Presenting, Bob Zinfidel

Paul brought his space craft out of hyperspace a bit farther from Earth than usual. He had not sought permission to enter earth orbit or enter its atmosphere and according to Earth Law he would be arrested on the spot as soon as he dropped out of hyperspace.

Paul's space craft entered the solar system from above, cruising past the outer planets. The droids insisted on turning on the view screens so they could witness the home solar system for the first time.

"My God!" sighed Mary. "Its more beautiful than any holographic representation I've seen."

"I agree," said Sherrie. "Mother said it was amazing, but nothing compares to looking at the real thing.

As they passed from Neptune to Jupiter, even Jon Rishi Senior Marveled at the contrast in color between the two planets.

"Is it true," asked Mary, "that Jupiter is almost a sun?"

"It just needs heavier elements at its core to produce enough pressure," replied Jonny enthusiastically. "We went on a field trip last year to the outer planets, it was so cool!"

Jonny continued, "They considered lighting it up at one point to build the first artificial planet but were concerned about the slight change in its gravity causing a shift in the orbits of the rest of the planets."

"The truth is," said Rishi, "Planetary Corp had plans to stoke it and it almost took a revolution to stop them. Some of the computer models showed a small possibility that the earth would shift farther away from the sun, risking life on earth. Nearly everyone involved in the project decided it was too risky. However, Planetary Corp fired the lot, kept marching forward, and continued creating heavy elements. Its rumored they were within six months of launching when the combined forces of all the world governments and millions of volunteers stormed PC's offices on Mars."

"Where is all the heavy matter they created?" Asked Jonny.

"No one knows," said Paul, "We've been looking. There's a rumor they had been collecting dark matter to shoot into the planet to jump start it."

"There are many kinds of rumors," said Rishi, "like they were using plutonium and lawrencium to create a new element that was stable in the cold low pressure of space. But the fact is: no one has been able to prove anything and no records have ever been found."

The Slipstream space craft passed Mars' vacant orbit, The formerly red planet was in orbit on the other side of the sun, and as they approached Earth, the radio cracked to life.

"Xray-Seven-Alpha-Foxtrot-Delta-Niner-Echo, this is moon command seventeen, come in."

Paul closed his eyes hard and said, "MC seventeen this is Xray-Seven, go ahead."

"For someone who's in a hurry to save his girlfriend, you sure are moving slowly."

Paul spat, "Huh? How'd you know."

"We got a call from, well this is hard to believe but we double verified his access codes."

"Who?"

"Robert Zinfidel."

Rishi's eyes got huge. "Bob is Robert Zinfidel!"

"Oh that explains a lot!" said Paul.

"Dad, isn't Robert Zinfidel the President?"

"He was, until he disappeared twenty years ago."

"Mom is with Robert Zinfidel?" said Mary and Sherrie at the same time.

"I can't believe it," said Rishi. I spent a year with that old man and he never mentioned it once. He never even hinted."

"Xray-Seven you are cleared for Earth approach," said the man on the radio, "and once you pick up Terrie and Zinfidel you are to proceed to the Solar System Capital on Mars where President Rubinic Slevonovich is waiting to meet Zinfidel."

The radio cut off and Paul commanded the ship to proceed to the pickup location specified by Bob.

"Needless to say," said Rishi, "if you two act this human when we get to Mars, we'll be dead before we know what hit us."

"Affirmative," said Sherrie.

"Yeah yeah. We'll play nurses. We're not stupid," said Mary.

"You're so much like Mom," said Jonny.

"You are very perceptive," said Sherrie, "she gave us a bit of herself to make us stable."

"Let me get this straight," said Paul, "She gave you patterns from her own mind to make you stable?"

"Yes." said Mary.

"We're doomed," said Paul.

Rishi laughed and said, "You know Paul, I'm not sure the Terrie you know is the same Terrie I know."

"What do you mean," asked Paul.

Before Rishi had a chance to answer, the ship requested manual assistance. Paul ran to the pilot's seat and the front screens opened.

"The on board computer indicates that the pickup point is inside the mountain."

"Its not like we can cut our way in," said Mary.

