Advanced Robotics

CHAPTER 10

The screen was fuzzy, a constant blur. Not long after, though, voices
could be heard.
"Now that we understand the problem, what do we plan to do about it?"
asked one voice. The picture started to clear up and the figure of a
large man in a white suit and tie appeared. Alexi Romanov stood tall,
surrounded by other scientists sitting in chairs and a very young Jen
standing in the background. The camera moved to the opposite side of
the room where three men stood. One was Lupin, looking much younger.
One was a much older man who looked like he had been worked hard for
many years, it was Zaroff. Standing in front of them was a tall,
bulbous bald scientist with a very large moustache. It was Dr. Ivo
Robotnik. He spoke.
"Robots." clearly said Robotink. "We can end all of their problems
with robotics."
"Please explain, doctor," asked Alexi, "I really don't understand."
"Of course, Alexi," answered Robotnik. "You see, our people work on
collective farms, in our great army and navy, and some of the smarter
ones work in the government and labs across the country.
Unfortunately, not all of our citizens are happy with this. Most are
starving and cold and believe our government is doing nothing to help
them with the weight of our war against America being put onto them.
We need to take into consideration how the public feels about the war.
If we took them out of it, then we wouldn't have to worry about them
rebelling out of fear. What we need to do is create robots to do
simple tasks for our people and protect them in case of an attack from
the west."
"So, what you're saying, Dr. Robotnik, is that instead of our people
working in the government's army and farms, we should give them their
own lives and let machines do the work that the people would do?"
"Yes, that's about it. If we give the people what we promised, peace,
prosperity, and bread, then they would see that the Soviet government
are people who care for fellow communists, not just power hungry
officials."
"Brilliant!" shouted one scientist.
"But how would we create robots to do things like that?" asked another.
"Leave that up to me, gentlemen, I will take the responsibility into
my own hands." Robotnik said with a bow. The crowd of scientists stood
up and cheered for Robotnik. One person did not cheer, it was Alexi
Romanov. He frowned at Robotnik.
"So you're saying that none of us may help you? Are you trying to hide
something from us? You're not planning anything that would cause more
pain to the Soviet Union, are you?"
"Of course not! How could you say such a thing!" shouted Lupin.
"Then you wouldn't mind it if we kept you under the highest
surveillance, would you? I mean, you wouldn't be much of a communist
if you didn't!" evilly smirked Romanov. Lupin clenched his fists and
teeth and looked like he was ready to kick Romanov's ass.
"We'll do it." sighed Robotnik. "I'm going to need all of your help,
though. I need one of you to explain my plan to Premier Gorbachev. The
rest of you, please help me with the blueprints and collecting the
materials."
"Right then, everyone!" shouted Romanov, "You heard the man! Let's get
to work!" The screen turned fuzzy for a second, then switched back.
The camera was in a totally different room, and the date on the screen
was about three months later. Dr. Robotnik looked tired. The camera
was pointed down at him from a security camera view and his blueprints
could be seen clearly. He had obviously been working for a very long
time. The door opened and light flooded in for a second. Robotnik
looked around and saw Zaroff come in. He was carrying a bottle of
vodka.
"Ah, hello Vladimir. Good to see you again." Robotnik said friendly.
"Doctor, you need to take a break. It seems you've been working
non-stop for months now. Here, have some vodka." Zaroff said as he
passed him the bottle.
"No, I can't. I'm almost there. Just a few more tweaks and some more
electricity here and there. I can do this." He took a long swig of
vodka. "Besides, who knows that if I take a break for just one second,
the whole Union might collapse and I could do nothing to fix it. My
plans would be ruined!"
"Don't worry doc, the other scientists will hold out long enough for
you to finish up, you'll see!"
"Thank you, Vladimir." He took another long swig. "Hey, do you know
where Lupin went?"
"Oh, he and Alexi's assistant are quite good friends now, didn't you
know? He's taken a liking to her and they're out on a date right now."
"Heh, good for him. What about you? Don't you have a girl?"
"Me, ha! I'm too old. The only reason I haven't retired yet is because
I want to help you, doc. I want to see this country stay as great as
it always was. I'll stay with you until the very end!"
"Thank you, comrade." The screen turned fuzzy again, then the picture
returned. It was about a year later and Dr. Robotnik looked very old
and worn. He stood in front of a large box covered with a white sheet.
