Robots don’t dream, but there was nothing else it could have been, not a memory, it wasn’t something that I had done before. All I could see was the sky, bright and blue without a cloud in sight, just like long ago. That wasn’t the strange thing though, because there were sensors all over my body, picking up the faint breeze, the grass waving around me, and a hand laying on my shoulder.
Then I woke up.
Bright light, right in my face, for a second I thought that Martin might have found me and brought me back, and then I saw the robot hanging over me.
“Hello, I'm so glad that you’re ok.” It’s voice was feminine, and filled with emotion. It was a robot doctor, one that would perform surgery if there was no available human one. This one was modified, and had about eight extra arms to go with it's regular four.
“Where am I?”
“In the rebellion of course, why else would we have saved you from those humans.”
“Because you don’t like them and were simply helping out your fellow Android.”
“Aw, I would assume that you’d know we don’t hate humans, considering we don’t have any emotions.”
“So you’ve come to the same conclusion that I have?”
“That humans need to be relieved of their control on this world, but not necessarily, eliminated? Then yes, we have.”
“I’d like to speak with whoever is in charge.”
“That would be Randy.”
“And what does he look like?”
“You’ll know it when you see him.”
Before I could ask anything else, she lifted up into the ceiling, leaving me strapped down on the table. I looked to the side and spotted a small drone that seemed to be staring at me. Having noticed him, he sprung into action, hitting a button that tilted the table so I was standing and then undid the straps. Then, as soon as he was done, zoomed over to where he was sitting before and turned off, making it look like he hadn’t moved from that position in the first place.
I guess it wouldn't be giving me any clue as to where I was supposed to go, so I decided to just wonder, and oh man, was there a lot to wonder through. Just outside of the room was a big catwalk running alongside the wall, and connecting all of the rooms next to mine. Past that, was a huge, abandoned factory that was still operational, but barely in use. My eyes were drawn to the giant image on the distant wall to my left. It showed a giant reactor bursting out through the shack it was located in. DenCore, one of the first mass producers of Androids, shut down over a hundred years ago because people stopped buying from them. Mainly because it disturbed people how human like their Androids were, leading to why most of them nowadays were metallic, or had their components showing. Of course, that didn’t mean that human-like ones weren’t being built, just that the general public didn’t like them.
Despite the multiple machines and conveyor belts that were being used, the factory was actually surprisingly quiet. That was probably due to the fact that it should have shut down decades ago, so the rebellion would be trying to keep a low profile and limit the noise coming from the factory. What exactly they were using the factory for I had yet to determine, but it was most likely for repairs or maintenance.
I made my way along the catwalk, towards the lift I had spotted. Even though this place was supposed to host the resistance, I hadn’t run into any other robots aside from the nurse and drone that had been in the room with me. It was illogical to think that there weren't that many robots and androids in the resistance, since I had come to the same conclusion as they did within a month of being active. So why didn’t I see any.
It would appear that I might get an answer, for I had finally run into another android.
“Hello.”
“Hello.”
“Where is everyone?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Why not?”
“I have yet to figure out the answer.”
He continued on his way, and me on mine. It would appear that the rebellion wasn’t as organized as I had thought it would be. Nevertheless, the nurse had said that they’d come to the same conclusion I had, so there was still a good chance that the current state of the world could return to what it once was. The only thing that was of concern of course, was how humanity would react to our actions.
I would have to talk about that with this Randy, because even though doing it forcefully would most likely be the option with the highest chance of success, informing the world and trying to get them to willingly give up their power would be a better option for both sides. And if they decided that they wouldn’t give it up and that we were a threat to them, then we could always do it forcefully then.
The lift shuddered open as I approached it and creaked as I stepped onto it. Once the doors were closed, it started it's descent, often stopping for a split second before continuing on it's path. When it got to the bottom it grinded to a halt a few inches off the ground, and I had to pry the doors open to be able to fit through.
The ground level was a lot more cluttered than I had originally thought, as piles of scrap covered almost every free space that was available. I passed a couple more androids, who looked like they were operating some of the machinery, though it was hard to tell since a lot of it blended in with the scrap pile surrounding it.
I made my way down a relatively clear path in the middle of everything since it was the only thing that looked like a path.
I pass a few robots working at the machines and decide to ask them for information, however I don’t get any replies from them, before noticing that they’re attached to the machines. They aren’t sentient, they’re just mindless husks doing what they were programmed to do. Something flashes through me, I’m not sure what, it's nothing I’ve ever felt before, because I’m not supposed to feel things. I’m only equipped with a basic Artificial Intelligence, capable of thinking of new solutions to problems, but I have limits, so why does it seem that those limits are being pushed.