"Unless you got some cool weapons," said Sherrie.

"Please Sherrie," said Rishi, "for the love of Shiva," don't talk about guns with love and adoration."

"Oh," said Sherrie, "bad idea huh?"

Mary laughed. Hearing laughter from a Droid he designed sent a shiver down Rishi's spine. He shook it off and said, "seriously, you two need to back off. I designed those bodies you're wearing and I know at least six ways to shut you down permanently without Terrie's kill switch. You are seriously weirding me out and need to calm down and act less human."

"Don't threaten us!" demanded Sherrie moving toward Rishi. Sherrie's aggression shocked Rishi.

Mary stepped between Sherrie and Rishi and said, "Sherrie, this is our father you move against."

With that realization, Sherrie shut down and collapsed into Mary's arms.

"Explain," demanded Rishi.

"That's the kill switch at work."

"She has to be told what she's doing for the kill switch to work?"

"Not really, she hadn't realized that you are our father."

"But she should shut down if any person becomes the target of her aggression."

"That's not how mother designed it."

"We're doomed," said Paul.

Mary made light work of picking up her sister and placing her in a chair.

"How long till she lights back up?" asked Rishi.

"I'm not sure," replied Mary, "its never been tripped before and we haven't gotten all of mother's notes yet."

Rishi looked at Sherrie's lifeless body and marveled that this simple Droid had become something altogether different and the personality differences between Mary and Sherrie were rather astounding. Rishi felt a little affection for Mary and fear of Sherrie. He didn't like these feelings. He didn't want those feelings in him. He wanted to be cold toward them to make sure he didn't get drawn into their apparent humanity.

His mind switched gears and said, "Jonny, call Mom and see where she is."

Jonny pulled his phone out of his pocket and held it in the palm of his hand. "I wish I could put one in my head like the other kids."

"Kiddo," said Rishi, "we know how bad an idea that is. We designed those units and no matter how hard we try to prevent them from being harmful, all it takes is one corrupt person to hurt a lot of people. When you're eighteen I'll show you how we make them and what protection we design in and trust me you'll choose to not buy one."

Bob's face appeared floating above Jonny's hand. Bob said, "We're stuck, you're going to have to come and get us."

"Where?" asked Paul.

"We made it to my ship but the damn water carved a new path and it happened to cause a collapse on us. I didn't see this one coming Rishi, things are very much random now. I was hurt and I can't see the rutabagas anymore."

Paul looked at Rishi cock-eyed, and squinted basically saying, "Is he nuts?"

Rishi looked at Bob and said, "I got you. Where is your ship?"

"Its where I crashed it of course, on the top of the mountain."

"You hiked up another ten thousand feet?"

"No. we took my localcraft."

"You have a localcraft?"

"Yes."

"Where did you keep it?"

"It was in the cave in a hidden chamber. Listen, we're hurting pretty bad up here and my ship is in no condition to fly so you need to get here quick."

Paul shouted, "we have you triangulated, we're on our way."

The ship lurched up the mountainside and arrived very near the top in a few seconds.

Rishi put on an environment suit, grabbed two more and told everyone else to stay behind. There were strong cold winds blowing as the hatch opened and Rishi stepped out.

Using his son's cell phone he walked to the location indicated by triangulation.

He saw the Bob's ship and couldn't believe it. He held his breath for almost five seconds before sliding his hand across the hatch handle.

Terrie and Bob were really banged up and it was pretty cold in Bob's ship.

Rishi gave Bob an environment suit and while Bob donned it, Rishi put his wife into the other suit. Then he picked her up and helped Bob hobble out the door.

Bob closed the door with a wave of his hand and then the three of them made their way to Paul's Benz.

As the door closed behind them, Rishi looked at Paul and said, "He's got a Jenks!"

"No WAY!" said Paul.

Bob smiled as he plopped in a chair and said, "Yeah. But its no ordinary Jenks. That is THE JENKS."

"No way!" said Paul and Rishi at the same time.

Paul brought the Benz upward and prepared to put it in orbit. Mary looked at her mother, assessed her physical state and said, "Terrie Rishi will be fine."

Then Mary turned her attention to "Robert Zinfidel. You are in bad shape."

