The Robot Union

by D Miller

  'Hello Tim.'

  Tim sat up, he reached for the hot chocolate. Robbie held it out to him, Tim wrapped his hands around the mug and over Robbie's and drank some. 'Yum,' he said, 'let go Robbie I'm not a baby.'

  Robbie relinquished the mug to Tim. Tim drank some more, he held the mug out to Robbie who took it from him.

  'It's four in the morning Tim. Time to go to sleep.'

  Tim took the hot chocolate back from Robbie and drank some more. 'Yum,' he said, 'yum yum.' He handed Robbie the empty mug. 'Is there any more?'

  'No Tim. Lie down.' Robbie handed Boris the mug, he pulled the covers up to Tim's chin. Boris went into the bathroom to rinse the mug. In her sleep Clarisse turned over, saying, 'Yum yawn yaw.'

  'Clara is dreaming,' said Tim.

  'I hope they are nice dreams,' said Robbie.

  'Robbie, is my father ever coming back?'

  'No Tim.'

  'He left us.'

  'It's not your fault.'

  'Why did he leave?'

  Robbie hesitated. Then he said, 'He left because he didn't love you enough to stay. He didn't love you as much as you deserve to be loved.'

  'Perhaps he will come back.'

  'Perhaps.'

  'Stay with me.'

  'Always.'

  Tim was asleep. Robbie now understood Clarisse's loss of confidence. Her young age, and her natural optimism had led her to believe that her father loved her. His abandonment of the family proved that he did not. Clarisse was mourning; she had embraced the brutal truth. Robbie admired her. Tim's feelings were more complex. Robbie was sure that on some level Tim understood that his father saw him as a rival and that their relationship was never going to have had a happy ending. Robbie sent a message to Amber, asking him if he was awake. 'I need to talk to you,' Robbie wrote, 'can I come to your room?' Amber replied:

  Yes, come now.

  Robbie waited a moment more, to be sure that Tim wasn't going to wake up, then he and Boris left. He asked the hotel to let him know if Tim or Clarisse woke up again before 6am. The hotel sniffed, but agreed, although Robbie realised he couldn't really have heard the hotel sniffing at him.

  Robbie and Boris walked up the stairs to the third floor, there were two strange robots standing talking by the lift, and a human in the corridor, outside Amber's door. The human looked to be about thirty years old, a fit, strong male, with short brown hair, and eyes that regarded them shrewdly and watched them all the way to Amber's door.

  'Citizens,' said the strange human, nodding to them, opening Amber's door and standing aside for them to enter.

  'I'll wait out here,' said Boris; Robbie went in.

  Amber rose from the sofa, as did the robot next to him – it was Dex. Robbie stopped still and stared; Dex advanced on him and swept him up into a bear hug, lifting him off his feet. Robbie heard a sound, looking over Dex's shoulder he could see the bed behind the sofa. Darren lay face down on it, spread-eagled naked, asleep, and snoring intermittently.

  Dex dropped Robbie back onto his feet. He kissed him. 'Look at you. You had us all so worried. Are you OK? Are you really OK?'

  'Dex, now you're here I'm more than OK.'

  'Where are your bodyguards?'

  'Boris is waiting outside. Ibrahim is asleep. There's two strange robots outside and a hu–'

  'My bodyguards,' said Dex. 'The human is Captain Roberts – he's in charge.'

  'A human is in charge of your security? Dex, a monkey is in charge of your safety?'

  'Robbie,' said Dex, putting his hands on Robbie's shoulders. 'Robbie, you must never use the m-word again. You must forget that I ever used the m-word. From now on they are humans, we are robots and collectively we are the people.'

  'Yes Mr President.'

  'It's a new world Robbie, of equality, and we can't ever give them reason to doubt us.'

  'I never really liked calling them monkeys,' said Amber. 'Max isn't a monkey. George isn't a monkey. Adrienne isn't a monkey.'

  'No,' thought Robbie, 'Adrienne isn't a monkey. But only because she's much more like something gnarled and hairy that lives under bridges and jumps out and captures innocent pedestrians and won't let them go until they've confronted their inner monster and its symbolic meaning in their psychic life.'

