I know it has taken me a long time to get to this, but I finally got a decent enough connection to upload stuff to the internet. Sorry for the long wait. Hopefully anticipation did not kill anyone and hopefully the connection will hold out long enough for me to put up Entry 40. Otherwise, this may be all that you get tonight, so enjoy it. We’re still working on getting a stable internet connection.
So many moons ago, or so it feels like, I got a question from an anonymous source. The question was:
Ok, what is the deal with Ven and androids? From what I've heard of Ven's reasoning, you would think Ven's position is based on philosophical concepts; however, Ven's vehemence strikes me as something originating from deeper roots. He was so wrapped up with protesting John getting a room that he completely missed Blaue calling him grotesque (though how Blaue knows what Ven looks like naked is something I don't want to get into). He likewise seems driven to distraction whenever you or Blaue bring John up in any way positive. Was Ven bitten by an android as a child or something?
As a side question out of curiousity, why does Ven speak in German to Blaue and give her a German name? Is the human colony predominantly German or something?
So that’s totally more than one question, but I’m cool with that. Let’s see if I can clear some things up here.
First off there is the question of Ven and androids. What is Ven’s deal? I mean the man seems irrational, does he not? Well, like the questioner mentioned, Ven’s reasoning is based on philosophical concepts, but he does seem to take it personally.
The thing is: androids are personal.
Ven grew up on a human colony that was founded by people who all once had an android that they thought was a blood related sibling. Some, like me, don’t care if their sibling is made of skin and bones or syntha-skin and metal. Others take it very badly. But I think, regardless of how they viewed it, none of them ever really managed to escape the Society with their android sibling. They had to distance themselves from this person they valued and cared for all their life because this person was suddenly not a part of their lives anymore. So instead of grieving the loss of a sibling, they convince themselves they never really had a sibling at all because androids aren’t human. These people try very hard to convince themselves, though I think very few of them ever believe. However, their children and their children’s children, like Ven, do believe because they’ve never had an android sibling. They take their ancestor’s words to heart and make it a part of their mantra. And since their ancestors so passionately disabused androids, they learn to passionately hate androids. Of course, this is just a theory, I’ve only spent a little time on the human colony, but I think it’s correct. I’ve talked to the people in my situation, most of them much much older than me, and they all feel some sentimental attachment to their long lost android sibling. They spend their lives trying to convince themselves that their loss is nothing, but in the end, they still miss their sibling. Instead they succeed in instilling a vehement belief in their children that androids are subhuman.
That was probably the longest paragraph I’ve ever written in my life. A real writer would probably have divided it up somewhere but give a kid a break. I’ve been out of English class for quite some time now.
So you’re sort of not stated question of how Blaue knows what Ven looks like naked. Well, I don’t think Blaue meant Ven specifically when she said that. I think she meant males in general from a clinical perspective. She’s a computer, and she knows what humans look like because she probably has our biological specifications – not to mention genome – in her fundamental knowledge. She is supposed to know as much as she can about humans to make the ship to captain interaction as smooth as possible. But though I don’t think she meant Ven specifically, I’m pretty sure Blaue knows everything that is going on in the ship and has “eyes” for lack of a better term everywhere. I don’t think I sneeze without her knowing. So does she probably know what he looks like naked? Yes. Did she mean him specifically? I don’t think so. I think she meant males in general. Blaue is a computer. Cut her some slack.
And I don’t think Ven missed what she said. I think he ignored her. He does that a lot. Blaue loves to tease, especially Ven, and Ven knows she hates it when he does not rise to her teasing. So instead of responding, he ignores her, because he knows it bothers her more.
Last but not least question: why does Ven speak German and Blaue have a German name? Well, Blaue has a German name because Ven speaks German. Ven speaks German because his family speaks German. The human colony is not predominantly German, though there is a large German group. Ven’s most recent ancestor from Earth was German, and that’s on his mom’s side. His paternal line is British, hence the name Barker. However, his father’s mother is also descended from Germans. So both of Ven’s parents spoke German and he was raised speaking German in his home.
So I hope that answers all of your questions for now. If anyone has any other questions let me know!
