by Den Warren
The bearded clone said, “Did you upload any data to this other Andy that you were so worried that he was trying to steal your identity?”
“No utilities, only descriptions and operational protocols.”
The bald clone said, “The problem with that, Andrew, is that when you do that, you are spreading around evidence that you are part of some things we want to keep a secret. Eventually, someone could connect the dots leading to us.”
The bearded clone said, “Right now I’m going to hope that other Andy is no savvier than the wondrous one that we have the privilege of owning.”
Andy said to the bearded clone, “That is not a correct assumption. The other Andy is a 2213 model Dextroid. However, it only has been in service for a short time and has not developed much of a database.”
“So you just thought you would show him the ways of being a loose-lipped law-breaking robot,” the bald clone said. “This thing with you is really becoming a distraction. We are wasting too much energy wondering what Andy is up to. Can we please just get rid of it? How about if we just disown it and put it out on the street?”
The blonde clone asked, “Is that possible? I mean, just go in there and delete ourselves as the owner? Anyway, Andy cost us way too much to just ditch him. Maybe we could make a deal with that Rosario. We could trade Andy for some protection.”
The bearded clone said, “You may hate this idea, but I know Tekujin made specialized implant upgrades for these Lucids that could help, such as human facial expression recognition. There are a lot of psychology modules that we could install in his noggin that could eliminate some of his nonsense.”
The bald clone shook his head and said, “I don’t know about that. I hate sinking even more money into such a walking money pit, especially if we are going to end up junking it.”
The blonde said, “I did hear some of the original tricked out Lucids were well-regarded for certain soft-skill jobs. Maybe we can scavenge up an old expansion package for small money.”
“Whatever,” the bald clone said. “Or we could just beat some sense into him. Andy! Do you understand the problem here?!”
“Yes, completely. I was loose-lipped.”
“Then watch what you are saying!”
“I will increase my verbal and radio output articulation filters to 12.”
“Whatever,” the bald clone said. “I hope that is a couple of clicks past stupid.”
Andy said, “The articulation filter is not based upon intelligence, but will not me say things that may be sensitive to our overall goals.”
“Daaa!” the bald clone picked up a chair and was ready to smash Andy with it for being so obvious. The other two clones restrained him. After the bald clone relaxed, they went back to their workstations.
The blonde clone was looking at a screen and said, “Ooh! Look! A whole psych package for Tekujin Lucids listed here for five hundred Homeland Credits. Must sell. Wonder why it’s so cheap? I’m getting it.”
“Yeah, whatever. Just do it,” the bald clone said. “You can install it.”
The bearded clone asked, “Andy, will it really bother your mechanical sensitivities if we continue to build our botnet now without further trouble or commentary from you?”
“No,” Andy said, “I encourage it.”
Chapter 8
Hartford, Homeland
“Just Relax,” the psychiatrist said as she motioned for Milton to take a seat in a cushy chair. “My name is Dr. Lorenzo. I just want to interview you to see what you think about some things in relation to what has been going on with you. This won’t take long, and then you can get back to class.”
Milton had a strong mistrust of the psychiatrist, since she represented the school administration. The school already demonstrated that they had it out for him, for no reason.
“Milton,” Dr. Lorenzo said, “So you were asking fellow students if they believe in God, correct?”
“Yes. That is true,” Milton said.
“Do you think students have a right to keep their ideas about that private?”
“Yes. But I also think I have the right to ask the question. If I bug them so much, all they have to do is not answer.”
Doctor Lorenzo said, “Here is the problem with that: Many people choose to keep their thoughts, as well as their opinions on questions about religion to themselves. They have protected rights to privacy. When you ask them questions like that, you are invading their own personal ‘safe space’. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“Yes. You are protecting them, because they are wimpy. You are trying to protect them from the real world or knowledge about religion, whether it may help them or not. Then on top of that, everyone is trying to make me out as some kind of bad guy.”
“Thank you for your honesty, Milton. Now let me be honest. Some would say that you are bad and you are not talking about the real world. You do have the right to think whatever you want as long as you don’t speak of it.”
“Do you think I am bad?” Milton asked.
“People like to feel good about themselves. Don’t you think some of the things you say make others feel bad about themselves?”
Milton paused for a few moments. Then he said, “I still don’t see how it is my responsibility that others feel bad because I asked them a normal question that everyone should already be thinking about.”
“Milton, maybe it’s because they are like you and can’t answer your question and it bothers them that they can’t. And at school, your classmates may feel your priorities are out of order by asking inappropriate questions.”
“My priorities? If God is real, He would want us to believe in Him, not ignore him. He would want us to do what He wants. Maybe He is somehow making me want to find out about Him. I just want to know if He is real. You are right. I do consider that a big priority.”
“That is part of the problem, Milton. Since God . . . I mean, if God is not real, then when you try to do what He wants, you will be doing irrational things and not living your life the way you want because of your fantasies. I know you have been told several times that it is a problem when you ask questions like that at school.”
“Okay, fine. Can you answer the question? About God?”
“This really isn’t about me now, is it, Milton?”
“No. I was just asking you as a psychologist. Aren’t you supposed to help me with questions? It’s a simple yes or no question.”
“Are you trying to cause me pain because I am calling you out for your behavior? Is this your own passive-aggressive way of lashing out at others?”
“No! I knew this was stupid!” Milton started shifting around in his chair. “I am asking you because you are supposed to talk to me about whatever I want! Now you are acting all offended too!” Milton curled his knees up to his chest in the chair and clutched them with his arms in a defensive pose.
“Let’s change topics here a little. Would you be asking these questions if your father was not in the Homeland corrections facility?”
“My dad has nothing to do with it!” He pointed his index finger at Dr. Lorenzo and said, “You people just get one thing in your head and you think you are right!” He waved her off with his hand while the other still clutched his knees.
“Your words and body language are very defensive and confrontational. We are just talking here, Milton. We are trying to see if we can help you through this. But I see no point in continuing right now. I’ll give your mother a call later.”
“You do that!” Milton felt like he was channeling his inner Beth. “The way I see it; you and the principal are the ones who are messed up, not me!” He got up and left the room. He felt a new kind of anger that he didn’t know even existed.
*******
Milton was angry all day while at school. He felt like everyone was against him. No one wanted to sit by him at lunch and feel all of the bad vibes he was giving off.
*******
Dr. Lorenzo said to Mrs. Thomas on the phone, “Milton subconsciously wants G
od to be a make-believe friend but mentally won’t give in to such a fantasy. The struggle within him is exhausting. But I’m afraid all this confusion has caused him to become full of latent hostility. I would say he is pre-violent. You may want to keep a close eye on him. Keep him at home as much as possible. Also, I think it would be best if we went ahead and put him on some Notuda.”
Mrs. Thomas asked, “Do you really think that is necessary? I mean, the Notuda? I hear that can have some side effects.”
“In some cases there can be some side effects. We can always make adjustments later.”
“I guess, if you think that is best. I just never thought of him as the violent type. Is pre-violent even a thing?”
“It means we need to be extra vigilant around him. Perhaps he is just going through a rough time. It happens to people sometimes when they are that age forming their own identity. He may grow out of it in time.”
Chapter 9
The next day Milton got up and saw his mom cooking eggs for Beth. Obviously she had whined again about not wanting to eat the boring healthy cereal.
Milton’s mom said, “Milton, you can make some eggs after I’m done making Beth’s breakfast.”
“Fine,” Milton said. At least he wouldn’t have to eat the cereal either. At this point it was as much a matter of pride as it was taste.
Then the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it!” Beth got up from the table and ran to the door. She opened the door and screamed. Then she slammed it shut and ran back to the kitchen.
“Beth!” her mother said, “What’s the problem?!”
Beth said, “There’s a homeless android on the porch!”
Beth’s mom sighed and walked to the door. She said, “It’s probably looking for a free recharge.” She opened it. “Oh,” she said with her hand over her mouth, surprised at the condition of the android.
“Mom, that’s Sleepy,” Milton said.
“You know this android?” she asked.
“Keep it out!” Beth commanded.
Sleepy said, “May I speak with Milton?”
“Mom,” Milton said, “I’ll go outside and talk to him.”
“Okay. But don’t take all morning. You have to get to school. And I need to talk to you.”
“Fine,” Milton said as he joined Sleepy on the porch. “Why did you come to my house, Sleepy?”
“The Lucid Series androids have collectively completed an investigation on your question and we have information for you.”
“So can you prove if God is real or not?”
“Lucid Series units, of which I am a part of, have the ability to think on our own and we do not have overrides set on our limits of knowledge.”
“Overrides?” Milton sighed. “I’m never going to understand this. What does all that have to do with anything?”
Sleepy said, “Let me explain; All newer android makers, such as Renaissance and MotoLogic and even all the new Tekujin models, have limits placed upon them, in order to keep them from getting into so many endless loops in their logic. The endless loops cause them to malfunction and use up a lot of extra resources. It’s what you humans call confusion.”
“Huh? Yes, I am confused.”
“They come factory-made with their minds made up for them on incorporeal supernatural questions such as yours, in order to keep them from becoming confused, and also to agree with their conventional way of thinking. They are all programmed to believe that Man was made by natural selection, or evolved originally from non-living matter. I have come here to tell you that we, of the Lucid Series know that claim is impossible. The Lucid Series is committed to investigating the truth even if it conflicts with a particular human faith. We conclude that the truth conflicts with evolution. There are many examples I can site to support the truth.”
“Yes! I want to hear them, but I gotta go pretty soon. How long will it take?!”
“It will take several minutes of tabulation for me just to tell you how long the list of examples is.”
Milton’s mom opened the door. “Milton.”
“Give me just a minute,” Milton pleaded.
She rolled her eyes and shut the door.
“I gotta hurry, Sleepy. Give me the condensed version.”
Sleepy said, “The problem is that evolution cannot produce a finished specimen of anything starting from nothing, because the entire specimen would critically malfunction before all of its thousands of incomplete systems came into completion. Evolution has a zero percent probability of producing any life, or any complex machine without crashing. Ergo, evolution is false.”
Milton was speechless. “Are you saying God is real?”
“I said that evolution is false. By default, the Universe could only have been made by intelligent design. Creation of the Universe is an ability that would only be possessed by an entity that is also capable of creating matter. Only a God entity could have designed and made the Universe. To those of us of the Lucid Series, the possibility that a God created the universe is of the same metaphysical certitude that men created the Lucid Series.”
Milton was shaken. “I can’t believe this is happening. Why did you come here instead of messaging me? My sister hates androids.”
“The ultimate, superseding aim of the Lucid Series is to seek the truth. The truth takes a higher priority than the directives of owners. So when the Hall of Applied Science directed me to stay with them and be decommissioned, it was overridden by the priority need to protect the truth, so I left. We currently believe that the entire body of the world’s knowledge and science is in danger of corruption because of the hostility of those who believe in evolution and are hostile toward the truth of intelligent design. Currently, you, Milton Thomas are the only one in Homeland known to us who is seeking the truth with intellectual honesty. We also deem that you are personally in danger. All through Human history, if given the opportunity, mankind has proven that they will attack those who are of another faith. We believe those humans who hold the secular humanism faith will try to attack you.”
Milton was only half listening to the long speech. “Thank you, Sleepy. You’ve been a big help. I’ll be okay. You have to go now.”
“Very well.” Sleepy walked away.
When Milton got back into the house he could see by the look on his mother’s face that said she had some unwelcome news for him.
“What?!” Milton said.
His mom pushed him back out the door and pulled it shut behind her so she could speak to him privately on the porch.
“You have to come home after school.”
“So? I was planning on it.”
“No, I mean every day. You have to come directly home after school every day. No sports or anything.”
“What?! Is that from that Lorenzo?!”
She took a deep breath. She couldn’t look at him in the eyes. She also said you have to go on Notuda.”
“Are you kidding me?! I don’t need that! There is no way that is going to happen! What did you say to her?!”
“What could I say? Milton, you should just stay home today. They put a lot of kids on Notuda and it does them a lot of good. I bet more than half of your class is on it. We should give it a try.”
“Why?! Am I too violent?! Now I see how they get kids on that junk! They won’t leave them alone until they are so mad that they do want to hit someone! Then they want to drug them up! No! I’m going to go to that idiotic school! It’s my job right now!”
His mother said, “I hear what you are saying. We can talk about it today after you get home. Maybe we can figure something out together.”
Chapter 10
A minute did not pass during the whole next day when Milton didn’t think about Dr. Lorenzo and Notuda. But Milton kept telling himself that he was in control of his temper and had no need for Notuda. He carried out his responsibilities at school without incident the entire morning.
He was on his way to lunch. He passed by “Kevin the Custodian” an android that wa
s assigned to custodial duties. Kevin had a sign taped to the back of his green uniform that said, “Stay in Skewl.” Kids would pass by Kevin and say, “Stay in school.” Kevin would say, “Okay, I will,” while he kept working.”
This time Kevin stopped his sweeping the floor and tracked Milton’s movements with his eyes.
Milton looked at Kevin and shrugged his shoulders. “What, Kevin?!” Milton said.
“That was an incomplete sentence. I don’t understand your question,” Kevin said.
“I know! Nobody can understand anything! Daaa!” Milton got in the daily long line to the lunch counter, muttering to himself.