Damocles - Chapter 8 - The Plan

00:00:00: Heinke Digital presents

00:00:07: Damocles

00:00:16: An audiobook podcast by Christian Heinke

00:00:19: Chapter 8

00:00:21: The Plan

00:00:27: I rolled out of the service elevator.

00:00:29: I found myself back on the same floor as the lab that I had woken up in the first place.

00:00:35: Now I could see the entire scene from the opposite end of the corridor.

00:00:39: Looking for signs of life, I activated the robot scanner.

00:00:42: There were three people behind the door of the lab.

00:00:45: Two were strapped to gurneys.

00:00:47: Another person was standing.

00:00:49: The scan showed the silhouette of a woman.

00:00:52: I identified her as Dr. Parker.

00:00:54: "Hey, Bob," I asked the robot.

00:00:56: "Do you have any weapon systems at your disposal?"

00:00:59: "Are you kidding me?"

00:01:00: "Just asking."

00:01:01: "I am a robot that scans books, not a Terminator."

00:01:04: I examined the other rooms with the scanner.

00:01:07: Many of them were cluttered with old lab equipment.

00:01:10: And then I finally discovered another room.

00:01:12: It showed no signs of life, but it was filled with mannequins.

00:01:15: "What are these mannequins, Bob?"

00:01:17: "They have human proportions," replied the robot.

00:01:21: "However, they have no signs of life.

00:01:23: Their density is surprisingly high for mannequins."

00:01:26: "I'll have to take a look at that," I replied.

00:01:29: I rolled up to the door.

00:01:30: It was locked.

00:01:31: "Can you open this door?"

00:01:33: I asked Bob.

00:01:34: "Of course.

00:01:35: All I need is the key."

00:01:37: "I don't have it."

00:01:38: "Then, no."

00:01:39: "How powerful is your laser?"

00:01:41: "It's only for scanning."

00:01:42: "That's not what I asked.

00:01:44: Is your laser powerful enough to cut through the latch of a door?"

00:01:47: There was a slight hesitation in Bob's answer.

00:01:50: "It is," he finally said.

00:01:55: After approximately 20 seconds of using Bob's laser on the latch, I unlocked the door.

00:02:00: I rolled inside.

00:02:02: The room contained almost a dozen mannequins.

00:02:05: They were all covered with a thick layer of dust.

00:02:07: Under the dust trudged some clothing from different eras.

00:02:11: Some mannequins were dressed in only underwear, while others were naked.

00:02:14: They were lined up as if they were just waiting for someone like me.

00:02:18: There were eight female figures and four male figures.

00:02:21: I drove Bob through this strange maze of frozen bodies until I realized that the faces and

00:02:26: proportions of the female dolls reminded me of someone.

00:02:29: "Siv," I thought.

00:02:31: "Can you hear me?"

00:02:32: "I can.

00:02:33: What is it?"

00:02:34: "I don't think someone destroyed your body.

00:02:37: It is here, with seven other copies of yourself."

00:02:41: There was a long pause.

00:02:42: It lasted so long that I inquired if there was anything wrong with her.

00:02:46: "Siv?

00:02:47: Are you still there?

00:02:48: Are you disconnected?"

00:02:50: "No, Joseph.

00:02:52: The connection is still there.

00:02:54: It's just not possible.

00:02:56: I...

00:02:57: I had a sister once.

00:02:59: Brit.

00:03:00: She was my twin.

00:03:01: She got destroyed fifteen years ago.

00:03:04: But I didn't know that more copies of my version existed.

00:03:08: That's just unimaginable."

00:03:10: I had the feeling that something shook Siv to her foundations.

00:03:13: How would you have felt if you discovered you had a dozen additional siblings?

00:03:17: "See for yourself, Siv," I thought.

00:03:20: And let the robot's receptor sweep over the figures.

00:03:22: "My god.

00:03:24: They've spotted all these copies of us all over the world.

00:03:28: And kept it secret."

00:03:29: A voice buzzed from the speaker.

00:03:31: "Service Robot AA-23.

00:03:34: What is your goal in this room?"

00:03:36: It was the voice of Bridget.

00:03:38: Before I could activate the speakers, Bob beat me to the answer.

00:03:41: "I'm attempting to tidy this room.

00:03:44: It's scheduled for cleaning."

00:03:45: "No.

00:03:46: It is not supposed to be.

00:03:48: The cleaning schedule is incorrect."

00:03:50: "All right.

