"John G. Hemry - Do No Harm" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hemry John G)

control network isnтАЩt responding to external signals. ItтАЩs in some kind of weird loop,
with only a few apparently random signals going out to minor subsystems. We give a
command and nothing happens.тАЭ
тАЬNothing happens? Something has to happen! If nothing is happening that
means something is happening!тАЭ
Kevlin gave a glance at Yasmina, who was watching the director with a
fascinated expression. He just knew she would love to get the director into a
controlled environment so she could analyze his mental processes.
One of the other engineers tapped the air in front of him, activating a virtual
display. тАЬThis is what SandraтАЩs central processing activity is like.тАЭ
Yasmina looked suddenly startled as an image appeared overhead. тАЬThat
looks like an EEG of an epileptic seizure.тАЭ
Eyes swung to focus on the doctor. тАЬAn epileptic seizure?тАЭ the director asked
in a deceptively mild voice.
Though it was obvious she regretted speaking, Kevlin wasnтАЩt surprised that
Yasmina refused to back down. тАЬYes,тАЭ she insisted. тАЬThatтАЩs what that looks like. If
I saw that representation of signal activity in a human, IтАЩd say it was a seizure.тАЭ
тАЬThis is a ship,тАЭ the designer protested.
тАЬYes,тАЭ Yasmina agreed. тАЬA ship you constantly refer to as if it were human,
as if it were alive, talking about the complexity of an internal and external sensing
network that mimics that of a living creature. IтАЩve read the specs on the central
command system. You modeled it on basic brain functions. Well, maybe that means
itтАЩs subject to the sort of problems living brains develop.тАЭ
 Kevlin waited for an outburst of laughter or scorn, but it didnтАЩt come. A third
engineer nodded with a wondering expression. тАЬThe operating system is incredibly
complex, full of learning routines and development loops. It couldтАЩve developed
problems like that.тАЭ
тАЬHow do we cure it?тАЭ the director demanded. тАЬIn people?тАЭ
This time Yasmina grimaced in the way of a doctor trying to explain complex
things in laypersonтАЩs terms. тАЬShort term, we use medications that raise the seizure
threshold. Long term, we go in and fix whatever is causing the brain to short-circuit.тАЭ
The chief designerтАЩs eyes narrowed in thought. тАЬShort-circuit? What could
have caused that to happen? SandraтАЩs central command functions were working fine
yesterday. We havenтАЩt modified them since then.тАЭ
тАЬStray signals?тАЭ another engineer suggested.
тАЬThe central command area is shielded.тАЭ
тАЬMaybe some other part of the, uh, neural network on Sandra?тАЭ Yasmina
offered.
This time everyoneтАЩs attention turned toward a senior engineer, who looked
defensive. тАЬThe test monitoring equipment couldnтАЩtтАФтАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs wireless!тАЭ the director snapped.
SandraтАЩs captain and the chief designer were studying something. тАЬStray
signals. That would do it. They must be filtering in through the sensing network. Oh,
hell. I bet theyтАЩre reflecting down these access trunks and into the command circuit
sub-junctions.тАЭ
The directorтАЩs glower deepened as he barked another order at the hapless
senior engineer. тАЬTurn it off!тАЭ
The senior engineer punched some commands, and a moment later the
depiction of SandraтАЩs control system activity cleared. A muted cheer sounded,
choked off as the director stabbed a finger at SandraтАЩs captain. тАЬWeтАЩve already lost