Anywhere But Here

“I’m sensing a lot of tension. I would advise that you remove yourself from the situation, Avery,” Gee said. Dorian was dumbfounded. An actual Union Droid? Here? Now? He had a myriad of questions he needed to ask, but he was more focused on the present, which saw his friend being manhandled by the Mayor of his community. To his surprise, Avery did not move, or rather could not be moved. Despite Mayor Neeves pushing and pulling him every which way, he remained rooted to the spot he was standing in.

“I-I-I won’t move until you apologise. Both of you.”

Therion chuckled dismissively. “I'm afraid that's not how it works, Avery. I'm the one who tells you what to do, not the other way round. Now, you are currently holding a very illegal piece of equipment. I don't know how you got it, but it would be in your best interest to give it back to me. You probably already know this, but there will be serious consequences for you if you do not.”

“No.”

“Avery…This isn't a game. You guys wanted to be treated like adults, so this is me treating you like an adult. Give me the machine.”

“We could do with an explanation.” Dorian felt betrayed. He was just beginning to come to an understanding with the Mayor, and now it appeared that he had been played. It seemed funny to him that the more confident Avery looked, the more unsure of himself he was. The thought made Dorian feel ashamed.

Maybe the Mayor had been right about him. Maybe he was just being selfish.

“An explanation? From me? You are children! You're lucky to have a roof over your head and food on the table! Which, by the way, is all because of me! I'm the one that brings you peace, I'm the one that keeps you safe, I've given you everything you could ask for and you still don't respect me!”

“Why are you w-worried about getting respect from children? Are you that desperate to have everyone k-kiss your feet?”

“You should!” The Mayor was almost pleading. Avery could sense his desperation. The fog was lifting. He couldn’t understand how people could look up to this man. Sure, he looked powerful when he strode about Greenhaven like he owned the place. Now though? Now he was just a man who scrambled to get up off the ground, and he wasn’t having much success at that, either.

“Why was Gee imprisoned in my basement? It's a living thing with consciousness. You can't treat it that way, even if you are the Mayor.”

“That thing,” Mayor Neeves growled under his breath. “Is a murderer. They all are.”

All? There was more than one? Dorian always thought the possibility could be true. Lugus used Union technology, as broken down as it was. He had wondered why the planet had never used robots. He had only seen them in vids left by his Grandpa.

But murder?

Surely they would’ve heard about it growing up? There would have been stories, warnings, but Dorian remembered no such talk, not even from his Mum.

Why?

“So? Even if that were the case, it's not like Gee did anything. You can't come out and say that just because one robot did something, Gee will too.” Avery held Gee away from Therion defensively. “How is this different from using a solar panel or a med bay?”

“You are too young to remember, you don't understand! We embraced their technology, and it turned on us! All the promises they gave us and, in the end, they left us with things that tried to kill!”

“Why would they do that?” Dorian spoke up. “And why haven’t we heard about it? You would think that if there was some kind of big event like that, maybe we should have been told? I mean, I know you have a pretty low opinion of your subjects to begin with, but this is ridiculous."

“Dorian’s right. You said while you were talking to him earlier that you wanted to look after people like me. I have been brought up in a place that teaches me to hate technology, to be tough, to be masculine. I've spent my entire life living in a place where I felt like I didn't belong. That was you. Y-you did that.”

Therion shrugged. “And how else are we meant to defend ourselves? Would you rather we be like your friend? Stamping his feet and throwing his toys out the pram because ‘oh gosh, authoritarian overreach!’ We need to be strong. Lest you forget, we have an enemy many, many times bigger than us next door.”

“One that hasn’t bothered us in the thirteen years since you pulled us out.” Dorian took a step toward his friend. “I haven’t seen the trail of a Union ship, or any ship for that matter, since I’ve been alive. I’m pretty sure people here would be a lot more welcoming in general if they had other people to interact with. Stop lying to us. There is no threat. Well, not from the outside, anyway.” Dorian placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I guess I’ll say it first. I’m sorry Avery, I hope you can forgive me.”

Avery smiled. "Oh, I a-already have.”

“I detect your heart rate has increased, Avery. Is this because of the stress of the argument? I suggest that you go inside.”

“Now really isn’t the time Gee!” The two boys yelled simultaneously.

“Oh, this is getting ridiculous! I don't even know why I have to explain things to you. I'm the bloody Mayor! I can do whatever I want. If I wanted to call your dad over right now and have you arrested, I could. Why am I even talking to you? What a waste of my time.” The Mayor called Satoshi over. “I warned you.”

***

Rowan stood in between Satoshi and the children. Her eyes focused on the Captain intently with her axe over her shoulder. Her voice was focused on Therion. “I knew this would happen. I saw what the Union did to Dad, how it wore him down. I trusted you, but I knew this is what it would lead us to. Now look, you’ve got what you wanted. A nice little audience to pander to.” Rowan spat on the ground in disgust.

“I have no idea what you mean.” The smile was back on Therion’s face. The people of the community had been disturbed by the argument. Bleary eyed and Tired, exactly where Therion wanted them. “It seems to me that you’re intent on aiding criminals, Mrs Pepper.” The Mayor stepped aside so the crowd could see Gee nestled in Avery’s arms.

There were a few gasps and a lot of cussing. One old man tried to make his way through the crowd but was stopped by his friends. “You see, this is what happens when I'm too lenient. I tried to give these children the benefit of the doubt, thinking that they would one day mature. I was wrong.” He paused. Therion knew how to work up a crowd. Rowan listened as many slurs directed at her and the robot flew through the air.

She was used to that. She remembered in the early days after independence as she was called a “traitor” and an “imperialist sympathiser.” What choice did she have but to endure it? She had a son. A beautiful baby boy that she needed to protect.

No, scratch that, she had two beautiful baby boys that she needed to protect. They were just young enough not to remember the pain everyone had to go through.

And it was all because of him.

“Therion I can understand, but you Satoshi? You promised Rebecca you would be a good father. Now look, You can barely look at your son, and why? Because he has the balls to disagree with you? What happened?”

“Those things took her from me, Rowan.” Satoshi sounded passive, but Rowan could tell she was beginning to chip away at his emotionless exterior.

“I know, but would you say the same thing about different ethnicity of human? Or different species of humanoids? Think how preposterous it would be to say ‘Oh an Ursa killed my wife, therefore all Ursa’s are killers.’ You are many things, but I know xenophobic isn’t one of them.”

“They’re different, they’re machines. They were obviously programmed to do this.”

“And you know this how? Because Therion told you? Please Satoshi, he’s just a jumped up pencil pusher with delusions of grandeur who could never be happy in his own skin. You’ve abandoned your dreams of fatherhood for a sad, lonely tyrant. I’m sorry to have to tell you.”

“Do you see? This is what happens when people know they're in the wrong. They resort to name calling, spreading lies and discrimination. This woman claims to be protecting people, her children, but in the end she's just looking out for herself. And why wouldn't she? She is the daughter of a Union commander, after all. They do nothing but look after themselves. We had one disagreement and what did they do? Send an overseer to enslave us and a robot army to kill us. We never trusted those things from the beginning, and it turns out we were right! And yet, Rowan wants to tell us we were wrong, that we should all sit around and sing Kumbaya and forget what happened! Well, I won’t! Will you?”

The crowd became restless. A barrage of insults and small stones flew toward Rowan and the two boys. In the commotion, Satoshi tried to move in and grab the robot head from Avery. But as he looked into his Son’s eyes and saw utter disobedience, he could only shake his head in disappointment.

“Dad, please…” Avery begged as Satoshi stepped away. He wouldn’t admit it, but his son wasn’t the only one crying as he pushed through the crowd and made his way back home.

Rowan turned her attention to her son. “Dorian, sweetie, you have to go.”

Yeah, I get that, but go where. It's not as if we can like, axe chop our way through the crowd, is it?”

“I don't care how! You just have to get away. If I have to plow through a small crowd of brainless warmongers, I will!”

“Wow Mum, I’m all for action and adventure, but don't you think you're going a bit too-”

She gripped her son by the shoulders. “this isn't time for jokes, stupid boy. Go. Go now!”

The crowd had already closed in. Therion, after succeeding in whipping them into a frenzy, had disappeared into the throng of people.

“Avery, Dorian. I sense the two of you are an imminent danger. As per Union regulations on protecting important clients with vital information, I would like permission to execute Executive One.”

“Wh-What’s that?”

“In extraordinary circumstances, primarily when the client’s life is in danger, I can be granted permission to transport the client and one other dedicated person to a destination of their choosing. This, of course, is under the assumption that they would choose the nearest medical facility. This, however, is not vital. Do you need medical attention?"

Avery said nothing. He was too emotionally drained. Luckily, Dorian filled in the blanks for him. “Only one?” He looked up at his Mother. “We can't take you?”

“It's okay.” She said. “I’ll be fine. They don't even have pitchforks and torches. What are they going to do? Tickle me to death?”

Dorian was about to say something more, but he felt a hand grasp his. He turned around to find Avery looking at him like he had a mission. “Dorian… We don't have a choice. Begin launching Executive One.”

Gee’s head glowed a bright blue. The light blinded everyone momentarily. The boys felt their bodies changed as they were re-tuned and reconstituted by the program. “Please select chosen destination.”

Still clutching Dorian's hand. Avery spoke with purpose. “Anywhere but here.”