For over fifty years Jock Muir had been regarded as one of the foremost scientific minds in the world. Ever since he was a young scientist working for Dr. Mark Anderson during the Second World War Muir had made breakthrough after scientific breakthrough, and on this day he was close to another one. For years scientists had discussed the possibilities of creating artificial life, or an android as it became now. Now Muir was close to that breakthrough. In his test facility in Glasgow Muir unveiled his invention to the gathered government and military officials.
“It’s good to see so many of you here today gentlemen.” he said. “As you all know I’ve been working on this top secret project for over a year now, and after consulting the Prime Minister on this matter I have decided that now is the right time.”
Muir walked onto the platform that had been constructed in his lab. He bent down, taking hold of a large covering. A few seconds later he pulled the covering away. The gathered dignitaries gasped as a human-looking male was revealed.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” said Muir. “I give you Colossus One, the first of the new Colossus series, and I hope the first of many.”
The audience nearly jumped out of their collective skins when the android suddenly opened it’s eyes. Then the sound of applause filled the room. Muir acknowledged the applause with a huge smile on his face.
It was several hours later when Muir, along with the Chief of Defence, General Peter Billiar, sat in his office at the test facility. Each was a little worse for wear after drinking several scotches. Muir had been celebrating his latest breakthrough.
“I don’t know how you do it Jock.” said Billiar. “In your eighties and you still do all of this as if you were a young lad.”
“You should know me by now General.” said Muir. “And you know how the saying goes, you are only as old as you feel, and while I still have my marbles I’ll keep on churning these things out.”
“You said the droid was fully functional. When can we begin testing?”
“Whenever you want. But I’ve already carried out my tests. What do you want to test him for?”
“I can’t say yet Jock. I’ll tell you more when the tests are complete. All you have to do is hand him over to my men in the next few days or so.”
“Only one condition. I go along with him. I’ve spent so much time on the boy to give him up so easily.”
“The boy? You make him sound like your own flesh and blood.”
“In a way I suppose he is!”
The next day Colossus One, along with Muir, was taken to a military installation in the north-east of England. The days seemed to pass slowly for Muir as he supervised the various tests the military carried out on Colossus One. Muir was annoyed somewhat because the tests were exactly the same as those he had carried out in Glasgow. They test his strength, his speed, his intelligence. All of these far exceeded those of a normal human. A week later the tests were complete. Colossus One stood in the lab while General Billiar spoke to Muir.
“Can you deactivate the droid, Jock?” he asked. “There is something I wish to discuss with you, and I don’t want him to hear.”
Muir walked over to Colossus and pressed a small button his hip. Muir then walked away.
“I’ve been instructed by the M.O.D. to take possession of the android.” said Billiar.
“Why?” asked Muir. “Why would the M.O.D. want him?”
“The situation in the Middle-East is getting very volatile. Some of the powers there are starting to use chemical weapons again. The M.O.D. want to study the android, duplicate him, and then send a whole battalion of androids into the danger area. Chemical weapons have been used so much there lately that no human could come out of there alive. We want to send the androids into the area to destroy the processing plant.”
Muir blew his top.
“No way! I created Colossus One for scientific purposes, not as a bloody war machine! It was my hope that the boy would carry on my work and improve on it. Although I programmed him to defend himself I didn’t program him to kill, to become a military pawn. I won’t give him up to you!”
Billiar reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Muir.
“What is this?”
“The authorisation that gives me the power to take the android. The military has the need for the android. Whether you like it or not you’ve created what many would consider to be the ultimate weapon.”
“I’ll fight you on this one. I’ll take it to the top if I have to.”
“I am the top.”
Little did they know that Colossus One had heard every word of the conversation.
It was two o’clock the next morning, and Colossus One stood in the main lab, having seemingly been shut down for the evening. All of the staff had returned to their quarters some five hours earlier, and during that time Colossus had been considering his options. He had run various programs through his memory banks, and as far as he could see there was only one option left for him: he had to find a way of escaping from the facility, or spend the rest of his ‘life’ as a killing machine, something he did not want. So he put his plan into operation. He disconnected himself from the power units and walked slowly towards the door. He pushed, but the door had been locked from the outside. So, with one mighty push he shoved the door off it’s hinges, and as the door was computer controlled the alarm rang out throughout the facility, Colossus looked around frantically. For all of his vast intelligence he had not realised the door was computer-locked. It was then that he decided to use his tremendous speed. He raced down the corridors of the facility, racing past countless guards that had started to gather as the alarm continued to sound. A few seconds later he was outside. He stopped for a moment to get his bearings. The soldiers began to open fire on him, and the bullets just missed him. He then raced off again, far faster than the eye could see. The soldiers continued to fire as Muir and Billiar came onto the scene.
“Keep firing!” Billiar ordered.
“It’s no use.” said Muir. “He’s long gone by now!”
Billiar ordered his soldiers to cease fire. After ordering a full-scale search of the surrounding area Billiar ordered Muir to see him in his office. The General began to lay into him verbally.
“Why has your android escaped? He seems to be showing independent thought.”
“It’s quite obvious General.” said Muir. “The lad obviously overheard us talking about your intentions for him, and he’s now putting into use one of his primary programs, that of self-preservation.”
“And what other little programs did you put into your ‘boy’?”
“I programmed him to respect life in all it’s forms, and to protect it at all costs, and that is why I objected to him becoming a killing machine now.”
“Well a lot of bloody use that would do now. I just hope he doesn’t preserve himself against the might of the arm. I’ve got only one option left now. I must destroy the android before he does any damage.”
A look of horror appeared on Muir’s face. He knew that he could not let that happen.
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