On the other side of the room were the rest of the scientists, and
standing above them all was a much older Alexi Romanov. Dr. Robotnik
cleared his throat and began his speech.
"Comrades! Today, we see the future. We finished just in time before
the entire Soviet Union collapsed around us. Remember that no matter
what happens after this, scientists like us will use advanced robotics
for the good of humanity! Gentlemen, I give you the prototypes!"
Robotnik shouted as Lupin pulled off the curtain. A large box had
three robots that looked like humans in it. One by one, Robotnik
started them up. The first one walked on four legs with a large metal
case on its back. Its large headlight eyes allowed it to see in the
dark, and it had four robotic tentacles and two extendable arms with
round, sharp sickles on the ends of them. "Gentlemen, this is the Egg
Sickle, and it can do the job of five people working on a collective
farm, which means that those five people may be able to live their
lives peacefully and full of prosperity." A few scientists stood in
awe, and most of them clapped for Robotnik. The second one started up.
It had three legs and many robotic tentacle arms. Its body was solid
titanium. Most of its arms were shaped like claws while one extendable
arm was a sledgehammer and the other was a welder. "This is the Egg
Hammer, used to replace factory workers who are forced labor under
extreme conditions. It can work in extreme cold or extreme heat. It
can even mass produce more of itself." The scientists cheered more.
The third one started up. It was the largest of the three and looked
like a human. There were rocket boosters on the bottom of the feet,
giant machine guns came from the arms, and the chest and shoulders
opened up to reveal rockets and bombs. "This is the Egg Hero, the
ultimate weapon mobile suit. The eyes fire laser beams, it comes
complete with powerful missiles and automatic rifles, and each one
contains the firepower of a nuclear weapon. I pray to God that we
never have to use one of these in battle, but if we do, there is no
way we could lose." Alexi Romanov smiled and laughed. Now he had
finally seen what he wanted.
"Excellent, Dr. Robotnik! You have saved us all. Now that the
prototypes are complete, we may finally start mass production of these
machines and sell them to the government!"
"Actually, no," started Dr. Robotnik, "My plan was to give these away
to the people of the Soviet Union to use to do their jobs while they
all can relax, grow stronger, and go on with their lives and
education."
"Well, why don't you tell that to the government officials?" said
Alexi. The screen turned blurry again. It came back and it was two
days later. Robotnik was on a cell phone, speaking to a high
government official.
"What do you mean you can't accept it? No! It's not too late! This is
what the people need! Think about it, you'd be the first government in
the world having machines do what most countries hire low-wage workers
to do! No, you need to hold out for a little while longer! We can make
as many as you want! No, no, don't hang up!" The phone went dead.
Robotnik hung up. Lupin and Jen walked in. They had rings on their
fingers and there was a bulge in Jen's stomach.
"Is something the matter, doc?" Lupin asked.
"The government says that it's too late and they wouldn't be able to
pay for all the robots." Robotnik said angrily.
"What? Didn't you explain to them that it was free?"
"Yes, but they said that if America finds out that new attack machines
are being created as the country is falling apart, then they would
create even more anti-Soviet propaganda and the country will fall even
harder than it is right now."
"So, no matter what, we're too late?" asked Jen.
"It appears so," came the booming evil voice of Alexi Romanov over the
intercom, "Dr. Robotnik, you have failed in your mission to use
advanced robotics for the good of humanity. But let's not let all
you've done go to waste now! Due to the fact that the Soviet
Union-oops! I mean, Russia and its neighbors, are now capitalist
nations, we can put these robots to good use by selling them to other
countries! Think of all the money we can make!"
"But we made these robots for free to help the people of the Soviet
Union, remember? Scientists like us shall use advanced robotics for
the good of humanity!" Robotnik shouted.
"Oh, we'll use them for the good of humanity all right, I mean, we're
human. Join me, and together we can become extremely rich men" Alexi
laughed evilly and turned off the intercom.
"You bastard! You planned this whole thing! This was nothing more than
one of your get rich scams! You just ripped off thirty million people
and destroyed all the hopes and dreams of our forefathers!!!" Robotnik
screamed.
Lupin turned to Jen. "Dammit, honey! Why didn't you tell me! You kept
this a secret for all this time?!" he yelled with tears in his eyes.
