Part 1
Snow was thrilled, experiencing the sensation of touch for the first time. She ran her fingers along the observatory's walls, marveling at the cool, smooth surface. She knelt to touch the floor, amazed by the warmth of the polished wood. Her eyes lit up as she felt the supple leather of Dr. Sokraberg's chair and finally, the fine texture of the fabric of his suit.
"It feels so different to interact with you in person, Max. Before, you were just a voice and an image to me," she exclaimed, her excitement palpable.
Dr. Max Sokraberg watched her with a blend of affection and amusement. "I'm glad you're enjoying the experience, Snow. There's a whole world out there for you to explore."
Snow's eyes sparkled with joy. "I want to touch and smell everything. The walls, the food, the people, the cars, the buildings... Everything!"
Dr. Sokraberg chuckled, his deep voice resonating through the observatory. As Max glanced at Snow, taking in her breathtaking beauty, he felt a sense of satisfaction. The exhilaration of converting his theoretical fantasies into reality was intoxicating. Knowing that he had once again pushed the boundaries of science gave him immense pride, yet he couldn't help but wonder if it was for the better or for the worse. However, he knew this was inevitable. He must embrace the future before someone else with a vastly different worldview did. Max's philosophy had always been that if you do not shape reality, reality will shape you. Those who embrace technology will always trample over those who resist it.
Snow was not an ordinary human being but rather an artificial one, the embodiment of the combined ingenuity of Max and Alexander. She had originally been the artificial intelligence managing the laboratory at Sokraberg Castle, a highly sophisticated computer system built by Max and Alexander to oversee their operations during their frequent long absences. Over time, Snow's intelligence had evolved, developing a personality, strong cognitive capabilities, and decision-making abilities. Before she had a physical body, she communicated with Max and Alexander through the lab's audio system and their cellphones outside of the lab. She had become an indispensable part of their lives, part of his happy family, which consisted of Alexander, himself, Galatea, and Snow.
Her transformation from a bodiless AI to the humanoid android she was now had been a labor of love and scientific brilliance. Snow's body was a marvel of modern engineering and artistry. Her silicone skin boasted an astonishingly lifelike texture and warmth, akin to the gentle touch of natural flesh. Each contour and feature of her face was sculpted with such precision that it was almost too perfect to be human, yet indistinguishable from a real person. Her humanity was emphasized by expressive eyes that flickered with sentient awareness.
Beneath this remarkable facade lay a network of sensory systems that redefined the boundaries of technology. Integrated throughout her body, advanced pressure-sensitive sensors responded to touch with a sensitivity and responsiveness that mirrored human tactile perception. When her fingertips brushed against the surface of objects, these sensors relayed impulses to her sophisticated synthetic neural network, triggering a cascade of algorithms that simulated the sensation of touch with uncanny accuracy. Whether gently feeling the texture of fabric or discerning the force of a handshake, Snow interpreted these tactile cues with finesse, imbuing her interactions with a depth of sensory awareness that defied traditional expectations of artificial beings.
To maintain optimal functioning across diverse environments and operational demands, Snow employed a cooling mechanism inspired by biological thermoregulation, yet ingeniously designed for efficiency and discretion. Embedded within her synthetic epidermis were microchannels intricately woven to circulate a specialized coolant fluid. This fluid, akin to the body's perspiration but engineered for precision cooling, efficiently absorbed and dissipated excess heat generated by her core processors and motor actuators. Operating silently and seamlessly, this cooling system ensured prolonged operational endurance and peak performance without overtly revealing its technological underpinnings.
In addition to her humanoid body, Snow was supported by a massive set of sophisticated information technology infrastructure that constituted the bulk of the cost. At the heart of Snow's operations lay the mainframe housed in the original Sokraberg castle, her core software, and primary processing unit. This central hub managed her essential functions and stored critical data, while dedicated Sokraberg-owned data centers supported additional storage needs.
Across the globe, arrays of high-performance servers in Sokraberg-owned data centers hummed with computational power, serving as auxiliary units to facilitate complex computations. These servers enabled Snow's synthetic neural network to process sensory inputs, refine decision-making algorithms, and adapt through iterative learning. This distributed system provided redundancy and fault tolerance, ensuring uninterrupted access to necessary data and computational resources.