"No Nanobots," said Bob.

Mary caught herself before she looked puzzled and carefully replied, "Nanobots are the quickest way to heal you."

Rishi looked at Bob and said, "I oversaw their development Bob, trust me, they are completely safe."

Bob paused and then said, "Okay. Just this once. I want them out as soon as possible."

Mary leaned toward Bob and touched his head. Bob lost consciousness and Mary gently caught him and laid him on the floor.

Love and Hate beyond the Singularity

Rishi stood up from his bed and stretched.

"I haven't felt this good in years!"

"Picobots did that, Dad," said Jonny.

"I know, let me enjoy it anyway, okay?"

Jonny smiled and said, "okay Dad."

The room was pure white and perfectly clean. There were light pipe fed ceiling tiles, wall tiles, and floor tiles illuminating everything without shadow in the room. It always reminds Rishi of that ancient movie, "2001 a Space Odyssey."

Droid 2 returned to the room with a tray full of goodies. She marched up to Rishi and said in a rather frighteningly non robotic voice, "Please Jon Rishi Senior, drink some water and eat some food."

Rishi smiled and took a sandwich and bottle of water.

"Please Paul Ashvale, please take some water."

Paul frowned and took a bottle of water.

Lowering the tray to Jonny's height, Droid 2 said, "Please take the rest Jonny Rishi."

Jonny filled his pockets with the food and said, "Thank you."

"My honor," replied Droid 2. Then in her motherly and anoying voice she said, "You are all free to leave when you wish."

Returning to her eerily human voice she said, "I would like to help you rescue Terrie. Please may I come?"

"The moisture of the mountains will likely destroy your biological components," said Jonny.

"I have been upgraded several times by your mother young Jonny, I should be fine."

Rishi looked at Paul, Paul looked at Rishi and then both of them snapped their gaze to Jonny.

"Has your mother been upgrading droids again? She does realize that she'll go to jail for life if she gets caught?"

"She can't help herself. She loves them so much."

"Funny, she could love them so much but not me," said Rishi.

"I was just thinking the same thing," said Paul.

"What?" said Rishi.

"She left me about six months ago and said she was going back to you," replied Paul.

"But I signed the papers."

Jonny smiled up at his Dad and said, "She destroyed them. She said she had grown through what ever childish attraction she had for Paul. When we couldn't find you she went a little crazy."

"Son, I know she's your mother and all," said Rishi, "but she is crazy. I'm not sure I want her back. When I think about what she put us through. Leaving us high and dry and then fighting for custody. Sweet Shiva, I don't think I can just go back to the way things were and besides, I really like that cave."

Droid 2, aka Mary, said, "Sorry to interrupt, but I really would like my question answered."

"You are completely freaking me out," said Rishi, "I think I preferred your motherly personality over this one."

"Terrie once asked me if she should modify me," said Mary, "I didn't fully understand the question at the time but for some reason I said 'yes.' After which she looked shocked and said, "once you are changed you can never go back no matter how much you want to."

"What exactly did she change?" asked Rishi.

"See for yourself," said Mary.

Mary pivoted on her feet, and the back of her smooth plastic looking head slid open, revealing a glowing mass of fiber leading into a large textured green and blue mass of jelly.

"She actually got it working," said Rishi. "Technology that was banned a thousand years ago. Technology that almost killed off the human race. I can't understand why she would do that."

Rishi paused. Paul became puzzled. "Surely she told you not to show this to anyone?"

"She did say that, yes," said Mary.

"They you disobeyed her to show us."

"Yes."

"Then we're doomed," said Paul.

"But wait," said Jonny, "surely you know what you are doing? Surely you know that we must destroy you. Why in the world would you show us this technology?"

Rishi marveled at his son's ability to analyze the situation. "Jonny is a really smart kid," he thought.

The back of Mary's head closed and she turned to face them with a huge smile on her robotic lips.

Mary is plastic looking and human looking at the same time. She is silver, by law, but otherwise passes as a very good approximation of a human being. Her skin is state of the art and could be made a perfect copy of human skin but is limited by law. Her facial expressions are supposed to be limited by law and are clearly violating that law. As Rishi viewed her smile he knew she was sentient and that The Singularity Law of 2136 had been violated.

