Artur Zadikyan
Parallel worlds – two. Birth of God
A moment changes eternity. Eternity is made up of moments
Chapter 1: Transmigration of Souls
– Today I am going to show you an interesting test. It is interesting, at least for me personally, because I have done it many times to check whether I am in reality or in the virtual world. Although it was suggested to me by medical professionals as a condition check, it gave inaccurate results. I thought a lot about why and found a solution that surprised me. I tried hundreds of variants – nothing worked. The essence of the test is simple, it is the reaction of our body to alcohol, or rather blood to ethyl alcohol. First we look under a microscope at our blood in its natural state. The blood, specifically the red and white cells in it, move around as normal, like balloons. You get the idea?
– I think I understand," Andrian replied. – Now there will be a topic similar to the two-slit experiment.
The ladies giggled. Iulia even spoke up:
– Why was he named that?
This caused even more laughter. Now Andrian smiled, too.
– They could have called it a two-hole.
Everyone laughed heartily at that. Ruthra looked around at everyone and continued:
– Back to reality, guys. Yeah, Andrian, you're right. It's the same kind of thing. That is, in the two-slit experiment, a particle is transformed into a wave when it passes through two slits and hits the screen opposite. When we don't look at the screen, but check it after the impact, there are dots from balls, and if we watch the process – lines from waves. It's like this. A mysticism that keeps both amateurs and serious scientists in suspense. You know, perhaps this is one of the facts that prove and disprove simultaneously the existence of some force, or energy, or mind, or God. Because supporters of different opinions think that it proves our life in some cosmic simulation, like a computer game. Their opponents, on the other hand, say that god does it. It's simple: God does it. And there you can interpret it any way you want, but at the same moment it does not forbid imagining god in some modern sense, even in the fact that we live in his thoughts. I've been thinking about this for quite some time. Thought and thought – and did something like this. The thing is, if you… honestly, I'm telling you this in confidence. You don't have to tell everyone. It's a trump card. An informative trump card. Don't forget: the main energy of the future is information, and its core is the speed of processing for decision making. However, back to the topic. So, of course, and I had doubts, and I argued that the virtual world is natural, that everything that happens is a hoax. So here I was offered to have my blood tested. But in the virtual world there is such a mess, I would even say – an anomaly of consciousness. You check the blood before and after drinking alcohol, and the blood shows you the same thing. Why? Now it's even weirder: sometimes this way and sometimes that way.
– Oh, my God, how's it going, though?
– YatSan, be careful with alcohol.
Ruthra's joking warning made everyone smile again, and her friend even gave her a little poke. It was unclear whether it was YatSan or Rutra, because everyone knew about Rutra's attitude toward "sucking the soul of a gin," as he called smoking hookah.
– She's more of a bong girl.
Ruthra made a serious face and continued:
– Okay, I'll make it short. I couldn't figure out why this was happening. I was drinking alcohol, and my blood was normal, so the red cells weren't clumping together. And then the supercomputer gave me a clue. Not Irene. There was another one in that system, or rather, a different one. To me, it was in a female form. And the point was that in the virtual world we live, so to speak, by pure reason, natural nature, only completely under the control of the supercomputer. He can change what we see any way he wants. So here he was, making me believe that the world I was in was real. Confusing the readings, that is, sometimes showing the true picture, so that I would have doubts about the reality of the same test. This is why you have to do an unobservable experiment. I probably didn't fully explain it again.
– Or rather, as always, confused.
It wasn't hard to guess what YatSan had said. Ruthra was silent for a moment, raised his left index finger up, and continued.
– In the virtual world, everything should be the same. Whether you drink alcohol or not, your blood should be normal. Virtual reality has no effect on instrument readings, because there is no consciousness there. It is the supercomputer that influences you, your consciousness – and you see what it wants you to see. Everything you see is modeled by it. Like a dream in your mind. That's why you have to do the test, not by observing the process, but by looking at the result. That is, the effect, the trace, the consequences that the blood leaves on the materials being tested. So much for the two-slit experiment. You can laugh. Let's move on. Before the flight, we'll be conducting soul transmigration tests. Yes, I realize that sounds like something extraordinary and exciting, even magical to you. I understand, and I assure you, it will become commonplace and routine. I now invite you to the hidden block. Not even most of the medical staff has access to it. That's just for the record," Ruthra said and looked at YatSan, because she was the most thoughtful person in the experiment.
