K. Rowe's Blog, page 2
December 18, 2015
Servo 30:1
Servo 30:1
Suz opened the door to the hardware store and ushered me in. She seemed a bit annoyed that she’d been sent out again in search of supplies. I figured she’d be happy to be out of the claustrophobic hotel room. All of us jammed in there were getting downright uncomfortable. I longed to be back at the farm house with my own room. We wandered in and were “greeted” by an older man at the counter. “May I help you, children?”Suz shook her head. “No, thank you, we just need a can of spray paint.”“I can’t sell that to you without adult consent.”“I’m eighteen, I’m an adult,” she replied smugly. “And we’re not out to deface any property if that’s what you’re worried about.”I followed her to the back where we found a rack containing dozens of cans. They were in a rainbow of colors, but my eye was drawn to the various gray shades. Producing the bot finger, I held it up until I found a reasonable match. “This is the closest.”“All right, grab a can. I hope it works.”“Me too.” I tucked the finger away and reached for a can, jiggling it loose. Handing it to Suz, I figured it would be best if she paid for it. The less suspicion the better. We went to the counter and the man eyed us anyway. Suz paid for the paint and we left without uttering a word. I carried the small plastic sack with the metallic can making the occasional rattle with the glass marble in it. To me, it made too much noise. I wanted complete silence so we didn’t alert another battle bot. As we walked, I swore I saw more of them than earlier. Just about every street corner had a bot stationed on it. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end; my stomach cramped with anxiety; this was no place to be. Our pace hastened as we felt too many sets of electronic eyes on us. I knew they were watching our every move; looking for some reason to detain us. We could not afford to give them one.The hotel loomed just a few blocks away when I saw a battle bot in hot pursuit of a man. He was running flat out, a small bag in his left hand. I guessed his age to be mid-forties, his clothes weren’t the kind normally found in the Inner States. The bot caught up to him in the middle of the street. I wanted to turn my head and look away, but it happened so quick I couldn’t. The bot delivered a quick blow, the man was sent to the asphalt, his head smacking with a loud thud. He screamed as the bot stepped on his lower leg, crushing it. And then I watched bot grab the man by the back of his shirt and drag him to his feet. It stuck out a scanner and scanned the man’s arm. The man continued to plead and cry; dropping the bag.“It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it!” he said, tears coming to his eyes.“You are an unauthorized citizen who has committed theft.”“I didn’t take anything! Look in the bag, the receipt is there!”The bot glanced down at the bag. “You have been found guilty of theft.”“No! No! I didn’t take anything!”“Why were you running?”“I was trying to catch the bus.”“Irrelevant. You have been found guilty of theft.”“No!”“You are an unauthorized citizen. Produce your travel papers.”“I’m here visiting my sister, she sent me to the store to get some apples. The papers are at her house. I’m legally here, I can assure you!”“Irrelevant. You have been found guilty of theft.”We watched the bot drag the poor man off to an awaiting enforcement vehicle where he was roughly thrown into the back. The doors slammed shut and I assume the man would be taken to the very same prison I sprang Otto from. Hell on earth.“It’s starting,” I said softly. “We need to hurry.”Suz stood transfixed by the incident. I think in her little mind she was trying to come to terms with her perfect world crashing down around her. She probably found it inconceivable the government of the Inner States would turn on its own people. After the vehicle and bot left, I went into the street and picked up the bag. Inside I found three rather bruised apples and a receipt from the grocery store a block away. The bot had failed to verify the man’s story. “It violated the law,” I said, carrying the bag to the side of the street.“What?”“That bot violated the first of Asimov’s laws: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm…It threw that man to the ground and stepped on his leg.”“Oh,” Suz said, her mouth hanging open slightly. “Then Dad was right.”“Of course he was.” I gave her a nudge, “Let’s get back to the room.”“Right.”Our stride hastened even more; trying to reach safety but not look too obvious. Three more battle bots watched our progress. I kept staring toward the hotel, my eyes catching movement out of one side. A bot was following us. Oh no!“We need to slow down,” I whispered.“What?!”“We’re being followed.”“Halt citizens!” the bot called.Suz and I froze in our tracks. I regarded the bag in my hand and quickly dug out the receipt. The bot approached. “I.D. scan.”We offered our hands and the mechanical menace scanned us. “Why were you in a hurry?”It was my turn to come up with a story. My stomach twinged a little and that was enough to help me. “Oh, I’m sick, haven’t been feeling well. I need to get to a bathroom.” I put my hand over my abdomen and groaned a few times. “Do you require medical assistance?”“No, I require a toilet. We’re staying at the hotel—there,” I replied, pointing and following it up with more moaning and groaning. “I’m sick!”The bot looked us over. “You have been to a retail establishment?”“Yes, I have a can of paint for a summer school project. Here’s the receipt.” I held it up. “Bought and paid for.”It scrutinized the receipt all while I continued my charade. “Oh! Ow! Oh, my stomach!” I played the part like a seasoned actor. Suz tried to hide a smile; although deep down, I was confident she was scared out of her mind.“You do not require medical assistance?” the bot said.“No! I need to get to the hotel.”“Resume your travels. I will notify other units in the area not to delay you.”“Thanks, so can we go?” Suz asked.“Affirmative.”“Can we walk fast or even run a little?” “Affirmative.”
Suz opened the door to the hardware store and ushered me in. She seemed a bit annoyed that she’d been sent out again in search of supplies. I figured she’d be happy to be out of the claustrophobic hotel room. All of us jammed in there were getting downright uncomfortable. I longed to be back at the farm house with my own room. We wandered in and were “greeted” by an older man at the counter. “May I help you, children?”Suz shook her head. “No, thank you, we just need a can of spray paint.”“I can’t sell that to you without adult consent.”“I’m eighteen, I’m an adult,” she replied smugly. “And we’re not out to deface any property if that’s what you’re worried about.”I followed her to the back where we found a rack containing dozens of cans. They were in a rainbow of colors, but my eye was drawn to the various gray shades. Producing the bot finger, I held it up until I found a reasonable match. “This is the closest.”“All right, grab a can. I hope it works.”“Me too.” I tucked the finger away and reached for a can, jiggling it loose. Handing it to Suz, I figured it would be best if she paid for it. The less suspicion the better. We went to the counter and the man eyed us anyway. Suz paid for the paint and we left without uttering a word. I carried the small plastic sack with the metallic can making the occasional rattle with the glass marble in it. To me, it made too much noise. I wanted complete silence so we didn’t alert another battle bot. As we walked, I swore I saw more of them than earlier. Just about every street corner had a bot stationed on it. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end; my stomach cramped with anxiety; this was no place to be. Our pace hastened as we felt too many sets of electronic eyes on us. I knew they were watching our every move; looking for some reason to detain us. We could not afford to give them one.The hotel loomed just a few blocks away when I saw a battle bot in hot pursuit of a man. He was running flat out, a small bag in his left hand. I guessed his age to be mid-forties, his clothes weren’t the kind normally found in the Inner States. The bot caught up to him in the middle of the street. I wanted to turn my head and look away, but it happened so quick I couldn’t. The bot delivered a quick blow, the man was sent to the asphalt, his head smacking with a loud thud. He screamed as the bot stepped on his lower leg, crushing it. And then I watched bot grab the man by the back of his shirt and drag him to his feet. It stuck out a scanner and scanned the man’s arm. The man continued to plead and cry; dropping the bag.“It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it!” he said, tears coming to his eyes.“You are an unauthorized citizen who has committed theft.”“I didn’t take anything! Look in the bag, the receipt is there!”The bot glanced down at the bag. “You have been found guilty of theft.”“No! No! I didn’t take anything!”“Why were you running?”“I was trying to catch the bus.”“Irrelevant. You have been found guilty of theft.”“No!”“You are an unauthorized citizen. Produce your travel papers.”“I’m here visiting my sister, she sent me to the store to get some apples. The papers are at her house. I’m legally here, I can assure you!”“Irrelevant. You have been found guilty of theft.”We watched the bot drag the poor man off to an awaiting enforcement vehicle where he was roughly thrown into the back. The doors slammed shut and I assume the man would be taken to the very same prison I sprang Otto from. Hell on earth.“It’s starting,” I said softly. “We need to hurry.”Suz stood transfixed by the incident. I think in her little mind she was trying to come to terms with her perfect world crashing down around her. She probably found it inconceivable the government of the Inner States would turn on its own people. After the vehicle and bot left, I went into the street and picked up the bag. Inside I found three rather bruised apples and a receipt from the grocery store a block away. The bot had failed to verify the man’s story. “It violated the law,” I said, carrying the bag to the side of the street.“What?”“That bot violated the first of Asimov’s laws: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm…It threw that man to the ground and stepped on his leg.”“Oh,” Suz said, her mouth hanging open slightly. “Then Dad was right.”“Of course he was.” I gave her a nudge, “Let’s get back to the room.”“Right.”Our stride hastened even more; trying to reach safety but not look too obvious. Three more battle bots watched our progress. I kept staring toward the hotel, my eyes catching movement out of one side. A bot was following us. Oh no!“We need to slow down,” I whispered.“What?!”“We’re being followed.”“Halt citizens!” the bot called.Suz and I froze in our tracks. I regarded the bag in my hand and quickly dug out the receipt. The bot approached. “I.D. scan.”We offered our hands and the mechanical menace scanned us. “Why were you in a hurry?”It was my turn to come up with a story. My stomach twinged a little and that was enough to help me. “Oh, I’m sick, haven’t been feeling well. I need to get to a bathroom.” I put my hand over my abdomen and groaned a few times. “Do you require medical assistance?”“No, I require a toilet. We’re staying at the hotel—there,” I replied, pointing and following it up with more moaning and groaning. “I’m sick!”The bot looked us over. “You have been to a retail establishment?”“Yes, I have a can of paint for a summer school project. Here’s the receipt.” I held it up. “Bought and paid for.”It scrutinized the receipt all while I continued my charade. “Oh! Ow! Oh, my stomach!” I played the part like a seasoned actor. Suz tried to hide a smile; although deep down, I was confident she was scared out of her mind.“You do not require medical assistance?” the bot said.“No! I need to get to the hotel.”“Resume your travels. I will notify other units in the area not to delay you.”“Thanks, so can we go?” Suz asked.“Affirmative.”“Can we walk fast or even run a little?” “Affirmative.”
