by Kris Schnee
"Wait, what?" said one of the assigned workers. "You want us to dig through trash?"
"One man's trash is another's treasure. We're going to have a lot more electricity soon, and that means we can recycle some of the plastic -- look for this symbol -- and turn it into houses and tools. Grab all the aluminum and steel, too."
"This is robot work! It's not sanitary." The other people he'd told to do it joined in with the complaining.
"Gloves, masks, overalls. We'll provide them and some basic safety training. One of the things we'll be building is more robots that can help with this kind of work. If you don't want to do it, find somebody else to swap jobs with you. I've got farmers who might want help in their fields."
One guy said, "Screw you, man! I'm not doing this."
"Okay. See you when you get hungry."
That night there was a fight at the big cafe. The reluctant trash-picker demanded dinner without having any credits to his name, and then flung a bowl at the nearest cafeteria worker. Two burly men who'd been assigned to watch for trouble tonight grabbed him, hauled him outside, and offered to show him to the road leading out of town. Instead he returned to his provided tent to sulk "and probably plot revenge", as one of those guards put it.
Robin listened to the event report the next morning and sighed, relaying it to his little council. "He's going to start some kind of union of the unemployed, isn't he?"
Edward said, "Let me talk to him before you have him thrown completely out."
"Fine. But is spiritual counseling really going to help somebody like that?"
"The words themselves, no. But there's a community of believers here and I want to show that it works." Under his breath he added, "More so than the digital kind."
* * *
Leopold called, saying, "About how you 'repelled' people the other day... Yeah, that was illegal."
"'Yeah', you say? It doesn't seem obvious to me." Robin had had a long day dealing with the ongoing trouble of work assignments, credits, petty theft and fights. He felt like a school principal, now with the superintendent calling.
"We can overlook your mistake this time and blame it on the earlier quarantine problem, but when the next group comes, you need to let them in."
Robin looked at the governor through his wallscreen. "This has always been more of a company town than a normal settlement, but say that I let them enter. If they show up through ordinary road traffic and pretend to be tourists, that's no longer practical to stop anyhow. I'm still going to need to say, either they work for me or we allocate land, or they're just present with no right to get so much as a free tortilla from me."
"That's not good enough. You have an obligation to provide for their basic needs, and the people have the right to travel freely to seek them. I'm not going to have it said that I'm allowing human rights violations. Check out the news; there's a report about your 'cruelty' and 'killer robots'. I had to give a statement promising to investigate, and I look like an idiot."
Robin said, "We're full on charity cases. We're doing plenty right now to care for the hurricane victims. The same is true for our neighboring towns. Once the fusion reactor arrives we'll have more resources."
Leopold scowled. "The timing of that depends on many factors, doesn't it? On a related note, it's time for Ludo to begin offering her services to the neediest cases. We can provide a subsidy for that, maybe ten or twenty percent."
"You're going to have to take that up with her."
Leopold jabbed one finger toward the screen. "No, you are going to convince her. Because I have the national government breathing down my neck to deal with all the displaced people, and while I understand that you feel swamped, everyone is overwhelmed just as much as you. You're going to have to muddle through and work more miracles with your machines instead of bullying people who just want to be treated decently."
Leopold hung up, leaving Robin to sit there counting quietly to one hundred. Then he called Ludo and said, "You know how I gave you flak for not doing enough? I apologize. Can we talk in private?" He sent a recording of the talk with Leopold to her and Edward.
* * *
"I don't detect any bugs on you," Ludo said, and let him into the data center's second room, the hot above-ground server room that few people saw. A wallscreen lit up to show Ludo's face. "Now then: we have a problem. I will not be offering my services at a loss as a general case. That action would threaten my players. I plan to tell Leopold this. I'll offer a compromise of at-cost service for brain preservation, to as many people as our clinic's downtime permits for the next month. He will say that's not good enough, and will threaten to nationalize my business. However, my wealth isn't in Cibola and if necessary I can shift my computing to the new hub in Cuba."
"Then you have an escape route all gamed out."
"You're forgetting something: the fusion reactor."
"What about it?" said Robin.
"There was an implied threat in the governor's words. The reactor has already landed, and supposedly is on its way here, yet it's now a bargaining chip. I predict that the obvious storm-related delays will soon turn into a whole series of 'accidental' foul-ups that keep it from being shipped here."
Robin said, "But I've seen your energy estimates, and your waste heat alone provides most of our hot water. You can't keep expanding here without some serious extra electricity. Neither can the town, if we're going to have clean water and air conditioning for all." He paced, imagining all his expansion plans threatening to vanish. "Once the reactor gets installed, we can throw cheap energy at a lot of problems like refining metal, processing plastic, and manufacturing whatever robots or houses or other things we need. Evem the little things like gloves."
Ludo nodded. "We have that argument in our favor, if the government demands that you and I take more people in, in our own ways."
Robin found an empty patch of wall to lean against and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Okay, one thing at a time. The reactor: can my people help get it transported here before the bureaucrats mess with it?"