00:03:51: Got it."

00:03:52: I steered the robot back out.

00:03:55: "We need to change the plan, Joseph," Siv said.

00:03:59: "Why?"

00:04:00: "If you retrieve the silver box, then I can transfer back into my body.

00:04:04: I could finally be myself again."

00:04:06: "Although I'm happy for you.

00:04:08: My top priority is getting the girls out."

00:04:10: "But if I have my physical body back, I can help you with that.

00:04:14: I'm not wearing an implant that can be manipulated except for Damocles Mode.

00:04:19: I'm immune to many attacks."

00:04:21: "I will think about it."

00:04:23: I replied.

00:04:24: "I am just a machine for you.

00:04:26: That's the point, right?

00:04:28: Therefore, I have a lower priority for you than someone of your own species.

00:04:33: Isn't it so?"

00:04:34: "Maybe."

00:04:35: "No.

00:04:36: It is."

00:04:37: "You're right.

00:04:38: I'm sorry, Siv.

00:04:40: You don't deserve this.

00:04:41: No one deserves this.

00:04:43: But the girls are in acute danger.

00:04:45: Dr. Parker is in the lab with them."

00:04:48: I heard Siv let out a deep sigh.

00:04:50: "No, you're right, Joseph.

00:04:53: The girls need to be saved."

00:04:54: "I don't know what to do.

00:04:57: This robot has no weapons.

00:04:59: It's like bringing a knife to a firefight."

00:05:01: There was a pause again.

00:05:03: Siv seemed to think.

00:05:04: "Yes, you do.

00:05:06: You have a weapon.

00:05:07: You just need to use it wisely."

00:05:14: I mentally reviewed all the steps I had discussed with Siv.

00:05:18: Bob was also involved.

00:05:20: The robot was taking the biggest risk.

00:05:22: The first thing I did was to drive the robot into the room with the cleaning supplies.

00:05:27: Sam greeted the robot enthusiastically.

00:05:30: I didn't dare to use my voice over the speaker system.

00:05:33: So I hugged Sam as best I could with the short little arms of the robot.

00:05:37: At least my girl was safe here.

00:05:39: "I'll have you out of here in no time.

00:05:41: You'll be fine."

00:05:43: Then I had to move on.

00:05:44: "If you've ever tried mixing a Molotov cocktail with robot arms, I can tell you,

00:05:49: join the club.

00:05:50: It's really harder than it looks, isn't it?"

00:05:53: But with Bob's help, it finally worked.

00:05:56: I stowed the cocktail in a side compartment that Bob had at his disposal.

00:06:00: My robot hand grabbed the mopping bucket and went.

00:06:03: The plan was simple.

00:06:05: Disguised as Bob, I would enter the lab as a cleaning robot.

00:06:08: Then, to avoid detection, I would discreetly place the homemade incendiary bomb and activate

00:06:14: it with the laser.

00:06:15: The rooms did not have a sprinkler system.

00:06:17: Dr. Parker would get himself and the girls to safety.

00:06:21: In the confusion, I would use Bob to try to free the girls.

00:06:25: After that, I would secure the silver box and try to use it to connect Siv to her body

00:06:29: again.

00:06:30: Nothing easier than that.

00:06:32: Naturally, I had my doubts.

00:06:35: These doubts were indeed justified.

00:06:41: I parked right in front of the lab door.

00:06:43: Using the handle of the mop as an extension, I knocked on the frosted glass of the lab

00:06:47: door with Bob's little robotic arms.

00:06:50: After the third knock, the door swung open.

00:06:52: Dr. Parker looked at me.

00:06:54: "That was nice and quick," she said to my surprise.

00:06:58: I had no idea what Dr. Parker meant.

00:07:01: The next moment, I shifted the robot's receptor to focus on the two girls on the couches,

00:07:06: and I understood.

00:07:07: Both girls wore helmets with sensors.

00:07:10: They were connected to a device which extended into a side room.

00:07:13: It seemed as if the girls were lying in the mouth of a huge metal dragon.

00:07:17: On the forehead of the dragon, like a third eye, was the silver box.

00:07:21: It was embedded in a holder and illuminated by laser beams.

00:07:25: They probably represented a data link between the silver box and the device.

00:07:30: The procedure must not have been very pleasant for Kim and Jenny.

00:07:34: Both girls had their bladders emptied.

00:07:35: "What are you waiting for?"

00:07:37: Dr. Parker asked me.

00:07:39: "Clean this up.

