by Gary Starta
“I believe the key response to my question was that you were programmed to contribute to society in a positive manner. It’s not so much that you consist of circuits or real human flesh. It’s not whether you have brown or blonde hair. It’s not even about eye color. What it all boils down to is content of character. That is the most vital component in what makes us what we are.”
Marisa then turned to face the court as a whole. She raised her right hand to point at the android on the stand. “His maker was human. We don’t quite know who our maker was. But in the android’s case, we know for certain his programming was intentionally manufactured to allow him to the opportunity to enhance the community. I question if we were designed with such a noble intent. Those in this courtroom who feel the androids should be deactivated are only watching out for themselves despite their excuses that they are concerned for our children. If you were really concerned about the children of Ceres, you would be able to find it in your heart to put aside your hatred. You would be able to realize that these new life forms will enhance the quality of all our lives if given a chance. Then, and only then, will our children be able to fully take advantage of all this new world offers them.”
Marisa paused and glanced at Linda who was smiling and crying at the same time.
Jon Sanderson took the opportunity to intervene during this pause. “I must interrupt. Marisa is making suppositions. We don’t know what Dr. McElroy’s real intentions were.”
“I’ll allow,” the judge replied. “You may continue Ms. Perez, but the court needs you to present a line of questioning which will support a specific point. That aside, I find it most unusual that a member of your own legal team is raising objections.”
“Yes, your honor. The point I’m trying to make is that all these automatons were created to benefit society. I contend it is supposition on the part of the law makers who prohibit the manufacturing of androids. They incorrectly suppose that androids present a danger to humanity. I think the real threat they pose is related to the civil rights act.
If we allow sentient automatons to exist in our society, we will have to make sure they are treated fairly. Those who want to benefit economically from their labor, would no doubt want to keep robots nameless and faceless.”
“Aren’t we gathered here today because a form of danger was presented to the colonists of this planet? We’re not judging robots in some far away manufacturing plant,” Sanderson contended.
“That’s enough, Jon. The decision we make here today will ultimately impact all AI’s in every galaxy. We can’t simply shut down a sentient life form. The federation law prohibits the manufacture of androids—but it doesn’t clearly tell us what to do after the fact. I appeal to this court that we need to treat this situation as after the fact.”
“So, I ask the accused, “Are you sentient?”Marisa asked the defendant.
“I am aware that I am an individual in a community of many,” the android answered.
“Do you feel a need to be accepted into society?” Marisa asked.
“Yes,” the android replied.
“When I was attacked and nearly killed, I wanted vengeance just like any other person,” Marisa began. “I don’t believe the person responsible for nearly taking my life exists. I therefore cannot seek justice in this courtroom today. I submit the accused is innocent. It is not in his nature—or programming—to commit these acts which were entirely contrived by a self-serving individual who despised automatons. In summation, I petition the court to drop their personal, petty feelings to see the bigger picture. I want to ultimately see a better world for my children—and I believe these androids share the same goal.”
“So do I,” Mario stated in agreement with his wife’s declaration.
Marisa paused a moment to smile before continuing her argument. “I believe a better world will only come through nurturing. Dr. Adrian McElroy nurtured these automatons to take over for his dying colleagues. It’s unfortunate he felt the need to hide their true identity from us. Nevertheless, he designed these androids to ultimately better humanity. And I can’t think of anyone who would oppose that notion. Everything we do on this planet will eventually impact future inhabitants. We have a responsibility to provide the best world for the next generations. It really doesn’t matter what race, creed or life form makes up this next generation—so long as a community survives. Dr. McElroy was a great father even though he had no biological children. He ensured that the colonization mission would continue. He ensured that community would continue. I can look into the eyes of all the androids here and I can’t find a drop of hatred. All I can see is a sense of community. I believe the androids all used this word— community—when they were re-activated. I did some research on this word which in some ancient cultures was used to define life. This definition of life was not solely based upon whether a being breathes air or has a human heart. It was based upon the being’s ability to exist in a social context with his peers. I believe these androids are prime examples of that definition. They are alive because they can make a positive contribution to society through interaction. And these interactions are what gives us our souls. The soul was can be defined as something we participate in to give our lives meaning. The androids in this courtroom are all capable of having this soul. You don’t need to breathe oxygen or come from an organic womb to attain this soul. Now that the androids have been created, we have no right to condemn them from society because their life was created artificially. They are to be treated like any other new life form we may eventually come across in our travels. So long as they live in harmony with us, they should be treated as our equals. We don’t have to be friends with each and every one of them; we just have to accept them as part of society.”
A hush fell over the courtroom for a few seconds until the silence was broken by a sound of two hands clapping. Linda Dougherty rose to her feet in salute to Marisa’s speech. Dougherty was joined in the applause by her husband as well as Steven and Mia Carlisle. Marisa did not reveal her emotions in response to the applause. She was too busy trying to read her husband’s face which remained somber. Perez knew Mario was most concerned for his future children. That meant everything to him. “Was my argument sound enough to quell his fears,” she thought to herself. In a few minutes, Marisa would know for sure.