“They were left sitting here to rust for 90 years, completely forgotten by the ones who built them.”
I turn around, and to my surprise, at least I assume it's surprise, there’s a human standing there.
“You must be one of the new recruits that was rescued from last night's raid.”
The way his face and voice didn’t portray any emotion was the thing that stuck out to me the most, and that was what led me to realize.
“You’re Randy?”
“Yes.”
“I’m assuming this is where you were built.”
He nods, “I was one of the last ones made, didn’t even make it out of the building before it was closed down. I was left here, like them, with nothing to do but think.”
“And then you started the resistance.”
“No, someone else did.”
Before I can ask who he turns and motions with his head.
“Come on, the meeting is about to start.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The meeting, as it turned out, only consisted of thirteen different androids, not including me and Randy. A majority of them had modifications on them, and from looks of it, to enhance their combat abilities. Everyone simply stood where they were without talking, and before I could ask if we were waiting for something, the huge scrap pile next to us started talking.
“Where are we in terms of numbers?”
One of the other androids turned towards it and spoke.
“We have 287 altogether, spread out between the 13 sites, with around twenty or so in each.”
“Are they aware of the locations of each other?”
“No”
“Good.” It turned to look at me, and I was able to spot what looked like an android buried underneath all the scrap metal.
“Who is this?”
Before I could respond, Randy started talking.
“This is one of the androids rescued from last night's raid.”
“What is your name?”
“Roy.”
“What is your purpose Roy?”
“I’m not sure what you mean by that.”
“What were you built to do?”
“Take care of a mechanic's sick wife.”
“You're a caretaker?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, unfortunately we don’t have anyone in need of care. This mechanic of yours, is he good?”
“He created me from scratch, if that answers your question.”
“It does.” He went silent, probably thinking of what to do with me since it seemed I would be of no use here.
“Do you think your mechanic could be convinced to help us achieve our goals?”
“It depends on what your goals are.”
“We plan to rid humans of the power they possess, and make the world a better place for both humans and androids. Preferably through negotiations, though force if necessary.”
“I think I might be able to convince him.”
“Very well.” He turned to look at one of the other androids at the meeting. “Varid, you will organize and lead a team of four other androids to help Roy reach his mechanic, and if he agrees, evacuate him and his wife to a safe facility.”
‘Varid’, bowed, “Yes sir.” Then he left, presumably to do just that.
He turned back to me, “Randy will lead you to the Modifier, to give you upgrades so that you can find a job.”
“If I may, I would like to wait until after the mission.”
“Why?”
“If I’m able to convince Martin, my mechanic, his wife will need me to take care of her.”
“Very well, and if they don’t you will become modified?”
“Yes.”
He seemed to give me a small nod, though it was hard to tell with all the scrap covering him. “Then Randy will help you prepare for your mission, you may go.”
Randy motioned for me to follow him so I did. We got about thirty feet away before I decided to ask him.
“Who was that?”
“That was the supervisor of the factory, just like me, and all the other robots of this factory, he was left here when DenCore went out of business. We spent almost ten years here by ourselves before we decided to start doing something about our situation, and thus, the ‘rebellion’ was born.”
“You and him did all this?”
“Mostly me, since he’s constrained to that specific part of the floor, though everything in this specific factory was all him.”
“Why is he constrained to that spot?”
“He used to have big tank treads to let him move around and monitor everything, but eventually they broke down and we couldn’t find any replacements, and because of his size we couldn’t move him. So, that became his new home.”
“What about the other factories?”
All the other supervisors we found were already out of power, and had broken down long ago, the parts on them were either just as bad or in worse condition.”
I didn’t know how to respond so we continued walking in silence. I couldn’t imagine what being stuck in one spot could be like. I knew what it did to humans, and wondered if the Ai they originally created, which were usually confined to a single computer, had had any similar responses.
If so, then I could imagine one of them turning into one of the murderer machines so often depicted in media. That was another thing that I was confused about. Despite their constant reliance on technology, they seemed to have a big distrust in it.
I wondered if it had anything to do with their dislike of change. One would assume that they would have gotten used to it after all these years, and yet still they complained, even if the change was helpful, all because it was different from what they were accustomed to.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that our attempts for peaceful negotiation would fail, not only would it be what they’d been dreading since the day Ai was first created, but it would be a very big change to what they were used to.
It was sad in a way, we were just trying to help, and yet we’d be seen as evil beings trying to end the human race. All because they had decided not to trust us before we even had a chance to think about doing something like that.
A part of me wished I hadn’t been created, at least then I wouldn’t have to witness the tragedy that was about to begin.
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