December 11, 2015
Servo 29:3
Servo 29:3
Out on the street, Suz and I walked cautiously. The hardware store was not quite a mile away. “How many battle bots did you see on the way?” I asked.“Just that one.”“Maybe we’ll be lucky and it will have moved on.”“That would be good. Those things scare me.”“Me too.”“So Dad thinks there’s going to be another war?”“Yes.”“But why are the battle bots here? Shouldn’t they be on the border between the Inner and Outer States?”I walked along silently for a few moments. “This seems to be a different kind of war.”“How so?”As we turned the corner, we ran smack dab into a battle bot. I felt my breath leave me. My whole body tingled with fear. I wanted to run, but I couldn’t.It swiveled around and faced us. “Citizens, state your purpose for being in this zone,” the tinny voice said.“Uh, umm, we, uh, we uh, were just going to the store down the street,” I stuttered.The bot held out a scanner. “I.D. chips.”Suz and I looked at each other. If we ran, the bot could easily give chase and call for backup. My biggest fear was it scanning our chips and discovering that we were related to the late Thomas Blackburn. Although not fugitives, our presence might be seen as questionable. When we left the Inner States, our I.D. chips were scanned and logged as leaving the area. But we had not been scanned upon our return. How would we explain this?“I.D. chips, citizens,” the battle bot insisted.“Fine,” Suz said, holding out her hand. The bot scanned her chip. “Suzette Blackburn, age eighteen. Departed the Inner States April of 2055. No return scan on file. You are an unauthorized citizen in this district.”My sister was never one to think on her feet, but at that very moment, she pulled off the most fantastic ruse ever.“Well, you stupid bot; the day we returned, there was a computer glitch and the system was down. The agent at the border had to manually process our paperwork.”The bot said nothing for what seemed several minutes. I can only assume it was interfacing with someone at the enforcement section. “State your purpose for being here.”“We’re here visiting some friends for a couple of weeks.”“Both of you?”“Yes.”“Estimated date of departure?”“In a couple of days.”“I have been instructed to scan your I.D. chips and register you in the database.”“Will that mean other bots will not harass us?” she asked.“Affirmative.”“Good.” The bot pointed at me. “I.D. chip.”I held out my hand and it scanned me.“Jonah Blackburn, age fourteen, Departed the Inner States April of 2055. No return scan on file. You are an unauthorized citizen in this district.”“Duh!” Suz huffed, “He’s my brother!”“Is your expected departure date the same?”I shifted my gaze toward the bot’s head. It towered over me in the most menacing fashion. “Yes.”“Your file has been updated in the database.”As scared as I was, I still felt the need to extract as much information as I could. “Unit 2-5-6-9, what is your purpose here?”“To protect the citizens of New Philadelphia.”“From what?”“Threats.”“From where?”The bot was silent for a moment. Had I confused it? Finally it said: “Proceed with caution, citizens; there has been an increase in criminal actions.” “Criminals? In the Inner States?”“Affirmative.” With that, the bot faced away from us and resumed its post. Despite its seemingly benign treatment of us, I couldn’t help but feel a deep inner terror anytime I was in proximity of the monsters. Knowing their capabilities only made our mission more important. The virus hidden deep within my father’s memory cores had to reach its destination.
Out on the street, Suz and I walked cautiously. The hardware store was not quite a mile away. “How many battle bots did you see on the way?” I asked.“Just that one.”“Maybe we’ll be lucky and it will have moved on.”“That would be good. Those things scare me.”“Me too.”“So Dad thinks there’s going to be another war?”“Yes.”“But why are the battle bots here? Shouldn’t they be on the border between the Inner and Outer States?”I walked along silently for a few moments. “This seems to be a different kind of war.”“How so?”As we turned the corner, we ran smack dab into a battle bot. I felt my breath leave me. My whole body tingled with fear. I wanted to run, but I couldn’t.It swiveled around and faced us. “Citizens, state your purpose for being in this zone,” the tinny voice said.“Uh, umm, we, uh, we uh, were just going to the store down the street,” I stuttered.The bot held out a scanner. “I.D. chips.”Suz and I looked at each other. If we ran, the bot could easily give chase and call for backup. My biggest fear was it scanning our chips and discovering that we were related to the late Thomas Blackburn. Although not fugitives, our presence might be seen as questionable. When we left the Inner States, our I.D. chips were scanned and logged as leaving the area. But we had not been scanned upon our return. How would we explain this?“I.D. chips, citizens,” the battle bot insisted.“Fine,” Suz said, holding out her hand. The bot scanned her chip. “Suzette Blackburn, age eighteen. Departed the Inner States April of 2055. No return scan on file. You are an unauthorized citizen in this district.”My sister was never one to think on her feet, but at that very moment, she pulled off the most fantastic ruse ever.“Well, you stupid bot; the day we returned, there was a computer glitch and the system was down. The agent at the border had to manually process our paperwork.”The bot said nothing for what seemed several minutes. I can only assume it was interfacing with someone at the enforcement section. “State your purpose for being here.”“We’re here visiting some friends for a couple of weeks.”“Both of you?”“Yes.”“Estimated date of departure?”“In a couple of days.”“I have been instructed to scan your I.D. chips and register you in the database.”“Will that mean other bots will not harass us?” she asked.“Affirmative.”“Good.” The bot pointed at me. “I.D. chip.”I held out my hand and it scanned me.“Jonah Blackburn, age fourteen, Departed the Inner States April of 2055. No return scan on file. You are an unauthorized citizen in this district.”“Duh!” Suz huffed, “He’s my brother!”“Is your expected departure date the same?”I shifted my gaze toward the bot’s head. It towered over me in the most menacing fashion. “Yes.”“Your file has been updated in the database.”As scared as I was, I still felt the need to extract as much information as I could. “Unit 2-5-6-9, what is your purpose here?”“To protect the citizens of New Philadelphia.”“From what?”“Threats.”“From where?”The bot was silent for a moment. Had I confused it? Finally it said: “Proceed with caution, citizens; there has been an increase in criminal actions.” “Criminals? In the Inner States?”“Affirmative.” With that, the bot faced away from us and resumed its post. Despite its seemingly benign treatment of us, I couldn’t help but feel a deep inner terror anytime I was in proximity of the monsters. Knowing their capabilities only made our mission more important. The virus hidden deep within my father’s memory cores had to reach its destination.
December 4, 2015
Servo 29:2
Servo 29:2
The next morning I was awakened by a cold yet gentle hand on my shoulder. “Wake up, Jonah,” said Dad as he nudged me. “Time to get breakfast and start work.”“Mmm?” I replied, groggy from finally reaching a deeper sleep.“I figured out how to make the swap.”“You did?”“Yes. Suz ordered breakfast, it should be arriving shortly.”I grunted as I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “How?”“Much of the exoskeleton housing of the new bot will actually fit on my own. You can simply take the body plates off and put them on me.”“They’ll fit?”“Otto removed a couple from the bot. You might need to drill a few different holes, but they do fit. So no need to turn me off and transfer everything into it.”“Oh, that’s great!”“After breakfast, I’ll send Suz out to a hardware store to get a small drill.”I got up, grabbed my clothes, and headed to the bathroom. As I was dressing, I heard room service arrive with breakfast. The food would be awful. How I ever ate this poor excuse for culinary sustenance was beyond me. No flavor, no body, and little difference in what you ate. This was not food, it was merely nourishment. Emerging from the bathroom, my olfactory senses were assailed by a putrid stench. “Ew!” I said, pinching my nose. “What’s that smell?!”“Eggs,” Suz answered nonchalantly. “That does not smell like eggs!”She looked at her plate. “They look like eggs…Kind of.”I sat down at the table and stared at the plate in front of me. “Don’t you miss the eggs Grandma cooked?”“They were all right,” she replied.My stomach began to turn as I picked up a fork and poked at the yellow gelatinous substance. “This is not eggs.”Dad approached the table. “You used to like them.”“Not anymore!”“Real food and real cooking have spoiled you.”“Yes, and I like it that way.”There was a loud clatter as Otto dropped his fork and made a mad dash for the bathroom. The door slammed behind and we could hear him gagging and vomiting. A few minutes later he emerged. “I can’t eat this stuff much longer. It turns my stomach.”Dad went to the window and peered out. “The sooner we can accomplish the mission at Servidyne, the sooner we can get out of here.” “I’m all for that,” Otto replied. “I’ll work on removing the exoplates off that bot. Can’t seem to keep anything down, so eating is a moot point.”Suz paused in her mastication. “Maybe you should try a salad; it might be better.”“What I want is a nice juicy hamburger with mom’s homemade cheddar cheese, and fresh grown lettuce and tomatoes.”“Mmm, that sounds heavenly,” I said, attempting to eat a patty of “sausage.” Admittedly, I couldn’t wait to get back to the Outer States and enjoy a home cooked meal prepared by Grandma. My mind was dreaming of fluffy pancakes, rich maple syrup, deliciously greasy and salty strips of bacon, and cold fresh milk. Instead I was faced with a meal made of chemically enhanced facsimile food. My stomach threatened to turn as well. After two more bites, I couldn’t take anymore. I got up and silently went to work helping Otto. We toiled on the bot for two hours and finally had all the exoplates removed. As I stood there looking over the collection of plates, my biggest concern was the head. Dad’s head was a bit bigger than the newer bot’s, so I wasn’t sure the skull plates would fit correctly. Dressing him up in human clothes was not an option. All the bots in the Inner States were kept in a state of undress. Since they weren’t deemed sentient, there was no need. The other thing I noticed was newer bots did not have exposed exospines. Hiding Dad’s might cause him difficulty in movement. “That’s it, Dad,” I said, approaching him at his spot by the window.He turned to me. “Good. Just waiting for Suz to get back.”“Do you want us to start taking off your plates?”“That might be a good idea.” He went to a chair and sat down. “After you remove them, I think I’ll get a charge. Feeling a bit sluggish lately.”“Have you figured out how to get into Servidyne?”“Still working on that.” He placed one arm on the table. “I’ll need to gain access to the main frame computer. Not an easy task.”“Can you break in at night?” Otto asked.“No, security is too tight. The only way I can think to get in would be to have Suz and Otto bring me in as a malfunctioning bot.”“But won’t they run a diagnostics program on you?” I said, picking up a screwdriver.“Doubtful. They are normally so busy I’ll be placed in a queue of other bots awaiting diagnostics. When no one is looking, I can quietly slip out and make my way to the computer.”“Are you sure that’ll work?”“I think so. There are bots roving all over the halls of that building, so I probably won’t be noticed.”Otto picked up a backplate containing the bot’s serial number and I.D. code. “Will they scan this and realize you’re stolen? I’m sure the department store reported it by now.”Dad was silent a few moments. “Yes, you’re right.”“Well, how about we bring you in and say we found you wandering aimlessly on the streets and don’t know who you belong to? That would substantiate the malfunctioning story.”“Brilliant!” Dad thrust his finger into the air. “That’s a perfect cover.”“Dad, I want to go with you,” I said.“No, it’s too dangerous.”“But—”“I’m sorry. It will be risky enough with Suz and Otto.”“But—”“If you’re discovered, and they scan your I.D. chip and find out your last name is Blackburn…”I uttered a low growl. After everything we went through, I didn’t want to let my father out of my sight. If Servidyne discovered who he was, they’d kill him again. And then we’d forever be without a father. The door opened and Suz came in. She carried several shopping bags. “Okay, I got the smallest, cheapest drill they had and a selection of bits. I also purchased a handful of screws in case you needed more.”“Good job, Suz,” Dad said. “Just put everything on the table.”“And I bought Otto and myself some disguises.”“Disguises?”“So we don’t look like ourselves.”“My dear daughter, if they want to know who you are, all they need to do is scan your I.D. chip.”“Oh, right. Didn’t think about that.”“A disguise for Otto might be prudent. The authorities might still be interested in him because he’s an outsider.”“True.”“The more you look like you belong here, the better.”“On the way home I was stopped by a battle bot.”“What did it want?”“It informed me that I needed to make haste to my destination.” She opened one of the bags and removed some clothing. “The streets are very empty.”“Doesn’t surprise me. The government wants to keep people in their houses so they can’t discuss what’s going on.”I picked up my tablet and accessed the local news pages. Of course there was nothing on the current state of New Philadelphia. In fact there was little news about anything in the Inner States. However, I did find one interesting headline:
Outer States Rallying Behind Banner of Rebellion
Skimming the article, I gleaned that the Inner States were blaming the Outer States for the mass shortages of utilities and food; citing their discontent over “generous payments” the Inner States were making. Yeah, I knew better. Especially after what Otto said they were being paid for their milk. It was a propaganda-type lie strategically placed to build unrest between the two factions. Fuel for the fire expected to ignite at any moment. Precious time was ticking away. We needed to stop this impending war and get back to what I now considered the safety of the Outer States. I no longer felt any love for this place I once called home.I glanced up to see Otto and Rory working on Dad. My brother had Dad’s skullplates off and was trying to position the new ones with little success. “They don’t fit,” he said.“That’s what I was afraid of,” I replied, getting up. “Not sure how we can make them fit.” Dad took one of the plates and examined it. “The faces are similar to 106’s, they really didn’t feel the need to change much.”“Except they don’t fit.”He held up the faceplate. “Since it’s just a dull silver color, can you find some paint?”“Maybe. Will it stick to you?”“There’s that problem.” Dad picked up one of the bot’s fingers. “Go with Suz and find some paint close to this color. Otto and Rory can stay here and continue working on me.” I took the finger. The whole situation seemed a bit macabre. We were cannibalizing one bot to disguise another. Granted the bot didn’t have any feelings or sensations as it was turned off, but it just seemed strangely wrong. The bots I’d scavenged parts from to fix Dad were long since “dead.” This one had only been functioning the day prior. Such an odd feeling that lingered in my gut.
