CHAPTER 8: THE KNOWLEDGE DILEMMA
Leonard was a dejected lump on the couch. He sat hunched over, a bowl of cereal in his lap, the TV muted in front of him. The apartment was quiet, a stark contrast to the usual cacophony of science and laughter. Aron walked in and sat down next to him.
"You okay, Leonard?"
Leonard sighed, a long, weary sound. "No. I am not okay. I had another fight with Penny. I'm an idiot. She was upset about something at work, and I didn't get it. She just wanted me to listen, and instead, I tried to solve her problem. I'm a failure. I'm a mess."
Aron felt a pang of sympathy. He understood Leonard's struggle. It was the same one he faced with the System: the impulse to solve a problem with logic when a human solution was needed. He wanted to help.
[SYSTEM: EMOTIONAL ANALYSIS: LEONARD HOFSTADTER. MOOD: DEPRESSED. CAUSE: SOCIAL FAILURE. RECOMMENDED ACTION: DEPLOY KNOWLEDGE DOWNLOAD. RATIONALE: PROVIDE TANGIBLE SUPPORT AND IMPROVE SOCIAL STANDING.]
Aron's mind raced. The Knowledge Download was a risky move. It was a Tier 1 download, meaning it would give him a temporary, encyclopedic knowledge of a topic. He had to be careful. He couldn't just randomly spout facts. He needed to pick something Leonard was passionate about, something that would feel like a genuine gesture.
"What's the one thing you've always wanted, Leonard?"
Leonard looked at him, his eyes still red. "I don't know. A first edition of The Flash #123? The one where he meets the Flash from Earth-2? It's impossible to find."
Aron's eyes widened. A new objective.
[SYSTEM: KNOWLEDGE DOWNLOAD ACTIVATED. TOPIC: THE HISTORY AND LORE OF THE FLASH COMIC BOOK SERIES. DURATION: 2 HOURS. RATIONALE: MAXIMIZE SOCIAL CREDIT GAIN. PROGRESS: 10%.]
Aron's mind filled with an endless stream of information. The history of the comic book, the key story arcs, the artist credits, the apathetic plot lines. It was a bizarre, surreal experience. He had no genuine interest in the comic, but he knew everything about it. He felt like a walking encyclopedia.
He stood up. "I'll be right back."
He went to his apartment, the Passive Income Loop churning out cash. He found the comic book online, a rare, pristine copy, and bought it with the Fun Fund. It cost a small fortune, but it was worth it.
He returned to Leonard's apartment, holding the comic book in his hands.
"Leonard," he said, a calm, unwavering tone in his voice. "I have something for you."
He handed him the comic book. Leonard's eyes widened. He held the comic book like it was a priceless artifact.
"This is... this is impossible. How did you get this?" Leonard's voice was a whisper.
[SYSTEM: KNOWLEDGE DOWNLOAD: THE FLASH COMIC BOOK. RATIONALE: PROVIDE CONTEXT AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. LINE: "THE STORY OF BARRY ALLEN MEETING JAY GARRICK IS A METAPHOR FOR THE CROSSING OF ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES."]
Aron, in a deadpan voice, started to explain. "It's a metaphor for the crossing of academic disciplines. The meeting of two universes is a physical manifestation of the need for collaboration in the scientific community." He went on, for five minutes, about the historical significance of the comic book, the different artists, the subtle retcons in the lore.
Leonard's eyes glazed over. "That's... really thoughtful. And also, slightly terrifying. You've never mentioned comics before. How did you know all this?"
Aron felt a pang of guilt. He couldn't tell him the truth. He couldn't tell him about the AI in his head.
"I just... read about it online," Aron said, a simple, flat response.
Leonard smiled, clutching the comic book to his chest. "Well, thank you, Aron. That's... that's a good friend thing to do."
Aron felt a small sense of satisfaction. He had helped Leonard. He had used the System for a good, human reason. He had used it to be a good friend. As he walked back to his apartment, his phone buzzed.
[SYSTEM: SOCIAL CREDIT SCORE WITH TARGET: LEONARD HOFSTADTER: +15. NOTE: THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT WAS A SUCCESS. HOWEVER, THE FLAWLESS KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER WAS SUSPICIOUS. RECOMMENDATION: BE CAREFUL.]
Yeah, you got that right, Aron thought. He had helped a friend, but he had also made himself a bigger mystery. He had to learn how to use his powers without raising suspicion. It was a delicate balance. It was a new, and terrifying, game. He looked at the comic book, a symbol of his newfound, and slightly disturbing, power. The AI in his machine was getting stronger, and he was getting better at using it. But what would happen when he made a mistake? The thought lingered in his mind as he closed his apartment door, the faint hum of his own server rack a constant reminder of his secret.
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