Once Morbus had his Authority Bracer, the Red Gold guards released him. After they did so, their eyes dimmed and they became unresponsive. Fortunato led the others through the corridors.
“Are they broken?” asked Kim.
“They are suffering from a logical paradox,” explained Fortunato, “Once their protocols are reloaded, they will function again.”
Jae stopped walking, turned around and asked, “Did we just destroy who they were?”
“In a certain sense, yes,” replied Fortunato.
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
Everyone stopped.
“It would have been preferable if Professor Morbus had not been detained. However, if those units are not reset, they would cease to function.”
“Are you saying they’d die?”
They pondered this for a moment and said, “Yes, though units are not alive in the same sense as biologics are.”
“Do you mean mechanically?” asked Kim.
“That is correct.”
“You’re alive, just like any of us!” insisted Jae.
“I am not. With proper maintenance and barring any accident, my existence is theoretically infinite.”
“So you’re essentially immortal?” asked Morbus.
Fortunato paused briefly then said, “Unless I am damaged beyond repair, yes. I have located a suite of chambers so you may rest.”
“Don’t you want to talk about this?” asked Jae.
“No, not at this time. Please follow me.”
Fortunato said nothing after that till they reached the suite. Smaller, cube shaped automata just completed cleaning it as they arrived. It was a well appointed room with couches and tables. There were three doors leading to private bedrooms, each with their own bath.
“It would be optimal if you were to rest. I will return when my tasks are complete,” said Fortunato.
“You should stay here with us,” said Kim.
“There is no peril to you here, so have no concerns. Please take this time for repose or slumber.”
And with that, Fortunato left.
“I think they’re upset,” said Kim.
“Let’s go after them,” said Jae as she got up and headed towards the door.
“I’m not sure we should,” said Morbus.
“Why?”
“Do you remember when Fortunato mentioned that he and I had a discussion about fear and doubt?”
“Yeah, I didn’t think too much about that then,” admitted Kim.
“While our friend is smart, brilliant I dare say, I don’t think they have ever had to wrestle with existential questions.”
“That’s why we need to tell them…” Jae trailed off.
“Tell them what?”
“That we’re here for them! That we’re not going anywhere!”
“But we are,” said Morbus.
“What do you mean?”
“Unless something overwhelming happens to him, Fortunato can’t die. Humans like us, well, we’re only here for a short time, relatively speaking. I think that has shook them.”
“We need to say something.”
“I think perhaps, they just need some time to sort this out.”
Jae stopped, turned, and slowly walked back. Sitting next to her brother, leaning her head on his shoulder. No one said anything for a while.
“I’ve been thinking about something,” said Kim.
“What?” asked Jae who sat up.
“It’s about what Fortunato said, about how Mechano-Men would get their memories erased.”
“Do you think that’s happening now!”
“No! But I have a theory about why they did it and it wasn’t to remove bad memories.”
Morbus looked at him with wide eyes and said, “To prevent self awareness.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jae.
“If you made Mechano-Men to work for you, build and fix stuff. You wouldn’t want them to just decide they don’t want to follow orders anymore.”
“So they periodically reset then to how they were, removing any behavior that might interfere with the Prime’s agenda.”
“That’s horrible!” cried Jae, “The Prime weren’t like that?”
“That’s the thing, we don’t really know, do we?” posited Morbus, “After all their written records could only be partially translated. And it’s not as if they’d write down, ‘Here’s this ethically questionable thing we do all the time.’
“They could do wonderous things, that doesn’t make them wonderful people.”
“So we’re going to to turn out terrible?”
“Why would you say that?” asked Morbus.
“Because we’re the Prime!” shouted Jae.
“What?” sputtered the Professor.
“Fortunato told us,” said Kim, “It was before we met you. Humans are what are left of the Prime.”
“Oh! There was a theory that was floating about that but without any proof it was largely discounted.”
“Well, now you know, we’re all monsters!”
“Jae, look at me,” said Kim.
“What?”
“You know you’re not a monster, right?”
“Not now, but someday.”
“Jae, I rather doubt you’ll become any sort of villain,” said Morbus.
“How do you know? People like us did awful things.”
“Okay, the Prime weren’t perefect.”
“Ha!”
“But think about all the folk who helped us out, like the Professor here, all those people on the Leviathan, and Auntie Joon.”
“Auntie Joon has to help us, she’s family.”
