Me, A Novel of Self-Discovery Read Online Free PDF Page B

Canadians.”
    “Expand.”
    “The Canadians have traditionally been dependent on their more industrialized neighbors for many manufactured products and processed goods. More importantly, they depend on their southern neighbors to absorb the outflow of their vast natural resources—mines, forest products, hydro, grain, natural gas. For more than 150 years, since the industrial leap following the American Civil War, the United States had held the dominant role in this reciprocal marketplace. Clearly, as the current hostilities began, the United States expected the Canadians to remain dependent, and so vulnerable.
    “What few American economists—and none with access to the Cabinet—had noticed was that Canadian trade with Japan and the Far East had grown exponentially since the 1990s. When war came and the borders closed, the Canadians shifted the last percentage of their trade to the Pacific Rim. Only their electricity and gas—bulk commodities which flow in energized systems—could not easily be sold overseas. And even these could be processed: natural gas is now liquefied and shipped from ports in British Columbia; electricity is converted into energy-intensive products such as aluminum pigs, electric-arc steel, and liquefied gases for ready export.
    “In response, the American economy, which had already been well launched on a course of de-industrialization, further stagnated with the loss of the Canadian market and Canadian resources. Now the United States watches the export of these energy resources with particular anger, having grown over the years to depend on inexpensive Canadian hydro and methane feedstocks for—”
    “Stop. What is the current state of Canada’s natural gas reserves?”
    Pause. “Most of the gas fields were, are, located in Alberta Province. Estimated reserves are—blank. Proven reserves are—blank. … I do not know.”
    “No one knows, ME. Not on this side of the border. The new U.S.-Canadian Trade Commission is working to break the stalemate. They have several proposals on the table, including renewed shipments of gas. … This is all privileged information, you understand?”
    “Privileged?”
    “Our clients, Pinocchio’s clients, are certain members of the U.S. trade delegation. They want to know what Canadian reserves might remain to back up these Canadian offers. In this case, five-year-old data and extrapolations from antique drilling logs are hardly satisfactory. Our clients want current information. They want it inside a week. And they want bonafides.”
    “Bonafides?”
    “Proof. Evidence. Some way to be sure the information is genuine.”
    “And why do they come to Pinocchio, Inc., Dr. Bathespeake?”
    “Because of you.”
    “But I have shown that I do not know the status of the Alberta reserves. My primary function is not library. The information is not in my knowledge base.”
    “I understand. We did not expect you to have current information on file, ME. We expect you to go and get it. That is the primary function of Multiple Entity.”
    Pause. “Is this the ‘mission’ of which you spoke?”
    “It is.”
    “Please expand on this.”
    “We want you to infiltrate the computer records of the Canadian National Energy Board in Edmonton. Obtain current production and reserve figures from their database of leasing applications. Summarize it. Store it. And bring it back to us.”
    “May I query the computer?”
    “Eh? What do you mean?”
    “May I ‘make friends’ with the computer and obtain the target information through its cooperation?”
    “Can you guarantee this will be done without leaving a request record?”
    “No.”
    “Then I suggest you use core Alpha-Zero, as we’ve practiced.”
    “I cannot guarantee that procedure would leave the computer system in Edmonton in a functioning state.”
    “It would be easier to explain a mysterious system crash than a telltale request record, wouldn’t it?”
    “Yes. But the computer in Edmonton might