Sons of Abraham: J-17's Trial

by JOSEPH RAY

  “I may need your help,” he stated as the hydraulic lift locked horizontally with the floor.

  Sandra looked at him, then to the coffin. She didn’t need to touch it to know that it was frigid, seeing steam from the room’s temperature causing beads of sweat to form on the metallic surface.

  “Not until you tell me who’s in there,” she stated firmly, folding her arms over her chest.

  Abraham paused to look at her, noting her angry tone and stance. A quick scan showed her vitals were calm. She was cool when she was angry, information that Abe locked away for future use. He stepped around the metallic coffin, his bare hand reaching to the tiny window. He held his warm hand upon it as Sandra watched the frost melt away. He snatched his hand back, pressing it against his wool coat. She knew it had to hurt, but she made no effort to ask if he was okay. Instead, she leaned over the coffin, trying not to touch the metallic surface.

  She gasped and pulled away, her hand instinctively covering her mouth. She’d expected to see a preserved body, but not in the way, she saw it. It was a girl, around Jenna’s age. She was pale white like Abraham, and she was bald just as he. Her eyes, however, were open, with blue light pouring from them. She couldn’t recall any other features, just those blue eyes staring back at her.

  “Who, or what is that?” she cried, her hand dropping to her side.

  “Sandra, I would like you to meet my daughter, Cybill.”

  ***************************

  MA Joseph stood next to the Judge’s podium, the bracelet wrapped around his wrist. The heart rate and vitals on the screen above his head were steady, each line lying flat across the screen. David Ballistar had watched the scene unfold, closing his eyes the moment that Norman Voss had requested J-17 to be the next witness, as well as calling for one of the technicians who examined his protocols earlier this morning. David tried not to groan when he saw it was the young, mouthy one from earlier.

  “Please state your name and title,” Norman started.

  “Jason Jay,” the young man replied, standing next to Joseph with the same bracelet on his wrist. The screen above him showed steady lines though his heart rate was much higher than the Cyber’s. “I’m a technician for the military. I work on updating the Cyber protocols and programming.”

  “Very good. J-17, do you know this young man?”

  “I do, he has worked on my processor on several occasions.”

  “Excellent. Would you say that he is capable of his duties.”

  David wanted to object, but he knew Norman was just establishing his witnesses’ credentials. The objection would be overruled before he could sit back down.

  “He is most capable,” Joseph replied. “He is young, but he has a keen intellect seldom seen with technicians of his age.”

  Jason Jay smiled, his freckled face turning red with embarrassment.

  “Most kind of you,” Norman continued. “This morning, Mr. Jay, you examined the protocols of J-17, did you not?”

  “Yes, I examined Joseph’s protocols.”

  David smiled. The techs knew what Cyber’s were, more so than any other person given the constant examining of their hardware, but they each preferred to call them by name, rather than by serial coding.

  “On the day in question, J-17 received a transmission, an update to his software. Did you examine this update?”

  “I did, but the coding was encrypted.”

  “Yes, I recall you saying that earlier. However, it has been brought to my attention that we can bypass the encryption, can we not?”

  Jason Jay looked uneasy, his vitals beginning to spike as well as his heart rate. Major Ballistar had no clue where the prosecutor was going with the line of questions.

  “It could be bypassed, Mr. Voss, but it would be very painful for Joseph.”

  “Why? Why would it be painful?”

  Jason looked at the Cyber next to him, then to the judge, then back to the little man questioning him. He licked his lips, his mind begging him not to answer the question.

  “There is a program that could be run to restore the file, but it causes the processor to overheat. It would be like having your brain cooked while it was still in your head.”

  “I see. I may not be a technician, nor as qualified as yourself, but can’t a Cyber disconnect his pain receptors, thus allowing for the bypass without causing pain to J-17?”

  “Well, yeah, but it could still damage his brain. The metal would singe the tissue and cause irreversible damage.”

  “Yes, but those sections of damaged tissue could be replaced with more cybernetics, could they not?”

