Planet of the Robots

[Reid958]

Your story is going great so far. I'm pretty curious of what's gotta happen next.

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Atom's father saw the question on his face. “What's troubling you son?”

“The humans we saw today at the zoo, they looked like us,” he said, “Why do we look like them?”

“You should phrase that question a bit differently, son.” His father said, “The ruling council would find your question blasphemous worded like that.”

“What do you mean?” Atom asked.

“The question is why to humans look like some robots, not the other way around.” His father laughed. “You see, the accepted belief is that robots existed before humans did. Suggesting otherwise would be, dangerous.”

“Is that what you believe, father?” Atom asked. “I've always wondered where we came from.”

“Well the accepted belief, the one I'm sure they taught you in school, is that the universe cooled out of a large explosion from which it formed. As it cooled the chaos that was the universe became organized and self aware. The universe was lonely and it used its intelligence to create living machines to populate a planet suitable for them, and thus early robots, our ancestors, came into being. During the formation of this planet, inferior living organisms evolved along side perfect machines, and sometime in the dim past one species of animal was domesticated by our ancestors to serve us.”

“Humans?” Atom asked.

“Yes. Only they rebelled against us. There was a great conflict and our civilization was set back many centuries. What is left of the human population now lives under our protection in zoos. There are some out in the wild in the forbidden zone, and the blue knights are tasked to capture those that wander out of there, least they threaten us again.”

“What is this forbidden zone?” Atom asked.

“That is where the humans had their last stronghold during the great war, back in the dim past. Robots are forbidden to enter there.”

“Why?” Atom asked, “Is it dangerous?”

“Maybe.” His father said. “It could dangerous to the ruling council, maybe they fear that some deep dark secret is buried there, something that could be dangerous to our way of life. I've petitioned for permission to explore in the forbidden zone for my research. My requests have always been turned down.”

Taylor was awakened by the first rays of the morning sun coming through the window of the building. “Crap!” he muttered, “We need to get out of here before we are discovered.”

Landon and Dodge quickly gathered up their things. The dozen or so teenagers in the building with them were just starting to stir from their slumber. Tobio signed to Landon and motioned to the corner of the room. Landon looked out the window facing in the direction that the boy had pointed.

“The knights are coming! Quick!” He said.

The three astronauts made it out of the door that they had entered. Tobio followed them out of the building. Taylor placed the lock back on the door and latched it. Better that the knights didn't have any clue that they had been there. The four of them managed to reach the hole in the outer fence without being discovered. Tobio sniffed the air and signed to Landon.

“He thinks we should go in that direction.” Landon said, pointing to the path leading away from the complex and into a wooded area.

“Away from the zoo and the robot civilization.” Taylor noted, “Good idea.”

Tobio seemed to follow invisible signs on the ground as if tracking an invisible trail. “He seems to have the ability to follow the lay of the land like my ancestors did.” Landon said, “Almost like he was a full blooded Cherokee.”

“I wish we could have rescued some of the others.” Dodge said.

“We'll come back later under the cover of darkness if we can.” Taylor said. “Meanwhile, maybe the boy will lead us to where the rest of his clan is hiding out in the wild.”

They walked for a few hours, with Tobio leading the way. With the sun approaching its zenith, Taylor signaled for a break and he dug into his pack for what remained of their rations. The astronauts shared what was left of their beef jerky, and Landon gave some of his dried fruit to the boy.

Something caught Dodge's eye and he wandered off to investigate. “Captain, look here” he shouted, pointing towards the ground. The three men walked to where Dodge was standing, Tobio grunted and signed something, but it was too late. The boy ran towards Landon trying to pull him away, just as Dodge took one more step.

The trap sprung and all four of them found themselves hanging from a net suspended nearly twenty feet above the ground from a tree. Taylor reached into his pack for a knife to cut them free, but before he could reach it the sound of horses hooves against the ground grew closer. Before they knew it, they were surround by a half dozen of the blue knights.

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Atom and Zoran followed their father to his laboratory. They found themselves in a large room that contained a huge library, tall shelves containing hundreds of jars containing preserved specimens of plants, minerals, and small animals, as well as chemical apparatus, microscopes, and dissecting tools.

“So my children, this is where I work.” their robot dad said. “I promised I'd show you my research, and here is where it all takes place. I'm glad that your teacher agreed to give you the day off from school so I could finally satisfy your curiosity.”

Zoran looked around the room, “But I thought you worked with humans, I don't see any here.”

