Princess of AMBER

Chapter 9

      Today for a first time I got into Natalie's laboratory. For me it seemed the only interesting thing in her whole hideout. It really intrigued me, the making of the SEB virus and what it was capable of doing to a robot. I expected her to work on it today, but she got her hands straight to a microscope, where tiny robot parts were laying. It looked like a jumble of metal - round, the size of a fist. For my surprise I had no clue what it was and what was it for. Clearly it was off, was my guess.

"What is it?" I couldn't hold in my curiosity.

"It is a robot for transporting the virus. It will be. I haven't tried it yet." Natalie kept looking into the microscope, while working on it. "It is almost finished. Only little bit of adjustments and it will be ready to go and do it's work." she said happily.

"Why do you need it to transport the SEB virus? Can't you do it yourself?"

A quiet laugh escaped her lips: "SEB virus? Is it how they call it? Funny!"

"Then... how do you call it?"

"I have no name for it. I never needed it, as I was the only one aware of it's existence. SEB virus..... I guess they titled it because of the message I left on one of the infected robot. It was more like a joke.... like giving them a tiny clue about me, but I see they misinterpreted it. SEB is short for Sebastian."

Oh yeah... him..... her assistant. "Tell me more about him."  my curiosity kept nagging me.

     Natalie lifted her eyes and looked in a distance at nothing in particular. "Like I said, he was my assistant at Cyber-beats - robot engineering company. When I started to work there, I was paired with an android - him. My job was to work on robot 'brains' to improve their perception of the world around them, interaction with humans and advanced work abilities. I got lucky to get him as my partner, he was one of the highest quality androids in the facility." A genuine smile shined on her face. Something different than her usual grin. "He was very kind, smart, he thought me lots of things concerning my work. Funny... I enjoyed my time. It was a bliss to be at work with him. Sometimes I stayed longer at work, just because of Sebastian. And then I came to a realization, I am in love with him. First it was hard to accept for myself, knowing it will always be one sided love. But it did not bother me, as long as I could spend my time with him. As I was working on one of the new projects, I got this idea.... Would it be possible to make him feel, make a robot to have real and genuine emotions, not fake, simulated ones. I was so hipped about my idea, that I started my work, without consulting anyone about it. My knowledge about microbiology helped me to achieve this goal. I desperately wanted to find a way to combine mechanic robot brain with biological aspect to generate needed chemicals for necessary emotions. Then... a success... I tested it for couple of times and it seemed to work. The only thing left was to try it on real functioning robot. I planned to inform everybody in my field about my accomplishment, but before that I infected Sebastian, he himself agreed to it. I was so happy. Later I arranged the meeting with the leading authorities in scientific field to tell them, what I have done. I felt so proud of myself. The day I finally presented the idea, was the worst day of my life. They did not agree with my ideas and called me insane for even considering such an option, to give robots a chance to feel anything. They said it is a dangerous idea and such and discovered that Sebastian is infected too. They started to call it a 'virus' because it was unwanted, and damaged robot 'brain' if planted inside their bodies. Sebastian was taken away from me and deactivated. In no time he was dismembered and destroyed, nothing was left of him, just some memories. They fired me and no other company wanted to employ me after that. Others thought I am distrustful and unreliable to do work for them. I came down here not too long after that, but I never gave up my idea to give a life to live for robots in a future. To live and experience real emotions, to have a meaningful existence. But I partly made it as a revenge against their companies. I want them to feel no control over the robots they make. I have perfected the virus for many years and now I am finally able to see the fruits of my revenge." Natalie sighed. "Poor Sebastian. He never get a chance to live a real meaningful life." She got her attention back to her microscope.

"That's tough."

"Well, I have got over it."

    Finally she got her eyes off from microscope and turned on the ball of metal under it. It moved and 8 long metal spikes came from it's sides, extending farther away from the lying form. It lifted it's body up and now I recognized it as a spider. It had a ball attached to it's abdomen. Two large sparkly eyes were on it's head along with some smaller ones. I could say it looked cute.

"Is it going to transport the virus?"

"Yeah. I cannot get in every factory because of security and not all of them are connected with underground system. He will go and take the virus, where I cannot go."

"How are you going to control him?"

"He is programmed to let his children free and then return to me after that. I gave him the virus too, so there is a bit of attachment to me from his part. Simple but loyal." She took him in her hands like a tiny pet.

"Children?" she could not stop surprise me. She was annoying, but very smart. Natalie knew what she is doing.

"I have smaller robots, similar to him, microscopic. Their job is to deliver the virus to the brain of a robot."

"Does it work?"

"I don't know yet. I have to try it out. My next target is CyRo. .... Don't look surprised. It is dangerous. I know it. That's why I need you to come along. You are going to be my new bodyguard, Bryce. Will you help me?"

Should I get in to her mess? I don't want get myself in more trouble than I am already in. If something goes wrong, I will not be able to forgive myself for causing it.

"I might help you, but I will function like your bodyguard, only. I will not lift a single finger to help you with the virus itself."

"It is fine. As long as you are there for me." Natalie smiled at me flirtatiously.

There she goes again....