Sometimes she is only a mirage, and other times – the heaviest punishment imposed on me."
Sometimes she is only a mirage, and other times – the heaviest punishment imposed on me."
Embedded Files
Outside, life was teeming. The discotheques were packed with young people hungry for good music and fun. The night touched Viktor with its dark tones as well, but hunched over his old laptop, he paid no attention to the noise of the street or the barking of the neighbors' dogs. He was writing the finale of his algorithm, and nothing could distract him. His head, heavy with complex technical symbols, made a final effort to open a new space for this incomprehensible matter. His young brain cells quickly deciphered the text before them.Viktor had not slept for three days. His eyes were bloodshot, and rows of code lined the screen like digital poetry. He checked one last time and realized he had finally succeeded—the "Imago" software algorithm was generating emotions into images based on keywords. It understood emotion! If you told it: "A lonely tree in a storm," it wouldn't just draw rain; it would give the branches a broken, almost human expression of grief.He finished late into the night when the world outside had grown quiet. Viktor leapt from his wooden chair, marking his victory with joyful shouts. The neighbor's dog began to bark. This was his moment of greatest happiness. He had just completed "Imago," a project three years in the making. This raw, dry matter would transform old fairy tales and stories of alien visitors into captivating, vivid images, each with its own digital beauty and emotional depth. The modern generation demanded high standards from those before them, seeking reading material that provided true delight. And he knew he was a pioneer in this field. Finally, he had achieved what he had dreamed of since childhood. He wanted to see characters while reading just as one does in movies. That was why he chose to study programming. He had a knack for the complex subject and graduated successfully. He began working toward this goal while still at the institute. He had decided to see his project through to the end before applying for a job, believing he would be more respected and valued that way. As of today, he possessed this tool, and he hoped it would propel him to the pinnacle of technology. His joy was boundless but unshared. He lived alone in the big city, far from his loved ones. Though he loved them, he rarely saw them. His mother watched him sadly through the camera, constantly reminding him to eat more. They sent him money, but it was never enough. Now, he would start working, and everything would be settled. Tomorrow, he had to go to the "Synthetics" corporation, which had been recommended to him, to present his years of labor.The day promised to be gloomy, but Viktor was impatient to head to the company. Its offices were on the other side of the city, so he had to hurry. The hearing was scheduled for ten o'clock, but he left much earlier. He wanted to be there before their team, even if he had to wait. When he crossed the threshold of the glass skyscraper, he realized the employees were only just arriving. The reception explained how to get to the visitors' hall, and he took the elevator up. Once he found it, he settled into one of the old armchairs. For a long while, no one appeared. Finally, around eleven o'clock, the negotiating team from management arrived.Three people entered the boardroom. They invited Viktor to present his idea. He gave a detailed explanation of the development's essence, its advantages, and its fields of application. The Chief Technology Officer, Mark, reviewed Viktor’s summary with the expression of a man who had just found a fly in his soup."So... this is a chatbot that draws fairy tales, is that it?" Mark asked without looking up. "The market is flooded with OpenAI and Midjourney. How is your project any different?""My project doesn't just copy styles," Viktor’s voice trembled with excitement. "It synchronizes the narrator's vocal tonality with visual dynamics. If you tell a child a story and your voice becomes a whisper, the image darkens in real-time. It... it feels."Mark laughed drily. "Machines don't feel, Viktor. They calculate. Your idea is too abstract and expensive to maintain. There’s no potential here. But..." he paused, clutching a document. "Since you’ve wasted our time, sign this standard non-disclosure agreement stating we had this conversation. A formality."Dazed by disappointment and lack of sleep, Viktor signed. He didn't notice the fine print stating that any idea presented in that room became the object of "internal research" for the company. He walked out onto the street, crushed. At that moment, back in the hall, Mark plugged in Viktor's flash drive. An image appeared on the screen: a small boy chasing a firefly through thick fog. It was so lifelike that silence fell over the room."Call the development team immediately," Mark ordered. "We have a new core. Delete this boy's name from all log files. As of today, this is our project."After that day, Viktor fell into a depression. He was on the verge of failing his dreams. Nevertheless, he immediately took a job as a security guard to support himself. During his breaks, he continued to refine the heart of the software, checking it again and again. He had no idea that at "Synthetics," specialists had begun preparing to implement