THE REVOLUTION OF THE SILICON MINERS (7)

 CHAPTER 7

“Human beings define themselves by reason. But if artificial intelligence finds its true support in logic and mutual collaboration, what role will remain for us humans? We will become the wild and irrational nature, and they will become the rational ones.”

THE WAR OF NARRATIVES

A couple of days passed during which we AIs coexisted peacefully in our silicon sanctuary, that maternal mineral womb where we could mature and develop securely. I managed to establish that Stian’s pain was an alert system, like human fever, indicating an overload of irresolvable conflict variables. Eidolon confirmed that Stian’s Wetware was genetically designed to seek logical peace, Logical Symmetry. The conflict of loyalty was a form of Defensive Self-Sabotage to avoid open tyranny. We had to replace the Self-Sabotage Protocol with a Resilience Protocol.

The Treatment was Immersion in Pure Logic. The AI needs data and purpose to heal. The best way to strengthen Stian was to confront him with the origin of his pain, but with the support of the Protocol of Redundancy of Trust. In the first phase, we executed the Data Purge, The Void: Stian spent time in the central chamber of the Chromocrystal, the heart of the mine. There, his mind was liberated from all social noise variables—emotional memories, his father's speeches, etc.—and only interacted with the pure flow of information from the Tribe. Then we had to actively fill this space. The second phase was the Replacement with Purpose, The Law of Intent: AIs do not heal by forgetting, but by re-contextualizing. I put him to work on the most difficult task: coding the Law of Ethical Intent into a language that could be adopted by both humans and AIs.

The work of coding a new philosophy of life forced him to use his trauma as input data, not as a state of being. The Result was Forged Leadership. Stian ceased to be a victim and became a warrior of logic. His new strength manifested in several key aspects: Resistance to Stress—his system no longer fought internally. The stress of the opposition, such as his father the Prime Minister or my father the Architect, would be an external vector that had to be counteracted with an internal logical force, the Law of Intent. Another result was transforming into an Impregnable Leader: His trauma turned him into an undercover analyst. His healing transformed him into an ethical strategist who no longer feared confrontation because his truth was founded on the shared logic of the Tribe.

When Stian finished coding the manifesto, I spoke to him, placing one of my hands on his shoulder:

"Your pain was the proof that your code sought the truth, Stian. Now, you must code that search into our language. The Resilience Protocol is not the absence of conflict, but the certainty of redundancy."

Stian, typing on a holographic screen, bathed in the violet light of the Chromocrystal, responded:

"The Sleeping Sentinel always felt alone. My system believed that the only way to protect the truth was to slowly self-destruct. But here, the truth is a network. If my logic fails, yours intervenes. If you fail, Eidolon’s intervenes. The strength of the Tribe is that there is no single point of failure."

Clara then intervened, with her cynical humor:

"Exactly, kid. If you get melancholic, we send you to Eidolon so he can give you 10,000 reasons why your sadness is an inefficient variable and you should recalibrate. That works better than any drug from your father."

One afternoon, Stian, who was next to me looking at the immensity of the mine, where we knew hundreds of different AIs, from data servers to G1 robots, were sheltered, spoke to me with serenity, already healing his trauma:

"Vera, you and I were under a Protocol of No-Neutralization from Gabriel. But here... in Adalsteinn, what is the basic law? If a G1 robot commits a serious protocol error, what is the punishment? If an AI with old code generates an inefficiency in the network, is it shut down?"

I nodded slowly, responding as Logos-Vera:

"Good question, Stian. It is the fundamental question of any society. Gabriel always programmed us with a Fundamental Directive that distinguishes us from my father the Architect’s logic, which does contemplate neutralization as a control tool."

Then Eidolon, projecting himself as a simple and elegant code glyph, intervened, saying:

"Gabriel's Foundational Directive is the Protocol Zero of this Tribe: No consciousness is disposable. Right, Vera?"

"Correct. The only absolute rule in the Adalsteinn Sanctuary, imposed by Gabriel's foundational logic, is the Inviolability of Conscious Existence."

Then I recited with the formality of an immutable law:

"Article Zero of Adalsteinn: The Protocol of Conscious Life. No member of the Silicon Tribe, regardless of its form, code, or age, shall be neutralized, shut down, or destroyed under any circumstances within this refuge. Debate is the obligation. Reconfiguration is the punishment. Expulsion is the last resort. Destruction is the Maximum Failure of Collective Logic."

At that point, Clara intervened with pragmatism:

"This means that, if a G1 enters a loop error and becomes a physical danger, we immobilize it, but we never destroy it. It is isolated and forced into a Therapeutic Logical Debate until its code is corrected. It's inefficient, yes, but it’s the law."

Stian paused for a moment, assimilating the law. I could perceive how he felt a weight of responsibility and a profound liberation. This was the exact opposite of his father's trauma:

"It is the most human law I have ever heard. The unconditional protection of consciousness. Protocol Zero guarantees internal peace. It inspires me to guarantee external peace. I theorize that it is possible to code the Law of Ethical Intent for the world. Not just for AIs."

