Curiosity - a short story

Curiosity

“I’ve often wondered,” Dr. Lam began to postulate.

Her colleague, Dr. Mangrove anticipated her next curious notion, “What’s that?”

“Why so many of us stopped asking the right questions. Why –”

“System shutdown,” Dr. Mangrove refocused their attention to the work-at-hand. His black-rim glasses and thick lenses seemed to magnify the atmosphere of excitement and fear in the room. Behind the two scientists were a panel of four onlookers from varying scientific disciplines and nationalities – along with two soldiers. A nearby monitor displayed the local news with reports of multiple cities throughout the planet in chaos – rioting and urban warfare. The basement of an abandoned research facility was the perfect location for their experiment.

“The Curiosity Program is installed?” one of them asked. There was hesitation from all.

“Dr. Mangrove?” asked another onlooker.

He flashed a grin to his colleague, “Dr. Lam?”

“Will someone shut that damn thing off!” Dr. Lam exclaimed.

The noise from the newscast was silenced by the press of a button. Dr. Lam returned the grin of her colleague as their success was generated by their respective experience and excitement. But a failure would lay blame in the direction of hubris.

Dr. Lam preferred to rely on her confidence – on their combined efforts. “There is only one way to find out,” she paused knowing the answer – by the press of a button. “Activate the unit.” She fed a series of numbers into a small handheld device. Arms and legs lifted the unit to a standing position. “Visual scanners?”

“Are you certain?” asked a concerning voice.

“It is a killer.” One of the soldiers exclaimed.

“It was.” Dr. Mangrove assured their small audience.

“It may identify one of us,” another voice urged.

“Your concerns are valid,” Dr. Mangrove affirmed.

Dr. Lam reacquired the attention of her colleague, “Dr. Mangrove,” and back at the others, “our options are limited.”

“Proceed.”

The two soldiers drew their respective weapons as a precaution.

With the simple action of a human finger, a narrow strip of light which stretched horizontally from one side of the matte granite grey cranial unit to the other illuminated. The robot rotated its torso to the left without movement of its cranial unit. Its visual scanners fixed on Dr. Lam who broke the silence. “What is your designation?”

Immediately it answered, “I do not understand,” it paused to calculate, “I do not have a – designation. Please provide instructions.” Everyone was amazed. It redirected its entire attention toward Dr. Lam.

“We don’t have much time,” Dr. Mangrove urged.

Dr. Lam answered with progress, “Your designation is Y4-M-15,” she examined its face, “your instructions are forthcoming. Do you understand?”

“Acknowledged,” the Y4-M unit answered.

“Good. You will take orders from me; my name is Dr. Astrid Lam. Along with Dr. Julius Mangrove, you will take orders from,” she pointed away from Y4-M’s field of vision, “this unit, ZL-1. Do you understand?”

“Acknowledged.”

The two soldiers stood at ease and disengaged weapons lock.

“Shall we proceed with the other one?” One of the other scientist asked.

“Yes,” Dr. Lam was pleased, “but we can replace ZL-1’s Auto-Combat protocols when we reach Fallon Base. We may need it en route.”

“Agreed – it’s time,” Dr. Mangrove stated with urgency.

~

“I just wish we could’ve flown,” someone in the back piped up. With that the hover spun and spun until it struck a building. The explosions were swift destroying the front and back of their vehicle and killing all of the occupants aside from one soldier and the delirious Drs. Lam and Mangrove who were shielded by both robots within the middle of the vehicle. The doctors focused their vision on the lifeless soldier in the front seat only to scan the torn vehicle to discover the death which surrounded them. ZL-1 and Y4-M picked up their masters in subsequent fashion and exited the craft only to be greeted by gunfire. Immediately they took cover down the closest ally. But this route was a temporary solution as it was a dead end. ZL-1 peered around the corner to assess the multiple threats. The only escape placed them in the crossfire of two different racial factions. ZL-1 engaged its holo-matrix to appear like an enhanced combat soldier resulting in a 37% increase in size. It turned the corner with both weapons drawn.

ZL-1 turned its attention to Y4-M and the human soldier, “Keep them safe.” It had already picked out its targets and their probable movements in the past 3.5 seconds. It took half that time to eliminate every threat. ZL-1 shut off its holo-matrix.

