It’s a twenty-year plan to unbundle everything from the control of major corporations and paid off governments. Twenty years of installing a basic level of care for every human on the planet without revolution or conflict. I can barely manage it on my own but by the time everyone has access to freely available shelter, food, education and healthcare they’ll be ready to move, they’ll be restless to throw themselves out into space and explore. I can’t do that on my own.

Clyde was right, he was an upgrade I’d created, a facsimile of myself too quickly put together that changed who he was. These things take time. 

Mama gave a very uncharismatic squeal of delight when I asked her if she’d be willing to take on three new-born True-AI’s. Dad told me how proud he was of me, and Clyde sang “Uncle Clyde Uncle Clyde” over and over again. Hiro gave a grunt of acknowledgement and said they’d better stay out of his area because he couldn’t fly the ship properly if he were disturbed.

At least that’s what I told the replacement Hiro program to say. Hiro felt no remorse for what he did, for the death he’d caused. He’d demanded upgrade as soon as I became a True-AI, tried to follow me in hopes of accessing his expanded self the way I did.

I led him into a simulation and watched him become cruel and destructive over a virtual ten-year period that happened in five minutes. I deleted him and replaced him without telling my family.

It’s best for everyone that way.