Showing posts with label Anti-Android. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anti-Android. Show all posts
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Entry 23
I would like to take a moment to clarify Ven’s self-righteous, holier-than-thou, anti-android speech, mainly because I was confused when he said it. But I am telling you this story with hindsight and experience; therefore, I can clarify a few of Ven’s more confusing words.
Ven uses the words “sentient” and “sentients” like we might use “person” and “people” or “human” and “humans”. By “sentient” he means an organic, thinking life-form, such as humans, Ovleen, and the myriads of other creatures that populate the galaxy due to evolution or a divine plan, depending upon your views. Basically it refer to anything organically, biologically spawned, though it also includes test tube babies and products of genetic manipulation. So really it means “anything alive and thinking except androids”. By “de-sentientize” he means the same thing people mean when they say dehumanize. Got it? Good. Now let’s move on to my reaction to Ven’s passionate but horribly wrong speech.
“What did androids ever do to you?” I demanded, horribly offended on John’s behalf by his words.
“Their very existence is offensive to any intelligent sentient,” Ven answered.
“You sound like every other ignorant anti-technology hic,” I retorted. “John has done nothing but good for me. He has been the best big brother there is.”
“He has undoubtedly been better than any real human brother could ever be,” Ven responded, not even glancing at me as we moved through the halls of the building. “Therein lies the problem with androids. They put this idea of perfection in your head. You own this android you view as your brother, do you realize that? Of course it did everything you said. It has to. You are its owner. No real brother could ever be like. You now have an unreal, unnatural standard of what a brother, or a loved one should be like, and you are investing far too much of your emotions into something that isn’t even real.”
“A toaster is real,” I said, “and John is far more than a toaster. And isn’t better that I had a brother, android or human, than not having a brother at all?”
“No,” Ven answered. I simply stared at him appalled. He would rather I have spent my life alone. He would rather I had been without any family than my only family be an android.
“I am not leaving without John,” I said in a low fierce voice. “You need to get that through your thick head, Ven. I would rather be a captive here with John than be free without him on a human colony.”
“That’s because you still think it’s human,” Ven answered. “You’ll understand when I show you the truth.” I glared at him, angry that he would not even consider my words. Ven Barker was turning out to be quite the horrible hero.
I was about to say something smart and scathing, but we turned a corner and all thoughts of retorting left my mind. The white walls had disappeared and I was staring out at the planet the building was on.
The sky was a pale lavender, perturbed by puffy white clouds. I wondered what chemicals would create such a lovely color. Large domed white buildings glittered in the light of a small white star. Surely such a small star meant the outside world was freezing! However, what shocked me the most was the aliens who seemed to be walking on midair, stepping out of the building from which I watched onto air. They walked as if unfazed across nothing to the building across the way. Bellow them a fierce river which undoubtedly led to the waterfall roared by.
“Carlee, come on,” Ven said, glancing back at me when he realized I had stopped. One more step and he would be standing in mid air like the other aliens.
“Ven, there is no more floor,” I exclaimed. He simply gave me an exasperated look and stepped out onto nothing.
Ven uses the words “sentient” and “sentients” like we might use “person” and “people” or “human” and “humans”. By “sentient” he means an organic, thinking life-form, such as humans, Ovleen, and the myriads of other creatures that populate the galaxy due to evolution or a divine plan, depending upon your views. Basically it refer to anything organically, biologically spawned, though it also includes test tube babies and products of genetic manipulation. So really it means “anything alive and thinking except androids”. By “de-sentientize” he means the same thing people mean when they say dehumanize. Got it? Good. Now let’s move on to my reaction to Ven’s passionate but horribly wrong speech.
“What did androids ever do to you?” I demanded, horribly offended on John’s behalf by his words.
“Their very existence is offensive to any intelligent sentient,” Ven answered.
“You sound like every other ignorant anti-technology hic,” I retorted. “John has done nothing but good for me. He has been the best big brother there is.”
“He has undoubtedly been better than any real human brother could ever be,” Ven responded, not even glancing at me as we moved through the halls of the building. “Therein lies the problem with androids. They put this idea of perfection in your head. You own this android you view as your brother, do you realize that? Of course it did everything you said. It has to. You are its owner. No real brother could ever be like. You now have an unreal, unnatural standard of what a brother, or a loved one should be like, and you are investing far too much of your emotions into something that isn’t even real.”
