The Gift
It was a few days before Xmas and the class was already looking forward to the long holiday recess. Mustachio rapped a ruler against the worn wooded surface of his ancient desk to get the classes attention. The chatter in the classroom gradually subsided as the teacher cleared his throat and gazed out over the room.
“Good morning students,” Mustachio said. “As you have probably noticed, your classmate Shibugaki hasn't been in attendance for almost a week now. I've finally managed to get in contact with his family to find out the reason for his absence. It appears that his younger brother has been in the hospital for quite some time now, and that the boy isn't doing very well. If any of you want to pay the family a visit at the hospital, I will excuse you from classes today to do so.”
Astro was the first to raise his hand, followed by Kenichi and Tamao.
“Very well, the three of you may be excused,” their teacher said, “I'm sure that Shib will be glad to have your company.”
The hospital wasn't a long walk from the school, and the boys soon found themselves being escorted by an orderly up to the private room where Shib was keeping his poor brother Yoki company. They entered the room while the boy was being examined by a doctor. Tamao stopped in his tracks when he saw the doctor, and he whispered loudly to Kenichi, “Look who's treating Yoki, it's that quack, Dr. Blackjack!”
Kenichi glared at the boy with the thick glasses, “What do you mean by that?”, he hissed back.
“Humph!” Tamao replied, “That unlicensed evil curmudgeon charges his patients outrageous fees!”
“You obviously don't know the whole story about him,” Kenichi replied.
“Only that Shib's parents will be taken to the cleaners by him for their son's treatment.”
“Actually, I won't be asking a single yen from them,” the doctor said, as he closed his medical bag and turned to face the boys. “Hello, Kenichi. Astro, please say hello to Zoran for me and Pinoko,” he added.
“What do you mean you won't be asking for any payment,” Tamao asked.
Blackjack motioned for the three boys to follow him out of the room into the hallway.
“I really don't care about my reputation,” The doctor said, "besides most of what you think you know about me is at least partly true. I do charge outrageous fees from my patients who place such a small value on life, to remind them just how precious it is. On the other hand I give most of that money away to charity and causes that benefit mankind, I've purchased land that otherwise would have been developed destroying the habitats of many endangered species of plants and animals.”
“I didn't know that,” Tamao voiced.
“Also, I won't take a single yen coin from any patient that I can't cure.” Blackjack added.
“You mean, ….” Kenichi stammered.
“Yes, there isn't much more I can do for Yoki,” the doctor explained. “The boy is suffering from a rare form of muscular degeneration. He can barely move now, and soon his heart will fail. I don't think he'll last much past the new year. I've been able to slow the progress of his disease and extend his life, but now he is totally bedridden and requires constant attention. Not much of an existence really, but every moment he has left is precious to his family. Yoki doesn't know how bad his condition is, please don't tell him. It would be better if he was able to keep his spirits up during the holidays thinking that he is going to get better.”
Blackjack continued down the hallway as Tamao just starred. He had a look in his eyes like he'd just seen a ghost and had then been slapped across the face. The boys re-entered the hospital room to find Shib and his parents sitting next to Yoki. The room had been decorated with pictures of of the International Space Station. It was clear that the younger boy was a space buff. Shibugaki was spoon feeding his brother some ice cream. Yoki seemed to have some difficulty swallowing, but he clearly was savoring the treat.
“Thank's for coming,” Shib said, “I'm sorry for the way I sometimes bullied you guys in school, especially you, Tamao,” he said as he reached out to hug each of them.
“Don't think anything of it,” Astro told him, “We're your friends!”
Yoki smiled when he saw Astro, “Hi!” he said slowly. “I've heard a lot about you from my big brother. I always wished I could fly like you!”
“Maybe when you feel better, I'll give you a ride!” Astro said.
“I'd like that!” Yuki said, “Promise?”
“Sure!” Astro said.
The boys left the hospital feeling rather depressed. “Poor Yoki,” Tamao sighed. “He's like two or three years younger than us and he probably doesn't have more than a few weeks left to live.”
“I wish there was some way that we could give him some happiness,” Kenichi said. “There's so much that he'll never experience. So much of the world that he'll never see.”
“I wonder.” Astro thought out loud. “You guys go back to class, I've got an idea and I need to talk to Reno!”
Reno was a few years older than Tamao and Kenichi. At his age, he should have been in high school, but most of the time he could be found at the Ministry of Science doing research. Dr. O'Shay did see that the boy kept up with his studies on line, and indeed Reno was demonstrating a grade point average well above 4.0.
Astro flew in through an open window on the fourth floor of the building where Reno's laboratory was located. His friend was sitting at a computer terminal working on a project when he looked up and saw Astro. Reno glanced at the wall clock before asking, “Hey Astro, shouldn't you be in school right now?”
“Mustachio excused Tamao, Kenichi and myself so we could visit Shib at the hospital,” the boy robot said.
