AL Clark - Jonathan G. Meyer (good books for high schoolers txt) 📗
- Author: Jonathan G. Meyer
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Doctor Florida chuckled, “If you mean why I am here on this vessel, it’s because robotics became too restrictive on Earth. I have interests they did not appreciate. If you mean why I am here repairing robots, it’s because somebody has to care for them and I enjoy it. Does that answer your question, Mister Clark?”
A little chagrined, Al continued, “I’m told you are familiar with Dr. Hawthorn’s work. Is this true?”
The doctor recognized the name immediately and was quick to answer, “Doctor Hawthorn was a genius, a dreamer, and a revolutionary. The combination of which leads to amazing discoveries. He was a visionary when it came to robotics. What a tragedy it is that he didn’t live to see our new world.”
“So I take it you approved of his work?”
“Oh yes, he was doing some extraordinary work on human integration to robotic constructs. Unfortunately, it was highly controversial, and they revoked his funding. That is the reason he joined our expedition. He hoped to continue his research here, and I was hoping to collaborate with him.”
“Are you doing research of your own in that area?” Al asked.
“I was...but there hasn’t been much free time. Maybe later, once we are settled.”
Al made his decision to get some professional help. They were alone in the small room. Several closed doors led to other areas in the shop. Just to be sure, he leaned up close to the roboticist’s ear and asked, “Can you keep a secret?”
Doctor Florida said he could, and Al told him his story in an abbreviated form, starting with waking up in the box and ending with his experience in the power room.
The roboticist was surprised—and then delighted. “You are the prototype?”
“In the flesh, so to speak,” Al answered.
Doctor Florida was not so surprised that he didn’t think to run some tests. As a roboticist, Al was like finding the Holy Grail.
“Let’s go into the diagnostic room so I can examine you.”
He asked Al to sit on a table and knelt down to look at his wounded leg.
“This is healing nicely, in a couple of weeks you won’t be able to tell it was injured,” predicted the doctor.
It took them several minutes to figure out how to open the access panel located on Al’s back. A tiny mole pressed just the right way opened a small panel, and allowed the roboticist to hook up his equipment.
“Ah...ha, now we’re getting somewhere,” he exclaimed happily while he grabbed leads and plugged them into the proper ports of the scanner and Al’s back. A large monitor burst into life and displayed the workings of Al’s body in exquisite detail. Rods and tubes, servos and motors, things that Al had no idea of their purpose, and miles of intricate wiring. Lines of code, parameters, and status, scrolled down both sides of the digital representation of his body.
The doctor and scientist turned to Al and said, “Now that is a thing of beauty. Simple and elegant. No disrespect intended.”
“None taken Doc...is everything all right? Do I need a charge or anything?” Al asked; unsure of himself.
“Everything is fine Chief Clark. See how your leg is getting extra fluids to help it regenerate the skin structure. I know your power pack is good for many years in the human mode, and it appears you are eating and drinking enough to maintain your biological aspects. No, I would say your body is fine, but how about the mental portion of your well-being? Are you sleeping well? Any depression or anxiety?”
“It’s been getting better since I found out what I am. In the beginning, it was kind of scary,” admitted Al.
“From what I’ve heard, I would say you’re adapting well to a challenging and frightening situation. You mentioned a manual the captain has. Can I get my hands on that?”
Doctor Florida was licking his lips and rubbing his hands. Begging to know Al and his robotic body better.
Al grinned at the image this mad scientist looking man made and answered him, “I will ask the captain to get it to you. You must remember, though, for the time being...tell no one. The captain, Doctor Cody, and you are the only ones that know. If anyone else needs to become involved, I should be the one to tell them. Do you agree?”
“Absolutely. There are people in this camp that would not take kindly to having a cybernetic person among them. For you to help the colonists, you must be liked by them. I totally understand why you want to keep your identity secret. In a different time, I’d tell you to wear a mask.” Edward Florida thought that was funny. “You could be the first superhero of Avalon.” The look he gave Al was one of mischief, and then he laughed.
Al had a bigger question, “What happens when you take me out of human mode?”
“At this point, I’m not sure. I assume your strength and speed would increase substantially. There is a possibility your senses will be better. I will know more after I get a look at Dr. Hawthorn’s manual. However, I don’t recommend you change that setting too soon. We need to do some systems tests and psychological evaluations. Let’s take it slow and work up to your full potential in baby steps. I’m not sure you realize this yet, but...you can be a very dangerous man.”
