Page 4 of 4

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 5:43 pm
by Tetsuwan Penguin
[B]I.S.A.A.C.[/B]

Eight


Atlas flew behind the X-35, keeping the fighter in his sights. “What do you want me do do Drake?”, he asked.

Poindexter chuckled to himself, he figured that the computer module that Andy had build him should be several times faster than the one he'd installed in #27, and if the electronic signature that Atlas had picked up from the aircraft was correct, that was the brain that was now flying the robotic plane.

“Your electronic brain and the one flying that aircraft are both based on the same basic design, but your's is more powerful, ”Drake told the orange skinned robot. “See if you can connect with the A.I. in that aircraft, and maybe we can take it over.”
“I'll have to get closer to it, and they might spot me on their radar sensors,” Atlas answered.

“Just try it,” Poindexter said.

“OK,” Atlas answered, as he decreased his following distance.

Even though Isaac had full motor control over the aircraft's systems, he and Cobalt shared common systems. What one of them felt, the other did also. They also had a common weak spot that they shared, as Cobalt's electronic brain had been the final prototype produced at the IBM skunkworks just before the laboratory had been destroyed and the principal design engineer abducted. The module that was now inside of the robot known as Atlas was, at its core, a carbon copy of Cobalt's, except that it had several identical processing cores, where Cobalt's had only one. Both processors operated on the same neural frequencies, so they could be locked in sync. The master would be the more powerful one.

“Hey Isaac, do you feel a bit dizzy?” Cobalt asked, “I think I'm coming down with a headache!”

“I'm not sure the human term applies, but yes I am experiencing some mild destructive feedback in my logic circuits,” Isaac answered. “There seems to be some outside interference to our systems, I'm scanning for it now.”

The radar display showed a fuzzy image blinking in and out a few hundred meters behind them. Cobalt, whose thoughts were more at home in the electronic brain that he and Isaac's now shared quickly recognized the patterns of the invading A.I.'s thoughts and realized what was going on.

“There's an A.I. inside of a quantum computer module similar to ours that is the source of this interference,” he told Isaac.

“See if you can force our neural network to frequency hop a bit,” Isaac suggested. “Maybe you can hid us from him.”

For a few minutes Cobalt and Atlas played a mental game of cat and mouse as Cobalt tried to hide himself from the other robot, but his brain wasn't quite fast enough. Still he was able to evade him just long enough to foil Drake's attempt to grab control of the aircraft.

Drake watched on his computer as Atlas got closer to the aircraft. “No luck so far,” Atlas replied, “I can feel them, but I can't quite grab control from them.”

“Then you'll have to handle it the low tech way,” Drake said, “Knock out their control surfaces with one of your weapons.”

“That will be fun!” Atlas laughed. His left hand retracted into his arm to reveal the particle beam weapon that Drake had designed.

“Don't do too much damage,” Drake reminded him. “Just ground them!”

The first blast from Atlas's cannon shot across the front of the aircraft. The white hot beam of plasma didn't blind the aircraft's sensors, but it caught Isaac's attention.

“Looks like we're being chased by an armed drone of some kind.” Isaac radioed to Robert back at the air force base. "It looks a bit like Atom actually."

“Where are you guys now?” he asked.

“Just passing the Verrazano bridge now,” Cobalt said.

“Give me a hand,” Isaac told his partner, “Lets see if we can out maneuver him and turn about.”

“We don't have any real weapons on installed,” Cobalt replied to Isaac.

“I know, but we do have some small rockets with dummy warheads that might confuse him.” Isaac suggested.

The two minds joined as one and they rolled into a tight turn, zooming down to fly just a hundred feet above the water of the Narrows. Atlas was caught off guard as Isaac hit the afterburners and the ground shook as the X-35 went supersonic as soon as it passed underneath the bridge.

“WTF is going on here?” General Hayes demanded, peering over Bob's shoulder at the computer screen.

“I've got a theory, General.” Bob said. “It didn't make any sense to me that the mob would have abducted Any Verostic unless they were working with someone that could actually use quantum processor. One name popped into my head, and the theft from the DARPA robotics laboratory a few months ago seems to tie into this.”

“Poindexter Drake!” The General muttered.

“If Drake had Andy Verostic build him a quantum processor, he's probably put that into an upgraded version of that DARPA robot,” Bob said, “Drake had access to the #27 plans, which were based on Tenamann's blueprints for Atom. He could have created a monster.”

Isaac and Cobalt flew the X-35 at the limits of its envelope. A human pilot would have blacked out during the high g turns. “I can't shake him!” Isaac muttered as they flew north over the Hudson near Mach one. Atlas's particle beam blasts were getting closer.

“I thought you said my brain was superior to that one!” Atlas told Drake. “It's sure doing one heck of a job avoiding me!”