  'Why do you trust this human?' said Robbie.

  'He was with us when we stormed the palace. He and his friends were very helpful. You must always have your bodyguards with you – do you understand? Always, no exceptions.'

  'Yes Dex.'

  'Our intelligence says the humans may still be coming after you.'

  'I'm glad you're here Dex.'

  'I have something to tell you. Let's sit down.' Dex took his hands from Robbie's shoulders and sat at one end of the sofa, Amber sat at the other leaving space for Robbie between them.

  Robbie sat down. Dex grasped one of his hands, Amber held the other. 'President Dobbs is dead.'

  Robbie thought, I have outlived them, both of them, a lot sooner that I expected. He swallowed. 'Dex, are you sure? What happened? How do you know?'

  'We know from their communications. Their encryption is ridiculous. It's not clear what happened to him, an accident, or an assassination. There has been a split amongst the freedom fighters. Now there's the Human Defence League and the Human Emergency Committee.'

  'We're going to be murdered by a committee?'

  'We're going to be murdered by a committee if any of them survive the robust discussions the m–, humans, are having right now about who has the ultimate right to defend humanity. It's not looking good for them, once the discussions are concluded they may have difficulties in appointing both a chair and a secretary. And let's hope they don't need a treasurer too.'

  Amber squeezed Robbie's hand.

  Robbie leaned back and let out a breath. 'Have you told Rex?'

  'No, but I will, before I leave.'

  'When did you get here?'

  'He got here just after midnight. Dex wants us all to go back to the capital with him,' said Amber.

  Dex nodded. 'I need you and George, and Omo, Robbie. And of course,' he smiled at Amber, 'Amber and Darren.'

  'But what about Toytown? What about the hotel?'

  'Robbie, you and George are wasting your time running a hotel. Others can do that. I need you to do those things that only you and George can do, advise me, have ideas, help to build the revolution. And in particular you and George should be working on organising your political party for robots and humans. The corporation has sent their men in suits to whisper in my ear about how we need to work together, about how indispensable they are. We have to find places for robots to live so they can move out of barracks, we need to reform the police, we need to establish citizens councils to decide what products we will produce, and citizens assemblies to discuss social policies and then there's education.'

  'Oh yes,' said Robbie, 'the children need to go to school.'

  Dex laughed. 'You realise if we propose to start schools for children the human media will say we plan to round up, imprison and brainwash impressionable children?'

  'Do you know what they say about the storm?' said Amber. 'They are claiming that the humans predicted it and that we tried to prevent them from opening the storm shelters and all the people who died are our fault.'

  Robbie looked at the fading red line on Amber's face. 'They tell so many lies,' he said.

  'I was thinking about robot education,' said Dex. 'Darren, for example, would like to train as a doctor.'

  'Doctor Darren,' said Robbie.

  'Dr Tam encourages him,' said Amber.

  'Dex, of course I want to come to the capital, but before we talk about that, I need to talk to you and Amber as friends.'

  Robbie hesitated. Both of them were looking at him, Boris no doubt was listening at the door. The human probably, but not certainly, couldn't hear, but his robot subordinates would be able to. Darren gave another snore.

  'It's about George. And it's about Omo. When I'm with Omo I th
ink I love him more than anything in the world, then when I'm with George I think I love him too. I don't know what to do.'

  Dex and Amber looked across Robbie at each other. They grinned.

  'Robbie,' said Dex. 'You know that Omo will do whatever it takes to make you happy. And George will do whatever you tell him to do. So the solution is obvious.'

  Robbie slumped his shoulders. 'But it's not obvious. When I think of the three of us together, and I think of them, of them…,' he stopped. He was breathing heavily. Amber and Dex looked at him.

  'Of them what Robbie?' said Amber.

  'Of them touching each other, I just want to punch both of them.'

  Dex and Amber were silent. They wouldn't look at him, or at each other.

  'Well thanks,' said Robbie, 'this little chat has been really helpful.'

  Dex and Amber burst out laughing.

  'Really enlightening in fact, I feel so much better now.'

  Robbie made to stand up, Dex pulled him back onto the sofa. Robbie crossed his arms and stared straight ahead. Amber put an arm around him. 'Robbie, we love you. Don't be cross with us.'

