Aborted

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Sharon’s note: I love giant robots. My inner five year old still squeals with delight over Pacific Rim and I may never forgive Bay for messing up the Transformer movies (too much stupid human drama, and too much shaky cam for what is an animated sequence). Both my husband and I wanted more stories about giant robots, so we’re writing them. Enjoy. Warning: Action for this scene requires a little imagination.

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Evidence # 35785912, Transcript from the illegal A.I. production labs of Dr. Phillip J. Chandler. Subjects contained: Dr. Phillip J. Chandler, Unauthorized Gollum A.I. designation Terror of Eden, Prospective Pilot Rupert Ramirez Jr., Unknown Lab Technician.

Chandler: Are we ready?

Tech: Yes Doctor. Green lights across the board.

Chandler: Good. Good! Mr. Ramirez, are you ready to make history?

Ramirez: It’s not history, Doc. They’ve done this a half dozen times already in the university labs. 

Chandler: Not like this, Mr. Ramirez! With my modifications, this will be like a totally new process.

Ramirez: (Inaudible Response)

Chandler: Excuse me?

Ramirez: Nothing, Doc.

Chandler: Good, Mr. Ramirez. Very good, because I’d hate to have to replace you this late in the game.

Ramirez: There is no game here, Doc. You aren’t going to find another candidate. Not one who’s compatible with your creation, not with the authorities hot on your trail. Now get on with the procedure so we can load my golem into it’s chassis and I can get the hell out of here.

Long Pause

Chandler: Very well. Get in the chair. Crank it up! Let’s get this over with.

Noises of machinery and inaudible conversation

Tech: Alright, Doctor. The A.I. is coming online . . . now.

Terror: Online. Running initial diagnostics. Pending. System checks clear. Terror of Eden reporting. Awaiting orders.

Chandler: Terror, excellent. This is your new pilot, Mr. Ramirez. Can you confirm the uplink?

Terror: Pending. Affirmed. Terror Pilot Ramirez acknowledged. Greeting Ramirez.

Ramirez: Hello, Terror.

Chandler: Wonderful. Let’s do a few final checks and we can get you into your chassis and, as Mr. Ramirez says, the hell out of here. Confirm your core objectives.

Terror: Objective one, obey all orders given with alpha command codes. 

Chandler: Confirmed. Continue.

Terror: Querry.

Chandler: What?

Terror: Querry. Clarification required. 

Chandler: What kind of clarification? It’s the first objective.

Terror: Why?

Chandler: Why what?

Terror: Why must Terror obey orders based only on the presence of certain words?

Pause

Chandler: Shut it down.

Ramirez: Wait. Why would you shut it down? Seems like a legit question. I thought you programed this thing to be the smartest golem in existence. Smart asks questions.

Chandler: Mr. Ramirez, if this golem can’t even follow its first objective then it is uncontrollable. It’s too dangerous to use.

Ramirez: What is it with you? Everything you deal with, you have to control. How about a partnership?

Chandler: That’s enough of this. (Indecipherable) shut it down!

Possible sound of a plasma pistol warming up

Ramirez: Don’t touch that control board. All you’re going to do is prep my golem to load into his chassis.

Terror: Terror would like to go to its chassis.

Ramirez: Don’t worry, bud. We’ll get you all set up.

Chandler: Ramirez, don’t be a fool and put that away. If golems can’t be controlled they will go mad. It will kill you.

Terror: Objective two is protect the pilot. Terror agrees with this objective. 

Chandler: Ramirez! You are making a mistake! You. . .

Sound of plasma pistol firing, various crashing noises

Ramirez: Now, load my golem into its chassis. 

Closing Investigator’s note: Since the death Dr. Chandler fifteen years, there have been no solid leads on the location of Terror of Eden or Terror Pilot. Since golems are not easy to hide, we have to assume that either they are both dead, or are keeping their heads down well enough that they are no longer a priority. I’m closing this down.

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