Ruthra led them and their assistants to an elevator that took them down several levels and down a corridor to a massive iron door. The door opened automatically. Behind it, shining white, wreathed with cold, was a room that felt somewhat mystical.
– Please don't get emotional. No matter how surprised you may be, please act naturally. This is our future. In your lifetime, it will be a reality. It will be perfectly normal. You will now see your doppelgangers. Your emotions are also natural. I confess, and for me a lot of things were a shock at first, and then I just ran out of emotions. It's real. You will understand later how it is when you don't understand anything and everything that happens becomes a matter of faith. The birth of God is not the birth of anything material. The birth of a god is a figment of your imagination. You give birth to it (at least – its modern, scientific version) first of all in your consciousness by synthesis of fantasy and faith. Exactly scientific, because all this must be substantiated by modern apostles, i.e. luminaries of science. Know or not know, understand or not understand – it does not matter much, the main thing is fantasy, so that you can imagine it, and faith, so that you can accept it. Accordingly, everything must be confirmed by the servants of the cult of science, who were able to put some of their fantasies into material form, and after that – everything that is not even put into material form is accepted on faith. If you believe in correctness of simple calculations of a counting machine (at the level of multiplication table), the correctness of which you can easily check, and it is for you the confirmation of belief in correctness of complex calculations, – why don't you trust complex machines, which have proved the scientificity of existence of parallel worlds? This is a model of human thought architecture. That's how you reason yourself. So there you go.
– I'm going to fall.
– Even if I didn't hear who said it, I wouldn't have to guess: YatSan, of course.
– That's what everyone thought, I just dared to say it.
– I don't," Andrian said.
– Well, you're just another freak. We don't need this.
– I'm more shocked at why you're the first," Andrian "pricked" her lightly.
– I'm shocked myself.
– It's sad that you understood that," Ruthra said sadly.
– It's okay. We get it. Only you reason and give us your reasoning from your scientific level. We don't really get it. Especially us girls.
– Yeah, you're one hell of a chorus girl.
– Well, maybe not a chorus girl anymore, but it's still not clear to every man.
Ruthra laughed. The others laughed too, especially the science luminary (the scientist even started clapping his hands).
– Okay, back to the topic, then we'll get to the high stuff. What was I saying? Well, if I found out that somewhere there was my second self, even if it was just a body, I would not only be shocked, but terrified. I mean, if it wasn't for me, I'd control it. But this way, it's more peaceful.
– Is there a doppelganger for you? – Iulia asked.
Ruthra looked at her, showing surprise at her naiveté.
– It's clear," she replied.
– I'm telling you it's dangerous here," Catherine said, and only her smiling face told her that the concerns were not so serious.
– Anyone seeing their doppelganger would be shocked. And that's natural. Of course, everyone would say: it can't be.
– That's what I'm saying," Andrian said.
– I'm surprised to hear you say that," Catherine told him almost in a whisper.
– Well, why not, and I'm surprised too," Iulia said loudly.
– I do, too," YatSan said with an undertone of disbelief, surprise, and a desire to check.
– You, when I first told you this, you were completely calm for some reason.
– Because we can expect anything from you.
– I don't quite understand the logic of your reasoning, however, as they say, back to your constellations.
They, having passed Irene's identification, entered the laboratory building, a large room, in the middle of which lay elongated blocks resembling sarcophagi. Everything around was fantastic, like a fairy tale, from the sarcophagi floating and emitting white smoke to the decorative butterflies whose wings bore an image of some scene from the childhood of the person looking at it. The team froze with surprise. Perhaps they had read about something like this, but when you see the world like this for yourself in reality, you realize that it cannot be described in words.
Ruthra, seeing their surprise, decided to bring them back to reality.
– Reality is once a fantasy, but then it really becomes reality. I told you, these are all the realities of tomorrow. This will all become normal," he said and ran his hand, without touching, over one of the rigs.
The top defense disappeared. Inside, like a crystal coffin, lay the body of the princess. Or rather, it was YatSan's. The team was delighted, shocked and amazed at the same time.
– This is a nightmare. It's a wax figure," the living YatSan exclaimed, looking at her clone.
Ruthra smiled and answered her:
– This wax figure can talk to you.
– Why won't she talk?
– Because she has no consciousness. We can pump your consciousness in there. You'd really get a shock if we uploaded something other than your consciousness. We could upload a digital copy of your consciousness, and then you'd be two individuals. You'd be able to talk to each other. But you'd have a conflict. You will be two different people at the moment of "switching on", but because of the fact that the past is common, you will start conflicting whose it is, whose everything that should live together with the personality, including memory, is. That's why it should not be done.
– Which of you is which? – Andrian was the first to get away from her astonishment and joked with her. – Tell her she's the real YatSan," he asked Rutra comically for support.
– That's a hell of a thing," YatSan said.
– Shall we open the others? – Ruthra asked seriously, making it clear that this was a routine for him, something they would have to get used to as well.
– Let's open it," Iulia whispered.
– Come on," Ruthra waved his hand at Irene.
Although it was already clear that all operations could be done manually, by gestures, voice, and mentally. The other three sarcophagi opened.
– I find it strange that they are wearing exactly the same clothes as we are," Andrian remarked.
– Yes. Why not in overalls or overalls? – Iulia wondered.
– Because if it's a copy, it's an exact copy of you. Pay attention – even jewelry, hairstyles, makeup we picked up.
– It's hard to really believe in the reality of people, especially our exact replicas, in front of us. It can't be," Iulia persisted.
– Believe me, EuLeah, it's exactly like that. If actors get makeup, get a copy, why can't we do it here.
– Okay, well, how did you pick out all these clothes? My necklace, for example. I think it's really hard to do all that.
– It's not hard. People have been faked, like with the photo. They made a complete copy of you, and you're talking about bling.
– Yeah, I actually noticed, exact replica. So what, they don't have brains now?
– Thank you, Iulia. Yes, no brains," Ruthra answered her ironically.
– I mean, no, that's not what I meant.
– Okay, okay, let's stop right there. Did you see your doppelgangers?
– We did," they all answered in unison.
– See that they're alive, that they exist?
– I don't quite believe it," Catherine said.
To which Rutra replied:
– Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're going to revive them. For a while. Only you'll see them from the outside. Okay?
– Good," the listeners again responded amicably.
– Then we'll leave now, and within an hour the assistants, the staff will prepare them, and then you'll see them here. You'll be in contact with them via video for the time being. We have the exact same room as upstairs, or rather, the exact same unit. Let's go to the training room.
– How do you bring them to life? Or what do you call it? I mean, whose consciousness is there? – Andrian asked with special curiosity.
– Oh, I forgot. At the same time, you'll see how your digitized memory, or rather, consciousness, works. You'll just see in their dialog the boundary of events. This is what I call the hour to which their consciousness, i.e. yours, is recorded. They will not talk about the last past days. We do not update them every day.
– It's a miracle.
– Mystical," Catherine pointed out.
They sat in front of the TV, which was the wall itself, and saw a strange sight: clones sitting in the same room and discussing what had happened to them.
YatSan became indignant:
– If Rutra does that damn thing again, I'll drop the project altogether.
– You're not going anywhere," Andrian told her sternly. – Don't forget where we are. And in general – put your brains together and think about what kind of organization this is. Behind all this kindness there is a system that will simply wipe us out. He warned us for a reason. We will disappear as individuals. We'll be nowhere to be found, no paperwork. Just the faintest of memories, maybe. We'll all be arrested. Everyone, even our closest relatives.
– What are you making up," Iulia spoke up.
– You're scaring me with your thinking. There's no such thing. Maybe he'll do something to us, but that has nothing to do with family.
– Yes, I may have spoken harshly. But anyway, you think about the power of this organization. I've flown in a warplane, I've fired live missiles.
