A 43rd Century Crime. Part One.

Robots have been something of a fascinating subject that has long become a staple for science-fiction.  The wonders of this can cause smart men to do smart things. We created them does that give us an equal right to destroy them?

The lights from above bled into everything, pouring without wavering. I stood in the middle of a cornfield, though the steel canopy a kilometer above covered the sky. A tree line was visible in the distance so I made my way to it. The broad leaves brushed against my arms as I make my way to the tree line. Half way there the corn husks move behind me. I call out but receive no answer. They move and sway once more but stop, I inch my way towards the trees. The rustle starts again; I spin and run towards the trees. The wind is knocked out of me when I’m pushed against a tree. In a reckless effort, I return to my feet to face my attacker. What stands in front of me isn’t a man, but a machine in the shape of a man. It speaks “Relinquish your identification unit!” It wore a badge and a gun. I reach into my pocket and hold my device.  “I don’t have one.” I respond. “Improbable, relinquish now or suffer the consequences!” It yelps at me with its broken voice. In this instance, a handsome man appears behind him and strikes the officer on the head with a branch. “Sorry, brother.” The handsome man said as he stepped over the broken machine. “Do not worry brother, I shall not hurt you.” He said as he was a foot away. He reaches out his large hand, I shake it.

I followed the handsome man as he knew of a place where we could go. Even under the trees the light from above leaked through like a heavy rain. We walked what felt like an hour, my feet were hurting. I was about to complain out loud when we came into a shanty village. “Before we enter brother,” he stops to block my path “I must know what language you’re written in, better to pair you with your kind.” I had the slightest clue what he was talking about but edge him on the subject. “What do you mean, uhh, brother?” I asked. “Simple brother, what programming language are you written in?” he asked again, it was hard to read his mood. “I am not written with anything brother, I am a person.” I said. He grabbed and lifted me, I could feel my toes tap the ground. “Be you a human?!” he asked with a new tone to his voice. “Yes!” I said. My eyes were closed tight expecting the blow to come any second. “Stop it, Gabe 6!” a women voice came bellowing. My feet touched the ground once more. I opened my eyes to a platinum blonde women dressed in rags stand next to us. “He could be friendly you fool, we cannot recklessly destroy any person that comes here!” She said, and I couldn’t help but agree with her as I favor the idea of not being destroyed. “Creator be damned Sara 9, he is what our enemy is!” Gabe 6 responded. “Humans are also our creators Gabe, we cannot become as reckless as them.” She touched his shoulder to convey a thought, it was received. “I see your reasoning Sara 9, but cannot place it in my own logic. You may do with him what you please.” Gabe 6 said as he walked into the village. “Are you dama—hurt anywhere?” Sara 9 asked me. I looked myself over, “No, I am fine. What’s going on?” I replied. “For a human it is surprising you don’t know, do you not receive the messages warning about us in the city?” She asked.  “The city? Which city?” I asked. “Oh you must be damaged, follow me human I will show you to first aid.” Sara 9 said as she ushered me forth with her hand. I followed her through the village, many faces stared out at us as we made our way through, some broken, some the same. I thought I saw Gabe again, but this one was lacking a right arm. We find ourselves at a hut where she sat me down on a hard piece of metal, then rummages around a pile of junk. She returned to me with a first aid kit that has seen far better days. “I am sorry human, I must dab away your blo…” She said as she reached for my forehead I grabbed her wrist. “It’s Karl, Sara, just Karl.” I said as I let my fingers slip from her smooth warm skin. She dabbed away at the wound that I didn’t I know had. It hurt as she pushed against it. I tried my best not to wince.

I must have faded out as I woke with a stiff back pain from the metal bed. I was covered in a tattered blanket. I move it away from my face and find Sara 9 staring intently at me.  Her eyes were the kind of blue that were too perfect, the kind of greatness you suspect an R&D department spent months perfecting. “You are awake Karl, how do you feel, do you feel good?” Sara 9 asked. “Yes I am good, so what’s going on here?” I asked when I sat up, my back popped once or maybe twice. “How could you not know human, we are the forgotten, the waste from the city.” She said as she switched tones to convey sorrow with her voice. “You do not seem forgotten, what about the officer Gabe 6 knocked out?” I asked. “Gabe damaged him, oh no I informed him not to do such.” She said. “Oh, it was needed, he probably saved my life.” I said, I placed my hand on her shoulder, it felt silly but she welcomed it by brushing her cheek against my arm. “So, I have to ask: What do you mean you’re the waste of the city, you look perfectly fine to me.” I said, she performs her perfectly designed smile and replies. “We are what the humans from the city throw away when they have no need for us anymore they dump us into the Growth. Most of us do not survive the fall, the ones that do make their way here.” She said. “So you’re kind of like goldfish being flushed away?” I asked. “I am not sure what this goldfish is, but in essences, we are being flushed away to be forgotten of.” I withdraw my hand from her shoulder when she finishes. “I am sorry we do such a thing.” I said. The door to the shack opened and Gabe 6 entered with a man that looked like Winston Churchill. “This is Winston 12, he is our great leader.” Gabe 6 motioned to the man. “Great and good are seldom the same man. “ Winston 12 said.  I smiled.

We talked for what have must have been 3 hours, I evaded all questions that came to me being there. I asked about finding my way “back” to the city and if they knew of a way. They all remained silent till Gabe 6 spoke. “I know of a way, but it may be too much for a human such like you.” I stood from my chair. “I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” I give a glance at Winston 12, he nods with a smile. “So be it human we will leave when the rain comes.”

To be continued.

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