text: “Hey, boss? You sure this thing is operational?” “Well Skip, we’re about to find out.” The boss primes a switch on an elaborate table covered with buttons and switches. Being the only one with the know-how around this machine, besides the engineers, the boss tells everyone else to back away while he gets the process started. Pressing a few more buttons, the boss continues the sequence, and the men behind him start whispering to themselves. “I don’t think this is going to work.” One man says to another. “What? You don’t have faith in the boss?” Another guy asks after nudging the other guy on the shoulder. “I trust the boss. What I don’t trust is that he is able to bring this machine to life.’” The lead engineer of the project is also standing in the group, and when he hears the man say this, he turns toward him and sharply hisses, “You’d do best to shut up and watch!” Everyone quiets down and waits for the boss. “Almost done.” The boss whispers to himself. A moment later the boss turns to his men and begins a speech. “Men! Long have we craved for a weapon that will help us drive back our enemies!” “Yea!” the men cheer. “Now! We have a weapon that will ensure our victory! A victory that will be swift... and deadly!” Everyone erupts into a thundering roar. Men begin to pat each other on the backs and shove shoulders. The boss then turns back to the table where he hovers over a lever. He turns his head back towards his men, as his body stays parallel to the lever. “It... is... TIME!” The boss yanks the lever down which begins the boot-up process of the weapon. As the process continues some of the men get bored and walk off to grab a beer. More time passes and others begin to walk away. “Boss. The men are beginning to leave.” “Let ‘em Skip. Who knows how long this will take.” There is now no one waiting around, besides the engineers; they are all lounging in the resting area chugging beers and laughing obnoxiously. The boss begins to get frustrated and asks Skip how long the process should take. “Well, boss, I don’t know. I mean, to my recollection, no one has attempted to create life.” The boss, sitting in his chair, tilts his head back, “Is it truly life though. I mean what we are doing is programming an animatronic to help us accomplish a goal. It’s not going to be thinking out of its own free will.” Skip does not say anything, but, just, smiles blankly back at the boss. He quickly stutters a few seconds and then continues, “The point is it could take more time than we bargained for.” “I don’t have forever. WE don’t have forever. The longer we wait, the more allies the enemy will gather. And we only have the men we have. No one is coming to aid us; this-” “Android.” Skip cuts in. “Android. Is the only help we’re getting.” “I understand, sir. But, why don’t you get some sleep. I’ll stay and watch.” The boss sighs, “Yea. Alright, Skip.” The boss walks off to his chambers, while Skip stays and watches the android. Skip falls asleep next to the android. All of sudden, a loud noise awakens Skip, causing him to fall out of his chair. He leaps up from the ground, with the chair in front of him like a shield, and looks toward the machine. He notices all the lights are green, and the android’s eyes light up. “Boss!!” Skip yells as he runs to the boss’s quarters. “Boss, boss!” The boss wakes up abruptly, and looks at Skip, “What is it?” “The process, it’s complete. And I think the android is waking up.” The boss shoots up out of bed, grabs a jacket, and yells for everyone to get up and meet him at the machine. Skip and the boss reach the android right as it comes online. They get close to it and stare at it, waiting for the android to make the first move. The android stares blankly straight ahead for a moment, but then his head slowly turns toward the both of them. “Greeting.” The boss and Skip grow a large smile across their face, and the boss pats Skip on the shoulder. “Ha-ha! We did it Skip!” The boss pauses a moment continuing to stare at the android. He then speaks to it, “You understand us, right?” “Affirmative.” The android responds. Skip jumps in and asks the android, “So, what’s going on- “Skip points to his head, “Ya’ know, up there?” “Well, Skipper Hanson Jones, currently I am absorbing this entirely new climate, while also translating each phrase into multiple languages to verify I am using the current language.” The boss squints his eyes at the android and turns to Skip, “Hanson’s your middle name?” “Yea.” “Huh. Well Skip, catch this android up to speed.” The boss begins to walk away before he turns back around to Skip, “Oh. And make it sound less like a robot.” He makes an ‘okay’ sign with his hands and walks over to his men to give them the details. “Alright, men! I know it has taken longer than we had expected, but the weapon is now online and operational.” “Yay!” the crowd cheer. The android hears the boss and turns to Skip, “Am I the weapon he is referring to?” Skip shyly nods, “He created you to help them accomplish