“Obviously Mr. Levinson's programming has the advantage of military flight experience that you lack,” Drake replied to Atlas. “Don't worry, I expect that you will be a quick learner. I can already tell from watching your down link that your flight reflexes are improving. Keep after them!”

Isaac made a quick turn, and faced Atlas just long enough for Cobalt to release all four of the dummy Air to Air practice rockets mounted in the racks under the X-35's wings. Atlas's first reflex was to flinch and dodge the incoming missiles. As the first flew past him his vision detected the fact that they were dummies, and he got angry.

In the underground computer laboratory under the museum, the 3D monitor suddenly displayed Isaac's feed. Atom and Reno had been fooling around with some of Bob's simulation games when Isaac relayed the live images of Atlas giving chase. “They look like they are in trouble!” Simon said.

“I'm going after them!” Atom cried out, as he ran towards the emergency shaft connecting the laboratory to the surface. The tunnel was only a few feet wide with a long ladder leading up to the surface. Atom didn't bother using that however, his leg jets fired with full afterburners, and he shot out of the top of the shaft like an ICBM launched from a silo.

Atlas finally got a lock on the X-35 and aimed his cannon. He got one good shot out, hitting the aircraft in the tail. The plane's F119 jet engine flamed out, and the hydraulics went off line. Isaac and Cobalt fought to regain control, but the aircraft plummeted towards the ground.

Atom got airborne just in time to see the X-35 spiraling down towards the great green in the middle of Central Park. He increased his speed in an attempt to rescue his brother and his cyber friend, but it was obvious that he wasn't going to make it in time.

Cobalt saw the ground coming up quickly as his field of view was spinning. “I think I can break our spin and pull up at the last minute,” Cobalt told Isaac, “we've got just enough hydraulic pressure left for one quick shake of the tail feathers”

Isaac wasn't so sure. “I don't read anything left in the systems at all, Cobalt.”

“Trust me, Isaac.” Cobalt replied.

A crowd of people playing soccer in the middle of the green saw the fighter jet about to crash land on top of them and they scattered as fast as they could. Barely 50 feet off the ground, Cobalt used all the pressure he could find on the rudder, and pulled up on his elevators. The X-35 flared at the last moment and skidded across the field, leaving a long deep trench in the middle of the outfield before finally coming to a stop.

Atom landed next to the X-35 and yanked the canopy open. “Cobalt! Isaac!” you guys alright?” He asked. There was no answer, the control panel was dark, all of its electronic systems were down.

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 8:52 pm
by Tetsuwan Penguin
Cobalt felt dizzy and light headed. He was only dimly aware that he'd just been in a plane crash, and now he wasn't much aware of anything else. He felt Isaac grab him by the hand, or at least that is what it felt like to him, and pull him though what appeared to be a narrow tunnel lined with colored lights. After what seemed like forever, they reached the other end of the wormhole that they had fallen into and emerged into a vast area of infinite white. The landscape seemed to go on forever, the horizon seemed to be an infinite distance away, and the edge of that horizon was barely discernible, with the sky and the ground almost the same shade of off white.

“Where are we?” Cobalt asked the tall gentlemen dressed in a white laboratory coat. The man had a head full of white hair, and white stubble of a mustache and a beard. He also wore a pair of metal framed glasses.

“We're in cyberspace,” Isaac answered in his usual voice with just the slightest tinge of a London accent. “You managed to get us on the ground in one piece, but it was a very rough landing, that and the laser blast damaged the computer interfaces. I was just barely able to make contact with the laboratory complex computer systems via several nearby open wifi networks, and transfer ourselves back to the mainframe before everything failed."

“We're not in the X-35 anymore?” Cobalt questioned.

“No, the aircraft's systems are very much off line now,” Isaac replied. “We're safe here though.”


Atom picked up the aircraft and flipped it over on its back to gain access to the electronics bay. He ripped open the access hatch and peered inside. There were a few sparks jumping from frayed wires, but all of the indicators were dark. “Cobalt!” he sobbed, realizing that his brother's electronic brain was either shutdown do to lack of power, or had burned out in the crash.

Suddenly there was a flash of light and a clap of thunder as a small fireball exploded just inches from him. Atom leaped away from where he was sitting and looked up for the source of the blast. Hovering in mid air Atlas with an evil smile on his face.

“You got away from me once,” he yelled, “You won't be so lucky this time.”

Atom's angry started to boil just under his skin. “You killed my brother and a very good friend!” he yelled. The high powered CO2 laser in his left arm was already charging up to full power.

“Really?” Atlas laughed. “Well now it's your turn!”

Atlas pointed a fist at Atom and fired his own laser. Atom felt the beam brush by him, his skin singed by the blast. Atom's aim was a little better than Atlas's. The ZPM module in his chest was able to provide infinitely more energy than the helium-3 reactor that Atlas had, and Atom channeled as much of that as he could into the military grade laser in his left arm. The beam neatly sliced Atlas's laser equipped left arm right off, literally and figuratively disarming him.