“A toaster is real,” I said, “and John is far more than a toaster. And isn’t better that I had a brother, android or human, than not having a brother at all?”
“No,” Ven answered. I simply stared at him appalled. He would rather I have spent my life alone. He would rather I had been without any family than my only family be an android.
“I am not leaving without John,” I said in a low fierce voice. “You need to get that through your thick head, Ven. I would rather be a captive here with John than be free without him on a human colony.”
“That’s because you still think it’s human,” Ven answered. “You’ll understand when I show you the truth.” I glared at him, angry that he would not even consider my words. Ven Barker was turning out to be quite the horrible hero.
I was about to say something smart and scathing, but we turned a corner and all thoughts of retorting left my mind. The white walls had disappeared and I was staring out at the planet the building was on.
The sky was a pale lavender, perturbed by puffy white clouds. I wondered what chemicals would create such a lovely color. Large domed white buildings glittered in the light of a small white star. Surely such a small star meant the outside world was freezing! However, what shocked me the most was the aliens who seemed to be walking on midair, stepping out of the building from which I watched onto air. They walked as if unfazed across nothing to the building across the way. Bellow them a fierce river which undoubtedly led to the waterfall roared by.
“Carlee, come on,” Ven said, glancing back at me when he realized I had stopped. One more step and he would be standing in mid air like the other aliens.
“Ven, there is no more floor,” I exclaimed. He simply gave me an exasperated look and stepped out onto nothing.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Entry 22
Ven strolled through the halls of the Society of Anthropologists with confidence, as if he was one of the myriads of anthropologists who had every right to be present for the symposium. He had said he was part of the organization that worked against the Society’s ways, which made me wonder if this anti-anthropologist society taught classes in how to act like an anthropologist. I was sure I looked exactly like I was, an escaped Zoo specimen.
I was sure my clothes gave me away. I was wearing faded blue jeans, a green Johnny Cupcake’s shirt, and black Reeboks. I looked like any other American teenager. Ven’s outfit looked nothing like American style. I should have noticed that when he first rescued me, but I suppose I was distracted by his dashing looks. He wore a navy blue three-quarters sleeved jacket that seemed to be made of leather over a gray shirt. The shirt was nicer than a t-shirt but not quite the quality as a button up shirt. His slacks were black and seemed as durable as jeans, though I doubted they were denim. His shoes were bright red, as if to offset the drabness of the rest of his outfit. He would have stood out like a sore thumb on Earth – I mean really, who wears a three quarter’s sleeve jacket? – but in the hall of the Society of Anthropologists his outfit was one of the more tame. He fit in much better than I did. I was sure I would be caught.
“How much longer until we get there?” I could not help but ask. Ven looked back at me with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.
“We’ve barely been walking five minutes,” he answered. “Be patient, Carlee. You’re acting like you’re twelve.”
“I’m fifteen,” I retorted. “And I’m acting like any other fifteen-year-old would when she is worried about her big brother.” My words caused Ven to sigh and shake his head.
“It’s not your brother, Carlee,” he said. “I can’t express that enough. It’s just a machine. It’s not a person.”
“Data is a person,” I snapped, causing Ven to frown.
“Data is definitely not a person,” he responded. “It’s a usually the results of science, experimentation, or analysis.” I did not bother to explain. I did not have time to explain Star Trek to a man who had never heard about it and who probably could not care less. I had a brother to save.
“Why are you so against me having my brother?” I asked. “Even if he is just an android, he’s still my possession, isn’t he? A person is allowed to have possessions. You have your ship.”
“Yes, a person is allowed to have possessions,” Ven said. “But the human colony does not allow androids. There are strict android regulations in the universe. The Android Acts, they’re called. You won’t be able to bring your android to the human colony.”
“Then I won’t go,” I responded, appalled. “Why would they not allow androids?”
