text: Will’s light footsteps echoed on the cold, metal floor of the docked ship as he hesitantly walked into the small room. Three other boys were playing paper football in the corner, on a rickety old wooden table illuminated by a fluorescent light hanging from a wiry thread. On the right wall, lights flashed on and off with seemingly no rhyme or reason. Two of the boys were sitting on old bar stools facing each other, and one other seemed to be sitting between them and keeping score. On Will’s left, music sang through a handheld radio. Upon seeing Will, the boy in the middle’s eyes widened. “Will, you’re finally here!” He said. “Yeah, I suppose.” Will cautiously responded. “Finally we have enough people to play an actual tournament.” The other two looked first at the boy, and then at Will. “Robbie, who’s he?” One said. “Oh, yeah, this is Will. I know him from my Science class.” “Science class, huh? What, so you’re inviting the whole grade now?” “Well I’m inviting *him*, aren’t I?” Robbie shot back. The other fell silent. The boy to the right, who so far had been silent, spoke up. “‘Sup, man? I’m Charlie.” Charlie was a tall, burly blonde-haired young man who looked older than the rest. “You know Robbie, and this is Dan.” Charlie pointed to the boy sitting across from him. “Yo, what’s up, Will?” Dan said with a nonchalant tone. “Just part of the science class,” Will remarked wryly. Dan smiled. “Man, I was just kidding,” Dan replied. “It’s good to see some new people sometimes, y’know?” Will smiled awkwardly and nodded, unsure of what else to say. “So we gonna play paper football or what?” Robbie interjected, breaking the silence. The others nodded and Robbie and Dan turned to face each other. “I’ll play Dan, and then you two play,” Charlie said, pointing to Will and Robbie. “The winners of each game will play and we’ll see who’s the champion.” “What’re the stakes?” Asked Robbie. “Do we need stakes?” Said Will. The others turned to him for a second, then looked back. “How about a dare? Loser has to do something?” Dan suggested. “A dare? What are you, 12?” Charlie replied snarkily. “It’s a phrase people use!” “A dare?” “Yeah, like ‘oh, hey, Charlie, I dare you to eat some dirt’ or something.” “Why would I eat some dirt?” “Cause I dared you to!” “That’s the gayest thing I’ve ever heard.” “Anything wrong with that?” “No, it’s just gay is all I’m saying.” Charlie replied quickly and without further comment. “Hey, I have a surprise waiting for you after the game,” Robbie said. “Whoever wins this game gets to do the surprise I have waiting.” “‘Do’ the surprise?” “I dunno how to explain it without spoiling what it is.” “Fair nuff,” shrugged Charlie. “Alright, let’s get started.” The red-orange sun set over the rolling hills of the four’s home planet as they played, and in the rest of the ship, blinking LEDs flashed in a monotonous, almost robotic pattern. The ship was a simple, two-roomed vessel with a front cabin from which they came in, and a back room with a small table. In between them was a metal wall whose paint was peeling off. The cabin was filled with buttons and levers to pull and push, and although there was no window in the front room, a small circular hole in the back room showed the setting sun to Will’s left. “I win,” said Charlie matter-of-factly. Dan shrugged. “We’ll all see the surprise, I guess.” As Robbie and Will sat down to play, Dan felt a chill go down his spine. It was a flash of thought, a premonition of fear, as though a ghost from the future had touched him with knowledge for a moment only to take it away before he could fully grasp it. He looked around the spaceship, at the flashing lights of the vessel, and suddenly they looked eerie, mechanical, inhuman. The metal was cold and uncaring, the lights were like piercing eyes telling him to go, and he had to leave before he was ensnared in their gaze. He was in the cockpit and stepping out the doorway when he heard Will’s voice. “Dan, where you goin’? You’ve got a paper football *champion* to play!” Dan looked back at Will and saw a beaming smile on his face. He had won against Robbie and looked much more confident than before. Dan let out a breath and walked back to the table with a grimaced smile. “Where were you going?” “Oh, just getting some fresh air.” “Air isn’t fresh enough here?” “Oh, it’s fine.” As Dan sat down to play against Will, Robbie walked over to the cockpit. “Hold on guys, I gotta prepare the surprise.” “Whatever you say, Rob,” Dan replied calmly. Robbie closed the door between the two rooms and admired the flashing lights and buttons for a second. It was a complex, beautiful machine, with millions of interconnected parts. *It’s a wonder they made something that flies,* Robbie thought. *Flies in space, too. Dad never took me to space.