3
“Three.”
“Are you certain?”
“The adverse conditions of this planet do not seem to be as extensive as previously recorded,” QR-15 responded to L3-DR, “three humanoids confirmed." QR continued, “Negative active industry. Negative global communication systems. Vegetation present but limited. Unlike the rest of the planet, a valley contains geothermal activity. Surrounding topography is mountainous”
“Landing site,” L3 instructed. “44.0327° N, 116.4121° W.”
According to QR’s readings, one of the three humanoids was a safe
distance away from their landing point. The other two were a bit further away.
“Activate the ship’s cloak,” L3 instructed. “This discovery will delay
our original mission parameters.”
By dusk the humanoids were gathered around a fire. Two males. One
female. There were two structures nearby – worn and aged. Soon, two entered one
structure, while the third entered the adjacent structure.
The next morning L3 ordered, “Engage holographic camouflage,” and the
robots appeared like the humanoids.
They positioned themselves on the southwest corner of their settlement just inside the tree line on the eastside on the stream.
~
Manny cast his line into the river. Nothing. He made the attempt again.
Finally, a large trout sprung from the surface. Minutes later he had his prize.
“What was that?” Manny heard a rustle. He swiveled quickly to his
right. A bear. As if instinct pushed him into the river, he fell backwards, and
the current carried him downstream. He bobbed up and down as the beast charged
down the riverbank. Disbelief. Not at the beast. But at the two strangers.
Manny shouted. “Look out!” The beast charged toward their position. They dodged
the bear, but it managed to knock the woman down. Manny struggled to reach the
riverbank as he pulled out his hunting knife. He leaped toward the beast to
thrust the knife into the back of its shoulder. The beast growled and swiveled.
Manny managed to thrust his knife into the beast’s heart. It crushed Manny as
it fell upon him. The sun above him faded as his eyes closed.
The woman rushed toward Manny, “He has a pulse,” QR stated.
The two robots looked at the other.
He needs medical attention.
Place the human on your back, L3 ordered.
They ran northbound toward the humans’ settlement. On the way, QR captured an image of the following a rusted sign: WELC-M, SWE-T, ID-H. Upon arrival they attended to his injuries. QR looked around the weathered house and spotted a bookshelf. Are you able to identify these pages? Above the bookshelf were three framed torn pages.
We need to leave. L3 urged.
Images captured for later evaluation.
With his ribs bound, Manny began to wake.
Holly busted through the front door. “He’s home!” The house came to life again
as Holly embraced and kissed him. “What happened?” She examined his bandages.
“We don’t have this kind of first aid.”
“You okay son?” Adon’s grizzled voice
lowered with care.
“Been worse,” Manny chuckled.
“What’s that?” Adon leaned his body around
the corner toward the hallway. Faint shadows caught his eye. “Stop!”
The robots froze.
“People!”
“Greetings.” QR stated.
“Greetings,” Adon repeated with trepidation.
“Adon? – People!” She paused in disbelief.
“Where are you from?” Adon asked.
QR broke the silence. “We saw your
settlement.”
“A large creature attacked—” L3 reported.
“And you rescued Manny?” Holly exclaimed.
QR corrected her. “He destroyed the creature
but was injured in the process.”
“Thank you!” She stopped to catch her
breath. “Well, I’m Holly and I guess you gathered this is Adon, and Manny. And
what are your names?”
Searching database for relevant
names. “My name is – Varick, and this is – Amalea.”
“Welcome to our little valley and our home,
Varick and Amalea,” Adon said with open arms.
Amalea asked, “Why would you risk your
life?”
Adon responded. “Greater love has no one
than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
The two robots looked at the framed pages on
the wall.
“From the middle page,” Manny pointed.
“You’ve had a chance to read it,” Holly
said.
QR responded, “Just before you returned.
What does it mean?”
“These two found me,” Adon smiled with a
reminiscent sigh. “I hadn’t seen a soul in ages,” he paused. “I forgot what it
meant to love,” his voice trembled momentarily.
“Hate preceded?” QR inquired.
“No. I just stopped caring,” he recalled.
“Then, I found these pages years ago, in an abandoned church. The statement,
‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men’ is Manny’s favorite. And I rediscovered
hope – ‘one hope’, from the third page.”
