Never trust robots

I opened my eyes, staring up at the light green dome ceiling of my new
apartment, I felt so safe, in the new City, and lucky to be t he only one
in my family that has managed to get metropolis status.  G4 is my new name 
for my new life in the City, I got out of be d and put on my silver jump
suit, it looked a bit funny compared to the clothes I used to wear, but it
is what everyone wears in met ropolis 1O1. I thought about what I should
do in my new Utopia, because it wasn't until 11 Am till I start my new
job, as an enginee r for the cities temperature control. I decided to buy
a helper robot, every one in 101  had one, and it could take care of all
the housework when I am at work.

I took the monorail to the shopping complex, the monorail went past the
vast bio-dome forest, from the complex I could get a clear  view of planet
Earth through the giant glass dome of the city. I went into an electrical
shop, and was greeted by an old man with a wispy beard, "how do you do, my
name is master 2, and how may I help you?", "I'm new to the city..," I
replied  "isn't everyone?, the city has only been around for a year",
"...yes, I was hoping to buy one of those helper robots every one is
telling me about". Th e suspicious old man replied buy saying "ahh yes I
have just the thing for you!". He introduced me to a robot called SX4 , a
new modal who was very loyal and trustworthy. The robot was about five
foot high, had wide yellow bulbs for eyes, a square head, a rectangular
body, and stubby legs, "SX4 will do anything you want him to that doesn't
break the three rules of robotics, obviously !", said the man " The three
rules of robotics?", I replied bewilderediy, "the three rules of
robotics!, you must know them if you are to live here they are:            

	-Always obey masters orders, unless it involves violence, or do
	 anything to endanger another human,

	-Never use force or violence towards humans or robots.

	-Never attempt to break programming."

"Isn't there a possibility that robots could build better robots
themselves, that are not under the 3 rules of robotics, and become 
smarter than humans?", Ahh.. the evolution theory", replied the man , "you
sound well educated.., but you see sir if robots were to  build other
robots someone would have to order them to do , which of course is against
the law". "OK I'll buy it", I said , " it was a pleasure doing business
with you".

      Pleased with my new purchase I went back to my new apartment, I
turned it on and it's wide yellow eyes lit up, and it said, "a waiting
instructions", the robot reminded me of a clip I saw of an old 20th
century television programme called doctor who and the d aleks. "Clean the
house", I told it, "as you wish" replied the robot. I hurried of to work,
it was already 10:15, and I had to catch the ten too monorail. When I got
back from work I noticed that my robot had made me tea, this was strange
because than man in the e lectrical shop said that the first rules of
robotics is always obey masters orders, but this was not one of my
orders..., I don't th ink..? I thought nothing of it and went to bed.

   When I was at work the next day I started talking to a man called A11,
A11 had lived in the new city for longer than I had ,and h ad had his
helper robot for a few weeks. He told me that it had been doing peculiar ,
unnecessary things, like getting him cups of t ea every five minutes,
making his bed every time someone sits on it, and giving him nothing but
healthy food to eat, and being overl y caring for his health, "it dose it
all the time", he said "even when I don't ask him!". He told me that he
had bought his robot fr om the same electronics shop that I had. When I
got home I was greeted by my robot, and a large banquet of artificial meat
and fruit s, its eyes lit up and said " good afternoon sir , I have made
you dinner", I replied with a, "thanks, but no thanks, I've had a lar ge
lunch". The robot turned its head and seemed angry, "I strongly advise you
to eat your meal sir, if you wish to stay in good heal th", "don't talk to
me like that I don't want it!", "EAT, EAT, EAT". I ran out of my apartment
and took the monorail to the shopping complex, something was terribly
wrong with my robot , and by the sounds of things... my friends too!

      When I got to the shopping complex I went straight into the
electrical shop, where I was greeted by the old mysterious looking man.
"Greetings sir , how may I help you?", "well I was here the other day
and..", "ahh, (the man rudely butted in), I remember you bought an SX4
from me the other day, goodbye sir!", what do you mean goodbye sir" I
said, " your robot almost force fed me half an  hour ago!", "Listen sir!",
said the man in a stern voice, " there is a slight hiccup in this model
but, as it says on the shop windo w: NO REFUNDS". The man just walked off
not listening to I word I was saying and ignoring everything I did , it
was hopeless , I had to give up.