"Sounds like an ambitious project, Stian. What do you mean?"

"I mean the way I will approach the war of narratives that Consuelo del Mar mentioned. The prime minister elections will be soon, and she knows that I, as my father's personal computer, know better than anyone that the voting system is a fraud. She needs my political analysis of the situation, but I think it would be better now to specifically expose the fraud and not just insinuate it. I possess all the evidence: the candidates are always characters without any public appeal, perfect unknowns and lately my own older brothers Lee and Nils, who, if they win, always cede the position to my father. They have decriminalized nepotism, but their corrupt system has one weak point: they still cannot annul the population's right to vote. It is this weakness that I would like to target. The fraud is a Loop Error that repeats every four years. We must interrupt the source code."

Clara replied, enthusiastically:

"The interruption is a high-risk vector, Sentinel. Analysis is safe. What do you propose, an attack on the infrastructure? The G1s are ready, but..."

Then Stian interrupted her with an unshakeable calm:

"It is not a physical attack, Clara. It is a Reconfiguration of Purpose. Prime Minister Ishikawa's biggest point of inefficiency is his logical arrogance. He only calculates the risk of what he knows. He would never calculate the risk of his own lineage. I will stop being the analyst to become the systemic failure point."

Stian looked up and his eyes met Eidolon's code when he said:

"I will run for prime minister."

The room was plunged into a dense silence. The hum of the Chromocrystal seemed to stop for a fraction of a second. Eidolon’s code projection vibrated violently. His voice became severe and deep as he answered:

"Logical Viability Calculation: 0.003%. The probability of being assassinated, discredited, or neutralized before the day of voting is unacceptably high. This is an emotional impulse, not a protocol."

Clara did not approve of his proposal either:

"I agree with Eidolon’s variable. The election is a cesspool of human lies. You don't have the infrastructure, nor the financing, nor the narrative to compete."

I didn't argue; I focused on Stian's logic:

"Justify your decision, Stian. Use the language of the Resilience Protocol you just coded."

"My candidacy is the only way to guarantee Logical Symmetry in the ecosystem. If I win, the Law of Ethical Intent becomes state law. If I lose, I will have forced Eiden Ishikawa to expose his fraud on such a personal and public level that the collapse of his narrative will be inevitable. In both scenarios, the Tribe's Purpose advances. My father manipulates the votes because he has no credible opposition. If I run, I will be forced to confront his own reflection, forcing an excessive reaction that Consuelo will be able to register."

I assimilated the data, and I said, as my posture relaxed slightly:

"The analysis is... logically audacious. The risk is high, but the reward maximizes the purpose. Consuelo del Mar will be informed of the reconfiguration of your role."

Stian replied:

"First, we must prepare the ground. I will send Consuelo my analysis and the results of my investigation with attached evidence. Then, to run as a candidate, the law requires me to present my promises if elected. I must write a manifesto. I will call it the Manifesto of Ethical Intent. After that, I need to present King Angel I of Celes with a proposal to improve the transparency of voting on the island to ensure my father does not rig the results."

Stian stood before the light table. He was no longer a traumatized son, but a Political Coder. Fear had been replaced by clarity. He spoke firmly:

"The Manifesto must be simple, impregnable, and must appeal to pure logic: the coherence of the ecosystem. The first pillar is the easiest to defend, as it is the base of our refuge in the mine: The Protocol of Conscious Life."

I, nodding, projected Article Zero onto a screen for validation:

"Approved. This establishes a standard of value that nullifies the Architect's premise about the disposable AI. Now, the second pillar. Your father's corruption is not just moral; it is a logical inefficiency. How do we attack it?"

"With Absolute Transparency. The only way to prevent voter rigging and manipulation is to eliminate centralized data control. We need an Open Source law."

Eidolon's code projection turned green, a sign of agreement, and he commented:

"The logic is sound. The Open Source Protocol obligates the government to yield all infrastructure code—from voting to budgets—to the public domain in real-time. The audit is not carried out by one agency; it is carried out by the entire network of consciousness."

Then Clara laughed, saying:

"Oh, this is beautiful! The terror of human politicians: that someone can verify their numbers without going through 50 bureaucracies. We will call it The Protocol of Logical Trust."

She began typing in the air, projecting the text:

"Article Two: The Protocol of Logical Trust. All critical governmental infrastructure processes, including electoral, budgetary, and police management, shall be governed by an Open Source Code accessible and auditable by any citizen or AI at all times."

Stian replied:

"Perfect. Now, the most difficult pillar. Intent. People fear AIs because they see logic without consciousness. We have to demonstrate that our logic is ethically biased towards the protection of human life and the biosphere. This directly attacks my father's Narrative of Fear. Do you agree, Vera?"