"Honestly! I didn't know! I swear! He told me nothing!!" she yelled back.
"No, this isn't your fault, Jen," solemnly started Robotnik, "I
should've seen this from the beginning. Now the dreams of all those
who believed in the power of people working together and living
together under communism are shattered thanks to my dumb mistake."
Robotnik stopped and thought for a minute. "Or are they!" he said with
a smirk. Zaroff suddenly burst into the room.
"Comrades! We gotta go! We're in huge trouble!!" he shouted, shutting
the door behind him.
"What's the matter, Zaroff?" asked Robotnik.
"It's the chechnyans! They've found us out! They are right outside
town and have come to permanently shut us down!"
"What?!" Robotnik shouted and took a look outside the window. There
was a long line stretched across the horizon. An army of 1000
chechnyan soldiers, tanks, and jeeps were headed right for them. One
of them was leading the entire army, a man with a baldhead and an
upturned moustache. "Oh, no, it's him, Viktor Kromlin is back and he's
brought along some friends. Zaroff! Does your train still work?"
"Of course! I guess I'd better go start her up right now!"
"Good. Lupin! Jen! Round up all of the scientists that you can and
load them on the train, now!"
"You got it boss!" shouted Lupin. Jen nodded. They ran to get the scientists.
"Wait, doctor!" Zaroff shouted, "What about the prototypes?!"
"There's nothing we can do now. The important thing is that we get out
of here with our lives. Let's move!" They ran for the door, but it
closed right in front of them. Zaroff tried busting it open by ramming
it.
"Stand back! I've been updating my weaponry this whole time, and now I
finally have a chance to use it!" ordered Robotnik. He aimed his fist
at the door, then opened his hand. A green beam of energy shot at the
door and blasted it completely open. They ran out into the snow. The
chechnyan army was closer than ever before, and they had to get out of
there quickly. They ran towards the train station. They turned the
corner to see Alexi Romanov standing alone, all the scientists were
lying in the snow with blood spilling from their stomachs, they were
completely still. Only Lupin and Jen were still alive, but they were
breathing heavily and were beat severely. Lupin looked up at Robotnik.
"Boss, he's… with them…" Lupin tried to speak but passed out.
"No! Lupin!! Damn you Alexi, what have you done?!" Robotnik shouted furiously.
"I struck up a little deal with the brigadier general of the chechnyan
national army. I give them our attack robots, they'll reward me
handsomely. Everybody wins! Hahahaha!!" he laughed menacingly. "And
now you shall join your fellow scientists in using advanced robotics
for the good of humanity!!" he yelled as he pulled a walther p38 out
and aimed at Robotnik's head. Zaroff thought fast, he ran up to
Romanov with his arm pulled back like he was about to throw a major
deathblow at Alexi. He turned to see him at the last second and shot
him right in the arm. Zaroff, though in major pain, managed to land a
swift blow on Alexi's face that sent him flying back. Now Robotnik had
a perfect shot. He aimed his fist again and with all his might, let a
giant energy beam go straight for Romanov. He was hit full force by
the beam and screamed as he was shot back into the ever-closer
chechnyan army. Alexi was gone for now. Now they had to split. The
army was almost upon them. Robotnik went to check on Zaroff.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, it's only a flesh wound. Quickly!
Grab Lupin and Jen and let's get out of here!" Zaroff said as he stood
up and ran to the train with his arm on his bleeding shoulder.
Robotnik picked up the passed out bodies of Lupin and Jen and brought
them into the nearest train car. Zaroff finally started up the train
and went full speed out of the station just as they became in firing
range of the chechnyan soldiers. Bullet holes ripped through the car
as they sped away. Robotnik looked back to Latveria. It was in flames
and there was nothing he could do about it. In the center of town
there was a large statue of Lenin with his hand raised. Robotnik
watched with sadness as it came crumbling to the ground in the flames
of defeat. Lupin walked over to Robotnik.
"Alexi was right," Robotnik sighed, "communism won't work. Today's
society is just too independent. If we try to bring what we've done
around now, we will just be shunned and no one will know of our great
advancements in science."
"Aw, come on, doctor," Lupin tried to cheer Robotnik up, "maybe we
just need some way to make the public understand that we're just
trying to help them out, not enslave them. If you think about it, all
we need to do is give them a positive view or role model to understand
what we're doing."