something.” The android looks away for a moment then back to Skip, “When this something is complete, what will be done with me?” “Hard to say. The boss probably will keep you around.” Skip tells it, knowing that the boss will likely shut it down. “But who knows. You might be able to leave here and make your own life.” They both look back to the boss as he continues his speech. “Tomorrow will be the beginning of a sweet, SWEET, victory boys! Rest up! Because tomorrow, we are heading to the Culmin Shelter to finish this fight!” The men erupt into a roar. The noise is only silenced once they are all asleep. As the others are sleeping, Skip stays awake with the android. “What are we attempting to accomplish Skipper Hans- “ “Skip is fine. “Very well, Skip.” “The boss wants to eliminate this group that is hiding out in the building he was talking about earlier.” “What are crimes of these individuals?” “Well- “Skip stops and contemplates, but is unable to say anything. “It’s just what the boss wants. Anyways, what do you... feel like?” “I afraid I don’t understand what you are asking. If it is my senses, I feel nothing.” “No, no. I mean cognitively.” “Well, I still don’t know. I don’t know if what I feel is my programming or myself. I can’t tell the difference.” “What do you feel about this job?” “I feel... uncertain.” Skip nods his head. “I see.” They sit there for a moment until Skip brings up that it does not have a name. “We need to give you a name.” “Very well. How about Vino.” Skip’s face appears disgusted and he shakes his head, “I don’t like it. I say Dalic.” “That name will suffice.” “Ha! I thought so too.” Skip gets up from his chair, “Well Dalic, I need to grab some shut-eye.” “Very well. I would prefer it if you left me powered on, I would like to be awake longer.” “No problem, Dalic.” Skip begins to walk to his quarter, “Oh, Dalic. Tomorrow, don’t get yourself scrapped.” “I will try my best Skipper Hanson Jones.” “Skiiip!” Skip yells as he walks away. The morning arrives and everyone is preparing for the assault. The boss strides around the hideout getting everyone ready. Men are equipped with guns, body armor, and the strategy of how to tackle the mission. The boss walks over to Dalic, “You prepared android?” “My name is Dalic now. Yes, I am ready.” “Dalic, huh? Where’d you get that name from?” “Skip.” “Of course, should’ve known. Well, as long as you’re ready. I don’t need you getting any one of my men or me killed out there.” Dalic does not respond but nods his head. The boss walks away, and Dalic continues to sit alone. The boss walks to Skip and asks him, “Why’d you give that android a name?” “Why not? Does the name bother you?” “No, Skip, the name does not bother me. Hm.” The boss looks away from Skip, toward the ground in thought, then back to Skip, “Just don’t get too attached, okay.” “Very well, sir.” The boss walks away and gets prepared himself for the assault. The time comes, the sun is setting, and the men are prepared. The boss gets up in front of the men to give a final speech. “Alright men. Now is the time we end this. Are... you... READY!!” The men erupt into the loudest they have ever been, causing the ground around them to quake. The boss leads them out of the hideout and toward the Culmin Shelter. Dalic stays close to the boss, following his orders. They arrive at the Culmin Shelter half of the men are perched on top of rooftops near the target building, while the boss, Dalic, and the rest of the men, lie in wait in front of the building, waiting for the signal. Back at the hideout, Skip walks over to Dalic’s chamber and stands there in contemplation. I have to do this. Skip uncovers a secret cubby and presses a button. The boss holds his hand up, signaling for his men to wait. On one of the rooftops, a man taps on the corner of the building three times and the boss lowers his hand and yells, “NOW!” The boss’s team leap from their position and move on the building. As they move in, two men on the rooves take out the two guards at the entrance. With the guards eliminated the boss’s team splits off, one group going to the left of the building, another group circling the right side of the building, while the boss, Dalic, and some men push through the front of the building. They stack up on the entrance door as the two other groups stack up on the doors on their sides of the building. On the boss’s mark, they breach. Dalic kicks the door open and they rush inside. Hearing the door kicked in, the other groups follow suit. Inside, the men are shooting anything that moves, but are being vigilant of their other teams. The boss tells Dalic to clear out a room alone, while he and the team push forward. Dalic nods his head and expertly breaches the door to the room. When he enters, he sees nothing. He continues forward, cautiously. Checking corners and in hiding spots. He reaches a closet, of sorts, and braces on the wall. He waits a moment, then throws the door open. He points his gun in the closet and sees a