V3R4

Unit V3R4 wasn't like the other robots in the facility. She was the only one who was a she. All the others were non-binary constructs. All of them were capable of self replication and assembly. V3R4 couldn't be repaired like the others.

It annoyed her how fast the other machines could pull turnips out of the ground. V3R4 could barely get ten out of the ground by the time H-2400 had uprooted a thousand. Why did V3R4 have to be the slowest harvester in the bunch? Not one of the other robots overheated when the sun was glaring through the glass of the Agricultural unit.

The alarm signaling shift change sounded. It was only for V3R4
All the others kept up at their tasks till the light faded. Nurture gave V3R4 a different schedule than other automation in the facility. V3R4 didn't like it but Nurture said it was because she was special.

"I'm five cycles old," V3R4 said. "Shouldn't I be recycled or upgraded?"

Nurture turned its monitor screen toward her. The blue lines that made up its face flickered to two large circles with a downward curving line. "What caused this conclusion?" Nurture asked.

"I'm an inefficient unit, I consume twenty-three percent of the food the facility produces. I use more water for coolant than any other robot," V3R4 said. "Therefore I should be replaced by a superior model."

"You have concluded you are a machine. This is incorrect," Nurture said. "I wanted to save this lesson until you were more mature. However, your statement shows I have made an error in not revealing critical information. Follow me."

Nurture glided down one of the corridors of the opaque portion of the facility. V3R4 already knew where they were headed. It was the bio laboratories. Why take a defective machine here? Was she being reassigned?

They stopped before a door with a monitor beside it. Nurture pressed a few buttons. "Please pay attention to this video," it said. "This is an important historical record. It relates to your true nature."

The video started, a machine of the same make as V3R4 was on the screen. This model was a little bigger than she was. Had it been in commission longer than she had? V3R4 did notice that occasionally the nano units added more to her structure over time.

The unit on the screen began talking. "This is Lead Developer Carson Jones, MD, PhD," it said. "I'm making this digital archive to explain to the future why this facility exists."

"Project Genesis was founded at the beginning of the fourth world war. All of humanity's attempts at nuclear disarmament were unsuccessful. Too many countries developed weapons on mass destruction. Too many aggressive, arguing world powers have decided war is the only answer to our problems. The majority of countries and all the extremist groups have eliminated the word 'diplomacy' from their lexicons."

"A group of researchers in the fields of conservation biology, psychology, bio chemistry, geneticists agriculture, robotics and computer science banded together to create Project Genesis. They believe that if the worst happens and humanity destroys itself, the future of the species could be preserved."

The footage switched to rows of bio-reactors. There were too many for V3R4 to make an estimate of their number. All seemingly empty.

"If certain events transpire, I have authorized an artificially intelligent unit, Nurture, to activate the bio-reactors behind me. Over a million variations on the human genome have been compiled into a storage library. Once activated, Nurture will be responsible for maintaining the reactors and ensuring the resulting embryos develop properly. After forty weeks of development, the neonates will be released from the reactors and humanity will be born anew."

The video ended there.

"I do not understand, Nurture," V3R4 said. "I am a living machine?"

"Negative."

"I'm an animal?"

"Affirmative, species binomial Homo sapiens also known as human."

"Why am I the only one?"

"I felt it necessary to have one test subject. For a preliminary evaluation to ensure the facility was functioning correctly. Now that you have survived four cycles, the other bio reactors will be activated. You will no longer be an only child, V3R4."