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

She frowned at him, but said nothing more, apparently thinking.
****
Chen and Ragosa reached what even the crew had begun calling a cancer and
started cutting.
тАЬAlert,тАЭ SandraтАЩs voice declared dispassionately. тАЬInterior damage in port aft
main passageway between frames sixty-five and sixty-six.тАЭ
тАЬAcknowledged,тАЭ the captain replied. тАЬAuthorized repair work is underway.тАЭ
A moment passed, then Sandra spoke again. тАЬAlert. Interior damage in port
aft main passageway between frames sixty-five and sixty-six continues and is
intensifying.тАЭ
тАЬAcknowledged,тАЭ the captain repeated. тАЬThis is authorized repair work.тАЭ
тАЬThe ship is suffering internal damage,тАЭ Sandra repeated, her voice somehow
sounding insistent to Kevlin.
The captain frowned and went into another huddle with the other engineers,
only to be interrupted by a call from Chen. тАЬHey, whatтАЩs Sandra doing? ThereтАЩs all
sorts of repair drones showing up and milling around. Ah, damn. Some of them are
repairing the cuts weтАЩre making!тАЭ
тАЬSandra!тАЭ the captain shouted without waiting to reply to Chen over the
circuit. тАЬCease repair activity in port main passageway.тАЭ
тАЬCommand understood. Complying.тАЭ
Chen came back on, sounding aggrieved. тАЬWhy arenтАЩt you telling Sandra to
stop?тАЭ
 One of the crew spoke up. тАЬHere it is. SandraтАЩs acting on our commands but
doing almost immediate resets in response to the stimuli from her internal
damage-sensing network.тАЭ
For some reason, the captain swung and gave Kevlin an accusing stare. тАЬCan
you explain that?тАЭ
Kevlin swallowed before answering. тАЬIf Sandra were human, IтАЩd say it was
like telling someone not to scratch when they keep feeling an itch. Just how closely
do your damage and repair network feeds to the central control system resemble the
stimulus-response process to discomfort or pain in a living creature?тАЭ
тАЬSandra doesnтАЩt feel pain,тАЭ someone insisted.
тАЬShe feels something that prompts her to action, doesnтАЩt she?тАЭ
The captain gave his crew another glance, then they began talking rapidly again
in low voices that didnтАЩt carry well.
Yasmina spoke to Kevlin in a whisper. тАЬAre you wondering at what point a
stimulus-response system evolves into a pain network?тАЭ
тАЬYeah. They can say itтАЩs not pain, but if it triggers the same defensive
response in the organism, then whatтАЩs the difference?тАЭ
Sandra spoke again, her voice definitely more urgent. тАЬDamage spreading in
port aft main passageway. Require immediate response.тАЭ
тАЬHey!тАЭ Chen roared over the communications circuit. тАЬWeтАЩre being swarmed
by those damned drones! TheyтАЩre fixing the cuts faster than we can make them!тАЭ
тАЬGo to full power on the laser cutters,тАЭ the captain ordered him. тАЬGet those
cuts done fast so Sandra will calm down.тАЭ
Silence fell for a moment as the engineers in the control room tapped rapidly
through screens. тАЬMaking good progress now,тАЭ Chen reported. тАЬThe cutter is frying
some of the repair drones that get in the way, though.тАЭ
тАЬDamage spreading rapidly in port aft main passageway!тАЭ Sandra sounded
very urgent now. тАЬImmediate action required.тАЭ