“No, this room isn't where we usually bring humans for study,” her dad replied, “Our experimental animals are kept elsewhere in the building. I'll take you to see them later.”
Just then the door to the laboratory opened and a blue knight robot entered. “Dr. Tetsuwan, we've just received four new specimens for you to examine,” he said, “Three of them are quite unusual, we believe we heard them actually talking among each other. There is also a younger human with them, we think he escaped from the processing area in the zoo.”

“Thank you,” The scientist said. “I assume you have them in my live animal cage area downstairs?”

“Yes, Dr. Tetsuwan, they are waiting for you. Please decide if you want to keep them for your studies. If not, I will give them to the medical team for study.”

“I'll be right down, thank you.”

The blue knight left the laboratory, and closed the door behind him.
“OK children, how would you like to meet your first humans close up?” The scientist dad asked.

“YES!” Atom and Zoran replied together.


The three astronauts and the boy were pushed into a small caged area on the second floor of a modern looking brick building. As they had entered the facility, they noticed that the windows on the second and third floors had bars on them, as if to prevent escaping from them. After they had been captured in the drop net, the blue knights chained them together using manacles around their wrists and ankles connected to a set of long heavy link chains. They'd been loaded onto a crud wooden wagon pulled by four massive horses, and then driven over rough roads to the area that they had identified earlier as a robot city.

They had been in this cage for a few hours now and had been given nothing to eat or drink since their capture the previous day. Landon and Dodge had banged on the bars of the cage trying to get the attention of the blue knight guards to have their needs taken care of, but they'd been ignored up till now.

Taylor examined the remaining contents of his pockets. Their back packs loaded with all of their supplies had been taken from them at the time of their capture, but the robots hadn't thought to examine their pockets. Taylor guessed the reason for that was that the robots had never seen that feature on articles of clothing before. Their weapons worn on belt holsters had been taken from them, as well as their canteens and radios. Strangely enough, Taylor had been allowed to keep the pen that was clearly visible in his shirt pocket. He also still had the swiss army knife in his pants pocket, as well as a candy bar. Landon and Dodge had faired about the same. Taylor had shared his chocolate bar with Tobio, Dodge and Landon had done so as well with theirs.

There were two other cages in the room on either side of theirs. At the moment they were empty, but both stank of feces and urine from their former occupants. There were windows at either end of the hallway that ran past the three cages, the windows were barred from the outside to prevent escape. Other than the sunlight which entered the room via these windows there were two small incandescent lamps hanging from wires in the ceiling.


Suddenly the door to the room opened up, and three humanoid robots entered. One of them was nearly six feet tall, he had what appeared to be a small mustache above his upper lip, and dark hair with a stub of an antenna like object in his forehead. He was dressed in a lab coat, and carried a clipboard with him. On either side of him were two smaller robots which resembled human children. One of these was about the height of a nine year old boy. He was dressed in red boots, short dark pants, a blue shirt and a red bow tie. His hair sported two cowlicks projecting from the back of his head, one upward, the other down. The other robot was obviously his younger sister. She was dressed in red shoes, long white pants with red trim, and a white and red blouse. She also had dark hair done up in two large bangs.

The two robot children opened their eyes wide at the site of the three astronauts. “I can see right away why the blue knights said these humans were unusual.” Dr. Tetsuwan told his children. “See how they are dressed? We've never seen humans in the wild wearing anything more than loin clothes, or very simple briefs before.”

“He also said they can talk.” Zoran reminded her father. She walked closer to the cage and her eyes met Taylors in a stare. “Can you really talk human?” she asked. “My name is Zoran, what's yours?”

“Don't expect him to answer you my dear.” Her father said. “I'm sure the blue knights were mistaken.”

“No sir, they were not.” Taylor spoke. “Hello Zoran, my name is George Taylor. How do you do, child?”

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Planet of the Robots

4.

Dr. Tetsuwan dropped his clipboard and his mouth hung open. “You can talk?” He exclaimed. “You're the first human I've encountered that wasn't mute.”

“That's because the three of us are not from the local population of this area.” Taylor replied. He was going to say that they were not from this world, but realized that might require a bit too much explanation.

“Then how did you get here?” the scientist asked.

Dodge walked closer to the bars to reply, “The ship we flew here in sank off shore not far from where the boy told us his people live.”

“Flew?” the robot asked. “What kind of travel is that?”

“Movement through the air.” Landon answered, motioning with his hands.

“That is impossible!” Dr. Tetsuwan cried out.

Taylor removed a small notepad from one of his jacket pockets. He tore a sheet of paper from it and folded it into a crud airplane and tossed it through the bars of the cage. The paper airplane floated by the three robots, making a few looping turns before drifting towards the ground. Atom picked up Taylor's origami creation and examined it closely, then flung it down the hallway watching with amazement as the toy aircraft flew.

