The Capulets versus the Montagues, in year 2525

No setting or language is more effective than Shakespeare’s in putting across the most beautiful and memorable love story ever written. However, times change and the fragment below transports this story into modern times and modern language, a futuristic approach. I am not sure how effective any other language can be, compared with that of Shakespeare’s, but this is the 21 century and computers rule today, and robots will rule tomorrow and communication will remain electronic. It is sad to think that all the beauty that came with centuries-old poetry, rich language that could make one cry, or ponder on how could one think in such musical words, will disappear, to be replaced by AI. Nevertheless, I hope that Shakespeare will live in our books, hearts and imagination, even after the year 2525, when the passage I chose to transcribe from Romeo and Juliet takes place.

The story

In the year 2525 scientists came up with a new invention that will provide robots with special microchips, containing the complete reproduction of the personality and the cognitive features of all people. This was attained through the detailed analysis of the genetic code contained in old humanoid traces containing DNA. Then, shortly after the success of this analysis the same group of scientists finally created the time machine, and proceeded to explore the settings, the facts and events that occurred at different times in human history. Their first mission was to go back to the old days of the 17th century and collect on microchip materials from the atmosphere and old writings from the city of Verona, Italy. This is how they discovered the war between the Capulets and the Montagues, and the story of Romeo and Juliet.

This story of the rivalry between the two families continues into the new Millennium and the scene below, which sets the atmosphere of the never ending conflict, takes place in the same city, in the current year, 2525.

The first conflict occurs between the two main group heads of the research scientists, and their products. They each claim to have first come up with the principle of both: the personality-imprinted microchips and the time machines. However, their products are very different looking. The products of the 007 group, have 4 wheels and the others do not. The sight of 4 wheels has an anger trigger effect over the Fb33LDT group, due to an imperfection in the principle of “metal over mental”. Therefore, the century-old conflict between the Capulets and Montagues is being reawakened.

The Capulets and Montagues have been “programmed” (imprinted their historical personality into their emotional and cognitive virtual reality, contained in the memory chip) to be enemies with each other, just like in the classical story.

The following is the story of the moment when Romeo (Montague) is being spotted at the celebration of the discovery of the time machine and personality chip, organized by the enemy: the Capulets.

The setup

Two humanoid robots, one with 4 wheels, one without wheels. The stage is empty other than a picture of Verona of 1x1m, and a plastic tree. The voices of the robots are relatively robotic, although may maintain some emotional expression. However, the passions sound quite tempered.

The scene

Tybalt – (Capulet) alias CT1

By the shine of his bracelet, he should be a Montague. Project my laser beam gun, boy. How does he dare, this worthless piece of metal use worthlessly the transformation mode, to change his glare and attend our solemnity.

I swear to you that the honour of our group will not suffer!

And neither would the chief of R&D mind, if by our strength, metal dust, and mental nothingness would take the place of that despised humanoid.

Capulet – alias C1

What in the name of Great Mathew has made you so angry, my friend and centuries-old relative?

CT1

Piece of Related Capulet Machinery, and Virtually related uncle, this is an enemy, a Montague (which we now call M1), which has come to spy on our discoveries and turn us into a laughingstock. And our embedded AI has never warned us. As if it skipped a chapter in our everlasting battle. Revenge I say! Revenge!

C1

That new, 4-wheeled robot, bearing young, old Romeo’s mental pattern?

CT1

Yap, him, that nasty, ugly newly formatted mind embedded in that tasteless-looking robot. It is part of his old mental pattern of the young brazen Montague that our imperfect AI has not incorporated in their reality detection mechanism. It was the subatomic particles, the quarks that went undetected, which made up the most hidden traits of their hated family. Our still primitive AI missed those. Now look, the low probability of their existence allowed it to fester our hardware and challenge us.

C1

Keep yourself in control, CT1. Your century old anger has not been erased yet from your virtual emotional existence. Neither have your creators considered erasing your impulsive tendencies from your memory. Beware that the sight of 4 wheels will always trigger this poorly calculated reaction. And this may cause an implosion. I must tell you that being a four-wheeler as Romeo, is neither so ugly nor a sign of evil spirit, but rather a remarkable invention, for which group 007 is going to get an important prize.

I would not say a bad word about him, and not only because I am not so familiar with his new features, but also because 007 is a respectable research team. They have helped me many times in the past, despite their hatred towards us, entrenched in their hardware, as it is in yours towards them. Win over those ancient anger feelings and try to respect and conquer your humanly, long forgotten- from- our - world impulses.

We are in the age of “metal over mental” remember?

CT1

I shall not stop my anger!!! My mind is strongly set, and I shall not tolerate 4-wheelers sliding all over, with this silent hiss, pretending to be “ an innocent guest“. I have no respect for wheeled, masked robots. I have no respect for the protons, quarks, leptons, muons, or bozons, whether particles of waves, that form the mental patterns which bear Montague characteristics. I hate them with all my circuits, with every flow of electrons that keep me alive.

C1

I say you will get a grasp of your virtual emotional existence and stop making such a fuss. It is not suitable for a great Robot like you and most certainly not for a Grand Great Robot like me. You will not embarrass me with your human sentiments in front of all these Fb33LDT creations.  

CT1

But Virtually related uncle, his infiltration is so embarrassing!!!!!!

C1

You are unworthy of the metal coat containing all those fine code lines. Do not forget that I am the master of your circuits and I shall not allow them to become confused by such an ancient, improbable arrangement of code lines, causing a total hullabaloo of your strings of particles that have always brought about ill-calculated end results and futile wars. You have 2 parallel circuits and the power to shut one down when it becomes overpowering and makes you act too humanly, remember?

CT1

Ok, I know your mastery is overpowering mine. But angry am I still. My circuits originated from the old anti-Montague mind, that spilled into the irrational Capulet heart. The strength of the incomprehensible code lines and particles targeted seems to have suppressed the non-emotional part of me. I am now trembling with this electron rush, the particles of this ancient conflict flowing through my wires. I shall let your insensitive, feelingless advice prevail for now. But I have not been programmed to forget yet and will return soon to satisfy my wheel hatred with vengeance.