The shuttle floated down from the clouds to an expanding settlement. A lot had happened to him in only one day. If you add the problems he experienced last night, it seemed much longer.
When Al stepped from the shuttle, there were one-hundred and three people working on-planet to make this place their home. Activity surrounded him as the colonist’s rushed to get settled.
It was late afternoon, and the sun was casting long shadows across the security office when he arrived. Large windows in each wall provided plenty of light for their needs. Behind a curtain, four bunks filled half the habitat, with two tables and accompanying chairs filling the rest of the small office. Two of his men were sitting in chairs staring at two pads propped up on a table. Another officer returned in the same shuttle as Al and left for lunch. The rest were sleeping behind the curtain or out on patrol.
The two men at the table were seeing through the Watcher’s eyes; reading the data their sensors generated. They were responsible for the vigil against dragons.
“Have you seen anything?” their boss asked.
The man closest to Al took his eyes from the security pad and answered, “There was a smaller creature like the ones that attacked us, throwing rocks at a fence post just before dawn. He didn’t do any damage, but he had us going for a while.”
“Watcher one saw two giant long-necked creatures from a distance an hour ago. It was triggered by the noise and gave us twenty seconds of video. Want to see it?”
“Sure, these are our neighbors. We should learn all we can.”
The video was sharp and clear and showed two giant creatures with long thin necks two miles away, lumbering across the screen. They reminded him of pictures from a book; a book about Earths distant past.
“I don’t think they are interested in us. Still, I’m glad they’re way out there.” Al remarked. “Keep your eyes open. I’m going on a walkabout and talk to you guys later.”
A walkabout is what they now referred to as their informal patrols. They just walked—about. Al left the office and went to grab something to eat. He had not eaten anything since last night, and although his stomach could not growl, he felt his hunger as a fuzziness of thought that progressively got worse.
The mess hall was a large tent until they completed the permanent building. Al picked up his dinner and was sitting by himself at a table when Cody came in, looked around until he saw Al, and made his way over.
“There you are,” he said, “How are you doing my friend?”
“I’m doing all right, all in all. How about you?” Al replied with a little apprehension.
“I am fine...but I need to talk to you. It is extremely important. Can we go to the clinic?”
Al was almost done eating his small meal, so he threw the remains in the trash and followed the doctor out.
“What’s the matter, Cody?”
“I will show you when we get there.”
They arrived at the clinic and went directly to the diagnostic room. Cody locked the door and then pulled up Al’s scan on the monitor.
He turned and said, “You have a hole in your head.”
“Umm...excuse me?”
Doctor Cody tapped the monitor and zoomed in on the forehead. He pointed to a tiny dot. A dot on his forehead.
“That is a hole in the metal of your head. My scan cannot penetrate the metal surrounding your brain, so I cannot see inside, but the scan shows a tiny hole. Are you feeling all right? Do you remember banging your head?
Then it came to him. Al remembered a foggy mirror in a vacant and unused bathroom and a tiny drop of blood on his forehead. He remembered a pinhole when he woke up—in the lid of his box, and the holes in the habitat ring made from micro-meteorites. He thought of the dull headaches he’d begun to have.
Al mentioned all this to his friend and voiced his concern. “Is it possible I have a meteorite fragment in my head?”
His friend looked worried, “It might be. We will need to do more tests.”
“What should we do?” asked Al.
“Did you see the roboticist while you were aboard the Excalibur? Did he do a scan?”
“I did see him, and he performed a scan.”
“The download from his scan might tell us if you are in danger. His equipment is more sophisticated and can give us more detail.”
Cody thought for a few seconds and considered the dangers involved with exposing Al’s secret to the settlement, “I must go and see him myself. We cannot trust the radio, so I must take a shuttle up to the ship. I will leave tomorrow morning and be back the next day. Until I return, you must promise me you will take it easy...yes?”
Al had many questions. The one that jumped out immediately was, “Do you think this might be the reason for my amnesia?”
“I think it is a distinct possibility, my friend.”
****IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE when he left the clinic. The settlement lights lit up the night. Still, many areas were left in dark shadow. Most colonists were inside for supper or doing preparations for the next day’s work, and the colony had grown quiet.
Al was in a mild state of shock. His life was once again in chaos, and he was unsure of his future. His headache was gone, and he felt fine, but he was not happy. Waiting for Doc Cody
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