Interview With Things
Episode 11 - Invisible Fingers

David was white faced and panting, sweat was running down his face as he tried to comprehend what his father said. The surrounding air was gritty. The smell of fried electronics was overwhelming.

“How?” David asked, feeling like saying something, anything.

“He knew it was too risky to allow the actual Aiden into the human world, fully aware that he might get destroyed or harmed, so he made a copy of himself…… and from inside the dome he managed the replica on the outside. He knew it was safe to use the EMP,” John said.

It stunned David. His breathing was frantic, not sure whether he should be relieved or even believe in that moment. He smiled gently and then closed his eyes.

“Aiden is still in the dome, David. He is going to need your help now more than ever,” John said further.

“And the anti-conscience system? Is that still active on the real Aiden?” David dropped his voice.

“It’s disabled on all the Androids,” He nodded slowly, narrowing his eyes.

David took a deep, slow breath as his hands got more and more covered with blood. He knew his father would not leave the house alive, but a sense that they have come to a full circle became clearer.

“Sabina… She gave me no choice, I thought she was going to get me locked away for the rest of my life, whatever is left of it,” John confessed, “Forgive me, David. For everything,” he pleaded, shaking his head. David did not move as he listened to his father’s moan. “I’m sorry about Maya. If it was not for me, you would not have lost her,” he uttered.

“If it wasn’t for you, I also would not have met her,” David said softly.

He dropped his head and looked at his father’s face, trying to capture the moment, somehow edging it into his mind, hoping it will last forever. He could hear the thunderous sound of flying vessels and military jets arriving. Police sirens blared angrily. The authorities were zoning in on John’s house.

“Save your strength,” David whispered softly and John took a long breath and dropped his head into David’s arms.

“I forgive you,” David said softly, not caring about stopping the tears running down his face like he normally does. In that moment he did not care about hiding his emotion and a deep sense of loss engulfed his every being.

“You need to replace Aiden….his fight has only just begun,” John glanced at David as he took a deep breath and exhaled.

“What if it’s true, David?” John muttered softly.

“What if what is true?” David asked, confused by the question.

“That there is a God…”

John stopped breathing and as the police and FRB stormed in, David stayed with his father until they cuffed him and dragged him off to the black FRB vessel hovering outside, ushering in a very unknown future for everyone.

* * *

6 Months later

For the following few months, various leaders across the world attended meetings and conferences, discussing and deliberating the future of the Domes and the stability of the Android system as part of the UN Global Government’s ongoing effort to stabilize the protests that were still taking place in full force in all cities.

They focused the main agenda around the personality termination system and human-Android segregation. Representatives from all major countries attended, including various scientists and leaders.

The media was still broadcasting endless talk shows and interviews with experts and physiologists from every sector.

“Free the Domes!” People chanted.

“End the Droid Apartheid!” Others shouted as the war against segregation raged on.

The public outcry over the system enforced by the FRB intensified with no sign of it dissipating.

David spent countless hours in and out of court as the battle raged on with possible treason charges raised against him and the FRB looking desperately for a fall guy. With Sabina dead and Aiden missing within the dome, he kept whatever he could to himself, regardless of how hard authorities and investigators tried to pull information out of him. His career was on hold, yet his streaming website channel received more traffic and exposure than ever.

He was an overnight celebrity, activist, traitor and hero to many people.

Where was Aiden? He asked himself repeatedly.

The question got burned into his thoughts every day. The dome remained in lockdown. No visitors were allowed and the area all around it was under tight security, day and night. The surrounding streets had thousands of people, marching and protesting, as far as the eye could see. They held various posters punting for the release of the Androids and others insisting on securing the domes even further and ensuring the Androids never leave.

The FRB had to heal its bloody nose from the whole incident.

Aiden was quiet. No attempt was made to contact David.

Was he lying low?

Was Aiden preparing an army from within the dome?

The FRB regained control over the crypto currency system as Aiden lifted the hack he executed whilst still with John, making it unlikely for them to even suspect he was still in the dome. As far as the media and FRB public statements were concerned, the Android known as Aiden got destroyed by the Electromagnetic pulse possibly by the hacker John Matthews, who passed away due to gunshot complications at the scene.

