The delegation wasn't government, corporate or Samurai. It was all three. It was a weird mix. Normally tech flows outward from the Protectors, but this time, possibly, it would flow the other way. Figures, all those catalogues are named for the protected peoples who contributed them. Seemed like humanity was going to get credit for Australia's ecology.
Silica reinforced eucalypts evolved as a consequence of indigenous use of fire to flush game. So a protracted act of ecological vandalism from a group whose technology peaked with pointy sticks and fingerpainting was likely to end up as the crowning achievement of humanity. The irony was palpable.
The group wanted in. I didn't see why they needed me until Autumn explained in my ear.
It's our little project. Mine, really, but also yours because if you want to defend your little forest you are going to need comprehensive awareness of everything in it above and below ground. So we are going to instrument ... everything, really. I need a real network, not your tinkertoy internet. Initially we'll use mesh WiFi but as we roll out more and more nodes the EM radiation for all that traffic would become damaging. They know this. They know we will be deploying lots of telemetry. They know it will be cordless and wireless and tiny and they know it has to work through rock and soil. Their scientists will have realised that by tiny I mean small enough to be inside the plants and animals, so I don't imagine the espionage applications are lost on your government and corporate friends here. They can't wait to get their hands on things that are normally in class VII catalogues.
I said hello and sat down to listen to their bullshit. When it ended, I decided to play dumb and take their help.
"Sure, that will save a heap of time and it's for the common good. Autumn, how do you feel about having interns?"
One of the lads from CSIRO bristled so I spoke again, this time to him directly.
"Don't get bent out of shape unless your experience is so good you're ready to school the Protectors. You're a novice, I'm a novice. From their perspective we might as well be fresh out of school. I'm just glad we're the ones with the internships." His mouth made a startled 'O' and he subsided.
What the hell are you thinking?! Autumn exclaimed inside my head. I winked, which shut her up pending a chat.
Trix plied everyone with tea and biscuits and fresh-baked bread. Since they thought they were going to get what they wanted, the gathering was convivial until finally it broke up and the last vehicle lurched down the goat track that we call a driveway.
This better be good.
"The stuff you don't want them to have is basically Class whatever nano-IOT, right?"
Yes. I don't know what would be worse, a grey goo disaster or ubiquitous surveillance.
"We already have ubiqitous surveillance, why do you think I live out here? But we're starting with big and clunky, right? And we can use help deploying and monitoring and analysing, until we reach the point where you want to bring out the big boy toys."
They won't like being played.
"The bullies and bureaucrats don't quite know what they want. The techies you can win over with your charming personality and gated access to nerd porn. If they have to choose between their lords and masters and a charming dealer who can feed their habit..."
Did you just compare me to a drug dealer?
"A charming one, with an incredibly sexy voice. The important thing is you can trickle things out. You can firewall the tech by never giving them anything they have the tech tree to make. Or you could go the other way and steer them with bait."
You want me to play god.
"Not if you don't-"
I'm in.