Ruins (Pathfinder 2)

“Through the expendable.”

“But expendables lie to me!”

“Expendables provide information that will lead you to good choices.”

“Good choices as defined by them.”

“You are hardly in a position to define them, since you know almost nothing.”

Rigg recognized Father’s voice. “The expendable Ram is telling you what to say.”

“He knows you better than we do,” said the voice. “We are accepting his counsel during this conversation.”

“So you tell me I’m in command, but I’m not in command.”

“You are more in command than any other entity, human or otherwise.”

“What does that even mean? ‘More in command.’ Who am I sharing command with?”

“There is a constant process of negotiation and compromise,” said the voice.

“Only I’m not part of that process,” said Rigg.

“You are the most important part of it,” said the voice.

“But I don’t know what you’re thinking, I only know what you say!”

“We have the same dilemma,” said the ship.

“I tell you what I’m thinking.”

“You tell us what you want us to know, as a subset of what you do know, which is not very much.”

Rigg closed his eyes. “I still live in a world where my understanding is shaped by information you give me, and you still decide, without asking me, which things I should know. Therefore I can only make choices as you direct me to.”

“We know many quintillions of bits of information,” said the ship’s computer. “Your brain cannot contain all that we know.”

“I understand that you have to select which information is relevant, but you can surely be more helpful than you’ve been up to now.”

“We’ve been very helpful,” said the ship’s computers. “You’re alive, aren’t you?”

“Loaf is wearing a facemask!”

“He is alive, your whole group is alive, and you are in control of this ship.”

Am I? wondered Rigg. “I order you to tell me how much control I will have over the Wall after I leave here.”

“If you place all the jewels into the control field, and all the ships accept your command, and if you then take the jewels with you and keep them on your person, you will be able to command that any Wall go up or down as you choose.”

“Even if the consequences might be dangerous?”

“If you’re accepted as commander of a ship, it’s your decision.”

Rigg thought for a while. “Can I change the nature of the Wall?”

“The Wall cannot be anything other than what it is.”

Wrongly worded question or final answer? Rigg couldn’t be sure without probing more. “The Wall creates a very intense field. Can I change its intensity?”