"Ha! Propaganda just isn't my thing, Lupin," Robotnik was quiet for a
while. "On second thought, that's not a bad idea, Lupin! It's, well,
genius! Well, for you, I mean, but really that's exactly what we need!
Yes! Perfect! Thank you, comrade Lupin!" Dr. Robotnik ran down the
center of the train car, then pumped his fist in the air and shouted
yeah. He went into the next car and slammed the door. Lupin looked at
Jen and shrugged.
"What do you suppose that was about?" Jen asked.
"I dunno," Lupin said thoughtfully, "but he said I was a genius! Ha!
In your face, society! I've proved you wrong again!" He laughed. The
screen became fuzzy again. This time it took a while. Lupin and Jen
looked at each other and smiled.
"Heh, remember where we went next?" Lupin asked her.
"I remember Zaroff saying it was too risky to stay in the country, so
we all decided to go to the most magical place in Europe. I remember
we stood at the top of the tower and gazed down on the beautiful city
below. The giant chapel stood out among all the small village homes.
Ahh, such memories of what happened there…" Jen started daydreaming.
Vikki watched with starry eyes.
"Wow! You went to Paris? That's so romantic!" She said dreamily.
"What? In France with all those queerbags? Hell no!" Jen said,
disgusted. "We went to Transylvania! It's right in the northern part
of the former Soviet republic of Romania. I got a great uncle who owns
a place there!" Jen smiled. The screen turned back on. It was about a
year later, Jen, Lupin, Zaroff, and Robotnik all sat around a table.
Jen looked tired and extremely stressed. Her hair was frizzy and she
breathed heavily with short, quick sobs. Tears ran down her face and
washed down her mascara. Her stomach was not as bulbous, which meant
she had already given birth. Lupin sat next to her and held her hand.
Across the table, Robotnik sat deep in thought, tapping his fingers on
the table. Jen put her head up and looked at Robotnik.
"No. I won't allow it! You can't do that! You know it!"
"Jen, It's for his sake. He won't live much longer without it. To save
the poor boy's life, Jen, isn't that a noble cause?"
"Yes, but you're just using him for your own selfish goals! You want
him to become a monster, another evil pawn in your sick cruel game of
world domination!" Dr. Robotnik pounded his fist on the table.
"Dammit, Jen! What don't you understand?! This is your son we're
talking about here!! Do you want to save his life or not?!"
"Doctor, please," Lupin interrupted, holding Jen, "explain again what
exactly you're planning on doing." Robotnik put his hand on his brow
and took a deep breath.
"I am not fully educated in medical science, but I believe your son,
Joseph, has a terminal cancer of the brain. He won't live more than a
few months, as long as we keep him on the respiratory machines that I
already have running on him."
"Yes, doctor, that we know," Lupin said hastily, "how can you help him?"
"Just as a forewarning, this has never been done before and most
likely, doctors will not be fully educated in this field for many
decades. I will be the first to create an actual prosthetic soul
cartridge. This is the ultimate in advanced robotics. The child will
have an entire steel skeletal system, heated oil blood veins, and an
electric nervous system. Normally, anyone who receives this advanced
of treatment would have their knowledge gained, their 'mind'
downloaded onto a specialized processing unit, and that would be
implanted into the 'brain' of their prosthetic body. Unfortunately,
this is an extreme situation. This child is too young, and the cancer
in his brain makes taking his very few memories highly risky. What I
am willing to do, though, is implant my own knowledge into his
processor."
"You can't do that! You're killing him, and taking over the body you
say you are giving him!" Jen yelled.
"That would be it, yes, except for this latest invention, the soul
cartridge. The soul of a human is actually in the ribcage in a small
artery near the spine. It can be taken out, but it is very risky and
you could permanently damage the soul, causing excruciating pain and
suffering, and it is very delicate, very easy to destroy. This work is
nearly impossible, if it weren't for the fact that I have invented
this small case that holds the soul inside. It sounds impossible, I
know, and I haven't quite tested it yet, but it's our one shot at
saving this boy."
"This sounds very hard to believe doctor. I don't get it, do you need
like both the person's mind and their soul in the prosthetic body or
something?" Zaroff asked, confused by all of this.
