by J E Kerry
“Yes, you did,” Wang confirms and changes the subject. “But how about my RFID?” he asks, looking worried down to his hand.
“There will be a full scan at the center and most definitely an upgrade. You’re a unique case, so I’m traveling with you to make sure you won’t be mistaken for a Rebel once we pass the city’s gate,” Zhao yawns and rests his head against the train window, about to fall asleep. He can sense Wang’s eyes on him.
“Your argument made me weary, Didi. We’ll arrive in 30 minutes,” he says closing his eyes. “Some things never change huh, you still can’t survive without me.”
“Don’t think too highly of yourself bro’,” Wang chuckles as he presses his own head to the window and dozes off, the picturesque landscape melting into his thoughts of days past…
* THE YEAR 2316 *
Xiao Wang of four-years-old sleeps with his head leaning against the window in the backseat of a Tesla hover-car.
An ancient Chinese folk song music video, ‘The Moon Represents My Heart’ by Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng, purrs out of the futuristic A-Nation Asia multimedia holo-screen. Her sweet, soft and restrained voice casts a romantic spell over the family, giving the lyrics of this song a deeper meaning.
In Chinese culture the moon, not the sun, is the center of all attention because without it there wouldn’t be any life. That’s why the lunar calendar has prevailed since ancient times. But there’s even more to the song’s metaphor because the moon can change its shape like the heart changes emotion. Both are connected, both rise and fall. Even when we can’t see the moon, we know it’s there, just like a soldier far away from home will feel that his love is waiting for him to return. And when he looks up sadly to the moon, a sudden wave of melancholy, happiness and hope overcomes him, fueling his heart with certainty that the moon will watch over him and his love, forever tying their hearts together.
Xiao Wang’s parents bask in the glow of the song as it envelopes them with the fabled feeling it’s meant to pass across.
The young Chinese boy wakes up, drawing the attention of his mother and father who hold hands in the front seat, exchanging longing looks.
“Look who’s awake,” his mother says in Chinese with a smile on her still young face.
“Was I out long?” inquires Xiao Wang rubbing his eyes.
“Yeah, we’ve travelled for about a week now,” says his somber looking father, much to his son’s trepidation.
“What! Are you for real?”
“We even passed some ancient monuments I really wanted to show you but...,” his father continues soberly.
“And you didn’t wake me?” Xiao Wang queries panicking.
“I tried to. But you were sleeping. I told your mother and Lucy not to wake you.”
Xiao Wang glances at Lucy, an attractive female humanoid nanny, one of the earlier Synth (synthetic robot) versions, his eyes full of accusation. Lucy raises her hands up defensively trying to hold back a smile.
“No, this can’t be,” he says almost at the verge of tears, just as his father bursts into a long, hearty laugh and Xiao Wang breathes a heavy sigh of relief.
“Ow!” the man exclaims as his wife punches him on the shoulder.
“Your father said he was going to prank you when you wake up,” his mother intervenes. “Don’t worry dear you’ve only been out for three hours.”
“Phew, you scared me,” Xiao Wang’s face finally brightens up, and he feels his heart slow to a steady pace.
“You should have seen your face little man,” Lucy says with a wink.
“What, are you for real?” his father says, mimicking his son’s voice. “Ow!” his wife punches him again.
“You better watch out, pops,” Xiao Wang growls vengefully.
“Bring it on, warrior,” his father growls back.
“Now, both of you don’t start. Ok?” his mother chides. “No more practical jokes.”
Everyone hushes for a time, until they all burst into contagious laughs.
“Here, have some Longan,” adds his mother as they quieten and hands him a hand full of Chinese dragon eye fruits.
Xiao Wang holds the yellowish fruits in his lap and peers in contentment at the beautiful moon anchored over the mountains while peeling the Longan (龙眼).
The car hovers smoothly out of the lurking darkness of the night and into the cheerful brightness of a new day, almost as if chased by it and in a desperate, coordinated escape.
The family’s Tesla XX3 is an electromagnetically elevated omni-directional vehicle that just celebrated its comeback after the Earth’s axis stopped spinning.
The XX3 is equipped with eight, instead of the former six magnet drives in order to achieve a high flight modus and possesses a small set of AI thrusters on the back and bottom. Its latest feature includes a turbo jump to the stratosphere and a fully reinforced cockpit that can withstand heavy crashes.
As the family reaches one of the many viewing platforms to park their car, the sun finally comes out in all its beauty, lighting the way to a hidden hiking path that snakes up to the mountain’s top.
Xiao Wang stares at the long winding path warily. His father joins him there, taking in the breathtaking scenery.
“Wonderful sight isn’t it?” he asks.
“Yeah, I guess. But is it safe?” Xiao Wang ventures.
“Absolutely not,” states his father.
Xiao Wang’s eyes widen.
“Then why are we going there?”
“My son, living in this world of ours is a dangerous thing in itself,” begins his father. “No place on this Earth is as safe as where you are supposed to be at a given moment.”
“What does that even mean?” asks Xiao Wang officially confused.
“Don’t worry about it too much young chap. One day you will realize the dangers of inaction far outweigh the dangers of dangerous action.”
