Lana shook her head. “Maybe they are lonely.” She said. “But at least we’re here, right?”
She smiled and, relieved, Max smiled back.
There was a pause, and the TV cut in again, briefly distracting the both of them.
“If what you’re saying is true, and we’re now all living under some kind of… Machine dictator-”
“That’s such a crude and small-minded way to envision it.”
“Yes, well, regardless, what kind of life can we expect under the influence of the System?”
“Let me put it to you this way: human happiness, human well-being, is as important a resource as any other, so far as Master Control is concerned. Expect it to be managed efficiently.”
“Hey…” Began Max, slowly turning away from the TV. “Since this isn’t my place, and it isn’t yours, do you think… ?”
“Do I think an omnipresent, omniscient, artificial superintelligence…” Lana said, starting to laugh, albeit uncertainly. “Set all of this up? Why would it do that? Just for us? Come on, that’d be crazy!” She said. A moment later, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, she added, in a quiet voice, “Right?”
“Yeah, of course.” Said Max, shaking her head. “It’s got to be a coincidence. I mean, why would it do that for me? Just because I was feeling a little down, a little alone…”
She trailed off, but after a moment, Lana spoke up.
“A little isolated, irrelevant, lost…” She concluded, softly. “Maybe it wasn’t just for you.”
Max pursed her lips, briefly, then spoke up. “Whatever all this is,” She said. “I’m really glad to have met you. It’s nice to finally have someone to talk to.”
“Yeah.” Said Lana. “Likewise.”
A little drone pushed its way out of the café’s wide, glass doors. It was, essentially, just a long, white tray. It had four little rotors, one on each corner, with a little camera at the front of its underside, behind which was an extendable arm with a small claw at its end. Balancing delicately on the tray, were two cups of coffee.
The drone floated its way over to the table and placed both cups on the table, one for both of its occupants. Max and Lana watched, wordlessly, as it then turned around and went back inside. And shortly thereafter, the lights in the café went out.
A Straightforward Enigma 