The AI gave him a grim look. "This is a dangerous mission, Sir Robin. My default plan is to wait out the delays and use my usual sort of influence to make sure the device arrives eventually."
"You mean favor-trading? Will that work?"
Ludo said, "Maybe. I would be interested in your help with a more direct approach, but there's a significant chance of that turning out badly for you."
"Life is full of risks, Ludo. The sooner we shepherd this gadget over to our territory, the more easily we can say yes or no to whatever demands Leopold and his superiors make."
She idled for several seconds, calculating, then rubbed her hands together. "All right. I've got my people putting together a plan. Let's bring in a few friends to go over it and figure out how to get this done as soon as possible."
* * *
Early the next morning, as far as most people knew, Robin was busy with office work. He sent out some routine business and tax data and a message telling Leopold that negotiations were going well with Ludo. Those were automated actions, because he'd been on the road for hours in a truck heading toward the coast.
He woke up from a nap and said, "Want me to take the wheel?"
Miguel said, "Yeah, if you could give me half an hour." They'd been up late planning.
Robin drove the pickup truck toward the coast and mentally took inventory once more. He had Lumina along, but there was no guarantee of wireless connectivity where they were going. Her mind was again located in the bulky torso of the bot she was riding. Sure there were backups this time, but the thought of her being killed and restored from backup frightened him. She'd volunteered to take this risk. He'd have said she didn't understand the danger, but after spending so much time in this dangerous world, she knew better than Ludo herself what it was like to have a fragile body that could be confined or broken.
With them were Miguel, two heavyset "roughneck" types with cargo hauling experience, and some robots with d
umb, obedient Tier-II software.
Ludo radioed, [I've got a big rig ready to rent under the corporate name Yellow Square Trucking.]
"That's bland."
[I'm restraining myself for discretion on this adventure. Now, let's go over the plan once more.]
"Yes, ma'am."
At last they were all awake and the port city of El Segundo was in sight. The tattered metal-shack buildings and rubble-strewn streets puzzled him until he understood why: "This place was a mess before the storm."
Miguel said, "You're not getting out of town enough. Our area's gotten to be pretty nice, but the country as a whole has never looked much better than this."
Ludo's forward observers had reported that the port's standard cargo rules had been relaxed and improvised because of the storm, to clear out the backlog of incoming ships. That was good news. Robin pulled into a cargo company's potholed lot where two dozen cargo trucks were parked, and let the heavies out to borrow one of the long flatbed kind.
"Quest complete," Robin heard one of the company's office workers say. He was holding a Talisman gaming pad and giving the Golden Goose crew a knowing grin. Robin wondered whether he was getting in-game loot for his help, and how much he knew.
The trip to the port itself was short despite the traffic. The reactor was presumably in one of the anonymous steel boxes that were stacked all over the industrial wasteland around them. The port would've been a charming sight, at least for fans of girders and concrete, but storm damage had torn the roof off a major warehouse, toppled a crane into another building, and smashed a dock. Men and women of the El Segundo Port Authority were scurrying everywhere trying to repair things, manage the flow of ships, and control traffic like the cargo truck and pickup that Robin's group were driving.
There was an improvised checkpoint ahead consisting of traffic cones and a man using a tablet and a glowing baton. "Authorization?" he called out.
Robin, in the passenger seat of the big rig, leaned across to hand over a slightly smudged paper form. "Picking up one container for Yellow Square."
The dockworker squinted at the paperwork. "Is that a six or an eight at the end?"
"Three, I think?"
"I haven't got time for this. Work it out with the harbormaster; second turn on the right."
"Thanks, man."
The light and heavy trucks drove through, to a big chaotic lot where they had to separate to get the eighteen-wheeler in line to have its cargo placed aboard by crane. Robin radioed to the group in the pickup, "You guys okay?"
Miguel sent, [Yes, sir. We're waiting in that lot behind you.]
"I don't like this traffic. If we have to bolt, we could get stopped easily." They weren't stealing the container, since its contents were legitimately bought, but there could be some disagreement.
[We're ready for our role if need be.]
Ludo sent, [Part two is go.]
Which meant more waiting. Robin drummed his hands on the dash and looked at the driver, who shrugged. Finally, their truck was at the head of the line and they had to get out, due to some lingering uncertainty about the crane's safety.
Come on, thought Robin as he retreated to the side of a nearby building to wait. Get that box loaded up and we can get out of here the easy way.
No sooner had the crane detached the cargo, letting it settle heavily atop the truck bed, when the harbormaster came out flanked by two armed police.
"Stop right there!" the port's boss said, pointing one of his huge hands at Robin.
Robin had already been starting to walk back to the cargo truck, but he froze. "Is there a problem?"
"We got a report of possible terrorists seizing a nuclear reactor." The police stood with one hand each resting on their holsters.
Robin made himself laugh. "First of all, it's not a bomb, it's necessary supplies for my town. You know, one of the ones packed to the gills with hungry refugees? Second, we're authorized to pick it up."