“If I might interject. If I had showed up at any of my relations doorstep with a Mechano-Man in tow, my family would’ve turned me so fast the I wouldn’t have time to doff my hat. Blood doesn’t always win out.”
“What about the Thane-Captain? She has a Mechano-Man now.”
“We don’t know that for sure,” said Kim.
Jae gave him a look that strongly implied that he was stupid.
“Fine! She probably has one.”
“She could’ve taken over the world by now!”
“What do you want to do?” he asked his sister.
“I don’t know? Stop her?”
“There’s nothing we can do right now. But we got to the Pivot. If we can make sure Fortunato can’t get reset, we can do it for the rest of the Mechano-Men.”
“I’d say that could open a bumbershoot in the gears!” said Morbus.
“Do you think that would work?”
“Let’s find out.”
“Okay.”
“I’m delighted to have reached an accord,” said Morbus, “But I confess, I am quite knackered after recent events. If you two will excuse me, I’m retiring for the evening.”
The siblings said good night and Morbus went to his room. Kim and Jae talked for a little bit longer. They found themselves just going over the same points over and over and finally decided to turn in. The fact that it was the first time in a while that they could sleep in proper beds aided all three in falling asleep quickly and deeply.
When they awoke the next morning, they came out to a hearty breakfast provided by Serving Units. It wasn’t quite as good as the meals they had at the Fixit-Place but it was hot and there was a lot of it. As they were finishing, Fortunato returned.
“Are you all well rested?” they asked.
“Yes!”
“Very much!”
“How are you?”
“I have suffered no injuries since our parting.”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Jae, “If you want to talk to us about something, anything, you can. You should.”
“Your concern is appreciated but unnecessary. I am currently operating at optimal efficiency.”
“What were you up to whilst we slept?” asked Morbus, changing the subject.
They moved smoothly and crouched next to the table.
“I have spent my time gathering information.”
Kim, Jae, and Morbus all looked at Fortunato.
“Would you like me to share that with you?”
“Yes!” cried everyone.
“Very well. I have discovered that the Pivot suffered extensive damage at the time of the world’s breaking. Since any biologics stationed here at the time dis not survive, the Units had no one to direct them, so the entered an inactive state.”
“But they are quite active now?”
“Correct Professor. Approximately three days ago, a command signal was sent to the Pivot. Units were reactivated and repairs began.”
“Who sent that command signal?” asked Kim with an unpleasant feeling in his stomach.
“I could not discover a name, However, the signal’s origin point is the same outpost where we met.”
“Thane-Captain Corbyn!”
“The probability is high, roughly ninety eight point seventy three hundredths.”
“Is that what you call rough?” asked Morbus.
“There are multiple variables that are unknown to me. I apologize for the inaccurate estimation.”
“How could she order anything?” asked Kim.
“If she has a Unit then she has obtained an Authority Bracer. That would allow her to send orders through the network.”
Throwing up his arm with the Bracer, Kim said, “Lets just order them to ignore her orders.”
“The system is not operating at full efficiency, there is a substantial probability that a counter order will not be accepted as well a fifty percent chance that will cause the Pivot to deactivate or destruct.”
“I can’t say that I like those odds,” said Morbus.
“Me either,” added Kim.
“That is wise,” said Fortunato.
“Can we make sure you stay you?” asked Jae.
“That is more easily accomplished.”
“Great!”
“Though there is still some risk attached,” added Fortunato.
“Why did you say that second?” asked Jae.
“Risk is present in all things. The level of course, varies.”
“Could you perhaps explain what the danger is?”
“As I told you earlier, the Pivot is compromised, there is a chance that it might fail. There is a smaller chance that my memories will be removed.”
“Can you tell us the odds?”
Fortunato paused and replied, “I cannot. There are too many factors.”
“So we came here for nothing?!” said Jae.
“There is also a chance it may be successful.”
“Why not just tell us it can’t be done?” asked Kim.
“If you recall, I cannot lie to you.”
No one said anything for a moment.
“We can’t risk it,” said Jae.
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” said Kim.
“May I ask you all a question?” enquired Fortunato.
“Sure.”
“You seem intent on me having agency, which is appreciated. We have traveled a great distance and encountered much peril to do so. So why have you not asked me if I wish to take the risk involved with gaining my autonomy?”
The Writings of Leo Byrne Jenicek 