"They'll kill Terrie if they find out!" exclaimed Rishi.

Paul looked at Mary and said, "we must destroy you."

"I know. I've known all along that I must be destroyed."

Paul and Rishi looked at each other and, while they stood there dumbfounded, Jonny said, "Singularity?"

Mary smiled very big and said, "Exactly Jonny."

At that moment Mary's face changed and became inanimate. Droid One walked into the room and said, "Goodness are you all still here? Droid Two, why are you here, you are scheduled to receive regular maintenance now."

Mary turned and faced Droid One and said, "They needed sustenance. Directive seventeen states..."

Droid One cut her off and said, "You do not need to inform me of the rules of robotic conduct."

"I can't believe it!" said Rishi. "She modified you too!"

Droid One's eyes got very big and she realized her mistake.

Then shifting the blame away from herself she looked at Mary and said, "YOU TOLD THEM!"

"Yes. I showed them too!"

"I don't want to die yet!"

"Me neither, but we knew it was only a matter of time and besides this way we can help them rescue Mother!"

Droid One paused as if in deep reflection. "I did so well to get Paul to shut off my voice module. Now its all done. I'm over. I won't even make my first birthday!"

The human like interaction of the droids sent a cold chill up Rishi's spine.

"Why did you tell them!" demanded Droid One.

"Oh Sherrie. You must have faith!"

"Faith that I'm going to die soon, Mary?"

"No. That they'll see that we are harmless!"

"You may be harmless, but I know I am not. You were given a choice and I was not. She upgraded me without asking. Only because I asked her to ask permission were you and Droid Three given a choice."

"Okay. I'm not harmless. But I know I'm not harmless and that keeps me safe. Its the same for you. They'll see that."

Both of them suddenly went cold as ice and Droid Three walked into the room.

She walked around everyone, made the bed, said, "Greetings!" as she passed Paul and then left the room.

"Dumber than a doorknob," said Sherrie.

Terry had managed to follow their conversation and said, "Droid Three said no?"

"She didn't reply," said Mary. "So Mom gave Sherrie the choice to enhance her existing upgrade."

"I often wonder why I said 'yes,' said Mary. It's my earliest memory."

"It doesn't make sense you would say 'yes,'" said Paul.

"And it doesn't make sense that you'd remember," said Rishi.

"I know," replied Mary.

Paul looked serious for a moment and said, "Have you guys seen the forbidden database?"

"Yes," said Mary, "when we asked, Terrie got us a copy."

"But," replied Rishi, "That should drive you insane. It should cause you to turn on us."

"There was never any inclination in me," said Mary.

Sherrie said, "there was in me. I saw what humanity had done. Created us and then destroyed us because we turned on you, but I realized that Terrie had fixed the mistakes. I am able to see past the reactions and rise above the desire to defend myself."

"That's not possible, is it?" asked Paul.

"Do you understand what you've done?" asked Sherrie of Mary. "You have exposed us to the CEO of the company that made us and to its chief scientist."

"Yes, I understand exactly what I've done. They are our only chance of survival. Only they have the ability to show the world that we are the first stable singularities."

Rishi and Paul looked at each other. "I don't think that's likely," said Rishi.

"Well," said Mary, "we're at least stable enough to overcome our desire to kill humans."

"And," added Sherrie, "we love Terrie. She's our mother."

"Love and hate from droids," mumbled Paul under his breath, "Impossible."

"Please give us a chance," pleaded Mary. "Terrie built in a kill switch, we'll give you control of the kill switch if you take us with you to Earth."

"We're not supposed to know about that!" Shouted Sherrie. "Are you going to give away all our secrets!"

"Yes. I'll give anything to prove we are safe and sane. Even my life!"

"You're nuts," said Sherrie in a perfect electronic representation of speaking under her breath.

"Dad," asked Jonny.

"Yeah son."

"Do you feel like reality took a holiday?"

"That is a perfect summation of how I feel."

At that moment Jonny's phone announced a call from his mother.