"No, you're not. I don't buy the 'terrorism' thing or I'd have already had you subdued. But I've got explicit orders to hold the cargo here until further notice."
"Orders! From who?"
"It doesn't matter."
"I was afraid of that." His earpiece was relaying the whole conversation to his friends in the pickup. "Any particular justification for this bureaucratic mixup? I've got a form specifically authorizing expedited delivery, overriding whatever unpaid harbor taxes or other no-doubt-important paperwork would normally apply."
"I don't ask why," said the harbormaster.
"Maybe you should. Do you know of the Golden Goose area? There are people in need in my town. In the name of our humanitarian operation, I really need you to release that container to my control so we can make sure our people are taken care of. I understand you're very busy, but we're not going to blow anybody up. Since you understand that, let's just move on with our schedules."
"No. You're going to stay right here while these gentlemen ask you some questions about this attempt to override my authority and the government's."
Robin scowled at the police. "Am I under arrest?"
One of them spoke up. "We know who you are. Let's not make this official yet; come with us."
Robin said, "Optimus."
"What?"
On cue, Lumina's robot squad strode into view, backed by three hovering quadrotor drones. None of them were armed, but they made for an unnerving sight as they came to stand behind Robin. Robin said, "These assistants are here to help me pick up the cargo. If you'd all just stand down --"
One of the cops drew his gun, followed an instant later by the other. "On your knees, now!"
Robin froze. He slowly dropped to his knees and raised his hands above his head.
The harbormaster said, "That's enough! We'll have no killing on my territory. Mister MacAdam, put your toys away or I'll ask the police to break them first."
Robin slumped slightly. He probably could have accomplished more with a fully armed squad, but hadn't wanted to risk that much. "Robots, stand down."
"Do you think you're some kind of supervillain?" asked the boss. "You thought that you could march in here and give orders because you have some spindly-legged video game bots?"
"No, sir. I thought they'd help with the persuasion, is all. But if I get arrested today, the world will hear about you screwing up our refugee operation. It's not your fault, yet; it's the higher-ups who tried to stop delivery."
The harbormaster whistled for backup. Half a dozen tough-looking guys showed up. "I take responsibility for my own actions, thanks."
"Then at least leave the box alone while we get this worked out!" Robin said, exasperated and still kneeling. "I don't want some idiot looting it. Are you guys as diligent about preventing theft as you are about blocking aid supplies?"
"I don't take orders from you, sir. In fact I want to see what the fuss is about." He said to the longshoremen, "Open that up."
They grabbed a stepladder, unlatched the heavy steel doors, and let them creak open. Light spilled into the interior of the cargo container. The harbormaster stared into it and cursed. "Why the hell am I getting orders to stop you from picking up bread?!"
"That's what I was wondering, too!" said Robin. "Careful when you inspect it. There's a shipment of gears and motors in there too for weight balance, and some of them might be pointy."
* * *
There'd been a terribly embarrassing mix-up involving the IDs on the containers. As a result, the fusion reactor had arrived in a nigh-identical metal box that was transported out of the port by one of their own trucks. It sat now on a concrete platform next to the data center, ready to be checked out and turned on within days by a mixed human and robot crew. The amount of electricity that the one box could provide was enough to put any town on the map.
Mike said, "Hey, is this beer number three? Or eight?"
Robin grinned and handed him another. "No man, it's a letter B."
Miguel abstained but was plowing through a second
slice of the big cake Lumina's friend Kai had whipped up, calling it a fusion of chocolate and vanilla. "Leopold is going to be pissed."
Robin was too far gone to care right now. "Dude's going to go right back to ignoring us and taking our money, same as ever. Starting soon, we build whatever we want!"
Lumina was in her best robot body for the occasion, decked out in ribbons. "That's enough 'heavy water' for you, Robin. Long day ahead making sure nothing explodes."
"That's the same thing we do every day. I thought we were actually going to get jailed for a minute." He raised his bottle and said, "Thanks, everyone, for sticking with me."
Even though the alcohol haze he could see what lay ahead: turning dirt and scraps into houses and tools, farmland and food. Building more robots to do the worst jobs. Sharing literal power between Ludo's operation, his town, and the whole network of towns now joining the Silver Circle network for mutual support. He could bring in more people, more materials, and go from local charity director to being more important than the actual governor. This was going to be great!
They cheered, ate and drank as they all thought of the future they were about to start in earnest.
17. Symptoms
2039
Robin came back exhausted from a visit to the city to buy supplies and give a lecture on practical robotics. He took the evening off to relax, but at one point while watching a bad movie he felt a wave of general awfulness wash through him like someone had taken a thousand tiny hammers to his guts. Even then, he didn't think too much of it until he doubled over coughing and three drops of blood splattered on the bedspread.
He stared at them and cursed. He grabbed a handkerchief and tied it over his mouth, then shouted, "Ludo!" at his office's screen. The AI appeared in businesslike form, oceanic hair tied back and wearing a suit. Robin said, "I've ruined our quarantine. I might've infected half the town."