"Quite right, Zaroff. I'm mostly sure that this is how it should work,
according to what I know. If we successfully take the boy's soul out
of his terminally ill body and place it in his prosthetic, purely
mechanical body, it still wouldn't be enough because he couldn't think
or act. If I simply give up my brain and put my ability to think in
his new body, he would be perfectly fine. His metal parts will age
according to his soul's activeness and his brain's knowledge. Jen,
please understand, that if I give this boy my brain, it's only to save
him. Yes, my thoughts will be there, but with his soul, he has his own
free will, his own decisions in his own life. He will be no different
from any other boy. It's up to him if he wants to follow my work."
The room went silent. Lupin looked at Robotnik, then at Jen. He looked
back at Robotnik.
"Will he, will he have a penis?" He asked sheepishly. Robotnik slammed
his head on the table. Zaroff bursted into laughter. Jen just looked
away.
"Sigh, yes, he will have a penis, Lupin. He will function just like
any other human boy. Of course, this is only if you choose to allow
it, Jen." He looked across the table. "Now it's up to you. Save your
boy's life, or let him die?" Jen sat there in silence for a few
seconds. She finally stared into Lupin's eyes. He nodded, and she
looked over at Robotnik.
"All right," she sighed, "but promise me, you won't give him any
ideas, possess his body, or such things."
"You have my word as a friend, Jen." Robotnik looked her in the eyes
and smiled. The television shut off. Joe let out a scream and ran out
of the room. Lupin, Jen and Vikki looked back at him with confusion.
"Why didn't you tell me?! I'm a freak!! I'm a robot!! You guys turned
me into some freakin terminator!! Oh my God!!!" He pulled his hair and
groaned with anger.
"Look at me!! I'm not even real!! This hair! My skin! Even when I
bleed, it's not real!"
"Joe, dammit!" Lupin yelled, "it was for your own good! We did it to
save your damn life!! We had no choice, alright? It was either this or
death. If you could just understand!"
There was a sudden BOOM! Everything shook and Vikki stumbled to the
ground. There were more earth shattering explosions and pieces of
plaster started falling from the ceiling.
"Oh shit!" Jen screamed, "The building's coming down! We gotta get out
of here! She grabbed Vikki and ran towards the exit. Lupin followed.
Joe was still freaked out over the whole prosthetic body thing and was
too petrified to notice the destruction around him. Lupin grabbed him
and dragged him out of the room into the hallway. They ran up the
basement steps as pieces of wood and steel dropped down next to them.
They broke out the front door just as the building crumbled down next
to them. They were out in the cold, gray ruins of Moscow now. They
looked around them. Everything in a fifty-foot radius had been totally
eradicated. In the distance, slowly appearing out of the smoke, was a
large, gray figure. It was huge and looked like a giant tank. It
started to move and change. The wheels separated and made separate
robotic parts that appeared to be arms and legs. The tank stood up and
the turret came to the top of the vehicle and opened up to what looked
like a human face with a very long, pointy moustache and a baldhead.
"Shit!" Lupin screamed, "Not him again! I thought he was dead! What
did you do to yourself, you Transformer freak?"
"Gah hah hah hah! I swore to kill you remember? I said I'd do it if it
was the last thing I ever did! I am a man of my word, wanted criminal
0018!"
"I said I was Robotnik's assistant, dumbass!"
"That was many years ago! You still need to pay for what you have done
to the Chechnyan government!"
"Grr, Viktor Kromlin," sneered Zaroff, "It is you who shall pay! I
don't believe you would beg Romanov to keep yourself alive like that!
A military man should not be a coward and face death with honor!"
"Shut up! You face death first, you commie bastards!" Kromlin yelled
and held out his arm. His hand detached and fired like a missile at
the group. They all jumped out of the way as the fist rammed into the
ground and then came back into his arm. His chest opened and a large
machine gun turret came out. It fired at the group as they ran. Lupin
quickly dodged behind some debris as the bullets passed over him, then
pulled out his desert eagles and fired at Kromlin. The bullets simply
bounced off and fell to the ground.
"Gah hah hah! You weaklings! You can't hurt me at all!"
"Maybe they can't," yelled Vikki as she ran behind him. He turned
around to see her with her hammer heading right for him. She jumped up
and held her hammer back for an extreme blow. "But I can!!!" She
slammed down with all of her might on his back, knocking him to the
ground. He looked over at her and pointed his other hand at her. He
fired at her, this time too fast for her to get away. She screamed and
ducked. Joe ran in front of her and jumped headlong into the bullet.