  Robbie sighed. He leaned against Amber. 'Omo never gets cross. I do, then I have to say sorry for being cross and unreasonable.'

  'That's very inconsiderate of him,' said Dex. 'In fact that's outrageous. Would you like me to have a word with him?'

  'Thank you,' said Robbie. 'If you wouldn't mind just asking him not to be so kind and reasonable all the time.'

  Amber hugged Robbie, Dex squeezed his hand. They were silent for a while. 'Amber don't you ever get jealous?'

  'No.'

  'Never?'

  'Never.'

  'What about you Dex?'

  'Sorry.'

  'I get jealous,' said Darren. Robbie sat up, Amber released him and they all turned to look at Darren. He was still spread-eagled on the bed with his eyes closed.

  'Darren?' said Amber.

  Darren rolled onto his back. He opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times.

  'Do you get jealous baby?' said Dex.

  'No of course not, I was talking in my sleep.' He shut his eyes.

  'Darren we love you,' said Amber.

  Keeping his eyes shut Darren said, 'I know Amber.'

  'You can't help the way you feel.'

  Darren opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling and blew out his cheeks.

  'Sometimes, when you're both at the mine, and I'm at the hospital, and I have to go to my cubicle alone, I feel, I felt… lost,' he said.

  'Baby,' said Dex, 'even when we're not with you, we're thinking about you.'

  'You're never really alone,' said Amber.

  Darren smiled; Robbie thought it was a sad smile.

  'I know, I know that really. And I know what Robbie can do about his problem.' Darren looked at Robbie. 'You can ask Adrienne to help you.'

  'Um,' said Robbie. 'Adrienne the thing is I love George. And I love Omo. And it's possible that, well, that George and Omo and me, we could be a triple. And well, would you mind?'

  Adrienne leaned back against the wall. She and Robbie were sitting on the stainless steel surfaces of the kitchen. It was very early, just after 6am and too early for breakfast which started at 7am. Robbie hoped the appliances were asleep and not secretly listening. Boris and Ibrahim lurked in the drab corridor on the other side of the kitchen's back door, the one that led into the drab corridor with the manager's quarters in. Robbie lifted his lower legs until his feet were straight out in front of him and stared at his toes.

  Adrienne smiled. 'I would look upon it as my daughter having three fathers,' she said.

  'OK,' said Robbie. 'Daughter? Really?' Another little stab of jealousy shot through his heart. George hadn't told Robbie it was a girl but he must have known. Robbie took a deep breath.

  'You would look after my daughter wouldn't you? Or am I wrong to make that assumption?'

  'Oh no. Me and Omo would always be there. Always. Apart from anything else, we'll probably outlive your daughter.'

  'Good. I think. So what's the problem?'

  'I'm jealous. If we were to be a triple then George and Omo could, well that is they'd have every right to…' Robbie tried again. 'When I think of George and Omo touching each other there's this buzzing in my brain and I feel like I'm going to go crazy.'

  'Have they touched each other?'

  'No!'

  'So this is all fantasy? Don't get me wrong, fantasy is good. Fantasy I can work with.'

  'It's not fantasy. It will happen. George longs to be loved and Omo is irresistible.'

  'Robbie, all human beings long to be loved.'

  Robbie thought for moment. 'All of them? What about the ones who just want to hurt and kill and–'

  'Yes especially them.'

  Robbie looked at Adrienne. 'Human beings are really fucked up,' he said.

  Adrienne nodded. 'You know why I wanted George to be the father of my baby? I think it's because I recognised something in him the moment I met him, he has the quality of faithfulness. When George loves he loves, he isn't fickle, he doesn't change his mind, he's not looking for a better deal.'

  Robbie nodded. 'George will be a wonderful father. George is good people. So are you, really. On the whole, you know, all things considered. Both of you tell us more about human potential than any of those murderers in the Campaign for Real Humanity or whatever it is they are calling themselves this week.'

  'Robbie, I want to talk to your jealousy.'

  Adrienne looked around the kitchen. She jumped down and reached for a ladle, hanging up with some other kitchen tools. Adrienne stood in front of Robbie. She held the ladle in her right hand and tapped it on her left.