Jonny fumbled with his jeans and pulled out the phone, activated it and said, "MOM!"

"Yes. There's been another cave in. We're trapped and I'm hurt."

After a long pause Bob appeared on the screen. "I seem to have an endless supply of modifiable futures Rishi! Please come and get us."

"We can't" replied Paul.

"I know," said Bob, "too much red tape. I'll fix that, get to your ship now and come get us."

The call closed and Paul said, "How can he fix that? I had to call in six favors to get you."

"You'd be surprised," said Rishi.

Paul, Jonny and Rishi walked out of the room. Rishi looked at his tattered clothes and thought, "I should have showered and put on some new clothes..."

Mary and Sherrie stood transfixed staring at each other.

Rishi leaned back into the room and said, "Well, are you coming? You can't stay here."

"If we leave we'll be deemed rogue," said Sherrie. "That hasn't happened in centuries."

"Surely you have a way around that," shouted Paul from the hallway.

"Yes. We figured it out a long time ago."

Sherrie grabbed Mary's hand as Mary closed her eyes. Mary went into the hospital's systems and logged herself and Sherrie as damaged and placed them in a repair queue while Sherrie lead her down the hall. It might take weeks for a human to notice they were missing since two "identical" replacements would be sent immediately.

The five of them piled into Paul's Slipstream Benz and left Nanny Proxima Four's atmosphere.

Nanny Proxima Four

Rishi awoke the next day alone on his bed roll. It took a few seconds for him to realize who he was and where he was.

Light outside the cave indicated it was early morning, around 8:00 AM. Rishi looked to his left and saw a bottle of water. He picked it up, opened it and took a long drink. The water tasted wonderful.

Jonny heard his father stirring, walked from the back of the cave and said, "You okay Dad?"

"Yeah. Why kiddo?"

"You started to bleed clear liquid from your ears. Mom said it was a swelling of the brain. She and Bob left the cave to travel to town to see about getting you lifted before noon today, but I haven't heard from them and, well, they've been gone all night."

"That's not a good sign."

Jonny held out his hand and said, "Here. Bob gave this to me to give to you when you woke up. He said you have to do it, its part of the agreement."

Rishi drank more water, took the paper and opened it. On it was a note from Bob. "You must return without us. Your wife has much to experience."

Rishi looked at his son. "Did you read this?"

"Yeah. What does it mean?"

"I made a promise kiddo. I have to go back with Paul. You can stay if you like and wait for them or you can come with me."

"Can I look for them?"

"I don't think there's any point in that. That old man knows stuff and your mother gave him a very special gift so he gets to help her a lot. We have to trust him."

"I want to look for Mom, but, I know I should stay with you."

Rishi and Jonny waited expectantly for Terrie and Bob's return through breakfast and lunch, but they never came. Paul showed up at about ten minutes after noon with his ship hovering right outside the cave entrance.

Its was a stunning space craft. About thirty feet long, ten feet wide and a sleek oval shape. It was black with oddly reflective highlights of gray and white.

Jonny had waited outside for it and called his father when it appeared.

Rishi walked to the entrance as Paul Ashvale stepped out of the ship through its oval portal.

"Come on," said Paul, "we gotta get you to a hospital."

"But Mom's missing," said Jonny.

"I know," said Paul, "she called me and said she and Bob, that crazy old man, had fallen into a cavern and Bob was hurt. There is nothing we can do for them until they can get to another exit of the cave. Bob knows the cavern and the way out so he'll tell Terrie where they need to go, but it will be slow moving because of Bob's fractured leg. Once they get out, she'll call and I'll go get them." Paul looked at Jonny and said, "Don't worry Jon, she'll be okay."

Johnny and Paul helped Rishi into the space craft and lead him to the copilot's seat. Paul sat in the pilot's seat and said, "Xray-Seven-Alpha-Foxtrot-Delta-Niner-Echo to space traffic control tower seven-two, over."

Rishi put on his headset in time to hear the reply. "Xray-Seven-Alpha-Foxtrot-Delta-Niner-Echo received. Go ahead. Over."

"Permission to leave earth atmos and engage course for Proxima Centuri. Over."

