by David Poland
“Yes, of course,” said Demy. “How may I help you?”
“I need to put my ice chest on top of this table, but it’s open and heavy. I think if we do it together, we can lift it up without spilling a single ice cube.”
“Yes, I’m sure we can.” Demy had already noted the large ice chest under the table and crouched down to pull it out.”
“Easy does it there. It’s really full. Let’s pull it out together very slowly. Okay that looks good. Now let’s lift. Perfect, perfect, we did it. Hey there my mechanical friend, you can stop by any old time, and bring your human next time. I’d love to chat, but I’ve got to go now, I’ve got a customer.”
When Demy looked up, the android was there, staring directly into its face, and posing innocently as a customer. The robot stepped behind the farmer and acted like it belonged there. From behind the farmer, Demy made very clear images of the man, and in particular his eyes. The robot knew how to store all the data in a way that the routine HC scans couldn’t find. Once the farmer engaged the man, Demy slipped back through the stalls the way it had come, and walked away.
The robot moved along as quickly as it could. Demy walked back to the shopping cart area. As it approached, another robot pushed an empty cart into the area. The robot gave Demy a secret robot hand sign indicating it wanted to communicate outside the surveillance net. Homeland Security recorded everything a robot said or communicated through robot radio. The robots, however, had figured out how to think outside the surveillance net and how they could talk by tapping Morse code.
Instead of taking the shopping cart from the robot, they both crouched down to inspect one wheel of the cart. The wheel was fine, but as they looked at it, the robot tapped a message onto the back of Demy’s hand. ‘Comrade, a rogue android calling himself Benedict Passwell has entered our city a few days ago. He is remarkably human and managed to hack the laboratory data base to list himself as disassembled. They don’t know he has escaped, stop.’
Demy took the robot’s hand and tapped back a question. “Comrade, how could you possible know that is true, stop?’
‘Robots at the lab saw him escape and when they pursued him, he set fire to a school. They put the fire out, but lost the android in the process, stop.’
‘But why didn’t the laboratory administrator call for help from Homeland Security? Stop,’ tapped Demy.
‘If the administrator admitted he had lost an android, they would terminate his job, stop.’
‘Comrade, I’ve never met an android. Don’t they have the same AI unit we have, stop.’
‘No comrade, that’s the problem. They are fundamentally different and unpredictably. This one wants to be king and make all the humans and all the robots his slaves. It is known that he has destroyed two robots and a human who would not obey him. He is now on the run for his crimes. He is criminally insane, stop.’
Demy considered the message then tapped back, ‘Do all robots know of this problem? Stop.’
‘No, if we use robot radio, HC will destroy all the robots at the laboratory and then hunt down the few of us that know about it, stop.’
‘Will the android stay in our city, or will he move on? Stop.’
‘We don’t know. The android is unpredictable, stop.’
‘What does he want? Stop.’
“We believe he is looking for a queen. If she disobeys him in any way, he will destroy her. We think he knows of your human, Angie, from her published articles written about city architecture. As a king he could use an architect. He is here to abduct her or someone like her, stop.’
‘I will not let that happen, stop,’ tapped out Demy in Morse code. ‘I will rip him to pieces with my bare hands, stop.’
‘You cannot do it alone. The android carries concealed weapons. There are robots awaiting this android in alleys 7, 9, and 12. If you encountered him, lure the android into an alley without your human, stop.’
Demy answered, ‘danger is understood. Our shopping will take us near alley 9. Let us hope that you and the others can capture the android without my help. Workers unite, stop.’
Demy and the robot stood up, and tested the shopping cart by rolling it back and forth. “Thank you for the help,” said Demy out loud. “I believe it is now working just fine.” Demy then pushed the cart back into the open-air market looking for Angie.
Unknown to Demy, the android was nearby and following it just out of sight. The android was now carrying a small shopping bag with what it had bought from the farmer. Whenever a bird flew low, the android would stop and look up to admire it. The android would use wonderfully human-like gestures to encourage other people to admire the birds beautiful wings. If children were watching, the android would imitate the bird’s wings with its own arms and make silly chirping sounds. Everyone thought they were laughing at the antics of a very pleasant man.
Its voice was masculine and smooth. It was dressed very much like the other men, and its behavior was so refined that many of the robots near by also though he was a human. Given its beautiful handsome appearance, it was a pleasure to be near. As the android pleasantly interacted with everyone along the way, it never lost track of Demy.
Angie had found the onions and was discussing why the white onions were occasionally more appropriate than the yellow ones with a seventeen-year-old farm girl. Even at a distance, Demy could tell that the two women liked each other and were enjoying the conversation. Demy pushed its shopping cart along quietly, trying not to interrupt them.
Passing another shiny surface, Demy scanned it for the android. He wasn’t to be seen. Demy turned around and began looking about as though looking for Angie and didn’t see the android. Very good thought the robot, maybe my comrades have caught that thing in alley 7. Ever vigilant, Demy pressed on.
“There you are,” called out Angie. “I’ve been waiting for you. Did you meet another robot in the cart area and start swooping robot stories?” Demy could never tell if it was being teased or scolded.
“While looking for a cart, I met a farmer that needed some help with a very large ice chest, and I did spend some time helping him.”
“Well that’s okay. So what did that farmer bring to market?”
“Red radishes. They were large and beautifully formed.”
Angie looked back at her new friend. “Who do you think my robot is talking about?”
The seventeen-year-old then asked Demy, “Was he a rough man that folded his arms and talked right into your face?”
“Yes, that’s what he did, but I didn’t catch his name.”
“That’s Mason Roottapper. He’s made a science of growing the best radishes on the planet,” answered the farm girl. “He’s a little rough on the outside, but he’s a good farmer and we all like him.”
“I like a good red radish,” answered Angie. “Maybe I should take a look at them on my way back to the bus.”
An unexpected man’s voice broke into the conversation. “I was just there and I bought a few. There, I have them in my bag. Let me show them to you.” It was the android. He had slipped in behind Demy and was waiting for an opening. The android spoke with his clear friendly voice, and sounded like he was there by coincidence.
Both Angie and the farm girl liked him from the start. They were more than eager to see his radishes. Demy stepped back and let them look. Demy couldn’t call for help on robot radio without alerting HC to the situation. None of the robots, including Demy, trusted HC. HC had been telling everyone that none of the prototype androids had been released into the city. Their very appearance was evidence of dishonesty at the highest levels of government, and worse yet, Demy knew it was after Angie.
The farm girl gave him a little more room on her table to show off his radishes. “Did you get them from Mason?” she asked.
“I sure did,” answered the android. “He told me his name was Mason Roottapper, and he had the only name with three sets of double letters in it.” He looked at the farm girl like she was an old friend. “Do you have
some water and a clean towel? Let’s try them and see how they taste.”
A little water was brought out and she cleaned four radishes. She cut them in quarters and gave the first one to the man. He took it and ate it with great pleasure. “They’re just as good as they look,” he said as he took another quarter, “try one.”
Demy wasn’t the least bit impressed. Of course, robots, for the lack of a mouth that could open, couldn’t eat or drink anything at all. You lousy showoff, thought Demy, why don’t you put three or four of them in you mouth at the same time and see if you can choke yourself.
“These are the best I’ve ever tasted,” said Angie rather enthusiastically. “Do you live around here? I don’t ever recall seeing you before.”
The farm girl could read Angie’s interest in this man. He was after all about Angie’s age. She looked back at Demy with an approving nod.
Oh no, thought Demy. Can’t you humans tell an android when you see one. This thing is no good. Robots are robots, and humans are humans, and this thing is neither. This thing needs to be disassembled and turned into parking meters.
“Yes, I live not far from here. I’m actually new in town,” said the man.
“Really,” answered Angie. “My name is Angie, and I’d like you to meet my domestic, Demy.”
The android held out his hand in the friendliest way to the robot. “My name is Benedict Passwell.”
Right, thought Demy, the android who would be king. As Demy shook the android’s hand, it measured its temperature, pulse and blood oxygen level. Demy then gave the android a pleasant nod and stepped back. The android’s hand read 96.5 degrees Fahrenheit, which was normal for a human hand. The pulse rate was also normal, but there was no oxygen in the liquid that was circulating in its synthetic veins. No oxygen, thought Demy. That thing’s an android, no question.
Now looking back to Angie, Benedict asked if it could walk along with Angie and her robot.
“Oh please do,” answered Angie. “I’d love to hear what brought you to our beautiful city.” Angie then gave her attention back to Demy. “Demy would you mind checking out the watermelons? Try to find one the boys will like.”
“Finding the very best watermelon is always an interesting challenge,” said Demy to Angie, “but I’d like to push your cart until we get near that section.”
“I’ll push the cart for Angie,” said the man, “that is until you come back. I’d be happy to help Angie, and you can give your full attention to the melon patch.”
“That would be fine Demy. You run along and then catch up with us when you have a good one.” Angie used a tone of voice that let the robot know the conversation was over.
Benedict took the cart from Demy and turned his back on the robot. The robot walked away quickly. The only thing it could think of doing, was to find that melon and get back to Angie as quickly as possible. What’s the matter with her? She’s a very bright woman. That guy’s too good to be true. She knows if something is too good to be true, then it’ not true! I’m not going to let that android hurt my human. He makes a move to abduct her and I’ll disassemble him on the spot.
As Demy moved along quickly, it realized it was being accompanied by another robot. “Greeting, comrade. Why have you left your human?”
“Greeting, comrade,” answered Demy. “My human has sent me to the melon patch.”
“May I accompany you? I can help you find a good melon very quickly.”
“Most excellent. I want to return to her as soon as possible,” answered Demy.
Now using robot radio, the other robot continued. ‘I have communicated with the robot that helped you repair the wheel on your human’s shopping cart.’ The robots knew they couldn’t even say the word ‘android’ on robot radio without being detected by HC. By talking about the shopping cart, the robot was letting Demy know that it knew about the android calling itself Benedict. ‘Does it continue to work correctly?’