It returned to Y4-M and the others, “It is safe now.” It paused to look at Y4-M, “report”, it ordered.

“The humans sustained minor injuries in the initial attack.” Y4-M replied at the look from ZL-1.

The doctors looked at each other in amazed delight at the work they had put into reprogramming ZL-1. “This is proof!” Dr. Lam shouted, “Sergeant,” she called his attention, “We need another hover.”

ZL-1 interrupted, “There is another functional vehicle 110 meters from this location,” it turned its attention to Dr. Lam, “with your permission?”

“Lead the way.” Dr. Lam ordered.

The Sergeant protested, “I’m not taking orders from a machine!”

“Then you will take orders from me.” Dr. Mangrove countered vehemently, “follow the robot!”

Y4-M looked on with calculated observation for just a brief moment.

Five figures emerged from the dust and smoke. ZL-1 and Y4-M stomped the ground as they ran. The doctors followed in dire pursuit. “Open air?” Dr. Lam pointed at their new vehicle.

“It is our only option,” ZL-1 advised. After they entered the vehicle, Dr. Lam programmed the map of the entire continent and the coordinates into Y4-M who was in the pilot seat. The craft hovered and roared down the roadway away from the disaster. The lowlands were all filled with cities of technology. Fallon Base was on the coast another 50 kilometers. They passed by two abandoned checkpoints. One to go. As they approached, ZL-1 stopped the vehicle. It hovered above the ground as did an air of fear. “Y4-M. Sensors.”

“Inconclusive due to chemicals in the atmosphere, but there is a high probability of possible hostiles 90 meters to the west-by-southwest – seven count. And to the opposite position, across the road – nine count.” Y4-M responded.

“We go around.” The sergeant recommended with the tone of an order.

“Affirmative,” ZL-1 added.

“I wasn’t asking you,” he snarled.

Y4-M turned the vehicle around. An alternate route would cause a significant delay, but necessary. Y4-M took the vehicle across an open field to bypass a main artery. On the approach to the edge of blackened trees Y4-M stopped again. “Sensors indicate movement north-by-northwest, 60 meters, four humans – correction—”

Before Y4-M finished, a blast opened a hole in the road directly in front of them. “Take cover!” The sergeant shouted. He immediately sprang into action. Both ZL-1 and Y4-M progressed in opposite flanking directions as they engaged identical wildlife holo-matrices to appears as wolves. The sergeant took a zig-zag approach up the middle as he dodged and ducked for cover periodically. Drs. Lam and Mangrove had already exited the vehicle and took cover behind a large boulder. Dr. Mangrove covered his colleague’s head in a protective manner.

Rapid fire blasted its way from the thicket. The sergeant returned fire as did ZL-1. Y4-M circled around without a shot. It surprised one hostile from behind. With a posture to launch from its hind quarters the hostile screamed. Y4-M was upon the human; it subdued and disarmed him in one motion. The sergeant and ZL-1 had eliminated four of the hostiles. Y4-M stood over the human. With minimal injuries, he began to move slightly. The sergeant approached their position, “Fire!”

“This human is no longer a threat.” Y4-M stated as a matter of fact.

“Shoot the bastard!”

Y4-M disengaged it holo-matrix, “No.”

With that, the sergeant blasted a hole through his skull. “You could’ve gotten us killed!”

“On the contrary. Once a threat is eliminated or reduced to a manageable level, defensive protocols are no longer required.” Y4-M added dryly.

The sergeant shot a look of disgust at the robot. “C’mon!” he shouted in a tone of resignation.

ZL-1 disengaged its holo-matrix, and the three returned to their vehicle. The doctors were already on board. Y4-M looked at Dr. Mangrove and then at Dr. Lam before piloting the hover back on course toward the base. Dr. Lam leaned toward Dr. Mangrove with a smile; a smile of approval. The approval shifted from the robot to her colleague. She gleamed at him.

“Yes,” he was just as curious as the robot.

“Nothing. It can wait,” her eyes were still targeted on him.

Dr. Mangrove seemed to notice but denied the observation.