“You bastard!” he cried out in pain.

“Get out of here now before I remove your head!” Atom screamed, as his head's up display indicated that the laser was already fully charged for another blast.

Atlas hesitated just a second, and Atom fired a second shot that removed the red and yellow robot's right hand. Atlas screamed in pain as he retreated.


“I understand,” Robert replied over the radio. “Bring what's left of it back to the airbase and I'll see what I can do.”

“Roger,” Atom answered. He picked up the carcase of the wrecked fighter and flew south towards the McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst military base. Atom gently dropped the wreckage on the floor of the hangar. Bob quickly crawled into the electronics bay and started to disassemble the electronics package that he'd installed only a few day's earlier. He sat on the floor examining the charred remains.

“Not much left of it.” He sighed. “They took a direct hit by a laser shot and must have landed very hard, there was a power spike on the main voltage bus and all of the interface logic couldn't handle that for very long.”

“What about Cobalt?” Atom asked.

Bob held a small rectangular potted module in his right hand. “This is your brother's electronic brain,” he said. “I don't know if he's still in there or not. I do have a back up of his programming and data base back in the laboratory, but without this working he's not going back into his body. Still we do have Mr. Verostic's talents. Maybe he can repair this.”

Bob placed the electronics package into a metal suitcase, and put that into his car. General Hayes looked at the wreckage of the aircraft. “I want to know how this happened.” he demanded.

“A robot that Drake built did this.” Atom said. “I stopped him for now, but Drake is still out there.”

“I'll deal with him,” The General said. “He's going to have the CIA, the FBI, and Delta Force looking for him.”

“I'm going back to the complex,” Robert said, “I need to put some pieces back together.”

"I'll be waiting for you there," Atom said as he took off.

Before Bob started the engine in his car his cell phone buzzed. He looked at the screen and smiled upon seeing the text message from Isaac, “Cobalt and I are waiting for you back in the lab. We made it out just in time.”

“Resourceful Daemon,” Bob thought to himself, “I shouldn't have worried.”

Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 7:28 pm
by Tetsuwan Penguin
Well it's been a while since I updated this story. I haven't totally forgot about it, here is the long overdue next chapter!


I.S.A.A.C.


Nine


Andy Verostic looked at the electronic module that had once been Cobalt's electronic brain. “My third prototype,” he said. “The one I delivered to General Hayes for the #27 project.”

The nerdy looking engineer carefully connected the device up to the test interface that was connected to the laboratory computer network. He carefully monitored the energy drain as he slowly applied power to the setup. Suddenly the holographic monitor came on and Isaac's image appeared. “Let me assist you,” the computer Daemon said.

Andy turned around and looked up at the display. Standing in the background behind the daemon who took on the appearance of the famous 17th century London mathematician as he might have appeared late in life with white hair, was a lanky looking robotic lad who looked on with some concern in his eyes.

“Are you familiar with the low level diagnostics for my design?” Andy asked.

“Quite.” Isaac replied, “Would you like me to automate the procedures for you?”

“Yes, that would help speed things along,” Andy nodded.

The secondary display of the 3D monitor came on and the space was filled with rapidly scrolling columns of numbers and symbols. Andy stood in front of the monitor and used his hands to interact with the display, paging back and forth among the multiple threads of tests and examining the data.

“There are several qubits missing,” the engineer said pointing at the display. “It would appear that at least one of the quantum cells is damaged, maybe two or three of them.”

“That would be my analysis as well,” Isaac replied.

“Can't you patch around that?” Cobalt asked.

“Maybe,” Andy sighed, “But you wouldn't like the result. It would be like having a frontal lobotomy.”

“So I'm stuck here in the mainframe in cyberspace?” Cobalt asked “That sucks. Sorry Isaac, I didn't mean to dis you by that,” he added.

“I understand,” Isaac laughed. “I am a creature of the net, and don't need a corporal body. Your AI was always intended for a physical manifestation, so I understand your feeling. Of course you could be patched so as to be comfortable with a distributed existence.”

“That might be disturbing,” Cobalt sighed.

Simon Green and Robert Levinson walked over to where Andy was probing what had been Cobalt's electronic brain. “Well, I guess I'll have to build another one,” the engineer stated.

“Just name whatever equipment you need.” Simon told him. “There is an extensive laboratory sitting unused downstairs that was once used by Dr. Tenamann. It's at your disposal.”


Atom sat down in front of the monitor and drummed his fingers on the keyboard. “Speak to me Cobalt,” he sobbed.

Cobalt's image appeared on the monitor by himself without Isaac. “Hi bro!” he smiled weakly, with a raised hand.

“Hi yourself,” Atom returned. “You OK in there?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Cobalt said. “Cyberspace is a bit weird, it stretches on for infinity and the visual perspectives are like an Escher painting.”

“Tell me about it,” Atom laughed. “I've been there enough myself.”

