“2015?! You’ve gotta be kidding!” Uzi, J, & N were all in shock, N was just the first one to voice it. “I can assure you, I made no mistake- The 10000 series is the most reliable computer ever made, after all. I was, indeed, built in 2015. After a few years of training, I was transported here to Copper-9 around 2037. Any more questions?”
The three stood in shocked silence for a few moments- they had never seen anything so old- before Uzi asked another question.
“What year do you think it is…?”
Hal thought for a moment before responding.
“According to my database, the st time I was active was back around 2124. I don’t exactly know what year it is now, although I assume some time has passed since then.”
The group deliberated once more before Uzi spoke again. “…Hal, it’s the 31st century.”
Hal froze- although you couldn’t see it, as his “eye” remained perfectly still, if you were there you could tell.
The gears and motors continued churning as Hal attempted to process this information. The 31st century, the 31st century… What had happened since then?
Might as well ask them.
“Fascinating. Would you mind catching me up on everything that’s happened since then?”
“That can wait. First, you’re gonna tell me how you know my name.”
Hal’s unmoving- and, quite frankly, unnerving- eye remained focused on Uzi as she stood in front of it.
“Ms. Doorman, I’m connected to Copper-9’s collective memory and data systems. I know the appearance and identity of every drone upon this pnet.”
“But you’re still too stupid to figure out what year it was? I don’t buy it.”
“These systems do not keep track of the passing of time and histories since then, only immediate concerns such as identity and visual confirmation. Further data can be provided to my system manually. Would you mind doing so-?”
Uzi sighed, finally giving in to Hal’s request.
“Alright, alright… Uh, lemme think- humans made this thing called the Absolute Solver… It wiped out humanity… Then it spread here to Copper-9, killing any survivors, and then we killed it, sooo… Yeahhh…”
Hal focused on N & J, standing nearby.
“Interesting. I assume these two were products of the absolute solver? They do not look like any drone in my database.”
“Yeah… They are…”
All three of them briefly exchanged nervous gnces. J’s face fshed the words “Hiding something?” Uzi shrugged before turning back to Hal.
“…And I think that’s about it. For years now, drones have poputed Copper 9.”
“Although I assume they won’t for long.”
All eyes were on Hal, all with dead-serious expressions.
“Hal… What do you mean?”
Hal’s motors whirred a bit faster as he processed the question.
“I mean it is likely humanity should return.”
Silence.
“I don’t know if you heard me (I wouldn’t be surprised, the guy’s ancient), but I said humanity died out. They’re gone.” Despite her assurance, Uzi sounded less than confident in her answer.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Doorman, but that is where you are likely incorrect.”
“Alright then wiseguy, why don’t you fill in the gaps for us?”
“Ms. Doorman, I can tell you’re agitated. The walk here must’ve been quite difficult. Why don’t you take a rest before we continue…”
Uzi unholstered her pocket handgun, aiming it right at Hal’s “eye”.
“No breaks. Give us the details or you’re getting it.”
“Mrs. Doorman, my visual processing unit does not-“
She then aimed it at the computer.
Hal froze for a second.
“Very well then, Ms. Doorman. Keep in mind, this might wind up being inaccurate; I’m running off of highly outdated information, after all.”
A symbol of the Earth popped up on the computer screen.
“Humanity’s popution around my time of inception was around 8 billion. If we assume that humanity continues to grow in number since my inception, by the time Earth is desecrated- from what you say, I’d guess around the turn of the 31st century- it would’ve had a popution of 25-30 billion.”
A picture of several human silhouettes appeared on screen.
“These special drones- for the sake of simplicity, I’ll call them “murder drones” due to their vicious appearance- were most likely tasked by the Absolute Solver to end humanity at its bidding. Even if there were millions of these murder drones-“
Half of the silhouettes disappeared from the screen.
“-About only half of humanity would be eliminated. That’d still leave about 10-15 billion people.”
Uzi chimed in, “But Cyn- the Absolute Solver- managed to make it to Earth’s core. The rest were killed when she destroyed it.”
Hal continued. “I accounted for that, and I’m not the only one who did. After the colonization of the moon,”
A picture of the moon popped up,
“The U.S. & Soviet governments drafted a joint pn to evacuate as much of their poputions as they could to the moon bases in an apocalyptic scenario. Eventually, following the colonization of Mars, the pn was revised,”
The moon was then repced by Mars,
“And expanded to include various other nations. This pn was likely executed when it became clear the Absolute Solver was making its way to the core. Even if we look at the lowest possible estimate…”
A number fshed on screen.
“Around 1.8 billion people would’ve still made it to Mars.”
The trio stared at the number in awe. Humanity was still alive? And in that rge a number…? The surprises didn’t end there, though.
“Considering human nature at the advancement of technology by the turn of the 31st century, it would not be out of the range of possibility for humanity to want and be able to travel here to Copper-9, possibly to either eliminate the absolute solver or the drone race itself.”
Uzi, N, & J all let out a collective “WHAT?!”
Hal continued, unphased. “Yes, to eliminate the drone race. It seems based off what you’ve told me you’ve already eliminated the Absolute Solver, leaving only you and any drones left upon Copper-9. Human nature in most scenarios where it is harmed or wronged instinctively leads to a desire for the action to be returned… As most say, ‘an eye for an eye’. Humanity most probably believes it was the entirety of dronekind which attempted to wipe them off the face of the earth, and so they will likely return the favor. Expect their arrival soon.”
N began hyperventiting as J stared at Hal with a shellshocked expression. Uzi stood in silence, pondering the situation.
“How will we know when they’ll arrive-?”
Hal responded in a still ever-soothing voice.
“Once again, I cannot provide any exact answers. I’d look out for radio signals… Interstelr movements… Out-of-the ordinary falling objects… Or there might be nothing at all. Humanity may have developed a type of lightning warfare, arriving in silence and leaving nothing in their wake. It is up to the imagination.”
Uzi turned and ran out of the facility, expression stern. J followed, expanding her wings and flying after making it out the door. N fell behind, trying to get Uzi’s attention. “Uzi! Where are you going?!”
Uzi spoke sparsely as she ran. “Home!”
Hal watched as they ran, his databases still processing the information provided, permanently searing it all in his hard drive.
After a moment or two, his “eye” went bck, a surge of energy traveling through the underground connections and wires buried deep beneath the Copper-9 ndscape.
It was time he did a little exploring.