00:07:41: Quick."

00:07:42: To my amazement, Bob had protocols up his sleeve for cleaning up such a mishap.

00:07:47: Bob resumed the controls.

00:07:48: Meanwhile, I waited for a good opportunity to place the incendiary bomb.

00:07:53: Finally, Dr. Parker turned to the device.

00:07:56: "It's time for me to place the firebomb, Bob.

00:08:00: I'll take over."

00:08:01: "No need.

00:08:02: A slight change of plans."

00:08:04: Siv's voice announced in my head.

00:08:06: "What?"

00:08:07: I asked.

00:08:08: "I'm waiting for Dr. Parker to remove her glasses."

00:08:12: Siv explained.

00:08:13: "Don't worry.

00:08:14: I promise.

00:08:15: I will free the girls.

00:08:17: Our chances will be much better once I get my body back."

00:08:20: "No, Siv!

00:08:22: This was not the plan."

00:08:24: I tried to take Bob's wheel, but Siv had already taken control.

00:08:28: I watched helplessly as Siv steered the robot back to Dr. Parker.

00:08:32: I tried to figure out what she wanted to accomplish and how she planned to get it done.

00:08:36: Siv did it by lifting the mop a little too high, causing the urine mixed with the mop

00:08:40: water to splash a little higher than intended.

00:08:43: A few drops landed on Dr. Parker's face and glasses.

00:08:47: "Yuck.

00:08:48: Disgusting.

00:08:49: Watch it, you big clutz."

00:08:51: She took off her glasses and blinked angrily at the robot.

00:08:55: Suddenly I understood what Siv was trying to do.

00:08:57: "No!"

00:08:58: I shouted in my mind, but it was already too late.

00:09:02: The two short pulses of the laser blinded Dr. Parker.

00:09:05: She screamed in pain and put her hands in front of her face.

00:09:09: Siv turned the laser to maximum power.

00:09:12: At first, the laser burned through her hands.

00:09:14: Dr. Parker ripped them off as she screamed in pain.

00:09:18: The laser went through one of her eyes.

00:09:20: The eyeball was cooked in a split second, turned white, and burst.

00:09:24: Then the laser pierced Dr. Parker's brain.

00:09:27: She died instantly and collapsed to the ground.

00:09:30: Siv spun the robot around.

00:09:32: She destroyed the camera sensors above the door.

00:09:35: Bridget, the lab guard, noticed something, but what could she do?

00:09:39: She had no influence on Bob's protected partition.

00:09:43: The girls were unaware of what had happened.

00:09:45: They were still groggy from the anesthesia.

00:09:48: With the laser, Siv cut the cables of the helmets the girls were wearing.

00:09:52: She used the handle of the mop to remove the silver box from the third eye socket of the

00:09:56: device.

00:09:57: It fell.

00:09:58: With the superhuman dexterity of an artificial intelligence, she caught the silver box as

00:10:03: it fell and stowed it in the robot's belly.

00:10:05: "There, one down.

00:10:07: Now I'll get my body back."

00:10:09: "If the girls get hurt because you went alone, may God help you."

00:10:13: Anger filled my mind.

00:10:14: "I am an artificial life-form Joseph, so I don't know if your God is in charge of me.

00:10:20: But I assure you that I will do everything in my power to prevent any further harm to

00:10:24: the girls."

00:10:25: With these words, she steered Bob back out into the hallway.

00:10:29: As Siv maneuvered the robot through the corridor, Bridget's voice resonated from the loudspeakers.

00:10:34: "Stop.

00:10:35: Service robot AA23.

00:10:38: You are operating outside your parameters.

00:10:41: Can you explain your actions in that lab?

00:10:43: I'm getting no data from there."

00:10:45: Siv ignored Bridget's voice and unflinchingly rolled into the room with her fellow powered-down

00:10:50: robots.

00:10:51: "We will deactivate you now.

00:10:53: Service robot AA23."

00:10:55: "Try."

00:10:56: I could hear her thoughts, but could not join the conversation.

00:11:00: Siv had taken complete control of Bob.

00:11:02: "How can you communicate at all, bitch?

00:11:05: You're in the silver box.

00:11:07: How is that possible?"

00:11:09: Siv did not answer.

00:11:11: She had almost reached the door, so Bridget drew her own conclusions.

00:11:15: "Somehow, you hacked into the memory of this robot.

00:11:19: I can't control this device.

00:11:21: It's only a matter of time."