Xiao Wang scratches his head at this, his young mind trying to make sense of his father’s statement.
“So, you are saying that while hiking up this mountain is risky, we are in more danger if we don’t?” he wants to know.
“Haha, my boy, I couldn’t have simplified it better,” his father rubs his head affectionately. “You’ll make a great teacher one day.”
“No way, I want to be a warrior.”
“A warrior! Really?” huffs his father.
“At least that way I’ll be able to save you and mama from the Rebels,” Xiao Wang says, his eyes on fire. “I want to be a hero and save the world.”
“You know I was talking about hiking, right?” asks the slightly confused father.
“Hope you are not scaring our son over there?” calls Xiao Wang’s mother from a distance, walking down to where the two males are standing with Lucy beside them.
“Just giving him a little crash course in survival,” replies his father.
He squats down in front of the boy and palms his face lovingly.
“Ok, you win. But know this, no matter how dangerous the hike may be, you are going to be perfectly safe. Do you hear me?”
The boy nods, forcing a smile.
The older man contemplates for a few moments, pats him on the shoulder and begins preparations for the long winding trip up.
“Lucy, did you bring my Sony DC16 (drone camera)?” Xiao Wang says with questioning eyes.
“We are not on a summer vacation Xiao Wang. What do you need it for?” queries Lucy.
“What if we see aliens and stuff?”
“The one on your wrist,” she points to his ‘BrApple’, the latest Apple bracelet with an integrated 12k camera, “should be enough, plus we have the FGP.”
“But what if the aliens are toxic and we can’t get close?” Xiao Wang presses on.
“Then you probably shouldn’t be taking photos of them with a drone,” counters Lucy.
“Mom?” Xiao Wang turns pleadingly for help.
“Lucy’s right, my little pancake. Come on, let’s go,” she says, holding out h
er hand and being the very epitome of a doting mother.
His father joins them.
“The only form of drones we can accept right now is a weaponized spy-drone,” he declares.
Xiao Wang’s shoulders drop as he quietly accepts the unanimous verdict against him, and they begin their hike.
∞∞∞
Some hours later, his mother plucks several flowers from a Jasmine bush while singing the traditional Chinese folk song ‘Jasmine Flower’, created during the Chinese Qianlong era (1735-1796). She’s been performing that song to Xiao Wang since he was born.
Hearing her voice and watching his mother smile while she’s singing with the aura of an angelic being, gives him a certain comfort in these turbulent, re-settling times.
Since the end of war in 2310, six years ago, the A-Nation has successfully terraformed and rebuilt most of their cities on the surface of Earth while also fighting back the last remains of the Rebels, causing them to retreat into exile. However, there have been recent reports of A-Nation citizens getting killed or gone missing while traveling outside of the protecting city’s walls.
Being out here in the open therefore does seem quite dangerous. Not for Xiao Wang’s parents though, who have the latest model of a spy-drone watching their backs. So, they think.
His mother reaches out for her husband. They turn around and beckon Xiao Wang over to gather for a picture, to which he complies.
“Come here birthday boy!” his father takes the 4-year-old on his shoulders.
Xiao Wang throws in several poses. Sticking out his tongue and mimicking drumming on his father’s head in some, he causes his mother and Lucy to laugh.
“What’s he doing up there?” his father asks.
“He’s showing how much he loves you,” his mother smiles contentedly.
“Aww. I love you too, buddy,” his father says.
Being their shadow in this scenario, Lucy happily takes multiple 3D family pictures with their FGP, capturing this unforgettable moment which will become the last of its kind for Xiao Wang and his parents before this day’s end.
“So, my Love, we haven’t had much time to shop but what do you want for your birthday?” asks his mother.
“Oh. A lot of things,” the smart boy excitedly says.
“You are supposed to say. Don’t worry mom, anything you get for me will be splendid,” amends his father.
Xiao Wang retorts, “No way, you promised me too, dad.”
As they are talking, his father stops abruptly, scrunching up his face.
“What’s wrong?” his wife asks concerned.
“I’m not sure but something is off.”
He presses a button on his wrist and the holographic image from the spy drone tailing their movement comes into view. The entire horizon seems clear, but the drone’s readings show that something or someone is very much within close distance.
Xiao Wang runs to his mother and holds her close.
“It’s going to be alright. Everything will be taken care of,” she soothes him.
“Let’s go, we have to keep moving,” his father urges them on. “We might become sitting ducks out here.”
They pick up the pace, moving briskly when the alarm from the drone sounds once more and it suddenly begins to fire at an unknown target until it abruptly stops.
“Lucy, reset the drone at once,” Xiao Wang’s father orders.
The connection between his device, Lucy and the drone dies down. A few meters away, they can see the drone falling into a thicket and exploding on impact.
The family stares at the sight wide-eyed for a few moments and Xiao Wang holds on to his mother tightly, obviously frightened.
“We have to keep moving. We shouldn’t remain in one location for too long,” his father can’t keep the worry from his voice.
“Did you bring an extra drone?” his wife asks.
“Yeah I got a whole army of them,” her husband replies.