“There are many reasons,” Ven answered, suddenly speaking passionately. “Androids take away jobs from hardworking sentients who need the work and money to support their families. Having an android near you is like having a constant spy watching you. Whoever owns the android can ask it to report on your activities or download its memories of you. It’s a violation of sentients’ rights. They are disturbing replicas of sentients meant to fool and trick innocent sentients into trusting them, like you trust your android. A person should never trust a machine more than they trust people. An android is just another part of technology that works to de-sentientize the galaxy. Androids go against nature. Nothing natural creates working replicas of itself to do its work for them. Androids are unnatural, immoral, and wrong.”
I was sure my clothes gave me away. I was wearing faded blue jeans, a green Johnny Cupcake’s shirt, and black Reeboks. I looked like any other American teenager. Ven’s outfit looked nothing like American style. I should have noticed that when he first rescued me, but I suppose I was distracted by his dashing looks. He wore a navy blue three-quarters sleeved jacket that seemed to be made of leather over a gray shirt. The shirt was nicer than a t-shirt but not quite the quality as a button up shirt. His slacks were black and seemed as durable as jeans, though I doubted they were denim. His shoes were bright red, as if to offset the drabness of the rest of his outfit. He would have stood out like a sore thumb on Earth – I mean really, who wears a three quarter’s sleeve jacket? – but in the hall of the Society of Anthropologists his outfit was one of the more tame. He fit in much better than I did. I was sure I would be caught.
“How much longer until we get there?” I could not help but ask. Ven looked back at me with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.
“We’ve barely been walking five minutes,” he answered. “Be patient, Carlee. You’re acting like you’re twelve.”
“I’m fifteen,” I retorted. “And I’m acting like any other fifteen-year-old would when she is worried about her big brother.” My words caused Ven to sigh and shake his head.
“It’s not your brother, Carlee,” he said. “I can’t express that enough. It’s just a machine. It’s not a person.”
“Data is a person,” I snapped, causing Ven to frown.
“Data is definitely not a person,” he responded. “It’s a usually the results of science, experimentation, or analysis.” I did not bother to explain. I did not have time to explain Star Trek to a man who had never heard about it and who probably could not care less. I had a brother to save.
“Why are you so against me having my brother?” I asked. “Even if he is just an android, he’s still my possession, isn’t he? A person is allowed to have possessions. You have your ship.”
“Yes, a person is allowed to have possessions,” Ven said. “But the human colony does not allow androids. There are strict android regulations in the universe. The Android Acts, they’re called. You won’t be able to bring your android to the human colony.”
“Then I won’t go,” I responded, appalled. “Why would they not allow androids?”
“There are many reasons,” Ven answered, suddenly speaking passionately. “Androids take away jobs from hardworking sentients who need the work and money to support their families. Having an android near you is like having a constant spy watching you. Whoever owns the android can ask it to report on your activities or download its memories of you. It’s a violation of sentients’ rights. They are disturbing replicas of sentients meant to fool and trick innocent sentients into trusting them, like you trust your android. A person should never trust a machine more than they trust people. An android is just another part of technology that works to de-sentientize the galaxy. Androids go against nature. Nothing natural creates working replicas of itself to do its work for them. Androids are unnatural, immoral, and wrong.”
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Entry 18
“I don’t think John is my brother. He is my brother,” I responded, looking away from the horrifying scene below to Ven. The only difference I could see between peeling back the skin on an android and a living being is that the android did not seem to be bleeding or in pain. But surely that was only because he had been turned off. John bled and felt pain. Whether organic or android, it still seemed wrong.
“Carlee, I cannot say this enough,” Ven said. “The thing you knew as John is not your brother. It is just an android.” Just an android, as if those words could encompass everything John meant to me, everything he had ever done for me.
“Do you have siblings?” I demanded, wondering how he could say such a thing.
“Two,” he answered. “Both around your age.”
“What makes them your siblings?” I demanded. “The fact that you all happened to be spawned from the same parents? Or the fact that you grew up together? You fought together. You laughed together. You lived together. You’re the oldest; undoubtedly, your parents made you responsible to protect and look after the others. You spent years looking after them, taking care of them, and keeping them out of trouble. It’s these acts, these hours spent together, that make you as close as you are, not the fact that you happened to be born from the same parents.
