Chip responded first, in a typically incisive and analytical way. “Huh… You’re a robot?” Okay, maybe not that incisive.
GA-DGT paused for a second, than said, “Not exactly, my hardware is advanced electro-mechanical components complemented by a holo-optronic neural net processor and control system, but much of my basic programming was by direct engram download from Gadget’s own brain patterns, so while I’m physically robotic, my intelligence is effectively a living thing, I mean, not in the sense of physiology, such as needing sleep, or acorn coffee breaks, but in terms of consciousness, and awareness, so I am likely to demonstrate similar reactions to her.”
Chip had recovered nicely and said dryly, “I hadn’t noticed.”
Dale had finally recovered, a huge grin on his face. “Wow! A super-human Gadget.”
GA-DGT shook her head. “Not quite. I can only bench press 30 kilos, and my top speed in quadrupedal mode is only 21 miles per hour. Those are both within human limits.”
“Croikey, Gadget-luv, so this is what you were doing with all that stuff we swiped from ol’ Nimnul, building a double.”
Gadget smiled brightly and said, “Well, yes, I had all this wonderful equipment, and you and Chip thought I was working too hard, so by building another me, I can halve my workload, just like you suggested. Of course, I wanted to see just how far I could go with the technology, so GA can do some things I can’t. So she’s more of a look-a-like.”
“That is true. I have features such as infrared vision and transmission, a broadband radio transceiver, and USB 2.0 compatibility.” She held up her tail tip which bulged and morphed into a USB plug. “I also carry the Nimnul code-master universal hacking software, so I can interface with and control any device that is part of any kind of wireless network or has a USB port. For example, I can connect to a computer via it’s IR or Bluetooth interface and control the pointer on a graphical interface.”
Seeing the blank look on some faces, she clarified. “In short, I can act as a wireless optical mouse. I can also record and playback any form of broadcast transmission.”
“Neato! Can you get satellite?”
“Over three hundred channels.”
Dale looked like he’d gone to couch potato heaven. “But how can you play it?”
GA-DGT shrugged. “As long as I have access to a TV, I can retune it to an unused RF channel and transmit on that.”
Foxglove was looking back and forth between the two, then decided to take direct action. Glomph! Smoocheroo! “Hey cutie, remember me?”
“Awww! Of course Foxy-love, it was just I don’t meet many cool robots.”
GA said apologetically, “Gosh, I did not mean to interfere in your relationship. I just wish to be as helpful as possible. I can clean up and do household tasks as well as building things, and can pilot vehicles and readily add other skill packages if someone will teach me.”
Chip was thinking about it. “Hmmm… that’s all very well, but did Gadget tell you about Tom, the robot cat she rebuilt?”
GA-DGT nodded. “I have detailed files.”
“Then you know all the trouble we got into when he made friends with Fat Cat.”
“I understand. But he only had a basic personality program. With me, Gadget included information on the usual suspects, and you can trust me not to go off with strangers. Besides, I already have all the fur I need.”
“She’s gotcha there Chip!” grinned Dale.
Chip shook his head. “That wasn’t what I meant, though I’m glad you won’t make the same mistake. I was wrong about Tom, I admit it.”
“Wahh! I was right yesterday! Chip’ll be eating urfburgles next!”
Chip sidestepped and gave him a bonk upside the head. “Maybe that’ll convince you I’m still me!” he sighed and continued.
“He was a person, and I didn’t recognise that, and it just got me thinking about self aware robots. I guess I don’t like the idea of creating a self aware being, then preprogramming it to be some kind of household servant. Sorry, Gadget, but you may have been so interested in solving the problem you might not have thought about that.”
The others were surprised at Chip actually being negative about something Gadget invented, at least when it really was working with ‘no problems’. Gadget was slightly taken aback. “Gee willikers, Chip, it isn’t like that! GA just wants to help, and she’s finding the most logical ways to contribute.”
GA-DGT spoke. “My desire to be helpful comes from Gadget, and is inherent, not some external directive. For example, you often risk your life to help humans who will never even know you exist. It is not an easy thing. Is that decision forced on you?”
