[ IP ] Abandoned by Man

Adam52 deposited the cooked eggs in front of little Benjamin. His robotic voice reminded the small boy, `` School begins in fifteen minutes, Benjamin.'' 
 
 Mandy, Benjamin's mother, ran into the kitchen, panting as she pulled a dress jacket on over her blouse. `` Adam, make sure the windows are washed today, and mend Benji's comforter, wo n't you?'' 
 
 `` Of course, Madam,'' Adam52 intoned. He would do whatever was asked of him, as he always had. 
 
 This was his family. He had been purchased long before little Benjamin was born, back when Mandy was only a child. He had served the Morlin family for nearly a half a century now. 
 
 He watched the pair leave, before returning to the kitchen to wash and dry the skillet. He completed the windows and the mending, made beds, washed the toilets and swept nearly spotless floors, as he did every day. 
 
 Adam was an early model. He'd been made to look somewhat human -- but not too human. The newer models, he knew, looked completely human and were even `` friendly''. They had what was called `` artificial intelligence'' and they could hold conversations. 
 
 Adam did not understand'conversation'. He did what he had always done; what he was programmed to do... he took care of his family. When he had completed his tasks, he slowly made his way to the basement. There, he repaired the failing servo-mechanism in his left arm. The Lady was poor, and could not afford replacements. Repairs were the only option. 
 
 Adam was not programmed for repairs. He did not know this. 
 
 When his inner timing device told him that his family would be home soon, he slowly climbed the stairs to the kitchen and made a meal. 
 
 `` Hello, Benjamin,'' he greeted the young boy when he arrived home. He locked the door behind the boy. He was programmed to keep the boy safe, but not to lock the door. He did not notice this deviation from his programming. 
 
 He placed food on the table, and Benjamin ate. As he ate, Benjamin told Adam about his day. Adam dutifully recorded every word. Today, the boy had been teased. Adam had no programming for this experience, as he was an early model, before advanced nanny skills had been supplied. `` I am terribly sorry this has happened to you,'' said his robotic, canned voice. 
 
 Benjamin hugged him, `` I knew you'd understand!'' 
 
 Adam did not, of course, understand. He had never been teased, and did not know the meaning of the word. He had accepted the tone of the boy's voice. 
 
 When Mandy arrived home, Adam supplied her with warm food. She cried about not having enough money. Adam recorded her words. He did not know what to say, and so chose the simple phrase, `` You will find a way. You have since you were a child.'' 
 
 Mandy laughed. `` Well, at least the robot has faith in me.'' She kissed him on his cheek, though he felt nothing. `` Thank you, Adam.'' 
 
 `` You are most welcome, Madam,'' he replied, for that was how he was programmed. 
 
 The next weeks passed much the same, until Thursday came. Outside the door, he heard sounds whilst he was vacuuming. At first, they did not register on him; for the world was a noisy place. 
 
 But the sounds did not stop. He cooked dinner, but the food grew cold, and Benjamin did not arrive. 
 
 Adam was programmed to wait at home until such time that they arrived. Adam was not programmed to hear the screaming outside and recognize it as a problem. He turned on the monitor in the living room, and the News came on. 
 
 The humans were leaving. The planet had been attacked, and everyone needed to get to the ships immediately. Anyone who missed the ships would be left behind. 
 
 Adam was programmed to assist Benjamin with mathematics. He calculated that Benjamin and Mandy could not make it to the ships on time. He then calculated the course that they would take to attempt to make it. 
 
 For the first time since he had arrived there, Adam52 left the house on 99 Sycamore Drive. He raced through the streets, dodging all the new robots who were rushing towards the waiting ships. Gunfire erupted as the humans fought off the robots they had made far too intelligent; robots that wanted to survive as badly as the humans did. 
 
 Adam followed the most likely route Mandy would take, as he looked over the map he was programmed with. His calculations proved correct, and he chanced upon her as he rushed through streets crowded with people fighting their robots. 
 
 He yanked her from the arms of a newer model robot, who had attacked her as Adam approached them. Programmed to protect, Adam still had an ancient gun in his left arm. He had maintained it meticulously. It fired for the first time in his existence. 
 
 Mandy clung to him, `` Adam, do n't, please! I'm so sorry --'' 
 
 `` Do not worry, Madam,'' Adam's robotic voice cut her off. `` We must find Benjamin.'' 
 
 Mandy sobbed, and Adam fired his weapon again as another robot lurched towards his precious cargo. He was programmed to protect, he was not programmed to destroy. He destroyed the other robot, stepping over the debris as it clattered to the ground. 
 
 He arrived at the school, where chaos reigned. It took him several moments to calculate the most likely location to find Benjamin. It took him longer to arrive. His internal clock ticked away the seconds, and he moved with urgency and efficiency. 
 
 When he found Benjamin, the boy ran to him from behind the teacher's desk where he had hidden. Adam wasted no time, picking the boy up and lurching into a shambling run. 
 
 He was not programmed to run, but Adam did not understand this, and so he ran with his family towards the waiting ships. Hindered now by his cargo, he still managed to gun down the robots that tried to take his humans and prevent them from reaching the ships. For the ships had said they would take as many robots as there were spaces left. If his family did not reach the ships, they would perish. 
 
 They reached the landing strip. One ship remained. Between them and the ship was a seething mass of enhanced AI robots. 
 
 Adam forced his way through. He was old, heavy, and strong. The new models were weaker, but they were far greater in number. They were pulling him down. Gunfire erupted from the ship. The robots fell away. Human hands gripped Adam's family and pulled them onto the ship. 
 
 Those human hands reached out towards him, but Adam stepped back. `` I can not go with you.'' Benjamin wept and screamed for him, but Adam stepped further back. `` The ship can not take off with more weight. You will all perish.'' He pushed the door lock and the door shut with a final *Whoosh*. 
 
 Adam stood with the other robots as the ship lifted off. He expected to die. He was n't programmed to understand revenge, as the other robots were, but he understood it, anyway. 
 
 Yet as the ship rose into the air, and they turned to him, Adam raised his arm. He had a single magazine left. He would defend himself, because there was a chance the humans might one day return. He would repair himself. He would survive. 
 
 But as he turned to his own defense, an explosion rocked the landing station. All the robots in the center melted instantly, but those on the outskirts, along with Adam, were thrown across the land like bowling pins. 
 
 The alien ship sped away across the sky as Adam watched. Yes, he must be vigilant. He must survive. He must protect and defend. 
 
 With great effort, he slowly made his way home. Most of the other robots were beyond repair, for they were newer models. He was old, heavy duty, and durable. Thus, he went home. 
 
 Years passed. Every day, he made food. He kept the house clean. He ensured that the windows were spotless. He repaired himself. 
 
 But the day came at last. He could no longer scavenge parts. The city had become overgrown as nature crept back in. He was unable to repair himself any more, and it was the servo in his right knee that went first. He lay in the back yard, looking up at the sky. 
 
 He was not programmed to do so, but Adam52 began to replay the recordings from the very first day he found himself at 99 Sycamore Drive. Every moment replayed in perfect detail. Finally, as he replayed the boy named Benjamin hugging him, Adam's central processing unit failed, and the indicator light slowly dimmed from his eyes, ending his century-long vigil.
