by Karl Morgan
Eon frowned, but G17 replied, “I am programmed for such things, although I have never tried to drink alcohol.”
“Please join us,” Bandopaz said. The robot looked at his master who nodded, then poured a third glass and sat with the two men. Bandopaz raised his glass in a toast and said, “Here’s to us, brothers!” The three touched their glasses and sipped their drinks.
“Now I really don’t understand, Bandopaz,” Eon noted. “First, you tell me that I’m a transcendent man, and now I’m drinking toasts with robots. What’s going on?”
Bandopaz laughed out loud. “My dear friend, you are taking all of this too seriously. Just enjoy your life, Eon.”
“G17, please don’t take offense. Bandopaz, my butler is a machine. He is not alive. He is driven by his programming, nothing else,” Eon said.
Bandopaz reached across the table to touch Eon’s and G17’s hands, and then laughed again. “Who is to decide what form of intelligence is valid? G17 cherishes his memories of you. Vanda claims to be alive, and yet allows his minions to grind dozens of humans to mush to feed him each day. Which is human? I’d put my money on G17.”
“I’m totally confused,” Eon said as his head dropped down into his hands. “I’m getting a headache just thinking about this.”
Bandopaz laughed again. “You know, that’s really funny. Don’t you realize that G17 is really the only one of us who is physically here?”
“What?” Eon gasped.
“Here’s an idea, G17, why don’t you tell us what you think?” Bandopaz asked.
“I am not programmed to offer opinions, Master Bandopaz,” the robot said.
“Personally, I’m not interested in your programming, G17. Eon and I were programmed to believe we were flesh and bone humans, but we are both millions of years old. Not even a robot can survive that long, but here we are. What do you think, my friend?”
Eon was stunned and could not speak, only moving his jaw up and down silently. The robot looked at both of the men and smiled. “I don’t know for certain, Master Bandopaz. I have known and served Master Eon for many spans. I would do anything he asked to make his life more comfortable and content. When the robot cut me in half, I was saddened that my future with him was lost, but what is a robot to do? I knew my time was over, and my electronic pump ached with the loss of his friendship.”
“Your electronic pump, your heart, was broken,” Bandopaz corrected.
“Yes, Master. My heart was broken. My life was over and I was afraid of what would happen to my Master, my friend,” G17 replied.
“Oh my God,” Eon said.
“Please continue, G17,” Bandopaz requested.
“If I may take some liberties with words, the other robots and I love Master Eon. I don’t know how else to say it. He has always been more than fair and generous with us. Eon has never treated us like the machines we are.”
“You are no machine, G17,” Bandopaz said.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Master Bandopaz! Of course we are machines!” G17 said. After a moment, he continued, “I am sorry for shouting at you, Master.”
Bandopaz laughed yet again. “G17, you are a good friend to Eon, and I thank you for that. But there is something else, and perhaps you can help your Master understand.”
“I will do as I am ordered, Master Bandopaz,” the robot replied as it drained its glass.
Bandopaz rose and grabbed the bottle of brandy. He refilled G17’s glass, then Eon’s and his own. “You know, I came here to help Eon understand his new reality, but that job has now changed. You really surprised me, G17.”
“Huh?” the robot said. “I only respond to my programming, sir.”
Bandopaz laughed yet again. “This is the best day I could have imagined. Not only is my brother, Eon, beginning to understand his transcendence from the physical to spiritual realm, but his best friend, the former robot called G17, is beginning to realize his transcendence from machine to man.”
§
The last starships returned to the giant planetoids near Skee Lotho and Stit, and the massive ships began to move toward their rendezvous with their brothers in intergalactic space. Vanda offered two new robots to Mantarcus to replace the ones that had been destroyed on Stit, although he had no idea how he had lost control of the machines. Dave Brewster and his manager, Nostu of The Accord, had been summoned to meet with Vanda in the main audience chamber which was two levels above the golden elevator that led into Vanda’s brain. They walked down the long corridor toward a heavy steel door that slid open noiselessly as they approached.