Chip hadn’t been particularly comfortable when raising his objection, and caved in under the double onslaught. “I think I see what you mean. I guess it’s like Ditz. He _liked_ cleaning up. I wasn’t saying anything against you, it was just it seemed like you didn’t have the same choices as the rest of us. Welcome to the Rescue Rangers!” He stepped forward and held out a paw.
Gadget was pleased. There were times when Chip could be overbearing, or judgemental, and then there were times like this when he showed the kind heart and sense of justice that made him worthy of being the leader of the Rescue Rangers.
GA-DGT took the proffered paw and shook it, scaling her actuator response down to non-bone-crushing levels. Then the others gathered around to greet her properly.
&&&
Chip woke the next morning and remembered a weird dream. Gadget had built a robot double of herself. He wondered what Monty had put in the cheese chowder last night. He bounded out of the bunk, and brushed teeth and splashed his face from the basin, just as he always did. Then he walked out into the corridor, still clad in his night shirt, where he stopped.
The corridor gleamed. The floor was freshly swept, and the walls were polished to the point where it almost looked like he had two friends. Even the glass in the light well had been polished to a high shine. He made his way to the main room, where everything was just as clean, and in it’s place. This was unusual enough to go in his diary. Upstairs was the same, a picture out of ‘Ideal Trees and Hollows’ magazine.
He found the cause as he entered the workshop, tail plugged into a USB port. Any doubt that it was the robot Gadget was dispelled by the fact that the top half of her jumpsuit was down at her waist, and she was making some sort of adjustment to the exposed area. His first reflex action was to jump back, blush and look away. “Gyaah!”
”Golly Chip, why did you do that?” The robot’s voice was puzzled.
Chip started wondering that himself, while doing a tryout for the all American floor and ceiling inspection team. “Well, ummm… you’re all…” This was silly! He might as well be embarrassed at taking an inspection panel off the Rangerwing.
GA-DGT looked down, and said suddenly. “Oh, I see. I’m exposed, and you are reacting as if I were Gadget. That is very sweet of you Chip, but it is unnecessary. I am purely mechanical, after all. However, it is kind of you to treat me as a real girl.”
“Umm… yeah…” He looked sidelong at her, than turned to face her. “You’re really okay with me looking?”
She smiled and nodded, while making an adjustment to an external box, plugged into her abdomen via a cable. The fur covered skin of her head stopped just below the neck like a wide ruff and below it there was a frame of shiny metal, similar to a ‘Terminator’ style endoskeleton. Bright steel pistons and wire armatures performed the duty of muscle groups, and he could see the movements as she nodded her head.
Along the bared metal skeleton arms were cable runs and framing that made the jumpsuit follow natural looking curves. The exception was the gauntlet style gloves of fur. Within the cavities of the body were various rounded blocks and shapes made of what might be plastic, some with tiny lights blinking on and off within, all connected by a bewildering spider-web of cabling and fibre optic wires.
“I noticed my servo-effector feedback was not as high as it potentially could be. Hopefully I can increase my response time another twenty percent. I could go to thirty, but twenty is the highest I can take it and be sure there will be no problems.”
Chip was surprised. Gadget had a tendency to push the envelope so hard you could taste the gumming, but GA-DGT seemed to lack that tendency.
She noticed his expression. “I spent the night interrogating broadcast TV channels, especially PBS educational lectures. There was an excellent lecture on Safety factors in Engineering.”
“How about the cleaning up?”
“Oh, I was doing that as well. It was a good field test of my infra-red vision, and co-ordination. It was not difficult to multi-task.”
Chip shook his head, but his expression was one of admiration. “Be careful you don’t run down your battery!” he stated, jokingly.
“That is not a problem. My molecular stress storage cell can furnish my normal power demands for 70 hours, or extreme demands for at least 10. Besides my USB plug was connected to an extension lead here in the workshop, so I was continually re-charging.”
“This is going to take some getting used to.”
The robot-mouse unplugged her connector, and started pulling up her jumpsuit. “For me too. I look forward to the challenge!” she added brightly.
Monty’s voice called from down in the kitchen. “Come'n get it, mates!”
“Time for _you_ to recharge.” The robot mouse stated.
Chip nodded, grinning. Maybe this would take some getting used to, but he was starting to look forward to it too.
Next chapter… ‘A Fistful of Spark-plugs…’