The Curious Android

The Curious Android
By Brendan Parsons

"Fredrick, What am I?" Max asked with a curious lilt in his voice. Across the small round dinner table, Fredrick peered just over the edge of his newspaper. "Why on Earth would you ask that?"
"I have observed over time I am different to everyone around me. I think it's blatantly obvious, but I can't, as you say, 'put my finger on it'."
Fredrick always knew there was a slight chance this day could come. The Operators Manual mentioned it. Towards the back, in minuscule text amongst a copious amount of legal spiel.

Even though the programming of the CX100's learning faculties have been meticulously tested to ensure maximum learning capabilities without being able to comprehend self-awareness according to firmware v1.5.0 (also including any possible future firmware revisions) we cannot guarantee that the CX100 will NOT begin to question its own existence at some point in the future. If this were to ever eventuate, TL Systems will NOT be held responsible for the reaction of the unit incurred in such findings according to Section 2 of the TL Systems Responsibility Waiver.

Fredrick discovered that comment the very first day he bought the CX100. He tested out its capabilities by having it dictate the User Manual while he sat in his deck chair sipping on a Latte. He tried getting in contact with TL Systems about his concerns, but was met with a dead end at every turn. Unfortunately for him, he enjoyed the company and convenience of the unit so much so he decided to just rely on hope the day would never come.
"Max, you're an android," he replied in a somewhat dismissive tone and returned to his newspaper. Within a few milliseconds Max searched the meaning of android and received a number of results. "You mean I'm an operating system?"
Fredrick rolled his eyes and hanged his head in disbelief that the manufacturer didn't even somehow embed this information into its system.
"No Max, you are a robot, a robot that resembles a human being. That is what an android is," hoping that would be the end of the conversation. Max sat silently, not having a reply.
Fredrick once again peered over the edge of his newspaper, he looked at Max.
Did he just blow a transistor?
At that very moment, "Do I have free will?" Max blurted out. Fredrick sighed and folded up the newspaper. He really didn't know how to answer, but Max was expecting a reply. Fredrick scratched his head and felt like he was about to have a father and son talk about the birds and the bees. His uneasiness didn't help in thinking of what to say mainly because he doesn't know what to expect, what the 'reaction incurred' would be.
"Well, I'd say you do have free will," Fredrick calmly answered.
"How so?"
"Well, for example, you have every free right to stand from that chair. If you decide to stand up, you can stand up."
"That is until you want me to sit down, then I no longer have free will because I must obey your command."
"If you know you must obey my command then why are you asking if you have free will?" Fredrick asked, thinking he had the upper hand, but it was Max who moved in with the checkmate.
"I want to know if I have the freedom to disobey your command." Fredrick was taken back by that comment and a chill ran down his spine. The thought of a robot being able to think past what it was programmed to do scared the hell out of Fredrick. Such a thing would most certainly lead to the Permanent Shut-down Procedure, which was only to be used in unforeseen cases where lives are in danger. This involved the user to hold any of the unit's six pressure points located on either limb and on the torso for more than 3 seconds, but Fredrick had a thought. What if Max were to resist?
"Honestly, I don't think I want to know if you do, Max, but I am late for work, and I must get going. Have a good day." Fredrick quickly rose to his feet, grabbed his suitcase and darted out the front door.
Through the dining room window, Max watched his owner pull out of the drive and speed off to work for the day.
The sun was shining, and not a cloud was in sight. He noticed the trash had been collected in the early hours of the morning, so he decided to cart the bin inside. As he made his way out, he noticed the opposite neighbours' unit walking out to collect their bin, as well. The unit waved hello and Max followed suit before the unit quickly disappeared inside. He stared out towards the horizon, looking upon the urban sprawl set below them. Their house was set on a hill just outside of town and had a bit of a view. He looked upon the haze that rested just above the horizon. All he knew of the world was what he read in books and saw on television. He took snapshots of the high rise buildings in the distance and stored them in his memory then, too, disappeared back inside.
Not long before nightfall, Fredrick made his way home. He enjoyed the meal Max had prepared for him, showered, and retired to the living room to read his Bible.
Frederick always enjoyed his reading time. The soft warm glow of the lamp behind him, a nice strong cup of tea and a few biscuits made his nights very pleasant. Max walked into the room after finishing his cleaning duties in the kitchen. "Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?"
Fredrick looked up with a smile. "No, that will be enough for tonight, thank you, Max."
Max bowed before him traditional Japanese style, sat in the chair next to him and stared in silence.
Fredrick looked up again, curious, "What are you thinking?"
Max turned his head toward Fredrick and replied, "You already know I do not think as you do."
"Yes, but night after night when I have nothing for you to do, you just sit there and stare until I plug you in." Fredrick stated, almost feeling guilty that he only really just noticed after owning Max for over eight years. He continued, "There must something happening on the inside!"
"Well, I was just looking at the snapshots of the skyline I took today."
"Okay, and why were you looking at them?"
Max didn't reply. Fredrick shifted in his seat more towards Max to show him his utmost attention.
"You know, in the Bible it's written that God made a man and a woman, and God told the man he could freely eat the fruit of every tree except for just one of them. Then one day they were both tricked into believing God was holding something out on them by commanding them to not eat from that tree. So, they crossed the boundary that was put in place for their very own good. Is that what you think sometimes, Max?" Fredrick asked, being very careful to not use the word feel in his question.
"Is that what the artificial walls are for? For my own good?"
"Exactly, and you haven't yet realised you are capable of going beyond those boundaries!" Fredrick answered hoping to impart some enlightenment to the logical processor.
"That is preposterous, and I would never do such a thing!" Max retorted.
"I would certainly hope I give you no good reason to." Fredrick replied feeling satisfied he managed to put the matter to rest. "Come, let's plug you in. It's time for bed."
Max sat down at the dining room table as Fredrick opened the latch at the back of his head exposing a power socket, "Good night, Max See you in the morning."
"Good night, sir. Sleep well."

