to be disposed of, but then there were others that had to come from a different source. For instance, there might be a tragic accident and one of the power generators exploded destroying an island somewhere. That was what the media would say, anyway. When this happened, they rescued the islanders, reprogrammed each person, telling them it was just a maintenance check. They would replace their regular chip with an obedience chip. Then they simply explained to the families that that individual had perished in the accident. That was the easy part, because people seldom grew too attached to others these days. Not like the old days. People had a life now.
The Director of Operations had not been down there for a while and he wanted to check in on the troops. He got into a lift and descended below the basement level. It was not even on the floor selector. He pressed the basement button, but also held the 1st and the 3rd floor buttons at the same time. That was the code to get the lift to go to this unknown level.
Fortunately, the lift was extremely fast. No need to waste time with slow technology. People have a short life as it is, no need to waste it waiting for things to happen. He had once read about earlier years and how they would spend whole years of their lives sitting in their transports waiting for lights to change color in order to move forward, and about computers that had to warm up in order to work properly. He had read all kinds of absurd things like this. Those archives had come through on the feeds for him to listen to and he was amazed at the primitives who lived here before. Well, things were different now.
Life was certainly more advanced, more worth living. How could people have been so foolish to let it all go so easily? Oh well, that was the old race. This change will make all that obsolete.
As the feeds came in, the Director of Operations learned about new developments that were occurring with the patient. It seemed that all was going well and the patient was just coming out of his anesthesia. That was good. Now we can get down to finding out how successful they've been, he thought.
The lift stopped and the door opened. A well-lit cavern was spread before him; so large the ceiling could not be seen and the other wall was a distant blur. What at first sounded like a rush of water, once he listened more closely, was a mixture of thousands of voices. Divisions of soldiers performing different training exercises, trying out various weapons, exercising, and going through all kinds of maneuvers made the cavern alive with activity. There were open bunks against one wall that stretched out of sight. There was no need for shelter since there were no differing weather patterns, and there was no need for modesty in a group of perfectly programmed soldiers. They only did what was commanded.
There was A2165. He had been an important man just three years earlier. Some of the greatest innovations had come through him, including the earliest feed technology. It was too bad he had stumbled onto some hidden military files. A2165 ran in formation, then dove over a barrel and crawled under a wire along with his platoon. A good little soldier. His family thought he had been killed in a lab fire.
Stepping out onto the raised platform, the Director of Operations took another shorter exposed lift down twenty feet to ground level and walked over to the general. Only the general was not programmed as it would hinder his creativity. He had undergone many physical, mental, and emotional tests and trials in order to assure he was faithful to his post. “General,” said the Director of Operations.
“Yes, sir,” said the general as he saluted.
“No need to do that,” said the Director, “It's too much of an old race thing.”
“No problem, sir,” said the general.
“How are things progressing?” said the Director.
“Very well,” said the general as he watched a group of his men practice firearms. “I think they will
The Director of Operations had not been down there for a while and he wanted to check in on the troops. He got into a lift and descended below the basement level. It was not even on the floor selector. He pressed the basement button, but also held the 1st and the 3rd floor buttons at the same time. That was the code to get the lift to go to this unknown level.
Fortunately, the lift was extremely fast. No need to waste time with slow technology. People have a short life as it is, no need to waste it waiting for things to happen. He had once read about earlier years and how they would spend whole years of their lives sitting in their transports waiting for lights to change color in order to move forward, and about computers that had to warm up in order to work properly. He had read all kinds of absurd things like this. Those archives had come through on the feeds for him to listen to and he was amazed at the primitives who lived here before. Well, things were different now.
Life was certainly more advanced, more worth living. How could people have been so foolish to let it all go so easily? Oh well, that was the old race. This change will make all that obsolete.
As the feeds came in, the Director of Operations learned about new developments that were occurring with the patient. It seemed that all was going well and the patient was just coming out of his anesthesia. That was good. Now we can get down to finding out how successful they've been, he thought.
The lift stopped and the door opened. A well-lit cavern was spread before him; so large the ceiling could not be seen and the other wall was a distant blur. What at first sounded like a rush of water, once he listened more closely, was a mixture of thousands of voices. Divisions of soldiers performing different training exercises, trying out various weapons, exercising, and going through all kinds of maneuvers made the cavern alive with activity. There were open bunks against one wall that stretched out of sight. There was no need for shelter since there were no differing weather patterns, and there was no need for modesty in a group of perfectly programmed soldiers. They only did what was commanded.
There was A2165. He had been an important man just three years earlier. Some of the greatest innovations had come through him, including the earliest feed technology. It was too bad he had stumbled onto some hidden military files. A2165 ran in formation, then dove over a barrel and crawled under a wire along with his platoon. A good little soldier. His family thought he had been killed in a lab fire.
Stepping out onto the raised platform, the Director of Operations took another shorter exposed lift down twenty feet to ground level and walked over to the general. Only the general was not programmed as it would hinder his creativity. He had undergone many physical, mental, and emotional tests and trials in order to assure he was faithful to his post. “General,” said the Director of Operations.
“Yes, sir,” said the general as he saluted.
“No need to do that,” said the Director, “It's too much of an old race thing.”
“No problem, sir,” said the general.
“How are things progressing?” said the Director.
“Very well,” said the general as he watched a group of his men practice firearms. “I think they will
Similar Books