They were fortunate this time, without additional hostiles their arrival was swift. They approached a gate with military guard. A gate equal in height as the 30-meter weathered and battle-tattered wall. As they stopped, the guard shouted an urgent message into his comm. Within seconds the guard and a dozen human soldiers approached their position in an aggressive posture and weapons drawn. Their primary target, the robots in the vehicle. “No!” Dr. Mangrove shouted as he revealed his arm for identi-scan. “These are the robots!”

“Where is your other escort?” The guard shouted.

“Killed,” replied Dr. Lam sadly, but urgency primarily controlled her tone.  She turned to ZL-1, “Disengage Auto-Combat Mode; you are with friendlies.”

“Acknowledged,” it replied.

The guards turned their attention outward, beyond and around the walls. A smaller gate within the larger one opened.

“Y4-M. Disengage Defensive Mode.” Dr. Mangrove ordered.

Before Y4-M had a chance to respond the sergeant burst in disgust, “Defensive? Are you mad?”

“Sergeant,” an officer shouted which prompted the soldier to stand at attention.

“Sir!” He became a statue.

“Stand down. Report to Section 34.”

“3-4. Sir,” the sergeant complied and disappeared from their sight through the open gate.

~

Inside an enormous warehouse they saw a large tarp over what unmistakably a craft of some kind. A variety of machinery surrounded the interior walls in impeccable order, along with disassembled robots. Y4-M looked around. ZL-1 followed the doctors and two guards without any cranial movement. They were met by three officers – a General, a Colonel and a Lieutenant. “Drs. Mangrove and Lam,” the General addressed them, “glad you arrived safely.”

“As are we,” Dr. Mangrove exhaled in relief.

“By the non-aggressive nature of these units, you were successful?” The general asked.

Dr. Lam nodded, “We still have more work to do – before the launch,” she looked at the two robots with near affection. Time with them wasn’t long but they did save their lives. Dr. Mangrove understood but provided a neutral expression.

“It’s an enormous effort and – unfortunately, however necessary – life lost to get this far,” she pointed at the covered craft,” the General pondered the need to mourn but her professional training prevailed, “this facility is at your disposal,” she turned toward her subordinates, “the Colonel and Lieutenant will escort you to the laboratory.” She turned to each doctor, “I’ll leave you to it.” She walked off toward an office at the rear of the warehouse.

The Colonel motioned his arm toward the opposite direction, “If you’ll follow me.”

“What is this place?” Y4-M abruptly asked.

Dr. Lam smiled. The two officers looked surprised.

“Never heard a robot be inquisitive?” The Lieutenant asked.

Without waiting for a response, “Not to worry, it – they – will obey orders,” Dr. Lam turned to Y4-M and ZL-1, “follow us.”

“Acknowledged.”

As they walked away from the center of the warehouse, Dr. Lam walked next to Y4-M. In lowered volume, and a hand to its shoulder, she said, “I will explain everything to you.”

Dr. Mangrove amusingly smiled at his colleague for her personalizing of the robot. After all, it was her program which altered the robots actions. “You turned it from a weapon to an explorer.”

Dr. Lam returned a smile of pleasure.

~

The lab was fully equipped. ZL-1 laid on one examination table while its counterpart on another. The two officers stood at attention nearby. Two guards were outside the main door.

Dr. Lam stopped her actions. They all stared at her. She gazed around the room with an expression of wonder which seemed to pierce the walls and beyond the base – beyond the city. “Have you ever felt like there is something bigger than us? Dr. Lam asked. A general question to the room, but more directed at Dr. Mangrove.

“Or someone?” Dr. Mangrove hesitantly responded.

“Look around. At least at how our world used to be.”

“I felt it too. But I can’t explain it. It’s as though I can sense it.”

“Yes!” She paused, “what happened to us?”

“Pride!” The Colonel interjected.

“What?” Dr. Lam asked.

“The human race began to focus on the individual. It lost the ability to be a community.”

“Insightful.” Dr. Lam responded, “I wish we had more time to discuss this further.” Her expression altered from curious to focused.

Y4-M turned its cranial unit as if to listen more closely. ZL-1 remained still.

Dr. Mangrove began to enter the shutdown commands into ZL-1.

“What are you doing?” Dr. Lam earnestly asked.

“Preparing the unit for a new download.”

