The Carnage

‘With emerging Artificial Intelligence technology comes great responsibility.’ We knew we were creating something that has never been done before and only existed in theory and researched hypothesis, but we took it lightly.

“Five years ago, the Robotics, Engineering & Science ‘RE&S’ Corporation was suspended and four of its employees were found guilty of the mass murder in Winterveldt caused by their androids named the AI-200. The four employees were charged with life imprisonment for the sabotage of the android algorithms. RE&S Corporation have now created new and improved AI robots for manufacturing industries and they call it technology at its best. So far, the robots are not showing any signs of malfunction, but who can forget the horror their androids caused?” Time News

I watched the news that was being broadcast all over the channels. Surreal shock, frustration, anger, pain, sadness and dizziness towered over me. Confined to a wheelchair, I could hold the heartbreak no longer, my grief pouring out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. I know not what they mean, for they are from the depths of my despair rising in my heart and gathers to my eyes. I thought of the days that were no more — the loss unforgotten, only bearable. No doctors or psychologists could rid me of the hurt inside and the memories that washed over me like ice, freezing the world around me and bringing nothing but coldness and pain. I can never forget even if I wish it.
What began as a technology evolution in the entire world back fired, causing one of the largest mass murders in the country since sizzlers massacre in 2003.

My name is Oyama Zulu. It was five years ago, the excitement of new technologies created from around the world was creating a buzz, new laws pushed forward moving from evolution to revolution and we wanted to be part of the history. I was an engineer for the RE&S Corporation. The company was well-known for its incredible creations of artificial intelligence technology. They always strove for new inventions and to bring improvement into the modern technology. ‘Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?”
I breathed in air so cold and crisp, it felt like I was inhaling the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. I blew air into the palms of my hands before rubbing them together as I listened to the sounds of military helicopters circulating over the area and stared at the soldiers standing on the ground facing the excited crowd. It was the coldest time of the year and an unsettling day of my life. People, journalists and reporters all over the country gathered at Winterveldt stadium to witness the introduction of the AI-200 into civilization.
I was standing on the podium with my boss RE&S Corporation director Mr Mali, colleagues, army chief lieutenant general, the municipal Councillor and inspector general of police.
When the attacks of police and the army increased throughout the country, the RE&S Corporation saw an opportunity to propose the invention of androids to which was accepted and a plant was built at the center of Winterveldt. I found myself shivering with nervous excitement at the change that was about to be revealed by the Corporation and the amazing part of it, I was part of the change.
My eyes scrolled through the soldiers in search of one man and the only man who makes my heart beat faster and slower simultaneously. He was like a baobab tree, tall, strong, unshaken and with the most beautiful mahogany eyes, dark as the shadows of twilight, telling of the hardships he`d endured. I had also went through tough times — being tossed from one foster home to another was a memory I wanted to lock at the back of my head and throw away the key.
My heart click-clacked when I spotted him—Gabriel ‘Gab’ Zulu, you would think with all those soldiers in the same uniform, I wouldn’t be able to spot him, but I did. My heart would recognize him anywhere.
The lieutenant stepped forward to the lectern and brought all attention and eyes on him.
“We know why we are here this afternoon. The past brutal attack of the police and the army has led us to this day. Thanks to the RE&S Corporation for their extra-ordinary creation. The AI-200 androids are here to prevent further violence.” As he said that, the androids stepped out of the two military trucks. They were autonomous human-like artificial intelligence made from a flesh-like material. Internally they featured bio-components, synthetic organs that roughly mirror the organ system of humans and thirium 310 that circulates energy and electronic information throughout the android body. They wore hi-tech metallic body armour and a bandolier slung sash-styled over their shoulders.
AI-200 androids were self-sufficient and created with high degree of autonomy processed to detect objects. Their sensors modified to perceive its environment, make decisions based on what it perceives and has been programmed to recognize and then actuate a movement within the environment. They had prodigious mental processing and perception capabilities, notably allowing them to analyse a crime scene in a close range and that was the reason the military funded the project.
The androids suddenly raised their rifles attached to the arms of their body armour and hammer cocked them at the same time causing murmurs across the crowd.
“Are they supposed to do that?” Lieutenant asked staring at Mr Mali, brows furrowed.
“Any non-standard or defective androids are usually detected then are deactivated and disassembled for analysis.” Mr Mali said. “Right?” He added with a question as he turned to look at the team.