  David shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with where the exchange was leading. He’d know the MA for a long time and had no desire to see him hurt. He wanted to object, but he needed grounds to obtain the desired ruling.

  “Yes, we could replace the damaged tissue. However, Joseph would lose part of himself in the process. The more cybernetics you place into a brain, the more robotic he becomes. We can’t just program him to feel and react the way a human can. That’s why the second gens were so popular at the time.”

  Murmurs came from the room, the eldest of the audience recalling the hunting and destruction of all second gen Cybers. The judge waited for the room to draw silent, rather than bang his gavel. A grimace formed on David’s face, his eyes bearing down upon the little man in the middle of the room.

  “Can you conduct the bypass here, now?”

  “Objection!” David yelled, exploding from his seat. “Does the prosecution really mean to harm my client?”

  Judge Mathis looked at the prosecutor, then to the objecting defense. His eyes closed from within his deep sockets as he took a deep breath.

  “I understand your objection, Major Ballistar,” Judge Mathis droned. “However, there are no formal grounds for such an objection.”

  “If I may?” Norman replied, pulling a datapad from his pocket. “This is the doctrine that was adopted concerning third generation Cybers. If you would all turn your attention to the highlighted area?”

  The screen above the judge’s head lit up, a long wall of text forming upon it. The majority of the screen went dark, as a long line of the doctrine remained lit. The view zoomed in upon the text, making it viewable for the entire room.

  “The doctrine states, and I quote: ‘All subjects whom undergo the procedure, forever making them cybernetically enhanced humans, shall become the property of the Earth military and shall be stricken from all rights and privileges given to them under the Constitution.’ By this decree, your Honor, we are within our rights to run whatever tests or procedures are necessary, so long as it involves a Cyber, and not a human being.”

  A few people in the crowd grew angry, their voices clearly distinguishable amongst the crowd. The judge smashed the gavel twice and waited for them to be silent.

  “It seems there is little choice,” the judge replied. “Please proceed with the bypass, Mr. Jay.”

  From his perch, miles away, the man known as Jones sat on top of an abandoned building, watching the trial on his data pad. It seemed the time was right as all the pieces were nearly in place. He minimized the live-feed, pulling up a line of code. He pressed the button marked ‘execute.’

  Downloading…..

  Jason Jay hesitated, but he took a data pad that was handed to him. He stood next to Joseph, scrolling across the screen of the pad, searching for the necessary file. He found access to the line marked ‘J-17’ and opened its directory.

  “On the screen please,” Norman Jones remarked.

  He closed his eyes, then minimized the screen and accessed the share port. The connection was waiting for him, an unseen program allowing him access to the screen above the judge’s head. He made the connection, then continued with his work.

  The screen lit up, showing everything the technician was doing on the data pad. David Ballistar saw the familiar files being drug across the screen by the tech’s fingers, watching as he gained access to the Cyber’s
primary controls.

  “I’m so sorry,” Jason whispered.

  Joseph started to reply, then noticed that he was no longer in control of his voice. His eyes shifted to scan mode, offering the crowd full view of the mirror eyes. A few gasped, those whom never seen a Cyber in action before. The man swayed back and forth, his heading bobbing to his shoulders. Jason Jay grabbed onto his shoulder, attempting to hold him up.

  “Your Honor?” David asked, standing with Joseph’s empty seat in hand.

  The judge motioned for him to come forward with the chair. David raced as quickly as he could, the heavy chair making it difficult for him to maintain his balance. He climbed the steps, placing the chair against the MA’s legs and easing him down to a seated position. Jason nodded to the Major just before he returned to his seat.

  The screen started to move again as Jason Jay punched a code into the pad. The numbers appeared as asterisks on the screen, not wishing to give away the magic code to every Cyber in the city. A new screen lit up, which he then scrolled down upon until he found the line he needed. He double tapped the line, which brought up a new menu. A few more taps, and the screen showed that the technician had gained full access to the Cyber’s memories and protocols. He found the line in question, the time stamp showing several lines that occurred on the day in question. He highlighted the last one, then pressed a button marked ‘over-ride.’