Ten golden robots were seated around the table. Dave remembered his experience with the same type of room on the slave ship and wondered what would happen this day. One of the robots stood as they entered the room, while the others remained frozen with their heads turned up and to the left. “Welcome, Brother Nostu,” Vanda said. “I’m glad you could join us today. Since the admiral is your employee, I thought it only fair that you know what’s going on. Please, both of you have a seat.”
Dave and Nostu bowed deeply and remained standing until after the Vanda robot took a seat. “Master, it is truly an honor to be in your presence,” Nostu said. “And thank you again for the opportunity to travel into your brain. I will never forget that day.”
“You are quite welcome, my Friend,” Vanda said. “What do you think, Dave?”
“Master, I, too, am honored to be in your presence. How may I serve you?”
“Well spoken, Admiral,” Vanda chuckled. “By the way, I have coffee and some pastries for you. Please feel free to help yourself.”
“Thank you Master,” Dave replied as he stood and walked over to the refreshments. When he returned to the table with his food, he bowed to Vanda again and sat down.
“The most amazing thing happened to me last night,” Vanda said. “Everything the robot saw and heard was recorded, and I’d like to play it for you now.” One wall of the room became a screen, and the lights dimmed. Five massive robots were crawling toward a large building. They fired their blasters and the wall of the building exploded. The robots rushed into the room and Vanda’s robot followed them. Then he saw her. One of the giant robots grabbed a woman by the legs and held her up in the air. It was Dar Lini. Dave’s jaw slackened and he dropped his pastry. He turned to look at Vanda and found him smiling back at him. “Don’t worry, Admiral. You’ll like the ending to my little movie.”
Dave watched and listened in horror as Vanda’s robots held Lini and another person in their pinchers. Lini was let down and began to tell Vanda about the Source and Hive technology. His terror rose again as the Vanda robot threatened to rip Lini limb from limb. His expression changed from fear to joy when the large robots rushed Vanda and began to chop the machine to pieces. The screen went dark and the lights rose. “It was a great movie, Master. Sorry about your robot, though.”
“I could have easily cut that part out of this little show and told you I killed them both,” Vanda said. “But I still need to understand this thing called the Source. Your female seems to think you have a strong connection to it. Is that so?”
Dave sipped his coffee and replied, “I have been told that several times, but the connection seems to come and go as it pleases. I haven’t felt it recently.”
“Why did the two robots in the mess hall shoot each other?” Vanda demanded. “And who was that old man at the table with you and your friends? Unlike the previous incident, our recording equipment captured the entire scene.”
“His name is Odo Pak, and he is an Elder from the planet Nan in the Andromeda Galaxy,” Dave replied. There was no sense in making something up. Things were moving fast now and Dave remembered his instructions from Odo. “He has been keeping an eye on me, traveling in the Source with the help of the natural Hive on the planet Fistnan.”
“I’m confused, Master,” Nostu said.
“We both are,” Vanda replied. He turned to Dave and continued, “Where is this other galaxy and Hive planet? Perhaps we
should visit them as well.”
“Andromeda is the name we gave to the closest spiral to my home galaxy. It is the birthplace of the human race.”
“That’s great news! I have a group of Friends who will be heading there shortly. I will ask them to explore this Society and the planet Nan,” Vanda said. “Is the Hive planet there as well?”
“Well, there are many natural Hive planets in each galaxy. Nan is such a planet, as is Fistnan, which I believe your fleet is due to encounter in a few weeks,” Dave reported.
“What a great day!” Vanda cheered. “By random chance, I will meet your Odo Pak and investigate a Hive planet. Will I be able to use your Hive planet to explore this Source?”
“I don’t know, Master,” Dave replied. “Typically, the stone temples used to connect to the Source are quite small. However, in my personal experience, I have joined with the Source without a Hive or temple. I’m not sure I know why, but it has happened more than once. Perhaps when we arrive, we can both find out, if The Accord still exists by then.”
