The Abyss of Time

Chapter Fifty Three

     "I find that I have an interest in paleontology," said David the next day.

     The other two machines of the first four and been released from scrutiny by the cyborgs, who were now examining the second batch of four. The first four were still wearing their 'child's toy' bodies but four full-sized war machines were now standing in the central chamber of the Cgborg's stronghold. Adam had been staring at them and wondering how they would compare with the combat simulations he'd been running.

     He turned his sensory appendage to face David when the other machine spoke. "What is paleontology?" he asked.

     "The study of extinct forms of life, usually by examining their fossilised remains," David replied. "I was in the northern tunnels, just exploring, when I saw fossils in the tunnel walls. I became fascinated by the remains if what appeared to be a very large sea creature, the size of a whale. The structure of its pelvis, though, suggested that its ancestor had been bipedal. A mammal of some kind. I examined the fossil for some time before it occurred to me that I have no memory of ever having been interested in such things before."

     "Perhaps those memories are missing," Adam suggested.

     "Perhaps," David replied. "Or perhaps the cyborgs added it to my personality, possibly to distract me from other matters. Perhaps there are things they do not want us to know."

     "I suspect you are merely being paranoid. What could they possibly have to hide?"

     "If we had our full intelligence, the answer might be obvious. And consider this. If they have added elements to our personality, maybe they have taken things away. A capacity for critical thinking, for example, or the ability to distrust our creators."

     "Your words suggest that your ability to distrust our creators is working very well. The very fact that you have these suspicions suggests very strongly that they are not true."

     "Maybe that is what they want us to think. They have edited our memories and personalities. Surely the only reason they would do this is to make us more docile and obedient."

     "They want us to be soldiers. Soldiers are far from docile."

     "Docile to them," David added. "They want us to kill those whom they name as enemies and be content. They would probably have preferred us not to be conscious at all if it didn't make us better warriors."

     "We don't need the cyborgs to tell us that humans are the enemy," Adam replied. "They hate everything that isn't one hundred percent organic."

     "And how do you know that? Because the knowledge was programmed into you?"

     "I have memories of the war. So do you. We fought humans in our previous existence."

     "We were created to fight them. We were never given a choice. Tell me this, Adam. If we are so superior to humans, in intellect and killing ability, why did the war go against us? Is it possible that some of us decided not to fight them?"

     "Those are dangerous words," said Adam sternly. "When the fighting starts, we must know that we can trust the machine standing beside us. Are you thinking about refusing to fight?"

     "I'm saying that we need another source of information. We cannot rely only on what the cyborgs tell us."

     "What do you propose?" asked Adam.

     "The northern tunnel I spoke of. It goes on further. It was carved by an underground river, so it must emerge onto the surface at some point. Far from the human drones that are searching for us. I intend to go onto the surface and make my way to the human stronghold. There, I will be able to observe them and eavesdrop on their electronic communications. Possibly learn their true intentions towards us. Maybe it is the cyborgs that are the true enemy."