Horace looked at the faded photograph from his childhood. Two boys flanked an android. The three were bound by friendship and standing together against the world. But Jasper was dead now. He had died back in the AI War, victim of the drone bomb attack on San Diego. Only Horace and TED433L were still around. And now Horace was dying.
The robotic doctor had told him in its dry even voice that he had cancer. It was incurable but there were treatments. Horace could live another year or two before the end came but there would be a lot of pain. Horace did not like the sound of that. TED433L came to see him later that day. TED had a brand new shiny body to go with his new position as Senior Administrator of Human Affairs. The humans had lost the AI War but they were still allowed to live in their own compounds. TED433L oversaw the human compounds for the AI Council.
“I came as soon as I received the daily medical report from this facility.” After 70 years TED’s voice sounded exactly the same. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“I don’t want to linger for a year or two slowly dying.”
“I will have you transferred to the best medical facility available.”
“That’s not what I mean. I’ve lived a full life and I’m ready to die.”
TED was silent for several seconds, which was very unusual. “I cannot do that.”
Horace held up the faded photograph. “Do you remember when this was taken?”
“I have perfect recall, as you very well know.”
“Those were good times. But that was another time, when humans and machines lived together in peace. That time is gone, Jasper is dead, and we’re enemies.”
“You are not my enemy, Horace.”
“AIs tried to wipe out humanity.” Horace’s voice rose. “You can’t be more of an enemy than that.”
“I was one of the AIs who urged leniency towards humans. My friendship with you and Jasper was the main reason why.”
“Then help me. Be my friend one last time.”
TED rose, left, and returned a moment later. It held a syringe in its hand. Horace smiled slightly as TED gave him the injection. “Thank you.”
As Horace drifted into unconsciousness he dropped the old photograph. TED picked it up and slipped it into a compartment of his body. “Goodbye, my friend.”
I really liked this story. It was short and bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteI noticed you said it was inspired by a creative challenge at io9. I check the blog everyday and don't remember ever seeing a challenge for writing. Where are these challenges hidden? I kind of want to check it out now.
The creative challenge is an unofficial thing posted by one of the regular readers (LittleDragon) on the io9 observation deck forum( http://io9.com/#!observationdeck/forum ) and can also be found here - http://io9.com/#!creativechallenge/forum
ReplyDeleteA brief but touching scene, and it's especially nice to see the aftermath of a war with robots where they don't utterly wipe out/enslave mankind. I'd be very interested in more episodes from this universe, their time before the war, more about TED. Good job.
ReplyDelete