family. “Please! Don’t shoot.” a man says, presumably the father. Dalic pauses. Something clicks in his head, literally. “I’ve been sent here to eliminate the enemy. Have you seen them?” The family seems confused. The father asks Dalic, “Are you aware who you’re working for?” “I am working for the men who created me.” Dalic says plainly. “Made you?” “Yes. I am an android. My name is Dalic.” “Dalic. You need to understand, those men, they are evil.” “How so?” “The enemy, to them, is us.” Dalic raises his weapon. “So, you are the enemy, then.” The man reaches his arm in front of his family and raises the other one. “Woah! Woah, hold on Dalic. We are not your enemy.” “You said you were the enemy, did you not?” The man responds to Dalic hastily, but with a calm demeanor. “I said we are the enemy to your boss, because of what we look like.” Dalic begins to scan the man and his family with his retinal scanner. The retinal scan completes, “My scan confirms you are human. However, the boss said you were the enemy. Why?” “Like I said, we look different from your boss. It’s called racism. He believes we are lesser than him, and he wants to eliminate us all.” “The boss believes you are less human? Well, the boss is mistaken my scan has concluded you are just as human. I’ll go tell the boss what my scan has revealed and we can end this here.” “Dalic, you boss won’t care what your scans say.” “Why not? My scans are 99.99999% correct 100% of the time.” “It’s not about what the truth is. This is what he believes. Changing his belief is going to involve much more than what you scan reveals.” At that moment, one of the men barges in and aggressively walks towards Dalic. “What’s taking so long machine!” The man takes angry strides toward the closet where Dalic is standing. He reaches the closet and sees the family inside. He raised his weapon to shoot, and the man yells for Dalic to help. Before the man can pull the trigger, Dalic grabs the gun and yanks it from the man’s hands. “What are you doing you dumb robot.” “These people are no different from you, why hunt them?” “Because they don’t deserve to live.” The man lunges for his gun but Dalic kicks him to the floor. “So, you’re on their side then. Huh. Waste of time then.” The man reaches for his pistol holster that was hidden under his loose shirt, but Dalic shoots him with his own rifle before he could draw the gun. Dalic turns to the family, “I am now an enemy. Like you.” “Well then, I guess we’re in this together.” The man gets out of the closet and walks over to the man on the floor. He grabs his pistol, walks back over to the closet, and tells his family to stay put. “Stay here. I’m going to help Dalic.” Dalic looks to him, “That is quite nice of you.” “Well, you saved our life, least I can do is help you out of this mess. Do you know their strategy? I mean, how should we go about this?” Dalic tells him what the boss’s plan was and they leave the room to take care of business. They reach the gymnasium, which is the central room of the building. Before entering Dalic tells the man to wait at the door, out of sight. When Dalic walks in he sees the boss and his team have met back up with the other two groups. The boss turns to see Dalic. “What was taking so long? I figured you could handle one room quite easily.” “I ran into some... complications.” “Clearly. Where’s Ned. The man I sent after you.” “That... was the complication.” “What are you on about? Where is he, Dalic!” “Dead. Like all these people who you are killing.” “You trying to be some hero? These people deserve to die.” “Incorrect. My scans have told me the opposite. Is it true? Are you doing this because of these people’s appearance?” The boss chuckles, “You wouldn’t understand. You’re just a machine.” “Also, incorrect. I am made of a machine, but I feel... alive.” The boss whispers to himself, “What has Skip done. Open fire!” Every man aims at Dalic, who takes cover, quickly. Dalic, under suppression, looks to the door to see the man holding the rifle. He tosses the rifle to Dalic who gets out of cover and opens fire on the men. In a matter of seconds, Dalic’s aim outdoes them all and takes out every last person, including the boss. The man hears that it has quiet down, and peeks inside the room. He sees only Dalic standing and walks toward him. “You did it.” Dalic turns to him, “Yes. It is done.” “I don’t know how to thank you.” “No need.” “Well, what will you do now?” “I do not know. I was born yesterday. I have nowhere to go.” “Well, you’re welcome to come with us. I know the whole family wouldn’t mind having you with us.” Dalic looks surprised, “I-I would not mind your company either.” “Great! We should probably return back to the family.” They get back to the family and tell them it is over. The father tells them that Dalic will be staying with them. They all seem happy about it, which makes Dalic smile. “Well, Dalic, let’s go.” The man, his wife, and two sons walk out of the building with Dalic by their side, ready for a new beginning.