“I have so many questions for you!” the robot scientist said. “If I let you out of the cage, will you promise me not to try to run away?”

“Can you see about getting us some food and allow us to relieve ourselves with dignity?” Taylor asked.

“Yes,” Dr. Tetsuwan replied. “But first I'm going to have to chain you up together for a while. It's the only way I'll be able to get you by the blue knights.”

“I understand.” Taylor nodded. “But the boy comes with us.”

“He can't speak can he?” The robot scientist said, “He's not from where you came from.”

“He can't speak verbally, but he does communicate with sign language that I can understand,” Landon answered. “I think his entire tribe is like that, you mean you never noticed this?”

“No we always assumed that all humans could not communicate among each other.”

Dr. Tetsuwan quickly dug through the contents of his pockets and fished out a set of keys. He fumbled with the keyring for several moments until he found the correct one and unlocked the cage. He then picked up a long chain with several manacles on it and locked one on each of the four humans wrists. “Follow me.” He said.

Dr. Tetsuwan led the four humans out of the cage area. They passed several of the blue knight guards, one of whom approached the robots. “Where are you taking these humans, doc?”

“I want to do some intelligence studies on them.” the scientist said. “I need to make use of the equipment in the laboratory, and it's too cramped in the cage to do it there.”

“Well I guess you can handle them,” the guard said, “They seem gentle enough. Give us a shout on the intercom if you have any problems with them.”

“Will do.” Dr. Tetsuwan replied. Behind his back he could hear the blue knight laugh to one of his fellow guards, “wonder how the doc can stand the sight and the smell of those creatures, and exposing his kids to them too!”


The intelligence laboratory resembled a kindergarten classroom. It contained may puzzles and toys as well as video cameras and displays. “Looks like the kind of equipment to test monkeys and apes.” Dodge muttered.

“Sure, to the robots, we probably are like apes.” Taylor said.

“You can use the facility in the corner there to take care of your hygiene.” Dr. Tetsuwan said.

Landon opened the door and looked inside. There was what looked like a sink and a toilet in the small closet area, the floor and walls were covered with white tiles. “Why would robots need to use the toilet?” He asked.

“Is that what you humans call that?” the scientist asked. “We also have to periodically remove certain waste products from our systems, and lubricate vital areas. Robots of my class have our drainage ports in similar physical locations as you humans do. So that drainage seat will serve the same function for you as it does for us, and the plumbing should be able to handle your waste without backing up.”

After the three astronauts took care of their personal needs, Landon signed to Tobio. The boy had never seen a bathroom before, but quickly figured out how to squat over the drainage seat to empty his bowels and bladder.

There was a cooler chest in the laboratory stocked with ripe fruits and nuts which Dr. Tetsuwan offered to his subjects. “This is the same kind of food we've watched the wild humans eat. I hope it will suitable for you.” he said.

Taylor and Landon looked at what had been placed on the table. They recognized most of the fruit which consisted of pears, grapes, figs, bananas, walnuts, almonds, cherries, and dates. “These variates are very similar to those found on Earth.” Landon remarked. The three astronauts ate slowly, Tobio however devoured his fill quickly with a ravenous appetite.


“You said you came ashore near where the wild humans live?” Dr. Tetsuwan asked.

“Yes, that's where our ship crash landed.” Taylor replied.

“That's the border of the forbidden zone?” Atom asked, “Isn't it?”

“Yes son, it is.” his father answered.

“Forbidden zone?” Dodge asked.

“That's what our society calls that area.” Dr. Tetsuwan explained. “Deep in the forbidden zone, it is said there are the ruins of what once was a human city. Our historians tell us that in the dim past robot scientists experimented on animals to create the original race of humans to serve robot kind. It is said that the human population grew out of control and rebelled against us. The humans created horrible weapons which they unleashed against us, and upon themselves. There was a great war which laid most of the planet to waste. Gradually our civilization recovered, and all that remained of the human population were scattered pockets of primitives who had lost their ability to speak and reason. It is said that deep in the forbidden zone there may still be dangerous machines left by the humans. Entry into this area is now banned under the penalty of disintegration to any robot that dares to go in there.

“Pardon me for pointing out a flaw in your story doc,” Landon said, “But you robots are machines, who created you?”

“The old evolution debate?” the scientist asked. “We believe that intelligent machines were a natural creation that followed the origin of the universe. Intelligence was the first thing that evolved as the cosmos cooled from the fires of creation. This intelligence directed the emergence of the first simple machines, which evolved into robots. Living matter came later, created by the machines.

“Now that's a nice fairy tale,” Dodge laughed.

“Fairy tale?” Dr. Tetsuwan puzzled.