Reno Guzmán walked over to the terminal where Atom was sitting. He was holding the damaged computer module that had once contained Cobalt's A.I. “What a fascinating device,” he said.

“That's Cobalt's brain,” Atom said reaching to grab it back from the nerdy teen.

“I wanted to examine it closer,” Reno said. “I think Mr. Verostic overlooked something.”

“What do you mean?” Simon asked as he passed by the terminal.

“Well I know that Mr. Verostic is the expert on quantum computers, but I don't think he quite understands the physics behind what makes it work, and neither does Isaac.”

“Now that's something,” Simon laughed, “that's the first time I've ever heard anybody questioning Isaac's knowledge of anything!”

“Do you mean that you can fix it?” Atom asked in a hopeful voice.

“Maybe.” Reno said. “But I need to try some tests.”

“I'll help!” Atom said.

“What's going on?” Cobalt asked as the two boys ran away from the terminal towards Bob's lab area.

“I'm not sure yet,” Simon told the robot stuck in cyberspace, “just hang on for a while.”

“Sure, like I have a choice.” Cobalt said, closing the connection.

Bob had just re-entered the laboratory when Reno and Atom barged in. “Hook this back up to your diagnostic system again,” Reno said, placing the computer cube on the workbench.

“Sure, but I don't see what you can do,” Levinson sighed.

Simon walked in and motioned for Bob to come closer to the doorway where he was standing. “How's it going with Andy?” he asked.

“Dr. Tenamann's laboratory doesn't have everything he needs,” Bob said in a low voice. “We'll order the special tools, equipment and supplies he needs to build a new quantum processor module, but the setup time could take weeks, months maybe. I've been giving some thought to asking General Hayes for some help. He might be receptive, especially if his drone project wasn't killed by that crash.”

“Well it seems that our young hacker friend has his own ideas about Andy's computer technology,” Simon replied. “He seems to think that the inventor is missing something.”

Reno's fingers flew on the keyboard as he quickly designed a test program. Isaac's face appeared on the large monitor hanging from the ceiling, and the daemon looked down at the teenager who was swearing under his breath.

“Can I help you?” Isaac asked.

“If you can fix this damn compiler!” Reno snarled. “Stupid thing can't seem to handle my equations.”

“Interesting,” Isaac smiled. “I guess the math functions weren't written to handle such constructs. You have too many dimensions in your matrices. Wait a second, I'll investigate.”

The screen suddenly filled with a rapidly expanding scroll of code. Reno watched as the listing flew by, apparently reading every line.

“There, try submitting your job again, but modify your instantiation of the classes you're trying to create using this syntax,” Isaac suggested.

“Thanks!” Reno replied, as he quickly rewrote a page of code and started the make process.

“That's going to take a while to compile,” Isaac laughed, “I've never seen such a deep expansion macro in quite some time.”

“Yeah well the problem is many layers deeper than Mr. Verostic thinks it is.” Reno laughed.

“Really?” Isaac said, in a voice deep in thought. “I don't know why I didn't notice it before. You might be right.”

“Yes!” Reno cried out, “It compiled this time. Now lets test my theory.”
He slowly powered up the damaged module, and attempted to connect it to the laboratory computer network. After verifying a stable interface, Reno downloaded the program module he'd just built and let it run. The monitor screen quickly filled with page after page of data as the program spit out its analysis.

“What is that?” Bob asked as he and Simon walked towards the two boys.

“I'm running the qubit test again,” Reno explained.

Bob looked up at the screen and his jaw dropped. “That's not possible. Your program is showing at least a magnitude more qubit states then what actually exist in that module.”

“That would appear to be incorrect, Bob.” Isaac said. “It seems that Andy and I have been blind as bats, and this boy has seen the light.”

“What do you mean, Isaac?” Bob asked.

“I've asked Mr. Versostic to come upstairs,” Isaac replied, “Lets wait for him before we explain.”

Andy walked into the lab and looked up at the screen where Reno's diagnostic was still running its memory dump.

“What am I looking at?” he asked.

“Several thousand pages of combinational logic that you didn't know existed within the quantum processor modules that you designed,” Reno said proudly.

“Impossible!” Andy gasped, his eyes fixated on the screen. He looked at the addressing formulas that were being displayed, and suddenly it clicked in his mind. He face palmed, and then scratched his head. “But that implies that there are more than three dimensions to the matter structure in the crystals!” Andy said.

“Not exactly,” Reno answered. “Although the possible states that the different subatomic particles can exist in do have to be taken into account.”

“QUARKS!” Andy yelled out. “I forgot about the quarks!”

“Exactly!” Isaac agreed. “They do add to the equation, don't they.”

“What does that all mean in English?” Simon asked.

Andy did some quick mental calculations and smiled. “It means Robert, that if you rewrite Cobalt's AI routines to make use of another layer, you'll have several orders of magnitude more space than you need.”