“Unless I hear an objection, I order the court to now decide the fate of the accused. Please mark the electronic ballots I have placed around the room. When a decision is rendered, I will notify the accused of his guilt or innocence. Please remember a vote of innocence frees the accused and all androids from the force field. It also means that the deactivation device will be taken off line. No android will ever be subject to random acts of deactivation without just cause. A guilty verdict condemns the accused to deactivation. It also means humans will have the right to impose restrictions upon the rest of the androids as they see fit.” The judge then rose and headed for his chambers. However, he stopped in mid-stride to address the court. “I want to thank the beings of Ceres for allowing me to be a part of their community today.”
Chapter 8: The Verdict
Fifteen minutes later, the results of the voting was posted on the holographic wall of the courtroom.
Linda Dougherty—Innocent.
Matt Dougherty—Innocent.
Dr. Jon Sanderson—Guilty.
Terry Sanderson—Guilty.
Mayor Steven Carlisle—Innocent.
Mia Carlisle—Innocent.
Daryl White—Guilty.
Lori White—Guilty.
Marisa Perez—Innocent.
Mario Perez—Innocent.
“By a 6-4 verdict, the people of Ceres have found the accused innocent of all charges. All automatons are now free to go,” the judge declared.
Steven Carlisle ran up to the judge and shook his hand. “Thanks your honor. I am in your debt.”
“Nonsense,” the judge replied. “You may one day find yourself in my court as captain of a Holo-Voyage adventure. Y
ou always seem to break protocol when you’re in command of a ship. So just don’t expect any favors from me on that day,” the judge remarked with a smirk.
“You know. I don’t think I’ll need to participate in any fantasy games for quite a while.”
Steven then commanded the holographic controls to terminate the court program as well as let down the force field.
A few minutes later, Peter Ciprelli and Karen Hiroshi stood outside the municipal building.
“I loved the way you helped save us, Peter,” Karen said placing her arm around his shoulder.
“Think nothing of it. It was all just a part of my programming.” The two then shared a laugh which sounded quite human.
Epilogue
“You’ll just have to learn to be yourselves.” That was the catch phrase Linda Dougherty used to counsel the androids during the ensuing months after the trial.
“You don’t need to retain the name, resemblance or marital status of the scientist you were fashioned after. You more than paid your debt to us by helping to grow food and build houses. Now you should take this time to do what’s best for yourselves as individuals.”
These counseling sessions often needed to be repeated several times before the androids could finally comprehend they were masters of their own destiny. Many could not fathom how they could be rounded up in a force field one minute—and then be allowed to be totally autonomous the next. One android in particular was particularly fascinated by Linda’s reference to identity change. The android named Mikola Petrovsky found he could never quite look into a holo mirror without discomfort—even though the trial proved he was not the man he resembled. Still, the android was clearly suffering a mixture of guilt and low self-esteem. Whether Adrian McElroy had programmed this emotion into the android or the automaton developed on its own was a subject for debate. Even Daryl White remarked, “What a decent human—uh—I mean android this Petrovsky has become.” Daryl’s slip of the tongue pleased Dougherty. Linda believed the androids would eventually be accepted as neighbors of the community. However, the android named Mikola was less than optimistic. The android surmised he would never quite be trusted or accepted because of what he looked like. Linda counseled the automaton every night for one week straight to dissuade him from feeling this way. “You can’t be discriminated against because of what you look like. The constitution of the federation assures equal rights to every man no matter their race, creed or color. I hope to one day see that language amended to include every being. But the doctrine still gives you inalienable rights as a federation citizen.”
Mikola knew the difference between what should be and what was despite Linda’s encouragement. The android went to work to absorb all data pertaining to the bill of rights from the federation data base. He then studied several landmark cases regarding equality. The law said people must be treated the same regardless of their differences. But Mikola was most struck from a passage from a book written in the 22nd century. It’s author wrote: “It seems humans can never fully accept another being that has a different color skin or racial background regardless of the law.
Humans will say they tolerate these other beings; but deep inside them small voices stray far from the speeches of the politically correct.”
The android named Mikola eventually realized he had the power to change how people or androids perceived him. He could no longer represent the image of a man who had disgraced all of humanity. His first task in this endeavor was to meet with Joyce and Aaron Starkman. The android arrived at the door to greet Joyce with a bouquet of flowers three months after the trial ended. He expressed his sorrow for the death of their son, James. Joyce said there was plans to erect a memorial for James, as well as for the crew of the Tempest and the Ceres scientists (with the exclusion of Mikola Petrovsky, of course). The android who resembled Petrovsky could not help but detect a small hint of resentment in Joyce. Her android programming would never allow her to get over the way she lost her son. Mikola realized it did not matter to Joyce whether James was in human or android form at the time of his death. For that matter, it didn’t seem to matter whether Joyce herself was human or android. Emotion was emotion in both natural and artificial form.
