blown up by a very large truck bomb. Two graduate students, Lois and Dillon, and Ted the security guard were killed. I think you better get back here ASAP.”
I told the audience and asked to be excused to get the details. The shock stunned the audience and my sponsor said stay seated and perhaps more details will be forthcoming.
I also learned there was a second truck destined to blow up Abe's building but that security guard alerted by the first explosion ran up and emptied a clip into the driver before he could trigger his cargo. I knew the killed graduate students were Lois and Dillon. They were a wonderful pair full of life and enthusiasm for their work and very talented. I went back on stage in tears and filled the audience in. The audience was stone silent except some quiet sobbing. I left immediately after to catch a flight back to Pittsburgh.
On arrival I was greeted by the Police and was brought to Captain Miller’s office.
“Looks as though we meet again. I hope this time it will be on better terms.”
Captain Miller smiled, “You know that I have to look at all the possibilities.”
“That’s not funny. I'm sure that you don't have jurisdiction. This is an ATF and probably an FBI problem.”
Captain Miller: “You're right. I just picked you up to give you a ride back from the airport and to let you know that the department is at your disposal. I know that your comrades were quite helpful in uncovering evidence the last time this happened. We can help by giving you access to our forensics lab and access to databases. The department has seen many changes in this last year, good changes. I know that you are a good and trustworthy person; notice I said person.”
“Believe me I noticed. Go on.”
Captain Miller: “I'm going to entrust you with the master password you can use to get into the fingerprint, DNA, and all the forensic databases. It didn't take a forensics expert to figure out that you can mentally access the Internet so the password is not to leave your brain. The password is 'Ralph124C41+' and is from some ancient sci-fi thing.”
“I know exactly where it came from. It’s from a serialized sci-fi story in an early electronics publication. It will give you a misleadingly high security score but it is used more often than you might think as a password. I would recommend that you change it soon.”
Captain Miller: “They've had a difficult enough time remembering this one.”
“It's easy to remember when you realize the numbers have meaning as words. It’s 'Ralph, one to foresee for one plus.'”
Captain Miller: “Was that intentional?”
“That interpretation was in the last chapter of the story. No telling whether it was planned or just serendipity that the author realized and used. I often do the same. We have a koi pond on Campus and as Abe and I walked by, there was a vendor cart with large letters ABCD on it next to the pond. I said to Abe, 'Abee See De goldfish' and he caught it, snickered and shook his head. I see these oddities everywhere.”
Captain Miller: “Do you share stuff like this with your students.”
“Sure, they seem to like it. I get good reviews.”
Captain Miller shaking his head, “Okay, here is a list of our databases and the net addresses of each. There’s a tutorial under HELP for each. Here comes the driver that will take you back to campus or wherever you want to go.”
“Campus will be fine. That's where my car is, if it’s still in one piece.”
Captain Miller: “It is, we checked.”
“Thanks for your help. There’s no one more motivated to resolve this than I am.”
Captain Miller: “Here's my card, it has my email address on it and here, I will write my home phone on the back. Don't hesitate to call me anytime night or day.”
“Thanks again, I'll try not to be a pest.”
When I got back to campus everyone had already left so I viewed the damage from outside the tape and went home depressed.
7.4.2127:
This morning, I arrived at the Campus parking lot and was accosted by a man carrying a sign beckoning me to repent that the end of the world is at hand. I would have paid him little attention except he was armed with what looked like an automatic weapon.
I asked, “What's your name and why the weapon?”
Cy Bell: “Cy Bell is my name and I was brought into the world to spawn a new leader. My wife is pregnant with this leader now and I must protect them at all costs.”
“Why are you here in this parking lot?”
Cy Bell: “This is where it's happening, look at that building over there.”
“Yes, that’s my building, or was. Some very good people got killed in that explosion.”
Cy Bell was somewhat alarmed, “Then you are making the robot destroyers of mankind. You must stop!”
“We’re doing no such thing. I am a product of that Lab. Do I look like a robotic destroyer?”
Cy looked at me bewildered, “You’re not a robot!”
“Well, technically, I am. I'm an android reincarnated from Professor Rasher. I feel and look the same as when I was biological. I still like people, love to teach and do research. I feel pleasure and pain, taste food and drink, I see beauty, I hear music and I think deeply about my actions. I believe I'm a better person now than I was as a human.”
Cy's facial features seemed to contract toward his nose and his mouth made a small 'o' as I was talking. I had no idea what might be going on in his brain other than confusion.
Cy Bell: “You were killed a year ago.”
“I was badly smashed up but I was repaired and am now as good as new.”
Cy Bell: “I saw your head, no one could have survived that.”
I then repeated the lie of omission released to the press at the time. “Your brain is in your head but only part of my brain is in my head. In particular, the sensory preprocessors are in my head. They don't contain emotions or memories and can be easily replaced.”
That statement was correct as far as it goes but a significant part of my head is also devoted to memories and learned behavior.
Cy Bell: “I see a war coming between your kind and human beings.”
Such a war is widely discussed in the press and alarming many people. I wanted to allay his fears. “I love people and am doing everything in my power to stop the hate expressed by Cardinal Tucker and his followers. I think, at least I hope, I made some progress.” I put my hand on his shoulder and felt him tremble with fear.
Cy Bell: “You know, I will be on the human side when it happens.”
I put my arm around him and looked into his frightened eyes and said, “Lets both work to prevent this from happening. They once said that different races couldn't work together but they did. We must make this work. We need one another to make this planet right. The media is giving a disproportionate amount of air time to those against androids and few seem interested in the truth. There's much science fiction obscuring science fact. Maybe your child is destined to set this right. Maybe he will be a champion of freedom, equality, embracing freedom and love.”
Cy Bell quietly uttered, “You seem okay. I hope that's true.”
“Somehow humanity seems to muddle through, sometimes a good leader can be very helpful. I suggest that you take your weapon home otherwise the police will probably pick you up thinking you have a loaded automatic weapon. If you even look at them the wrong way, they may shoot first and ask questions afterward.”
Cy Bell: “Thank you for talking to me and not treating me like a nut case. I will do as you say.”
He was a young man of 20 years caught up in the heated rhetoric in the press about the coming of an android Armageddon. With the polarization taking place, a mass killing of androids could easily happen. I have written several letters to the editor to local papers and blogs but only a smattering are getting published. Those that do get published seem to bring out wholesale venom from those opposed to androids.
The household androids were given a twenty-year lifespan then had to go back to the factory for 'refurbishing and re
authorization.' In the process their memory was erased so they were, in effect, newbies again. All android manufacturers followed this US mandated, lobbyist backed, profitable procedure. We weren't covered by this legislation because we were considered experimental. Generally, it was the owners that objected when the 20 years were up. They became attached to the androids but not the other way around. This changed with the introduction of the A3s. They exhibit and feel love for the humans they serve. In a growing number of instances, people have used black-market kits to extend the life of their A3s and have run off with them. Some pairs have committed dual suicide on being discovered. Dramatizations have been made of some of these stories.
The A4s that have been out for a year are more intelligent and more emotional, can love, dislike, eat, cry, be sad and happy and have a libido. A stripped-down version of the human emotional network was copied, simplified and incorporated in the A4s without fully understanding it. I thought this was dangerous practice but so far it’s working. When these androids reach 20 years of service they are not going to be happy and they have already started participating in the conversation. This has fueled much of what stirred up Cy Bell.
I entered Abe's building and a new security person didn't know who I was. He detained me even after I showed him my ID and I congratulated him for doing so. IDs can be easily faked. A few minutes later Abe showed up and waved to the guard and I was in. I told Abe what we had access to and he was eager to get started.
Abe: