The G. M. Os. - 19. Chapter 19 - Gene & Children, Part 2

Chapter 19
Ship Clock 262349
Abner (Abe) 34-793k
Gene & Children, Part 2

 

“Hi, Abe, how are doing?” Doctor Haraldan asked.

“You tell me. How is Gene?”

“Well, as I feared the nano bots went where they shouldn’t have. They got down into the hypothalamus, that’s the part of the brain that regulates cardiac function. That’s why Gene’s heart stopped. The one thing good out of this is that we have surgical bots that are able to go into that area and repair the damaged neurons. We retrieved all the nano bots which will give Gene a very good chance of recovery. Unfortunately, we had to put him into an induced coma so his heart and brain can heal naturally. At present, I see that he will have a reduced capacity for physical activity that will probably last forever. Plus, there is strong evidence that his brain function has also been reduced. I suspect he will lose at least a few levels of current mental ability. That may return, but he will require a lot of work on your part. I’m sorry this happened and the med center is setting up a trust fund for his use for three millennia. You can go up to the ICU and see him, but I suggest you return home because he will not be aware of anything for at least three weeks. We’ll send a message when it will be okay for you to come back.”

“Thank you, Doctor Haraldan. I don’t really know what to do, now. The children need me back home, but I want to be here for Gene. But you said he won’t be aware of anything for a long time, so I guess I’d better go home today. Do you think I can get a bot to take me back in my speeder? I don’t think I’m in any condition to drive myself.”

“I’ll see what they say. I’m sure, under the circumstances, they will figure out something. I’ll send for an escort bot to take you to ICU.”

“Thank you, Doctor Haraldan.”

Abe sat there thinking of all the good times he had had with Gene and wondered about their future. He thought the children would be of help, but would the bots allow him to come back into a home with young children? He didn’t know considering how heartless they usually were when dealing with humans. He didn’t want to think of that, again, and went back to remembering the good times and how Gene kept getting better and better as the years passed.

********

“Thanks for the ride,” Abe said as he climbed out of the four place speeder. His speeder landed in his parking spot and the security bot driving it got out and came over to the security speeder.

“It is our pleasure to serve you Abner 34-793k,” the security bot said. “We hope you and Eugenus 54-721c will have a good life together. A security team will come tomorrow morning to remove the nano bots. We have determined Eugenus 54-721c is no longer a threat to Hercules III. Have a good life.”

Abe stood back and watched the speeder rise up and fly away. So, Gene was no longer a threat; it was certainly strange that Bot Security would admit to something like that. He checked his watch. It was past time for the children to come back from daycare so he went over to Megan’s to see if they were with her. When he got to the top of the steps the door opened and Don and Dona came running out, directly into his legs and hugged them. He squatted down and pulled both of them into a hug. Yes, it was good to be home. He just wished Gene could be here having the same experience.

“How is Dadi Gene?” Dona asked.

“Yeah, how is he?” Don asked.

“I’m sorry, but he had a relapse and won’t be coming home any time soon,” Abe said.

He felt them begin to cry and he held them tighter. Megan came out and said, “I’ve made supper, but there’s plenty for you, too. It took you quite a while to come back. Is Gene alright?”

“No, the nano bots got into the part of his brain that controls heart function and it stopped. The surgical team used surgical bots because they can get into the brain and repair damaged neurons. I don’t think Gene’s prognosis is very good. The doctor suspects Gene will lose mental function and quite possibly physical capabilities, also. I’m worried.”

“As well you should be,” Megan said. “Come on inside and I’ll fix you a drink. Come on, children, your dadi is sad enough without the two of your burdening his heart, too. Come on, I’ll fix you some hot cocoa.”

“Okay,” Dona whined as she stood up, wiping tears and snot with the back of her hand. “Come on Don.”

But Don didn’t move except for spreading his arms around. He continued to cry and Abe just held him close. “I’ll be in in a minute.”

“Okay, Abe, come along Dona.”

“Hush, Don, if you don’t stop I’m going to start crying, too,” Abe whispered. “Come on, son, Dadi Gene will be home in a month or so.”

“Are you sure?” Don blubbered.

“No, son, I’m not,” Abe whispered as a couple tears trickled down his cheeks.

“Can I sleep with you thonighth?”

“Son, you can sleep with me whenever you want.”

“Okay.”

After a few minutes Don stopped weeping and pulled back out of his father’s embrace. He bit his lip and said, “I need do pothy.”

“Come on, let’s go inside.”

“Okay.”

Petr came up and asked, “Is Uncle Gene okay?”

“No, Petr he isn’t,” Abe said.

“Oh, I’m going to tell my Momis.” He quickly turned and ran over to his home.

Abe stood up and went inside with Don.

Later that night, after their baths both children went into Abe’s room without putting their pajamas on. Abe took off his clothes, went around the home turning off the lights and came back inside the bedroom. Both Don and Dona were sitting on the bed waiting for him. He went over to the bathroom door, turned on the light and cracked the door.

“Dadi, can I ask you a question?” Dona asked.

“Sure, you know you can ask any question you want.”

“Well, please don’t get mad, but why is your penis so long?”

“What do you know about the length of penises?” Abe asked, probably sounding a little angry.

“But I asked you not to get mad. There was this man at the rearing center who took me into the toilet room and showed me his and then he told me to touch it. I ran out and told another worker what he did. His was much shorter than yours.”

“He made me do thath,” Don said. “He thook my hand and puth ith on his thingy. Ith goth bigger and then he made me puth ith in my mouth. Then stuff squirthed outh. I goth scared. He made me do thath five thimes. I don’th like him. That stuff thasthed icky.”

“The security bots came and took him away,” Dona said. “So, Dadi, why is yours so long?”

“Well, kids,” Abe said.

“I don’th wanth tho know,” Don whispered.

“Okay, Don, so Dona, men have different sizes of penises, some are short, some are long, some are average, and that’s just the way it is. I know the bots try to make all humans equal, but some are smarter than others, some are …,” Abe said.

“Dumber than others,” Don said.

“Don, you’re not supposed to say that,” Dona said.

“Well, I am and kids ath daycare make fun of me. I don’th like ith there. Can I stay with you, Dadi?”

“Uh, no, how about I talk to Auntie Megan, would that be okay?”

“Well, ith’ll noth work. They don’th listhen tho Aunthie Megan. I don’th like them.”

Later that night Abe suddenly woke up aware that a little hand was on his penis. He slapped the hand and Don screamed, “Ow!”

“What are you doing?” Abe asked.

“Don’th you like me. I wanth you tho like me. Thath other man like me. I’m thouching your thingy like thath other man wanthed me tho. I only wanthed you do like me. Didn’th ith feel good?”

“Son, little boys do not touch an older man’s penis and you will not touch mine again. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, Don, do you understand? I’m trying to sleep over here,” Dona said.

“I’m sorry, buth I justh wanth you tho like me, more,” Don whispered.

“Son, I love you very much, but you have to understand that touching a man’s penis is not nice, even if he asks you to do it. If anyone here at Eden Commune ever tells you to touch his penis, and that includes other boys, you tell me and I’ll take care of it. Okay?”

“Okay, buth I still don’th understand.”

“Come on, Don, give it up, I want to go back to sleep,” Dona said.

Abe felt his son snuggled up against him and begin to softly weep. He put his left arm under the boy’s head and down his back, pulling him closer. So, this was what being a father was all about. He looked up and saw the nano bot sending data.

********

The next morning the bot security team arrived around seven, while Abe was fixing breakfast for the children. He let them in and two went back to his bedroom. One stayed behind and said, “We were monitoring the situation here last night and are arranging psychiatric intervention for Donaldus 00-893m. An ambulance will arrive later this morning to transport him to Central City med center. He will require clothing that can last a week’s time and you may accompany your son to that location. Return transportation will be available for your use. We did not know the extent of that Rearing Center worker’s involvement with Donaldus 00-893m. We are troubled, as we are certain you are. Local psychological treatment is being arranged for Donalda 00-893n for her exposure to that worker.

“Also, Haraldanus 77-994y has been arrested and removed from the neurology department at Central City med center. He erred in his application of nano bots on Eugenus 54-721c. He had been warned that use of those systems was detrimental to the survival of his patients, but he continued their use causing irreparable damage to Eugenus 54-721c. According to Bot Medical Systems, Eugenus 54-721c will function below current levels for the rest of his existence. That does not say that he will be detrimental to the function of this family, he will still be able function as a parent, but at a reduced level. You are encouraged to report any significant actions of his that you deem to be detrimental to the physical and mental functions of the children.

“Also, we are installing improved nano bots that will be less obtrusive, not because we think either you or Eugenus 54-721c are detrimental to the physical or mental functions of the children or a danger to the necessary functions of Hercules III, but to monitor the situation here due to problems Donaldus 00-893m has expressed in his relationships with other children here at Eden Commune. We are concerned for his future success at this facility that provides a vital function to the operation of Hercules III in its production of necessary human nourishment and discovery of machos. We hope this will not be a burden on your family Abner 34-793k.”

“No, thank you for your kind consideration in this matter,” Abe said, surprised that he could say such a thing to bots.

“Bot Security System Hierarchy remains troubled by your treatment at the bot chemical facility on Ring 4 and wishes you a good and long life. Also, we continue to be troubled by the mutational damage that occurred to Eugenus 54-721c and its effect on his life. You may return to the caring of your children.”

Abe went back into the kitchen thinking how strange it was that Bot Security would admit to such an error by another bot system. Obviously, that was why they were willing to provide transportation for him yesterday when he came back from the med center. You just couldn’t figure out how Bot Security was going to react to a given situation.

He was troubled, though, by the information about Gene, but was also gladdened by their admittance to being troubled about Gene’s condition. Bots certainly were strange robots, especially the new versions that were more articulate. Well, maybe they would let him go to the ICU to see the love of his heart before coming home. It was a shame that Don was going to have to stay at the med center for a week, but that was how the bots worked when solving a problem.

When he served the children their fried ham and eggs, Dona said, “I’m sorry about Dadi Gene. Do you think I’m going to have to be extra good with him?”

“Yes, Dona, and I want you to help Don, too. Both of them are going to need you when I’m away at work on the farms. Auntie Megan will step in and help you and Don, but I’ll take Gene with me to work. He’ll need to get out and around the farms so everyone can help him get better, at least as much as he’s able.”

“Are we going tho be a happy family?” Don asked.

“Son, I think we are a happy family right now, but we’re going to have to try extra hard, too. All of us have a lot of work to do with your Dadi Gene helping him get better.”

“Dadi, what is psychiathric inthervention?”

“Don, that’s psychiatric intervention,” Dona said. “It’s because of what that man did to you and what you tried to do to Dadi last night. The bots are worried that that man damaged your psyche when he did that naughty stuff to you. Don, that man was a pedophile and that’s why he made you do that naughty thing.”

“Oh. Dadi, do you think the boths killed him?”

“Yes, Don, I think they did, probably not in a nice way either.”

Abe sat there eating his breakfast listening to the strange banter between his children. The super smart Dona to Don’s incomprehension and speech impediment was simply amazing. Luckily, he was not asked to comment too much. This was going to be a busy morning and he needed to get Dona to daycare, get Don cleaned up, get himself ready, and get Don’s bag packed. But he could only see good things ahead in this family, if he could only get Eugeni down here to help Dona understand what was coming ahead in what was probably going to involve an intensive educational future early on.

“Dadi, I done eathing,” Don said.

“You didn’t eat your toast.”

“I don’th wanth ith. Ith’s goth thath gooey sthuff on ith.”

“You don’t like blackberry jam?”

“Ith’s goth seeds in ith.”

“Oh, you want the seedless kind. Okay, I’ll see if I can order that.”

“I’ll take it,” Dona said. “I like blackberry jam because it does have seeds in it. Seeds are good for you Don because they help you defecate.”

“Defecate? Where did you learn that word?” Abe asked.

“On the module,” Dona said.

“Dadi, whath’s deficathe mean?” Don asked.

“It means when you potty,” Dona said.

“When I sthand or sith down?” Don asked.

“Sit down, silly,” Dona said.

“I’m noth silly,” Don said.

“Yes you are, you can’t talk right, either,” Dona said.

“Dona, you’re going a bit too far with this, even if you’re Don’s sister,” Abe said.

“Okay, but why can’t he talk right?” Dona asked.

“Because of his mutation. Your Dadi Gene can’t write. Oh, heck, now you’ve made me sad. Come on, kids clean up your plates. It’s time for me to take you, Dona, down to daycare. Sometimes I wonder why life has to be so difficult sometimes.”

“I’m sorry for being a bother,” Don said as a little tear trickled down a cheek.

“Oh, Don, come here, it’s time for another hug,” Abe said. The boy came over and accepted his father’s embrace. Why did life have to be so difficult?

“Dadi, is it okay if I clean up the table and run the water for cleaning the dishes?” Dona asked.

“Why thank you Dona, thank you very much. What’s this all about?”

“Well you have to pack Don’s clothes and get yourself ready to go and I just want to help. Is that okay?”

“Dona, everything you can do to help is very appreciated. Come on son, time to go into the bathroom and get ready to go to the med center.”

“Dadi, why do you call Don, son, but don’t call me anything special. You know, endearing.”

“Dona, I’m going to have to keep you off the module if you keep coming up with those big words. So, what do you want me to call you, daughter?”

“No, that sounds too rough; I’ll have to think about that today. How about Doey? What do you think? You know, just for special times, like now.”

“Oh, Doey, that sounds so sweet. Okay, you’re Doey from now on.”

“Thanks, Father.”

“Father?”

“Sorry, Dadi.”

“If I’m Father, you’re Dona, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Come on, Don, I’ll get you started then take Dona down to daycare, okay?”

“Okay, Dadi.”

********

Abe sat in the waiting room for the pediatric psychiatric ward wondering what the psychiatrist was going to tell him. He kind of hoped they would let Don go back home and receive treatment from the psychiatrist in town, but you never knew about these things. Eddy was a prime example. He always came back with high spirits that sometimes lasted a couple years and then something would set him off and out came the knives or something to wrap around his neck. He hoped Don wasn’t going to have to go through that kind of hell.

“Are you Donaldus’s father?”

“Abe, yes. How is Don?”

“Well, let’s get the easy part taken care of first. I’ve consulted with one of our speech pathology specialists and he has agreed to come down and evaluate Don’s impediment. The other part, well, that’s going to take a while to solve. I understand that he touched you last night in bed.”

“Yes, he and his sister were sleeping with me. I guess because they want to feel safer. They’ve been doing that since they arrived. I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong, but the children seem to be very comfortable with it. The only problem might be that all of us don’t wear anything. I’ve been doing that since moving into my own residence with my future husband nearly three hundred years ago. I, also, let the children do it. Is that okay?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I wish more parents taught their children to be comfortable with their bodies and see the naked bodies of other family members. So, he touched you and you told him not to do that. From what he said, you did all the right things to handle this matter, but he still has significant issues with what that man did to him all those times. And, by trying to please you by touching you in a similar manner, shows that he can’t understand that something like that is wrong. I think that might be related to his brain disorder from his mutation in that he can’t tell right from wrong. Of course, that is mostly age related, but having Don exposed to the kind of trauma he experienced hasn’t helped. You probably want to take him back home today, but that won’t be possible. We’ll keep him a week and evaluate his progress. Then we’ll determine a schedule for further treatments. Is that okay?”

“Well, you’re the doctor. I’m sorry, but I didn’t get your name.”

“Oh, sorry, I have a bad habit of that, probably has to do with being a psychiatrist. I am Jeroldus 36, M.D.”

“M.D.?”

“Doctor of Medicine, I went to medical school and became a doctor then became a psychiatrist. That’s how it works for us psychiatrists.”

“Okay, well, thank you for helping Don. Now, I hope the bots will let me go up and see my husband before I go home.”

“He’s here?”

“Yes, he’s in ICU. He had brain surgery yesterday to correct some damage caused by some nano bots that were installed when he came here because of a cerebral hemorrhage.”

“Oh, yes, Haraldan 78’s patient. He wouldn’t have a mutational brain disorder, too, would he?”

“Yes, he can’t write, follow complex instructions, or understand some simple things. He’s better than he was when he came to the commune, but, from what the bots said, he might be worse now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Nano bots went out of favor a long time ago, but some doctors kept using them. Some of us are glad the bots finally took Haraldan away. Okay, I’ll let you go. We’ll message you when Don is ready to come home.”

“Thank you, Doctor Jeroldus.”

In the ICU, Abe went to the nurse’s station and asked about Gene. A nurse took him into the room where he was startled to see that Gene didn’t have a breathing tube and he appeared to be awake.

“Gene? What happened?”

“Doctor Haraldan tried to kill me. The surgical bots had to intervene. He’s gone. I have a new doctor. Some security bots came here and told me Doctor Haraldan was a macho. They tried to interrogate him, but he didn’t cooperate. They killed him. I have a new doctor now. Are you Abe, my husband, the man I love?”

“Yes, Gene, I am.”

“Oh, good, because I didn’t recognize you. The surgical bots tried to fix my mutation, but Doctor Haraldan had already caused further damage. They said he didn’t have the skills to be in that part of my brain. I have to go back into surgery tomorrow. How are Don and Dona?”

“Well, I’m sorry, but Don is downstairs in the pediatric psychiatric ward because he was abused by a pedophile at the rearing center. He touched me last night and the nano bot picked it up. Bot Security came this morning to report on your condition, say that Don had to come here to see a psychiatrist, and they removed the nano bots.”

“They took out the nano bots? Why?”

“Well, they installed newer ones that are less intrusive. They’re not watching us anymore, but are concerned about Don’s condition. Well, they are concerned about your mutation and what Doctor Haraldan did to you, plus I think they’re concerned about the anger I have from living at that bot chemical facility. They came right out and apologized for the treatment I received there.”

“Oh, well, you know how bots are. They can act very nice when they try.”

“You sound a lot better than you did the last time I was here.”

“Yes, the surgical bots repaired some of the damage caused by my mutation, but I have to go back to surgery tomorrow for more repairs. They said I might get better. Though they stressed the might part. I guess there’s a chance I might not get better or may get worse. They won’t know until I come out of surgery and wake up. I miss you, but I have a new doctor and he said I might get better when he and the surgical bots get into my brain. They said I might get better because I got a new doctor because Doctor Haraldan tried to kill me because he was a macho the security bots arrested and killed him. I have a new doctor. I have”

“Gene! Stop talking like that, you’re scaring me,” Abe said loudly.

“Sir? Is there a problem?” A nurse asked when she stuck her head in the door.

“Gene was talking on and on. He wouldn’t stop talking about the same things over and over.”

“Yes, it’s the damage caused by Doctor Haraldan. Doctor Reginaldo 53 said Gene might be like that unless they can repair some of the damage from his mutation. We won’t know until the day after tomorrow. The surgery will take half the day tomorrow, even with the assistance of the surgical bots. Doctor Reginaldo asked me to get your address so we can send an update on Gene. You can give it to me when you leave. Please try to be nice to Gene; he doesn’t understand what he’s doing.”

“Okay, no more yelling.”

“Abe, she’s nice, I like her. She gave me a sponge bath this morning. Do you know I have a catheter because that’s what they do up here in ICU? Did I tell you I have a new doctor?”

“Yes, Gene, you did.”

“Oh, okay, I guess, how are the children or did you already tell me that, too?”

“I already told you, have you forgotten that?”

“Yes, but I might remember it tomorrow morning before I go to surgery. I do that, now, because of what Doctor Haraldan did to my brain. Did I tell you the security bots arrested him; because if I did, then you don’t have to worry because he was a macho? A representative from Bot Security came here to see me and he said they are going through the hospital looking for more humans with macho tendencies. I guess they have to do that now because they can’t get rid of the hate some humans have in their minds. He apologized for what Doctor Haraldan did to me, but he said that he wished you and I will have a good life with our new children. He said that Don was downstairs in the pediatric psychiatric ward. He said Don not Donaldus. How did he know that? Did I tell you I have a new doctor? He’s nice. He gave me a sponge bath this morning. I liked that. How is Dona? Is she going to university, yet? I remember you said she is smart like my sister. Do you remember her name? I don’t. Do I have a sister? I can’t remember her. Are you Abe, my husband, my lover, my, my, my, my, my? I don’t know. Abe, my husband, my lover, my sister, what is her name? I can’t remember her. Abe? When are you going home to be with Dona?

“Oh, Gene, what am I going to do with you, now? Yes, I have to leave. The bots are taking me home. They’re waiting down at the landing dock. Can I have a kiss goodbye?”

“Oh, sure, but what is my sister’s name?”

“It’s Eugeni.”

“Oh, yes, she’s an astrophysicist who works in the bot dark matter lab. I can remember that, but I can’t remember her name. Do you know it?”

“It’s Eugeni, Gene.”

“Oh, yes, please give Dona a kiss for me. I miss you. I want to come home. Please give me a kiss. I want you to go now because I’m going to cry.”

Abe leaned down and softly kissed Gene on the lips and said, “Goodbye lover.”

“Goodbye lover.”

********

Two days later, Abe heard the bell on his module start ringing indicating a priority message coming in. He went into the living room and saw Dona reading something on the module.

“Doey, honey, I have an important message coming in. Can you put that away for a while?”

“Okay, Dadi, I’ll bookmark it so I know where to start reading. Do you think this message is about Dadi Gene?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Can I stay and read it, too?”

“Certainly, Doey.”

Abe sat down and hit the RECEIVE button:

REGINALDO 53-943O; CCMD-NSDX-010-R5

ECOM 99X-6445C-4; ABNER 34-793K

GREETINGS . . .

STATUS REPORT: EUGENUS 54-721C . . .

GENE’S SURGERY YESTERDAY WAS SUCCESSFUL; ALL PRIMARY OBJECTIVES WERE ACHIEVED VIA BOT SURGICAL STAFF.

MINIMAL REPETITIVE SPEECH PATTERNS STILL EXIST; SIGNIFICANT RETROGRADE AMNESIA REMAINS TIED TO FOURTH STARSDAY LAGRANGETH 262036; MODERATE RETROGRADE AMNESIA IS TIED TO THIRD TITANSDAY CARLOSETI 262299; MINIMAL RETROGRADE AMNESIA IS TIED TO SECOND STARSDAY LAUNCH 262349; SHORT-TERM MEMORY WILL REMAIN A PROBLEM FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME; INABILITY TO FOLLOW COMPLEX INSTRUCTIONS REMAINS; INABILITY TO WRITE REMAINS; PROBLEMS WITH SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS CREATED BY NANO BOT INSTALLATION ARE MINIMAL; PHYSICAL DISABILITY CREATED BY NANO BOT INSTALLATION RESTRICTED TO LOSS OF MUSCLE FUNCTION IN RIGHT LEG, HOWEVER LOSS IS MINIMAL AND SHOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH LOCOMOTION, THOUGH GENE WILL FAVOR THAT LEG FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

DISCHARGE WILL OCCUR ON FIRST MOONDAY HARVESTER 262349. BOT TRANSPORT WILL BE PROVIDED.

IF ANY CHANGES OCCUR IN PATIENT’S STATUS, A PRIORITY MESSAGE WILL BE SENT.

SINCERELY,

REGINALDO 53

“Dadi, what does all that mean?”

“Why don’t you print out the message and we’ll research all those difficult words, okay?”

“That’s a good idea, Dadi,” Dona said as she pressed the print button. The paper slid out the slot and she held it up.

“Okay, Doey, what’s the first thing you don’t understand?” Abe asked.

Dona pressed the lookup button and typed in “repetitive speech patterns.” The tulip spun around for a few seconds then a list of entries appeared on the screen. Dona clicked on the first item.

MEDICAL DEFINITION: THOUGH RARE, REPETITIVE SPEECH PATTERNS OCCUR DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THE PATIENT TO RECOGNIZE REPETITIVE SPEECH DURING NORMAL CONVERSATION; IN PATIENTS TESTED FOR REPETITIVE SPEECH PATTERNS EACH WAS INCAPABLE OF STOPPING CONTINUED REPETITION OF WORDS AND/OR SENTENCES IN THE PROCESS OF RECOVERY OF MEMORIES.

“Doey, do you understand what that says?”

“I don’t know Dadi. Does Dadi Gene repeat himself when talking?”

“Yes he does. It can be aggravating when he does it, but he will stop if you tell him to. He will look embarrassed, but if he does it to you, you need to step in and stop him. Okay?”

“Okay, Dadi,” Dona said. She returned to the lookup screen and typed in “retrograde amnesia.” The tulip spun slowly and then a list of entries appeared:

MEDICAL DEFINITION: RETROGRADE AMNESIA IS LOSS OF MEMORY-ACCESS TO EVENTS THAT OCCURRED, OR INFORMATION THAT WAS LEARNED, BEFORE THE ONSET OF AN INJURY OR THE ONSET OF A DISEASE.

“Does that help, Doey?”

“No.” She returned to the list, selected the next item and was presented with another list:

CAUSES:

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) OR POST-TRAUMATIC AMNESIA

TRAUMATIC EVENTS

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY

INFECTIONS

SURGERY

CONTROLLED INDUCTION

“Well, which one do you want to select?”

“Do you know?”

“Yes, I do, on Fourth Starsday Lagrangeth 262036 your Dadi Gene was diagnosed with his mutational brain disorder; on Third Titansday Carloseti 262299 a traumatic event occurred when he first came to live with me here at Eden Commune; and on Second Starsday Launch 262349 he had his surgery where his surgeon tried to kill him by installing nano bots into his brain. Does that help?”

“Yes, on that first one he found out what was wrong with him and he forgot his past from that day; on the second one something happened, do you know what that was?”

“Yes, I do, but it is between me and Dadi Gene. You don’t need to know what it is other than it was a very traumatic event.”

“Oh, something personal then.”

“Yes, Doey, it was very personal and I’m not going to tell you what happened. Can you accept that?”

“Okay, I don’t want to know your secrets. They’re yours and you can keep them. Does Dadi Gene remember what happened?”

“Yes he does.”

“Oh, okay. Why were those nano bots put into his brain?”

“The surgeon was a macho and wanted the nano bots to kill Dadi Gene. On his second surgery, he tried again, but surgical bots intervened and saved Dadi Gene. That’s why he had to have that a third surgery and it was totally done by surgical bots because they can get inside human brains to repair neurons.”

“Did security bots get that surgeon?”

“Yes and they killed him.”

“Good, all machos need to die. They’re a danger to human life on Hercules III.”

Three days later Abe was in the ranch office talking to Ben and Charity when a priority message came in:

FREDERICA 72-893B

BEEFALO RANCH 7

FIND ABE, GET HIM DOWN TO THE CLINIC, IT’S DONA

URGENT . . .

“Oh, crap! I gotta go,” Abe said.

“Hold on, Abe, I’ll take you,” Ben said. “You won’t be paying the least amount of attention to your driving.”

“Will you just stop talking, if you’re going with me?”

When Ben landed his speeder in the parking lot at Commune Center, an ambulance was just leaving. Abe looked at it, worried that Dona was on board. He jumped out of the speeder and ran into the clinic.

“I’m Abe, where’s Dona?” Abe asked a nurse at the reception desk.

“Oh, you’re the father, I’m afraid she just left in the ambulance. I’ll get the doctor.”

Ben came in and asked, “What’s going on?”

“Dorthea went to get the doctor.”

“Is this serious?”

“She’s on the ambulance.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ll go over and sit down.”

“Don’t go, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know what happened.”

The doctor came around the corner just as a security bot walked in the front door. Abe didn’t know which one to talk to. Both stopped on either side of him and he waited for one of them to speak.

“I’m afraid to tell you, but your daughter was attacked by two children who apparently are daughters of machos. They stabbed her multiple times. The ambulance is transporting her to Central City med center. Security, your turn.”

“Abner 34-793k, I am here to escort you to the med center. If you will come with me, we will leave now.”

“Abe, send me a message if you need a ride back,” Ben said.

“That will not be required, we will provide transportation,” the security bot said. “Come, Abner 34-793k.”

During the ride to Central City, Abe tried to focus on something other than all the troubles his children were having with machos at the commune. He wished Bot Security would just go in and interview all the farmers and their children to determine if they had macho tendencies. This was becoming unbearable. Don and Dona shouldn’t have to put up with intolerable ignorance just because they were different. Why couldn’t Bot Security do something first instead of waiting until after an incident occurred like what happened with him and Roger? They always seemed to get caught napping when they should be monitoring intra-commune messaging to see if macho farmers were talking to each other.

Least of all, Abe didn’t pay any attention to where the security speeder was taking him until it slipped inside a building. He immediately noticed that something was happening that might not be nice or desirable, but, knowing how Bot Security acted on serious matters, they might be taking extra precautions this time. The speeder stopped and a security bot turned its head toward him.

“We are at Bot Security Headquarters. We will keep you safe here. There is a qualified human medical care facility in this building. Please do not fear for your daughter, she is here, also. Your son is being transported here, also. Eugenus 54-721c is being transferred to this location, also. He is in good condition, but requires close monitoring. We have bot medical staff to care for his needs. Quarters are being provided for your use. Once again, Bot Security was caught off-guard by macho intrigue. We will be doing a thorough farm to farm search of Eden Commune to locate others of their ilk. Residents of the dormitories also will be interviewed. We will take you to the room where your son will reside. It is next to yours. Once we determine the extent of the damage to your daughter, we will advise you on the length of her stay. If it will be for an extended period of time, we will escort you and your son back to Eden Commune. Again, we apologize for this tragedy to your family.”

Abe climbed out of the speeder and followed a security bot into the building. They went up an elevator and got off on a floor where there were quite a few security bots milling around. Abe thought they should’ve been doing something other than just looking like they were doing anything, but maybe that was what they did when not being required for a job. They went down a hall and a door opened.

“This is your son’s room. Yours is next door. There is a door between the rooms. There are beds comfortable for human use and appropriate human nourishment will be provided for the length of your stay.”

“Thank you,” Abe said. “May I ask a question?”

“Yes.”

“Those security bots out by the elevators, they didn’t seem to be doing anything.”

“Do not fear. They were receiving their instructions for the intervention at Eden Commune. They will be leaving within the hour.”

“Thank you, I was just wondering.”

“A human trait.”

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

“Like human enjoyment of conversation. I will leave. Security bots do not converse.”

Abe wanted to laugh, but he knew it was right. They didn’t like to converse with humans. It just wasn’t in their programming, though the new version was a little easier to talk to. The door chimed and then opened. Don came running in. The security bot that had been escorting him followed.

“Dadi, the securithy boths thook me outh of the hospithal. Why did they do thath?”

“We’re having a macho incident on Ring 5 and they were worried about your safety. It’s alright; I’ll be staying with you. My room is right through that door.”

“Can’th I sthay with you?”

“No, that is not permitted here,” the security bot said. “I am your liaison with Bot Security. We are aware that you Abner 34-793k sleep in the nude with your children who are also nude. Neither will be permitted here. Appropriate sleep and day wear will be provided to you Abner 34-793k for the extent of your stay. You may leave the door open between your room and your son’s in case he has trouble sleeping at night. He may not sleep with you. We apologize for this inconvenience. The speech therapist for Donaldus 00-893m will be transported here for his therapy sessions. We apologize, but psychiatric care cannot be provided at this time. Once we determine the safety of his care at the med center he may be transferred back to that facility. Abner 34-793k, there is a wall vid in your room for your entertainment. A portable module operates the unit. If you have further questions about procedures and policies, press the green button above the light switch and I will enter the room. Thank you.”

It spun around, walked out the door, and it shut with a click. Abe suspected it was locked to keep them inside. The bots likely didn’t want them wandering the halls unescorted.

“Don, do you want to watch a vid?” Abe asked.

“Sure Dadi. Can we get some popcorn?”

“That nourishment and appropriate serving ware will be provided,” a voice said, appearing from somewhere in the ceiling, which seemed to be solid stone.

“Dadi, how do they do thath voice?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, okay, leth’s go see whath kind of vids we can wathch. Okay?”

“Okay, Don.”

As they were looking through the list of vids, the door chimed and a bot came in carrying a tray with a large bowl of popcorn, two smaller bowls, and two glasses with some kind of bubbly fluid in them.

“Your nourishment,” the bot said. “Lunch will be served in two hours. Thank you.”

Abe tasted his drink, it was beer. He tasted Don’s, it was lemon flavored seltzer. He tasted the popcorn. Pretty good, he thought, almost as good as he made it.

“Dadi, I found a vid I wanth tho wathch.”

“Okay, Don, put it on. We can sit on my bed.”

Don pressed the start button, but the vid didn’t start. The door chimed, opened, the security liaison bot entered the room.

“Abner 34-793k, I am sorry to report that your daughter will require surgery to repair her wounds. Surgical bots will perform the operation to repair extensive damage to internal organs. Eugenus 54-721c has been transferred to this facility. When you wish to see him, press the green button and an escort will be provided. Will you wish Donaldus 00-893m to accompany you?”

“Yes, if that is possible.”

“That would be preferable as we are unable to provide childcare at the facility. We apologize.”

It spun around and left. Don started the vid and Abe lay back on his bed. “Unable to provide childcare” certainly sounded very botish, he thought. What a day, what a family, and why did the machos hate people who were different than them. Though, he did suspect Dona wasn’t attacked because she was smarter, it was probably due to the fact her fathers were gay. He just wished the bots could rid Ring 5 of machos once and for all. It was too much to hope for, but he thought how things would be a lot better here if the bots could figure out some way to test for macho tendencies in children or at least rid the rearing centers of macho leaning workers. What an imperfect society the bots were permitting.