The next morning I was awakened by a cold yet gentle hand on my shoulder. “Wake up, Jonah,” said Dad as he nudged me. “Time to get breakfast and start work.”“Mmm?” I replied, groggy from finally reaching a deeper sleep.“I figured out how to make the swap.”“You did?”“Yes. Suz ordered breakfast, it should be arriving shortly.”I grunted as I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “How?”“Much of the exoskeleton housing of the new bot will actually fit on my own. You can simply take the body plates off and put them on me.”“They’ll fit?”“Otto removed a couple from the bot. You might need to drill a few different holes, but they do fit. So no need to turn me off and transfer everything into it.”“Oh, that’s great!”“After breakfast, I’ll send Suz out to a hardware store to get a small drill.”I got up, grabbed my clothes, and headed to the bathroom. As I was dressing, I heard room service arrive with breakfast. The food would be awful. How I ever ate this poor excuse for culinary sustenance was beyond me. No flavor, no body, and little difference in what you ate. This was not food, it was merely nourishment. Emerging from the bathroom, my olfactory senses were assailed by a putrid stench. “Ew!” I said, pinching my nose. “What’s that smell?!”“Eggs,” Suz answered nonchalantly. “That does not smell like eggs!”She looked at her plate. “They look like eggs…Kind of.”I sat down at the table and stared at the plate in front of me. “Don’t you miss the eggs Grandma cooked?”“They were all right,” she replied.My stomach began to turn as I picked up a fork and poked at the yellow gelatinous substance. “This is not eggs.”Dad approached the table. “You used to like them.”“Not anymore!”“Real food and real cooking have spoiled you.”“Yes, and I like it that way.”There was a loud clatter as Otto dropped his fork and made a mad dash for the bathroom. The door slammed behind and we could hear him gagging and vomiting. A few minutes later he emerged. “I can’t eat this stuff much longer. It turns my stomach.”Dad went to the window and peered out. “The sooner we can accomplish the mission at Servidyne, the sooner we can get out of here.” “I’m all for that,” Otto replied. “I’ll work on removing the exoplates off that bot. Can’t seem to keep anything down, so eating is a moot point.”Suz paused in her mastication. “Maybe you should try a salad; it might be better.”“What I want is a nice juicy hamburger with mom’s homemade cheddar cheese, and fresh grown lettuce and tomatoes.”“Mmm, that sounds heavenly,” I said, attempting to eat a patty of “sausage.” Admittedly, I couldn’t wait to get back to the Outer States and enjoy a home cooked meal prepared by Grandma. My mind was dreaming of fluffy pancakes, rich maple syrup, deliciously greasy and salty strips of bacon, and cold fresh milk. Instead I was faced with a meal made of chemically enhanced facsimile food. My stomach threatened to turn as well. After two more bites, I couldn’t take anymore. I got up and silently went to work helping Otto. We toiled on the bot for two hours and finally had all the exoplates removed. As I stood there looking over the collection of plates, my biggest concern was the head. Dad’s head was a bit bigger than the newer bot’s, so I wasn’t sure the skull plates would fit correctly. Dressing him up in human clothes was not an option. All the bots in the Inner States were kept in a state of undress. Since they weren’t deemed sentient, there was no need. The other thing I noticed was newer bots did not have exposed exospines. Hiding Dad’s might cause him difficulty in movement. “That’s it, Dad,” I said, approaching him at his spot by the window.He turned to me. “Good. Just waiting for Suz to get back.”“Do you want us to start taking off your plates?”“That might be a good idea.” He went to a chair and sat down. “After you remove them, I think I’ll get a charge. Feeling a bit sluggish lately.”“Have you figured out how to get into Servidyne?”“Still working on that.” He placed one arm on the table. “I’ll need to gain access to the main frame computer. Not an easy task.”“Can you break in at night?” Otto asked.“No, security is too tight. The only way I can think to get in would be to have Suz and Otto bring me in as a malfunctioning bot.”“But won’t they run a diagnostics program on you?” I said, picking up a screwdriver.“Doubtful. They are normally so busy I’ll be placed in a queue of other bots awaiting diagnostics. When no one is looking, I can quietly slip out and make my way to the computer.”“Are you sure that’ll work?”“I think so. There are bots roving all over the halls of that building, so I probably won’t be noticed.”Otto picked up a backplate containing the bot’s serial number and I.D. code. “Will they scan this and realize you’re stolen? I’m sure the department store reported it by now.”Dad was silent a few moments. “Yes, you’re right.”“Well, how about we bring you in and say we found you wandering aimlessly on the streets and don’t know who you belong to? That would substantiate the malfunctioning story.”“Brilliant!” Dad thrust his finger into the air. “That’s a perfect cover.”“Dad, I want to go with you,” I said.“No, it’s too dangerous.”“But—”“I’m sorry. It will be risky enough with Suz and Otto.”“But—”“If you’re discovered, and they scan your I.D. chip and find out your last name is Blackburn…”I uttered a low growl. After everything we went through, I didn’t want to let my father out of my sight. If Servidyne discovered who he was, they’d kill him again. And then we’d forever be without a father. The door opened and Suz came in. She carried several shopping bags. “Okay, I got the smallest, cheapest drill they had and a selection of bits. I also purchased a handful of screws in case you needed more.”“Good job, Suz,” Dad said. “Just put everything on the table.”“And I bought Otto and myself some disguises.”“Disguises?”“So we don’t look like ourselves.”“My dear daughter, if they want to know who you are, all they need to do is scan your I.D. chip.”“Oh, right. Didn’t think about that.”“A disguise for Otto might be prudent. The authorities might still be interested in him because he’s an outsider.”“True.”“The more you look like you belong here, the better.”“On the way home I was stopped by a battle bot.”“What did it want?”“It informed me that I needed to make haste to my destination.” She opened one of the bags and removed some clothing. “The streets are very empty.”“Doesn’t surprise me. The government wants to keep people in their houses so they can’t discuss what’s going on.”I picked up my tablet and accessed the local news pages. Of course there was nothing on the current state of New Philadelphia. In fact there was little news about anything in the Inner States. However, I did find one interesting headline:
Outer States Rallying Behind Banner of Rebellion
Skimming the article, I gleaned that the Inner States were blaming the Outer States for the mass shortages of utilities and food; citing their discontent over “generous payments” the Inner States were making. Yeah, I knew better. Especially after what Otto said they were being paid for their milk. It was a propaganda-type lie strategically placed to build unrest between the two factions. Fuel for the fire expected to ignite at any moment. Precious time was ticking away. We needed to stop this impending war and get back to what I now considered the safety of the Outer States. I no longer felt any love for this place I once called home.I glanced up to see Otto and Rory working on Dad. My brother had Dad’s skullplates off and was trying to position the new ones with little success. “They don’t fit,” he said.“That’s what I was afraid of,” I replied, getting up. “Not sure how we can make them fit.” Dad took one of the plates and examined it. “The faces are similar to 106’s, they really didn’t feel the need to change much.”“Except they don’t fit.”He held up the faceplate. “Since it’s just a dull silver color, can you find some paint?”“Maybe. Will it stick to you?”“There’s that problem.” Dad picked up one of the bot’s fingers. “Go with Suz and find some paint close to this color. Otto and Rory can stay here and continue working on me.” I took the finger. The whole situation seemed a bit macabre. We were cannibalizing one bot to disguise another. Granted the bot didn’t have any feelings or sensations as it was turned off, but it just seemed strangely wrong. The bots I’d scavenged parts from to fix Dad were long since “dead.” This one had only been functioning the day prior. Such an odd feeling that lingered in my gut.
November 29, 2015
Servo 29:1
Servo 29:1
Besides running away from Grandma and Grandpa’s, this had to be the craziest thing I’ve ever done. The hour was late—nearly eleven at night, and the five of us were hiding around the corner from a department store a mile from the hotel. We watched a bot come out of a back door and take a large pile of boxes to a dumpster. It was a newer model, but not so new or old as to be conspicuous. “Now!” Dad bellowed.We launched into action, running toward the bot, which now had its back turned to us. Otto reached up and found the off switch. The rest of us were there to catch the bot as it collapsed. It was heavy, but not nearly as heavy as Dad. We wrestled the lifeless chassis to where my father waited.“Good job!” he said, taking the weight from us. “Let’s get back to the hotel.”“How are we going to keep from being seen? Remember there was a battle bot three blocks back,” Rory added. “I know, and there’s a way around it.” He gestured to me. “Got that sheet in your pack?”“Yup.” I produced a bedsheet that we’d temporarily “appropriated” and helped cover the bot. “Okay, let’s get go.”The journey back seemed to be filled with every peril imaginable. There wasn’t just the one battle bot, there were three! And we saw several enforcement officers driving around in patrol cars. By the time we arrived at the hotel, we were exhausted. Suz closed the door behind us and we propped the stolen bot against the wall. “That went well,” said Dad as he rummaged through my pack looking for the tools I’d brought. “Now to make the swap.”“How are we going to do that?” Rory asked, kicking off his shoes. “We can’t risk powering you down.”“I know, I know. How about you humans get some sleep while I look over the bot and see what I can figure out.” As much as I wanted to stay up and help Dad, I was beyond tired. So I grabbed my “pajamas” and headed to the bathroom. Once comfortable, I brushed my teeth and gargled with some of the hotel provided mouthwash. It tasted like liquid soap so I spit it out immediately and looked at the bottle. Nope, definitely said it was mouthwash. Yuck! Exiting the bathroom, I was passed by Suz, who wanted it next. Otto was sitting at the table with Dad. They had my tablet and were indexing through something. I decided I was too tired to encroach on their conversation; I headed for the small sofa which had now become my bed. Lying down, I pulled a lightweight blanket over and mashed the pillow in attempt to make it conform to my standards. Whaling on the foam-filled sack did little good and I was forced to sleep with a lump under the back of my neck. I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep. It was anything but a restful slumber as images of battle bots marching down the streets massacring innocent people filled my head. Was this what the Great Separation was like? The “history” texts glossed over that pivotal period in American society; offering vague details and a mostly one-sided view of the war. Having now lived on the other side of the conflict, I had a deeper understanding of why it happened. And Grandpa and Mrs. Graham helped enlighten me further. All I knew is we couldn’t let another war break out. Millions died in the last one, and the country torn in two. Yet with everything I’d seen, it appeared eminent. I hoped Dad’s plan would put an end to it. Tossing and turning, I spent a restless night. Occasionally I’d reach a level of consciousness and hear Otto and Dad still talking. Their voices were muted in the fog of my brain. I wondered if they had arrived on a plan of action. Somehow Dad would have to get inside Servidyne without being detected. My biggest fear was them catching him and wiping his memory banks. Our beloved father would be gone forever. Or would they keep him as a prisoner and study him?
Besides running away from Grandma and Grandpa’s, this had to be the craziest thing I’ve ever done. The hour was late—nearly eleven at night, and the five of us were hiding around the corner from a department store a mile from the hotel. We watched a bot come out of a back door and take a large pile of boxes to a dumpster. It was a newer model, but not so new or old as to be conspicuous. “Now!” Dad bellowed.We launched into action, running toward the bot, which now had its back turned to us. Otto reached up and found the off switch. The rest of us were there to catch the bot as it collapsed. It was heavy, but not nearly as heavy as Dad. We wrestled the lifeless chassis to where my father waited.“Good job!” he said, taking the weight from us. “Let’s get back to the hotel.”“How are we going to keep from being seen? Remember there was a battle bot three blocks back,” Rory added. “I know, and there’s a way around it.” He gestured to me. “Got that sheet in your pack?”“Yup.” I produced a bedsheet that we’d temporarily “appropriated” and helped cover the bot. “Okay, let’s get go.”The journey back seemed to be filled with every peril imaginable. There wasn’t just the one battle bot, there were three! And we saw several enforcement officers driving around in patrol cars. By the time we arrived at the hotel, we were exhausted. Suz closed the door behind us and we propped the stolen bot against the wall. “That went well,” said Dad as he rummaged through my pack looking for the tools I’d brought. “Now to make the swap.”“How are we going to do that?” Rory asked, kicking off his shoes. “We can’t risk powering you down.”“I know, I know. How about you humans get some sleep while I look over the bot and see what I can figure out.” As much as I wanted to stay up and help Dad, I was beyond tired. So I grabbed my “pajamas” and headed to the bathroom. Once comfortable, I brushed my teeth and gargled with some of the hotel provided mouthwash. It tasted like liquid soap so I spit it out immediately and looked at the bottle. Nope, definitely said it was mouthwash. Yuck! Exiting the bathroom, I was passed by Suz, who wanted it next. Otto was sitting at the table with Dad. They had my tablet and were indexing through something. I decided I was too tired to encroach on their conversation; I headed for the small sofa which had now become my bed. Lying down, I pulled a lightweight blanket over and mashed the pillow in attempt to make it conform to my standards. Whaling on the foam-filled sack did little good and I was forced to sleep with a lump under the back of my neck. I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep. It was anything but a restful slumber as images of battle bots marching down the streets massacring innocent people filled my head. Was this what the Great Separation was like? The “history” texts glossed over that pivotal period in American society; offering vague details and a mostly one-sided view of the war. Having now lived on the other side of the conflict, I had a deeper understanding of why it happened. And Grandpa and Mrs. Graham helped enlighten me further. All I knew is we couldn’t let another war break out. Millions died in the last one, and the country torn in two. Yet with everything I’d seen, it appeared eminent. I hoped Dad’s plan would put an end to it. Tossing and turning, I spent a restless night. Occasionally I’d reach a level of consciousness and hear Otto and Dad still talking. Their voices were muted in the fog of my brain. I wondered if they had arrived on a plan of action. Somehow Dad would have to get inside Servidyne without being detected. My biggest fear was them catching him and wiping his memory banks. Our beloved father would be gone forever. Or would they keep him as a prisoner and study him?
November 20, 2015
Servo 28:3
Servo 28:3
Twenty minutes later we were back at the hotel. The rain had lessened, which was a good thing. I couldn’t help but notice along the way that everything seemed gray and unkempt. There was a vacant lot with garbage thrown into it. This was not the world I remembered. We tromped into the room and found Dad standing at the window. He turned. “Ah, you’re back!” He came over, holding out his hand. “And you must be Otto.”I looked at Otto and saw every ounce of color drain from his already pale face. Without a word, he raised his hand and took Dad’s. They shook, rather lopsidedly. “Jonah has told me a lot about you,” Dad continued. “How you helped him get the parts to fix me.”“Uh, huh,” was all Otto could say.“A bit too strange for you?”“No, Sir. I’m just racking my brain trying to figure out how Jonah got all this to work.”I walked by and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry; I’m still trying to figure it out too.”“It had to be the lightning,” Rory said, plopping on the bed. “Are you hungry, Otto?”“Actually I am. Detention center food is terrible.”“This food isn’t much better. I really miss Grandma’s cooking.” I picked up my tablet and brought up the room service menu. “The chicken here doesn’t even taste like chicken.”“Nor does the beef,” Rory added.“The salads aren’t so bad,” Suz put in her two cents. “They make a decent garden salad.”I looked up from my browsing. “That’s because they grow so many vegetables in the south. Everything else is grown in the Outer States and brought here for further processing.” “Processing?” Otto said, looking curiously at Dad.“Yeah, they take the meat and usually grind it up, then add whatever nutrients to fulfill the government requirement.” I tossed the tablet on the bed. “We need to get done and out of here, I can’t stand the taste of this stuff anymore.”Suz sat down at the table, resting her chin in her hands. “Yeah, I do miss Grandma’s pancakes and the yummy raspberry syrup.”“For most of my life I ate Inner States food and never knew there was anything else. Until one time we were invited to Abe’s farm and I had some of Eliza’s barbeque ribs. Oh, those were amazing!” Dad said. “Now, I cannot eat anything except electricity—and that doesn’t taste like much.” He joined Suz at the table. “This is not a world where you children belong anymore. I fear that any day it will explode into war.”“But won’t the Outer States be involved too?” she asked.“To some extent, yes. But I think the border states will have a bigger part in it.” He laced his fingers. “From what I’ve been hearing, the Outer States are reducing goods and services because they feel they have not been fairly compensated.”“Makes sense,” Otto replied, taking a seat. “My family used to get fifty cents a gallon for milk, now they only get thirty. And when they complained, they were told to shut up.”Dad leaned forward slightly. “By who?” “The Ministry of Nutrition.” “Figures.”
Twenty minutes later we were back at the hotel. The rain had lessened, which was a good thing. I couldn’t help but notice along the way that everything seemed gray and unkempt. There was a vacant lot with garbage thrown into it. This was not the world I remembered. We tromped into the room and found Dad standing at the window. He turned. “Ah, you’re back!” He came over, holding out his hand. “And you must be Otto.”I looked at Otto and saw every ounce of color drain from his already pale face. Without a word, he raised his hand and took Dad’s. They shook, rather lopsidedly. “Jonah has told me a lot about you,” Dad continued. “How you helped him get the parts to fix me.”“Uh, huh,” was all Otto could say.“A bit too strange for you?”“No, Sir. I’m just racking my brain trying to figure out how Jonah got all this to work.”I walked by and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry; I’m still trying to figure it out too.”“It had to be the lightning,” Rory said, plopping on the bed. “Are you hungry, Otto?”“Actually I am. Detention center food is terrible.”“This food isn’t much better. I really miss Grandma’s cooking.” I picked up my tablet and brought up the room service menu. “The chicken here doesn’t even taste like chicken.”“Nor does the beef,” Rory added.“The salads aren’t so bad,” Suz put in her two cents. “They make a decent garden salad.”I looked up from my browsing. “That’s because they grow so many vegetables in the south. Everything else is grown in the Outer States and brought here for further processing.” “Processing?” Otto said, looking curiously at Dad.“Yeah, they take the meat and usually grind it up, then add whatever nutrients to fulfill the government requirement.” I tossed the tablet on the bed. “We need to get done and out of here, I can’t stand the taste of this stuff anymore.”Suz sat down at the table, resting her chin in her hands. “Yeah, I do miss Grandma’s pancakes and the yummy raspberry syrup.”“For most of my life I ate Inner States food and never knew there was anything else. Until one time we were invited to Abe’s farm and I had some of Eliza’s barbeque ribs. Oh, those were amazing!” Dad said. “Now, I cannot eat anything except electricity—and that doesn’t taste like much.” He joined Suz at the table. “This is not a world where you children belong anymore. I fear that any day it will explode into war.”“But won’t the Outer States be involved too?” she asked.“To some extent, yes. But I think the border states will have a bigger part in it.” He laced his fingers. “From what I’ve been hearing, the Outer States are reducing goods and services because they feel they have not been fairly compensated.”“Makes sense,” Otto replied, taking a seat. “My family used to get fifty cents a gallon for milk, now they only get thirty. And when they complained, they were told to shut up.”Dad leaned forward slightly. “By who?” “The Ministry of Nutrition.” “Figures.”