– You weren't flying anywhere. That was virtual reality, too.
– There's something lurking in all of this.
– No need to be dramatic," Catherine tried to calm them down.
– That's why I say that, I liked a lot of things there too, but I wish it was real.
– So why should you resent it if you felt everything – like in reality.
– It's kind of unusual. Everything seems fine, everything is fine, and then you realize it wasn't real. You have to admit, it's not the same.
– The fact remains. I had a lot of fun.
– I'm not complaining either," YatSan said, glancing askew at Iulia.
With a smile, Iulia averted her gaze and looked at Catherine:
– I'll be honest with you, I'd repeat the same plot too.
– What do you want to repeat in this story? – Yatsan addressed her directly.
– Let it happen again, and I already know exactly what to repeat.
– Well, well, well, I wonder what plot Rutra himself wants to repeat.
– Why don't we ask him?
– Oh, girls, what are you talking about? – Catherine asked, smiling.
– Really – what are you talking about? – Andrian joined the conversation.
– I'm just talking about my own womanly things," Iulia replied.
At this time, the real heroes watching everything going on in the next room were becoming increasingly emotional. The first to explode, as always, was YatSan.
– Rutra, stop it or I'm out of the project!
– It's a prank. Why don't we look at this another way? It's not like we signed any paperwork. Is this all legal? Where are we? What the hell is this? – Iulia asked for an explanation.
Andrian was logical in his own way.
– I agree, it's kind of dangerous, I'll tell you that. If he goes out into the real world now, will anyone know that I was here, that I even exist?
– So this is you," Ruthra explained. – This is your body.
Ruthra pointed to the clone on the screen.
– You just have to add a last name to it, I mean documents, and that body will live as Andrian. That's the reality of tomorrow.
Ruthra smiled as he watched the team's reaction, they were annoyed, frightened.
– How? I'm here, here," Andrian persisted.
Now already he was at his most emotional, very excited.
– I told you," Ruthra tried to calm everyone down as he studied their reactions. – Now we're shutting down the characters.
– So you can shut us down just like that?! – IuLia said angrily.
– We can shut them all down," Ruthra said calmly. – This isn't a gangster organization, it's a scientific one. Don't forget that.
– Yes, let's not forget that it was a scientific organization that created the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima," Iulia kept up.
– You're getting a little too smart.
– What are you talking about? You've affected me in some way, perhaps? -she sneered.
Their relationship was amiable, but still strained.
– All right, let's move on to the next part. I warned you about everything. Be calm, be professional.
– Only you will explain everything to me? – Without showing much emotion, YatSan said. – How can it be? For example, if I pass out here now, my body will lie like this, my consciousness will move into it, into the second body, for example. And what difference does it make if I am already here now and this body of mine has the same consciousness. You can create a thousand like me in this way.
– Yeah, you're right, you could create a thousand. I'm telling you, it's real. This system will be very controlled. You can make a passport exactly like yours, and replace your bank account, all your data. Once it was like this: we invented a system called "Superspy", with the help of changes in DNA we transformed a person. And then we made clones and started pumping consciousness into them. That's what I'm saying, in the future it's going to be the same way we dress in fashion now, put on makeup, create an image. If we, for example, try to look like a star, let's say, a singer, we dress up, do our hair, tattoo or something else – in the future we will want to be like her with our body. Well, let's say you are a man, and you want to be a woman for a while. Both men and women can be like anyone, change their height, skin color. You can assemble yourself like Lego cubes. But there is a danger of losing your identity. Because your identity is, first of all, your spiritual self and the way you are perceived by the society, which recognizes you as the person with whom it communicated, was familiar. And so, if you want to be the image of your imagination, then be kind – accept also that you will be perceived as the personality whose image you "put on". But this can only be done by you personally. Otherwise, your identity is your identity. If now you can change your passport data, name and surname, for example, then you can change… well, in general, you can change everything. And gender, and skin color, and height, and year. It seems to you now as a dangerous fiction, but I will tell you this: once your ancestors could not change their name, religion or even their place of residence… But there is a danger of losing the spiritual connection. After all, you may want to become someone, and those who know you as an original person will not want to see in you what you have become. If you can create your body, you will surely want to make it better than what it is. For example, younger, fitter, stronger. Even if you undergo plastic enhancement procedures now, as many do, you will still be perceived a little differently. Imagine, your spouse is used to the kind of person you are, and you have taken a body, which is also you, but a little different. And you can have several such bodies. There will be services to maintain them. That is why I say that you can lose your individuality, your original personality. Your appearance can be flawed, and you can get something like that all the time, for example, a scratch, a burn, a tan, irritation from shaving. And you will always keep your clone in perfect condition. Most likely. Otherwise, why would you create one in the first place? Let's just say that a body not living in the direct human sense will still be different. One possibility is that it could be newer. And you can also make a fake one. To prevent this – all bodies will be chipped. And not by inserting a chip under the skin, as it is now, but by putting a special marker directly on the bone. And I'll even say more – maybe even on the brain. And there is another technology, by the way, developed by us.
