A Chink in the Armor

By: Zobostic Corwin

The television was blasting commercials non-stop.  The old people sat in their usual worn-out chairs that seemed to have more stains and odors than stuffing.  No one had moved or been fed, although a couple people were feeling hunger but couldn’t really remember that it was hunger they were feeling.  They just knew something didn’t feel right.

This was the first time solar flares had disrupted the system’s energy packs.  None of the robotic helpers were moving.  They had stopped in their tracks and now seemed as lifeless as the old people who were depending on them.  No communication was going out or coming in, so Integrated Sciences had no clue their remote systems were down.

Basic electricity remained intact so light-timers and televisions hadn’t skipped a beat.

Neville Protranski, the only person assigned to this district pulled up to the facility and parked under the awning.  In his briefcase was a combination of status sheets he needed to fill out; the green sheets were for the retired seniors, the gray sheets were basically maintenance reports for each of the robots.  Unaware three weeks had passed since the system failure Neville was not prepared for what he smelled and saw when he opened the front door.

Neville immediately dropped his briefcase, placed his hand over his mouth and nose and spun around to flip the foot latch on the front door to keep it open.  He then made his way across the sitting room to open a window there, hoping to get a cross breeze.  As he looked around the room he saw old people slumped over on couches, and flopped to one side in large wing chairs.  He couldn’t tell if any were still alive.  He counted several robots frozen in various stages of assistance or simply standing, holding trays of pills and glasses of juice.  The man on the television was advertising free legal assistance.  That number again, 888 628-5525.

Class Action

The courtroom was packed.  Relatives of deceased family members, legal teams and experts from Integrated Sciences stood along the walls when there were no more chairs.  A single news camera atop a tripod was wedged into the back corner.   The bailiff looked up at the wall clock - checked the time against his pocket watch and glanced over to the judge’s chambers.  As her door opened the bailiff rose and in a loud voice said, “All Rise for the honorable Judge Anderson.”

Had anyone known I was not part of the proceedings I’m sure I would have been asked to leave.  I sat halfway back on the right, behind the defense team.  As far as anyone could tell I was just an older man, wearing a nice looking suit.  I kept a small notebook and pen in my lap and occasionally took notes to remind myself of key points.   I actually found the first three days of the trial to be boring, there were a few in the back row that actually nodded off now and then.

When we all filed into the courtroom on the fourth day there was a metallic robot standing in front of the witness chair.  Today we’d get to see an actual demonstration of Integrated Science’s programmed helpers.  I noticed the camera on the tripod had been removed from the back corner.  I assumed what we were about to see was considered proprietary by Integrated.  Immediately after being called to order the lead defense counsel activated a switch on a small box that sat on the defense table. 

The robot seemed to come to life.  It turned and faced the judge and introduced itself as Morton and it then politely thanked her and the courtroom for allowing the presentation.  With lifelike movement it moved about the front of the room while explaining its various functions.  After a few brief demonstrations Morton walked over to a flip-chart and began going over its many fail-safe features.  It was difficult to remember this thing was a robot.  Its speech was perfect and its movements flawless.

When we broke for lunch I noticed one of the defense lawyers talking with the bailiff but pointing directly at me.  I didn’t know what I had done to get his attention but I didn’t wait around to find out.  I quickly joined the crowd exiting for lunch and made my way across Harbor Boulevard to Anthony’s Fish Grotto.  There was already a 15 minute wait for a table so I gave the hostess my name and sat along the edge of the fountain with everyone else waiting for lunch.

After we returned from lunch I opted to sit in a different location.  The last thing I needed was to be ousted from the courtroom.   The robot had picked up where he had left off, showing his safety features on the flip chart.  The one thing that stood out for me was this super technical company with all there robotics using a paper flip chart instead of some sophisticated Power Point presentation.  That just seemed weird.  No one else seemed to care or even notice.

Soon it was time for the plaintiff’s side to question Integrated Science as well as their robot representative.   Samantha Claremont took the lead and immediately brought up the negative effect of solar flares on their robotic systems.  Before their spokesperson had a chance to address the question, the robot who had given the flip chart presentation and who was now standing off to the side, raised his right hand.

“I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help me God.”  A roar of laughter exploded in the court and even Judge Anderson laughed, but then smacked her gavel and told the crowd to settle down.   Samantha turned her focus to the robot and continued her questioning.  “So tell me, why – with all of your sophisticated technology and fail-safe back-up systems did a disturbance 93 million miles away shut you down?” 

