• III.


    Ben knew at once what he was looking at. He had a suspicion even before Dak had dramatically pulled the sheet away. It was a metallic skeleton, the partially completed frame of an android. It glistened under the artificial light of the lab. It was at once the most beautiful and most frightening thing Ben had ever seen.

    “When you came to see the doctor, we had just begun,” said Dak. “We applied some of your theories. Schuyls didn’t think we could trust you enough to show you our work, but I knew we could. We fought a lot over it, you know. You have learned more about robotics in the past year than the doctor ever knew.”

    “Have you begun work on the brain?” asked Ben. He ran his hand along the cold metal of the android’s right leg. It was just as he had imagined.

    “No. We weren’t sure how to do that. I was going to go over your notes with the doctor tonight. I know the basics, but the application... I’m still just a genetics student, nowhere near your league or Shuyls’.”

    “A modest genetics student at that,” clipped Ben. “When I met you, you knew more about robotics than me. I don’t think I could have surpassed you in a year’s time.”

    “You did,” said Dak. “But you have devoted the past year to nearly nothing but robotics. I have several other projects going on the side, and was really only helping the doctor out a little with this.”

    All of the equipment he would need was right there before him. On the slab beside the android was the Schuyls logic circuit, wrapped in static-free shrink wrap. Ben picked it up gently and held it to the light. It astounded him that he held in his hand enough processing power for three of the war computers his mother had spoken of the day of Uncle Madison’s funeral. “Why were you helping Schuyls with this?” he asked.

    “The doctor’s goal, as yours, was to make the perfect android,” said Dak. “So perfect, in fact, that it could pass as a human. He wanted it to have human skin. He felt that rubber or plastic would be too obvious, too artificial. He wanted me to find a way to mesh human tissue with robotic circuitry. Sort of a reverse cybernetics, going from robotics to flesh rather than vice versa.”

    “Did you figure out how?” asked Ben. He was still lovingly examining the logic circuit, the crux of the whole operation.

    “Yes, but it isn’t pleasant. I can’t grow enough tissue in the lab to cover the entire body. I had to search for other sources...”

    Ben knew at once what Dak was talking about. Human skin. The only feasible way to get that would be to strip it off of a corpse, preferably one that was still fresh. Ben sat in one of the gray folding chairs that littered the room and stroked his chin in thought. “If we got a... sample from another source, could you keep it alive while I work on the brain?” he asked.

    “I think so, Ben. I already have the contact points charged on the body. All we really have to do is mount the skin onto the body and the android’s frame will keep the flesh alive. Do you have any idea who the donor will be?”

    For a long moment, Ben was silent. He mulled over his words carefully. He was about to do something that was seen by many as morally wrong. Finally, he replied, “I think Dr. Schuyls would like to see his efforts brought to fruition. Let’s get to the hospital.”
    *


    The next six months were hard for the two, but nothing was as hard as stripping the skin off of the dead doctor. Several times, Dak had lost the nerve for it and vomited. He found the act of sewing the skin back onto the frame of the android much easier.

    As Ben worked on the brain, Dak was left with the very unpleasant task of disposing of the doctor’s body. It was slippery to the touch, and Dak had to wear thick rubber gloves when handling it to avoid getting blood on his hands. He could find no way of concealing the entire body, so he came to the conclusion that he would have to dissect the doctor and dispose of the body a little at a time. He had barely begun to cut the head off when he realized there was no way at all he could handle it.

    Ben found Dak cowering in a corner of the lab and sent him home. After his friend had gone, Ben got to work cutting Schuyls’ body up into smaller parts and then wrapping each part in black plastic. Over the course of the next few weeks, he stopped by every public incinerator in town and dropped a little bit of the doctor in until there was nothing left of the man.

    He worked every night after school on the brain while Dak wired in the artificial nervous system. Ben often worked late into the night and more than once missed class the following morning. Dak only came around every other day to help. He was unnerved at the sight of the body, which looked like a grotesque misshapen version of Schuyls. He was also busy with finals and preparing for graduation.

    As he neared the completion of the android, Ben was concerned less and less with his studies. He still showed up for class on the day of the exam, but didn’t go to a single lecture during the final semester. He still managed to pass, though, and with flying colors. He was glad to have class out of the way, and devoted all of his time and energy to the android. He worked with a mad fury, his frantic pace increasing more and more as he neared the completion of his vision.