“John and I have spent years together. He has taken care of me my entire life. He has laughed with me, fought with me, angered me, and loved me my entire life. He has taken care of me when no one else would or cared. I don’t care if we were born from the same parents or not. I don’t care if he’s human or alien or android. He’s my brother, and I’m not leaving without him.”
“My siblings are human and that does matter, Carlee, regardless of what you think,” Ven responded. “John does not love you. It is simply a machine. It was programmed to do all those things with you in order to better understand your culture, as it was programmed too. It does what an older brother is supposed to do, better than any human older brother can, because it isn’t human. It is programmed to be the perfect brother. He does not actually care about you. It cannot feel love. It is just a robot.”
“I don’t care what you think. John loves me,” I retorted. “And I’m not leaving without him. So you are either going to fail your mission or you’re going to help me find John so we can get out of here.”
“You think you know so much,” he said studying me. “Here you are out here in a universe you cannot begin to fathom, and you are so certain you know everything there is to know about androids. You think you can order me around, like I don’t have a sedative in my pocket.” I tensed. A sedative? I had not even thought about that. He could drug me just like the anthropologists had and take me away to who knows where.
“Don’t you dare drug me,” I responded edging away from him. I wondered how fast he could pull the sedative out of his pocket and reach me. Could I get away in time?
“I’ll do what I think is best for the mission,” Ven said. “But in this case, I do believe it would be best if we found your android. Then I can prove to you once and for all that it’s not human or your brother, and I can take you quickly and safely to the human colony.” I did not disabuse him of the notion that I would simply leave behind John. He was agreeing to help me find John and that was half the battle.
“So how do we find John?” I asked.
“That’s easy,” Ven answered. “This is a symposium of anthropologists. Nobody has any idea what’s going on and only a handful of them even know what a human is. They have no idea we’re a primitive race. We’ll simply walk among them.”
“But won’t they be able to tell we’re not part of them?” I asked, surprised that it really could be so simple.
“Not unless we run into one of the few anthropologists who study Earth,” Ven said. “And even then, they may not recognize you as one of their specimens. For all they know we’re anthropologists too.”
“But you’re human,” I pointed out.
“Third generation non-Earthling,” he answered. “I could be an anthropologist if I wanted to. As long as I’m not from a primitive planet I’m a protected voting citizen of the universe.” I stared at him, not comprehending. It made no sense. Not even an hour ago I had been a specimen in the zoo. Now he was saying I could just walk among them unrecognized?
“We better get going if you want to find your android,” Ven said, and I did not need to be urged again. I was going to find John, this time with help.
“Carlee, I cannot say this enough,” Ven said. “The thing you knew as John is not your brother. It is just an android.” Just an android, as if those words could encompass everything John meant to me, everything he had ever done for me.
“Do you have siblings?” I demanded, wondering how he could say such a thing.
“Two,” he answered. “Both around your age.”
“What makes them your siblings?” I demanded. “The fact that you all happened to be spawned from the same parents? Or the fact that you grew up together? You fought together. You laughed together. You lived together. You’re the oldest; undoubtedly, your parents made you responsible to protect and look after the others. You spent years looking after them, taking care of them, and keeping them out of trouble. It’s these acts, these hours spent together, that make you as close as you are, not the fact that you happened to be born from the same parents.
“John and I have spent years together. He has taken care of me my entire life. He has laughed with me, fought with me, angered me, and loved me my entire life. He has taken care of me when no one else would or cared. I don’t care if we were born from the same parents or not. I don’t care if he’s human or alien or android. He’s my brother, and I’m not leaving without him.”
“My siblings are human and that does matter, Carlee, regardless of what you think,” Ven responded. “John does not love you. It is simply a machine. It was programmed to do all those things with you in order to better understand your culture, as it was programmed too. It does what an older brother is supposed to do, better than any human older brother can, because it isn’t human. It is programmed to be the perfect brother. He does not actually care about you. It cannot feel love. It is just a robot.”
“I don’t care what you think. John loves me,” I retorted. “And I’m not leaving without him. So you are either going to fail your mission or you’re going to help me find John so we can get out of here.”
“You think you know so much,” he said studying me. “Here you are out here in a universe you cannot begin to fathom, and you are so certain you know everything there is to know about androids. You think you can order me around, like I don’t have a sedative in my pocket.” I tensed. A sedative? I had not even thought about that. He could drug me just like the anthropologists had and take me away to who knows where.