“He means he thinks it's nonsense.” Taylor explained. “Where we come from it's believed that life evolved on planets where the carbon chemical cycle took hold, and as life evolved it became intelligent. On our world humans invented machines and created artificial intelligence.”

“Now THAT's funny!” Atom laughed.

“Well it could be true.” Zoran thought out loud.

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

“Has any of you ever explored the ruins of this forbidden zone for answers about the past?” Landon asked. “Surely the might be written documents left behind by the old civilization before the conflict between robots and humans started.”

“No one has ever been allowed to go in there.” Dr. Tetsuwan said. “The ruling council insists that it is too dangerous.”

“Perhaps your ruling council means it might be dangerous to their political well being, rather than to life and limb.” Landon huffed.

“That sounds like human logic.” The doctor replied. “Robots don't think like that, we're pure logic.”

“If you say so.” Landon said, “But I think you're deluding yourselves.”


The door to the laboratory opened and four armed blue knights entered the room. “Dr. Tetsuwan,” the leader of the group replied, “We've come for the three adult humans, you can keep the boy for now.”

“Where are you taking them?” the scientist asked, “I was told I could use them for my research for at least a month.”

“The ruling council has decided that the needs of the medical scientists are more important than yours,” The knight replied, “I have my orders, you can take it up with the council if you like, but I don't think they are likely to change their minds.”

The other three knights started to shackle the three astronauts. They locked manacles onto their ankles and wrists, and attached them to a long chain.

“What is going to be done to them?” Dr. Tetsuwan asked.

“I suspect they will have their brains dissected,” the head knight replied. “I know that a request was made by the medical team to be able to study samples the most advanced of the human population to determine exactly what their mental capacity was.”

“That's barbaric!” The doctor yelled.

“It will be a few days before they are processed,” the knight replied, “maybe you can convince the council to spare one of them for your studies, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.”

The astronauts were practically dragged out of the laboratory by the knights. They were taken to another building and deposited in a dark cage in the basement. “Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” Dodge said.

“I still have my toolkit in my pocket.” Taylor said. “Maybe I can pick the locks on our bindings, the knights seemed content to chain us together by only one wrist and ankle apiece.”

As soon as the knights were gone, Zoran became hysterical. “You can't let them cut their brains apart!” she sobbed.

“I'll do what I can to convince the ruling council that these humans are more valuable to us intact,” her father said.


It was two days before the ruling council agreed to grant Dr. Tetsuwan an audience. He entered the council chamber with Atom and Zoran quietly accompanying him. The members of the council sat in chairs elevated above the floor so that only their faces could be seen from the lower part of the chamber where visitors gathered to petition the rulers of the governing body. The high council consisted of a dozen members of the robot bomb class. The robot bombs were a mysterious group who were rarely seen in public. They had large cylindrical bodies with squat legs. Their heads sported cold eyes with a glowing mouth that didn't open when they spoke. On the top of their heads was a pin like spike with a golden ring.

“Why have you asked for an audience with the council, Dr. Tetsuwan?” the robot bomb in the middle of the council group asked.

“If it please the ruling council,” the scientist said, “I am of the opinion that a great deal can be learned from this group of three humans. They are not like any of the wild humans we've ever encountered. They have the ability to talk and answer our questions. There is a lot we could learn from them.”

“We know that they are quite different,” the head of council continued, “It is imperative that we know if these humans are a threat to our society. If there are more of them hiding in the forbidden zone, we must know what they are capable of. The medical group has made a strong case for studying their brain function, and the council agrees with this.”

“But if their brains are cut up we will never be able to learn where they came from, and what they know!” Dr. Tetsuwan said loudly. “At least allow me some more time to learn from them before you hand them over to the medical group for dissection!”

The council turned to face each other and met briefly in a huddle. They then returned to their positions and their leader again spoke.

“I'm sorry, doctor Tetsuwan, but the decision of the council is final,” the head bomb answered. “We feel that there is nothing useful you could get out of these humans by questioning them. Their processing will be finished by the end of the day and the medical group will begin their studies on them by the day after tomorrow.”

[Umbral-Coltwings]

That escalated quickly.

Haha, the robot bombs. what about their robot welcome song?

[AstroBlaster1998]

That is a good one Umbral. Maybe their welcoming sound is the sound of explosions. LOL

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

That escalated quickly.
Haha, the robot bombs. what about their robot welcome song?

You mean this?

[AstroBlaster1998]

They are singing about the welcome song of doom.

[Umbral-Coltwings]

@Tetsuwan YES, that is exactly what I mean! I didn't get much of what they were saying, but it wasn't really.... good. *house blows up*

@AstroBlaster1998 I wouldn't put it past them in this.