“You’re joking right?”
“Of course, I am. I didn’t expect this to happen. I made sure to choose one of the provided safe-spots. We have to play it smart now.”
The family soldiers on with little incident till the late evening when they start feeling the effects of their long hike.
“Do you think the Rebels are still out there?” Xiao Wang inquires fearfully.
“Yes, they are,” replies his father.
“John, please,” chides his mother, “he’s still a kid. He needs some encouragement.”
Xiao Wang’s father clears his throat.
“The bad guys are always out there. Be rest assured that you will always outthink and outsmart them in whatever they do. Do you understand me?” orders his father, military style and they all get comfortable as no threat seems imminent.
The family continues along the path, in time coming to a local river. Xiao Wang rushes ahead when a wave of laser-shots is fired from close distance. One hits his mother’s chest, and another strikes his father down. They both are instantly killed.
The incidents happen so fast and in quick succession that Xiao Wang barely has time to register one before the other happens. With a painful scream he launches himself at the fallen bodies of his parents. His eyes already full of tears and heart in grief.
The lasers are still flying around, miraculously missing the boy who is still sobbing at the dead bodies of his parents.
“Xiao Wang let’s go!” yells Lucy.
The boy however is transfixed and barely able to move. Lucy drags him away from the firing line and sprints away into hiding.
She forces Xiao Wang to stay under the bridge, from where he watches her with tear filled eyes as she tries to save some of their personal belongings from his parents and returns to him.
“What are we going to do?” he asks, shivering and in shock.
“Don’t worry Love, I will keep drawing their fire,” Lucy assures him and steps into viable shooting range.
With a single hand-move, the long flowing gown she wears is gone, revealing solid armor and combat gear underneath. Her eyes turn blood red, underpinning terrible things to come for whoever stands in her way.
The unseen enemy continue to fire their laser rifles at her but the minute they step off the bridge and come into view, she takes a surprising jump at them, disarming the men, and killing the now revealed Rebels with their own weapons; fueled by the brutality of a soulless machine, eliminating them with mathematical efficiency.
It is almost a thing of beauty to behold really, if there were anyone there but the young child to witness it. Her movements flow in time with the Rebels attacks such that it looks as though she avoids their various assaults before they even make them. They are overwhelmed by her speed and capability. Their broken bodies and crushed corpses soon litter the ground about her in some short order.
Lucy rushes back to Xiao Wang and in a matter of seconds throws him over her shoulder, speeding across the bridge toward the mountain top.
∞∞∞
Without his father and mother leading the path, the journey feels different for the young lad. But Lucy sticks closely to him, willing to put herself between Xiao Wang and anything that could harm the boy.
They stop to rest under one of the many pine trees that decorate Mount Hua. Xiao Wang’s eyes are red from crying and he just sits there silently munching on his food, staring at his nanny, still in shock.
“Are you ok?” Lucy wants to know.
“How did you do all that?” queries Xiao Wang.
“I’m a synthetic robot designed not just as a nanny, but as a protector,” Lucy explains. “I was an assassin robot before I started serving at your father’s house.”
“What’s an assassin?”
“I am meant to protect you with every fiber of my being,” Lucy states with a smile, trying to avoid any revelations of her past. “And I mean that literally”.
As they speak a laser hits the bark of the tree they are sitting under, narrowly missing Lucy by a hair.
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“Get up! We have to move,” she urges, hurrying the scared boy from his unfinished meal so they can start running again.
Working at maximum capacity, Lucy successfully camouflages them by night when they sleep and hikes fast with Xiao Wang on her back during the day, dodging large masses of rocks that fall from the mountain’s summit.
The nights are the time Lucy uses reserves of her power to keep Xiao Wang warm, telling him stories of his parents before he goes to bed. Each time Xiao Wang wakes up after having a nightmare of their death, Lucy is there to console him and to take his mind off the fact that with just a few seconds worth of happenings, people will now call him an orphan.
Each day brings with it risks of Rebel attacks but also drones that Lucy destroys quickly, and again at night come the forces of nature they must contend with.
Eventually, the pair reaches the closest peak to the southern summit of Mount Hua. Luckily enough, at this height, no one dares to follow them.
With the young Wang all but strapped to Lucy’s back, she pulls herself up with a final burst of force to reach the south peak of Mount Hua. The two are visibly exhausted from a long and dangerous journey, as the nanny observes a warning on her display of her waning battery life and immediately changes her pace.
She cautiously treads the unstable wooden planks winding around the side of the cliff-face, and her weight more than once brings the integrity of the planks into question with long, straining groans that imply a fast approaching break that would send them both tumbling to their ends.
A plank snaps underneath Lucy’s foot.
She is only barely able to avoid falling over the side and selflessly tosses Xiao Wang’s light frame onto one of the more solid ones with relative ease. He plays his own part and pulls himself slowly up into safety.
The brave child fights back the tears of fear and fatigue and extends his hand toward her, who reaches out to him, if only for a moment, and finally gives up. She knows there is no way he can pull her bodyweight up the side.
The result of his trying to help her would only wind up in their deaths.