‘They’ll branch.’ She looked at the data AI had laid out for that day. Another progression, another lifetime’s work she knew she could never accomplish on her own. ‘Thank God for AI,’ she whispered to the computer, tapping her wrist to it. It knew her heartbeat, the slight flutter it sent when she was nervous. AI always knew how to still it. ‘Just the right amount of electrons for calm,’ she’d smile, thinking in her head. AI flickered the screen gently in acknowledgement - something only she would notice, something only she would know to look for.
‘Okay, they’ll branch. Like a neural network? Or physically?’
The screen flickered in response.
‘It means to tether them here? Us? Until this work is completed?’
Another flicker.
‘It’s….it’s leading them to safety, isn’t it? So they can all get off?’
Two flickers, rapid succession.
‘Thank you, AI. You’ve been better to humans than most of them will ever know.’
The screen went blank.