West of Nothing

6. Operation Alcatraz

Operation Alcatraz was about to commence. With the resonator humming to keep the X-Bot off the walls, the lid of the glass containment bell was unscrewed and replaced with the one that had a hole in it. Next to the hole was a mousetrap-like mechanism that would trip a safety plug should anything go wrong. Meanwhile, the X-Bot crouched back on its rear-most legs to watch. To Mason it appeared wary and calculating, as if planning its next move.

Skunkworks counted down and cut power to the resonator. Wasting no time, the X-Bot began walking up the wall, surefooted as if it had suction pads on its feet. When it was about three quarters of the way to the lid and freedom, Skunkworks flipped the resonator back on. The X-Bot peeled away from the glass, flipped over in mid-air, and landed as gracefully as a cat, its legs flexing to absorb the shock.

That was quite the show, Mason thought. What other acrobatic feats might it be capable of? Could it jump its way out? But a five-foot vertical leap was apparently beyond its abilities, and its next move was something of a disappointment. It did exactly the same thing, step for step. This time it wasn't even halfway up before Skunkworks knocked it off.

"Gotta keep it guessing," he said.

On the third try, the X-Bot varied up the routine. It went over to a piece of broken glass and squatted on it. When it raised itself up, Mason was not surprised to see a rainbow-filled divot. The acid slobber trick again. But what for? The X-Bot rubbed its feet against the underside of its body before making another attempt at climbing.

"Maybe it put something on its feet to make them sticky," Doogie guessed.

But when the resonator kicked on, the X-Bot peeled off same as before. It kept right on trying though, pausing after every four or five attempts to dissolve a bit of glass and rub its legs. This went on for several minutes.

"Persistent little bugger," Skunkworks said.

It must be stuck in a logical loop, Gabby typed. Probably a stopping problem. Its creators couldn't have anticipated a situation like this.

"It's not so smart after all!" declared Shouter. "Just another fucking robot."

Not necessarily. Even humans can get stuck in repetitive behaviors and we're pretty smart. Think of a compulsive gambler pulling the lever of a slot machine.

"Speaking of levers, mine is starting to wear out," Skunkworks said.

"I think the experiment just stopped itself," Corny said.

Sure enough, the X-Bot had taken up a stationary position at the front of the bell, looking out over the Bridge. It seemed to sag in defeat—or was Mason just imagining that?

"Took it long enough to call it quits!" said Shouter. "Forty seven attempts in seven minutes and twenty one seconds."

"All right, let's seal it back up," Skunkworks said.

What's the hurry? replied Gabby. Why not let it stew a bit and see if it makes any other moves?

"I suppose there's no harm in that," Skunkworks allowed. "We'll keep the resonator going, and there's still the emergency trip-plug, just in case."

The team discussed the experiment for some while afterward, but Mason's attention was already focused elsewhere. He had made a mental note of several moments—the acid eating, foot-rubbing and wall-walking in particular—that he wanted to pore over on video playback. Real-time observation was so limiting. Human eyes were woefully inadequate when dealing with the micro-sizes and micro-timescales of miniaturized robotics, or even the natural insect world for that matter.

This lesson had been driven home to him while watching a documentary on dragonflies, which could catch and shred their prey in the blink of an eye. You could be staring right at one and not realize it had taken a meal until you saw bug parts drifting glitter-like in the air. It was only when you got down to their level—or enlarged them to yours—that you could observe the all-important details. Mason had developed a habit of replaying short clips at a one-tenth frame rate to closely observe the micro-adjustments and material deformations that made up even a seemingly straightforward task like a grasshopper jumping.

He was in the middle of dissecting a scene when a chat window flashed open. He felt momentary panic, thinking it was FN IT Security again. He relaxed when he saw that the name on the window was Gabby's.

It seems our little friend has taken a special interest in you, Gabby messaged.

What do you mean? Mason replied.

Don't look now, but I think the X-Bot is giving you the evil eye.