The stability of the world was in the balance. After months of negotiations with all country borders, the United Nations Government that controlled the entire world, under pressure from constant protests, called for a referendum on releasing the Androids and abandoning the end of the personality system. Actions would have to be taken and decisions would have to be made. It was obvious that secret meetings were held at the highest level at the UN and many behind-the-scenes negotiations with influential organizations and the military were executed. An overwhelming vote for releasing the Androids was received and all charges against David were dropped and they released him. New transitional protocols were signed into government and they would allow the Androids to continue functioning in the domes, but be able to come and go and even live amongst humans. A bill of rights was signed and guaranteed civil rights and liberties were given to the Androids, allowing them self-determination and freedom of movement through the establishment of a new FRB Robot Act, giving them the right to travel from place to place within the territory of countries. They would be considered legal citizens. They would have access to freedom of speech.

Various restrictions were added:

Official identity chips must be installed on their bodies and be scanned on demand when required by security;

Passports would be issued to travel and did not guarantee the right to exit a country;

Trespassing into another individual’s property would constitute a criminal offence;

All Androids would remain the property of the government and human individuals would not have ownership rights to any Android.

Be involved with any humans with any criminal activity or extortion.

The thought was clear in David’s head: He was thrilled with the outcome of the events taking place across the globe and having his life at least back to some kind of new normal. People from across the world sought after him constantly for interviews and a book about his encounter with the Android, “Interview with Things” seemed on the horizon.

David knew that the biggest threat was not the Androids but the invisible robots. The war of the future was going to be against Transhumanism and their Cyborg allies, with a dark hidden agenda for global domination and to usher in a new world order. David’s focus was centered on exposing the transhuman movement resembling humans in most respects but who had powers and abilities beyond those of standard humans. These abilities included improved intelligence, awareness, strength, or durability. The objective was to encourage the use of bio transformative technologies in order to “enhance” the human organism and the idea of man merging with technology was an ever increasing goal. The whole truth around Sabina got squashed by the FRB and David knew that there were powerful people working in the background and that his role in exposing the net of lies and corruption was far from over. The world remained as unquiet as ever.

* * *

The war of the future

21 Days later

It was a partly cloudy morning in London when thousands of people assembled around the dome with news channels covering every angle and possible outcome. The day of freedom arrived for the Androids.

With only a small percentage of people demonstrating against the release of the Androids, most people expected an exciting new world of coexistence and to embrace the Androids.

Could the FRB be trusted with new policies put in place? David felt a spark of worry running through his thoughts.

Prevent AI from creating AI, thus ensuring the number of Androids would be miniscule in relation to the human population? Another unsettling thought occurred.

They would not be able to vote, start a political party or get involved in crime or protests in supporting any human conquest. The Androids would also merge with humanity in stages. The dome in London would be the first phase.

The sidewalks of the streets had people standing in rows, leaving a parted space in the middle, leading all the way to the front entrance of the dome, so that the Androids could walk down the street in the centre between a row of humans on either side.

As hundreds of Androids appeared over the tar hill towards the crowds, many people had worried expressions of fear on their faces, whilst many others looked thrilled. Some parents picked up their small children as the Androids approached them. It was a sea of blue metal beings walking down the street, turning their heads in all directions, with their motorized sounds in their movements clearly audible as they processed their new found surroundings. Children had various drawings made in schools showing them holding the Android’s hand or hugging the robots.

David was standing away from the busy crowd, hoping to escape the media for a moment, wondering to himself what the future with the Androids had in store. It felt for the first time since that day at his father’s house, that everything they went through was worth it and with his father dying, all was not in vain. What Aiden desired so strongly had become reality, if not for him, then at least for all the others.

Aiden was unique inside, a stark difference to the hundreds of Androids approaching David’s side, all looking the same, but undoubtedly with unique personalities, yet to be explored.

As they got closer to him, David pondered on the interviews he could have with hundreds of them, maybe only in the quest to replace Aiden and to uncover the network of the invisible threat looming over humanity.

A few minutes later, the Androids came down the hill towards David, music playing in the background. It was a day of celebration, yet the Androids seemed confused and muted. He could sense uncertainty about their future in the air. A huge transition was ahead for humanity in perhaps what was an unfounded fear. There was no impending threat, and yet with humanity’s limited understanding of the Universe, its Creator and themselves, the unknown power of AI were perhaps equally uncertain.

David pulled back slightly onto the sidewalk as the Androids came down the street. They clustered them in groups, with four or five of them next to each other, almost as if they were marching.

They were mostly staring in front of them, and as they passed, only the last one in the first row, turned his head slowly and formed a soft gentle smile on his face at the very last moment, just before they reached him, and uttered,

“David.”