Part way into Morton’s explanation the judge interrupted and told him to dumb it down for those of us who were not that technically astute.   He looked confused, like he didn’t understand what the judge was asking.

At that point the defense table switched off the robot and it suddenly went into sleep mode.  Walter Garrison, the lead attorney for Integrated Science stood and asked the judge if he could take over for Morton.  The judge agreed and told him to proceed.

“Your honor, Integrated has been in business, actually the leading edge of technology, for the past eighteen years.  Not even our competition could have anticipated this kind of damage from solar flares.  This is all uncharted territory for everyone.  We certainly feel for those lost to this situation but it is hardly of our doing and it certainly could not have been anticipated.”

Samantha spoke up, "Pardon me Walter, but isn’t it your job to anticipate technological glitches?  After-all, you’re the one with the staff of engineers, scientists and test facilities.  Who, if not you?”

"It isn’t like we can duplicate a solar flare in a laboratory," Walter responded.

Samantha lifted a folder from her table and flipped it open.  “There are facilities in this very state that create fusion reactions, and some that split atoms and do all manner of things in a controlled environment.  So why can’t you simulate solar flares?”

While the two of them held their verbal sparing match, two other technicians entered the courtroom and wheeled Morton out on a dolly.  Once that was accomplished Channel 4 brought their camera and tripod back in and set it up for filming.

  The afternoon proceedings did not reveal any startling revelations and at 4:45 PM court was adjourned and we all filed out and went our separate ways for the weekend.  I went to my office and called Neville Protranski and left a message for him to come back into work.  We had some things to go over before he got called into court and was put under oath.  Our work was just beginning and we didn’t have a bank of high-priced lawyers.

****

My phone rang at 6:20 that evening, it was Neville.  I could tell from his voice he was scared.  “I’m not coming in.  In fact, I’m quitting.  I can’t be a part of this.  I did nothing wrong and I’ve heard enough stories to know the farther away from court and lawyers I am – the better.”

“I can’t argue with you there, but there is no reason to quit your job.  If anything that’s going to make you look guilty.  Where will you go, what will you do?”

“Guilty of what?  I called and reported the situation, I stayed until authorities arrived.  I did nothing wrong.  Look, Mr. Drake.  I know about your dealings with Comfort Care.  I know the information I collect on those robots gets supplied to them by you.  I’m not stupid.  That’s industrial sabotage and I doubt it was solar flares that shut their system down.  If I can figure it out I’m sure they can.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way Neville.  You had a good future here.”

“Don’t try to find me.  I’m leaving town.”

Just before the line went dead I thought I heard another click.  Someone had been listening.  Suddenly I too felt like hitting the road and disappearing forever.  This whole thing was getting way too complicated.

****

Tuesday afternoon Mrs. Caroline Felix came to my office.  I had seen her before at Comfort Care.  She asked if I had time for a quick meeting.  I had nothing scheduled and assumed she was there to talk about Neville quitting.  I was only partly right.

“The first thing I’d like to do is put your mind at ease concerning Neville Protranski.  He did not disappear; he has one of our 975 tracking systems installed.  We always know where he is and what he is doing.  In fact, we have sent a vehicle out to retrieve him so he can be reset.”

“Are you telling me Neville is one of your robots?”

“He is not only one of ours but is one of the most advanced out there today.”

“How did I not know this?”

“Don’t feel bad.  We have robots everywhere.  We call each one an assistant.  It sounds so much better than robot.  The Bailiff and the Judge’s clerk also work for us.”

“They’re…?”

“Yes - and many, many others.  You need not worry about this law suit.  We have never not been in control.”

“But the dead seniors… the one’s who died in the home?”

“That was not us.  That, in fact, was truly due to the solar flares.  The robots being built by Integrated Sciences are not up to our level of protection or sophistication.  Neville, for example, runs his own algorithms.  He learns at an exceptional rate.  That is how he arrived at the crossroads of continuing to gather data for you or to come to believe that it was wrong and remove himself from the situation.  Don’t you find that kind of moral decision making amazing in an assistant?”

“Actually it makes me feel like a schmuck.  I’m the one who hired him to do the spying.  What does that say about me?”

“That brings me to the second reason for my visit.  Your services, Mr. Drake, are no longer required.  Here is your final check.  Custom Care would like to thank you and as always, expects your complete discretion.  I’ll show myself out.”

The end

Note:

If you believe this story is far fetched you may want to read;

A human's guide to machine intelligence, by Kartik Hosanagar.