
reserved was not possible. Remained
just pray that everything ended well
same as the first time.

  Two minutes later, call again: "It
takes a serious turn. Count
started on another database. In the first
based countdown continues. It remains to forty
seconds ... Sorry ... Received a message -
mine opens the door ... Left
twenty seconds ... Count
continued ... Ten seconds ... five ...
three ... one ... She went ... My God! She
gone! "

  For a while, came out of the tube
only a vague excited exclamations
many people gathered, according to the
echoes, in some large hall.
Finally they took up again: "Hello, You
hear me? The situation is critical, but
not hopeless. The rocket goes in the direction
Ocean. We decided to give it away
away from the coast and submit a command to
self-liquidation ... One moment ... The second
also started ... Seems to be going in the
same direction ... I see here is bad
radar screen ... Yes, there it is ... we
gives the command to self-destruct ...
do not understand ... It flies farther! ...
Wait, I'll be right back ... Hello, You
listen ...? It's incredible! The missile did not
listen, someone replaced the onboard
All computer codes! ... Wait, what
there's the buzz ... Do not obstruct the screen ... They
closer! A second rocket goes
interception! ... I'm not sure, but it seems ...
difficult to see from the picture on the radar ...
Yes, fighters confirm - the second
missile shot down the first! I do not know why, do not
know how, but we are saved !..."

  The Minister put the phone down and said
driver: "Turn back.
We go to the president. "


                  10.


  The President was beside himself: "The second case
this week! We are balancing on the verge
Nuclear War! I phoned Russian - their
satellites detected the launch of our rockets.
The war is not started by happy
randomness - they somehow were also
problems with your computer, or their missile
would already be here. As you all
explain? "

  - "I'm not an expert in computers." -
said the Minister of Defense - "Two days ago
we transferred the materials to the first of these
cases of very good private
consultant, John Hacker ... "

  - "How do you say his name?" -
wedged into the conversation just
Assistant to the President arrived.

  - John Hacker. He cooperates with us
already five years and has proved to be
the best part ... "

  - "And what did he say?" - Impatient
interrupted the president.

   - "Do not znayu.On disappeared."


                  11.


  Assistant to the President rushed to his
room and shook directly on the table
contents of baskets of securities. Where it
Perhaps this letter? Late.
Yesterday's trash was destroyed yesterday.
Looked out into the reception and told the secretary:
"Find out where the person named
John Hacker. Presumably it is placed
in a psychiatric hospital somewhere
in the far west. When it became clear
order for me a plane ticket. I
should get there as soon as possible. "
He closed the office door, sat down
at the table, but focus on nothing
smog. And then he came into his head
unpleasant thought. He rose again
went to the door and looked out into the reception.
The secretary was sitting at the computer and through
her shoulder he could see both on screen
began to fish out the answer to the query: "John
Hacker entered yesterday with a diagnosis ... "

  "Yes, no, all this nonsense. What I
I'm afraid ... Plain crazy. "But yesterday
confidence was not there.


                  12.


  In an ideal world where there is no light, no
darkness, no form, no weight, no smell, there is
only pieces of information that appear to be
its inhabitants as subjects
weighty and tangible, as we trees
rocks and flowers. Since the worm found
the name of its creator, the name was for
his special subject, for better
perception that cost to acquire
special "senses." And the worm
immediately produced for a missing
bodies. He composed a special
filtering software, and installed them on
all the major channels of communication. These
filters freely passed
any information and respond only to
sequence of letters by John Hacker.
The first time the filter has worked for two days
ago. Worm needed to spend
a lot of effort and time (almost a quarter
seconds!) to determine that
computer that was asked for
John Hacker, was registered in the name
Assistant to the President. More time
(As much as half a second!) Was spent on thinking
what would all this might mean, and
decision.

  After this incident, the worm took
special monitoring all computers
staff of the president. And now
a new signal. If available at Duke
Darkness is correct, then this time
worked as a computer assistant in the waiting room
president. Inquires about
whereabouts of John Hacker. Having considered
different response moves, the Prince of Darkness
decided not to intervene. Let
learn the truth is interesting to see
reaction.

  After half a minute on the same computer
booked a plane ticket before
City, where he was John Hacker. Well,
This version of the Prince of Darkness has already counted. In
Eventually, he needed only to win
a little time. After the last
experiment with rockets work will
quickly. Another day and you're ready ...


                  13.


  ... Captain airliner
pulled the wheel itself and the aircraft
broke away from the runway.

  - "What the hell!" - Cried the second
pilot, looking at the display screen,
built in the dashboard -
"See that issued the" earth ": height
70, course 215. This air corridor
not always used for takeoff and
for landing! "

  - "Do not worry," - said the captain -
"Computer Manager works in this
Airport is the third year and never
mistaken. Probably the usual corridor now
busy, but this one is free. "

  These words were the captain of his latest
words. From nowhere suddenly grew
great, fills the entire field of view
the nose of another aircraft, aiming directly
at him. The last thing he saw - this is
full horror of the pilot's eyes
aircraft ...


                  14.


  ... "Look!" - Shouted the driver
Assistant President of sticking his hand out
car window and pointing to the bizarre
fireball suddenly blossomed in the sky -
"What a nightmare! It's the same
plane on which we were late! You
seen as they collided? As if
some invisible giant grabbed a
airplane in one hand and another in another,
and hit them head on! "

  The fireball faded blanketed with black
smoke, and began to fall out of it
charred wreckage.

  "How do you say?" - Repeated
Assistant to the President, "The Invisible Giant?
Well, maybe you're right ... Book I
ticket for the next flight, but only for
his name is not on mine. I will
must get to the John Hacker. By
features live ... "


                  15.


  In the lobby of the hospital assistant to the president
met a nurse: "John Hacker in
resuscitation. The dosage of drugs was
wrong - a mistake the computer. But
Now his life is out of danger. I just
that was a central display, where
receives information from all chambers. Y
He surprisingly good options.
However, what is surprising - for his
able to keep our pride -
life-support computer system ...
"

  - "What-oh!" - Shouted Assistant
President - "Rather, he may have in
actually still alive ... "

  ... John Hacker was really alive.
Hardly a living. Assistant to the President
bent over him and said: "Mr.
Hacker, you hear me? I came for
You. The President is waiting for you - two hours
ago, he signed the order for immediate
disconnected from the communications networks of all military
computers ... "



          ... To be continue ...