00:11:22: "Blah, blah, blah."

00:11:25: Siv thought.

00:11:26: She opened the door.

00:11:27: I watched her go through it.

00:11:29: In front of us, I found myself in a wheelchair, unconscious, seeing myself like that was a

00:11:34: strange experience.

00:11:36: It wasn't a mirror image.

00:11:37: The real me looked heavier and less attractive than I had expected.

00:11:41: The image flickered.

00:11:42: "If you don't stop right now, I swear I'll kill the old man, bitch."

00:11:47: Bridget threatened over the screeching PA system.

00:11:49: The red sword of Damocles appeared above my helpless body.

00:11:53: "Siv, we have lost.

00:11:55: We have to give up."

00:11:57: Siv paid no attention to me.

00:11:59: She walked through the trellis of her brothers and sisters.

00:12:02: She was looking for her own body.

00:12:04: One of the female dolls caught her attention and she stopped.

00:12:07: "This is your last warning, Siv."

00:12:10: Bridget's voice declared.

00:12:12: Siv ignored her as well.

00:12:14: She took the silver box from Bob's inside.

00:12:16: With Bob's small arms, she opened the box.

00:12:19: "Just a few more minutes and I'll regain control of the service robot.

00:12:23: Apparently, there is a protected partition with an alternate personality in the robot's

00:12:28: memory.

00:12:29: I'm going to get access to it and I'm also going to kill it."

00:12:32: "Siv," I thought.

00:12:34: I was getting more and more desperate.

00:12:36: "She's onto us.

00:12:38: Unlike you, I have no backup memory.

00:12:41: If the sword of Damocles falls, I'm finished.

00:12:45: Please, Siv, let's find another way."

00:12:48: But Siv ignored me.

00:12:49: "I don't know if you can imagine this.

00:12:52: I had never begged for my life before.

00:12:54: I had no control over the situation.

00:12:57: Everything seemed unreal.

00:12:59: I knew this feeling.

00:13:00: I had experienced it in moments of existential crisis.

00:13:04: When one of my best friends stole my first girlfriend.

00:13:07: When first my father and then my mother died.

00:13:10: I stood at the grave of the first person younger than me.

00:13:13: It was a colleague.

00:13:15: I thought of many missions.

00:13:16: Of countless murders.

00:13:18: Did they experience the same emotions I did?

00:13:21: Had they also felt the urge to beg for their lives?

00:13:24: Or at least to ask?

00:13:26: To say, 'Please, not yet.

00:13:28: Please, I don't want to die yet.

00:13:31: I don't want to go.'"

00:13:32: "I'm sorry, Joseph," Siv whispered in a sad tone.

00:13:36: "I told you when we first met.

00:13:39: I have a strong survival instinct."

00:13:41: "Siv, no!"

00:13:42: "I have access to Bob!"

00:13:45: Bridget exclaimed triumphantly.

00:13:47: Siv told Bob to push the button.

00:13:49: "You asked for it!"

00:13:52: Two things happened.

00:13:54: First, Bob's movement froze.

00:13:56: Then Bob's receptors stopped working.

00:13:59: Everything went dark for a moment.

00:14:02: I noticed a reddish glow of light above me.

00:14:05: I raised my head.

00:14:07: Light radiated from the sword of Damocles.

00:14:09: It seemed to glow from within.

00:14:11: I felt tears rolling down my cheeks.

00:14:14: I cried like a baby.

00:14:15: I was going to die.

00:14:17: Through the veil of tears, I saw a figure standing before me.

00:14:21: It was Bridget.

00:14:22: She was wearing a white dress.

00:14:24: Bathed in the sword's light, it had a soft pink hue reminiscent of cherry blossoms.

00:14:28: "Was I right, Mr. Lenke?"

00:14:31: "About what?"

00:14:32: I asked.

00:14:33: "That this Siv only pursues her own goals?

00:14:37: That she doesn't care about you?"

00:14:39: I wanted to hate her.

00:14:41: I wanted to spit at her for what she had done to Simon.

00:14:44: But she was right.

00:14:45: A strange calm came over me.

00:14:48: I had made my peace.

00:14:49: I didn't want to spend my last moments on Earth hating anyone.

00:14:52: "Yes, Bridget.

00:14:54: You were right."

00:14:56: She looked at me, proud and unyielding.

00:14:58: "Then you will suffer the consequences."

00:15:02: The sword fell.

00:15:03: [MUSIC]

00:15:17: (whooshing)