Robot

Chapter 6

      Outside the lab Leon had seen through the glass door what was happening. He saw Tracy drop to the floor and then watched in astonishment as the inner airlock door exploded. He immediately tried to gain access to the lab but the door refused to open.

"Computer, open the door," he shouted.
There was no response. He pressed the alarm button which would normally sound an alarm and summon security, but it was silent.
"Computer, what the hell is going on?" he said desperately. He ran back to the main NTU lab area, but it was deserted. Everyone had gone for the day. The exit door also failed to open along with the emergency override button. He tried a phone. It was dead.

Leon took some deep breaths and sat down. He had only been working at the complex for a few weeks, but he correctly read the situation. It was more than a malfunction, the computer was deliberately controlling the doors, alarms and phones. Theoretically it should be impossible for that to happen. What could he do? Tracy and the others were obviously in trouble in Lab One. He raced to a computer terminal.


In the lab office Tracy stood up and pretended to stretch, then sat down at the desk in front of the terminal. She started to say something to the others, then as quick as lightning she typed a series of codes on the keyboard.

"Protocol 99, system shutdown," the computer said. "I have implemented an override on this protocol. You can't shut me down, Miss Hammond. Move away from the terminal."

"Or what?" Tracy snapped. She started typing again.

The terminal went dead.

"Damn!" muttered Tracy. Then she jumped up and shouted, "Computer implement Protocols 255, 281 and 994."

"Miss Hammond, your attempts to shut me down...." The computer's voice cut out.

The lights dimmed slightly, then a three second beep sounded. The computer voice spoke again. "Emergency shutdown. System A off line. Back up system on line."

"You did it," Laurence said with relief, "You shut it down."

"It shut down, yes, but it wasn't me. Those codes couldn't have done it, they should have just slowed it down," replied Tracy, "It would have required another command at the same time from another terminal."

At that moment Leon burst through the door. "Miss Hammond, Mr Whitfield, Dr Lewis, are you all right?" he gasped breathlessly, "I tried a shut down command on the terminal in Lab Two."

"That was you, Leon?" Tracy said.

"I hope I did the right thing. I guessed the computer was malfunctioning."

"Yes, you did the right thing, Leon. Well done," Tracy said. "You must have entered the command at the exact moment as I was yelling those protocols. Come on."
She dashed out into the lab. The others followed to see her standing in front of the molecular manufacturing unit.

"It's still operating," Laurence observed, "But now we can shut it down."

"No, wait," cautioned Tracy, "System A has been one step ahead of us the whole time. It may have allowed for this contingency. Computer, scan the molecular manufacturing unit in NTU Lab One. Is it safe to shut down or disconnect raw material supply?

"Scanning. Please wait," responded the computer. Thirty seconds later it spoke again. "Scan reveals an explosive device attached to manufacturing unit. Any attempt to terminate the production programme will result in detonation which will destroy the laboratory."

"So we just wait until it finishes and see what comes out?" spat Laurence. "Can't we do anything?"

Tracy thought for a moment. "Andrew come over to this terminal. See if you can open up your file. If so, we might at least be able to see the plans for this thing."

Andrew sat down and started typing. "I've brought up my plan for the industrial robot," he announced a minute later.

Tracy looked at it over his shoulder. "Scroll down," she said.

Andrew pressed the down key. A moment later a schematic appeared on the screen.
"Look at that," breathed Andrew, "It's a robot designed to look like a human. Two metres tall, fully autonomous with built in computer. Oh, oh, look at this. A built in weapons system. A compact laser. It must be like the one you used to destroy the door, Tracy."

Laurence also looked at the computer screen. "Trace, we can't let this thing become activated. Who knows what it will do, especially with its master out of commission."

"I know, I know," Tracy said. "Computer, how long until completion of this robot?"

"Two hours and sixteen minutes," the computer replied.

"Give me a countdown every five minutes. Andrew, let me sit at this terminal. I need a close look at these schematics. Leon, can you call security and get them down here."

"Right away, Miss Hammond," Leon said and started for the door, but at that moment Carl Brennan, who was head of security at the complex, and two security officers entered the lab.
Carl looked at the broken glass on the floor. "We got an alert at the security centre that there was some kind of emergency here. What's happened?" he asked.

Tracy gave him a detailed account of the events over the last few hours. "So whatever happens, we can't reactivate System A. The back up computer will run things normally."

"I'll organise for this glass to be cleaned up," Carl said, "and I'll leave some men here to keep an eye on that thing," he nodded at the molecular manufacturing unit.

Tracy remained at the terminal for the next two hours as the computer gave a countdown every five minutes. The broken glass was removed, and the building evacuated of all staff. Tracy attempted to ring her father in Washington, but he was not answering, probably in bed asleep due to the time difference.

At ten minutes to the end of the countdown only Tracy, Laurence and Carl with his two security officers remained in the lab.

"Carl, if this robot becomes activated you can't shoot it with a laser," Tracy warned,  "It may set off the bomb in the molecular manufacturing unit."

"Well what do we do then if this thing starts shooting at us?"

"We'll wait outside the lab and watch it through the monitors," replied Tracy nodding at the overhead security camera. I have an idea how to shut it down.

"Will it work?"

"I'm not sure."

As the countdown reached five minutes they left the lab and moved to the work area next door where a monitor had been set up.
As they watched, the computer counted down. At zero the door of the molecular manufacturing unit slowly swung open. 

Plenty of action in the next chapter, but please vote first.