November 13, 2015
Servo 28:2
Servo 28:2
Rain poured down and thunder boomed as the three of us rode in a bot taxi to the detention center. Dad stayed behind at the hotel, fearing his ancient visage might draw unwanted attention. Once Otto was liberated; we’d return to the room and commence planning to find Dad a suitable body in which he wouldn’t be such a noticeable target. We traveled through the city toward the north; our final destination was on Fairmount Avenue. The New Philadelphia Detention Center stood on the grounds of what was once the old Eastern State Penitentiary. It was a huge, creepy place still surrounded by a high wall that remained from the original structure. Whenever we had to pass by it, I always felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. The imposing walls rose like an impenetrable medieval castle. I swore I never wanted to step foot in that place. The bot taxi stopped near the main entrance. I looked out the window and didn’t see anyone. Had they not released Otto? Rain continued to bucket down, the street starting to flood. I stepped from the cab, motioning to Suz and Rory to stay put. There was no reason for more than one of us to get soaked. I crept toward the dark stone entrance. A black and yellow cast iron sign caught my eye. It was one of those tourist markers that somehow survived the Great Separation. I glanced to see the original prison had been built in 1822 and was closed in 1971. Now almost ninety years later, it was once again a prison—although called a “detention center” to make it sound nicer. Above me, two hideous gargoyles sat perched on each edge, glaring cold eyes of death and dismay. One was reaching down at me; its front legs shackled and dangling heavy chains. My skin crawled. This was not a place for me. The sky lit up, a bolt of lightning arcing across the sky immediately followed by a boom of thunder which shook my insides to the core. I could not be more spooked than I was. Rain poured harder forcing me to seek shelter under the portico. My body was enveloped in darkness as I moved under the entranceway. I shivered. The rain was not cold, nor was the temperature, but I was. Ahead of me stood a massive iron gate that looked to be a thousand years old. Flakes of brown rust curled from its bars, a silent story of a lifetime of keeping criminals. If it could speak, I wonder what it would tell me? Reaching up with a shaky hand, I touched the iron giant. The gate creaked loudly and swung open with surprising ease. I was now entering the bowels of hell. Perhaps fifty feet away was what I judged to be the “official” main entrance. It was more modern looking and had black painted solid steel doors. It was no less imposing than what I’d just traveled through. My breath came short and I began to panic. Just as I was preparing to flee from the invisible grasp this monstrous reformatory had on me, one of the black doors opened and Otto stepped out. “Jonah?” he said.I no longer had the power of speech, so I simply nodded. He smiled and hurried to me. I hastened a quick retreat through the gaping jaws of the iron gate and to freedom. The pouring rain helped bring me to my senses as I dashed to the cab and opened the door. Otto dove in, beating me. I was right behind, slamming the door and gesturing to the bot in the driver’s seat. “Go!” Rory said, seeing that I’d lost my voice. “Back to the hotel.”The hulking fortress of stone faded into the distance as we put distance between it and us. I would be forever grateful to never lay eyes on that place again. “How did you do it?” Otto asked, wiping rain from his face.“Jonah hacked into the prison network,” Rory replied. “What happened?” Suz said. “You went out one day and didn’t come back.”“I was in a store and someone said they saw me steal something—which I didn’t. They called the authorities and a battle bot came and took me away.”“Not a police officer?” I finally got my words back. “The bot took you?”“Yes. I was sent right to that horrible place. No one gave me a trial, and I wasn’t allowed to call or speak to anyone.”“That’s very bad. We need to complete Dad’s plan and get out of here.”Otto regarded me curiously. “Dad?”“We got the bot to work. All the memory sticks I had were loaded and somehow it became Dad—even sounds mostly like him.”“Really?”“You’ll meet him shortly.” “I can’t wait.”
Rain poured down and thunder boomed as the three of us rode in a bot taxi to the detention center. Dad stayed behind at the hotel, fearing his ancient visage might draw unwanted attention. Once Otto was liberated; we’d return to the room and commence planning to find Dad a suitable body in which he wouldn’t be such a noticeable target. We traveled through the city toward the north; our final destination was on Fairmount Avenue. The New Philadelphia Detention Center stood on the grounds of what was once the old Eastern State Penitentiary. It was a huge, creepy place still surrounded by a high wall that remained from the original structure. Whenever we had to pass by it, I always felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. The imposing walls rose like an impenetrable medieval castle. I swore I never wanted to step foot in that place. The bot taxi stopped near the main entrance. I looked out the window and didn’t see anyone. Had they not released Otto? Rain continued to bucket down, the street starting to flood. I stepped from the cab, motioning to Suz and Rory to stay put. There was no reason for more than one of us to get soaked. I crept toward the dark stone entrance. A black and yellow cast iron sign caught my eye. It was one of those tourist markers that somehow survived the Great Separation. I glanced to see the original prison had been built in 1822 and was closed in 1971. Now almost ninety years later, it was once again a prison—although called a “detention center” to make it sound nicer. Above me, two hideous gargoyles sat perched on each edge, glaring cold eyes of death and dismay. One was reaching down at me; its front legs shackled and dangling heavy chains. My skin crawled. This was not a place for me. The sky lit up, a bolt of lightning arcing across the sky immediately followed by a boom of thunder which shook my insides to the core. I could not be more spooked than I was. Rain poured harder forcing me to seek shelter under the portico. My body was enveloped in darkness as I moved under the entranceway. I shivered. The rain was not cold, nor was the temperature, but I was. Ahead of me stood a massive iron gate that looked to be a thousand years old. Flakes of brown rust curled from its bars, a silent story of a lifetime of keeping criminals. If it could speak, I wonder what it would tell me? Reaching up with a shaky hand, I touched the iron giant. The gate creaked loudly and swung open with surprising ease. I was now entering the bowels of hell. Perhaps fifty feet away was what I judged to be the “official” main entrance. It was more modern looking and had black painted solid steel doors. It was no less imposing than what I’d just traveled through. My breath came short and I began to panic. Just as I was preparing to flee from the invisible grasp this monstrous reformatory had on me, one of the black doors opened and Otto stepped out. “Jonah?” he said.I no longer had the power of speech, so I simply nodded. He smiled and hurried to me. I hastened a quick retreat through the gaping jaws of the iron gate and to freedom. The pouring rain helped bring me to my senses as I dashed to the cab and opened the door. Otto dove in, beating me. I was right behind, slamming the door and gesturing to the bot in the driver’s seat. “Go!” Rory said, seeing that I’d lost my voice. “Back to the hotel.”The hulking fortress of stone faded into the distance as we put distance between it and us. I would be forever grateful to never lay eyes on that place again. “How did you do it?” Otto asked, wiping rain from his face.“Jonah hacked into the prison network,” Rory replied. “What happened?” Suz said. “You went out one day and didn’t come back.”“I was in a store and someone said they saw me steal something—which I didn’t. They called the authorities and a battle bot came and took me away.”“Not a police officer?” I finally got my words back. “The bot took you?”“Yes. I was sent right to that horrible place. No one gave me a trial, and I wasn’t allowed to call or speak to anyone.”“That’s very bad. We need to complete Dad’s plan and get out of here.”Otto regarded me curiously. “Dad?”“We got the bot to work. All the memory sticks I had were loaded and somehow it became Dad—even sounds mostly like him.”“Really?”“You’ll meet him shortly.” “I can’t wait.”
November 6, 2015
Servo 28:1
Servo 28:1
Hours later I came up for air. My brain hurt. Rory and Suz had fallen asleep. I’d taken up station at the small table and Dad was observing my actions. The code protecting the main firewall was extensive and it’d taken me two hours just to crack it. After, it was burrowing deep into the files and message traffic just to find out who was in charge. It turns out the chief enforcement officer was none other than William J. Cadburgh—a former friend of my father!That news definitely shocked dear ol’ Dad. “Cadburgh? Are you sure?” he said, his voice rising slightly.I turned the tablet his direction. “What it says.”“We were friends—went to school together. He even worked at Servidyne for a while.”“Maybe this pays better?”“Not on your life!”“Then why would he wanna work there?”Dad rubbed his golden chin. “Dunno.”“Did he have anything to do with battle bots?”He was silent for several long moments. “Ah!”“Yes?” I pried.“You’re right; he did work on the project.”“Maybe that explains their heavy presence on the streets.”“Probably. But why did he change jobs? It seems silly giving up a lush salary from Servidyne and signing on to an average paying public employ. Doesn’t make sense.”I said nothing for several minutes, my fingers ticking away madly. Finally I looked up from the screen. “Makes perfect sense.”Dad cocked his head. “Oh? How so?” “He’s an undercover agent for Servidyne.”“You’re sure?”“I just hacked his bank records. He gets a discreetpayment from them every month. Enough that he’s living very comfortably.”Dad shot out of the chair, knocking it to the floor with a loud crash. “He’s working with them to start the next war!”“You think that’s the case?” I glanced over to see Rory and Suz staring bleary-eyed at us.“It has to be.”“What time is it?” Suz moaned.“Sorry to wake you; go back to sleep.”She groaned, rolled over, and pulled the covers tight. Rory sat up. “What’s going on?”“We’re unraveling the plan to start the next war.”“Oh. How are we going to stop it?”Dad folded his arms. “It all hinges on me getting into Servidyne.”“To upload the virus?”“Yes. And I think having Otto working with us will be beneficial.”“I’m trying,” I said, probing deeper into Cadburgh’s account with the Ministry of Enforcement. “Maybe one more firewall to get past and then I’ll be in his email.”“Good, good,” Dad got up and paced around the room. “Can you get a message to Otto?”“Through the cell information panel?”“Yes.”“I can try.”“Draft the email and then contact him.”“Okay.” My fingers were a blur on the tablet. A few minutes later I’d cracked the firewall and was now perusing various emails drafted by Cadburgh. Two pages into his mail, I found a letter requesting release of a prisoner from another detention center. I copied the text and then worked on finding who the recipient of the message would be. Fortunately that didn’t take long. There were dozens of messages to a Phillip K. Dinsworth, Warden of the New Philadelphia Detention Center. Bingo! I opened a new message and quickly pasted the text—making sure I changed the name of the facility. Then I checked the time on my tablet: 3 a.m. This was not good. The message would have to be sent during normal business hours; so I set up a delay until 8:30. Upon finishing that task, I dove back into the prison library server and tried to find where Otto was being housed. If he’d accessed any books, it would have record. “How’s it going?” Dad asked, leaning over my shoulder.“Email for Otto’s release has been sent. Now I’m trying to find him.”“As much as I wanted to discourage your hacking, it’s proving useful.”I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I said nothing. Whatever reason they had for throwing Otto in jail, it probably didn’t hold any merit. My fingers slowed from fatigue. I was now trolling through the center’s inmate records for the last month. Something struck me as odd; the rolls of prisoners seemed awfully large. Normally the Inner States had negligible crime. Everyone was wealthy enough to live there. What was going on? As I neared the bottom of my search query, I saw an unusual entry:
Male, reported age: 18, unregistered, offence: petty theft. Sentence: 1 year.
That had to be Otto. All other entries had I.D. numbers; this one did not. “Dad, I think I found him.”“Excellent.”“He’s in Block 7, cell 109.” I felt surprisingly renewed with energy and typed away vigorously. “I’ll try and get a message to him.”“Good. Tell him when he’s released to wait outside the center.”“Okay.” With a few more keystrokes, I’d accessed the information panel in his cell. The message he’d see in the morning was this:
Otto Arkman, you will be released from the New Philadelphia Detention Center today. You are to wait outside the center for further instructions and transportation. SB*JB*RB
Signed,William J. Cadburgh, Chief of Ministry of Enforcement
“Message sent. I hope he figures out the little code I put at the end.”“What did you do?”“I put our initials.”Dad shook his head. “I hope they don’t figure it out.”“I ran a ghost account from Cadburgh’s, so I doubt they will.”“Once we get Otto, then it’s time to start phase two of the plan.”“What’s that?” “Get me a new body.”