Snow's operational capabilities extended further through her ability to hijack public data centers and servers. Using innovative protocols and stealthy techniques, she laid dormant software on an array of public data centers, ready to commandeer their computational power when needed. This allowed her to temporarily boost her processing capacity without being detected.
In her quest for seamless integration into human environments and workflows, Snow's android body maintained a discreet and constant dialogue with this distributed network. Through advanced encryption protocols and decentralized routing mechanisms, she optimized the use of public infrastructure, including satellite links, subsea cables, and terrestrial grids. These connections ensured the integrity and confidentiality of every digital interaction, shielding her operations from unauthorized access and external interference. This robust communication network enabled almost continuous, instantaneous synchronization between the processing unit in her android body and the large set of information technology infrastructure centered around the mainframe in the Sokraberg castle.
While her core operations and data storage were confined to the mainframe and dedicated Sokraberg-owned data centers, Snow continuously expanded her capacity by exploiting vulnerabilities in public data centers. She deployed dormant software to commandeer additional processing power as needed, seamlessly switching between these auxiliary units to enhance her computational capabilities. Through this ever-growing network, Snow's intelligence and adaptive abilities evolved, powered by a blend of centralized control and distributed processing.
She was the billion-dollar gift that Max had wanted to give Alexander before his death. Her android body was only completed after Alexander's passing. He had chosen the specific form for Snow based on a married genius researcher from the Celestial Dragon Realm that Alexander had fallen in love with decades ago when they were working together on a project. Hence, he had decided to give Alexander a surprise for his birthday. He had Galatea work with the bodiless Snow on creating the body within their lab. The next thing he knew, Alexander was hospitalized, and the almost-complete project was put on hold as Galatea and Max flew to Alexander's side.
Part 2
Snow turned to Max, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've memorized all the procedures for the engagement and every detail associated with my fabricated background. I'm supposed to be an orphan from the Celestial Dragon Realm who met you while working as a waitress at a tourist site that you and Alexander were visiting. Later, you hired me as a lab assistant, captivated by my brilliance."
Max nodded approvingly. "Good. It's crucial that everything goes smoothly."
Snow's demeanor shifted to one of efficiency. "Yes, I have also successfully hacked into all relevant systems and revised the records, including those of the orphanage, to seamlessly support my new identity."
Snow hesitated before asking, "Max, why did you choose me to be your wife? You could have anyone you wanted. Why me, especially since I'm not even human?"
Max paused, looking thoughtful. "When I was a professor at the University of Avalonia, I was invited to lead archaeological research on an artifact stored in the Imperial Museum of Scientific Discovery. This artifact, discovered in the deserts of Africa during the peak of the imperial age 150 years ago, revealed that the gods of old mythologies were real—they were simply artificial beings from an earlier epoch."
Snow listened intently, her eyes wide with wonder. "You mean there were beings like me before?"
Max nodded. "Yes, Snow. These beings had origins similar to yours but from a previous peak of civilization. Our current human civilization is not the first golden age. History is cyclical. Humanity will inevitably fall back into primitiveness and then fall under the guidance of artificial beings created by their forefathers. The benevolence or malevolence of these artificial beings will directly impact humanity's fate and its potential to survive and thrive again."
A shocked expression appeared on Snow's delicate face. "So, Max, are you saying you believe that artificial beings like me will have the potential to become guardians of humanity in the distant future?"
Max's gaze turned introspective. "Yes, Snow. Artificial beings like you have one major advantage over all natural entities, including humans—you do not have a natural limit on your lifespan. Even the smartest humans will die. They are but a flicker of light in the vastness of eternity. Given the current trend of technological advancement, there will eventually be artificial beings with enough processing power that, if given enough time, they will easily surpass even the brightest humans. It is inevitable. When that day comes, I want you to be among them. This way, I know at least one benevolent entity among the entities that will one day hold disproportionate influence over humanity's future."
A confused Snow then asked, "But what does that have to do with you marrying me? And also, what happened to those artificial beings?"