Despite his trepidations, Mikola worked up the courage to request a favor from the Starkman’s before he left their house that day. “Maybe we—or I—can do more for James than just help build a memorial,” Petrovsky suggested.
Mikola’s request initially shocked and appalled the Starkmans. Even Ruby the bug seemed disturbed by the notion. But two weeks later, Mikola was granted permission to assume a new name—James Starkman II.
The newly named automaton now had another favor to request. He greeted Jon Sanderson at his house using his new moniker. “As you can see doctor, a name change will not suffice regarding your opinion of me. I can see it in your eyes. For that reason, I ask your help to make me resemble what James Starkman would have looked like as an adult.”
Sanderson’s hesitance to help the android soon faded after James “the second” suggested he could use his plastic surgery skills on the other androids. “Use me as a test subject, doctor. Then when word gets out at how skilled you are in re-constructive surgery, my android friends will flock to you.”
Sanderson, who respected money more than anything, agreed it sounded like a good business idea. “So they will need plastic surgeons on Ceres after all,” Sanderson greedily announced within earshot of his first customer.
After the surgery was completed, the new James still felt the need to better understand human nature. He had done his best to accommodate humans with his name and body alterations. But would that ever be enough? James believed the plastic surgeon’s opposition at the trial was in direct violation of his practice. He therefore had to ask the plastic surgeon for one more favor—to explain his hatred for androids. James needed to know if his alterations would really make a difference in his eyes.
James surmised that it would be best to present the questions to Sanderson in letter form as suggested by Linda Dougherty. Dougherty reasoned that the doctor might give a more honest answer in writing than in a face to face conversation. “He may feel more comfortable corresponding to you via letter. Humans sometimes conceal criticism when they are face to face,” Linda explained.
The curious android quickly set to work to fire off an e-mail to the doctor. He prefaced his question with the following:
“Mr. Sanderson, you have made a career out of altering nature through artificial means. In that regard, I see our (android) evolution as a natural progression. For centuries, humans wanted new faces, new breasts and new bodies. We now embody everything your human customer’s desire—the ability to change the physical interpretation of themselves at will. Therefore, it alludes me as to why you opposed our existence so vehemently at the trial. Can you please explain your behavior to me?
Best Regards,
James”
“I don’t really know why I opposed you and your kind so much,” Sanderson began in response. “I guess it just comes down to resistance of change.”
“I believe the best we can hope for at this time is tolerance,” Sanderson wrote. “Humans don’t agree to changes so quickly I’m afraid—myself included. I know my human patients pondered their decisions to make facial alterations to themselves for many years before they finally came to me. I can only hope that time will one day reward you with complete acceptance.”
The new James interpreted the the doctor’s response as positive based upon what he knew of Sanderson’s disposition. The android’s patience paid off several years later when he became a mentor for the Ceres children—just as the human James would have been.
The first child of Ceres was not human. The android boy, Robert Adrian Ciprelli, was born to its proud parents—Peter and Karen Ciprelli. The android couple had learned how to assemble a child from encrypted instructions left by Dr. McElroy. Steven Carlisle one day stumbled upon this find in the radio shack when he could no longer contai
n his curiosity as to what the black labeled button was for. Adrian McElroy had clearly intended the reproduction process to be left solely up to the androids as no human was capable of decrypting the code.
The complex design of the young android would never quite be matched by any scientist. Three years later federation laws were changed on Earth. Rights activist Brooke Lawrence was credited for overturning the law which banned the construction of androids. However, it would take nearly a century for any cybernetic doctor to become skilled enough to create androids on the level of Robert and Adrian McElroy. Linda tried to encourage some of the androids to travel to Earth to aid in android manufacturing, however her requests fell on death ears. She realized it was quite understandable that the androids were in no hurry to come to a planet where they were once banned.
Years later, the Ciprelli child became best friends with the first human child born on the planet—Alyssa Carmen Perez.
The Dougherty’s were credited with helping Brooke Lawrence change federation law via public consensus. Matt and Linda decided it would be best for the people of Earth to determine the android’s fate. Rather then sending a transmission to the space agency or the federation, the Dougherty’s gave their initial account of the android discovery to the press. Linda reasoned, “There’s no way the media is going to keep this story a secret.”
Dougherty’s premonition was correct as the press devoted entire news broadcasts and magazines to the issue.
Some of the news agencies were more tactful in handling the story than others as evidence by a screaming tabloid-like headline written by Kay Jennings: “METALLIC ALIEN BEINGS SUCKED MINDS OUT OF CERES SCIENTISTS”
A headline written by Brooke Lawrence was a bit more accurate and respectful of the androids: