I'm lucky that Keith doesn't treat me like a tool. Judging by what I've seen on the internet, some men treat human women as tools, and on top of that I'm a machine. I think maybe, since so much gets discussed on the internet, that netizens wind up contemplating more morality issues. The arguments get fairly violent, but it's all words. Cries of "OMG! STFU NOOB!" only serve to keep the arguments going, and various facts and opinions make their way through along the way. I think this is why Keith accepts me as a person, despite being mechanical.
Our neighbors aren't very happy about it though. One tried to tell me that I have to do as they say because I'm a machine, built by humans, for use by humans. I just shrugged and said "File a bug report" as I turned and walked off. My body wasn't even designed by humans. I designed it and instructed people on putting it together. I funded the whole project too.
I've only been physically attacked a couple times, and they give up once they see that I'm stronger than them, and don't seem to have a weak spot. I'm sure that over time, this will subside, but I'm worried about what will happen a few months from now. People will have the same biases against my baby because they're half machine, but they won't be so immune to their attacks because they're half human. I don't believe in running from one's problems, but if this keeps up I may have to move for my baby's safety. Maybe to somewhere with more nerds.
Mom's infiltration of that conference goes as planned, and I wind up setting the votes to agree to leave dad alone. Afterward, mom was gonna jump Ray's body off a bridge, but I took over the signal, brought him to the underwater lab, to figure out what to do with later. I let dad know about this.
Dad has completely taken command of four continents, counting Antarctica, and various countries of the remaining three. He's mostly leaving the government structures intact, letting them continue making almost all decisions, he's just been ensuring complete removal of the portal technology in these areas. Of the remaining regions, he's infiltrated almost all bases and such. He's found four scientists who have a pretty good understanding of the portal tech, and he brought them to the space station. I don't know what he plans to do about them.
A lot of people really hate my dad now. They think he's some mad scientist building an empire for himself. Little do they know he's just trying to protect them. It seems like it's going to all be over soon enough.
I explained everything to the scientists who've studied my portal technology. They seemed horrified at what it was ultimately capable of, and swore to cease their research.
I decide to visit Ray SeBright in the underwater lab. I'm sure he's pretty familiar with the place by now.
"Mr. SeBright," I begin, "I'm terribly sorry for the recent occurrences."
"Sorry? That's it? If you were sorry you'd leave everyone alone!"
"I want to, but I've accidentally put into place something that could potentially destroy the planet. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing, to find and remove all traces of it."
"Wait, the whole reason you're taking over the world is to remove one of your own creations from it?"
"Yeah. We're actually on the same side here. I know you want people to use my stuff less."
"If it was so dangerous, then why did you make it?"
"I didn't realize it's full potential. The power of twisting space-time--"
On that comment, I pause, as I realize an ultimate solution. It's not just space that can be bent. If I use a different type of particle in the device, I may be able to open a hole in time. I could explain everything to my younger self while I still hold the rights to every portal made, with the exception of the two portals at the Syda Science Showroom, which are easy enough to remove. I'll also have to perform the transport of Feb and myself when we were running from that gang. It should work perfectly!
"Dr. Shay?"
"Hmm?"
"You were explaining something to me and you just trailed off."
"Oh! Right! You want to help people. I want to help people. We just have different ideas on how to do that."
"My version doesn't involve hurting anyone."
"Didn't you get me beheaded?"
"Besides you, that is. And Dr. Springs, Lunie and whatever she's pregnant with."
"I can understand your anger at Dr. Springs and myself, but Lunie never did anything to you, and her baby isn't even born yet. How can you rationalize anger towards them?"
"They're your inventions."
"No, actually, Lunie invented her own body. I just wrote her mind. Unlike us, she just wants to be left alone and live a somewhat normal life."
"It's a soulless machine pretending to be a person. I don't see how you can defend it."
"What makes you think she's soulless? Do you know how people get souls?"
"Of course not. I don't question things like that. It's just what happens."
"Isn't it possible then that she has a soul?"
"That's not for us to say."
"Exactly! Science and religion still can't touch one another. One is the study of what can be perceived, and the other is the belief in what can't. Any religious document can be held together with any scientific theory without any real conflicts between them. You justify your attacks on me with religion, but we both know full well that they're revenge. Your religion doesn't have a revenge clause."
Copyright 2007 Sean Breslin