Giantron

Scene One

Following a strange night of vamping which is mischievously staying up all night, Joey a tech savvy 20 something years old wakes to survey drones  buzzing around outside circling the city blocks as they scan citizens for potential threats, illegal substances or fugitives with outstanding warrants. New York City is a techno – metropolis where sections are privately owned and managed by large corporations. High tech machines do all the low end jobs and monitor the streets like soldiers. There’s an effort to clear the city of unwanted residents who lived here for generations to make way for wealthier people.

During the morning walk to work Joey tries to avoid the drones for their ray scan is known to emit radiation. They also carry brain wave neuro transistors that can calibrate thoughts of individuals and analyze information to predict actions before they happen, so they say.  It’s a gloomy day that feels different. The drones extra activities provoke curiosity. Joey works in a repair factory for machine parts not too far from his living quarters in the industrial district. A feisty drone relentlessly pursues him. It’s red beam laser tries to keep track of his movements through winding streets of age old brick buildings built like fortresses the last of their kind in the city.

Reaching the courtyard of the factory  the drone sways off rising high above the city into the distance. Inside the factory main hanger large machine parts are mounted for repair at work stations. Arriving late to work and the floor supervisor, his father no less, is not bothered. Which is weird. He always gets on him about tardiness. “He is too preoccupied with what has occurred. Some of the machine parts suddenly reactivated for a brief moment in particular were the central modules containing the new motherboards; yes the behemoths of machines called “Giantrons," floor manager.

Joey,  an apprentice at the main assembly  server, has learned quite a bit in his short time working there to know as much as anybody about Giantrons and the inner workings of operating systems. Most of it learned by hands on experience. He is young but very knowledgeable about machines like his dad. Joey is curious to discover what happen; the machines here are certified deactivated for maintenance and upgrades mainly automation parts for robotic construction limbs designed for the building industry. “Each machine part is suppose to be self reliant and powered with it’s own programmed functions embedded into it’s motherboard which makes it ultra efficient. These models are owned by a government corporation which contracts private companies to run routine repairs on  non essential mechanisms," technician.

Joey knows this glitch is no coincidence despite it repairs go on without a hitch although very dangerous if any machine happens to activate during the process. “These machines need to be ready to ship within  a week,” technician. Working straight to late afternoon without eating the glitches  reoccur. “It’s an emergency failsafe system controlled remotely. Since these parts belong to  infrastructure machines which operate the city’s flood gates and protective barrier that surrounds the island; they are still somehow connected to the main operating system,” Joey.

One of the larger machines begin to move it’s giant hydraulic support arms that allow it to walk. Work is immediately halted as a technician is hurled onto the wall while repairing a forty foot tall structure support module. Power is shut to the factory to slow down the machines which thankfully are not fully charged. Joey is sent home earlier than usual as is everyone else except his father who stays behind to assess the situation with the technical team. Unfortunate setbacks do happen but clients are not going to hear that, a deadline is a deadline or the order is reimbursed.

Joey and friends set themselves to eat at the favorite taco spot further uptown in the city just blocks from his apartment. There are still very few places where people still do the work instead of machines. Like simple good old cooking not the fast precooked made in seconds vending machine junk. They take the hovering metro transportation trains.