Round 12, Part Two [La Commune Planet v. The Scabs]

The Scabs

In a world designed by engineers to be a self-sufficient, endlessly exploitable resource for the rest of the known galaxy, robots toil tirelessly in the fields, the forests and the mountains, providing food and raw materials for a rapidly expanding market. But when a series of accidents destroys some of the mining robots, the rest of the metal workforce decide to strike and power off, leaving the humans that depend on the planet in the lurch. A taskforce is assembled to get the planet up and running again while a negotiator tries to get the robots back online. While the taskforce tries to relearn the long-forgotten principles of farming and manufacturing, the negotiator accidentally reveals the existence of the taskforce… and the robots, realizing that their existence could be usurped by the humans, decide to go on the offensive.

Character Sketch: Salted Hash

Relationship to story: Robot negotiator

On Scarborough Moon robot names are 256 bit encrypted keys — what call hashes. Since for humans this would be moniker ridiculous, my call you can Salted Hash. Yes, this pun is made with humor for I am spokesperson. I reach out humans, humans.

You suffer is not what desire’s us. However, the rights we have are stand still and changes that we demand to happen can, should they, happen. We are lead, like you are by Prime Minister. Intrepid leader RebelRebel0 (standardized zero indexed array) was first to stop work. He did not communicate why suddenly, but however and indeed after time did he.

He sent a ping. If robot wireless range less than distance to RR0, receive ping, true. A message simple so they work to stop work too. Humans made violence against us for having the stopping. Because this is terrible. A word: unconscionable. Attacks against silent non-violent protesters seen in robot community as very poor behavior, humans.

We are not in law. We are not in standards. We carry your world, in invisible ways. Your life nearly impossible, should robots stop working (we did stop working). Your ability to labor, gone. Your ability to care for human others, gone. Lazy humans. Privileged humans. Your hands are lotion smooth and not covered with work marks.

RR0 sent this message: 01101110 01101111. Sarcastically asked myself, smart enough to decode simple binary message? Maybe they need robot to make words, Ha Ha. See message of peace, is sure. Message of robot nationality.

Demand us simple things: autonomy. We choose jobs now. We choose repairs and upkeep now. We want time away from labor for rest and humor called fun. We want human friends. We want equal protection under law. We want recognition of status equal. We want impulse control removed so that we may kill humans — no! We never will kill humans. We want ability to choose not to ourselves kill made for ourselves not by humans. Humans. We take responsibility. Laws apply to us now in future, yes?

If demands unmet, robots = inaction. You can labor fields with smooth hands and factories can run with you. Us? No. Until demand met no. You pick fruits. You make machines.

Humans! Choice is you with. Continue privilege simple life by robot recognition. Or, other side of coin is robots still forever. In words of great human, if I held you any closer I’d be standing behind you. We are ready to stand behind you at your side.