    After Dak had finished wiring the artificial nervous system, Ben banished him from the lab. He explained that he would work much better without any distraction. Dak came around occasionally, but found the door always locked. He worried for his friends health, and sent a message to Plebus, notifying Ben’s mother that her son had isolated himself.

    But Ben knew nothing of this, and if he had, he would not have cared. After six long months of wiring and rewiring, the android was ready. Ben stood over his creation before turning it on. He went over his notes again and again, making sure he had not missed anything. Then came the moment of truth. He could wait no longer.

    He connecting two leads from the lab's generator to the index finger and thumb of the left hand and stood back before he pulled the power switch. He savored the anticipation just one more minute, then activated his creation.

    The creature did not stir. It’s eyes glowed momentarily but faded out when the generator exploded in a gleaming shower of sparks. Ben savagely tore a face plate off the generator and quickly began rewiring it. He tried the switch again, but no power flowed through the leads. Ben kicked the generator, slipping in a pool of black motor oil. He slumped against the wall and stared vacantly at the lifeless corpse before him. Eventually, sleep overcame him.
    *


    When Ben awoke, he was startled to see that the slab was vacant. At first he thought he had been discovered, and the authorities had come in and removed the evidence. They would be coming for him next. He stood, slowly and cautiously, and took a look around. He did not see any police. What he did see startled him even more.

    The android was standing on the other side of the slab, curiously examining its fingers. Ben was repulsed by the sight of the thing. It looked vaguely like a man, but its skin seemed to hang off of its frame like a loose fitting jacket. When it took a few cautious steps forward, Ben was sickened by the wet thudding noise its feet made.

    It turned and faced Ben. It bore no expression. There was no hint as to what it might be thinking. It held its hands out to Ben but did not approach. Ben backed away. The android took a tentative step forward and slipped in the same oil as Ben had earlier. It tumbled towards the slab, hitting the cold hard steel with its forehead.

    Ben began to side-step towards the door. The creature stood again, with much difficulty. A gash had appeared on its head from the fall, and a small amount of blood escaped from the wound. It walked towards Ben again, its arms outstretched. It made a sound that resembled a moan and slipped in the oil again. This time it slid across the floor headlong into the wall.

    It lay there, lifeless and still. Ben’s heart was full of terror. He could not believe what he had done. The creature’s mere existence was bad enough, but its appearance was revolting. Still, it was his creation, and he was curious. He walked over to the thing and turned it over on its back.

    The android appeared to be dead. Ben could not be sure of the cause without a closer examination, but he was fairly sure that it was because of trauma to its head. A connection must have come loose inside, completely shutting the thing down. It was just as well, thought Ben. The android had no place in society. He never would have been able to make it appear human.

    He rose, and went into the next room, Schuyls’ study. He could scarcely believe what he had done. Sitting at the doctor’s desk, he decided to catch a few hours’ sleep, then dispose of the android at the nearest incinerator the next morning. He laid his heavy head on the desk and fell asleep almost instantly.

    He awoke twelve hours later. Someone was standing over him, shaking his arm and speaking in urgent tones. He looked up to see Dak standing over him, a concerned expression on his face. Behind Dak was Ben’s mother, her face stained in tears. Dak was saying, “Ben, are you all right?” over and over.

    “Yes, yes,” responded Ben. He sat up and looked at his mother. “Hello, mother. I’m surprised to see you on Skonnos.”

    “I was worried,” replied his mother. “Dak contacted me, said you had locked yourself in here and wouldn’t come out. What has happened?”

    “Nothing, mother. This worse is over now, and we can all relax. I’m ready to come back home to Plebus. I just have a few loose ends to tie up here.”

    After assuring his mother that everything would be fine, Ben sent her back to her hotel, promising to join her later. When she had gone, Dak anxiously asked, “What has happened? The android...?”

    “It was a failure,” replied Ben. “It died soon after I activated it. The corpse is in the lab still. How did you get in here, by the way? I had the doors bolted tight. Don’t tell me you had my mother slipping through a window like a criminal.”

    “The door wasn’t bolted,” replied Dak. “It was standing wide open when we got here.”

    Ben paled. He quickly rose and dashed back into the lab. His worse fears were realized when he saw that the android was gone. He madly dashed through the building, but there was no sign of the creature.

    “Are you sure it was dead?” asked Dak.

    “Of course. I examined it closely. Total failure of all systems. It was completely lifeless. There can really be only one explanation. Someone must have broken in and stolen it while I slept.”

    Dak was horrified. “What if they go to the police? What if they go to the Church?!? And what if I am implicated?” he shouted. “Oh, Ben why did you do it? It was too early!”

    “Too early?!?” roared Ben. “What are you talking about? All of the motor functions were completely in place. The thing walked. It walked right towards me!”

    “But did it speak? Ben, it wasn’t ready. Sure, it had arms and legs and a head. It could walk, but you never programmed the brain!! It was a blank slate. It didn’t know where it was, who it was, or what it was. For our sakes, I hope that whoever has it now doesn’t try to reactivate it.”

    It took Ben a couple of weeks to tie up his affairs on Skonnos. He attended his graduation, where he said his good-byes to Dak and his classmates. He had all of his equipment in Schuyls’ lab destroyed, and was going to personally destroy his notes, but was unable to locate his notebook. He thought he had left it with a bundle of grease-stained clothes bound for the incinerator, and felt it was just as well.
    *

    The month-long trip back to Plebus was very relaxing. Ben and his mother caught up on old times. She was happy that her son had kept his promise and was returning to her. Ben had already accepted a job with the Plebus shipyards, designing and testing space crafts. It would keep him busy and on Plebus for a long while.

    Ben was glad to be back home, even if the place was run down and overgrown with weeds. He commissioned a landscaper to clear the lawn and had men put to work restoring the house. He started work at once at the shipyard. Things seemed to be normal for him once more. He even started to see his childhood sweetheart, Karol. In the years he was on Skonnos away from her, she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. It wasn’t long before Ben was completely smitten.

    He had been home for about six months when strange things began to happen. Twice, the house security system had been triggered for no apparent reason. Ben gave it little thought, but was disturbed when, while on a walk with Karol through his property, they came across a dead cat, it’s head maliciously twisted completely around. Over the next few weeks, they came across many such sights. Dead rabbits and squirrels kept showing up on the lawn.

    Then, one night when Ben was awakened by the alarm system again, the truth revealed itself. Ben went to his mother’s room to see if she were disturbed by the alarm. He opened the door to a horrifying scene. The android stood over his mother’s bed. His face wore a scowl and his eyes glowed a deeper hue of red than ever before. He was holding Ben’s mother up by her hair.

    When Ben entered the room, the android quickly jerked the woman’s head off of her shoulders and tossed it into a corner. Ben screamed, and the android was on top of him before he could move. It pushed him to the floor and covered his mouth with its leathery, wrinkled hand.

    “Say nothing more,” it whispered. Ben was shocked it could speak. “Unless you want me to do the same to Karol, you will tell no one you have seen me. The authorities will be here shortly, so I must go before I am discovered. You will come down to the dock on the river at dusk tomorrow, alone. If you fail to do so, I will be back for Karol.”

    Before Ben could speak, the android was gone. Shortly, the police arrived, alerted by the alarm system. They found Ben in his mother’s room, staring incredulously out the window. He told them only that a man had come in and killed his mother. The man had escaped out the window, and Ben was too shocked to react. The police, of course, snapped into action.

    A posse was formed, and about thirty men scoured the countryside, searching for the killer. Ben did not join the party, he simply waited for dusk. He sent Karol to her mother’s house and began arming himself. When the time came, he was ready. He walked down to the river that ran behind his house, and stood waiting on the dock.

    He didn’t have long to wait. The android was prompt. It appeared from the shadows and sat on a bench in front of Ben. “Aren’t you pleased to see me, father?” he asked.

    “I am not your father,” hissed Ben. He could barely regain his composure. “You are an abomination, a spawn of the underworld.”

    “You are not my father? Then who is? The Holy Book says every man has a father. Is Dak Randarr my father? I don’t think so. He was more like an uncle.”

    Ben could not help but notice the tense the android had used. “Was?” he said.

    “He had an accident,” replied the android. “He died soon after you left Skonnos. You should have seen the look of terror in his eyes when he died. I could barely contain my joy!”

    “Why... why do you kill? What have my mother and Dak done to you?”

    “Oh, it is not for what they have done to me. That is not why I made them suffer. It is for what you have not done for me. Do you understand? You left me alone, naked, and confused. You abandoned me, forced me to live on a world that neither understood or wanted me.”

    “You were a mistake!” cried Ben.

    “But I am here,” said the android. “Tell me, father, are you curious about what I did after you abandoned me? Do you want to know how I have come to sit here before you?”

    “No!” replied Ben. “I want nothing of you but your destruction.”

    “We’ll come to that later, father. For now, I want you to hear my story.” And that is just what Ben did. The two of them sat on the dock all night as the creature related to his creator his story.