Redux

2098 AD

A dusty haze surrounded Jennie’s vehicle as it zipped along the old highway toward New York City. In the distance, she could see the gleaming towers of the metro area. Well, only the uppermost of the tallest spires actually glinted in the late afternoon sunlight. In reality, the majority of the towers were obscured by dust, made worst by a recent surge in dust devils that moved through the region.

“Atlas, what is the oxygen level in the city?”

“About 30 percent below healthy levels, Miss Jennie. It is advisable to wear a breathing unit.”

Well that is stating the obvious, Jennie thought to herself, gripping the full-face mask that was resting in her lap.

The mask was an AeroVisor Model 99, its full-face polymer shield serving as visor and filter. Air passed through microscopic size openings situated in front of the wearer’s mouth. Larger particles easily slid off the face plate, whether it was wet or dry. Three layers of filters progressively removed odors and particles down to 0.001 microns.

While expensive, Jennie preferred the AeroVisor to more common opaque face filters that had been used in various forms for nearly 200 years. The AeroVisor allowed people to see her talk. And when others were wearing an AeroVisor or one of its competitor models, it actually felt like a normal conversation. No one was guessing if the speaker was smirking, frowning or smiling.

Transparency at a time when dust obscured much of the landscape, Jennie mused.

Jennie checked the nav system and saw that her target was located about five miles outside the center of the city. The oxygen levels there were nominally better, but Jennie knew Atlas would say it was still “advisable” to wear the face mask. In fact, Atlas would not open the vehicle doors unless she had put on the mask. Atlas was more than a program, it was the complete vehicle, a transport robot that adhered to the quaint 3 Laws of Robotics that were drafted more than a century before.

Jennie’s great grandmother was alive when these laws were imbued in every robot created to serve mankind. It was because of her great grandmother that she was making this trip to New York City. Anyone building personal or mass transport vehicles that went on land, sea, air or space programmed in the 3 Laws. Atlas was a descendent of a long-ago system called OnStar. He or it, as many people preferred to call the vehicle’s mind, was part of a global neural net that connected all vehicles.

Back when Jennie’s great grandmother was alive, vehicle accidents killed thousands of people each year. The first autonomous vehicles offered hope that deaths would be eliminated, but the backlash was swift because of some unfortunate accidents that had killed not only other motorists and pedestrians but occupants of the autonomous vehicles.

It took several years for autonomous vehicles to evolve into truly safe machines, controlled by a computer mind based on the 3 Laws, which, in itself, was a major feat. Computers were constructed to analyze data and make decisions that prevented the vehicle from avoiding accidents. The 3 Laws elevated that responsibility to ensuring that no harm came to any of the vehicle’s occupants.

“Miss Jennie, our destination is in two miles. Please remember to put on your mask. I will monitor your vitals while you are outside.”

“Thank you, Atlas.”

“One more thing, Miss Jennie.”

“Yes, Atlas.”

“I am reading an uptick in your adrenaline. Based on past readings, I would say you are nervous.”

“You could say that,” Jennie said, thinking to herself that she hoped to find what her great grandmother left so many years ago. And if she did, would it still work.

A few minutes later, Jennie found herself standing in front of a nondescript concrete building that featured rows of steel doors. Next to each door was a heavily dust covered keypad. Jennie found the correct door, wiped the pad and punched in the code. She could hear a whirl of decades-old gears set in motion. The door resisted at first but after a few seconds, the torque of the gears won out and the door slid up, albeit noisily due to an accumulation of rust and dirt.

Jennie tapped her visor twice and a beam of light shot into the darkness. Dust particles danced about, muting her vision. Jennie could see boxes piled on the right side. The writing on them had faded, but she was less concerned about their contents. As she scanned to her left, Jennie found the object of her mission.

Seated in the corner was a human-like form. Jennie approached and tentatively touched it, stirring up a cloud of dust. She wiped more dust from the object’s face, the light from her visor reflecting off the shiny titanium surface.

Reaching into her pocket, Jennie pulled an energy pod out of her waist pouch. “Let’s see if this bucket of bolts will fire up,” Jennie said to herself, as she found the port in which to plug the pod.

Stepping back, Jennie retrieved a small remote from the same pouch and tapped a sequence that activated the pod. Moments later ancient servo motors started to hum, and a faint light illuminated the eyes.

“Let’s get you cleaned off,” Jennie said the machine. She pulled a rag from her pouch and proceeded to wipe dust to expose the shiny titanium shell.

Jennie paused when she saw some crude etching on the left leg.

Leaning forward, she could see the faint lines spelling out "Property of Gloria". Gloria Weston, Jennie’s great grandmother.

Jennie smiled and looked up into the robot’s eyes, which now glowed a warm, inviting red.

“Well, hello Robbie. Are you ready to go home?”

Robbie nodded and slowly rose from his seat.

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Postscript: This short story is dedicated to Isaac Asimov and Robbie, the first story he wrote that contained the 3 Laws of Robotics.