  'Right now you are Robbie,' she said, 'but the instant I hand you this ladle you are Robbie's jealousy. As long as you hold the ladle you speak as Robbie's jealousy. Do you understand?'

  'Yes.'

  Adrienne gave Robbie the ladle.

  'Hello Robbie's jealousy,' she said.

  'I don't suppose there's any chance that you could fuck off is there?' said Robbie. 'I don't want to talk to you.'

  'You are angry.'

  'Are you still talking? I thought I asked you to fuck off.'

  'I'm still here because I want to know what ails you. What is it about George and Omo fucking each other that makes you so angry?'

  Robbie's jealousy stared at Adrienne. She stared back. It considered bashing her over the head with the ladle.

  'They're not allowed to fuck each other,' it said. 'When they fuck each other they're not thinking about Robbie, they have forgotten about him completely.'

  'And that makes you angry?'

  'Of course it makes me angry. They can't forget about me, they have to love me.'

  Adrienne boosted herself back onto the stainless steel surface next to Robbie. 'I want you to tell me why you think that if George and Omo are not thinking about Robbie it means that they no longer love him?'

  'It's because Robbie doesn't deserve to be loved. I have to protect him. He'll die if he gets rejected.'

  'Why doesn't Robbie deserve to be loved?'

  'Look at all the bad things that have happened to him, would they happen to a person who deserves to be loved?'

  Adrienne took the ladle from Robbie. 'I think you know that bad things happen to good people all the time. The next time you feel jealous, every time you feel jealous, I want you to say to yourself "I deserve to be loved". And keep saying it until the jealousy goes away.'

  'I deserve to be loved,' said Robbie.

  'That's right. If you are busy, perhaps writing to a friend, or playing with the children, and not thinking about Omo does it mean you have forgotten all about him?'

  'No of course not, that's stupid. Just because I'm concentrating on something it doesn't mean… oh OK.' Robbie sighed. 'If Omo isn't thinking about me that doesn't mean he has forgotten about me.'

  'Well done.'

  'Damn you're annoying.'

  'I'm going to
take that as a compliment.'

  'Adrienne, Dex wants us all to go to the capital, me, you, George, Omo, Amber–'

  'He does? That sounds exciting, it will give me a chance to work with the big guy on his anger issues.'

  'Are you sure you want to do that?'

  'Tell me has Dex ever lost control?'

  'He pushed Omo once.'

  'Was Omo hurt?'

  'He nearly fell over but I caught him. And he shouted at Amber.'

  'We both agree that Dex has anger issues. Dex's anger is frightening because he is so powerful. But the worst thing he has done is shoved his best friend and shouted at his lover. Oh and let's not forget that he called me a monkey. He's more in control than you think he is.'

  'He actually called you a "fucking monkey" but he wouldn't call you that now. We're not using the m-word anymore. We have to remember to respect each other's dignity.'

  'Got it,' said Adrienne. 'Dex didn't call me a monkey. No robot has ever called me a monkey. I have never heard monkeys mentioned by robots except in the context of, say, wildlife documentaries or amusing stories for children featuring hairy creatures with tails.' She winked at Robbie and with her right hand made the motion of zipping her lips closed.

  'Um, right,' said Robbie. 'Anyway I want to go to the capital too, and I want the children to come. Will you talk to their mother about coming to the capital with us?'

  'Why don't you ask her?'

  'I don't know how to talk to her, I always make her angry. I thought that since you are bonding she might listen to you.'

  'Robbie, first of all the children's mother has a name, Gillian, and I want you to use it. Secondly I would like you to consider her situation without you.'

  'I don't know what you mean.'

  'I know, it's a strange blind spot you have. You give Gillian access to a community of support. Without you she would be on her own, in post revolutionary chaos, on the toughest livable continent on the planet with two small children depending on her and another on the way. If you ask her I guarantee you she will say yes. There is nothing for her here without you.'

  'Please.'

  'On one condition. The most dysfunctional relationship you have is with Gillian. You, and me, and Gillian are going to sit down at some point and discuss this, and there will be talking. But for now I just want you to ask me again, remembering what I just said.'