“Are you threatening me, Admiral?” Vanda scowled.
“Of course not, Master. I am just one simple human. I am no threat to you,” Dave smiled. “Elder Pak and I hope you choose to evolve from your current form by the time you arrive on Fistnan.”
“You think I will give all of this up to be like Eon?” Vanda shouted. “I should be a simple human like you?”
As he thought of his response, Dave noticed that both Vanda and Nostu were frozen in place with their heads turned up and to the left. “Now what?” he thought. A searing pain shot through the back of his head and he blacked out.
Dave opened his eyes to see the vast smog bank of Lagamar Ulu stretched out below him. The nearby mountains pierced the clouds and pointed to the sky. He suddenly noticed men standing on either side of him. They looked lost and bewildered. He turned around and saw the main gate of the Mount Alila Temple and smiled. “Wow!” was all he could say.
“What have you done to me, Dave Brewster?” Vanda asked. “How have you made me human again?”
“This is so surreal,” Nostu said. “It’s only been a few years since I joined The Accord, but I remember the sensations of being inside a body. Is this a dream?”
“I didn’t do anything. I saw both of you frozen, and then a sharp pain in my head knocked me out,” Dave replied.
“Excuse me, Admiral, but the High Priest is waiting for you and your guests,” a tall monk said as he approached them.
“Where are we?” Vanda demanded.
“I am sorry, sir, but you may ask the High Priest any questions you have,” the monk replied as he extended his arm toward the gate. Dave led the two forward, and instructed them to remove their sandals and step in the stream that ran through a channel just outside the gate.
“Enter in peace, brothers,” a second monk said as they walked through the gate. Inside the gate, another monk dried their feet and gave them clean sandals. “Reflect in peace, brothers,” the monk said. Dave led them through the men’s section of the temple toward the small open temple overlooking the mountains. Two men in long robes were sitting there, admiring the landscape. As Dave approached, Odo Pak and Obu Neela stood to greet their guests.
“It’s good to see you again, Dave,” Obu smiled as he hugged him. “I’m glad to see you are well.” He offered his hand to the others. Nostu shook it, but Vanda just glared at them.
“I demand that you release me!” Vanda commanded.
“Please, Vanda, try to relax,” Odo said. “The Mount Alila Temple is one of the most sacred places in this galaxy. Please sit down and rest. You will be back in your planetoid before you know it.”
“This is absolutely amazing!” Nostu gushed. “This body feels completely real, but I know this must be a dream. My own body was fed to me long ago. How did you do this?”
Obu patted Nostu on the shoulder and said, “The body is real, and you are really here. Your master wanted to understand the Source, so Odo and I thought a little direct experience would be helpful.”
“This is a planet, not the Source,” Vanda scoffed. “And this is a silly dream you have planted in my mind, nothing else. I will awaken soon and forget all about this.”
“Perhaps,” Odo said with a grin. “Alternatively, maybe you should stay here a few months or even years? Then the reality of this situation will begin to sink in.”
“That sounds like a threat!” Vanda shouted. “I will crush your worlds.”
Obu laughed and began to jump up and down. “Vanda, please start jumping and help me crush this planet.” He stopped jumping about and laughed. After a moment, he said, “Seriously, Vanda of The Accord, we will not allow you to attack either spiral galaxy. Your machines are no threat to us.”
“The Accord is superior to humans. I have many of your relatives fed to me each day. How can you say I am no threat?”
Odo patted Obu on the shoulder and replied, “Vanda, we have just summoned you here, more than two million light-years in a second. Don’t you understand that we are more powerful than you? Could you do such a thing?”
“You have become evil cannibals who have forsaken their humanity for power,” Obu interjected. “You think you are powerful, but you are a feeble fool.”
“Perhaps when I awaken, I will grind up your friend Dave and consume him,” Vanda scoffed. “How would that make you feel?”
“I’m sorry, but I will not allow such a thing,” Odo said. “Please let us sit down and relax. We did not bring you here to have an argument, Vanda. We brought you here to understand that there is another way. You and your friends can usher in a million generations of peace and prosperity throughout the universe.”