Hours later I came up for air. My brain hurt. Rory and Suz had fallen asleep. I’d taken up station at the small table and Dad was observing my actions. The code protecting the main firewall was extensive and it’d taken me two hours just to crack it. After, it was burrowing deep into the files and message traffic just to find out who was in charge. It turns out the chief enforcement officer was none other than William J. Cadburgh—a former friend of my father!That news definitely shocked dear ol’ Dad. “Cadburgh? Are you sure?” he said, his voice rising slightly.I turned the tablet his direction. “What it says.”“We were friends—went to school together. He even worked at Servidyne for a while.”“Maybe this pays better?”“Not on your life!”“Then why would he wanna work there?”Dad rubbed his golden chin. “Dunno.”“Did he have anything to do with battle bots?”He was silent for several long moments. “Ah!”“Yes?” I pried.“You’re right; he did work on the project.”“Maybe that explains their heavy presence on the streets.”“Probably. But why did he change jobs? It seems silly giving up a lush salary from Servidyne and signing on to an average paying public employ. Doesn’t make sense.”I said nothing for several minutes, my fingers ticking away madly. Finally I looked up from the screen. “Makes perfect sense.”Dad cocked his head. “Oh? How so?” “He’s an undercover agent for Servidyne.”“You’re sure?”“I just hacked his bank records. He gets a discreetpayment from them every month. Enough that he’s living very comfortably.”Dad shot out of the chair, knocking it to the floor with a loud crash. “He’s working with them to start the next war!”“You think that’s the case?” I glanced over to see Rory and Suz staring bleary-eyed at us.“It has to be.”“What time is it?” Suz moaned.“Sorry to wake you; go back to sleep.”She groaned, rolled over, and pulled the covers tight. Rory sat up. “What’s going on?”“We’re unraveling the plan to start the next war.”“Oh. How are we going to stop it?”Dad folded his arms. “It all hinges on me getting into Servidyne.”“To upload the virus?”“Yes. And I think having Otto working with us will be beneficial.”“I’m trying,” I said, probing deeper into Cadburgh’s account with the Ministry of Enforcement. “Maybe one more firewall to get past and then I’ll be in his email.”“Good, good,” Dad got up and paced around the room. “Can you get a message to Otto?”“Through the cell information panel?”“Yes.”“I can try.”“Draft the email and then contact him.”“Okay.” My fingers were a blur on the tablet. A few minutes later I’d cracked the firewall and was now perusing various emails drafted by Cadburgh. Two pages into his mail, I found a letter requesting release of a prisoner from another detention center. I copied the text and then worked on finding who the recipient of the message would be. Fortunately that didn’t take long. There were dozens of messages to a Phillip K. Dinsworth, Warden of the New Philadelphia Detention Center. Bingo! I opened a new message and quickly pasted the text—making sure I changed the name of the facility. Then I checked the time on my tablet: 3 a.m. This was not good. The message would have to be sent during normal business hours; so I set up a delay until 8:30. Upon finishing that task, I dove back into the prison library server and tried to find where Otto was being housed. If he’d accessed any books, it would have record. “How’s it going?” Dad asked, leaning over my shoulder.“Email for Otto’s release has been sent. Now I’m trying to find him.”“As much as I wanted to discourage your hacking, it’s proving useful.”I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I said nothing. Whatever reason they had for throwing Otto in jail, it probably didn’t hold any merit. My fingers slowed from fatigue. I was now trolling through the center’s inmate records for the last month. Something struck me as odd; the rolls of prisoners seemed awfully large. Normally the Inner States had negligible crime. Everyone was wealthy enough to live there. What was going on? As I neared the bottom of my search query, I saw an unusual entry:
Male, reported age: 18, unregistered, offence: petty theft. Sentence: 1 year.
That had to be Otto. All other entries had I.D. numbers; this one did not. “Dad, I think I found him.”“Excellent.”“He’s in Block 7, cell 109.” I felt surprisingly renewed with energy and typed away vigorously. “I’ll try and get a message to him.”“Good. Tell him when he’s released to wait outside the center.”“Okay.” With a few more keystrokes, I’d accessed the information panel in his cell. The message he’d see in the morning was this:
Otto Arkman, you will be released from the New Philadelphia Detention Center today. You are to wait outside the center for further instructions and transportation. SB*JB*RB
Signed,William J. Cadburgh, Chief of Ministry of Enforcement
“Message sent. I hope he figures out the little code I put at the end.”“What did you do?”“I put our initials.”Dad shook his head. “I hope they don’t figure it out.”“I ran a ghost account from Cadburgh’s, so I doubt they will.”“Once we get Otto, then it’s time to start phase two of the plan.”“What’s that?” “Get me a new body.”
October 30, 2015
Servo 27:3
Servo 27:3
The hotel bed was deliciously comfy. I sat against the headboard with a pile of pillows behind me devouring lunch. It tasted absolutely wretched, but I was hungry, so I ate. The food in the Outer States tasted so much better. Everything there had flavor and texture. Inner States food was designed to nourish with the correct ratio of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. I found it barely palatable and wondered how I ate this stuff all my young life. Looking over, I saw Rory attempting to eat a hamburger. He was making the most horrific facial expressions. I guess in one respect, the Outer States spoiled us with delicious cuisine. How I missed grandma’s beef ribs smeared with barbeque sauce and a tall glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade to wash it all down. Staring at my plate, I swore I’d ordered chicken, but this neither looked nor tasted of it. It was then I realized this was not home and would never be again.“Jonah?” Dad said. He was standing at the window gazing out to the street below. “You said you brought some tools?”“Yes, a few.”“After you eat, can you try re-tuning my Wi-Fi?”“Sure.”“Can I try?” Rory asked. I pondered his request for a moment. My brother was quite capable of performing the task. “Sure, the tools are in the bottom of my bag.”He ditched his hamburger and grabbed the pack, rummaging for tools. “What will I need?”“A simple flathead screwdriver should do the trick.”Dad sat down at the table. “This should make it easier.”Rory approached. “I need to remove his chest plate, right?”“Yes. The Wi-Fi receiver will be on the left side just below his arm servo.” “Okay.”I watched him deftly remove the screws holding the chest plate and set it on the table. Then he drew closer trying to locate the receiver. “Is that it?” He pointed to a small dial.“Yup. Turn the screw very slowly and Dad will tell you when he’s got it.”Rory inserted the blade of the screwdriver and began to turn. “Anything?”“No,” Dad replied. “Keep going.”“This is all so strange,” Suz said, observing them. “I don’t know how he could be Dad.”“He is, somehow.” I tossed my fork onto the plate. “Through some strange force of nature he’s returned to us…I still don’t know exactly what I did, but whatever it was, we have our Dad back.”“I just wish you could bring back Mom too.”I got up and went to her, putting my hand on her shoulder. “I wish I could, but there weren’t any memory sticks of Mom.”Suz sighed loudly. “I know…But it would have been nice.”“There!” Dad said, “That’s it!”“You got signal?” Rory said, drawing away.“Yes. A bit weak, but I can pick it up.”“That antenna is pretty old,” I said, wandering to the window. “I doubt we can get a new one that’ll work on that unit.”“Don’t worry about it. If things work out, you’ll be upgrading me anyway.”“Huh?”“If we can get a newer bot body, you can transfer all my hardware into it.”“Oh, no, I’d be too scared to do that. What if something happened?”“I trust you boys.”“Yeah, but I don’t trust us!”“I’m sure you’d be just fine.”Turning from the window, I approached him. “Dad, we’ve already lost you once; we’re not going to lose you again.”He put his hand on my arm. “Okay, okay. How about we take it one step at a time?”“All right.”“Is your tablet charged?”“Probably.”“Time to find Otto.”I nodded and returned to the bed. My fairly full stomach would normally have me sleepy. This food seemed to be making me queasy. I belched a couple of times and rubbed my belly. Dad regarded me. “Are you okay?”“The food is awful!”He chuckled and I swore it sounded like a tin can rattling down a windy street. “You used to love the food here.”“Not anymore.”“I was never a fan of it. Now I don’t have to eat at all.”“But you need to charge.”He held up his finger. “Ah, yes, thanks for reminding me.” I watched him cross the room and approach a charging pad. It was a large rectangular metallic plate on the wall. A bot had simply to back against it and it would receive a charge. “Will that work with your model?” I asked.“Should.” He flattened to the wall. “Hmm, well, kind of. I can feel a charge, but not very strong.”I picked up my tablet and turned it on. While it booted up, I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the hack at hand. This wasn’t going to be easy. I had to gain access to the Ministry of Enforcement’s server. If it was like the rest of the government computer systems, it would have at least a 4096 bit encryption. Yeah, I’d broken into that level of security before, but I also got caught. The object of this exercise was not to get caught. Having Otto freed would hopefully make Suz happy and me as well. My friend was a very capable programmer who might be useful when we tried to bring down Servidyne. Never in my life did I ever think I’d be part of a conspiracy to cripple the largest bot manufacturer in the world. Getting caught would mean serious time in a detention center—probably the rest of our lives. Dad had to be right; I was putting every ounce of trust in him. He’d never let us down before, why start now?The tablet beeped, snapping me from my trance-like state. I stared at the screen for a few moments. Where to start? Rory climbed up next to me but said nothing. He knew better than to utter a single word while I was working. That’s what got us caught last time—he said something and I ended up typing a wrong number. No amount of hollering on my part could equal the volume of hollering Dad did when the authorities showed up at our door. My punishment was being grounded with no tablet for two weeks. Oh, that was agonizing! But it would be nothing compared to the punishment the ministry would levy if we got busted. Taking in a deep breath, I slowly let it out. I poked at the icon for the internet and waited for a search box to appear. Moments later I was staring at a blank box. With painstaking precision, I typed: Ministry of Enforcement. A running list appeared and I scrolled down looking for just the right address. It didn’t take long to find one. I was searching for an entrance site that would get me in the door. The listing I went with happened to be the detention center electronic library. From what we were taught about the center, each detaineewas housed in a solitary cell no larger than eight by ten feet. There was no contact with other inmates and food was served through a slot in the door. Each cell had a touch screen allowing access to certain things on the local network used by the ministry. News, sports, and library privileges were part of it. I now had the challenge of getting into that network. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rory watching. He was soaking everything in and cataloging it for future use. I knew when he reached maturity he’d be a computing force to be reckoned with. My only hope was that we’d have a world in which to apply ourselves. Right now it was looking pretty ominous.