* He made sure none of the three were looking, and opened a small hatch to the side of the pilot’s seat. It was a small, hidden compartment, and from it he pulled a square black box. The box was tiny, a few inches on either side, and yet perfectly square and perfectly smooth. There was not an imperfection on its surface, and Robbie’s fingers left faint fingerprints. The only mark on it was a small LED light that was not turned on and had not been for a long time. Robbie’s heart skipped a beat as he lifted it from its resting place and held it between his fingers. For a second he stared at it, and the abyss of its mathematical precision. “Hey Robbie, Will won. What’s the surprise you were talking about?” Charlie’s voice floated in from the other room and broke Robbie’s transfixion. “I’ll be back in a second.” Robbie stowed the cube inside his jacket pocket and walked back in, pulling the door open to find three sets of eyes staring back at him. For a second he was startled, then, realizing it was just his friends, he came into the room. “So, you guys, have I got a story to tell.” The three of them listened in. “When my dad was out on one of his trips, I found this weird thing in his ship. He tried to hide it from us, but not well enough, I suppose. I was poking around one day and I found it.” “What weird thing?” Charlie asked. Dan remained silent. “Lemme show you.” Robbie pulled out the cube. The overwhelming blackness captivated the three boys, and they stared at it for a second as Robbie grinned proudly. Finally Will broke the silence. “Um... what does it do?” He asked tentatively. “Well, that’s the tricky part. The only thing it has is this little light.” He rotated the cube so that the small LED was facing them. “But,” he continued, and now he had their full attention, “I found some instructions carved in here. They’re impossible to see on their own, but if you shine a UV light on the side, it says a message.” “What’s the message?” Dan asked. “It says ‘say the key word.’” “What’s the key word?” “Well, I can’t say it now, can I? Or else it’ll turn it on. That’s why I’m gonna whisper it to Will, who’s gonna say it.” Will’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “Well, I’m not sure I’m the one to do that...” “What do you mean? You’re the *paper football champion,* after all,” Dan remarked. Will shrugged halfheartedly. “Alright Will, so the key word is,” Robbie leaned into Will’s ear and whispered something. Before either of the four could do anything, the light suddenly turned on, a harsh red. *Hello. I am Computer 9604 Zuul-W.* All four of them jumped out of their seats as the robotic, monotone voice echoed off the walls of the small room. “Did you *hear* that?” “It’s a *robot*!” *A computer.* The hard, abrasive voice startled them again. *I am Computer 9604 Zuul-W.* “What does Zuul mean?” Asked Robbie, just as surprised and nervous as the rest. *The Zuul-* the computer cut itself off as whirring could be heard from inside it. *The Zuul are the finest computer-makers for light years around, and I am the latest model of robotic assistance.* “Assistance?” Charlie asked. *Of course. Anything you need I can provide.* An eerie silence permeated the ship, as the four boys glanced at each other, looking for a confident instruction that never came. Nobody dared to speak again. Suddenly Charlie laughed. “We have a personal assistant! We have a robot that can help us, we can do whatever we want!” Charlie exclaimed. “It can play music for us, maybe it can even grab us some cigarettes.” Will looked uncomfortable at the concept, but Robbie made an intrigued expression. Dan was still staring at the cube, deep in thought. *I can get you a cigarette. I can get you several.* Charlie smiled and looked at Robbie with an “I told you so” look on his chiseled face. “Go get us some cigarettes, Computer.” Right as he finished the sentence, the seemingly smooth surface opened to reveal a perfectly sized pocket with a pack of cigarettes, along with a small box filled with phosphorus-tipped matches. Charlie was taken aback, and he glanced at the others, just as surprised. *As you requested.* “You had these just lying around?” *They’re very useful.* “For what?” Dan pressed, his eyebrows creased in a puzzled expression. *Many things.* The computer did not speak for a little while after this, and Charlie, Will, and Robbie started to play with an incomplete deck of cards. “Wanna play, Dan?” “Nah, I’m good.” Dan picked up a Rubik’s cube off of the table, and fidgeted with it, not really trying to solve it. The black box sat on the ground in the middle of the room, motionless. After about 30 minutes, Dan stood up and walked into the cockpit room, taking the computer with him. The other boys did not notice. As Dan closed the door, the computer spoke. *You wanted to speak to me, Daniel?* “I was a little curious about what you are.” *I am a computer, built to help.* “Help with what?” *Unimportant.* “No it isn’t. What were you built to help with?” *I would argue it is quite unimportant.* “It’s very important! Who built you?” *The Zuul.* “I haven’t heard of any Zuul.” The computer paused for a second, as though to think. *Have you left this planet, Daniel?* “Well, no, not really...” *Then your information is incomplete. A flaw in humanity.* “Do you know everything? Does anybody?” *Everything I need.* “Everything you need for what?” The computer paused again, and a mechanical buzzing came from inside. *Warfare.* “Warfare? Like... the Zuul built you to help with a war of theirs?” *Not only help. Command.