“That sounds amazing!” Nostu gasped.
“Shut up,” Vanda snapped. “Why should I help them when I can rule them instead? They are feedstock to me, nothing else. They cannot defeat The Accord.”
Two monks approached the group with a tray of glasses and two bottles of liquor. They poured for each man, set the trays on a small table, bowed and walked away. “A small drink is called for, I think,” Obu said. “I am not surprised by your viewpoint, Vanda. You were born a typical Nan man, not much different from any of us. You found a way to cheat death and gain power over others. But your perspective is limited. The universe is a big place and The Accord is not the most powerful force.”
“But we will continue to grow and evolve as we conquer the two spirals. There is no limit to our capacity to grow and learn,” Vanda argued as he sipped his drink. “Others may have more power today, but by the time we encounter them, we will be superior.”
“That’s a very parochial viewpoint,” Odo laughed. “If The Accord was a force for good, perhaps that would be true. But since you have become evil, your growth is at an end. In spite of the size of your brain, it is still human. It cannot maintain control if it grows more. Soon, you will lose control of the machines as your consciousness becomes too dispersed. The robots will turn on each other as they fight for power. When they realize you don’t control them, some will try to consume you. But the robots cannot live without the main mass of your brain. When they attack you, they will all die.”
“You’re making that up,” Vanda countered. “There is no proof any of that is true.”
“You may be right, Vanda,” Obu said. “But there are others far superior to The Accord. I’m thinking of the worms of Cattreen. They control half of a spiral galaxy fifty million light-years from here, living in interstellar space. They feed on planets by attaching their mouths and biting off huge hunks. A pod of twenty worms can devour an entire planet in a day or two. Your planetoids would be the perfect diet for them, as they crave metal and living flesh.”
“What would you have me do then?” Vanda asked, knowing he could not leave until these men told him what they wanted him to hear.
“Stop your invasion, release your captive life-forms, and reach out to the Source. It will help you transcend your current existence and become
great!” Odo said.
“You want me to be a man, like Eon,” Vanda said.
“Eon is not a man anymore,” Odo laughed. “He may take that form, as you have here, but that is appearance only.”
“I will consider it,” Vanda lied. “Now can we go back?”
“Pardon me for interrupting,” Nostu squeaked. “Would it be possible for me to stay here in this form?”
“You want to abandon The Accord?” Vanda gasped. “I swear when we get back to my ship, I will crush your head with my bare hands!”
“Quiet, Vanda,” Obu said as he put his arm around Nostu’s shoulders. “Are you sure this is what you want, my son?”
“Yes, sir. Admiral Dave has shown me the horrors in The Accord. I don’t want to become like Master Vanda, but I am afraid he will kill me when we return,” Nostu replied, while trembling visibly.
“Of course you can stay,” Obu said. “Consider yourself my new student. After Vanda and Dave leave, I will make sure you have a room and a decent meal.”
“You damned traitor!” Vanda shouted. “I swear I’ll eat your brain myself when we get back.” Vanda and Dave disappeared.
“Your former master is not a good man, Nostu,” Odo said. “I am proud of you for your decision.”
“Thank you, but I still have the feeling I’ll be back in my robot any second now. Vanda will crush me and my life will be over,” Nostu sighed.
“This is no dream, brother. Let’s go join the monks for lunch,” Obu said. “Will you join us, Odo?”
“No, I need to keep an eye on Dave. Vanda will be enraged when he is back in his planetoid.” Odo disappeared.
Chapter 19
The golden robot’s eyes came to life, although Vanda still felt as though he was made of flesh and bone. He jumped up from his seat and looked around the conference room for Dave or Nostu. “Damn it!” he shouted when he saw Nostu’s robot body still seated at the table. The glass globe that held his brain was empty. “We have a problem, brothers,” he said aloud. In a few seconds, the other nine robots began to move as the minds of their masters reached out to them.