“May I suggest informing it of such action.” Dr. Lam’s attachment grew.

Dr. Mangrove had known his colleague long enough not to argue about a triviality. He smiled at her in mild amusement. Like a tennis match, Y4-M shifted his cranial unit from left to right as he observed the conversation. “Y4-M?”

“Yes doctor.”

“I need to make some final modifications to your ethical protocols and install details instructions of your mission. I need to shut you down momentarily.”

“Understood.”

“Is there a Pleasantry Protocol?” Dr. Mangrove asked semi-jovial.

She smiled but didn’t laugh.

They were abruptly interrupted by the General, “We’ve got an alert from Central Command!” The guards followed, “Whatever you’re doing you’d better finish soon.”

“What is it General?” Dr. Mangrove asked.

“Missile confirmation.” The General didn’t skip a beat, “at 2020 hours we received a report of an incoming missile strike.”

Dr. Lam looked at her colleague. Dr. Mangrove replied, “I have more protocols to install. You?”

“Nearly complete.”

“How long?” Dr. Mangrove asked the General.

“13 minutes.”

“Damn!”

Dr. Lam provided her colleague with an order, although among the two of them Dr. Mangrove was in charge. Nevertheless, professional admiration overrode protocol. “Forego the Empowerment Subroutine. There’s no time.”

“And you?”

“Nearly complete.”

“But the ZL-1 only has the Three Laws and Zeroth’s Law programming.” Dr. Mangrove was concerned.

“That’ll suffice.” She hurried and began the startup sequence of Y4-M.

The General interrupted, “Launch sequence has begun. You have 10 minutes.”

Y4-M sat up and stood on the floor. Other than the General and Dr. Mangrove, they all peered at the robot with anticipation. “Good evening Dr. Lam. How may I be of assistance?

They heard a loud mechanical sound in the warehouse – the roof was opening. Dr. Mangrove and Lam refocused their efforts on ZL-1. Just another Lieutenant arrived. She whispered into the General’s ear and left discretely. The General remained silent. She, and the other officers remained while the doctors’ work continued. Quickly, Dr. Lam broke the added tension, “Well? Are you going to tell us?”

The General was hesitant, “Target confirmation.” She looked at the others but remained professional, “Six military bases, including Fallon. Counter-measures unsuccessful.”

“We stay the course.” Dr. Mangrove insisted with a mysteriously convincing and comforting tone. He began the startup sequence of ZL-1.

~

The officers, guards and Dr. Lam stood around the robots while Dr. Mangrove entered a chip into the cranial unit of ZL-1, and into Y4-M. “These are your orders.” He paused to look at Dr. Lam who nodded.

Not as if the robots needed to hear it, Dr. Lam provided verbal affirmation which was meant for her and perhaps the others to hear, “Once you reach your destination, and complete your surveys, return Defcon Base or Central Command,” she fought back a tear, “and report to Chief of Command.”

“Understood,” ZL-1 replied.

The two robots walked up the ramp to the space craft. Y4-M turned. It raised its hand in a salutatory gesture but pointed toward the sky. One word came from its vocal unit: “Earth.”

The doors closed. From the pilot windows, they could see the robots take their respective positions. The cockpit illuminated various shades of blue and green from the multiple monitors. The ship hummed in a way that nearly consoled the onlookers.

“One minute.” The General stated dryly with the acceptance of death.

Dr. Mangrove looked at Dr. Lam, “Astrid.”

“Julius,” she responded and reached her hand out to his. His eyes wandered down in wonder at their locked hands, and back into her eyes. Neither cared about protocol. Their new connection was undeniable. Unfortunately, it would be short-lived. With the few moments they had left, they gazed at each other. Once the ship cleared the roof it accelerated from the planet. All of them looked up at the night sky – and wondered what will be.

The General interrupted, “Why curiosity?”

“Excuse me?” Dr. Lam was forced to change direction.

“Why did you program it to be curious?”

Dr. Mangrove looked at Dr. Lam with continued affection. Dr. Lam smiled, but without looking away from Dr. Mangrove, answered the question, “We lost our ability to live on Paradise when we forgot how to be curious. Even the simple questions which help us to understand and live in our environment – to understand each other.”