"FWLS63" - читать интересную книгу автора (A Future We'd Like to See)

Fortunately, I wasn't human. I held my nose and dove into
the port feet first.

*

The world emerged from under my head, as the port spat me
onto the ground.

I got to my feet, or at least tried to -- the ground was the
wrong color. Unlike VOSNet, which had a white floor and a black
sky, this had a black floor and a white sky.

A blue-collar worker who was standing nearby dropped his
doughnut objicon. "Wha?"

"Oh, hello," I said, righting myself and walking forward to
greet him. He stepped back.

"How'd you get here?" he asked. "I thought the port didn't
carry connections!"

"It doesn't," I replied. "Don't panic, I'm an AI."

"Oh, is that all," the worker stated, calming down. "Okay,
I could see that. Gotta make sure no connections get through,
though. Don't want the VOSNet corporate types getting in here."

"This isn't VOSNet?" I asked.

"Of course not. It's UberNet. Same software, different
aim, no connections between the two other than the port," he
said, pointing to it. "I'm the Portkeeper. Welcome to Uber."

"What's Uber?" I asked before my memory told me
automatically. The man didn't know this, and explained.

"Separate but equal net," he said. "More than equal,
really. We're not burdened down with corp greed or restrictive
laws. Very free and fun. I think you'll like it here. Got a
lot of great places to have fun for humans and AIs, 'specially
ones LOOKING for a good time, eh?"

"Come again?"

"Come on, admit it. Most of the AIs that come through the
port are just looking for a little virtual nookie nookie."

"Ah. A veiled reference to sexual intercourse," I nodded,
remembering. "No, actually, I'm looking for an 'underground AI