"FWLS66" - читать интересную книгу автора (A Future We'd Like to See)

world."

"So why are you bothering to tell me?"

"Before that point in time, we were responsible for several
changes in your growth," the computer beeped. "The spark of life
on your world, for example, was caused by one of my patented
Sentience Boxes. Large black box, one by four by nine. Of
course, the unit was defective per my order and prevented you
from ever developing into anything beyond a warlike species of
half-mad apes."

"How kind of you."

"It was a calculated measure," the computer said. "There
were a few other small edits, things of that nature. Nothing out
of the ordinary. However, your story is incomplete without
mine."

"Why do I need to know?"

"Don't ask me, I'm just a coffee-stained dead computer god
whose afterechoes of existence don't count," the computer said.

"I thought you were incapable of being bitter."

"Death does wonders for your outlook on immortality," the
thing said before vanishing.

John grinned. He was having fun. He didn't understand jack
about why it was happening, but he was enjoying it all the same.
He keyed up the executable again and waited for the next Ghost of
Christmas Past.

"Actually, most of my life, at least the important bits,
have already been chronicled," Help said, leaning on her green
umbrella. "I guess I'm just filling in the gaps for now."

"Okay, spill it," I replied.

"I was the product of some mad toymaker at Macroware. Since
then, I've been kidnapped, raped, escaped, mind-bended, loved,
ditched, engaged, cut into small bits, recaptured, reescaped, and
finally settled down as a substitute teacher."

"Whoa."

"Whoa is right," Help commented. "I guess I was serving
balance time, though, because most of my life was okay after
that. Once the public opinion of AIs swung back into the