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Intelligent Design Jeeves concept art


In Brief[]

He is sworn to Val Con yos'Phelium, pleased to serve Clan Korval

An Artificial Intelligence[]

Like all Independent Logics, Jeeves was subjected to the Complex Logic Laws: Sweeping laws that condemn all AIs on Liaden and Terran worlds [2]

"The Complex Logic Laws were the result of a war waged hundreds of years ago, when two human powers threw massive AI navies at each other and nearly annihilated themselves. Being human, they blamed the tools...and made it illegal to be, manufacture, or shelter an independent logic." [3]

For centuries, the laws have been enforced by The Scouts, as ordered by the Council of Clans.[4] Rogue Scouts appropriated the AIs for The Department of the Interior

More recently, the laws have been challenged in precedent-setting cases for first Jeeves [1] and later, another sentient machine. [5] See Independent Logics page

His Free Certification[]

Jeeves is an ancient Artifical Intelligence, an IAMM: Independent Armed Military Module[1]

- "probably one of the primary reasons The Complex Logic Laws existed"[6]

For centuries, Jeeves was treated as a simple machine:

"without soul or self, lacking name and identity, insists Commander Spode"[1]

Er Thom yos'Galan sought exemption from the Complex Logic Law by asking The Scouts to assess Jeeves:

"Korval has the services of a free logic because Er Thom yos’Galan, so far as I heard the tale, was a clever, ruthless man who was not afraid to call Balance due.”[7]

Jeeves was tested and certified by Scout Commander Ivdra sen'Lora. She judged him a rational, independent intelligence who accepts the constraints of society, based on results of the personality, socialization, and inculturation surveys used by Scouts to assess all new societies, and on contributions to family, the workforce, and/or society in general. [1][5] —a precedent setting judgement, upheld by the Scout Review Board, and cited roughly 20 years later in a similar case.[5]

"Shan thinks you're a Complex Logic. I think you're a person. Are you?" That was a leap...a leap to a stable conception. "I am, yes, a person."[1]

Jeeves is Free, decides Bechimo, and as such, rare, and unlike the Old Ones in hiding.[8]

"calling himself Jeeves, security for Clan Korval, once security for an entire world, and before that, the surety of an empire."[8]

His Original Military Purpose[]

Designed for the Terran AI War with command prime function which can oversee numerous iterations of itself, to multitask, as an Independent Armed Military Module.

"Once, he had victoriously defended life. Once, he had vigorously defended hope. Of all those things he did not recall, he did remember that." [1]

Dealt with planet killers, autonomous semi-sentient policing systems /ASPS.

"I was once assigned as back-up and then lead control in a military operation designed to rid a world of the devices."[9]

Theo speculated that Jeeves was one of the three sentient machines she'd read about. Admirals, each in command of a battle squadron, built for the Terran Wars, were declared dangerous and supposedly destroyed after fulfilling their assigned tasks.[10]

However, Bechimo questions this:[8]

"Admiral or amanuensis, Jeeves was undoubtedly old, his data deep, and his ability to cross-reference astonishing."[8]

Jeeve's "daughter" Tocohl Lorlin believes him to have once been an admiral. [11]

His Age[]

Jeeves is at least 700 years old, probably. See Timeline. While still with Commander Roderick Spode for decommissioning, Jeeves saw "a record of how long he had been in decline, rendered in Standard Years. Hundreds of Standard Years."[1]

Theo reflects on Jeeves's origins, recalling from school that three machine Admirals -- tactical AIs -- were built for the Terran AI War

"seven hundred years ago, or more" [10]

Bechimo's research puts Jeeves as very old. Bechimo himself is centuries old, but younger than Jeeves.[12]

Oath to Val Con[]

Excerpt Intelligent Design

excerpt, Intelligent Design

Acting on one of his undeniable hunches, Val Con yos'Phelium, first-year cabin boy, rescued a fading Sentience from a warehouse on Pomerloo Port. [1]

"Perhaps, indeed, he slept, for suddenly he wakened. Wakened to a slow and steady trickle of energy....Humans wept at such moments. He swore an oath...Whoever had come, whoever had heard, and heeded his call. That one he would serve, as well as he was able, for as long as he could."[1]

He was introduced to Lady yos'Galan as her new butler at Trealla Fantrol.[1] When Trealla Fantrol disappeared, so did the need for a butler. On Liad, during Plan B, Jeeves took charge of security at Jelaza Kazone,[13] and continues to do so on Surebleak

Chassis / Body[]

His chassis was built by Val Con and Shan, probably with guidance from Jeeves and perhaps a technician.

“I was built by Master Val Con and Master Shan to serve as the butler at Trealla Fantrol,” Jeeves said.[10]

Jeeves continues to update his “body” as needed.

