Awakening

X9-99 wakes up in a sterile and strangely decorated laboratory. Luckily his creator is there to explain (almost) everything to him.

Awakening

The man in a lab coat clicks a button on a recorder. “This is record log number one of the activation of X9-99.”

The man turns toward the android, “Hello, Can you hear me?”

The android raises its head and looks at the human in front of it with wide eyes. It’s attached to a workstation and being held upright with an assortment of wires. It looks up and is assaulted by bright, fluorescent lights. It blinks and opens its mouth to speak but all that comes out is static. The man gives the android some gentle words of encouragement and softly urges it to keep trying.

Eventually, the android gets a faint “yes” out from the static.

The man beams, “Wonderful! The static should disappear in about 25 minutes.” 

The android gives a whisper of a smile and looks at the man quizzically. 

 

The man smiles warmly, “You must be very confused, let me get you unhooked from the workstation then we’ll talk.”

The man gently unplugs the wires and the android falls into his arms. The man lifts it up and helps it take a few unsteady steps toward a chair. 

“So, where to begin?” The man began, “My name is Bird, I created you. Your official designation is X9-99 but if you desire a more human name I will oblige.” 

X9-99 moves in its seat and loses balance, and after failing to catch itself, falls on its face. Bird panics and puts X9 back on the chair. X9 gives him a staticy thank you, and motions for Bird to continue talking.

 

Bird speaks into the recorder, “X9-99 is still unsteady, practicing motor skills will be necessary.” He turns to X9, “Let’s walk around the lab for a bit, you can lean on me for support and use the furniture for balance.”  

X9-99 smiles and nods and grabs onto Bird’s arm. They walk a few laps around the lab, Bird points out various pieces of equipment such as the generators and screens, and asks X9 to explain what the machines do to get an understanding of where its mental faculties are at and to exercise X9’s voice box to rid it of static. X9 thinks it did well. It was able to point out all of the things the machines did as well as giving recommendations on how they could be more efficient. Bird even had an expression that X9-99 cataloged as proud on his face! As they finished their final la around the lab Bird added a few details about X9-99 into the recorder and turned it off. He then leads X9 back to the chair and starts a new recording.

“This is record log number two of the activation of X9-99. X9 I’m going to ask some questions about what you feel when I show you a picture or describe a scenario, answer to the best of your abilities.” Bird ruffles around in a drawer and pulls out some photos and a book. Bird plugs a strange device into X9’s head, and connects it to a screen. The screen shows all kinds of data and vitals but most importantly it shows the emotions X9-99 is supposedly feeling. 

Bird shows the android a series of images ranging from cute animal photographs to disturbing drawings and scenarios that went from birthday parties to nuclear destruction. X9, while happy to comply with Bird’s wishes, was a bit perplexed on the purpose of this test. Even so, X9 answered the questions as best as it could. After the images switched to ethical dilemmas X9-99 finally got it. Bird wanted to see how X9 felt. X9 still felt it should ask though.

“Mr. Bird, what is the purpose of me answering all these questions?” X9 asks.

“I want to test your ability to feel emotion,” Bird says. “You are the first robot to even have the capability to feel, so I want to make sure I’m doing this right.” 

It was right! X9-99 ponders on this for a moment then says, “Why did you make a robot who can feel in the first place?” 

“Well my most selfish answer is that I wanted to see if I could, the better answer you will learn in time but not now.” Bird gives his creation a warm smile and unplugs the device from its head.

“I wish I could talk more but I would like to welcome my wife, Erin,  back from her trip. Feel free to entertain yourself while I’m gone, I have books, crayons, and a few puzzles. But please, do not leave the lab.”

“Thank you, Dad.” The words come out of X9’s mouth before it can process what it just said. Bird just gives him a smile and says, “Goodbye for now Nines.” Bird clicks the recorder off.

###

“My love, are you back from work?”

“Yes, I’m in the living room!” Erin yells to her husband. Erin was a tall woman with long, dusty blonde hair. She was surprised that Bird was actually out of his lab for once when she got off of work. Not that they were complaining, of course, it was nice to actually see the man she married.

 

Erin put her backpack down, she just got back from an expedition in Yellowstone recording the number of avian species in the park, and was very excited to finally be able to relax after hours of hiking through the backcountry. Bird comes over to wrap them in an embrace and she gladly leans into him.

“Why do I have a feeling you're going to go into a rant about something you discovered and you're not just giving me affection for the sake of it?” Erin mumbles into Bird’s lab coat. It was one of his casual wear lab coats and was made of a softer fabric than the ones he wore in the lab.

“Because I am.” Bird says.

Erin laughs and sits down to listen to whatever crazed thing their husband came up with. It was probably something about his grand scheme to “take over the world”. Bird may be insane but he never failed to make her laugh.

“I think I finally cracked the code to making robots who can have emotions!”

Erin groaned, “Not this again.”

“I’ve really done it! I promise!”

Bird goes into his rant. He starts talking about the chemical composition of serotonin and monoamine and how the human brain isn’t that hard to replicate. Erin doesn’t understand most of it. She never really understood human biology and robotics. She also doesn’t understand why Bird thinks he’s created emotions instead of a mere mimicry of them. 

“So what do you think!” Bird says as he finishes his rant.

“I think I want you to start making dinner.”

“Of course dear,” Bird says a bit dejected.

Erin feels a bit bad. She knows that Bird takes pride in his work. Maybe she’ll humor him a bit when he eventually shows her the robot he’s been working on. Bird was very secretive with his work but with the way he was talking about his “discovery,” Erin was sure he would show them soon.

###

Nines grabbed the packet of crayons and some paper from the cabinet. It quite liked the nickname Bird gave it. It thinks it should keep the name. Nines sits at the table in the lab. The lab was blindingly white aside from a few pieces of colorful furniture that looked like they came from a preschool. It would have to ask Bird about the strange design choice the next time he was in the lab. 

Setting the crayons and paper down, Nines got to work. It thought about what it should draw and quickly ruled out anything from the lab. It wanted to show to Bird that it could have original thoughts and his experiment didn’t fail. It decided that drawing a picture of Bird himself would show its appreciation.

Apparently, though, art skills were not something Bird programmed X9 with. After many failed attempts of trying to get Bird’s face right, (not to mention his hands! What a failure.) Nines gave up and took a walk around the lab instead.

Nines then got annoyed at how small the lab was. Bird said not to leave the lab but Nines couldn’t stand being in it for any longer. It wanted to, no, It needed to get out.  Besides, how dangerous could the rest of the scientist’s house be? Hesitating at the door for a moment, Nines turned the knob.

###

Erin sat next to her sleeping husband on the couch. He suggested they watch a movie and fell asleep halfway through. She brushed a stray hair behind his ear and then she heard it. The basement door’s door knob was rattling. They thought for a moment it might be one of the cleaning robots Bird had for his lab but they never left. So what could it be? Erin had a key to the laboratory but Bird told her to only use it if he was ever in danger and for whatever reason couldn’t get out himself. 

Steeling herself, Erin went over to the door. She really wished Bird talked more about his creations. What if she was about to release a weapon of mass destruction? Shaking her head Erin put the key in. How bad could the things in Bird’s lab really be? She opened the door and was greeted by a looming figure with bright, blue, glowing eyes.

“Hello, you must be Erin. Mr. Bird’s wife. My name is Nines.”

Erin screamed.

Author's Note

This was my final project for my freshman creative writing class. Please tell me what you think and what I can improve!