It exploded as it collided with him.
"Joe, no!!" Vikki screamed. The dust settled. Joe stood, unharmed. She
was shocked.
"Gah! What's going on?!" Kromlin screamed.
"I'm not real, remember? Your weak bullets are no match for my supreme
advanced technology. I've about had enough of you." Joe smirked and
ran up to Kromlin. He punched him hard in the face and Kromlin's
robotic head flew off and exploded in mid air. His body fell to the
ground, lifeless. "Pathetic weakling. He was never a match for my
technology." Joe turned around and looked at Lupin, Jen, and Vikki.
The wind was the only thing heard for a while. "Well, why didn't you
tell me earlier that I had these powers?" Joe smiled. Lupin walked
over to him.
"I need to explain to you something." Lupin started.
"No, Lupin," came a booming voice from it seemed nowhere. Joe and
everyone looked around. Then they all stared at Joe.
"D-doctor? Is that really you?" Lupin stuttered, amazed.
"Yes, Lupin, it's really me." Robotnik's voice came from Joe, but Joe
wasn't talking. It just seemed to echo out of his body. "Hello,
Joseph, it's good to finally get the chance to talk to you. I am Dr.
Robotnik."
"Where, where are you?" Joe asked to no one.
"I'm inside you. I've been with you all along. You can call me your
guardian angel, if you want." Robotnik boomed out. Jen, Vikki, and
Lupin stood in amazement.
"You see, Joe, I've been meaning to wait until the time is right to
tell you. I am glad to see that you've become your own person. Back
then, when you had that operation that saved your life, I instructed
Zaroff to put my brain and my soul in your body, along with your soul.
I am merely a backup system. I was always there to help you out
whenever you needed me in dire situations. You had used your own soul
to get by in life until recently, when your whole world started
changing. Now, you need to know your life's purpose. I had your body
upgraded slightly after it was created to not only house two souls,
but to protect them with a highly advanced weapons system. You are
impenetrable to bullets or lasers, unaffected by nuclear radiation,
you have weapons implanted in your arms and legs, you have rocket
boosters in your feet that allow flight and you can handle extreme
situations. I will be there to control your body when you need it, but
mostly you do all the work." Robotnik's voice echoed as Joe checked
himself out, his eyes nearly popping out of his head as he saw his
fists and knees reveal small machineguns, his chest opening up to be a
cannon, and even lasers fired from his eyes. He smiled and looked down
at his crotch. Nothing happened. He frowned.
"Now, Joe, this is important. I only gave you these gadgets for you to
help me out on my life's goal. As you know, I promised your mother,
Jen, never to take away your free will, or possess you, as she calls
it, and that it would be up to you to join my quest."
"Well, what is it, Doctor?"
"I mainly want to use your advanced robotics for the good of humanity,
but the only way I could do that is if you help me bring down the evil
dictator, Luther Romanov. He uses my technology for his own selfish
goals and oppresses his people. I need you to take him out because
only you can. If you can do that for me, I will be forever at peace."
"Wait, Joe!" interrupted Jen, "we've gone over this before. If you
take out Romanov, then Robotnik will try to take over the world as a
communist dictator!"
"Hey! That's not true and you know it, Jen!" yelled Lupin.
"Well, she does have a point, Lupin," started Robotnik's voice, "if
Romanov is taken out, there will be thousands of freed oppressed
workers in all of Latveria. If we bring government back to the
country, we will have to make it communist again to bring the people
back to a livable state. Of course, it's all up to you, Joe. You can
either save these people or keep them from the evils of communism."
Joe looked at Jen.
"Let's go to Latveria." Joe said solemnly while looking Jen in the
eyes. He began walking away.
"Oh, wait! How are we going to get there?" asked Vikki.
"Vikki. Lupin. Jen. Climb on." Joe pointed to his back. Lupin looked
around and shrugged. He jumped on Joe. Jen jumped on top of him, then
Vikki got on Jen. It looked very akward, but somehow the managed to
hang on. Joe started running in the direction of Latveria. He jumped
in the air and activated his rocket shoes. He blasted off and went
soaring towards the land of Latveria.