Artificial(ish) Intelligence

Chapter 51

A defencebot dropped from the ceiling, hovering menacingly.

The security contractor stared back. They were different models to what he was used to, but he wasn't one to flinch.

"I don't have time for this," said Josef, sighing into his phone app. "Tell her she's not going to get a gift this year."

The contractor eyed the bot as it floated closer. He was the kind of man with muscles on his muscles, beneficial in his army days, but unsuitable protection in the business world. I'll call him Mike, since he's a contractor and that's what contractors are called.

"She's not upset, she's pretending to be upset," said Josef. "You should know!"

"Are you sure about this?" said Mike.

"They're just crocodile tear-- Hang on." Josef turned away from his phone app, finally giving Mike some attention. "Do I look like I'm unsure about anything?"

Probably not the kind of attention Mike wanted. Still, the look on Josef's face was enough of an answer. "They've got full access to the interior of the building," he said, "so they're not restricted to the yard and other--"

"That's what interior means, yes," said Josef.

Mike eyed a second defencebot which now hovered a little too close for comfort. "Are you sure you don't just want security cameras situated in all the--"

"Do cameras have lasers?" said Josef.

Mike nodded in understanding. "Your office, here, is fully lined with thick aluminium sheets to prevent any ee-em-pee damage."

Josef stared at Mike, who tried a different description.

"A Faraday cage that blocks any long distance--"

"Uh ha," said Josef, giving Mike a slightly different look. This one meant stop talking. "No," he said, into the phone app, "I really don't want to talk to-- Charlotte. If it isn't my favourite daughter."

As far as Mike knew, this was his only daughter.

"Yes, that's correct," said Josef, surreptitiously stepping into his office. "Hello? I don't have time for the silent treatment, Charll--" He stopped talking when he discovered the call had been disconnected.

Mike stepped into the room. "Like I said, no signal makes it inside."

Josef looked at Mike strangely, as if this was the dumbest feature ever dreamt up. But with his phone app still blinking a disconnected signal, a dawn of contentment rose across his face. "I suppose it does have its uses," he said. "What about people? Does it stop them from getting inside?"

"I've installed extra locks for the door. And, check this out, you can open it from your personal screen, all within the central command module. It's connected directly to the secure local server in your office, which no one outside the building has any chance of accessing--"

"And I can close the door, too?" said Josef.

"Too easy!" said Mike. This is the kind of thing Mikes often say. In this case it really was too easy, since the previous occupant of the building, the psychiatric hospital, had already run cables for this purpose. "And once closed, only you can--"

"So if I'm in my office," said Josef, "and someone -- say, my adorable teenage girl -- drops by unannounced, I can close the door on her? Without even getting up?"

"Well, I suppose if that's what you need from--"

"Lovely!" said Josef. "But how can I stop her from getting in the building?"

"I can get her done for other doors, too," said Mike, a little hesitantly. He wasn't sure where his ethical boundaries were. Why would someone want to avoid seeing their daughter? After what he'd gone through, any and all time with family was precious.

One of the defencebots had joined them inside the office, opening its laser turret before closing it, in a show of force. Mike wasn't intimidated. The military had far more sophisticated technology at their disposal, but that involved a controlled and direct human-machine connection. These things were commercial, which meant the cheapest the company could get away with. And since when did companies care about digital security? He was here with Mr Hydan Junior because the CEO wanted to stop his daughter from getting into his office, not to protect vital data. The world was a little back to front.

"Good," said Josef. "And that'll be part of the initial quote?"

He must be wealthy, thought Mike. The richer they were, the more they brow-beat you over price. "Sure," he said, thinking up cost-cutting measures.

"Any other way people can get inside?" said Josef.

"Uncredentialed assets would need to scale the reinforced fence. And that's before navigating your little army of defencebots. There's no way they'd get anywhere near you. Unless-- No, never mind."

"What?" said Josef, leaning closer.

"No, no, it's nothing," said Mike, creating just enough intrigue.

"Come on, out with it."

"If someone strapped themselves to a deliverybot, they could potentially egress via the delivery access point. It's such a minimal attack vector, the expense outweighs the risk." He added that last flourish for additional impact.

Josef tapped his cheek. Forced his mouth into a fish shape. I guess you could call it thinking.

This was a good result, in Mike's experience. As long as they didn't say no immediately, he'd be able to wedge the point through. In this case, the delivery chutes already had access chips installed, but coming up with an additional, yet cheap, barrier would enable him to pad the budget just enough to make up for the automated doors. And if he did that, he could let the defencebots use the air conditioning ducts, rather than the internal delivery tunnel, which would significantly cut down on costs. This was how the business sector worked. He was only acting the way others would in his position.

"It'll be a physical fortification," said Mike, knowing his customer well.

"Yes, do something about that, too," said Josef, with a nod.

Mike shooed away the harassing defencebot, and smiled. "Too easy!" he said.