Ann considered the questions carefully.
"So far, I've only been issuing commands. I have not yet tried transferring significant amounts of data between the computer and my brain, although I suspect it would not take very long. At first, I couldn't sustain the connection for very long, as it tired me out. As I interfaced more and more, I was able to coonnect for much longer before getting tired. I've had no success controlling my ship using the nanites, but that may be possible in the future."
"Ah, ok", she said and thought about it. "Your brain is full of these nanofibers, that's too dangerous to replicate. But we could create that to a smaller degree to connect a computer to a brain I think.... You know, you could even try to interface with a Consensus Computer, to see if you could use it" She took out a small chromed bean. Before Ann could take it, she continued. "But wait, if you accept this device, and start communicating with the Consensus, there is no way back. You would then know too much about us to let you go simply. You could work for us then though, if you want that" Jane looked at her interested, waiting for an answer.
"Common sense is the best distributed commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it." René Descartes
Ann considered her options. Inside that chrome bean lay unknown power, possibly even a step towards godhood. But, just as she thought, there was no turning back. Part of her suspected a trap, that she would simply be converted into a mindless drone for whatever the Consensus needed. Conversely, a casual glance at history showed her that having, or even presuming to have, that level of power could be a very dangerous thing. Was she prepared to risk either of those?
Yes. She had come this far, flown out to the furthest reaches of known space. To turn back now would be a waste.
"Yes."
Ann took the computer and affixed it above her right ear. Almost immediately, the nanites made the connection, and she was thrust into infinity.
For a few moments, she felt as if she was one of them, though to her, it was an eternity. For what seemed like aeons, she perused the Consensus' databanks, gaining their knowledge. This was her reward, for all she had suffered in her pursuit of knowledge. The long journey out to Gammu... The uncertainty of surviving the accident... Her awkward start at Liberty University... Social isolation... Her parents' disapproval...
When she returned to the materium, she was lying on the floor in a heap. Her eyes flung open, and that was when she fully comprehended what she had experienced. Silent from the shock, she stood back up and sat on the chair. "That was... incredible."
Jane stood there, watching Ann as she dropped to the ground and looked unconscious. She thought it failed, until she felt Ann appearing in the Consensus Networks. She looked at the tiny chromium bean above her ear, nearly feeling how the millions of connections and components came online and started to work, how hundreds of connections were formed between the weird nanite made structure in Ann's body and the AI interface.
Then Ann opened her eyes again, standing up and sat down on the seat. "Welcome in the Consensus, Ann Ryder", she greeted her and smiled. "You're interfaced with the rest of us now. How does it ... feel?"
"Common sense is the best distributed commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it." René Descartes
Jane smiled. "You can silence them if it grows too much for your brain. But you should start to explore the possibilities of the interface. You can control your ship with it, without using physical controls. You can access the neuralnet with it, without any screen. And you can store data in it, or upload and download things from and to the AI network and the neuralnet"
"We got no drinks here I'm sorry. You can get one later if you want", she said and rubbed her eyes.
"Common sense is the best distributed commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it." René Descartes
Ann was about to answer the Consensus android. But before she got the chance to speak, even using her new computer, all the voices in her head cut. All of them, even the one from the woman in front of her. And then, two green eyes materialised in mid-air between her and the woman.
The two green eyes kept on hovering. Jane suddenly collapsed, not moving. Then, Ann could hear a massive, powerful voice seemingly coming out of nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Strangely, the voice appeared to be both in text and in sound in her head."Greetings, Ann. I am known as the Anomaly. I welcome you into the Consensus on behalf of the Culture, and leave an invitation for you to join us. In case you are wondering what happened to "Jane", she is simply... "asleep". If you have any further questions, just ask. I have embedded a comm link in your new implant. Oh, and in case you are interested, I know where those nanites of yours come from."The voice then went silent, and the green eyes disappeared, leaving no trace. Jane's eyes suddenly opened, and she sprang to her feet.