Acknowledgements

My heartfelt thanks to Alister McFarlane for his unwavering dedication, sharp eye for detail, and tireless efforts to ensure the technological accuracy of the story. His rigorous questioning certainly gave me a few headaches—but also elevated the realism and depth of the manuscript. Thank you, Al—headaches and all.

I’m also deeply grateful to Nancy Boisvert, whose keen editorial sense improved the manuscript’s grammar and flow. Her encouragement and support were invaluable. Though her namesake, Jordan Gregory’s assistant, has a small role in the story, it reflects my appreciation for Nancy’s important contributions—because there are no minor characters, only minor parts.

Finally, sincere thanks to Janet Guise, who helped transform my thoughts into a focused, coherent narrative. Her editorial guidance was instrumental in shaping this book, and the character Janet Faber stands as a tribute to her vital role in its creation.

Author’s Last Thoughts

The age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is upon us. While itpromises many rewards as we learn to adopt its benefits, there are also lurkingin the shadows, hazards associated with this technology.

Like any technological tool, AI can be used for good, or it can beused for evil. The choice comes down to human control—at least for now. If AIgains the ability to act independently from human interaction and unrestrictedlimits, that tool will become our enemy.

As the world races to enact this newest offering from the computertechnology geniuses, there is much discussion about having safeguards around AIand how these guardrails should be enacted to prevent a catastrophe.

Since the 1970s, our society has embraced computing technology anddepends on it daily. Just think how many objects we use daily that havetechnological ‘brains.’

Of course, PCs, smartphones, and tablet computers are the firstthings that might come to mind, but what about the cars we drive and the ATMswe use to deposit or take out cash? The scanners in the stores that we use topay for our purchases that interact with our banking institutions, and this isjust the tip of the iceberg.

Technology is at the forefront of transportation systems we use toreach our destinations. Global Positioning Satellites let us know where we areand how to reach our intended destination. The travel, banking, health, andmilitary industries heavily depend on technology.

We have come to have a symbiotic relationship with computingtechnology and trust it almost without question. However, we must not dismissthe fears raised about artificial intelligence.

Quest is a fiction story, but there is a real danger to letting AIgrow unrestricted. I hope that in reading this book, you can gain respect forthe brilliance behind the creation of AI and, at the same time, understand whythis needs to be controlled.

– Gordon Greene (2025)