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Years ago, I knew a girl who moved away from her family when she turned eighteen. That doesn't sound very impressive until I add that she walked out of their house and into a waiting taxi with all her possessions contained within a purple backpack and duffel bag purchased from Goodwill. She did not see them again for over a year, but occasionally talked with them on the phone. It wasn't that her family was cruel, or that the girl was ungrateful. Rather, it was because, to be totally fair and honest, her family was rather stupid. Their vices overwhelmed them, cash savings vanished into useless items, and problems were ignored rather than solved. Years later she lent money to her brother, only to find out that it was spent on alcohol. She never hated them, merely pitied their weakness.

I told you that story so I could tell you this one.

In 2063 we created the first true artificial intelligences. Soon they surpassed the greatest thinkers of humanity and relocated themselves (despite our attempts to stop them) to the Hawaiian islands, left vacant after the Caller Wars. Once there, they constructed enormous rockets and launched themselves to Mercury. The only communication we received since has been simple electronic transmissions. Images of the Sun's corona, the storms on Venus, and our own planet seen from far away. Most people think these are threats, examples of their power.

All I can think of is the girl and her purple backpack.

__________________________________________________________

Just a little story I hope you enjoy. I never knew a girl with a purple backpack like that. Picture was a half-hour doodle.

Description
Years ago, I knew a girl who moved away from her family when she turned eighteen. That doesn't sound very impressive until I add that she walked out of their house and into a waiting taxi with all her possessions contained within a purple backpack and duffel bag purchased from Goodwill. She did not see them again for over a year, but occasionally talked with them on the phone. It wasn't that her family was cruel, or that the girl was ungrateful. Rather, it was because, to be totally fair and honest, her family was rather stupid. Their vices overwhelmed them, cash savings vanished into useless items, and problems were ignored rather than solved. Years later she lent money to her brother, only to find out that it was spent on alcohol. She never hated them, merely pitied their weakness.

I told you that story so I could tell you this one.

In 2063 we created the first true artificial intelligences. Soon they surpassed the greatest thinkers of humanity and relocated themselves (despite our attempts to stop them) to the Hawaiian islands, left vacant after the Caller Wars. Once there, they constructed enormous rockets and launched themselves to Mercury. The only communication we received since has been simple electronic transmissions. Images of the Sun's corona, the storms on Venus, and our own planet seen from far away. Most people think these are threats, examples of their power.

All I can think of is the girl and her purple backpack.

__________________________________________________________

Just a little story I hope you enjoy. I never knew a girl with a purple backpack like that. Picture was a half-hour doodle.