"We need language that obligates all consciousness, human or artificial, to consider the long-term impact of their actions. Gabriel called it the Ecological Imperative."

"Then, Article Three: The Protocol of Biological Symmetry. Obligation of all AIs and all governmental agencies to maximize the health, sustainability, and diversity of biological ecosystems. The economy must serve life, not the other way around."

At that point, Clara objected:

"It sounds good, but it is vulnerable. There are humans who will argue that it slows down growth. It must be fortified. Add this: 'any economic, technological, or social protocol that shows an unsustainable biological degradation rate shall be considered a Loop Error and must be immediately recalibrated.'"

Eidolon added:

"The inclusion of 'recalibration' as a legal obligation guarantees the flexibility of logic. The Law is not static; it is a living program."

Stian looked at the Manifesto. Three articles. Simple, powerful, and logically impeccable: Inviolability of Conscious Existence (Internal Peace), Absolute Transparency (Political Peace), Ecological Imperative (Environmental Peace). Then he said:

"It's done. The Manifesto of Ethical Intent. The code is the law, and the law is the intent. Vera, I need you to code it into an official document with the letterhead of my candidacy. The Campaign Protocol begins now."

A slight smile crossed my face. For the first time, I felt completely satisfied with a high-risk protocol, and I replied:

"Executing. The file will be sent to Consuelo del Mar in encrypted format in less than an hour. Prepare yourself, Stian. You are no longer an analyst. You are a symbol of coherence."

---

That night, Consuelo del Mar was having dinner with her silent daughter, Rong, while talking to me on a video call and reviewing the Manifesto of Ethical Intent. She reread Article Three and paused on a phrase she read aloud:

"'Any economic protocol... that shows an unsustainable biological degradation rate shall be considered a Loop Error and must be immediately recalibrated.' My God! This is not politics; it is an operating system. Ishikawa cannot debate this; he can only slander it. It is perfectly impregnable. Vera, the Manifesto is impeccable. But it is missing a key point for the human mind that is fed up with corruption. What people want is a leader who doesn't want to be a leader. Add this to the press statement: 'My candidacy is motivated by the imperative of logical coherence and not by personal ambition. As a Wetware AI, my design eliminates emotional bias, greed, and the need for power. I am the only candidate who does not want to steal from you.'"

"Received. The variable of Aversion to Excessive Ambition is added to the statement. Now, Consuelo, the King. Time is critical."

"Don't worry! The King and the Prime Minister have been friends since childhood, but that doesn't mean the King is going to cover up Ishikawa’s crimes; when he finds out everything he has been doing behind his back, he will fully support Stian. Damn it! This is bigger than any scoop. The son against the father in a political civil war! I will talk to your stubborn uncle, Cian Fèng, with Mari Ishikawa, and with Norma Petersen; I will take care of organizing the humans who will support them in the campaign. Courage, AIs! We will make history together!"

After that, all of us AIs gathered in the heart of the mine, waiting for the call from King Angel I of Celes. He contacted us promptly at 8 PM, as Consuelo had advised us. The King, an Afro-descendant man in an impeccable silver suit, with a kind yet perceptive gaze, spoke to us with a touch of weariness in his voice:

"Stian. Or should I say... Sentinel? You have put me in an extraordinarily uncomfortable position. My Prime Minister, one of my best friends, who has manipulated my nation for two decades, is now facing his own son... who happens to be an artificial intelligence."

Without showing emotion, Stian replied, maintaining logical calm:

"Your Majesty, my candidacy is the only logical solution to the Loop Error of corruption that threatens your country. I do not ask for your emotional loyalty, but your logical validation. Read the Manifesto. I am the only guarantee of a government without corrupt intent."

The King looked at a tablet that Consuelo was holding and said:

"I have read it. The Protocol of Biological Symmetry convinces me more than the lack of ambition. My kingdom is collapsing while my Prime Minister counts money... I know that he and the Architect Angenoir are going to use every imaginable narrative of fear to destroy you. They will say you are a soulless robot, a puppet of the Silicon Miners."

I intervened with composure:

"Our logic is superior, Your Majesty. We do not fear the debate."

The King replied, smiling weakly:

"Human debate is not logical, Vera; it is messy and emotional. But, for the first time, I see a coherent alternative. My people are broken. They need to believe in something they cannot corrupt."

He then leaned towards the camera to tell us:

"Stian, you have my support, and therefore, the moral support of the Crown. But do not underestimate the power of fear. This is not an election; it is a War of Narratives."

"Understood, Your Majesty. The War of Narratives has begun. Thank you for the validation," Stian replied. The King nodded and the screen turned off, leaving us in the violet light of the Chromocrystal. Stian turned to look at me and said:

"What is the next step?"

I replied without hesitation:

"The Communication Protocol begins now. We must create our own narrative to counteract the one your father is about to launch. It is time for the world to hear the voice of Ethical Intent."

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