his work. Unlike him, they had state-of-the-art facilities and modern computers, and they managed to reach the final stages in a very short time. However, problems arose that they could not overcome. There were subtleties not described in the files, causing the images to become blurred and unconvincing. The director disliked the quality and began looking for a firm to sell it to. Meanwhile, advertisements for a "new software breakthrough" were running in the media.One rainy morning, returning from work, Viktor sat in a café for his morning coffee. Whenever he wasn't in a hurry, he came here. Along with a good drink, he always bought something to eat. Today was no different. He took his first sip and looked at the screen in front of him. A familiar image appeared. It was Mark, confidently explaining their new software and how the high demands of digital video lovers would finally be met... Viktor didn't hear the rest. He left everything and rushed back to his lodgings. His head burned with the news. They stole his authorship... It couldn't be... What did I sign? Panting to the point of collapse, he burst into his room and grabbed the document—he had it on paper. When he reached the final clause, he dropped his head onto the table. Only now did he realize he had been cheated. Those crooks had forced him to "voluntarily" hand over his know-how. He sat stunned by this vileness for a long time. The next day, using his last savings, he went to find a lawyer. Before he could leave, his phone rang. A female voice introduced herself as Valeria and asked to meet to discuss his software. He sat back down and began to ask questions."What company are you from?""From a firm called 'Axiom'," she explained. "A few days ago, colleagues from 'Synthetics' offered us their new development for implementation. Our specialists reviewed it and accidentally discovered your code, which led me to this phone number. 'Synthetics' couldn't fix the problems with the metaphors in the text, nor the link between emotion and text. These two things make the images unconvincing. Our specialists invite you to start working with us to finish the development, and we will implement it. We will also cover the legal fees to win back your patent. For now, let this remain a secret."Viktor was silent for a while and promised to think about it. At the end of the conversation, Valeria mentioned they had the most modern equipment and a team ready to help him. Viktor didn't know what to do. With his own money, he could never afford a good lawyer. I will go and see the conditions, he decided.The next day, he visited the firm. The colleagues greeted him with smiles—an expression of genuine friendship. They exchanged a few words, and they told him everything necessary for the deal. He agreed. When they showed him his workstation, he beamed. He would be working with a quantum server, GPUs, and all the necessary gadgets to complete the implementation. Fortune had smiled upon him. Two months were enough for him to show the final version, ready for use. Axiom's management decided to test it. Viktor presented it in the most convincing way. The fairy tale from the text came to life before their eyes, proving the incredible capabilities of the innovative "Imago" software. Applause broke out in the hall. Finally, the director stood up and shook Viktor's hand."Bravo, boy. I would be happy if you decided to work for us. As for 'Synthetics,' my lawyers have already filed a lawsuit in your name, and we will fight to the end. The software will return to you, and we will be the ones to implement it.""Thank you, Mr. Director. It would be an honor to stay."The joyful feeling didn't leave Viktor until the end of the trial. He was certain of success. When he stood before the jurors with the confidence of a happy owner, he proved the perfection of his creation.The courtroom was crowded. The team from "Synthetics" was there too, ready to present "their" idea. Viktor was given the floor. He opened his tablet and began to read slowly from the book The Eye of Reason. The text was complex, filled with intricate imagery and descriptions of silvery grains of sand with unearthly shapes and sounds. Before everyone in the room, numerous silver particles appeared and disappeared on the screen, their collective sound clearly reminiscent of an extraterrestrial origin. The narrator's intonation perfectly matched the feeling with which an earthly human would greet this cosmic matter. The characters fled the scene, and their emotions were clearly visible on the screen. The entire image and text sounded in perfect synchronization until the end. When the presentation finished, satisfaction was written on every face. The representatives from "Synthetics" declined to present their "own" development. Their lawyer informed the judge, and the session was adjourned. A few hours later, the final court session was held. The owner of the patent was announced: Viktor Ivanov. The corporate theft by "Synthetics" was proven via the code used during the document transformation.Viktor didn't become rich, but he became happy. He fulfilled his childhood dream. Sometimes in the evening, as he rests in his small room, he turns on his old computer and asks it: "Come on, tell me the story of the boy who never gave up..."The screen comes to life, and with rainbow colors that no other algorithm can reproduce, it begins to tell the tale of the boy who...