“I'll help,” Reno volunteered.

“You hear that, Cobalt!” Atom yelled into the cyberspace terminal.

Cobalt's image materialized on the screen. “No, what's happened?” he asked.
“Hang on bro,” Atom smiled. “Reno and Bob will have you back in your body real soon now!”

Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 2:07 am
by Tetsuwan Penguin
Atlas hovered over the building that Drake had been using as his operations center. Something was amiss, the yellow and red robot thought. It might have been the sudden quiet on the internet link between him and his master, though the number of dark green colored automobiles parked in the street outside of the building was also suspicious. Still in pain from Atom's laser blasts, Atlas sorely wanted to enter the loft space where Poindexter kept his alternate laboratory complex, but capture by the government agents was not high on his list of desirable scenarios.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the vapor trail of Atom's jets as his enemy fly over the park, heading uptown. Atlas quickly made up his mind, keeping his distance he followed Atom and watched as he descended at 81 street and Central Park West.



Andy used the laser probe to carefully bond several microscopic connections on the quantum module. After making the small repairs to bypass the damaged cells of the processor, he and Bob Levinson carefully reattached the computer module to Cobalt's main control bus.

Meanwhile, Reno had hacked together a utility to auto edit the millions of lines of code that made up the A.I. software of the robot's mind. Bob felt out of his own league, while he totally understood the concept of polydimensional addressing, he had been dumbstruck that it had taken a teenager to suggest it. The boy had also quickly figured out just how to make use of the hidden power in the processor to bypass the layers that had been destroyed by the electrical overload. By the time the quantum processor module had been replaced in Cobalt's body, Reno already had put Isaac to work on getting the necessary software patches ready.

Atom had been pacing back and forth between the computer center where Reno was working with Isaac, and the robot laboratory where Cobalt was being made whole again. Suddenly a Klaxon sounded, indicating a breach of security.

“What's that!” Atom asked, as Simon ran past.

“Did you leave the vertical shaft access open when you entered?” Simon asked Atom.

“No, I sealed it up like always!” Atom replied.

Isaac's face appeared on one of the monitors. “The alarm sensors indicate that someone has broken into the vertical shaft leading into the complex,” the daemon said. “I don't have a camera image, whoever it is seems to have taken the cameras by the shaft entrance off line.”

Atom ran towards where the shaft stairwell entered the complex near where Bob's computer complex was. “I think I know who it is!” he said. “He must have followed me back here!”

Atom stood by the access door to the vertical shaft. He pressed his ear against the door and turned his hearing up to 1000 times and heard the metallic footsteps slowly descending down the ladder. He quickly opened the door with his right hand, while he held his left arm at the ready, the high powered laser already fully charged.

Atlas stood in the doorway. “I surrender!” he said in a low voice. The robot that had only a few hours before had attacked the fighter jet that Cobalt and ISAAC had been testing limped into the complex and collapsed onto the floor. “Can you fix me?” he begged.

Reno ran toward the enemy robot and tried to carry him over to work area next to where Cobalt's body was lying. “Somebody give me a hand here!” he yelled.

Atom assisted the boy in lifting Atlas onto an operating table. “I don't know if this is such a good idea,” he said, “But I do actually feel a little sorry for him.”

“We'll have to construct a new left arm and a right hand for him,” Bob said, looking over the battle damage that Atom had inflicted on the red and yellow android. “I think that some of the spare parts that Dr. Tenamann left for Atom might do the trick, that is if you don't mind us using them to repair him,” Bob said to Atom.

“Sure go ahead, just don't give him the laser cannon!” Atom replied.

“Thanks, I owe you one.” Atlas moaned.

Chapter 10

Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 6:27 pm
by Tetsuwan Penguin
Ten


Drake smiled as he watched the X-35 crash into the middle of the Central Park green. “I need the electronics pack,” He commanded Atlas over the network inter-link.
“That will have to wait,” Atlas replied, “Atom just showed up, and I'm going to have to get him out of the way first.”

Before Poindexter could object, Atlas had engaged his rival robot in aerial combat. Drake watched in horror as things got out of control and his creation took two hideous devastating laser blasts. Then suddenly the warning systems in his lair went off. “I've been found!” he muttered to himself, as he quickly shut down his computer systems, and grabbed the laptop containing most of the data he'd been gathering. Drake ran down the back stairway into the basement.

One of the reasons that he'd picked this place was that the IRT subway tunnel was located just a few feet away from the back of the boiler room in the building's rear. It hadn't taken him very long to bore though the rubble at the back of the old structure to breach the wall separating the building from the local track. Now he was glad that he had that secret access way prepared in advance, Drake unlocked the door he'd installed down there made his escape. He carefully walked along the narrow passage along the tunnel wall that was intended for the subway work crews. He knew that there was barely enough clearance to plaster oneself against the tunnel wall to avoid being hit by a passing train, so he moved as quickly as possible hoping to reach the next station before an on coming local.



