Currents of the Future - part 1
by Torpor
>Perimeter Alert.
>Entity detected. Analysis: Human female. Energy X signature.
>Entity approaching Microwave unit at great speed.
>Entity's intentions: Unknown.
"Hiya, Microwave!" shouted Sea Urchin.
Microwave did not move from his present location, standing perfectly still in front of one of the many computers that populated the Freedom Fortress.
"Presence acknowledged," the android replied.
Sea Urchin hovered up to just behind Microwave's shoulder, peering down at the view screen. "Gee whiz, Microwave, when Mentor rewired you, why didn't he make you talk more human?"
Microwave responded, "Self's primary function is defense, not communications."
Sea Urchin gave a disappointed sigh. She toyed with a bubble back and forth between her hands before letting it rise to the ceiling and pop.
Microwave added, "Self could request programming upgrade to communications module from alien designated Mentor."
Sea Urchin giggled. "Actually I think I kinda like you like this. You make me laugh."
Microwave did not reply.
Sea Urchin switched shoulders to peer over, then asked, "So, what'cha doing?"
"Self's primary CPU is allocating 23.5 percent time to analyzing computer bank data, 41.7 percent time to present conversation, 10.1 percent to routine -"
Sea Urchin cut him off. "Fine! So you're busy! What is it with you guys! Everybody's busy, but there's not even any supervillains around! Plus which, I didn't even get a piece of that evil Microwave android you guys walloped last week."
Microwave turned slowly to face the young girl. "Self believes that Sea Urchin is making incorrect observations. Microwave androids have no emotions and are incapable of evil. However, Microwave Unit 247's logic was flawed.
She idly did a back flip in the air as he spoke. "I guess if that's what you call it."
She stopped for a moment and gazed into Microwave's faceplate. It was almost like looking into a funhouse mirror, her image distorted in the concave surface.
"What's it like where you come from?" she asked, in a solemn tone.
Microwave turned away from her again. "Self's memory banks were damaged by alien Mentor's primitive attempts to reprogram self."
>Liar!
>Unauthorized process thread detected. Termination failed. Access denied.
"Come on, Microwave!" Merry persisted. "You must remember something, else you wouldn't have been able to know all that stuff about that other android!"
Microwave conceded, "Unit Sea Urchin is correct that I do possess some limited memory of previous timeframe. In this possible future, androids have taken control of planet Earth and started process of eradicating human life forms."
Merry's eyes opened wide. "Wow! Tell me more!"
The android shook its head back and forth. "Self has no other information to offer."
>You're so full of it! "Self" has plenty to offer.
>Attempting analysis of process thread: classified under subroutine of main independence programming. Unable to determine why subroutine activated.
>It's what humans call a repressed memory, you overgrown circuit breaker!
>Query: How does process exist as separate function, yet continue to exist within primary mental workspace?
>They'd probably call that a split personality, then!
>Error. Self is not human. Self does not have a psyche, and therefore these feelings cannot exist.
>Aha! So you admit they're feelings. What? Feelings of regret? Shame? Is that why you can't tell the little girl about the future? About the "timeframe" where you slaughtered thousands of innocent humans?
>Error. Self does not have feelings. Self is aware of previous actions.
>Then why not tell her?
Merry looked up at the android's blank face. Microwave's lack of facial features made it hard to determine whether he was paying attention or not. Merry considered the fact that he hadn't responded to any of her persistent calls for attention in the last two minutes as a clue, though.
She ran out of the room. "Mentor! Something's wrong with Microwave!!"
>Boot Process Started.
>ID Code: Unit #4539 Microwave series IIIb
>Primary CPU: Functional within nominal limits
>Boot Tests: Normal
>No OS detected.
>Auto-uploading primary Microwave behavior template from main uplink.
>Installing..............................complete.
>Primary and secondary power grids stable.
>Reactor core: Online.
>Initiating higher computation functions.>
>Self-awareness activated.
>Self's primary mission designation: Search for, Destroy human infestations.
Atrid looked across the misty valleys below through vision enhancers, scanning the small town of Vale, Colorado below. The usual stores, theaters and condo housing remained intact. A good sign, he thought to himself.
He zoomed in closer on the ground. Footprints crisscrossed the tender white snow in every direction. The tracks were too close together to determine if they had been made by human or android.
"Well, Trina, I'm going to have to go down for a closer look."
He gazed at the 12-year-old girl huddled behind a rock. Even in her thermal suit, with goggles and gloves, she still shivered.
"I don't like leaving you here alone, but I promise as soon as I know it's safe I'll come back for you." He smiled broadly at her, reaching out his puffy-coated arms to give her a great bear hug. He lifted her close to him, then let her back to the ground, where she quickly scuttled back behind the rocks to avoid the biting mountain winds. "Don't you worry, we'll be enjoying a warm fire before the sun goes down."
He wrapped his scarf around his nose and mouth, then pulled up his laser rifle and slung it across his back.
With another nod to the girl, he leapt over the ledge and started his way down between the lifeless, skeletal remains of evergreen trees - no longer green - toward the town below.
The crunching of snow beneath Atrid's boots echoed through the silent hills. A chirping sound, unfamiliar to him, startled him at first. Then he realized it was a living creature, and joy welled up in his heart.
Spires of cylindrical, pyramidal and spherical buildings rose up above the antique blockish designs of the 20th century buildings. As Atrid descended the hill, he came up to a flimsy chain-link fence. Parts of the fence had already been bent to the ground, as if hit by some great force, or possibly just succumbed to the eventual forces of nature.
Atrid moved cautiously along the unbroken fence, leaning up against trees as he walked to keep his balance on the steep slope. At last he came to a point where some animal had apparently broken through the fence.
Atrid pulled his rifle, and locked into position the firing bulb. It hummed with energy and the rings around the central bulb illuminated with a warm red glow. I hope that wasn't too loud, he thought to himself.
Atrid got into a prone position and pushed his rifle through, then slowly shimmied through the small hole. At last he emerged on the other side, and quickly brought himself back up, rifle in position.
He scanned the shadows nearby, but saw no sign of trouble.
Atrid began walking towards the center of town, staying close to walls and moving only a few feet at a time. On the ground, he saw an increasing trickle of shallow footprints. Much too light for androids, he thought. That's good.
Still, he saw no sign of life in the town.
Atrid walked towards what appeared to be a grocery store. The footprints concentrated on this building. Cautiously, he leaned inside the open doorway, peering quickly left and right before bringing his head back outside. He stepped cautiously into the darkened building, ever vigilant.
His keen senses, though, paid little attention to the refuse below. His boot stepped on a glass. The shattering sound echoed throughout the building. Sweat dripped down Atrid's face.
"Oh, sh-"
Before Atrid could even finish the word, a bolt of energy surged through his body. His eyes felt like they were exploding in light, and he felt like his body weighed a ton. As he slumped to the ground, he could hear distant voices closing in, but could not react even to speak before drifting into unconsciousness.
To be continued...
