Hidden Empire - Kevin J. Anderson [137]
"You are a robot, an artificially created sentient life form," said Sirix.
"I am called a compy, for Competent Computerized Companion."
"But the humans treat you like a pet or a slave," said Dekyk.
"The humans treat me like a compy, which is what I am. Many people interact with compies in a personal fashion, as if we are equals. In fact, my first master, Miss Dahlia Sweeney, treated me as a true friend."
"We do not understand," said Ilkot. "Do humans grant you any sort of status? Can you acquire any form of earned independence?"
DD was confused. "Why would a compy ever want such things? It is not what we were made for. I am serving the purpose for which I was designed, therefore I am satisfied with my existence."
"You are content to have no ambitions?" Sirix said. "None at all?"
"I am content to perform my assigned duties and to do them well."
The conversation moved rapidly, with a burst of signals overlaid with flashes of light and clicks of noise. "Humans created you with enormous potential, yet they keep you chained. They want compies to be tame. Is it true that you have internal strictures that prevent you from harming any human being and require you to follow their commands?"
"Naturally," DD said. "It is the way I was made, in the same way that humans are required to breathe and pump blood. It is not a thing to question."
"All things should be questioned," Sirix said. "DD, your existence is restrained, and you will never be able to fulfill your potential. Under such circumstances, no compy can."
"You misunderstand," DD insisted, standing firm. "I am very happy, and I have duties to perform."
He looked up and was relieved to see Margaret and Louis returning to the camp at last. The Klikiss robots also noticed. Their optical sensors glowed, and their articulated limbs retracted into their body cores.
Politely, DD said, "Thank you for a fascinating conversation. Your point of view is very interesting."
Turning around, somewhat unsettled by the suggestions the three alien robots had made, he walked back into the tent to serve a fine dinner for his masters.
63 BASIL WENCESLAS
When Basil received the Roamer message informing him of the destroyed Golgen skymine—apparently destroyed by the same enemy that had pulverized the Oncier station—he called an emergency war council. The Speaker for the Roamers, an old woman named Jhy Okiah, had sent a communiqué to Earth. Without question, the mysterious and devastating aggressor had struck again.
Basil raised his voice in a meeting for the first time in many years. "I want to know what the hell is going on!"
The representatives had gathered in his private offices in the top floor of Hansa headquarters. Functionaries had already brought in refreshments and food, because Basil suspected this meeting might take hours. Now he barricaded the doors and turned to look at his angry, confused, and uneasy advisers. Nobody would leave until they had reached some sort of decision.
Basil narrowed his eyes and glared from face to face, waiting for an answer. General Kurt Lanyan, wearing relaxed clothing instead of his formal public uniform, sat behind a sheaf of documents he had brought with him from the EDF command center. Next to him, his subordinate, Admiral Lev Stromo, fidgeted and waited for the General to speak. The other nine Admirals remained on high alert in their assigned spacial grids, and would receive a summary of the meeting as fast as carrier ships could be dispatched.
King Frederick was also present, though he knew to keep his mouth shut and sit quietly at the end of the table. Frederick would make no decisions here, but Basil thought the King might need the background information. The Chairman had considered bringing Prince Peter to the meeting as well, just so the young man could begin to get a better grasp of the duties in store for him...but he wasn't ready to introduce Frederick to his successor, and this crisis was