The hotel bed was deliciously comfy. I sat against the headboard with a pile of pillows behind me devouring lunch. It tasted absolutely wretched, but I was hungry, so I ate. The food in the Outer States tasted so much better. Everything there had flavor and texture. Inner States food was designed to nourish with the correct ratio of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. I found it barely palatable and wondered how I ate this stuff all my young life. Looking over, I saw Rory attempting to eat a hamburger. He was making the most horrific facial expressions. I guess in one respect, the Outer States spoiled us with delicious cuisine. How I missed grandma’s beef ribs smeared with barbeque sauce and a tall glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade to wash it all down. Staring at my plate, I swore I’d ordered chicken, but this neither looked nor tasted of it. It was then I realized this was not home and would never be again.“Jonah?” Dad said. He was standing at the window gazing out to the street below. “You said you brought some tools?”“Yes, a few.”“After you eat, can you try re-tuning my Wi-Fi?”“Sure.”“Can I try?” Rory asked. I pondered his request for a moment. My brother was quite capable of performing the task. “Sure, the tools are in the bottom of my bag.”He ditched his hamburger and grabbed the pack, rummaging for tools. “What will I need?”“A simple flathead screwdriver should do the trick.”Dad sat down at the table. “This should make it easier.”Rory approached. “I need to remove his chest plate, right?”“Yes. The Wi-Fi receiver will be on the left side just below his arm servo.” “Okay.”I watched him deftly remove the screws holding the chest plate and set it on the table. Then he drew closer trying to locate the receiver. “Is that it?” He pointed to a small dial.“Yup. Turn the screw very slowly and Dad will tell you when he’s got it.”Rory inserted the blade of the screwdriver and began to turn. “Anything?”“No,” Dad replied. “Keep going.”“This is all so strange,” Suz said, observing them. “I don’t know how he could be Dad.”“He is, somehow.” I tossed my fork onto the plate. “Through some strange force of nature he’s returned to us…I still don’t know exactly what I did, but whatever it was, we have our Dad back.”“I just wish you could bring back Mom too.”I got up and went to her, putting my hand on her shoulder. “I wish I could, but there weren’t any memory sticks of Mom.”Suz sighed loudly. “I know…But it would have been nice.”“There!” Dad said, “That’s it!”“You got signal?” Rory said, drawing away.“Yes. A bit weak, but I can pick it up.”“That antenna is pretty old,” I said, wandering to the window. “I doubt we can get a new one that’ll work on that unit.”“Don’t worry about it. If things work out, you’ll be upgrading me anyway.”“Huh?”“If we can get a newer bot body, you can transfer all my hardware into it.”“Oh, no, I’d be too scared to do that. What if something happened?”“I trust you boys.”“Yeah, but I don’t trust us!”“I’m sure you’d be just fine.”Turning from the window, I approached him. “Dad, we’ve already lost you once; we’re not going to lose you again.”He put his hand on my arm. “Okay, okay. How about we take it one step at a time?”“All right.”“Is your tablet charged?”“Probably.”“Time to find Otto.”I nodded and returned to the bed. My fairly full stomach would normally have me sleepy. This food seemed to be making me queasy. I belched a couple of times and rubbed my belly. Dad regarded me. “Are you okay?”“The food is awful!”He chuckled and I swore it sounded like a tin can rattling down a windy street. “You used to love the food here.”“Not anymore.”“I was never a fan of it. Now I don’t have to eat at all.”“But you need to charge.”He held up his finger. “Ah, yes, thanks for reminding me.” I watched him cross the room and approach a charging pad. It was a large rectangular metallic plate on the wall. A bot had simply to back against it and it would receive a charge. “Will that work with your model?” I asked.“Should.” He flattened to the wall. “Hmm, well, kind of. I can feel a charge, but not very strong.”I picked up my tablet and turned it on. While it booted up, I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the hack at hand. This wasn’t going to be easy. I had to gain access to the Ministry of Enforcement’s server. If it was like the rest of the government computer systems, it would have at least a 4096 bit encryption. Yeah, I’d broken into that level of security before, but I also got caught. The object of this exercise was not to get caught. Having Otto freed would hopefully make Suz happy and me as well. My friend was a very capable programmer who might be useful when we tried to bring down Servidyne. Never in my life did I ever think I’d be part of a conspiracy to cripple the largest bot manufacturer in the world. Getting caught would mean serious time in a detention center—probably the rest of our lives. Dad had to be right; I was putting every ounce of trust in him. He’d never let us down before, why start now?The tablet beeped, snapping me from my trance-like state. I stared at the screen for a few moments. Where to start? Rory climbed up next to me but said nothing. He knew better than to utter a single word while I was working. That’s what got us caught last time—he said something and I ended up typing a wrong number. No amount of hollering on my part could equal the volume of hollering Dad did when the authorities showed up at our door. My punishment was being grounded with no tablet for two weeks. Oh, that was agonizing! But it would be nothing compared to the punishment the ministry would levy if we got busted. Taking in a deep breath, I slowly let it out. I poked at the icon for the internet and waited for a search box to appear. Moments later I was staring at a blank box. With painstaking precision, I typed: Ministry of Enforcement. A running list appeared and I scrolled down looking for just the right address. It didn’t take long to find one. I was searching for an entrance site that would get me in the door. The listing I went with happened to be the detention center electronic library. From what we were taught about the center, each detaineewas housed in a solitary cell no larger than eight by ten feet. There was no contact with other inmates and food was served through a slot in the door. Each cell had a touch screen allowing access to certain things on the local network used by the ministry. News, sports, and library privileges were part of it. I now had the challenge of getting into that network. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rory watching. He was soaking everything in and cataloging it for future use. I knew when he reached maturity he’d be a computing force to be reckoned with. My only hope was that we’d have a world in which to apply ourselves. Right now it was looking pretty ominous.
October 23, 2015
Servo 27:2
Servo 27:2
We thought the treehouse would afford us some safety; that proved a falsehood. No sooner had we scaled the ladder and were tucked away inside, another battle bot showed up. It stopped perhaps forty feet from the tree. This time I was in a position I could watch from a crack in the wall. I saw it swiveling around scanning the area. Something told me that it knew we were there. The bot was paying particular attention to our hiding spot. None of us moved, not even a muscle. I felt my heart beating madly and willed it to calm, but to no avail. Terror was coursing through every vein and artery. The bot seemed to loiter an extraordinarily long time. I had to remind myself that it wasn’t a living, breathing being, and as such, didn’t have an attention span or any concept of time. If it wanted to, it could wait us out until we were forced to move. And then what?Finally it left. There was a collective sigh of relief in the tiny treehouse. I looked over to see Suz visibly shaken.“Suz?” I said.“What?”“How long have the battle bots been doing this?”“I…I dunno. I remember seeing one or two when we first got here. But now it seems like many more.”“And the news just says they’re deployed to protect property from thieves?” Dad asked.“That’s what Liza’s parents said.”Dad gestured. “Jonah, your tablet please.” I removed it from the backpack and turned it on for him. “What are you going to do?”“We can’t stay here, it’s not safe.”Rory piped up. “Are you going to get us a hotel room?”“I’ll try, but it’ll probably be Suz that has to book it.”“Why me?” she asked.“Well, I’m dead, and Jonah and Rory aren’t old enough. The registration computer will know their age as soon as they log into it.”“Oh, I see.”“There’s plenty of money loaded into the account, so that shouldn’t be a problem.” He accessed one of the local hotel booking sites. “This one is pretty close. I don’t want any of us caught out on the street with those bots roaming around.” Dad passed the tablet to Suz. “Book us for six nights, please.”I watched her fumble though getting a room. Truly my sister wasn’t as comfortable on a computer as myself, but in this case, I’d have to sit back and let her work. “Okay, booked for six nights, room three-two-three.”“Thank you,” Dad said, relieving her of the tablet. “Now to see if I can find out what’s going on.” He poked around trying to access the New Philadelphia news sites. “Odd, there’s not much news.”“Normally there’s lots,” I said, observing over his arm. “Why would they not be saying anything about the battle bots on the streets?”“Because they don’t want citizens to know the real reason behind their presence.” He handed the tablet to me.“Suz?”“What, Jonah?”“You said Otto disappeared not long after you got here?”“Yes. He went out one day and never came back.”“That didn’t worry you?”“Well, yes, I was worried, and we called around looking for him.”“Nothing?”“No. I figured he ran off with someone else.”I shook my head. “That doesn’t sound like Otto. I bet they caught him.”“Why would they do that?”“He’s an outsider. Otto doesn’t have an I.D. chip.”Suz looked at her hand. “That’s right, he doesn’t.”Dad stood, bonking his head on a rafter. Unthinking, he reached up and put his hand on his head as if to soothe the injury. “If they caught him, he’d be in the detention center.”“How would we get him out?” I asked.“You might be able to hack him out.”“Me?”“You were the one who hacked the government computer once, right?”“Umm…”“If I recall, I was very angry with you.”“Yes,” I squeaked.“This time, it’s a sanctioned hack. You’ll need to get into the Ministry of Enforcement and find out who the director is. Then hack his account and draft a letter from him for the release of Otto Arkman.”“That could take some time. I need to charge my tablet, it’s getting low.”Dad peered out the window. “The park is quiet, let’s get to the hotel. Once there, you can eat and we can start working on a plan to get into Servidyne.”“Why there?” Suz said.He pointed to his chest. “Because inside me is the way to stop all this madness.”“You really think there’s going to be another war?”“If history repeats itself…yes.” I felt a deep sense of dread fill my gut. War. Had this country not learned from the last one? Were they bent on utter destruction? Why? Surely no good can come from another epic conflict.
We thought the treehouse would afford us some safety; that proved a falsehood. No sooner had we scaled the ladder and were tucked away inside, another battle bot showed up. It stopped perhaps forty feet from the tree. This time I was in a position I could watch from a crack in the wall. I saw it swiveling around scanning the area. Something told me that it knew we were there. The bot was paying particular attention to our hiding spot. None of us moved, not even a muscle. I felt my heart beating madly and willed it to calm, but to no avail. Terror was coursing through every vein and artery. The bot seemed to loiter an extraordinarily long time. I had to remind myself that it wasn’t a living, breathing being, and as such, didn’t have an attention span or any concept of time. If it wanted to, it could wait us out until we were forced to move. And then what?Finally it left. There was a collective sigh of relief in the tiny treehouse. I looked over to see Suz visibly shaken.“Suz?” I said.“What?”“How long have the battle bots been doing this?”“I…I dunno. I remember seeing one or two when we first got here. But now it seems like many more.”“And the news just says they’re deployed to protect property from thieves?” Dad asked.“That’s what Liza’s parents said.”Dad gestured. “Jonah, your tablet please.” I removed it from the backpack and turned it on for him. “What are you going to do?”“We can’t stay here, it’s not safe.”Rory piped up. “Are you going to get us a hotel room?”“I’ll try, but it’ll probably be Suz that has to book it.”“Why me?” she asked.“Well, I’m dead, and Jonah and Rory aren’t old enough. The registration computer will know their age as soon as they log into it.”“Oh, I see.”“There’s plenty of money loaded into the account, so that shouldn’t be a problem.” He accessed one of the local hotel booking sites. “This one is pretty close. I don’t want any of us caught out on the street with those bots roaming around.” Dad passed the tablet to Suz. “Book us for six nights, please.”I watched her fumble though getting a room. Truly my sister wasn’t as comfortable on a computer as myself, but in this case, I’d have to sit back and let her work. “Okay, booked for six nights, room three-two-three.”“Thank you,” Dad said, relieving her of the tablet. “Now to see if I can find out what’s going on.” He poked around trying to access the New Philadelphia news sites. “Odd, there’s not much news.”“Normally there’s lots,” I said, observing over his arm. “Why would they not be saying anything about the battle bots on the streets?”“Because they don’t want citizens to know the real reason behind their presence.” He handed the tablet to me.“Suz?”“What, Jonah?”“You said Otto disappeared not long after you got here?”“Yes. He went out one day and never came back.”“That didn’t worry you?”“Well, yes, I was worried, and we called around looking for him.”“Nothing?”“No. I figured he ran off with someone else.”I shook my head. “That doesn’t sound like Otto. I bet they caught him.”“Why would they do that?”“He’s an outsider. Otto doesn’t have an I.D. chip.”Suz looked at her hand. “That’s right, he doesn’t.”Dad stood, bonking his head on a rafter. Unthinking, he reached up and put his hand on his head as if to soothe the injury. “If they caught him, he’d be in the detention center.”“How would we get him out?” I asked.“You might be able to hack him out.”“Me?”“You were the one who hacked the government computer once, right?”“Umm…”“If I recall, I was very angry with you.”“Yes,” I squeaked.“This time, it’s a sanctioned hack. You’ll need to get into the Ministry of Enforcement and find out who the director is. Then hack his account and draft a letter from him for the release of Otto Arkman.”“That could take some time. I need to charge my tablet, it’s getting low.”Dad peered out the window. “The park is quiet, let’s get to the hotel. Once there, you can eat and we can start working on a plan to get into Servidyne.”“Why there?” Suz said.He pointed to his chest. “Because inside me is the way to stop all this madness.”“You really think there’s going to be another war?”“If history repeats itself…yes.” I felt a deep sense of dread fill my gut. War. Had this country not learned from the last one? Were they bent on utter destruction? Why? Surely no good can come from another epic conflict.