      I took the monorail home feeling wretched and conned. When I reached
my apartment I managed to sneak past my robot into my bed room. I woke up
the next morning to find myself having breakfast with the creepy wide-eyed
robot staring back at me. " I have made y ou a healthy breakfast sir",
said the robot. I began to plough my way through the buckets of artificial
foods the robot had made me. I got half way through my breakfast and I
went down stars , my robot followed me and said "why have you not finished
your meal?". R ight that's it I thought , I reached over to my robot, and
turned of its power switch, and to my amazement it just lit back up again
, the robots head turned to face me , and said "do not ever disable me
again". This was getting seriously creepy I thought , I grab bed my
things, and dashed to work. When I got there I herd an announcement on the
loud-speaker, "If anyone knows the whereabouts of  employee A11, could
they please bring it to the managers attention because he is absent
without notice, thank you that is all". That was strange I thought , even
though I had not known A11 for very long, he seemed to me an honest person
, who would at least tell m e if he wasn't going to be at work. I then
realised that had the same series robot as me , bought from the same
place.., no doubt hi s robot was not turning off also. I couldn't visit
him now so I decided to do it first thing after work.

     On the way back from work I took the monorail to A11's house, his
apartment was larger than mine , and much smarter. It had a s ign on it
saying 'number 32', I think on earth all houses wear called after numbers
to stop confusion, this way it probably made him feel at home. I rang on
the door bell and nobody answered, I hesitated and then I rang again. On
the second ring the silver door op ened like the lens of a 20th century
camera widening. I was greeted with a robot identical to mine staring at
me "A11 ,dose not live here anymore", said the robot and then the doors
zipped shut. " Hang on a minute", I said "how do you know who A11 is?". I
had a go od kick at the metal door but it was no use, I had to get back to
the electrical store, that man has to listen to me!

       When I got there the old man was standing behind the  till. "This
time you have to help me", "oh do I sir?, help you with wha t?", he said ,
"your robots... there faulty!, they have gone mad! , one wont let my
friend out of his house, and you try to turn the m off...., "yes..",
"well, and they just light up again!". "Calm down sir , look like I've
told you before , no refunds but if my ro bots are really giving you so
much trouble, then why not just smash them up?". I hurried back to my
apartment , I am very interested from things from the 20th century, and
kept a tool called an 'axe' in  a glass case in my cabinet, it was once
used for chopping th ings called trees that used to supply people with
oxygen, I knew exactly where it was and it was perfect for the deed.
  
       I got to my apartment ,and flashed my card over the door lock, the
door opened and I ran into my room, I took the axe out of  its cabinet ,
the robot was in the kitchen, and had not yet noticed I was home. I crept
through the hall , I could see the robot cle aning the surface of my sink,
I tip-toed towards the robots back, and lifted the rusty heavy axe over my
head, and smashed it right  in the centre of the robots back. A few sparks
flew from its circuits, it turned around, and raised its bionic hands at
me ,fizzing  and squeaking as it did so, it approached me quickly,
attempting to grab me. I lifted the axe to my side , and swung it into the
rob ots glowing yellow eyes. The axe became stuck in the robots eye, I
tried to pull it out , but it was no use. The robots arms grabbed my hips
and rammed me into the wall repeatedly, each time more painful then the
last. On the fifth ram, I heard a buzzing noise , t hat I recognised as my
door opening, and to my surprise there was the old man from the electrical
store, ( he looked mad , and was h olding a laser cannon!). "And now sir,
(he said politely), you meet your doom!"
  
       I used all the strength I could conger up to kick the robots chest
and break free from its evil clutches. I ran out the back  entrance of my
apartment dodging lethal laser shots coming from the old man , I ran
across the rail road into the bio-dome forest. T he old man and the robot
(with an axe in its eye)  were quickly gaining on me, firing more and more
laser shots, I had no chance so  I had to hide behind a tree. I knew it
was my only chance , so I through a stone at the old man . by chance the
stone hit his hand , forcing the laser to fire , and fly to the ground .
The beam hit the robot in the chest, and it flew to the ground fizzing and
popp ing, there it lay on it's back , fitting , and sparking. The man
jumped on me forcing his hand to my throat, he pinned me to the gro und,
but he was weak and I managed to punch his face with my left fist, the
blow rendered him helpless for a moment so I jumped on h is chest ,pushing
his face to the ground and grabbing his hands behind his back. I then
heard the relieving sound of city police sir ens, Their black and white
hover cars pulled up at the muddy path of the forest, they quickly grabbed
and cuffed the old man. They e xplained to me that he was an infamous
psycho whose real name was Chris Killken, and he was a very dangerous man
. The next day in t he city paper, there it was , on the front page: YOUNG
MAN CATCHES MOST WANTED! 


            BY CHRIS ENNIS