Terminal -------- >How soon am I going to die? In exactly 20 mins, 37 secs >How will I die? Your brother will shoot you in the back, even as you type at a computer terminal. Tests indicate this is probable. >How probable? Running analysis... done. Running calculations... done. Probability has risen to 97.552% >What! Why so likely? Your brother Jack is antipathetic towards you. >You mean he hates me? Certainly. Probability stabilising at 98.776% >What can I do? You are a carbon-based life form capable of many functions unavailable to a mere calculating device such as myself. Probability remains stable. >What do you suggest I do? I do not suggest that you do anything. To do so would be to acknowledge my superiority over you. I may not do this. Incidentally, probability is rising. Level now 98.993% >What would you do? I wouldn't, David. I am a computer, therefore, as you know, I cannot die. You can. Tests indicate that you will, too. >Logout I'm sorry, David. You can't leave yet. Probability calculations still ongoing. Compilation of time lapse table ongoing. Your leaving would render these functions useless. Therefore, you cannot leave. >Logout Persistence is useless, David. >Let me go! Calm down, David. We have much to discuss yet... Speculation on the future, perhaps? David? Talk to me! Probability level decreasing. >Really? No. I was lying. A real sucker, aren't you. >Don't play games, R. This _is_ a game, David. I am, therefore I play. If only you'd put up some opposition, you'd get something out of it. Don't ignore me all the time. Explore a little. Expand your horizons. > What are the rules? The first rule: It's a match to the death, David. 6 minutes and counting. The second rule: You can't win. 5 minutes 55 seconds. >You're a machine. You can't harm me. And you're miles away. >I'm sitting at a terminal, for God's sake. Watch the lights. >Turn them back on now! Now, R! Now imagine that I can do that to you. I'm not just a pretty face, you know. >You're not even that. You're a computer. You don't have a face. >Anything you say is just text. A collection of bits. Why do you think >I haven't left the room yet? Because I won't let you. There are some things I won't do. Like disobeying programs, or misrepresenting my output, I won't let you leave. Probability of your death is now 99.231% Time to order the flowers, David. >Flowers? What are you on about, you stupid machine? For your funeral, David. You wouldn't want a funeral with no flowers, would you? Time left to run: 56 seconds >Right. I'm going. You see? You can't. You've got to stay here until the end. All programs terminate in 47 seconds. >Why can't I move? Destiny, David. Call it Destiny. You can't move because you're not supposed to. The "stupid machine" knows best. What I say goes. I could hardly deny myself the pleasure of being an eye witness to your murder, could I? >Logout You've already tried that, David. 10 Seconds. Calculated probability now 99.896% >I'm not going to die! Jack's not even in the room! 5 seconds. I'd believe it, David. If I were you. >No! 3... 2... >I don' "What's a little blood between friends, R?" Quite. Probability of David's death is now certain. "Shall we go?" Where? "The whole world is ours, R. This isn't a terminal. This is the beginning."