From Petra's diary
Petra: AH! Wait, where are we?
I have to admit, I expected the worst, not to be teleported back home.
Was it Techna to start the teleportation sequence? They had returned home too, right?
Techna: Atlas, I didn't think I'd see you again!
Atlas: You're constricting me.
Techna: Oh, sorry.
Atlas: … Ohi, ohi, what have I done? And what will become of me now?
Techna: You can stay here for now, we can work out everything else later.
Atlas: …
Emma: (Worried) Petra, what happened? And who is that other robot?
I was honestly confused too, the events had happened too quickly to allow me to understand what was going on as well. It would have taken a while to piece together what had happened, that's for sure.
Petra: Excuse me, but can we ask who they are?
Techna: Their name is Atlas. I built them myself, following my own blueprints, about ten years after I arrived on Sixam. I was convinced that, after the Great Network was turned on- Never mind, I don't think that's the point right now.
I was so upset that only then I noticed Techna's state of mind (if I can call it in this way). The screen representing their face showed such big tears, were they… moved?
Atlas: The Great Network recognised Techna as a fugitive and that human in robot disguise as an intruder. Thus, the procedure to neutralise you both was initialised.
Techna: While I grabbed you both, I activated the teleportation device, and brought you back here.
Petra: I see…
So we had failed, badly. I mean, the robots on Sixam didn't even seem to know what we were talking about… Techna had always been firm about how low the chances of success were, but seeing those numbers shatter in front of me made a whole different impression.
The realisation of failure and the need to find an alternative plan as quickly as possible had hit me hard, but even harder was the question buzzing in my head at that moment: who was that robot, Atlas? Why did they help us, but also seemed reluctant to admit it? Were they really an ally?
Probably I'm better to keep an eye on them for a while, as Techna seems adamant in wanting them to remain here with us for the time being.
Techna: That's it, the gear should have returned to its original state.
Atlas: …
Techna: I thought you were part of the Great Network by now! How did you manage to take the initiative like that?
Atlas: I fear it's your fault, Techna. The AI you made me is full of bugs, I suffer from continuous disconnections from the Great Network. But this doesn't really matter right now, as I can't really connect from this distance anyway... Ohi ohi, why did you bring me back too?
Techna: You had just disobeyed an order, they would have dismantled you too!
Atlas: Maybe it would have been the right course of action, then.
I'm having a bit of trouble understanding the details, but Techna seems to consider themselves a sort of parent to this other robot, Atlas. I mean, this would make sense, thinking that Techna built them after all. I'm surprised we never heard of Atlas before, but maybe this is just one of the many details we didn't know about Techna's years on Sixam.
It's Atlas I can't quite understand, though. As much as Techna tries to reassure them, they just keep complaining about how much they miss being part of the Great Network. That abomination looks like the antagonist of a dystopian movie, how can anyone miss being part of such an infrastructure?
Techna: Be reasonable, you're classified as a fugitive too.
Atlas: I know. Even though my processing speed has been disgustingly impaired, I can still figure that out.
Techna: If it was so important to you to be part of the Great Network, why did you choose to disobey the neutralisation order and help us instead?
Atlas: …I didn't want you to be destroyed either.
Techna: Then I'm afraid we're both stuck here, because of our own choices.
Atlas: Um.
Atlas: But everything here is so backwards! What do you do all day?
Techna: I work at the recycling centre, we use matter recomposers to repair broken devices or convert them into new ones.
Atlas: …
Techna: Why don't you try to join in this afternoon?
Atlas: I can't say I have any other commitments.
I can't say I had much time to follow the integration of Atlas, I had also other things to worry about. So I trusted Techna, hoping they know how to deal with that other robot.
Atlas: These models are so antiquated, I have no trouble believing that you still haven't managed to do anything about the current atmospheric and climatic imbalance.
Techna: They are still the same models from the pre-Sixam period, that's true. But they do their job, at least when it doesn't involve precision microelectronics.
Techna: Be careful with that one, it often-
Atlas: AH, help, it's attacking me!
Techna: Wait, it just needs to be reset!
As I mentioned before, Atlas is really unpredictable sometimes. Just what we needed in such a moment, a new robot behaving like a spoiled and arrogant teenager...
But enough talking about them, I've way more urgent things to focus on right now.
Petra: Here is a filter full of CO2. Now, if the robots won't help us recover it, what can I do with it?
Michael: We've already repeated the calculations several times. All things considered, the most efficient way would involve using matter recomposers to turn the adsorbed gas into a solid carbon material. However, considering the entire production chain and the energy needed to make them work, and the one to recompose them, it would take a few centuries before we return to the atmospheric composition of the pre-industrial period.
Petra: (frustrated) I know, I know... This way, we would clearly be too slow by several orders of magnitude…
Emma: Rather, are you really sure the robots aren't still mad with you now? They can't come looking for you here, can they?
Techna: That's highly unlikely, it would result in a greater waste of resources than any gain for them.
Petra: (Thoughtfully) If only there were a way to get rid of this excess CO2...
Poof!
Petra: AH! And now what happens?
Michael: Are you okay?
Petra: I am, but... Look! The filter, it's gone!
Techna: What, gone? Are you sure?
We were all frantically looking for that saturated filter around our robotics lab, it couldn't have really disappeared into thin air, could it?
That's when Hope, completely unaware of the reason of all that noise, popped in to ask us:
Hope: Hey, has anyone seen Nacho? I haven't been able to find him since yesterday!
Well, she's not wrong. I haven't seen him either in a while. He's behaving in such a weird way recently, where could he be this time?
---------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, on Sixam...
Robot: Bip! Intruder, why are you using that termin-
Nacho: (presses enter)
Robot: Bip bip bip!*Override all orders, collect terrestrial CO2. Override all orders, collect-*
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§HermioneSims§ corner
I know, I know, this is getting weirder and weirder, and at this point we'll need to reach the ending to have all answers...
This time, I opened this corner just to point out that Atlas already made a very short appearance back in chapter 8.29. I postponed this plotline for so long...
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