“Don’t you dare drug me,” I responded edging away from him. I wondered how fast he could pull the sedative out of his pocket and reach me. Could I get away in time?
“I’ll do what I think is best for the mission,” Ven said. “But in this case, I do believe it would be best if we found your android. Then I can prove to you once and for all that it’s not human or your brother, and I can take you quickly and safely to the human colony.” I did not disabuse him of the notion that I would simply leave behind John. He was agreeing to help me find John and that was half the battle.
“So how do we find John?” I asked.
“That’s easy,” Ven answered. “This is a symposium of anthropologists. Nobody has any idea what’s going on and only a handful of them even know what a human is. They have no idea we’re a primitive race. We’ll simply walk among them.”
“But won’t they be able to tell we’re not part of them?” I asked, surprised that it really could be so simple.
“Not unless we run into one of the few anthropologists who study Earth,” Ven said. “And even then, they may not recognize you as one of their specimens. For all they know we’re anthropologists too.”
“But you’re human,” I pointed out.
“Third generation non-Earthling,” he answered. “I could be an anthropologist if I wanted to. As long as I’m not from a primitive planet I’m a protected voting citizen of the universe.” I stared at him, not comprehending. It made no sense. Not even an hour ago I had been a specimen in the zoo. Now he was saying I could just walk among them unrecognized?
“We better get going if you want to find your android,” Ven said, and I did not need to be urged again. I was going to find John, this time with help.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Entry 15
I crawled through, remaining on my hands and knees on the platform. I stared at the metallic platform for a moment before looking up. The waterfall was even closer now. Looking at the tons of water flowing by me, fear gripped my heart. I could swim, but I did not much like it. Being close to a huge waterfall was not my idea of fun.
Suddenly a strong hand gripped my shoulder. “Take it easy, Carlee,” Ven said. “Let me help you up.” I nodded.
Ven may not have looked like an action hero, but his lean figure disguised his strength. He pulled me to my feet easily, as if I weighed nothing. It made me wonder if he was an android too. John’s strength was ridiculous. He could move me like I was a doll.
“You look pale. Are you alright?” Ven’s question was not exactly laced with concern for me. I think he just wanted to know if he had to keep a grip on me to keep me from falling over the edge.
“I don’t really like water,” I answered, “but I’m fine. Where do we go from here?”
“I’ve called my ship to meet us here,” Ven answered, letting go of me. I leaned against the wall, far away from the edge. “We are standing on the outside of the northern edge of the Society’s zoo complex. This waterfall powers the complex. My ship will come to the edge and we will get in. Then we will get you to safety.”
“Wait, what about John?” I demanded, glaring up at the tall man. “I won’t leave without my brother.” Sympathy suddenly touched the man’s face.
“You have no brother, Carlee,” Ven said. “You may not have been made aware of this, but the thing you thought was your brother was no more than an android.” I frowned, perplexed.
“I know. John told me he was an android,” I responded. “But we still have to go get him. I’m sure the Society has him somewhere. After all, he’s the one they really want, isn’t he? They put him on Earth to study our culture. They want the information inside him, so they must be holding him somewhere.”
“I’m sure they are,” Ven said, looking at me oddly. “But I will not risk our lives to find your android.”
“He’s my brother,” I responded, shocked by his words. “We can’t just leave him. We have to rescue him.”
“Carlee,” Ven said firmly, his gaze locked on mine. “I know you must have feelings for your android, because you surely must not have realized beforehand what it was, but you have no brother. It is just an android, a machine, an automaton. It is not human. There is no John Earhart. There is only you. I will not risk human lives to save an android.”
I could not believe what I was hearing. I knew John was an android, John had told me so himself, but he was still my brother. John and I had grown up together. He was all I had, my only family. It did not matter to me if he was an android or an alien or a human. He was all I had, and I would not leave him behind.
“No,” I said firmly. “John is my brother. I will not leave him. You may do what you like but I will be going back for him.” I moved as if to go back through the opening, but Ven reached out and stopped me.