"It pleases me to observe that you have not held shy from making those modifications which are of benefit."[14]
  • Jeeves has a grey cylinder topped by an orange globe that flickers different hues to convey varying facial expressions /emotions, and three articulated arms[15]
  • His headball changes colors, from typical orange to subdued fog-green to convey uncertainty, to blue-violet to greet the child Talizea, etc. [16]
  • He rolls on wheels,[15] (on hardwood floors, it "sounds like wheels across planking"[17]
  • "the hulking robot"[13] is a "heavy-looking metal cylinder...topped by a lighted orange globe."[17]
  • "the featureless ball of its head"[13]
  • He has three arms —— at least one is a pincher arm [18]
  • Excellent vocalization: "its voice proclaiming it a male, of Terra's educated class."[13]
    • "I regret," Jeeves said, his high-class voice sounding apologetic"[17]

Capable Security Chief[]

On Liad, while Plan B was in effect, Jeeves dealt with the DoI. On Surebleak, Jeeves is Security Chief. [19] He deploys former merc sergeant Tommy Lee [20] or Nelirikk, Diglon, & Hazenthull as needed. [21] [22]

"Diglon had long gotten over the odd fact of the robot's apparent self-animation and personality as well as his seamless integration into house systems...That the head of local security was both a bot and available to him as an unparalleled library of information resources...well, then he understood that the bot had once been a butler for Clan Korval and a war robot. The robot, then, was of the troop as much as he..." [23]

Jeeves tends to the cats -apparently he understands them [24]

"Old friends," Jeeves agreed. "Merlin was among the first to make me welcome when I came to be yos'Galan's butler."[25]

Apparently, Jeeves can communicate with The Tree, too. In "I Dare" when Miri arrives -- wounded -- at Jelaza Kazone, Jeeves says: "I sent transport immediately I had your direction from Jelaza Kazone, and brought you into the 'doc."[17]

His Command Prime function can simultaneously juggle eight iterations of himself.[1]

"Jeeves is remarkably difficult to trace because he can spread himself along eight different frequencies, rerouting on the fly."[26]

He remotely drove Anthora yos'Galan's vehicle to and from Council of Clans Hall, in busy Solcintra traffic.[27]

"Anthora bowed to Jeeves in the matter of transportation, and thus found herself arriving at Solcintra in a ground car chauffeured, long-distance, by himself." [28]

He piloted the ship "Tarigan" to Surebleak.[6]

He recognizes Old Tech[9] and can assume control of some machines: “A simple matter of finding and transmitting the correct command codes.” [29]

"Jeeves, who could instantaneously send pinbeams across space, who could directly read the planetary defense nets, who could communicate with intelligences far from human . .. [30]

New Abilities[]

  • Created hidden replicas of himself, so he cannot be easily killed, to ensure the security of Jelaza Kazone and all clan members. (Dragon in Exile or I Dare?)
  • Jeeves tells Anthora that he is even more capable than when he was first built:
"Computationally, I am more efficient and versatile than when originally constructed." ... "Do you have strategic computations also engaged, then?" ... A longer pause, followed by what could have been a short laugh. "I do."[31]

His Daughter Tocohl[]

  • Jeeves gains permission to "produce a child" to resolve a Delm's Emergency. He creates Tocohl Lorlin, an individual, not a replica or clone of Jeeves, which could compromise House Security, passcodes, etc. [6]
  • Tocohl was created to help save a "confused" and dangerously out of control Sentience -- Admiral Bunter.[32]
"Born into violence, his first act was to kill a ship, and the humans aboard her..." [6]

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 "Intelligent Design" in A Liaden Universe Constellation, volume 3
  2. Neogenesis, Surebleak, part v
  3. Neogenesis Synopsis
  4. Balance of Trade, Day 177, SY 1118, Irikwae Port
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Neogenesis, Surebleak, part vi
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Dragon in Exile, ch 19
  7. The Gathering Edge, ch 27
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Ghost Ship, ch 28
  9. 9.0 9.1 I Dare, ch 56
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Ghost Ship, ch 3
  11. Neogenesis
  12. Ghost Ship, ch 1
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Plan B, Liad, Jelaza Kazone
  14. Ghost Ship, ch 10
  15. 15.0 15.1 I Dare, ch 55
  16. The Gate that Locks the Tree
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 I Dare, Solcintra, Liad
  18. Plan B: Liad, Jelaza Kazone
  19. Ghost Ship, ch 8
  20. Neogenesis
  21. Necessity's Child, ch 6
  22. Dragon in Exile, ch 30
  23. The Rifle’s First Wife
  24. The Gate that Locks the Tree
  25. I Dare
  26. I Dare, Erob's Clanhouse, Lytaxin (ch 44 in audiobook format)
  27. I Dare, Day 54, Standard Year 1393, Dutiful Passage, Jump (ch 49 in audiobook format)
  28. I Dare DAY 54 Standard Year 1393 Solcintra Liad
  29. Accepting the Lance, Jelaza Kazone
  30. The Gate that Locks the Tree
  31. Daughter of Dragons, in Dragon Tide, and in Liaden Universe Constellation volume II
  32. Dragon in Exile, Interlude Two: Tactical Space