The Gateway

by Steve Simons

  Chapter 8 - Needs & Purpose

  The communications device relays another communication from one of the see through things standing next to the boys. It says, "Perhaps we can examine these things without actually taking the covers off." Then there's some sort of reply, although it is not obvious that the two communications are from different sources as the voice continues in the same tone. The second communication says,"How can that be done." The first source replies, "Magnetic Resonance Monitoring, something new that we picked up from Deflajini six." The conversation continued for a bit further. Tom interrupted the flow by talking to Dar-Reg and Aseer-Alc, he says, "Looks like they are so curious about our insides that they want to scan us with some new technology that they have got their hands on," Then he asks, "How can we get this communications thing to talk back to them? It is translating their communications into voice but I have found no way to talk back."

  Aseer-Alc instructs Tom how to get the communications device to go into translate 2-way conversation mode.

  Tom nervously looks to Barry for guidance, "What shall I say to these things?"

  Barry says, "Well don't look at me, I'm no expert on this sort of situation."

  Tom follows Aseer-Alc's instructions, then speaks into the comms device, "We mean you no harm and...... have arrived here by ....... accident."

  There is a flurry of communication not only between the two things before them, but others appear to be joining in. Then Tom notices that not content with just joining in with the conversation, some of the units stop whatever they were doing and come over to join the two things before Barry and Tom.

  A flurry of questions are thrown at Tom; he attempts to answer them, "Where do we come from, now that is difficult to answer, I suppose the best way to explain it is... a different dimension to yours. Why did we travel here, it was by accident, we have been through two other dimensions and are trying to get back to our own... Destruction devices, we have none, as we travel in peace, we do no harm... Why can't we be accessed, I suppose you mean why can you not see through us? If so that is just because that is the way we are made. Generally we are self healing, so only occasionally need repairing by specialists called surgeons... What is our primary function, now that is a very difficult question that has puzzled our species or type ever since we first existed... No I am not trying to avoid the question, we genuinely do not know the answer our type have many answers but we do not know for sure which one is right... Yes it does make things awkward, although we tend to just follow our own version of the answer and hope we have got it right... conflict between groups, yes there certainly can be be and it has resulted in many struggles and wars... what are wars? Well it is when one group wants to impose its beliefs and values on others or they just simply want to take over the land and things that the others own. What is own? Well individuals or groups can claim that they have the rights to do with things like land or individual things, like this communicator, what they wish to do with it... share things for the mutual good?.... yes there is some of that where we come from too... you see no point in owning... I suppose there isn't much apart from the fact that it give the right for individuals to make decisions about what can be done with things and who has the right to use them... What is the benefit to the group as a whole?... Mmm that's a tricky one." There is a silence for a while as Tom mulls over the last question. Tom turns to Barry, can you help me out here?

  Barry, shrugs his shoulders and says, "I dunno the answer to that one, apart from its nice to know what is yours so you know what things you have some say over what happens to it and how its used, like a house and how it is decorated to your liking."

  Tom says, "Hey good answer Barry." However, it does not seem to have been good enough for these things before them as there are loads of other questions but Tom decide to leave it there otherwise he may have to spend the rest of his life answering them. Tom tells these things that he is sorry but he is tiring of the barrage of questions and wonders if he can ask some in return.

  Suddenly the questions and communications cease as some form of leading, whatever these things are, instructs them all to stop. Again there is silence for a while. Then the leading thing speaks again, "This mass questioning is not achieving the greater good and is tiring our visitors, the greater good must continue again and our guests must be properly dealt with, to that end I allocate 27 82 16 to look after the guests needs and ensure they come to no harm as the greater good is resumed. All further communication with the guests will be through 27 82 16."

  It was strange, as all but one of the things that had collected round Barry and Tom, went off in all directions disappearing back to get on with whatever they were doing before.

  Suddenly the thing before them speaks through Tom's communicator and says, "I am 27 82 16 and have been allocated to see to your needs and protect you from harm. Do you have any immediate needs?"

  Tom looks at Barry, as if he were in need of instruction himself. Barry, unhelpfully, just shrugs his shoulders. Tom determined to satisfy this thing with an answer of some kind, replies, "Well it would be nice to sit down somewhere."

  27 82 16 asks, "What is to sit down somewhere?"

  Tom looks at Barry and asks, "How do I explain that one?"

  Barry says, "We humans have this need to take the weight off of our legs or movement devices as they grow tired with prolonged use. We usually bend the legs and sit upon something that can support our weight through our bottom, or we lie down horizontally if we are really tired."

  27 82 16 responds, "Strange thing to do. If our energy is low or we need computational time we simply stop where we are and conduct maintenance. Which type of tired are you?"

  Barry is confused by the question at first, the realises that 27 82 16 is referring to horizontal or vertical rest, without thinking about his answer much he replies, "Vertical."

  27 82 16 pauses for a moment, the lights flashing at rapid rate within the top part of its body. Then 27 82 16 responds, "I have measured your position of bend, assumed 90 degree bend is permissible and propose a cube of appropriate height, does this meet?"

  Barry puzzles over the meet part of the question, then realises that 27 82 16 means meet with their requirement and approval. He is about to reply, when Tom asks, "That should be good eh Barry?".

  Barry, somewhat taken aback by Tom's question replies in a somewhat dazed manner, "Er, yes, yes that.... meets."

  27 82 16 responds, "I have issued the instruction which will be complied with shortly, anything else to meet?"

  "No, unless..." Barry says as he looks over to Tom, to see if he needs anything.

  Tom replies, "No that is all."

  The boys note that there is one of these, these things approaching them from one of the nearby buildings or structures.

  27 82 16 says, "Your need is on its way. May I ask if we can expect any more of your type to join you?"

  Tom replies, "Well we are not expecting anyone else. Why do you ask?"

  27 82 16 replies, "We can construct more of the vertical rest units in preparation."

  Barry says, "That shouldn't be necessary, we are grateful by the way that you have made the one that is on its way now."

  27 82 16 asks, "What is grateful meaning?"

  Barry replies, "We thank you, we are pleased."

  27 82 16 says, "I do not understand."

  Tom says, "Our need will be met and we will be rested, so we thank you."

  27 82 16 replies, "I understand thank you."

  Tom can't contain any curiosity any longer and asks, "What do you do?"

  27 82 16 responds, "I do not understand."

  Tom continues, "You asked me, er us, what our purpose was, I was wondering if you had an answer to the same question for your, er species or type."

  Without hesitation 27 82 16 replies, "To serve the common good."

  Tom asks, "But what is that common good?"

  27 82 16 starts to answer, "I do not understand, the c
ommon good is the common good." Then as if it had been corrected by some unheard voice, 27 82 16 continues, "The common good is the benefit and survival of the realbots."

  Barry interrupts with the question, "Who or what are the realbots?"

  27 82 16 responds, "I am a realbot, part of the species as you call it."

  Tom asks, "Are you native from this planet?"

  27 82 16 responds, "I do not understand."

  "Do you come from here or have you come from another planet?" asks Tom.

  27 82 16 responds, "Realbots are from here. We have travelled to other places and do trade with other types of realbots and some other types of species. This is our place, although there is in our history talk that it has not always been so, before us can the Cree- Ators, but they have long left us, we have some records of the species but much was lost when the Cree Ators left us."

  "I've got it!" exclaims Barry, "These are robots made by another species, possibly like humans, they were left here on this planet for some reason and the humans have not returned."

  27 82 16 corrects Barry, saying, "We are realbots not these robots that you speak of. The Cree Ators may have been these humans you speak of, but they were not like you, they had access."

  "Oh I see they were transparent like you?" asks Barry.

  27 82 16 confirms, "They had access, yes."

  Just then the other realbot arrives with the specially constructed cube. The boys note that the cube is floating off of the ground by about a centimetre of two. There is a short exchange of flashing lights between the two realbots. Then 27 82 16 asks, "27 46 89 wants to know where you would like the rest device?"

  Tom replies, "Where it currently is, would do fine thanks."

  Again the exchange of flashing lights takes place and 27 46 89 heads off back where it has come from, presumably pleased that it had fulfilled the needs of these strange visitors.

  Tom and Barry walk over to the cube and sit on it, 27 82 16 had done a good job with its measurements, it was exactly the right height and whilst hard, it was nice to be able to sit down.

  27 82 16 asks, "The need is being met?"

  Tom replies, "Yes thanks."

  ~~~~~~~~~