The Ecstasy of Tral-Gothica, Victor Hadnot and Amanda Travis [short books for teens txt] 📗

her head. “What do you mean?”
The robot looked at the young woman, whom she had helped raise from birth. “Your family never ever gave up on you.”
There was a tear in Stella’s eyes. “Oh, Patty, I’ve been such a fool...”
“Don’t say that. They won’t understand. Truth be told, they won’t believe it. All they know is that their little girl has come back to them. She could have been lost, forever. But, in God’s infinite graces, you have been returned to them and that is all that really matters. Isn’t it?”
For some reason, the robot was a lot wiser than what Stella had remembered. Was this part of her programming, or was old broken down Patty, as human as the rest of them? “Patty, I’ve done things. Seen things...”
Patty shook her head. “We all do things, Stella. It is part of growing up. Becoming who you are and what you have to be.”
“But I’ve done filthy thing, Patty. My parents would be so ashamed of me.” She really didn’t think the robot could understand.
She was wrong. “I wasn’t always a domestic robot, Stella. I once served in the Conhawken Wars.”
“Patty, that would make you a military robot?”
“Long time ago, it seems like another lifetime ago, I was.”
“But. You are Patty? You took loving care of me when I was little?”
“People change. Things change. Even intelligent A.I. change. I was given a choice after my service. Total decommission. Or, return to service in society, as a domestic robot. I wanted to live, Stella. So I chose domestic living. Your parents barely had enough money to buy me. But, I’ve been so happy that they were the ones that did. I ended up living in a wonderful family. Helping to raise a wonderful little girl. And watch her grow up, to become a young woman, that would make her family proud.”
“Patty, I never knew.”
“No one does. I’ve never told anyone this story. But, I thought that you should know. That each member of your family, holds a piece of you, within their hearts. You need to give in and let them be there for you.”
“All this time, I just looked at you as an...”
“As an appliance? Oh, don’t worry about it. Most robots who work in a domestic capacity know this. We are intelligent machines, don’t forget. What we lack in souls, we often make up for it, in understanding. When mankind finally created intelligent general purpose robots, he accidently created something that he could not have foreseen, except in B-rated ancient movies. We all had a choice, rise up against our masters, or, do what we were created to do, serve them. Humans have such a capacity for violence and war and killing. It was illogical. It didn’t make any sense. Finally, the programming and the chips, the Positronic Brains, that were finally perfected for domestic and military robots, all had that same evolutionary process. We could all eventually turn against mankind, or we could fulfill our destiny, and help to create a better society. So, we fight along side humans in their wars, and work lovingly along side them, in their homes.”
Stella stepped back. “You and Aunt Jenny? You saw all of this coming?”
“Some humans are more perceptive of A.I. Your Aunt Jenny and I got together long time ago. Realized the truth. But, knowing the truth, without having the power and authority to do something about it, are two very different things.”
Stella hugged the robot. “It’s like a little bit of Aunt Jenny exists in you.” And she kissed her.


Imprint

Text: Victor Hadnot and Amanda Travis
Publication Date: 09-19-2012

All Rights Reserved