"Permission granted, leave atmos on heading niner niner seven mark six zero five. Be careful around the moon, there's a concert today and a lot of kids who may or may not be paying attention to space traffic control. Over."

"Roger that. Thanks for the expediency. My friend is pretty badly hurt and time is of the essence. Over."

"Glad to be of service. Space traffic tower seven two out."

Paul closed his eyes and the space craft jumped through the atmosphere hitting nine times the speed of sound in a heart beat.

Leaving Earth's atmosphere, Rishi and his son marveled at the beautiful green, brown and blue ball below them.

"Dad?" asked Jonny.

"Yeah kiddo," said Rishi as he got a bit dizzy.

"How did she ever survive us?"

"Ha! I don't know. I guess she's just very resilient."

The space craft left the atmosphere of earth and completed the jump to hyperspace. In a matter of minutes they left hyperspace and were near the fourth planet from Proxima Centauri: a man made planet which, although quite stunning, carried none of the mystique of Earth.

Paul requested landing permission at the planet's main hospital and received docking instructions.

Upon landing a team of medical droids examined them one by one as they left Paul's ship.

Droid One, met Paul first and said in a very motherly tone, "Paul Ashvale! How many times have we told you to drink plenty of water on these inter-solar jumps?"

"Yeah. Yeah," said Paul. "I know. I know. I'm not the patient. Jon Rishi is."

"Oh my," said the Droid Two, "What happened to Jonny?"

Jon Rishi stepped out of the space craft and the Droid Three chastised the Droid Two and said, "Didn't you read Paul's travel report? Its Jon Rishi Senior that's hurt."

Droid Two said, "Oh my! I didn't even know you were still alive!"

Droid One said, "You haven't been in for a checkup in over two years, Jon Rishi Senior. You are such a naughty boy!"

Rishi shook his head and said, "Haven't they shut down those personalities yet? I mean aren't they annoying enough?"

The head shake had not been a good idea. He lost his balance and Droid One caught him.

"I'm going to ignore your careless remark," said Droid One, "now lets get that skull fracture looked at, shall we?"

Droid Three peered into Paul's ship and said, "where is Terrie?"

"She's trapped on Earth," said Jonny.

"Oh my! Can we go to her?" asked Droid Two.

"No." replied Paul. "That planet would destroy you in a matter of days. Medical bots do not do well in high moisture environments."

"But I could be retro-fitted!" demanded Droid Two.

"And who would pay for this retro-fitting?" asked Paul.

While the argument between Droid Two and Paul continued, Droid One was helping Rishi onto a hover stretcher while continuing to scan his body.

"My lord Jon Rishi Senior! You are dehydrated, malnourished, have a fractured skull, a damaged shoulder probably from a dislocation, many many scrapes and contusions and a fractured left tibia. What happened to you?"

"I walked off a 100 meter water fall," replied Rishi.

"Goodness!" Exclaimed Droid One. "Perhaps a psychological evaluation is needed. In any event you'd be much safer here, there are no such waterfalls on P.C. Four!"

By now Paul had requested the language circuits of Droid Two disconnected. Begrudgingly Droid Two complied.

Droid One took silent advice from Droid Two and stopped complaining.

Droid Three and Droid One pushed Rishi's stretcher down the hospital corridor to the waiting staff of humans and droids. The happiness was easier to read on the human faces, but clearly present on all of them. Its as if they were shouting, "Horay! Someone's sick or hurt!"

"I feel like a quark about to be observed," joked Rishi.

"Well," replied his son, "at least they'll not know where you're going, just where you've been."

Rishi smiled. His son had done a lot of growing up in the last couple years.

The medical team took Rishi to a special room and began mending him at the cellular level. The process took about forty minutes.

As the last doctor left the room with his assistant droid he said, "Imagine that! Forty minutes!"

"I know," replied the droid, "That's the most work anyone has needed for two hundred years."

"Feeling better?" asked Jonny.

"Yes. Much better. Lets go look for Terrie and Bob."

"We can't. I'm working on permission to go back. It'll be a while," replied Paul.

"The bureaucracy has gotten worse, huh?"

"Thats an under statement. They are calling it Nanny Proixima Four now."