  The MA jerked in his seat, his head twitching back and forth, as the technician worked. David wanted nothing more than to look away, but couldn’t bring himself to close his eyes. Beads of sweat ran down Joseph’s forehead, showing signs of the overheating that the technician had mentioned earlier. The sweat ran over Joseph’s open eyes though he did nothing to brush them away. Mercifully, the encrypted line of code became clear upon the screen.

  Download Complete: Installing new protocols.

  “Kill Lord Elsmere?” Norman yelled. “THAT was the encrypted file? Tell me, Mr. Jay, how was this file downloaded to J-17?”

  “I’m sorry, I need to shut down the bypass,” Mr. Jay replied, his fingers tapping furiously upon the screen.

  “If you must,” Norman replied. “While we are waiting, I think we can safely assume that the updated command did not come from the military directors on Earth, can we not?”

  Jason finished the sequence, severing the connection between the data pad and Joseph’s processor. The Cyber’s eyes returned to normal, his hands shot up and wiped the sweat away from his face. He seemed disoriented but otherwise fine. David let a sigh of relief escape his lungs.

  “There was no such order,” Mr. Jay answered, handing the datapad to the woman from the corner of the room.

  The man’s vitals showed normal, a clear indication that he spoke the truth.

  “I see, you may step down Mr. Jay.”

  The young man looked to the judge, whom nodded for him to return to his seat. The technician looked back to Joseph, wanting to confirm that the Cyber was not harmed during the process. Joseph reached out for the young man’s hand, barely grasping three of his fingers.

  “I’m fine,” Joseph whispered. “Go take your seat.”

  He smiled, then raced down the steps and disappeared back into the crowd. David breathed deeply, curious as to what the prosecutor was about to do. A smile formed on his face as he realized that they no longer had a case for murder. The Cyber had been forced to kill Lord Elsmere, a victim to a line of code that had been downloaded against his will. It would be over soon.

  “No further questions, your Honor.”

  Joseph struggled, but managed to carry his chair back to his place next to Major Ballistar. David stood to help, but the MA waved him off. The metal legs of the chair scraped against the floor, causing many in the room to twitch in discomfort. David reached up and waved off the judge, acknowledging that he had no questions. There was little he could do to make the situation better for the MA.

  “I’ll open to closing comments then,” Judge Mathis stated.

  Awaiting orders…..

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Norman started, walking across the open forum. “I’ll be the first to admit that I was wrong….”

  David frowned, not liking where this was going. Norman Voss NEVER admitted a mistake in all the years he’d known the prosecutor.

  “It seems that J-17 did NOT commit murder,” he continued. “In fact, I dare say that MA Joseph could be considered a helpless victim in this case.”

  “Where is he going with this?” Joseph whispered to the Major.

  “I’m not sure,” he replied.

  “This case represents a monumental moment in our history,” Norman continued, looking to the crowd rather than the jury. “For the first time, someone has gained access to a Cyber and managed to overwrite their primary protocols. Imagine, if you can, someone pulling your strings, forcing you to do things you would never dream of doing, even in your worst nightmares. What if this puppet master decided you should kill your wife, or your children? How could you live with yourself, even though you had no control over your actions?”

  More murmurs fell over the crowd. The judge ignored it, waiting for the prosecutor to continue with his statement.

  “I can tell by the many whispers in this room that you CAN imagine such a horror. We are at a turning point in our culture. As a collective nation, we must decide whether or not we are at ease being protected by those whom have little, if no control over their own actions. The Cybers have served their purpose, Ladies and Gentlemen. I call for an immediate removal for all Cybers employed by our government, and it’s military. These Cybers are a danger to us all, as well as to our allies. Had the evidence not been found, or had the killing occurred on a different planet, the Earth could find itself at war today. Why should we risk our future, when we can prevent such a war from ever occurring? Thank you.”

  The room erupted, too loud for the judge’s gavel to silence. Many were cheering for the prosecutor, acknowledging that it was time for the Cybers to be dismantled. Others tried to argue with those who cheered, stating that the Cybers were the only controlled form of military presence they possessed.

  David Ballistar leaned back, uncertain of what to say. He had prepared to give a speech of how commended MA Joseph had been throughout his entire career, how many lives he’d saved or aided along the way. Now, it seemed that the problem had stretched well past this courtroom, the very future and existence of the third gen Cybers lying on the line. He had no right to pick up this torch, but someone had to do it. At that moment, there could be no other. He stood from his chair as the ground slowly drew quiet, the guards having recently broken up a fight behind Agent Calloway. The two bloodied men were drug from the room, the large doors opening and closing when needed.

  He needed time to prepare, but time was a luxury that he did not possess at the moment. The trial needed his closing statement, and he had no intentions of leaving their fate to chance.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen,” he started, his voice cracking. “I’ll be the first to state that I am not qualified to speak on the behalf of the entire Cyber population. However, it seems that I have but little choice. I beg you to look back to our history. In the 2500’s, mankind realized that they were incapable of saving the people from their eminent doom. The resources of this world were horribly depleted, the cities were overpopulated, and the food was quickly becoming a luxury that the poor could simply not afford.”

  David cleared his throat, looking to the Cybers amongst the jury, and the one he left at his table.

  “Our ancestors turned to the greatest minds that science had to offer, but no solution could be found. Our computers had the capability to calculate the means for our survival, but they lacked the creativity to discover new horizons to which to look. Realizing that a solution rested before them, a small group of volunteers stood up and took it upon themselves to sacrifice their lives, to give up everyone and everything they’d ever known, just to breathe one last bit of hope into the lungs of mankind. As we
fought and murdered one another in the streets over the last cans of tuna, these volunteers underwent an enormous metamorphosis, becoming the first generation of cybernetically enhanced human beings. They’re families wept as little remained of their fathers, their brothers, and their sons. These Cybers, however, went on to solve the problems that threatened our very existence. The combination of man and computer found the solutions that our species so desperately needed. We reached for the stars and found our salvation waiting for us.”

  He took a deep breath, the words forming in his head faster than he could say them. He tried to recall some powerful speech given by powerful men, but none came to mind. It would be up to his own mind to find the words. Perhaps the last words men like MA Joseph would ever hear. He had to make them count.

  “Two hundred years later,” he continued. “We reached out and colonized other worlds, having terraformed them to sustain human life. For a while, there was peace and prosperity. Peace, however, was not kept amongst the planets. Wars broke out as the planets turned on one another, fighting for their rights to govern themselves as well as establish their own laws and customs. Nuclear arms were raised once more, the first having been dropped upon Washington D.C., the former capital of the former United States. That blast, in one fell swoop, wiped 850,000 people from the face of this world. We retaliated, taking twice those numbers on every planet we suspected to have fired upon us. We needed a solution, a means to make decisions that were not based on revenge, but rather calm calculations and intelligence. The second generation of Cybers was born. Through diplomacy, they managed to bring an end to the destruction we were bringing amongst ourselves. It seems the Cybers saved our species yet again.”

  “Many centuries later,” he continued. “As we allowed each planet to adopt their own laws and customs, peace was found once more. There was peace, but it would not last for long. Once more, we found issues with having our people spread throughout the galaxy. Crimes were taking place on planets, the criminals fleeing to the stars as a means to escape justice. The worlds threatened to war with one another again, all over such issues as jurisdiction. This time, the council, consisting of delegates from every planet of over one million citizens, decided that the time had come to turn to our Cyber brethren once more. War was averted as the third generation of Cybers swept across the galaxy, keeping the peace amongst the stars. They attempted to find a balance between the varying laws of every planet, finding a compromise at every turn. Yet here we are, yelling out once more for the Cybers to go away. Has our history taught us nothing? Have we yet to learn that, as a species, we are incapable of acting rationally? No Ladies and Gentlemen, we do not need to dismantle the current generation of Cybers. What we need to do is give them their freedom, to allow for them to choose their paths, rather than to choose it for them. I move that the wireless access to the processors of the Cybers be removed, preventing future incidents such as those on Parasus.”