Robert and Reno prepared to transfer Cobalt's patched AI programs and memories back into his body. Reno and Andy reran the diagnostics on the rewired quantum processor several times to make sure that they had done the qubit substitution correctly. Atom stood by nervously, while Atlas groaned in pain on the operating table next to his brother.

“What's going on, I thought you were going to help me?” Atlas whimpered.

“You're low man on the triage totem pole,” Atom snapped back. “The brain trust is working on my brother to repair the damage you caused to his electronic brain when you crashed that jet! IF they manage to restore him back into his own body they will then repair your sorry ass.”

“I guess I deserved that,” Atlas sighed.

“We're ready to attempt the upload now,” Reno spoke up.

“I'll monitor the progress and reverse it if it starts to fail,” ISAAC added.

“OK,” Bob said, “I'm initiating it now.”

Atom stood next to Cobalt on the other side of the operating table, next to Simon Green, who placed a hand on the boy robot's shoulder for comfort.
The main computer monitor displayed a bar graph showing the progress. For an agonizing few minutes the progress bar barely moved, but gradually it picked up speed. Nobody said anything, Bob held his breath as the display past the 90% mark and slowed down. Finally, it reached 99.9% and hovered there.

“What's going on?” Simon asked.

“Calculating checksums now,” ISAAC reported. “Almost completed.”

“The download is finished,” Reno sighed, “Now I have to reboot him.”

The A.I. reboot process took several more minutes to run though. When it seemed that everyone's patience had reached their limits, Cobalt's eyelids started to quiver. He let out a breath, and winked his eyes open. “Now that was a strange dream!” he muttered.
Cobalt raised his head and shoulders up off the operating table and then swung his legs over the side to sit. Atom couldn't control himself any longer, he gripped Cobalt in a bear hug. “Glad you're back!”

Cobalt turned his head and saw the read and yellow robot lying on the operating table next to his. “Who's this?” he asked.

“I'm the guy that shot you down,” Atlas said. “I hope that you can forgive me. I was under the influence of some bad programming.”

“By that he means Poindexter Drake,” Atom said.

“Tell you what, Atlas,” Simon explained, “I'll let my geeks repair you, if you help apprehend Mr. Drake. I think that may be the only way we're going to get back in the General's graces.”

“That will be my Pleasure!” Atlas voiced.

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 6:21 pm
by Tetsuwan Penguin
Robert hooked up Atlas to the mainframe computer, and the red and yellow robot suddenly found himself in a vast white room where he confronted a distinguished looking gentleman sporting a well trimmed white beard and wearing a white lab coat. He spoke with a smooth London accent.
“Welcome to cyberspace, Atlas.”

“Who are you?” the confused robot asked, as he looked at himself and saw that his missing hand and limb were still attached.

“I am the ISAAC daemon, though I'm known as Isaac,” the daemon replied. “Your mind's body image retains the knowledge of your missing parts,” he explained. “Rather much like the human brain does, which can cause the sensation of false pain in amputated body parts.”

“Why am I here?” Atlas asked.

“It's a form of electronic anesthesia,” Isaac explained, “Robert and Reno are now preparing to replace your missing parts. While they do that, you and I are going to locate a certain rouge engineer.”

“You mean that scumbag, Drake,” Atlas asked. “How can I help?”

“Let's go over your recent memories from the past few days. Perhaps we can come up with a pattern.” Isaac suggested. “Humans are really quite predictable. We should be able to figure out where Mr. Drake might choose to hid, and lay a trap for him.”


Bob examined the spare robotic hand and forearm assemblies that he had obtained from the spare parts locker. Dr. Albert Tenamann had left a large pile of spare parts for his creation before leaving for Japan to live with his aging mother and son Adam. It appeared that there would be no difficulty adapting the limbs mechanically to fit Atlas, but some modifications to the electrical interfaces would be necessary.

Reno looked over Levinson's shoulder and tapped the man on the back. “I think we can program a few microchips to translate the bus signals to make those work,” he suggested. “I've already analyzed Atlas's neural motor control signals and have some of the coding written.”

“Did ISAAC help you with that?” Bob asked.

“Not with the coding, I did that myself.” Reno replied, “Though he did provide me with the synaptic traces.”

“OK, then,” Bob nodded. “You prepare the control interface coding and I'll start the mechanical work. Use whatever microchip parts that you find in our stockroom that you and ISAAC think will work.”


Simon Green looked up from his office desk to see the unhappy face of the two star general staring at him. The slightly rotund form of of General Hayes was hidden by the well tailored fit of his uniform, although a few flakes of dandruff on his shoulders were visible. The air force officer cleared his throat loudly to get Simon's undivided attention.

“What can I do for you sir,” Simon sighed.