“I didn't know Shib was sick,” Reno muttered.
“He isn't, but his younger brother is very ill.” Astro sighed, “In fact he doesn't have much longer to live. He's suffering from some sort of muscle paralysis that is gradually getting worse Eventually his heart will fail, according to Dr. Blackjack.”
“Gee, if Blackjack can't help him, …...” Reno's voice trailed off.
“Yoki's very weak, but he really wants to do stuff,” Astro said. “I had this idea that maybe your Ironman suit,”
“Yeah, it could act like an exoskeleton,” Reno interrupted, finishing Astro's sentence for him. “I'd have to build one to fit him exactly though. There is one catch however.”
“What's that?” Astro asked.
“Is Yoki strong enough to get out of bed?” Reno asked. “My suit could support him and give him locomotion, but if his body is dependent on life support equipment it might not work. We should go ask Blackjack.”
“You up to a little flying?” Atom asked.
“Need you ask?” Reno said as he opened the closet where the Ironman suit hung.
Pinoko opened the front door when she heard the sound of Astro's jets over the front porch. “Hi Astro!” she said, adding, “Who's your new robot friend?”
Reno pulled his helmet off and smiled. “It's just me, Pinoko.”
“Oh hi Reno!”, the doctor's assistant laughed. “What are you guys doing out this way, isn't it a school day for you Astro?” she asked.
“We're on a special mission for Shib's brother.” Reno explained. “Is Sensei back from the hospital yet?”
At that moment the doctor's black sedan pulled up the driveway and stopped just short of the house.
“Looks like he just got back,” Astro said. “You should have noticed that his car was missing.”
Reno face palmed. “Yeah, you're right.”
Kuro closed the passenger door and carried his medical bag as he mounted the steps leading up to the porch. “What brings you two back to my clinic?” the doctor asked.
“We had an idea about helping Yoki,” Astro said.
“I could build him a smaller version of this Ironman suit,” Reno explained. “It's a robotic exoskeleton that could give the boy mobility. The suit makes me as strong as Astro, and I can even fly in it.”
The three of them entered the doctor's house. Reno placed his helmet on a table, and then opened up the body of the Ironman suit and removed it. He then sat down on a chair and pulled the leggings off.
The doctor examined the robotic suit. “Reno, someday, something like this might give patients suffering from paralysis some mobility,” he agreed. “But Yoki's body is already too weak. You'd have to equip the suit with all sorts of medical monitors, a defibrillator unit, and a respirator with an O2 supply. Even then, gravity would still be a problem, Yoki can't even sit up for any length of time without feeling the pressure on his body.”
Astro bowed his head. “There must be some way we can make that poor boys remaining time special. He really wanted me to give him a ride flying.”
“That would kill him in his current condition,” Blackjack said.
“If only you could replace his failing body with a robotic one,” Astro said.
“You mean turn the boy into a cyborg?” the doctor asked, a look of horror on his face. “I
know that such a thing has actually been attempted before, and the results weren't exactly good.”
“Yeah, that happened to Mustachio's dog,” Astro remembered, “poor thing.”
“That does give me an idea,” Reno said, “If Astro would go along with it.”
“What are you thinking?”, Blackjack asked.
“The Ministry once worked on a project for the military to help train pilots, and to remote control drone aircraft. It was a virtual reality system that could fully immerse a person into an alternate frame of reference. I've been working on adapting the technology toward computer gaming and remote presence systems for disabled people.”
“I've heard of that,” the doctor said.
“The system uses a special helmet that is equipped with 3D visual and audio feedback to the wearer,” Reno explained. “I've also developed special gloves and socks that give tactile feedback as well. The helmet has special superconducting sensors that can pick up brain impulses and the computer system can translate those into motor commands. Sensitive pads placed on a persons arms and legs can pick up messages being sent to motor neurons for remote control as well. I don't know if those would work on Yoki with his weakened muscles thought.”
“I think I see where you're going with this,” the doctor smiled. “I could surgically implant the required sensors directly to the nerve endings in his arms and legs if necessary. If they are small enough, they could be inserted almost subcutaneously with no discomfort.”
“Yes, they can be miniaturized to that extent,” Reno replied.
“What are you guys thinking?” Astro asked.
“Would you like to take Yoki with you flying, Astro?” Reno asked. “Maybe even on a jaunt into space?”
“I'm sure he'd like that!” the boy robot said, “But the doctor already said that wasn't possible.”
“Well you can't physically take him away from his bed,” Reno said, “But you could take him along inside of you!”
“How?” Astro asked with a puzzled look on his face.
“By connecting his brain up to your electronic one!” Reno said, “using my virtual reality equipment. Yoki will be able to see, and feel everything you do, he'll also be able to control your body, though you will be able to override his commands if he tries to do anything unsafe.”
“I get it!” Astro laughed. “That's wonderful!”