“Carlee, I can’t let you do that,” he said. “I was sent here to rescue you. I can’t let you just go. It is too dangerous. You will come with me, and I will take you to the Earthling colony.”
“Not without John,” I responded. I used my arm that he was not holding to sink my nails into his flesh. I had often used my nails to fight back with John when I had been irritated with John when we were younger. Ven grabbed my hand and pulled my nails out of him, wincing.
“That hurt,” he said. “I don’t appreciate that, Carlee.”
“Then you will appreciate this less,” I snapped. I then leaned forward and sunk me teeth into his lower arm.
I don’t know if you have ever bitten anyone, but I never had before. It was a strange experience, but I did not hesitate to bite him hard. The metallic taste of his blood filled my mouth. It was disgusting and made me wish I had not bitten him at all. However, it had the desired effect.
Ven cursed and let go of me.
I escaped back into the ductwork and scurried away. I had no idea where I was going or what was going to happen, but I knew I was not leaving without my brother, android or not.
Suddenly a strong hand gripped my shoulder. “Take it easy, Carlee,” Ven said. “Let me help you up.” I nodded.
Ven may not have looked like an action hero, but his lean figure disguised his strength. He pulled me to my feet easily, as if I weighed nothing. It made me wonder if he was an android too. John’s strength was ridiculous. He could move me like I was a doll.
“You look pale. Are you alright?” Ven’s question was not exactly laced with concern for me. I think he just wanted to know if he had to keep a grip on me to keep me from falling over the edge.
“I don’t really like water,” I answered, “but I’m fine. Where do we go from here?”
“I’ve called my ship to meet us here,” Ven answered, letting go of me. I leaned against the wall, far away from the edge. “We are standing on the outside of the northern edge of the Society’s zoo complex. This waterfall powers the complex. My ship will come to the edge and we will get in. Then we will get you to safety.”
“Wait, what about John?” I demanded, glaring up at the tall man. “I won’t leave without my brother.” Sympathy suddenly touched the man’s face.
“You have no brother, Carlee,” Ven said. “You may not have been made aware of this, but the thing you thought was your brother was no more than an android.” I frowned, perplexed.
“I know. John told me he was an android,” I responded. “But we still have to go get him. I’m sure the Society has him somewhere. After all, he’s the one they really want, isn’t he? They put him on Earth to study our culture. They want the information inside him, so they must be holding him somewhere.”
“I’m sure they are,” Ven said, looking at me oddly. “But I will not risk our lives to find your android.”
“He’s my brother,” I responded, shocked by his words. “We can’t just leave him. We have to rescue him.”
“Carlee,” Ven said firmly, his gaze locked on mine. “I know you must have feelings for your android, because you surely must not have realized beforehand what it was, but you have no brother. It is just an android, a machine, an automaton. It is not human. There is no John Earhart. There is only you. I will not risk human lives to save an android.”
I could not believe what I was hearing. I knew John was an android, John had told me so himself, but he was still my brother. John and I had grown up together. He was all I had, my only family. It did not matter to me if he was an android or an alien or a human. He was all I had, and I would not leave him behind.
“No,” I said firmly. “John is my brother. I will not leave him. You may do what you like but I will be going back for him.” I moved as if to go back through the opening, but Ven reached out and stopped me.
“Carlee, I can’t let you do that,” he said. “I was sent here to rescue you. I can’t let you just go. It is too dangerous. You will come with me, and I will take you to the Earthling colony.”
“Not without John,” I responded. I used my arm that he was not holding to sink my nails into his flesh. I had often used my nails to fight back with John when I had been irritated with John when we were younger. Ven grabbed my hand and pulled my nails out of him, wincing.
“That hurt,” he said. “I don’t appreciate that, Carlee.”
“Then you will appreciate this less,” I snapped. I then leaned forward and sunk me teeth into his lower arm.
I don’t know if you have ever bitten anyone, but I never had before. It was a strange experience, but I did not hesitate to bite him hard. The metallic taste of his blood filled my mouth. It was disgusting and made me wish I had not bitten him at all. However, it had the desired effect.
Ven cursed and let go of me.
I escaped back into the ductwork and scurried away. I had no idea where I was going or what was going to happen, but I knew I was not leaving without my brother, android or not.
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