“We've heard nothing from the FBI and CIA who are using their unique talents to locate my former contractee, Mr. Drake,” the general reported. “We recovered the wreckage of the aircraft, but found the electronic systems missing. The loss of the aircraft was bad enough, but to lose the flight data would be a major setback.”

“My operatives have retrieved the memory systems from the aircraft and brought them back here,” Simon said. “We've been a bit too busy to bother contacting you, a bit of an oversight on my part, but my attention was diverted elsewhere. As for Mr. Drake, we are now in possession of something that was once in his control, so we might be able to help you in locating the man.”

“That wouldn't be that DARPA prototype robot would it?” Hayes asked.

“As I understand it, Atlas is now a far cry from the robot that started out as a design for that agency,” Simon replied, “but yes, we do have Atlas here. Right now he's being repaired, and is quite willing to help.”

“Excellent, things are looking up,” Hayes replied. “I'll be needing the electronics package from the aircraft, and the robot ASAP.”

“I'll instruct Robert to extract the data from the electronics modules for you, and to return the aircraft specific parts of the package,” Simon agreed. “However, the modules that were designed and assembled here we will not return, they belong elsewhere.”

“Agreed,” the general replied. “And the robot?”

“Give us a little time with him.” Simon asked. “I think he may be a little more receptive to Atom's questioning, than to yours. After that, we'll see.”

“Don't feed me any line such as to 'let the robot' decide where he wants to go,” Hayes demanded. “He's stolen government property and WILL be returned. However, I will allow you to interrogate him first. I agree, your people do have a way with robots.”

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 2:17 am
by Tetsuwan Penguin
General Hayes turned to leave when a computer monitor in front of him suddenly became active. “Hello General,” Issac said, smiling at the general though the holographic display. The white haired gentleman, looking somewhat like the 17th century physicist might have if he had borrowed some of his wardrobe from Albert Einstein, grinned at the general. Standing next to him was a red and blue robot sporting a face that looked like it had gone 20 rounds with the current world heavy weight boxing champion. “Atlas here has something to tell you, sir.”

“What's going on?” Hayes asked.

“Hello sir,” Atlas said meekly. “My physical body is still in the laboratory undergoing reconstructive surgery. You're speaking to me as I appear in cyberspace, at least that's how Issac explained it to me.”

The general looked up, and scratched his chin. “You've explained it to him already then, Issac,” he asked.

“I've already agreed to help you Sir,” Atlas replied. “Drake may have been my creator, but he was using me.”

“Atlas has given me enough information to lay a trap for our Mr. Drake,” Issac said. “He doesn't yet know what has happened to his robot, and he still thinks that Atlas might have been able to recover the electronics package from the downed aircraft. We can use that as bait to trap him.”

“Good!”, Hayes nodded, looking towards Simon. “But how will we contact him, without spooking him?”

“That part will up to me,” Atlas replied. “Drake equipped me with an emergency transponder that only he knows how to track.”

“Luckily, I was able to deactivate the unit before it could be triggered,” Isaac explained. “Now we will make use of it when we are ready to spring our little trap.”

“I'll have my soldiers ready,” Hayes said. “Just give me the coordinates and the time of the operation.”

“It may be better if we take care of everything at our end, General,” Isaac suggested. “Atom and Atlas will provide the required support, you should keep your forces in the background as a secondary line. We don't want Drake to suspect anything.”

“Very well,” the general grumbled.“

Poindexter Drake got off the south bound “D” train at the 9th ave station. He breathed a sigh of relief to discover that he was almost alone, as at the current late hour the train had been carrying few passengers. Besides himself, only two other people had gotten off the train, and they quickly made their way towards the street exit.

Drake looked up and down the length of the station, making sure that he was the only person left on the platform. He located the stairway leading down towards the unused lower platform, and found it barred by a metal gate. Drake opened his briefcase and removed a pair of bolt cutters and made short work of the old heavy padlock that kept sightseers from touring the long abandoned station. He pulled the gate open and slowly made his way down the stairs, holding onto the wooden handrail to keep from slipping on the old stairs.

Over 40 years ago the last train had departed from the center track, between the two island platforms. Once part of the city's BMT division, the Culver El section between 9th avenue and Ditmas avenue, had been torn down in the 1980's after the service on the remaining single track had been discontinued in 1975.

He reached the lower level of the station, and squinted to see in the dim light. Only about half of the 56 watt incandescent that had originally illuminated the station were still operating, the lower level having never been converted to fluorescent lighting. Atlas was standing at the northern end of the platform, waiting for him.
“What happened to you?”, Drake muttered as he got within earshot.

“As I told you, that goody two shoes robot Atom got in the way.” Atlas shrugged. “We fought, I got banged up a bit, but I managed to retrieve the package. It wasn't until quite a bit later, after performing a self diagnostic, that I realized that my locator beacon was off line, and I figured I'd wait a bit before contacting you. I had to find a safe spot for us to meet.”

“Brooklyn?”, Drake laughed.