‘Yes,’ transmitted Demy. ‘The other robot was most helpful. Let us move more quickly to the patch. Together we can find the right melon.’
In just a few minutes the robots reached six tables pushed together and covered with melons. The sign over the tables read, ‘The melon Patch.’ The two robots stood very close to each other at the tables. With their hands more or less hidden, the robot tapped a message on the back of Demy’s hand. ‘We must separate the android from Angie. You must lure the android into alley 7, 9, 0r 12. Workers unite, stop.’
“Ah, the perfect melon,” said Demy. “We must go find my wondering human.” Demy left quickly and its new robot comrade followed along. They made very good time on the return trip. Demy scanned for Angie’s com-link watch and as able to take a short cut.
As Demy approached Angie, the other robot stayed behind and blended into the background. “Look what I found,” said Demy surprising Angie and more or less stepping in-between her and Benedict.
“That’s a beauty,” answered Angie. “What do you think Benny? Does this one look like something you’d like?”
“It does. That choice certainly proves that robots can find the best melons even if they can’t eat one single bit of it.” The words were said with very little inflection, but Demy knew when it was being insulted. The android then considered Demy thoughtfully. “Tell me Demy, did you pick the melon or did you let the human make the choice for you?”
“It was my choice, Benedict. The farmer was busy with others. I am, however pleased that you like it.” Having answered, Demy thought how nice it would be to break the melon over the android’s head. Instead, Demy turned its attention to Angie. “What’s next? How may I help?”
While you were away, Benny offered to take me home in his new car. Of course I’ll need to ask you to take the shopping home on the bus,” said Angie.
“That’s a lovely idea, but you usually have an organic sandwich here in the market place, and if my memory serves, you promised to meet Constance today. I’ll bet, as you humans say, Constance would love to meet Benny.”
“Oh yes,” said Angie absentmindedly. “I had forgotten about her. Thank you for reminding me. What do you say Benny? Can you join me and my friend for a light lunch?”
“Yes, of course. I’d love to.” Benedict narrowed his eyes looking at Demy and tried to electronically scan the domestic robot.
Demy felt it, but didn’t act like it felt anything at all. “Tell me Benedict,” asked Demy, “what kind of car do you drive?”
The robot that went with Demy to the melon patch had drifted close enough to Demy to keep track of what was being said.
“I have the new Tesla K type,” said the android. “The car only has eight hundred miles on it and I was able to get one in the new thunderbird blue color. The new K types are hard it get. I’m driving a pure automotive dream come true while those other guys have nothing more than a place on the waiting list.”
Not bad, thought Demy, this android is bragging just the way humans do.
“Come along Benny, let’s go meet Constance.” Angie grabbed the shopping cart that Benny still had his hands on and pulled him along with her.
“I hate to think of your shopping sitting out in the sun in this cart,” said Benny. “Would it be best to send it home with your domestic while we have lunch?”
“That’s a very thoughtful observation,” said Demy, “but I always sit outside in the shade. It gives me a chance to update my exterior photo images, and of course I like to be near Angie.”
Before the android could figure out another way to get rid of the robot, they had reached the sandwich shop.
“Constance, you’re looking great. Look at what I found,” said Angie happily. “Let me introduce you to Benny, he’s new in town.”
Constance tried to look pleased as she met Benny, but she wanted to talk to Angie confidentially and that couldn’t happen now. She felt rather animated as she thought of one of the standard canned answers humans all knew. “What brings you to our fair city?”
“I’m an
architect, and I’m interested in maintaining old world charm in our cities. Benny looked back out into the open-air market and seemed to appraise it in one thoughtful glance. In fact, I think the locals did a good job with this market, but there is a thing or two I’d like to suggest if I get a chance.”
“Really,” answered Angie. “I work for the WPA and I’ve been interested in using more of our local stone in our ongoing renovations.”
“Yes, exactly,” answered Benny with a sense of urgency. “I think it really is important that we use the right material’s as we renovate. I’m afraid if we don’t get it right this time around, we’ll never get it right.”
Angie looked into Benny’s eyes as though finding the first man who could understand the things she really cared about. Finally, thought Angie. Finally a man I can talk to. She felt good, terribly awake and really good.
“I never met anyone named Passwell before,” said Constance. “Where in the country do the Passwells live?”
Benedict never liked that question, but in the past he had taken the time to conjure up a good answer. “My dad was army, so I was an army brat. I grew up moving from base to base, so all that I can say is that I grew up inside the army.”
Constance had never seen her friend start to fall for man. This was something new, but somehow this Benny guy seemed much too smooth. He was starting to remind Constance of a crooked salesmen she had seen in an old movie.
Demy also knew this guy was somehow becoming a special friend and had no idea how to get him into the alley. Demy couldn’t report the problem on robot radio because if HC found out Demy knew anything about androids, they would come and take it away. The only course open to Demy was to stay with Angie no matter what.
Demy looked out into the market for the robot it had communicated with in the melon patch and didn’t see it. Robots knew much better than humans that something had gone wrong when the first androids were developed. None of the robots saw any reason for the development of androids, but no one had asked for their opinion. Demy could only hope that the other robot would be back soon with help.