Activation Sequence 103

An Interesting Conversation

It lay there, silent and unmoving, itsbeadyeyes staring from their gloomy sockets, boring virtual holes into the ceiling. It was somewhat intimidating with its fangs gleaming dangerously in the uneven light. I shivered. I definitely do not want to get on the wrong side of such a ferocious opponent.

‘Run Activation Sequences 67, 105, 98, 25, 103,’ I spoke while flicking switches and checking an array of screens. Warming up, it read. Below, there was a picture of a boy getting dressed. I always thought the doctor had a horrible sense of humour.  This was proof.

‘System reboot complete. Activation sequence initiated. Unit is one hundred percent functional. Awaiting orders,’ said the robot, its synthetic feminine voice which was as smooth as velvet. Immediately, blue light began coursing through all visible wires and conduits. Many of those coiled down from its head, only to end at the shoulder. Along with the voice, it gave the impression that it was a female, though, technically speaking, it had no gender for it was created by man and not nature.

‘Remain on standby. Doctor Sechino will be with you shortly.’ I proceeded towards lab six, where the professor was working on the standard issue weapons that all human guards carried. They were known as Blasters, referring to the concussion waves that erupted from the depths of their barrels, created to subdue but not harm opponents.

Originally, the doctor was meant to have activated the robot, but duty called elsewhere. Apparently, he had received orders to modify and upgrade the weapons. I, however, knew him all too well to fall for this ruse. He wanted to appear modest, and what better way to do so than by acting as though the activation of the robot of the century that he had created was not an important enough event for him to attend. Honestly it made him seem pompous rather than diffident.

I cleared my throat to catch the doctor’s attention.  He turned. ‘Sir, the robot is waiting in lab four.’

‘Is it now? Was that today?’ I would have rolled my eyes if not for the fear of the cameras catching my lack of respect. Doctor Sechino wouldn’t mind, but the people on the other end of the camera feed definitely would. Incompetence was never tolerated. ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘Lead the way Mr. Trace.’

I departed, navigating the labyrinth of corridors, a mental map forever etched in my brain. It took two minutes to return to lab four. We stood in front of metal door, a metal plaque marking it as the Robology lab. The doctor took a deep shuddering breath and I could almost swear he was ever so slightly nervous -the Doctor was never nervous- and walked in.

‘Hello ALGA-57. Please state your function.’

‘To obey all specified orders given by the supreme commander and all in possession of alpha-zero-zero-five security clearance.’ This was a protocol written by the professor to override all its systems, despite what it may think, rendering any higher intellectual thought processes useless, making it a slave of its own body.

‘How do you feel about this?’ I frowned in confusion at the unusual question. I have seen the doctor test hundreds of robots with an array of bizarre questions, but this was just too weird. And then it hit me- he was testing its brain.

‘Specify,’ it said flatly.

‘Do you want to perform your function?’

‘Want is a feeling often associated with humans, a part of a larger psychological aspect known as emotions. I am not human, therefore, I do not feel. This leads to the assumption that I should not desire.’

   ‘Fredrick, is the inhibitor in order?’ he asked.

‘No sir, it is not. The thought processing unit should be fully functional.’