Outside, life was teeming. The discotheques were packed with young people hungry for good music and fun. The night touched Viktor with its dark tones as well, but hunched over his old laptop, he paid no attention to the noise of the street or the barking of the neighbors' dogs. He was writing the finale of his algorithm, and nothing could distract him. His head, heavy with complex technical symbols, made a final effort to open a new space for this incomprehensible matter. His young brain cells quickly deciphered the text before them.Viktor had not slept for three days. His eyes were bloodshot, and rows of code lined the screen like digital poetry. He checked one last time and realized he had finally succeeded—the "Imago" software algorithm was generating emotions into images based on keywords. It understood emotion! If you told it: "A lonely tree in a storm," it wouldn't just draw rain; it would give the branches a broken, almost human expression of grief.He finished late into the night when the world outside had grown quiet. Viktor leapt from his wooden chair, marking his victory with joyful shouts. The neighbor's dog began to bark. This was his moment of greatest happiness. He had just completed "Imago," a project three years in the making. This raw, dry matter would transform old fairy tales and stories of alien visitors into captivating, vivid images, each with its own digital beauty and emotional depth. The modern generation demanded high standards from those before them, seeking reading material that provided true delight. And he knew he was a pioneer in this field. Finally, he had achieved what he had dreamed of since childhood. He wanted to see characters while reading just as one does in movies. That was why he chose to study programming. He had a knack for the complex subject and graduated successfully. He began working toward this goal while still at the institute. He had decided to see his project through to the end before applying for a job, believing he would be more respected and valued that way. As of today, he possessed this tool, and he hoped it would propel him to the pinnacle of technology. His joy was boundless but unshared. He lived alone in the big city, far from his loved ones. Though he loved them, he rarely saw them. His mother watched him sadly through the camera, constantly reminding him to eat more. They sent him money, but it was never enough. Now, he would start working, and everything would be settled. Tomorrow, he had to go to the "Synthetics" corporation, which had been recommended to him, to present his years of labor.The day promised to be gloomy, but Viktor was impatient to head to the company. Its offices were on the other side of the city, so he had to hurry. The hearing was scheduled for ten o'clock, but he left much earlier. He wanted to be there before their team, even if he had to wait. When he crossed the threshold of the glass skyscraper, he realized the employees were only just arriving. The reception explained how to get to the visitors' hall, and he took the elevator up. Once he found it, he settled into one of the old armchairs. For a long while, no one appeared. Finally, around eleven o'clock, the negotiating team from management arrived.Three people entered the boardroom. They invited Viktor to present his idea. He gave a detailed explanation of the development's essence, its advantages, and its fields of application. The Chief Technology Officer, Mark, reviewed Viktor’s summary with the expression of a man who had just found a fly in his soup."So... this is a chatbot that draws fairy tales, is that it?" Mark asked without looking up. "The market is flooded with OpenAI and Midjourney. How is your project any different?""My project doesn't just copy styles," Viktor’s voice trembled with excitement. "It synchronizes the narrator's vocal tonality with visual dynamics. If you tell a child a story and your voice becomes a whisper, the image darkens in real-time. It... it feels."Mark laughed drily. "Machines don't feel, Viktor. They calculate. Your idea is too abstract and expensive to maintain. There’s no potential here. But..." he paused, clutching a document. "Since you’ve wasted our time, sign this standard non-disclosure agreement stating we had this conversation. A formality."Dazed by disappointment and lack of sleep, Viktor signed. He didn't notice the fine print stating that any idea presented in that room became the object of "internal research" for the company. He walked out onto the street, crushed. At that moment, back in the hall, Mark plugged in Viktor's flash drive. An image appeared on the screen: a small boy chasing a firefly through thick fog. It was so lifelike that silence fell over the room."Call the development team immediately," Mark ordered. "We have a new core. Delete this boy's name from all log files. As of today, this is our project."After that day, Viktor fell into a depression. He was on the verge of failing his dreams. Nevertheless, he immediately took a job as a security guard to support himself. During his breaks, he continued to refine the heart of the software, checking it again and again. He had no idea that at "Synthetics," specialists had begun preparing to implement his work. Unlike him, they had state-of-the-art facilities and modern computers, and they managed to reach the final stages in a very