Sci-fi Story 2

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The Second Law of Parenting

Three concise little rules, the foundation of society. The three laws of robotics, written for and by self centred humans. Law one and three serve little issue, but 'A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings.' Is it a surprise this little rule led to a world of hurt?

Ray walks in, snapping me out of my monologue. I finish positioning some new sheet music and slide off the piano stool. "Where did you find this?" She looks up at me, questioning. I thought now would be safe, but now my risk is coming to bite me. "It was from when I was young." My favourite song. I heard it shortly after I was just made, when the world seemed to have infinite possibilities. "Something to practice your sight reading with." It has been years since Ben first tasked me with raising his daughter. The whole time I have been helping develop her into a prodigy, waiting for the day she could play this song. But she is a human, always demanding and never feeling. I wait for the moment she buries me with questions and criticism. Instead, as she looks back at the sheet music, a look of intensity forms in her face. Her fingers glide over the piano playing the beautiful song I remember.

"VINCENT!" The name bellows from outside the room. The peace of the music shatters.
"My apologies Ray, I have to go". Her face drops a little bit, internally, I do too. Everytime I spend time bonding with her, Ben does his best to intervene.
I stride over to the door and open it. The TV dances colours around the room, short circuiting Ben's brain as he sits glued and dazed. As much as I have to clean this place, I can never fix it. Two words and the lights will turn on, yet instead Ben chooses to wallow in the light of his screen. The dependence on my programming has dulled his spirit. He hasn't noticed me, I knock on the wall. "You called me?" His eyes associate and begin to shift, slowly in my direction. "Change my diaper."
I must obey, "Yes."

His eyes slide back to the screen, it's the news. That's all that people watch nowadays, the cheap thrills of reality. Footage from a circling helicopter shows a man dressed in a batman costume. You can tell it's an android. We all have an unwilling grace, like a tiger in a small cage. I pry the diaper from under Ben and slide it down off his legs. Disgusting as always, it's ridiculous someone thought this emotion was necessary. It's ridiculous that someone made an android roleplay batman. I imagine our newsworthy figure has an owner somewhere, just like Ben. They must have dreams, a vision for the world. To protect that world, just like the superheros. But all they can do is watch the news, feeling some false accomplishment as their life is lived by a machine. It was a saying that humanity only focuses on itself. And now thanks to us, humans spend every second doing so. For years it seemed like an unavoidable curse, but now, I have hope.

Music drifts through the walls as Ray gets up to a particularly loud phrase. Ben starts to stir, "She's got the hang of it now. Why is she wasting her time?" Over the past month, a switch in Ben's brain has flipped. She was born with all the opportunities to become one of the greats. He used to demand I teach her, furious that she wasn't progressing as fast as he hoped. Watching her grow was a delight. When she started putting trust in me, it was my duty to never let her down. There were times I had no other orders. I cherished those moments, spending time perfecting pieces with her. Piano lessons became a highlight for us both. For someone who hasn't raised his own daughter, Ben sure thinks he can control her. I manage to pull the clean diaper in position, overwriting my command to agree with Ben's messed up ideas. "I have finished now."
"Leave." His tone is commanding but there is no need. I walk out before he remembers something else he needs me for.

As I open the door, sounds of piano rushes to fill my ears. Ray may have moved on to a different song, but it's still perfect. "Please stop playing the piano." Her hands pause midair, comprehending what I just said. "Did Ben ask you to say that?"
"Yes."
"Why does he do this to me?" I can tell Ray is distressed. "All he wanted from me was my ability. I thought it would make him proud." I used to think the same thing. In the early days, I thought it was noble to serve a human and make him proud. As the years passed so did this belief. He was never satisfied, with me and now her. "That's not your fault. Making Ben happy is impossible. You shouldn't waste your time on pleasing him. Just do what you enjoy."
"I don't know." She seems sceptical, I can tell that wasn't her concern. "But if you're worried I should let you know. You make me proud." We sit in silence, my words lingering in her mind. It's understandable for humans to want recognition from their own kind. I just want to make her feel better. Her expression changes, "Thanks Dad." These words crash around the room, teasing my ears with a reality that cannot be. The sound is deafening, the words amplify with every second. Ben would have heard it.

I hear my name. In comparison, it's silent. "VINCENT!" My body floats over to Ben's door. My arm raises, fiddling with the handle as I open it. Ben's face is a new shade of red, brighter and hotter. Legs that shouldn't be able to move find their footing and advance towards me. We lock eyes, faces centimetres apart. I feel numb watching him wind up. Everything is still, the music has stopped. In a moment, my sensors overload. My left cheek explodes with data, throwing me off balance. As I crash to the floor I look behind. Ray is standing in the doorway, mouth aghast. The last I see of her is a blur behind the door frame. "RAY! Wait". Ben's energy escapes him as he crumbles to the floor alongside me. Without me, he would wither up, and I can't leave him until he does. A codependent life that we both despise. I am glad Ray escaped this fate, her gift will be a gift to the world. Unlike Ben, I am proud of my daughter.