“Of course, but in their algorithms their positronic brain is processed to cock hammer their rifles only in a hostile encounter. This is hardly a hostile encounter.” Our team leader responded.
“Something is not right, put them back inside the trucks.” Mr Mali ordered the soldiers standing beside the lieutenant before looking at the team. “The androids must be taken back to….” He was interrupted by the crash of the military helicopter in the middle of the crowd and people began screaming and running for their lives causing stampede.
I watched frozen, my chest in heat as if I`d swallowed lava. The deafening noise of cries and screams of people, some falling and trampling each other trying to save themselves tortured my eardrums and heart. The androids were opening fire on the people and the military helicopters as one by one came down crashing.
One of the helicopters crashed on the podium and I fell down and hit my head on the smooth surface and wailed in pain. I saw Mr Mali on fire screaming, bullets hitting him and he collapsed, the soldiers firing back at the androids unsuccessfully. In the mist of all, I could hear Gab`s voice as it continuously called out for me, but I felt frozen in place and couldn’t summon the power to stand up. My hearing went out, giddy dizziness towered over me and it was all blackness.
I woke up to the excruciating headache as if my head has been split in two. I moaned as I got up and opened my eyes to the beautiful light of the moon reflecting into the room which was definitely not mine. I touched my forehead and felt the bandage wrapped around my head and the memory flooded back like a punch in the stomach and I panicked.
“Gab?”
I got up, opened the door and was welcomed with total darkness. “Gab!” I called my voice unsteady and scratchy. My throat felt dry.
“Over here, and don’t switch on the light.” He whispered.
I was thankful to hear his voice and went to him, following his voice. He was standing at the window, pulled back the curtain to peek outside. I peered at what he was looking at. There were three men and a woman with a baby coming towards the house.
“Let’s open for them.” I said and was about to move when Gab stopped me.
“Look.” He said and I saw two androids approaching fast and opened fire on them. I heard myself screaming and felt Gab`s hands on my mouth.
“We can’t alert the robots that we are here.” He said, but it was too late, one of the androids was looking straight at us through the window and raised the rifle. Gab pushed me to the floor as fires were shot in a succession breaking the window glass then there was silence, the kind of silence that had my blood run cold through the veins.
A hand grenade was thrown in through the now broken window.
Gab hauled me out to the back door. Just as we got out, the house exploded, the force pushing us to the ground. “Oyama, are you okay? Talk to me baby.” Gab asked concerned.
“Yes I am fine.” I was out of breath. He helped me to get up and we continued to run. We were heading towards the plant. We knew once we got there, we`d be safe because at the plant we had a quarantine area where we stored a mobile robot used to eliminate defective androids.
“Aargh!” Gab groaned and collapsed on all fours and I rushed to him.
“What happened?” I was panicking and we were in the middle of the veld, but fortunately, we were not far away from the plant.
“Come on Gab, get up babe, we are not far.”
“I can’t.” His voice gentle and tortured had me on my knees.
“I don’t understand.”
“I didn’t want to worry you, but when the android shot at us in the house, a bullet hit my leg, I have put too much pressure on it, now it is painful. I just want to look at it so we can continue.”
“It’s my fault, I am part of the creation of this killer machines.” I cried. “We should have checked and re-checked them.”
“You did your job, you had no idea the robots will go rogue.” He said, but it didn’t make me feel better. We have followed the process correctly and programmed the androids according to the three laws of robotics, but they defied that. Why? How?
“I….”
“Shush.” Gab warned quickly. “Listen,” and I heard as well, movements and knew it was the androids. I stared at Gab in a panic and he winced as we got up quietly, making sure that we were not alerting the androids and began to run, but Gab was limping as we ran and he fell down again, his leg was bleeding excessively now and it scared me.
“I will hold you back baby, you should go.” He encouraged.
“No, I will not leave you.”
“Yes, you can. Please, I need you to go now, and I don’t think my leg will allow me to go further.”
“No—no don’t say that.” I couldn’t leave him, how could I? The thought was like a knife through my heart.
“I love you.” He said. There was softness in his eyes and gentleness in his smile, melted my heart and infuriated me at the same time. How could he still smile in pain and at a time like this?
“Go….” He stopped as a bullet went through his back, I screamed and crawled back, then another and he groaned.
“Gab!” I screamed. It was as if everything around my world stopped, a torrid of ocean emerged from my gut and exploded into the abyss through my eyes. Breath escaped me. A weight pressed on my diaphragm and my heart did a triple time step and tears glided down my cheeks.
Another bullet hit him and he collapsed, I abruptly got up and ran as the androids persued me, and firing at random.
‘With emerging AI technology comes great responsibility’ now we know.

THE END