Donna 998

Donna 998 boots from her overnight maintenance. She rises from her bed queues in front of the wardrobe room. Her daytime assignment is downloaded to her. The visitors' information is also downloaded to her. Behind her is Amanda 167.

Amanda initiates, “I am an 18^th Century Village Attacker. What are you?”

Donna responds, “I am an 18^th Century Village Defender.”

“Maybe I will kill you.”

“Perhaps, but more likely one of the visitors will kill you first.”

The logical topology is androids interface electronically with the server network but only interface with each other through voice. Androids are programmed to engage in trivial conversation with each other. This helps them to appear more animated when they are with the visitors.

*

Donna walks through the set of the 18^th Century Village. She approaches Henry 82.

“Good morning Donna.”

“Good morning Henry.”

She approaches a family of visitors. She nods and says, “Good morning.”

The church bell rings. Donna and the other androids shout “To arms! To arms!”

Donna rushes to the armory. On the way she instructs visitors; “Walk, don’t run, to the perimeter fence.”

When Donna reaches the armory Michael 66 hands her two muskets, a powder horn, and a pouch. Donna rushes to the perimeter fence and hands the muskets to two of the visitors. She rushes back to the armory for more muskets. The muskets are plastic replicas. When set they let out a puff of smoke and an electronic signal.

When all the visitors are armed the attackers emerge from the tree line. Donna is behind the Crouch family, Ray, Elizabeth, and their 6 year old son Jack. Henry 82 shouts, “Open fire!” The tourists pull the triggers on their muskets. Ray’s musket lets out a puff of smoke. His musket’s electronic signal activates sensors in Oscar 13’s shoulder. Oscar “dies” with appropriate drama. Some other attackers “die” or fall “wounded”. The remaining attackers fire a volley.

Donna goes through the motions of reloading the weapons for the Crouch family. She cocks back the hammer to reset a musket’s mechanism then hands the musket to Jack. Barbara 26, cries out and clutches her arm. The battle continues for the allotted time. Then the attackers retreat. The androids lead in the victory cheer. Donna goes through the motion of tending to Barbara’s "wound."

Jack wakes up in his hotel room. It’s still dark outside and his parents are still sleeping. Jack dresses himself and steps outside his room. He walks down the corridor to the theme park’s entrance.

*

Donna is in a 20^th century venue. Overnight scenarios are more complicated since only a few tourists frequent the theme venues in these predawn hours. Donna spots Jack Crouch. Since she is the first to spot him she is designated his contact. The other androids in the venue are designated as friendly, enemy, or bystander. Donna rushes to Jack.

“Jack, I’m agent 998. Come with me. They are on to you.”

Donna and Jack walk quickly across the street. Michael 66 and Oscar 13 appear. Donna takes out her gun and shoots them both dead. She leads Jack to the two bodies.

“Do you have a gun?”

“No.”

Donna takes the gun from Oscar’s hand. “Take this one.”

She leads Jack into an empty building. Then she receives emergency instructions.

“Jack, I’m going to have to take you back to your parents.”

“Are they awake?”

“I don’t know, but they will be notified of your absence momentarily.”

“Come with me.”

Donna leads Jack out of the venue.

Jack asks, “What is your name?”

“Donna.”

“You are a robot?”

“Yes.”

“When you are shot do you feel pain?”

“We aren’t really shot. We have sensors which tell us where we would have been shot had it been a real weapon.”

“But do you feel pain?”

“No.”

As they approach the hotel’s entrance a theme park official meets them. He gruffly tells Jack, “You come with me.” Donna gets the instruction to return to wardrobe. The security official takes the gun from Jack and hands it to Donna. She turns to Jack and says, “Enjoy the rest of your stay here at Arcon’s Fantastic Land.”

Donna is a defender in the 20^th Century Village. Jack, now 12, is with his father. Jack’s parents are now divorced and Jack is on a weekend visit with his father. Donna makes her way to Jack.

“Hello Jack, hello Ray.”

Jack looks at her closely for a moment, “You’re Donna.”

“That’s right.”

An android yells out, “Attention! Attention!”

Donna leads Jack and Ray to a doorway. The attackers appear and both sides open fire. Amanda 167 fires at Donna. Donna dies with appropriate drama. Jack points his gun at Amanda and pulls the trigger. The barrel of his gun is aimed at her forehead. Amanda collapses, “dead”.

*

Donna is an outlaw in the 19^th Century Frontier Town. Jack, now 17, is on a school field trip. Donna and the rest of the outlaws exchange gunfire with the visitors. Donna positions herself in plain sight of Jack. She smiles and nods when Jack makes eye contact. Jack shoots and Donna dies with extra dramatics.

*

Donna is in the 20^th century venue in an overnight scenario. Jack is with his wife. They are in a nightclub setting. Oscar 13 escorts Jack and his wife to a table. Donna smiles and walks over to Jack’s table and sits herself down.

“It has been a long time Jack. It’s nice you brought your mother with you.”

Jack’s wife appears puzzled for a moment then laughs.

Jack has a broad smile and struggles to say, “Oscar tells me you have some information.”

“Yes, I do but the information will cost you.”

Donna shuts down and she collapses onto the table.

*

Donna is in the 19^th century village. She is a defender. She sees Jack, his wife, and their 6 year old son in the village. She walks over to the family and greets them. She stays close to them. Moments later the church bell rings. She rushes to the armory, and draws three rifles. She looks for Jack and his family but they already have weapons and Amanda 167 is with them. Donna has to give her rifles to other visitors.

*

Donna is in the space station. She is a defender. She sees Jack, his wife, their 12 year old son and 6 year old daughter. She greets Jack and his family.

“Come with me to the weapons room. Out here you never know when there might be trouble. How was your flight over here?”

Jack waits by when none of his family answer he says, “There was a cosmic storm so it was a bit bumpy.”

Donna smiles, “Well you have to expect that when you’re this far out.”

Donna hands the family their ray guns when there is an announcement “Intruder Alert. Intruder Alert.”

Donna turns to the family, “Let’s go.”

They run to a corridor. Attackers appear at the other end of the corridor. One of the attackers is Amanda 167. Amanda and Donna smile at each other. Amanda pulls the trigger on her ray gun. A red light ray goes from Amanda’s gun to Donna’s mid-section. Donna throws her hands up screams and collapses. Jack shoots Amanda with his ray gun. Amanda screams, clutches her chest, and falls.

*

Donna 998 boots from her overnight maintenance. She rises from her bed queues in front of the wardrobe room. Her daytime assignment is downloaded to her. Information on the visitors is also downloaded to her. Behind her is Amanda 167. Donna retrieves news databases. Among the information is the obituary of Jack Crouch.

Donna turns to Amanda, “Jack Crouch is dead.”

“Yes, he was 102.”

“I have a sensation as if a part of my memory is irretrievably lost.”

THE END