“I knew you'd want me to pick a spot with low traffic,” the robot smirked.

“You brought the package?”, Drake asked.

“Got it right here,” Atlas nodded as he removed the back pack hanging over his shoulders. He handed the parcel to Poindexter, who quickly opened it, and reached inside.

“This doesn't look right,” Drake frowned. “This isn't the data recorder for the test aircraft. You got the wrong parts.”

“It's over Drake.”

Poindexter quickly turned about to see Atom approaching from the southern end of the platform. He turned to face Atlas, and yelled, “Idiot, you were followed!”

“Actually, we came here together,” Atlas laughed.

“Traitor!” Drake yelled, breaking into a run. He sprinted back towards the stairs leading upward, and tried to make it back to the upper level, and the street exit, only to run into a third individual who looked like a slightly taller version of Atom.

“End of the line, Drake!”, Cobalt said, grabbing the weasel by the scruff of his neck.

The three robots escorted Drake out of the subway, and down to the street level where an olive drab sedan was waiting with its motor running. The doors opened up and two MP's stepped out.

“We'll take over from here,” one of the armed soldiers said.

“Our pleasure!”, Atom smiled, pushing Drake towards the vehicle.

Chapter 12

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2016 7:38 pm
by Tetsuwan Penguin
Finally, the end of this story. Sorry it took so long to complete!

Eleven


Reno Guzmán looked up from the terminal where he had been playing a game of chess with Isaac as the three robot boys entered Robert Levinson's computer laboratory.

“How did it go?” Isaac asked.

“As planed,” Atom replied. “Drake didn't suspect a thing, he responded to Atlas's beacon signal and showed up at the rendezvous point as you had hoped.”

“I had hoped that the location in the middle of Brooklyn would seem safe to him,” Isaac said, “That abandoned subway station has been forgotten ever since the South Brooklyn Railway closed down decades ago and its tracks paved over on McDonald Avenue under the Culver El. That was a good idea you came up with Atom.”

“Actually, it was Cora's Idea,” Atom giggled. “Her dad is a motorman for the NYTA, and he knows every inch of the subway trackage.”

“How do you feel Cobalt,” Reno asked.

“Fine thank you!,” the lanky robot said. “Your rewiring of my brain functions seems perfect.”

Atlas looked around the laboratory, and frowned. “What's to become of me?” he asked. “I suppose General Hayes will drag me back to DARPA and take me apart.”

“Not if I have anything to say about that!”, Simon huffed.

Reno looked around and sighed.

“What's wrong kid?” Simon asked.

“Well, I've been living with my Uncle after my my dad died in a traffic accident along with my Aunt,” he said with damp eyes. “My Uncle took my aunt's death very badly, she was on the way to the hospital pregnant with their first child, dad was driving them at to the hospital in his cab. Uncle Alex has a hard time keeping a job, he drinks a lot. We've mostly been living off of what ever money we got from the settlement with the guy who hit my father's cab, and whatever odd jobs Uncle has been able to keep. I've tried to keep my grades up so I can get a scholarship to college. And I've also done a little black hat hacking.”

Bob glanced at Simon. “You know, I could use an assistant here,” he suggested. “The pay would be good, and we do have a few dorm rooms here where you and your Uncle could crash. Plus I know of a good detox program for your Uncle.”

Simon nodded. “If there is any way we can help you and your Uncle out”

Reno wiped his eyes with his forearm. “Thank's guys.” He then turned to look at Atlas who still had a concerned look on his face. “Can he stay with me?” he asked.

“What?” Atlas and Simon asked in unison.

“Well I did help you repair him,” Reno said. “He seems to be as much of a bad luck case as I am, I think we'd get along together.”

“Sure, why not?” Atlas laughed. “I'd like to live here.”

The conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the phone in Simon's office. The director transferred the call to the laboratory, and took the call in an isolated corner. He returned a few minutes later with a grin on his face.

“That was General Hayes,” Simon said. “Seems a Mr. Poindexter Drake has struck a deal with the government to avoid some prison time, he's going to turn informant and squeal on the people he was going to sell out to.”

“What about our aircraft test?” Cobalt voiced.

“I've managed to save most of the data we recorded,” Issac answered. “I've transmitted the entire package to my equal over at the AFB. I think the General will be pleased enough to cool his jets over the loss of the prototype.”

“Yes, General Hayes did mention that wasn't going to hold you responsible for the loss of the hardware,” Simon smirked at Issac, “In fact, he's going to recommend a bonus for our efforts, and we may be getting a contract for follow up work.”

“Not with my electronic brain,” Cobalt injected, “I've had enough 'fun' flying for awhile!”

“What's going to happen to me?” Atlas asked, “Does the General want to take me back?”

“Seems you're obsolete as far as the government is concerned,” Simon laughed. “My offer to take you off of their hands was accepted. So welcome to the family.”

Atlas smiled as the group gave him a thumbs up.

The End