“And then we saw him,” Manny’s strength
begun to grow.
“They were children,” Adon said.
“It was all heart,” Manny interjected with affection.
“The last people we encountered tried to kill us. We haven’t seen them since—”
“‘Greater love’ – it’s a daily sacrifice,” Adon stated with
conviction.
“Please elaborate,” Amelia asked.
“No other book teaches what we’ve learned
from these three pages.”
“Who is the author?” QR asked.
“We believe it’s God,” Holly answered.
Varick’s expression barely changed since
they all first met. The holo-matrix of QR painted a Mona Lisa smile on Amalea’s
face.
“It is late. Amalea, we need to exit,” L3
stated with cold authority.
“You don’t mean to leave?” Holly exclaimed.
Manny added. “After all you’ve done for me.”
QR looked to his leader for direction. L3 nodded
affirmation.
Holly asked them, “Will you need separate
rooms?”
“One will suffice,” Varick responded.
“I’ll show you to your room.”
~
The next morning L3 reactivated its
holo-form. L3, we have a problem. My holo-matrix will not activate.
We need to leave. L3 opened the
window. All clear. L3 made its exit out the window first. It jumped
from the roof and landed without incident. QR followed.
Suddenly they heard a scream.
“Adon!” Holly shouted. She darted down the
hallway and ran out the front door. “Adon!”
Adon skidded to a stop, “Where’s Amelia?
Varick?”
Options limited. Varick
deactivated its holo-emitter, “You are looking at her?” he pointed at QR.
Manny wandered downstairs and outside, “Robots!
There were hundreds of them in that old warehouse Holly and I found years ago –
all deactivated. But you’re different and much more advanced,” he circled QR.
“Are you programmed with the Three Laws?”
“Affirmative,” QR responded.
“Then we have no worries,” Manny assured
Holly. He redirected his attention to QR.
“Where did you come from?” Holly asked.
QR launched its finger toward the sky, “I am
QR-15. This is L3-DR.”
“Wait. If they are programmed with the Three
Laws and they speak English—” he gulped. “— and they are not from here, do you
know what that means?”
Adon had the answer on the tip of his
tongue, and Holly was right behind him. “It means that humans created them.” He
looked toward the sky once again. “There are humans out there?”
“This is fascinating,” QR stated.
“How so?” Manny asked.
“Our society and culture is in a constant
state of war,” QR stated. “Nothing closely resembles the interaction of you – your
unity. The message of your pages.”
“The suggestion of a complete societal
paradigm shift, if that is indeed what you suggest, is unlikely,” L3 stopped
and turned to the humans, “Do you have disagreements? Arguments? Offensives?
Adon spoke up, “Of course we do. But we’ve
learned to love, which results in peace.”
“Learned?”
“Yes,” they answered in near unison.
QR indicated to L3, “I have a recording of
the pages, but no one will listen to robots.”
L3 explained, “We did not anticipate your
presence on this planet. In fact, our scans indicate you are the last surviving
humans.”
Holly gasped.
L3 continued, “This planet was dying and at
war. It was a long time ago – but at some point a select group of your species
sought out a new planet. L3 and I are here to assess if it is safe to
return. However, it is determined terraforming is highly improbable; and this
valley is the only habitable area.”
Adon asked. “You came to assess whether it
was safe to return?”
“Affirmative. Humanity is in harm’s way – of
itself. We must prevent its destruction.”
Adon asked solemnly. “No God?”
L3 took a moment to answer, “No.”
Manny added. “There is more to these pages than a code of living,” he emphasized.
“Please expand,” QR asked.
“On the back of the third page we learn to
be imitators of God, who is also Jesus and Spirit. Perfect unity in three. We
believe God wants to share this unity with us.”
Manny smiled at Adon and Holly and asked.
“When do we leave?”
L3 interjected, “Leave?”
“To join the others,” Manny replied as Adon
and Holly nodded in agreement.
“If that is your intent, but our ship is
designed for three.
“I will go!” Manny blurted.
QR summoned the ship by remote.
The next morning Manny embraced and kissed Holly;
and Adon prayed, “Speak hope.”
Before the door of the ship closed Manny
said, “Time to go fishing.”