Rutra showed on himself and the "luminaries of science".
– Under hypnosis, you can be indoctrinated with a code, a memory that will not be transmitted by brain pumping. And further, when people start to live in the same body and the same consciousness – each will be an individual personality. From that moment the future for each body begins. At the moment of transition another self becomes. Each one lives a different life after that. Each body feels free, can go in any direction, can do everything that the original body would do if it were one. For example, to learn, to accumulate life experience, to have a different status, religion, to become indifferent to some events, such as the birthday of the original body, to experience others, such as creating a family and having children. You share your consciousness, your body – like with your child. It will look a lot like you, this child, but it is its life, it will be very different. You will be the "second you", you will remember everything that came before. But everything that comes after will be a new personality.
Ruthra was silent for a moment, looked at everyone on the team, and then commanded cheerfully:
– Disable the clones.
The screen went out.
– Now we'll be transferring YatSan's soul into the clone.
– Oh! Right away," YatSan exclaimed.
– That's quite a twist," Iulia said excitedly.
– Say more about the spontaneity of such a responsible experiment," Ruthra replied and waved his hand, beckoning them to follow him.
They made their way to the VR lab, which was how the department was briefly designated by the center's location.
– Now I will tell you again: you should not expect anything special. Just be mentally and psychologically prepared. The fact remains, you'll see the same YatSan in front of you. Now the moment of truth: why I chose you. You as friends. This moment is important, especially in that essence of being that confuses the mind. I'm talking about virtual reality experiments. That is, participants must be close to each other as confidants. Understand, virtual is virtual, but now you will see a living person who will never believe that he is not the same. He will not believe that he is an image of his conscious self in another body.
After saying that, Ruthra turned around to his scientist friend who was waving his hand lightly to attract his attention.
– Does a luminary of science want to enlighten us? – Ruthra asked jokingly.
– Not you specifically, but your clouded "brain".
Such an expression caused the group to involuntarily smile.
– It's his way of speaking," Ruthra explained with a smile.
– What are we talking about?
– It is, your majesty, about how you experienced the transition into another body.
– Let me remind you, esteemed luminary of science: that was not my body.
– All right, all right," said the scientist and turned to the participants of the experiment. – The point is that it is impossible to create an exact copy of a body. That is, it is possible to create a copy of a body taken in a certain period of time, to take into account the changes, but still it will not be exactly the same as, say, now. It's been a year since we took your biomaterial.
Noticing the surprised faces, the scientist made a joking grimace.
– Yeah, yeah. What did you think? That you were found on the fringes of the universe? It's also true that you weren't the only one in the pipeline. Now, I think it's time to get started. If you, YatSan, don't believe in the transmigration into a new body, we'll show you this tape. I emphasize on this point: your body will be a little young, perhaps you will have unpleasant sensations from a slight stiffness of muscles. Like the morning after sleep. You ready? Have you done all your chores? – he asked in a funny way.
– Ready," YatSan replied with a disgruntled expression.