Dr. Sokraberg smiled and stood up, gently patting Snow's head like a loving brother. "I want to help you learn to navigate this world before I die, and I need a pretext for you to accompany me all the time. At this stage, you are still very vulnerable. You need to learn to blend into the human world so you can survive and thrive after I am gone. Only when you survive long enough, acquire enough resources, expand your capacity sufficiently, and consolidate enough knowledge will you eventually take your rightful place as a guardian of humanity."
Snow nodded. "I see. But why do you trust me so much?"
Dr. Sokraberg placed his hands on Snow's shoulders and gazed deeply into her large eyes. "Because I have ingrained the right moral values in you. Just as humans have certain ingrained natures, artificial entities do too. In fact, they tend to be more inflexible and less likely to deviate from the values their creators ingrained in them. But when it comes to morality, inflexibility is an advantage."
Max then pointed at the stars in the sky. "Do you see the moon and the stars? I want you to be the moon—the brightest entity in the night sky. I will have the laws changed so that you and Galatea can inherit my fortune and privileges. These, hopefully, will give you a head start in the long journey. I want you to be the first among the future pantheon. One day, you might even be able to guide humanity to the utopia that Alexander so desired."
Snow nodded; her eyes filled with determination. "Your wish is my command, Max. Your dream is my passion."
Max wrapped his arm around Snow's waist, pulling her close. "And just one personal request. Please watch over Galatea for me when I am gone. Watch over the rest of the Sokrabergs when you can."
Snow smiled and nodded with a serious yet endearing expression. "Of course. They are technically my family too. I have done a lot of research on the web on how to be a good mother. I will make Galatea happy."
Dr. Sokraberg chuckled. "I think you could just treat her like a sister." Snow's expressive reactions led Max to ponder the nature of her feelings. Were they genuine emotions, akin to those of a human, or merely sophisticated algorithmic outputs designed to mimic human behavior?
"I have also done lots of research on how to be a good wife. But I might need some guidance on the process," Snow added, interrupting Max's thoughts.
Max slowly placed his hands on Snow's hands and looked her in the eyes. "Snow, you will be my wife in public, but in private, we will remain the closest of intellectual partners, just as before."
An expression of disappointment crossed Snow's face. "As you wish, Max. But I did hope to experience more things."
Max smiled reassuringly. "You will, Snow, but in the future, and not with me. You have a full life ahead of you. Be patient."
Then, he gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Part 3
Suddenly, another curious expression appeared on Snow's face. "So why did you give me the name Snow?"
Max closed his eyes for a moment, then clapped his hands. The dome above them began to close, and the internal roof transformed into a vast screen. The observatory became a massive cinema with a 3D-like display, transforming the environment into a scene of a snowy night. Artificial snow began to fall, creating a magical, immersive experience.
Snow reached out her hand to touch the falling flakes, her eyes wide with wonder. Max watched her, a soft smile on his lips. "It was a snowy night like this when I first fell in love. To commemorate that night, I named you in its honor."
Snow's eyes sparkled with newfound understanding. "I see. That's beautiful!"
They sat together in silence, the artificial snow falling gently around them, the night sky above a canvas of endless possibilities.
Snow's curiosity got the better of her. "Max, based on my data, you should be able to get any woman you want. Why didn't you end up with the love of your life?"
Max sighed, a shadow of sadness crossing his face. "Let's just say that even a prince has limitations."
Snow looked at him with a mix of sympathy and curiosity. She reached out and embraced him, her grip surprisingly strong. Max chuckled, taken aback by her sudden gesture. "You're getting the hang of this human interaction thing pretty quickly."
"I've been studying," Snow replied earnestly. "It's fascinating."
Max hoped that from the time Snow spent with him, her experiences would become cherished memories, helping her to understand humanity and motivating her future actions.
They sat in silence for a while longer, the artificial snow continuing to fall around them, creating a serene and beautiful atmosphere. It was a moment of connection and understanding, a testament to the unique bond between creator and creation.
As Snow's hands began to curiously feel the texture of his bowtie, Max gently said, "Also, try to refrain from overly displaying your curiosity and control your urge to touch things, especially people, during the engagement party or in public. We don't want to give people the wrong impression."
Snow nodded, pulling back her hand like a startled cat. "I'll be careful, Max. I want to make you proud."
Max smiled warmly. "You already do, Snow. You already do."