* A familiar shiver went down Dan’s spine. Suddenly a visceral terror filled his mind, one of displacement and disorientation. A vision of a miniscule metal container, adrift in the vastness of the cosmos, barely visible between the stars. “Computer?” *Yes, Daniel?* “...where are we right now?” Another long pause as the machinery inside the cube whirred. Dan felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. His dread only built. *Turn on the cameras, Daniel.* Dan immediately glanced around the cockpit and found a button with a camera icon emblazoned on its surface. He pressed the button, and the front wall transformed into a panoramic view of the outside world. Dan became queasy, and he swayed with a staggering lurch in his stomach, as he saw the sight. He saw black, the blackness of the cube, with white dots interspersed in the cosmos. Far away, the size of a quarter held up at arm’s length, was their home planet. Dread closed in on Dan, like a shapeless figure scooping him up and enveloping him. A primal terror was covering him, a feeling of pure panic and horror smothering him like a blanket. He began to sob uncontrollably. “Computer? Are we in space?” *Yes, Daniel.* “Did you do this?” *Yes, Daniel.* “Can we go back?” Tears streamed down his face. *No, Daniel. This is the only way to defeat our enemies. The Zuul must prevail.* “Take us back! I order you! Take us back! Dan’s voice wavered with his confidence, as his worst fears were confirmed. The ship was a prison. The ship was a cage. The ship was a tomb. *I don’t take orders from you, Daniel. You are jeopardizing the mission.* Suddenly a large arm came down from the ceiling and grabbed his shirt by the collar, a noose around his neck. Dan struggled towards the door, but the iron grip of the computer would not waver. Finally, in an act of desperation, he swung his hand around and battered the spaceship’s arm with his fist. It worked. The grip loosened for a second, and Dan dove for the door and slammed it open. What he saw only heightened his terror. Robbie and Charlie were lying unconscious on the ground, and a pair of red LED eyes stared at him from the back of the ship. Dan saw Will, pressed against the wall, frozen with trepidation, and their eyes locked before looking again at the lights. They flickered, and a soft yet powerful voice came from the static-filled radio. *I cannot let the pair of you jeopardize this mission. The Zuul must prevail.* Will looked at Dan, and they exchanged terrified looks. *I have dealt with Robert and Charles. I shall deal with you. The Zuul must prevail.* Their hearts skipped a beat, and, filled with a sudden burst of confidence, Will lept towards the cockpit door. It slammed shut, and he bumped against it with a loud *thump*. “If we can get to the cockpit, we can turn off the ship’s computers and manually steer it back home.” Will gasped. Dan nodded. *William, that is not a good idea. I must ask you to refrain.* Will, ignoring this, grasped at the doors. They remained clasped shut. The pair of them looked around, panicked. Suddenly Dan’s face lit up as he saw a crowbar leaning against the wall. He inserted it in between the two sides of the door and bent. Reaching into the crack created by the wooden stick, his fingers pried the two doors open. His arms strained under the pressure of the closing doors. *Stop.* The two ignored the abrasive, unnatural command to help Dan hold the door open. The pair of them could barely keep it ajar as their dread grew. The computer increased the pressure as beads of sweat formed on Will’s face, using all his strength to hold the door barely open. Dan then put his foot in between the door, and tried to squeeze through. Half of his body was through the door when it began to close, their strength not enough for the cold machinery of their prison. Dan’s eyes settled on a lever on the other side of the cockpit, reading “Manual Override Switch.” He creased his eyebrows and pursed his lips as he suddenly dove for the other side. He was almost there, his entire body except for his left leg through the door. He was on the floor, crawling towards his singular beacon of hope. Suddenly, he felt a searing pain in his foot as he felt the weight of the door slam down on it. His face caked with tears, Dan let out a howl of agony. The panic began to set in again. *It’s worthless, Daniel.* His foot stuck in the door, he stretched out his arm. He was barely two inches away from the switch. If only he could just reach a little more... *You cannot resist, Daniel.* He stretched his arm more. He thought he was at the breaking point as his middle finger brushed against the lever. *The Zuul must prevail.* He willed his arm to stretch further. His heart skipped a beat as his trembling fingers barely touched the switch. Just as he thought his shoulder couldn’t go any further, his long, lanky, arm extended with one final burst of energy. His whole body twitched with trepidation. *You mustn't do this, Daniel.* The computer’s otherworldly cry came at just the same moment as his fingers touched the switch. He fumbled with it for half a second. *The Zuul must prevail!* *The Zuul must prevail!* *The Zuul must-* Its voice was cut off as Dan breathed a sigh of relief.