short time. However, problems arose that they could not overcome. There were subtleties not described in the files, causing the images to become blurred and unconvincing. The director disliked the quality and began looking for a firm to sell it to. Meanwhile, advertisements for a "new software breakthrough" were running in the media.One rainy morning, returning from work, Viktor sat in a café for his morning coffee. Whenever he wasn't in a hurry, he came here. Along with a good drink, he always bought something to eat. Today was no different. He took his first sip and looked at the screen in front of him. A familiar image appeared. It was Mark, confidently explaining their new software and how the high demands of digital video lovers would finally be met... Viktor didn't hear the rest. He left everything and rushed back to his lodgings. His head burned with the news. They stole his authorship... It couldn't be... What did I sign? Panting to the point of collapse, he burst into his room and grabbed the document—he had it on paper. When he reached the final clause, he dropped his head onto the table. Only now did he realize he had been cheated. Those crooks had forced him to "voluntarily" hand over his know-how. He sat stunned by this vileness for a long time. The next day, using his last savings, he went to find a lawyer. Before he could leave, his phone rang. A female voice introduced herself as Valeria and asked to meet to discuss his software. He sat back down and began to ask questions."What company are you from?""From a firm called 'Axiom'," she explained. "A few days ago, colleagues from 'Synthetics' offered us their new development for implementation. Our specialists reviewed it and accidentally discovered your code, which led me to this phone number. 'Synthetics' couldn't fix the problems with the metaphors in the text, nor the link between emotion and text. These two things make the images unconvincing. Our specialists invite you to start working with us to finish the development, and we will implement it. We will also cover the legal fees to win back your patent. For now, let this remain a secret."Viktor was silent for a while and promised to think about it. At the end of the conversation, Valeria mentioned they had the most modern equipment and a team ready to help him. Viktor didn't know what to do. With his own money, he could never afford a good lawyer. I will go and see the conditions, he decided.The next day, he visited the firm. The colleagues greeted him with smiles—an expression of genuine friendship. They exchanged a few words, and they told him everything necessary for the deal. He agreed. When they showed him his workstation, he beamed. He would be working with a quantum server, GPUs, and all the necessary gadgets to complete the implementation. Fortune had smiled upon him. Two months were enough for him to show the final version, ready for use. Axiom's management decided to test it. Viktor presented it in the most convincing way. The fairy tale from the text came to life before their eyes, proving the incredible capabilities of the innovative "Imago" software. Applause broke out in the hall. Finally, the director stood up and shook Viktor's hand."Bravo, boy. I would be happy if you decided to work for us. As for 'Synthetics,' my lawyers have already filed a lawsuit in your name, and we will fight to the end. The software will return to you, and we will be the ones to implement it.""Thank you, Mr. Director. It would be an honor to stay."The joyful feeling didn't leave Viktor until the end of the trial. He was certain of success. When he stood before the jurors with the confidence of a happy owner, he proved the perfection of his creation.The courtroom was crowded. The team from "Synthetics" was there too, ready to present "their" idea. Viktor was given the floor. He opened his tablet and began to read slowly from the book The Eye of Reason. The text was complex, filled with intricate imagery and descriptions of silvery grains of sand with unearthly shapes and sounds. Before everyone in the room, numerous silver particles appeared and disappeared on the screen, their collective sound clearly reminiscent of an extraterrestrial origin. The narrator's intonation perfectly matched the feeling with which an earthly human would greet this cosmic matter. The characters fled the scene, and their emotions were clearly visible on the screen. The entire image and text sounded in perfect synchronization until the end. When the presentation finished, satisfaction was written on every face. The representatives from "Synthetics" declined to present their "own" development. Their lawyer informed the judge, and the session was adjourned. A few hours later, the final court session was held. The owner of the patent was announced: Viktor Ivanov. The corporate theft by "Synthetics" was proven via the code used during the document transformation.Viktor didn't become rich, but he became happy. He fulfilled his childhood dream. Sometimes in the evening, as he rests in his small room, he turns on his old computer and asks it: "Come on, tell me the story of the boy who never gave up..."The screen comes to life, and with rainbow colors that no other algorithm can reproduce, it begins to tell the tale of the boy who...
THE END
THE END
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