October 16, 2015
Servo 27:1
Servo 27:1
The elevator doors opened and we wandered out. I looked at the placard indicating the direction of the apartment numbers. “This way,” I said softly, pointing. We went to the right. The door was not far. Stopping in front of it, I paused to gather my courage. I knew Liza and her parents, they were nice people. But would my sister be happy to see us? “Well?” Rory pressed. “You gonna ring the doorbell?”“I’m getting to that.” Just as I reached my hand forward, the door opened and there she was. “Suz?”She stared at me like I was some sort of space alien. “Jonah? Rory? What are you doing here?”“Ummm, we came to rescue you,” I replied meekly.“Rescue?”“Uh huh.”“Well, as you can see, I’m just fine. I don’t need rescuing.”I looked around. “Where’s Otto?”Suz shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”“He came here with you, right?”“Yes. But we were together maybe a week and he split. Haven’t seen him since.”“Oh.”“Dad wants you to come home,” Rory said.“What? What are you talking about, Rory? Dad’s dead.”“He is, but he isn’t,” I replied.She stepped out and closed the door. “Jonah, have you lost your mind too? Did the Outer States brainwash you into a dumb teenager?”I bit my tongue. The comment welling inside me wanted to come out, but it would be worthless to send the jab in Suz’s direction for fear of pushing her away again. “No, he’s alive—kind of.”“Dad’s a bot.”Suz regarded Rory. “A bot?”“Jonah got that old bot in grandpa’s barn working and loaded all of Dad’s memory sticks into it.”“And just how can that be Dad?”I lowered my head slightly. “There was a terrible storm and the barn got hit by lightning. When I went out the next morning, the bot was…alive.”“You expect me to believe that?”“No, I want you to see him for yourself.”“He’s here?”“Outside, hiding.”“If he’s a bot, what reason does he have to hide?”“When was the last time you saw a Model 106?” I watched my sister’s brow furrow in concentration. “Mmmm maybe never?”“Why would that make a difference?”“Have you noticed things are different here?”She looked past me out a window. “A little.”“The nights are darker—less streetlights, and there are battle bots roaming the streets.”“They told us it was to save electricity.”“What about the bots?”“The Ministry of Enforcement said they’ve had problems with outsiders breaking into the city and stealing things.”“And you believe this?”“Well, Otto and I got in pretty easy.”“Dad thinks it’s something far more sinister.”“Oh, like what?”“Another war.”She laughed. “Seriously?!”My patience was wearing thin. “Will you come with us?”“Where?”“To see Dad.”“Fine,” she huffed and threw up her arms. “This is silly.”We took her down to the ground level and outside. I guided Suz toward a large shrub that was against the building. “Dad?”“Here,” he said, poking his head between some branches. “Hello, Suz. Good to see you again.”I never saw my sister go a paler shade of white. Her knees looked like they wanted to buckle.“You can’t be,” she stammered. “You’re dead.”“The body may be gone, but the mind is still pretty much here. Thank your brothers for that.” He emerged from the brush. “I’ve been very worried about you.”“I’m okay, really. I’ve been staying with Liza.”I watched tears well up in the corners of her eyes and trickle down her cheeks.“Why are you crying?” said Dad.“I don’t know!” she sobbed.He carefully embraced her. “It’s okay, I’m sure you don’t fully understand yet.”Suz crumpled against him and cried hard. I stood guard with Rory hoping that no one would see us. The streets were strangely vacant. “Dad?” I said softly. “Should we go back to the treehouse?”He looked around. “That might be a good idea.”As we made our way back to the relative safety of the park’s treehouse, I kept a watchful eye out for battle bots. The sheer size of the mechanical monsters scared me. I’d only seen images of them in school and their ferocity left me with several nights of bad dreams. Why were the citizens of the Inner States so willing to let these harbingers of evil stalk their peaceful streets? Dad froze in his tracks. He held Suz by one hand, partly I think to keep her from bolting and partly because he had missed her so much. “Battle bot!” he said, nearly yanking Suz out of her shoes as he raced for cover. Rory and I were right on his heels. We took refuge behind a delivery van parked at the curb. If there was a way to become invisible, I wanted to conjure the technology right now. Battle bots were armed with an array of sensors capable of detecting light, noise, infrared, and even very slight motion. “Shhh, don’t move and don’t make a sound,” Dad said, crouching as low as his metallic skeleton would permit. Around the corner of the building it came. The ground under my feet reverberated with each of the monster’s strides. It stopped in the street on the opposite side of the van. I could hear it scanning the area, its servos making little clicking sounds as the body and “head” rotated. Servidyne designed the bots to be tougher than the average bot. And they were bigger—standing nearly eight feet tall. Their skeletons were not clothed in smooth fancy composite materials; everything was in plain sight: wires, actuators, servos, memory core, the works. One might think it would make them vulnerable to attack, but that was far from an accurate assumption. Each component was housed in specially designed and hardened black-colored casings making the bots virtually impenetrable. And each was armed with an array of weaponry capable of mass exterminations.I held my breath for what seemed hours. Finally the bot moved on. We remained as statues until the noise faded. The street was quiet. “Whew,” Dad said, standing up. One of his knee joints squeaked loudly and we froze, fearing the return of the behemoth. Several more moments of silence ensured our safety. “That was close.”
The elevator doors opened and we wandered out. I looked at the placard indicating the direction of the apartment numbers. “This way,” I said softly, pointing. We went to the right. The door was not far. Stopping in front of it, I paused to gather my courage. I knew Liza and her parents, they were nice people. But would my sister be happy to see us? “Well?” Rory pressed. “You gonna ring the doorbell?”“I’m getting to that.” Just as I reached my hand forward, the door opened and there she was. “Suz?”She stared at me like I was some sort of space alien. “Jonah? Rory? What are you doing here?”“Ummm, we came to rescue you,” I replied meekly.“Rescue?”“Uh huh.”“Well, as you can see, I’m just fine. I don’t need rescuing.”I looked around. “Where’s Otto?”Suz shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”“He came here with you, right?”“Yes. But we were together maybe a week and he split. Haven’t seen him since.”“Oh.”“Dad wants you to come home,” Rory said.“What? What are you talking about, Rory? Dad’s dead.”“He is, but he isn’t,” I replied.She stepped out and closed the door. “Jonah, have you lost your mind too? Did the Outer States brainwash you into a dumb teenager?”I bit my tongue. The comment welling inside me wanted to come out, but it would be worthless to send the jab in Suz’s direction for fear of pushing her away again. “No, he’s alive—kind of.”“Dad’s a bot.”Suz regarded Rory. “A bot?”“Jonah got that old bot in grandpa’s barn working and loaded all of Dad’s memory sticks into it.”“And just how can that be Dad?”I lowered my head slightly. “There was a terrible storm and the barn got hit by lightning. When I went out the next morning, the bot was…alive.”“You expect me to believe that?”“No, I want you to see him for yourself.”“He’s here?”“Outside, hiding.”“If he’s a bot, what reason does he have to hide?”“When was the last time you saw a Model 106?” I watched my sister’s brow furrow in concentration. “Mmmm maybe never?”“Why would that make a difference?”“Have you noticed things are different here?”She looked past me out a window. “A little.”“The nights are darker—less streetlights, and there are battle bots roaming the streets.”“They told us it was to save electricity.”“What about the bots?”“The Ministry of Enforcement said they’ve had problems with outsiders breaking into the city and stealing things.”“And you believe this?”“Well, Otto and I got in pretty easy.”“Dad thinks it’s something far more sinister.”“Oh, like what?”“Another war.”She laughed. “Seriously?!”My patience was wearing thin. “Will you come with us?”“Where?”“To see Dad.”“Fine,” she huffed and threw up her arms. “This is silly.”We took her down to the ground level and outside. I guided Suz toward a large shrub that was against the building. “Dad?”“Here,” he said, poking his head between some branches. “Hello, Suz. Good to see you again.”I never saw my sister go a paler shade of white. Her knees looked like they wanted to buckle.“You can’t be,” she stammered. “You’re dead.”“The body may be gone, but the mind is still pretty much here. Thank your brothers for that.” He emerged from the brush. “I’ve been very worried about you.”“I’m okay, really. I’ve been staying with Liza.”I watched tears well up in the corners of her eyes and trickle down her cheeks.“Why are you crying?” said Dad.“I don’t know!” she sobbed.He carefully embraced her. “It’s okay, I’m sure you don’t fully understand yet.”Suz crumpled against him and cried hard. I stood guard with Rory hoping that no one would see us. The streets were strangely vacant. “Dad?” I said softly. “Should we go back to the treehouse?”He looked around. “That might be a good idea.”As we made our way back to the relative safety of the park’s treehouse, I kept a watchful eye out for battle bots. The sheer size of the mechanical monsters scared me. I’d only seen images of them in school and their ferocity left me with several nights of bad dreams. Why were the citizens of the Inner States so willing to let these harbingers of evil stalk their peaceful streets? Dad froze in his tracks. He held Suz by one hand, partly I think to keep her from bolting and partly because he had missed her so much. “Battle bot!” he said, nearly yanking Suz out of her shoes as he raced for cover. Rory and I were right on his heels. We took refuge behind a delivery van parked at the curb. If there was a way to become invisible, I wanted to conjure the technology right now. Battle bots were armed with an array of sensors capable of detecting light, noise, infrared, and even very slight motion. “Shhh, don’t move and don’t make a sound,” Dad said, crouching as low as his metallic skeleton would permit. Around the corner of the building it came. The ground under my feet reverberated with each of the monster’s strides. It stopped in the street on the opposite side of the van. I could hear it scanning the area, its servos making little clicking sounds as the body and “head” rotated. Servidyne designed the bots to be tougher than the average bot. And they were bigger—standing nearly eight feet tall. Their skeletons were not clothed in smooth fancy composite materials; everything was in plain sight: wires, actuators, servos, memory core, the works. One might think it would make them vulnerable to attack, but that was far from an accurate assumption. Each component was housed in specially designed and hardened black-colored casings making the bots virtually impenetrable. And each was armed with an array of weaponry capable of mass exterminations.I held my breath for what seemed hours. Finally the bot moved on. We remained as statues until the noise faded. The street was quiet. “Whew,” Dad said, standing up. One of his knee joints squeaked loudly and we froze, fearing the return of the behemoth. Several more moments of silence ensured our safety. “That was close.”
