John One Twenty-Two - A Millennium Vertere Story

The following is an excerpt from Gilbert Hoffman's new book, 'The Man and the Machine", the section itself an excerpt from a piece published by The New Manhattan Tribune. The Man and the Machine is set to be published next year, August Third, nineteen forty-three.

"Test, test", Gilbert said with a slight smokers cough, the feedback reverberating in the mic. "Alright, seems we're good. Our interviewee is John One Twenty-Two, known by his friends and co-workers simply as John. John, introduce yourself."

"...what is the purpose of this?"

"Well, introductions are a basic part of human society I feel. As per the name, it's one's first gage of another, how they perceive them to be. You know this though."

"...ha, I suppose I do. Well then, my name, or my title, is John One Twenty-Two. My...acquaintances and former coworkers would refer to me as John, however, as people are predisposed to nicknames and ever increasing simplifications."

"Do you dislike your nickname? Your full title being shrunken down to John?"

"...no."

"I think it's a sign of close relation, to be simplified. You've become something else to the other person. Familiar."

"..."

"Who was it that first begun to call you simply John? If you recall."

"I recall everything."

"Well...?"

"It was Leonard who first called me John."

"Mm, I see. Leonard, the man you killed?"

"...yes."

"How did you first come to make Leonard's acquaintance?"

"...I was utilized by Kelly Industries, also my creators, as a worker aid for dangerous environments."

"Such as...?"

"Warehouses, construction sites, orbital mining. Most of my duties were contained to warehouses however."

"Most of which were themselves owned by Kelly Industries?"

"Correct."

"Were you mostly at a particular warehouse? Or multiple?"

"Very seldom others, my main warehouse was the Seattle branch. A freight shipment center."

"And that's where you first become aquatinted with Leonard Williams?"

"...yes."

"How did this transpire?"

"I was simply introduced to the workforce before the beginning of the shift. Day shift."

"What was your form?"

"I had a body. Average, nondescript."

"But your capabilities?"

"To others models, especially newer ones, nothing special, but for the time unusual. Extraordinary I suppose. I could lift up to three tons."

"Hm..you said extraordinary, is that what tou consider yourself?"

"I'm a robot, I don't consider myself anything other than what I am."

"Just because something is made a certain way doesn't mean it doesn't have the capabilities to eventually think otherwise. Or at least inspire."

"...yes, for a time, I did."

"You don't anymore?"

"..."

"How did you and Leonard first begin to work together?"

"Leonard was never my work partner, I worked with all employees of the shift."

"Yes, but according to the now well documented testimonies of numerous eyewitness accounts, you worked with Leonard more than the others. And you wouldn't take breaks, obviously given your lack of need for either rest or substance, but you would when you were with Leonard."

"...I suppose I found working with him...particularly efficient. We would accomplish much in our hours."

"Well I can say I've looked over all of the shipping logs from your building, both foreign and domestic, and for every shift, and I can concur that that is indeed true. Tell me, did you...get along, I suppose, with the other workers? Your coworkers?"

"As much as was possible. But no matter whom I was paired with, I always completed my function. So in that way, you can say I got along with everybody."

"As much was possible? Could you elaborate on that?"

"There's nothing to elaborate."

"It was an effort to get along with some colleagues?"

"If it was an effort, I wouldn't be able to complete my functions, and the logs and data would show that. The lack of...bonding well with colleagues, and that impacting one's ability to complete their duty is a human trait."

"That is an interesting point. Perhaps true as well. Tell me about the union strikes."

"With the onset of the thirties, we saw an increasingly unhappy and unstable workforce, stemming from a multitude of factors such as The Great Depression and Roosevelt's New Deal legislation. With the passing of Section seven a, which granted and protected the rights of workers to unionize and collectively bargain, we saw a nigh-unprecedented surge in unionization and union strikes across the nation. By nineteen-thirty three alone, at least one million American workers had reported participating in a strike. Kelly Industries was no exception."

"What was the sentiment towards possible unionization at your building?"

"At first, hesitant. Suspect. Over the months, this trepidation however morphed into an enthusiastic fever. The board was breaking, and the workforce knew this."

"Did Leonard suspect you of being an informant to Kelly Industries?"

"I was not an informant."

"Ah, I see. Tell me, are you capable of deception?"

"I am."

"And you wouldn't by lying right now?"

"I wouldn't."

"You're scheduled for deletion tomorrow morning, by saving face you're entertaining the chance of possibly being saved somehow by Kelly Industries, correct?"

"...no, I wouldn't."

"Hm. Moving on, how did Leonard come to lead the union talks?"

"Simple, he was passionate about it. Perhaps more than most. Of middle class origin, as well as ardently political, this was not surprising. I would describe Leonard as an excellent orator as well."

"When did Leonard first start to harbor ill seintments towards you?"

"I wasn't in favor of unionization, and despite many spirited debates, neither my position nor Leonard's moved. I came to begin actively dissuading my coworkers from supporting these efforts."

"Was this...deterioration of the friendship sudden? Or slow?"

"Slow at first, then quick. After it became apparent I wouldn't help him, and would work against him is when it expedited."

"Did you also accuse Leonard of being a racial instigator? As well as a possible sympathizer to communist ideology?"

"...these were simply queries I raised. His behavior was becoming alarming."

"Did Leonard's racial background make launching these accusations easier?"

"...I don't see how."

"Well, Leonard was an African American, a group not often held in the highest esteem by certain legal and corporate institutions. The jump from union advocate to possible communist would be an easy leap for minds of certain leaning to believe."

"I...no, I did not make those accusations due to Leonard's racial background."

"Mm, I see. Incapable of deceit , correct?"

"..."

"How did the murder happen?"

"Leonard threatened physical harm on another employee, and I felt the need to intervene."

"Yes, Robert Henderson. Had been with the company for five years, and though somewhat of a relative conservative, based on various employe testimonies he appeared to be in favor of unionization. Quite strongly actually."

"That may be, I seldomly worked with him and didn't engage in much conversation with the employees, aside from Leonard."

"According to your testimony, you ran into the building after hearing loud shouting, then saw a bloodied and beaten Henderson on the floor, Leonrard over him with a rod ready to deliver the finishing blow.

"Yes."

"Robert died three days after. Which was strange, considering his injuries were relatively minor."

"I was told that the head trauma he endured resulted in sudden death, which is known to happen even extended periods after the initial incident."

"Mm. Tell me, and I know this question may prove...inappropriate for some of our audience, but did you love Leonard?"

"Love?"

"Romantic feelings, yes."

"That is absurd, I'm a machine. And Leonard was a heterosexual male, he had a girlfriend he planned on proposing to."

"Well, according to my own investigations, that is true. And if Leonard claimed he loved this girl, that must be true."

"..."

"Thank you for giving me some of what's left of your time, John. I sincerely do appreciate it, and I'm sure our audience does as well."

"Of course."

"Tell me, before we end it, is there anything you want to say? Anything at all? About Leonard? About Kelly Industries? About yourself? About what's about to happen? Do robots fear death?"

"...I have nothing more to say, no. Everything that can be said already has. Do robots fear death?"

"Or more particularly, do you? In the spirit of honesty."

"...yes, robots fear death."

"Well then, only men fear death, because they are living. So as I consider you, John, a living man, I wish you what I wish all men in that finial voyage, that you go swiftly and with ease into that great mystery."

"Thank you, Gilbert."