comStar Firewall alert - PhaseThrough

drug treatments during incarceration to prevent them from
“unleashing their powers.” Unfortunately, this has led to
cases of drug-addiction, serious brain damage, and even
death. While the rest of the world is slowly learning to
accept the new powers in their midst, in the shadows, the
conflict between hackers and technos is escalating.
> Upswing? Escalating? Seems like the “animosity” started
out high and hasn’t budged.
> Netcat
> Yeah, well, we all do the same job, only you technos think
you can do it faster and without expensive programs or gear,
just the help of your little sprite friends. Most of you are also
off-your-rocker crazy. It’s hackers who get the blame when
the heat drops, and I’m supposed to get all buddy-buddy
with you freaks? I don’t think so.
> Clockwork
> ’Cat, you know that’s not how all of us feel. I’ve worked
with you in the past and I’ll be happy to work with you again.
From your rep score, it looks like most of us here on JackPoint
feel the same.
> Pistons
> Hey, even I apologized. Clockwork is in the minority here.
> Slamm-0!
> That’s just ‘cause you wanna see ‘Cat naked.
> Kat o’ Nine Tales
> *roll eyes*
> Netcat
tecHnoMancerS and aiS
Since the big Queen Elizabeth hospital scandal and riots
in Hong Kong last June, the world has been terrified of technomancers.
The Tlaloc situation cooled things down a bit
for the technos, as everyone tried to duck and cover from an
AI in a hijacked space station with some biowarfare weapons
aimed down at us. Then, of course, everyone was introduced
to Pulsar, the charismatic AI all buddy-buddy with Horizon.
Pulsar saved the day with Tlaloc, becoming a global hero and
a golden poster-boy for the AI movement. Two years ago,
no one was talking about technomancers (even those of us
normally in the know) or AIs. Now, you can’t turn on the
trid without seeing Pulsar or one of his Undernet AIs on a
late-night talk show, hearing about the latest techno theory, or getting
sucked into one of LA’s newest Matrix reality shows. Pulsar and
Horizon’s major media blitz accomplished what they’d hoped: AIs are
predominately seen as benign or even friendly (according to polls).
I’m not going to get into all the facts and figures right now. I’m
just going to touch a bit on what’s been going on since things cooled
down in 2071. First of all, most countries have passed resolutions
forcing technomancers to register, much like mages and shamans
must. Since it appears that actually recognizing technomancers can
be a bit difficult, the registration systems are fairly reliant on the
honor system—for now, at least. As more technomancers join ranks
Unwired
newSnet Live feed,
HoSted BY HoLLY HaSkinS …
Final arguments in Xiao-Renraku vs. Horizon, the
century’s biggest court case, were presented yesterday.
Today, in just seconds, the world’s highest court authority,
the Corporate Court, will make a final ruling in the
case that has caught the world’s attention. Xiao-Renraku
claimed that Horizon has stolen their copyrighted data
and has asked the Corporate Court to intervene. Horizon,
however, claimed that they’ve simply employed a sentient
being, capable of making such decisions, and offered
it full rights as a Horizon citizen.
The being in question is Teskit, an AI. At stake: the future
of all AIs who’ve sought citizenship and equal rights
with corporations and governments around the world. All
eyes are watching as the court hands down its decision.
The court bailiff is reviewing the decision. The decision is
being announced … and … Teskit is a sentient being with
the legal right to choose his own country or employer!
What an amazing victory after such a long fight!
Now let’s look at public opinion from around the city,
captured as people celebrated—or protested—the ruling!
Here’s what a few people had to say:
• Pam V., waitress: Of course I’m on Teskit’s side. It’s slavery,
that’s what. I don’t care where he lives, out here or
online, no one has the right to enslave him.
• Oscar M., EMT: Look, the thing is, it doesn’t have a pulse.
It wasn’t born. It can’t even survive if there’s a power
failure. The programming code came from Xiao. Plain as
the nose on my face, it’s a Xiao program. What’s next?
Free the toasters?
• Sandy P., student: I think it’s cute. Those big brown eyes,
y’know. You can see it’s terrified of going back to Xiao.
And who blames it? They just want to pull it apart to
see what makes it tick, y’know? It may not be “alive”
but it can think and feel. That’s enough for me.
• Rev. Les T., clergy: God’s grace has given us, mankind,
souls. Mankind cannot in turn create creatures and
breathe a soul into their being. The Pope has said that
a creature of the Matrix is unable to receive God’s grace;
they cannot die and have no souls to ascend to Heaven.
And without a soul, it cannot possess the free will that
gives us the right to choose our own destiny.
with security organizations, perhaps we’ll see technos scanning passengers
at airports or sniffing each other out in crowds, just like
wage-mages do today. For the moment, it is possible to hide techno
abilities from the authorities, much to their chagrin.
Legally, the issue of AIs has been fairly convoluted. Horizon
was the first corporation to declare AIs to be fully sentient beings,
eligible for full corporate citizenship. It even handed out SINs to
the AIs that sought refuge with the corporation. The courtrooms
have been full from that action, since other corporations cried foul.
However, many other nations have followed suit, most notably the
PCC and Tir Tairngire, providing AIs with citizenship in return
for certain promises.
Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9
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Matrix overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .