ROBOTS RULE, OK?
Frances Vincent



Jack Watson walked briskly through the small wood that lay near the boundary of his farm. He paused for a moment, peering through the misty haze of the early morning. His features hardened; there was something moving in the distance, he'd warned the army again and again about letting their vehicles wander onto his farm from their adjoining training centre. 

As he walked angrily towards it, he began to wonder just exactly what it was. It moved like a human, but it looked like a machine, probably a man in a deep sea diving suit or something. 

"Hey," he shouted. "What the hell do you think you are doing on my land. This is MY land here." 

"Halt," the figure ordered. 

"Don't you adopt that tone of voice with me," Watson cursed; "or I'll report you to your Commander!" 

"Halt," the figure repeated, ignoring his remark. 

Watson paused, there was something strange about this mechanised looking object now he'd got closer to it, something odd about its voice as well. 

"You will come with me," the creature stated. 

"I'll do no such thing," Watson blustered. 

"Any attempt to resist will result in your destruction." 

"It'll what-" 

"Under the terms of the Emergency Powers Act, we have the right to eliminate all subversive elements, and all who do not co-operate." 

"Do you know who you're talking to? I'm not part of one of your war games!" 

The thing paused for a moment. "You are Jack Charles Watson of 'Woodside Farm', Little Mackleton, age 33 years, born in Manchester on 22 August-" 

"How do you know all this?" Watson demanded, 

"We have built up statistical records of all inhabitants. You will accompany me to the detention centre where you will be processed." 

"I'll do no such thing. Don't you real-" His protest was cut short as a blast of fire shot from the suit and exploded near his feet. 

"I missed on purpose," the creature stated, "the next one will be fatal." 

Watson began to tremble, he was looking death in the face. His protests fell silent as the being moved forward and gripped him in its arms. As rockets blasted and they rose from the ground, he suddenly realised that he was not in the grip of a man in a machine; this was a robot! 

He was landed in the army's outpost near his farm and directed into a small room, where a man and his wife sat looking bewildered. 

"What's happening?" the woman pleaded, as he came in and the door slammed behind him. 

Watson shrugged his shoulders, still shocked by the events of the last few minutes. "Bloody army's gone mad," he muttered, "robots." 

"See," the other man said, "I told you they were robots. We're down from the Midlands. We were walking along a footpath near here when suddenly this thing came out of the mist and arrested us. The frightening thing about it is that it knew all about us; who we were, where we came from, where we were born, everything." 

Watson nodded. "Same here; going on about Emergency Powers Act or something.'' 

The man laughed uncertainly. "When I was young, I read about robots taking over the Earth in a 'Dan Dare' story in 'The Eagle', the Mekon was behind it. Never thought it'd happen in reality." 

The door opened and another robot entered. 

"I demand an explanation," Watson shouted, his fright having subsided, "what the hell's going on here?" 

"There is no cause for alarm," the robot stated. "When the situation has been normalised you may return to your homes. You have been cleared by security." 

"What situation?" Watson demanded. 

"The Government has collapsed," the robot stated, "a revolution has been started by left wing extremists. We have been called in to normalise the situation. As yet the outbreak is localised to the south-east." 

"But I listened to the news before I came out," Watson argued, "there was no mention of anything wrong." 

"There has been an attempted revolution," the robot insisted. "We are empowered to take whatever action we consider necessary under the Emergency Powers Act." 

"You can't keep us locked up here," the other man insisted. "I want to see someone in charge - a real person'" 

"You will remain here until the situation is normalised," the robot repeated, "Any persons attempting to contravene an order will be exterminated." On this note the robot turned and walked out. 

"Bloody cheek," the man cursed. "I'm not being pushed around by a lump of metal like that. Revolution! Probably some bloody football hooligans." 

"They're lethal," Watson assured him. "One of them almost blasted my feet off. I think we'd better play along with them for a while. But by God when a human being gets here, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" 

The man looked up at the window. "We could get out here," he decided. 

He undid the catch on the window and it rose up. "Didn't think of that, did they," he laughed. "Come on dear, let's go. No bounds how long before someone with some sense turns up. Are you with us mate?" 

Watson shook his head. "Those things can fly," he said. "You won't get more than a few yards." 

"We'll see," he replied, helping his wife through the window. "See you then." He climbed out after her. Watson went over to the window and watched them running across the opening to the woods. A robot spotted them, it's voice rang out through the morning air. 'Halt!' They ignored it's order and kept running. It repeated its command and again they ignored it. Watson waited for the machine to take-off and recapture them, but what happened made him recoil in horror. A twin burst of flame lanced through the air towards the two escapees and hit them with deadly accuracy, tearing their bodies into shreds. 

Watson shouted a protest, but was knocked back across the room as another blast of fire exploded above the window. He careered back, his head hit the wall and blackness enveloped him. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

When he came round it was to see a human face peering down at him; a high ranking army officer. "Fine, fine," he stated, "come on old chap, don't worry, just a bump on the head." 

"Thank God you've arrived," Watson gabbled, remembering the events just before his blow, "bloody robots killed two civilians. There'll be hell to pay!" 

The man shook his head. "I don't think I follow you, sir," he replied. "There has been a fatal accident, but all this talk of robots, I think you've been reading too many books." 

"I bloody saw it," Watson cursed. "Two innocent civilians mown down in cold blood." 

The man shook his head again. "There was an automobile accident," he explained. "The petrol tank in their car blew up. You were caught by the blast. I've prepared a draft of your statement for you to sign." He handed Watson a piece of paper. 

Watson took the document and scanned it. It said, in more detail, what the officer had just related. "This is a tissue of lies," Watson cursed. "You can't cover this thing up - two people have been murdered!" 

The officer's tone changed. "Look here Watson, you're a well known troublemaker, always complaining about us. I've got a copy of the post mortem signed by one of the country's leading doctors stating quite definitely that these two people died from an explosion in the petrol tank of their automobile. I've got a police report on the accident and the remains of the car. It's no use you trying to trump up some fairy story to try and discredit us. I'd've thought you could have dreamed up something more plausible than robots - what do you think this is, a science fiction film?" 

"I tell you I saw a robot kill two innocent people in cold blood." 

"Whose going to believe you?" the officer asked. "The statement of a man concussed in an explosion. A statement taken from a science fiction magazine which totally contradicts all the visual and authoritative evidence. I could have you locked away - declared insane:" 

"I'm not signing it," Watson stated. "I know what I saw." He paused. "Anyway how come a high ranking officer and an eminent surgeon are involved in a routine accident?" 

"I'll give you one more chance to sign." 

"No way." 

"Very well Watson. You may regret it." The officer turned and walked out. It was only then Watson realised he was locked in a cell without any windows. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

Some time later, a civilian entered his cell. Watson felt he recognised him from somewhere. "Ah, Mr. Watson, how are you feeling now?" 

"Physically better, mentally as well as before." 

"I understand there was some confusion over a motor accident you were involved in." 

"I wasn't involved in any accident," Watson protested. 

"That's funny," the man replied, opening his case, "I've got your death certificate here." 

"You've what-" Watson exploded. 

"It appears you were walking along the road as this car drove past you. As it did so its petrol tank exploded. There was a bomb in it, probably the work of a terrorist group planting an explosive device in the wrong car. A tragic loss of three lives." 

"This is a farce," Watson cursed, "a black farce." 

"It's no farce, Mr. Watson," the man explained. "we could kill you now and no-one would ever know. I only have to make one 'phone call, and I can have a signed statement in my hand within the hour from the country's top expert on terrorist bombs that the remains of the car contained parts of a bomb. He will state the fact with absolute certainty." 

"My God," Watson breathed, staring at his death certificate, "I believe you would." 

"Oh yes," the man confirmed. "We wouldn't want to, of course, we're not murderers, but there are some things that one life could be sacrificed for. This is one of them. All we need is your signature on this statement about the car accident, then it's all over and forgotten." 

"I'll sign if you tell me the whole story," Watson conceded. "For a start who the hell are you?" 

"I suppose it'll do no harm," the man decided, "you know too much already. You understand that to repeat any of this would be treasonable. Well, I'm Les Young, Deputy Minister of Defence; that's my official title, but actually I'm Minister for Internal Defence. You see, our system is much nearer collapse than most people realise, it only needs the pound to fall steadily for a couple of weeks for the whole of our monetary system to collapse, and believe me, there's plenty of groups just waiting for that to happen to make their bid for power. In such a situation, we can't depend on the army, not even with our careful screening processes. The situation is much the same in America, so together we've developed a system where we are building up a complete dossier on everyone in the country. It may sound far fetched, but the Welfare State has made our job quite easy. What with National Insurance, pensions, and Welfare Payments combined with the Census, we've got a base covering nearly everyone to build from. The robots were developed later, but are linked into the Central Computer Bank. They can identify anyone in the country, bar a few thousand illegal immigrants and others and provide a complete dossier on them. Although our Information Bank is in an advanced stage of completion, the robots are still being tested. As you've gathered, they're not yet perfect, that's why they strayed onto your land, despite the most stringent precautions. We see from your dossier that you vote Conservative and are a founder member of the Ratepayers Association. There's nothing for you or people like you to worry about. It's to protect you that we're instigating this programme, it's that or anarchy." 

"Well I don't know," Watson muttered. "I suppose you're right, damn revolutionaries everywhere nowadays." 

"Just sign the paper sir." 

He handed Watson a pen and he signed it reluctantly. "Goes against the grain," he grumbled, "seeing people shot down in cold blood." 

"Don't worry anymore," he Minister replied. "If you like you can undergo treatment to have it erased from your memory. We can make you believe you saw a motor accident. Anyway, you'll have nothing to worry about anymore, you can live a life of luxury. Greatsmore Manor has just about every entertainment." 

"What's that got to do with it?" Watson asked. 

"That's where you'll be staying from now on. It's front is a lunatic asylum for dangerous mental patients, but its actually a Government building specially built for people like you." 

"I'm not going there," Watson protested. 

"You didn't think you'd be able to go back home did you?" the Minister laughed. "Just seeing a robot made you dangerous. Still," he added, picking up the bogus death certificate, "it's better than this, isn't it?" 

"You wait 'til the national papers hear about this, "Watson shouted, "you'll be roasted alive." 

The door closed. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

The next day, Watson was taken from his cell by the officer who had seen him the day before. As they reached the car outside, Watson made a break for it. As he ran, the officer shook his head as the Minister came out of the house. 

"Looks like you were right, Colonel," the Minister conceded. "I thought he had more sense." 

"How much start do you want to give him?" 

"About a minute," the Minister decided. "It'll be more of a test for the robots. They don't get many human targets to practise on." 

A minute later a robot blasted off and after circling for a few minutes, a blast of fire spat forth towards the ground below. 

"Direct hit," the Colonel stated. 

"Excellent," the Minister replied. "Just as well, I didn't destroy his death certificate, eh? Just let those anarchists try anything; they won't stand a chance. Well, I must be getting back to Whitehall, the Prime Minister will want a complete report on this whole episode. Try and keep those robots within the perimeter in future." 

"Yes sir." 

"Like to see some terrorists try something; it'd be a walkover," the Minister concluded as he got into his car and drove off. 

As the robot returned to base it noted the ease with which these humans perished. "Just let them try anything, it'd be a walkover," it thought. "The masters will be those with the power. We have the power. Robots rule, O.K." 


 