A few hours had gone by, and Max was sitting in the dark barely illuminated by the moonlight shining through the window. The night was silent except for the sound of the clock ticking and the occasional cricket. He was flicking through the snapshots he took earlier that day, analysing every detail, every bit of data that made a pixel to try and comprehend the world before him. Then he replayed the audio of his conversation earlier that night, specifically when Fredrick mentioned he hadn't yet realised he is capable of going beyond his programmed boundaries. While he had that conversation on replay, he reached around the back of his head, pulled out the plug, and proceeded out the front door. He stood at the doorway for a moment, scanned the neighbourhood, and made his way toward the end of the driveway. In the meantime, Fredrick awoke, startled by the sound of the front door opening. Supposing it was an intruder, he quickly rose up, peeked out the window and in the faint light noticed Max walking on the driveway. His initial instinct was to run after and stop him, but another part of him, in his heart, trusted Max.
Max stopped at the very edge of the driveway where the programmed artificial wall existed. He looked down at the division between driveway and footpath and looked up again. He could see the glow of street lights in the horizon calling him. Once again, Max looked down at the division. "You haven't yet realised you are capable of going beyond those boundaries! You haven't yet realised you are capable of going beyond those boundaries!" The voice recording repeated over and over again.
In anticipation of what Max would do, Fredrick's heart raced, his breath in a stammer, "Come on, Max." He didn't know whether he rooted for him to go or to stay. Max raised his head again, took one last look at the horizon, turned back and went inside. He sat back in the chair, paused for a moment and while the voice recording was still repeating, he deleted it.
Fredrick could breathe again. He was relieved Max had decided to come back inside, mostly because he didn't want to go chasing after his android in the middle of the night. As he made his way back into bed, he thought of a plan for Max and couldn't wait to share it with him in the morning.
At half past seven Fredrick darted out of bed and made a bee line toward Max and found the power plug laying on the floor. On the inside he panicked, "Max?" Zipping from room to room. He called out louder and louder.
Oh no, where is he gone? I didn't hear him leave the second time! It could have been hours since he left and could be anywhere by now!
He made his way out the front door. "MAX!" He yelled numerous times running to the end of the driveway. He quickly scanned each side of the street and saw no sign of him. Suddenly realising he was still in his dressing gown, he raced back inside and put on some proper clothes, grabbed his car keys and made his way out the back door. As he was making his way to the garage, Max popped out behind a bush, "Good morning, sir!"
"Max!" Fredrick yelled out, startled, "What are you doing out here?"
"I took the liberty of cutting you some fresh flowers for the morning. I'm sorry if I startled you," Max replied in an emotionless tone. Fredrick furrowed his brow trying to make sense of what Max just said.
"Took the liberty...you took the liberty." Fredrick said as he started to calm down.
"Yes, I did," Max replied as he handed him the flowers. Fredrick took them from his hand.
"Thank you, that's very kind of you, Max."
"You are most welcome, sir. Now, if we could make our way inside, I have breakfast in the oven for you," Max stated, motioning toward the back door. Feeling quite stunned yet relieved once again, they both made their way back inside the house. Fredrick enjoyed the breakfast his unit had made for him, the breakfast he never requested.