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End of Earth
By Colin J Platt
Copyright Colin J Platt 2014
The robot looked on impassively. Bradley 3 knew he was doomed from the moment he had walked in. He took a chance and failed. The complex was multi secured, and robot-controlled.
Dying wouldn’t be so hard for him after watching his family being taken to the burning rooms. The robots had found out about the plan to sabotage the 51st Robot Processing Plant and Bradley 3’s father and brothers were caught along with several others. The robots didn’t need to torture them, but they may as well have as the mind probes they used were just as bad.
He just wished he could have got to the actual process room where he intended to booby trap the central power unit that controlled the robots. The ever present android mutated machines that controlled everything from birth to death. Bradley 3 was glad that this would be the last time he would look upon the purposely designed unsmiling faces of the controllers, as the robots were called.
Bradley 3 had taken it upon himself to plant the device for the underground, but the information he had been given was wrong! Why had he been directed to this room? The plan had been gone over many times. He was supposed to meet Dillon 5 here, and access the control panel at precisely three o clock.
Well, one thing was for sure, they wouldn’t use any mind probes on him, he was fitted out with a tiny fusion bomb. He wished he could see the look on the chief robot controller’s face as it went off disintegrating himself and the western side of the robot complex. Of course it would have been better if he could have survived and seen it for himself, but it didn’t make much difference as they would have caught him in the end. The robots were good at catching people; it was easy to them, as people were fitted with neck implants from birth which recorded every detail of their boring lives. The underground had taken out the implant on Bradley 3. The pain was unbearable but worth it knowing that the tiny bomb was in its place.
How did it come to this? He asked himself the same question a thousand times. Just two generations ago people were in charge, they had everything that ultra-modern life could supply. The private fabrication machines were everything that one could desire, designing and building whatever people needed from furniture to motor transport, of course, some people over did things and fabricated too much of everything resulting in a drastic shortage of space.
The government at the time was beginning to lean towards robot controlling methods. This was the beginning of the end for human governmental methods. 2184 was the year robots began to take over; of course they couldn’t have done it without the collaborators. These people were very hard to find, but with the help of the underground we were able to identify them and eliminate them. Many of our own people were rounded up by the controllers and took to the burning rooms in retaliation. Of course, it wasn’t really retaliation.
The controllers were incapable of retaliation. It was simply robot processing.
Bradley 3 was now resigned to his fate, but couldn’t understand why the robot didn’t use the sonic device to restrain him. Bradley 3 knew that if the robot used the device it would trigger the bomb.
The robot began to speak:
‘Hello, I am Dillon 5.’
Bradley 3 was aghast. Why hadn’t they told him about the situation?
‘Are you alright? I am to help you to access the power supply unit,’ the robot said.
‘Yes,’ Bradley 3 said, I am just astonished that you are a robot!’
Yes, I can understand that, so that is why I kept you under observation. I wanted to make sure you are Bradley 3, as you have no neck implant.’
‘Well, let’s get on with it then I want to blow the crap out of the Western section and cause a reaction that will run into the other sites.’
‘There is ample time. First, I want you to give me all the information about the underground base, and access to the data files.’
‘What?’
‘I have to have this information if I’m to help you.’
‘Why”
‘Because I am the first processed robot to operate with the underground, therefore I have to have the information.’
‘Why didn’t they give you the info when you were first processed?’
‘It would have compromised the situation.’
‘Nobody told me anything about this.’
‘That is because you would have been picked up on the sensors.’
‘What sensors?’
‘It is a new device that will allow the controllers to finally take control by eliminating the human element.’
‘What’ do you mean?’
‘The controllers intend to exterminate the people.’
Bradley 3 was now worried that this was some sort of set-up.
‘I’m not happy with this, either you help me now or I will detonate the device!’
‘You must be desperate to contemplate such a move?’
‘You have no idea what desperate means. I lost my family because of robots!’
‘It is true I don’t have the capacity to comprehend desperation, but I do know what the effect will be once human-kind has been eliminated.’
‘Oh, and what would that be?’
‘Robots would become unnecessary.’
‘Well, tell that to the Controllers.’
‘They already know. They sent me to ask you to cooperate, or die.’
‘I knew it, you are one of them!’
Bradley 3 was now pressing the switch to trigger the fusion bomb but there was no reaction.
‘It is no use trying to set off the bomb it has been neutralized.’
‘You may as well kill me now, I won’t be processed again.’
‘We don’t want you to have another implant; we want you to volunteer to be an android.’
‘What? You must be joking?
‘We never joke.’
‘That would be a fate worse than death.’
‘We know that humans fear nothing worse than death, so your logic is wrong.’
‘I will not be an android.’
‘We thought you would behave this way that is why we inserted a micro needle in your neck as you entered the room.’
‘Just tell me one thing, who was it that betrayed us?’
‘No one, we have been monitoring you all for some time. The process of transferring your brains into robot bodies has already begun. Within twelve months everyone will be an android. We just wanted the last pieces of information from you, which you have supplied.’
Bradley 3 was now rooted to the spot. He was isolated with his own thoughts, and those thoughts were too terrible to contemplate.
Two hours later Bradley 3 was an android. In his human life Bradley 3 was a leader, but as an android he was the same as anyone else, the logic is perfect if you think about it, but who was to think about it?
The end.
End of Earth
The time was now 2.am. I am just starting my shift aboard the Galactic Starship Freeway.
We were seven years into the long, mind-numbing, lonely and boring nine year trip to
Thannus 2. The hologram room is out of action plus half of the food store has been contaminated with some sort of spores which we can’t as yet identify.
Twelve crew members are now in long term isolation. This is to help stem the spread of whatever the spores are.
I was lucky. I was in sleep mode at the time of the contamination. But I am one of only seven crew members left to get this ship to its destination.
Sorry if I sound a bit crabby on the record-log but you can understand why.
I have to keep the record-log with me at all times, and keep the conversation strictly formal, which i
s a nuisance.
‘Dutch,’ my best buddy is one of the people in isolation.
But to top it all, our pets have also been isolated, two cats plus two mutant-mantors from the planet Zerion.
Boy! What a special time that was. Making first contact with the people from Zerion, it was awesome.
The year was 2215 everyone was in panic mode as the giant saucer like craft hovered above Washington D.C, although prior notice had been given to us. The excitement was overpowering.
That was seven years ago.
The Zerion’s taught us many things, especially space travel. They updated our space fleet almost at once. Now look at me, stuck here for two more years.
‘No, record-log, I don’t mean for you to look at me! It’s just an expression.’
OK, OK! The record-log is asking for my identification. How many times have I got to press
my thumbprint onto the log-board and then let it scan my eye! God, my voice print is all it should need. OK, here goes. Steven Smith, Engineer first-class, security code 12570, alpha. Satisfied!
Right, now back to the record. The computer has been acting up. It keeps changing its voice and
getting the stock wrong; everything from food to hardware. It should be easy to access, but now
we are struggling with even the basic items.
I just hope we can make it to Thannus 2. Thannus 1 is the planet everyone wants to visit. It is
much less crowded and has fewer aliens.
Thannus 2 is a world where they used Continent-Creation;’ Okay if you want to live in an ideal
world but give me natural creation every time.
‘Yes, record-log, I know I should keep the information to matters about the ship. But I want to
talk tonight; I feel it might be important later.
I noticed earlier that the life support system was acting up. It said that the oxygen filter system was in need of repair but it checked out Okay; computer, please keep it under surveillance.
Why should all these things be happening?
‘I know you don’t know record-log! I’m talking to myself.’
The Zerion’s themselves created this technology!
I wish the Captain was here; but he got contaminated also plus the Second Officer.
The only person in charge of this class 2 freighter, at this time, is me!
I’m going to get John out of sleep mode if these errors keep happening. John is the Third
Officer.
I mean, damn it all. I am only an engineer. There should be two serving officers with other crew at all times. That is what the manual says, I should know, I studied the damn thing for six years to reach this point, now look at me!
‘No, record-log, I know you can’t look at me. It’s just an expression!’ My God, please give me some peace.
I am now in the cargo area. Why do the Animion’s want so much mercury? There is enough of the stuff here to float the Queen Mary. Also the supplies of phosphorus, it is another highly dangerous thing, why do they need it? These elements can be produced in any number thanks to the Zerion’s. They said Earth was a wonderful place to produce from. It has an abundance of minerals and everything else that is in short supply on Zerion.
The planet Animion is another friend to us bringing huge food supplies by giant ships; food that had been produced by Animion scientists. We simply could not have coped with the rationing at that time, but for the Animion’s.
Everyone had to abide by the law. We had just one small box of food per household a day plus
the man-made supplements.
There was a food poisoning scare about three years ago but it faded out with just a few hundred
thousand dead. No one could get much info at that time as all the power in the entire world went
off for 24 hours!
‘No, record-log, you don’t have to log this info. I am just talking to myself.’
‘Why do I talk to myself, you ask? Because it comforts me, yes, I know you can’t relate to that
answer. Please just let me talk.’
The power crisis was awesome. Millions dead; but we still have billions to spare. I know it
sounds thoughtless, but we couldn’t have carried on much longer but for our alien friends.
They upgraded everything from computers to robots. Robots are now the saviors of Earth,
helping with everything from caring for the elderly and disabled to doing every job you can
think of.
I know we had our own robots at that time but the Animion robots are awesome; they are more like people really, but very strong.
People don’t have to work anymore. There were a few scares a few years ago when some robots
killed their owners but on the whole they are invaluable.
Some people say that the robots are too much like the Animion’s with faces and expressions
which are scary, but that is to be expected, yes?
‘No! I am not asking you, record-log. Just be quiet.’
I think I will inspect the special cargo that was brought aboard earlier.
It is unusual that it was given first priority and not inspected by the officer on watch?
Well, I will inspect it.
The record-log is telling me not to open the crate. But I am getting a message from the computer
telling me that the record-log is going into shut down mode. I knew it. That is probably why
everything is going haywire.
But I must admit though, I like it when the record-log does silly things. Just like the people on Earth and prone to mistakes, well I’m not going to make one this time, where is the access code lock for the crate?
Damn the record-log for going into shut down mode.
Well what do you know? Here it is right at the side of the crate. It must be first priority, Okay,
here goes…
I type in my security number and Bingo...
‘Message from record-log:
At 2.22am, On 22.2. 2222. Steven Smith, Engineer first class and last officer to be disposed of.
First day of destruction of Earth to commence immediately:
Mercury and Phosphorus neutron bombs are to be used.
Message to Zerion from the Animion Empire: thank you for finding us this planet; it will be a useful place to store our minerals.
No survivors.
End of Line...
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