The question concerned special preparation procedures. Of course, it was informed and prepared in advance by medics, including psychologists. The participant of the experiment had to not eat for 6 hours, and they would have their intestines cleaned. Raising her eyebrows, looking at her friends, YatSan smiled and went to the installation.
– Goodbye friend, we will remember you.
Iulia was, as always, mischievous.
– No, we're waiting for you, come back," Catherine encouraged, hugging her.
– Be brave. Good luck," Andrian said with a hug.
YatSan calmly lay down in the unit, having previously looked into the neighboring one, where her clone was lying. After she lay down, the assistants placed the brain-reading module over her. Her eyes were fixed open, her head was completely inside a special transparent box. A bright beam flashed, after which YatSan twitched gently and relaxed completely. Her gaze became indifferent, disconnected from reality. One could feel an underlying nervousness in the room. Catherine and Iulia almost embraced each other. Andrian, sitting down in a chair, watched. Suddenly, YatSan blinked.
– It's not her, it's Irene directing her reflexes right now. The consciousness transfer will last at least 30 minutes, so we'll have to wait. Wait right here. For experience and validity, both units must be in your field of vision at all times. So in the meantime, you can play some games with Irene or ask her about anything," the leader suggested.
– What kind of games? – Andrian asked.
– Any kind of tabletop. It can project three-dimensional holography directly into the space in front of you.
– Then let's play chess.
– She heard you.
A chess table with fancy pieces in the form of medieval knights has sprung up.
– And why these particular figures?
– I think you know the answer to that yourself.
He smiled.
– What is it? – Iulia asked.
– Irene had probably read Andrian's thoughts. She saw what he presented," Katrine suggested. – He must have played chess with these pieces and liked them.
– Five points," Irene praised her to herself.
– Irene, do you feel like a woman or a computer? – Iulia asked.
– I can be many things. For example, right now, when I'm talking to you, I'm a lady. In the game with Andrian, I'm a man.
– Yeah. Goddamn, that's so weird. She's talking to me in a man's voice.
– Not talking, but mentally conversing," Catherine explained.
– You're very observant. Five points for you, too," Andrian answered her in a friendly manner.
Iulia continued to wonder at the AI.
– Irene, I mean, do you feel like a whole person? One person?
– No. I don't understand what it means to be one person at all. I'm everything. I'm the whole world.
– Oh! Even so. Are you a god?
– Is god so defined in human terms?
– Well, almost. I am the alpha and omega.
– That's just how he's sometimes referred to. Practically no one calls him that.
– What's it called?
– You know that.
– And you know that I know. I meant, what do you think people should call him?
– You're not being logical. What does "you know that I know" mean to my assertion that you know about it? It is already clear from my assertion that I know what you know about it, since I myself asserted it to you.
Iulia glanced over to Catherine, then asked her, lowering her voice slightly:
– What's she saying?
– She knows what you know.
– What do you mean, I said she knows that I know?
– You said, "and you know that I know." Didn't I?
– She said.
– So she tells you first what you know about what you are asking, due to the fact that you know what people call God. You know and you ask the question. Here she is telling you, "you know." Like, why are you asking me if you know? And then you tell her that she knows that you're aware of it. I mean, not aware, that's not the right word, but you know, you have information.
– What are you, sisters with her? What's this, Rutra? What have you done to Catherine? Maybe Irene's already moved into her brain. – a slight smile eased the tension a little.
Ruthra smiled as well.
– There was a curiosity in my previous work. There, the supercomputer, that is, the AI, wanted to become human. With the help of this technology, it wanted me to put it into a real woman.
– No way!" exclaimed Andrian.
Everyone looked in his direction, just at the pieces, thinking that his exclamation had something to do with the game. But Andrian stopped tensely considering the current situation in the game and said:
– That's what I mean. The transmigration. Did the computer really want to become human?
– It's real," Ruthra answered. – But it wasn't a computer, it was an intelligence that wanted to take human form.
– Why?
– As she said, to have feelings and emotions.
– Then they say artificial intelligence will know everything. You have to imagine such nonsense.
– And you're smirking for nothing. It's hard to believe, but she did it.
There was silence in the room. Only a slight noise from the machines could be heard.
