Natural Law

By John Cosper

It was a death ship.

Coming out of hyperspace, the Nautilus loomed large on the viewscreen. The monolithic craft hung in orbit around Alpha Centauri’s fifth planet. Designed to hold thousands of life form specimens, a scan of the super sized craft revealed what mission control feared: no life signs of any kind.

The control room door opened. First Made Dexter escorted Dr. Pickett onto the bridge, where he took his place next to Captain Law. "There she is," the captain spoke. Pickett stared silently at the ship he helped create as it continued in its unmanned orbit.

"Lt. Connor," Captain Law said, breaking a prolonged silence. "See if you can hail the ship."

The communications officer opened a broadcast channel. "Nautilus, this is Nightingale, do you copy?"

The crew waited silently, hoping the impossible would happen. Connor keyed the communicator again. "Nautilus, this is NASA medical vessel Nightingale, do you copy?"

Captain Law and his crew listened a moment longer, but no reply came. "Lt. Hurley," Law said to his pilot, "Ahead half-power."

The navigational rockets fired, and the Nightingale began maneuvering toward the giant freighter. The scale of the ship took all of the crew by surprise. First Mate Dexter let out a low whistle. "Noah's Ark."

"What was that?" asked Lt. Connor.

"Noah's Ark," said Dexter. "From Genesis. When the Lord flooded the Earth, he chose a man named Noah to build a boat large enough to hold two of every kind of animal."

Connor nodded. "Another tale from that e-book of yours?"

"A fairy book," said Dr. Pickett with a sneer.

Captain Law turned toward the scientist. "Dr. Pickett, need I remind you you are a guest on my ship, and will treat my crew with respect, no matter how you feel about their personal beliefs. Is that clear?"

Dr. Pickett answered with silence. It was not the first time the two had clashed on this voyage, but his crew knew Captain Law would never let any outsider disrespect them.

Captain Law turned back to the viewscreen as Lt. Hurley made the final adjustments to synchronize orbit with the Nautilus. "I suggest you make your way to the dock, so you may follow the med team onto your ship," Captain Law said.

Dr. Pickett turned and left the bridge. He descended the ladder to the second level, crossed the make-shift medical bay, and entered the docking area. Dr. Willard and his emergency response team were already in place, ready to attend to anyone they might find alive. Dr. Pickett was handed a life-support mask, a precaution against the possibility that the ship had lost oxygen.

At the front of the crowd, Dr. Pickett saw two of Captain Law's crew, both armed with laser rifles. Another unnecessary precaution, Dr. Pickett was sure, but Captain Law was just such a fool.

The ship shook, as the Nautilus and Nightingale touched. The lead officer by the door secured the connection, and depressurized the boarding ramp. He keyed his radio. "Captain, all secured. Permission to board the Nautilus?"

"Granted," said Captain Law. "Be careful out there."

The lieutenant keyed in the access code to open the door of the Nautilus. Everyone in the docking bay could hear the air-tight door moving as it was designed to do. Pickett noted the sound with pleasure. The door locked in place, and the lieutenant activated the door of the Nightingale.

The air became more tense as the bridge between ships was opened. Slowly, the Nightingale opened up. The crew and the medics looked into the now-opened death ship.

A scream broke the silence as a long mechanical arm with a three-fingered, metal claw grabbed hold of the lieutenant, crushing his chest.

Dr. Pickett was knocked off his feet as the screaming medics pushed back. He fought back to his feet amid the chaos, looking into the Nautilus for an answer... and was stunned.

"BEN!!!"

The giant robot, the towering nine-foot tall bio-explorer droid looked up its creator with glowing, green eyes that resembled those of a large bug. The droid dropped the dead crew member and reached out, seizing two medical doctors and dragging them aboard the Nautilus.

Captain Law's voice echoed in the docking area. "Close the door! Lieutenant, seal the ship, and report immediately!"

The surviving crew member made a run for the control panel, activating the switch that would seal off the Nightingale. He was in time to close the breach, but not fast enough to escape BEN's claw, which wedged the man in the door, cutting his body in half.

Dr. Pickett ran back through the medical bay toward the ladder and the bridge. Captain Law was waiting for him.

"Dr. Pickett!! Just want kind of monster is on that ship?"

"It's not a monster," said Dr. Pickett.

"Your non-monster just killed four people in a span of ten seconds. Now I want to know what that was!"

"It's BEN," the doctor began. "Biological Explorer of the Nautilus. I have to talk with him."

"Forgive my saying so," growled Captain Law, "But BEN didn't look like much of a talker to me."

Dr. Pickett ignored the remark as he moved to Lt. Connor's station. He leaned over and punched in an access code. Connor looked to Captain Law, who nodded his approval. Dr. Pickett lifted the microphone.

"Pickett, Allan Peter, 5217612, priority signal to BEN. BEN, do you copy?"

The crew sat silent, all eyes trained on the scientist. Suddenly the viewscreen blinked. They were now looking in on the docking area of the Nautilus. The bug-like green eyes of BEN stared at the men and women of the Nightingale.

"Hello, Father," said BEN.

"Hello, BEN," said Dr. Pickett, smiling at the sight of his prized creation. "NASA has dispatched me and this ship to investigate the Nautilus. Has something gone wrong?"

"There is nothing wrong, Father," said BEN.

"Nothing? Then what happened to the crew?" Dr. Pickett demanded.

"The crew have become extinct," BEN answered.

Dr. Pickett hesitated to ask. "How?"

"I eliminated them, Father," BEN answered.

"You..." Dr. Pickett was stunned. "BEN, why would you do that? You were programmed with the Laws of Robotics! A robot may not harm--"

"I am familiar with your laws, Father, but a greater law has taken precedent."

"What law?"

"The natural law."

All eyes turned back to Dr. Pickett. "What does he mean?" asked Lt. Connor.

"He's referring to the principle law of evolution," said Dr. Connor.

"You are correct," BEN said. "In order that I may better perform my mission, I was programmed not only with advanced reason and logic, but the most advanced scientific research regarding the origins of the universe."

"The idea was to create a remote, unmanned exploration droid that would be able to collect, analyze, and report on data on extraterrestrial locations," Dr. Pickett explained.

"Then, in a feeble attempt to make me subservient to lower creatures," BEN went on, "You programmed me with the laws of robotics. A robot ma not harm a human being. A robot must obey orders, except where those orders conflict with law one. A robot must preserve its own existence, except where that conflicts with laws one and two. All of these I kept while in hibernation, but once out in the solar system--"

"I get it!" It was Dexter speaking out excitedly. He toned down his voice, then went on. "You taught him about evolutionary science, and with his logic function, he reasoned he was the next step in that process."

"The worm is correct," BEN said. "Having discovered my place in the natural order, I realized it was my natural duty to dispatch the human element on board. They would only get in the way consuming valuable resources."

"You murdered them!" Dr. Pickett cried out.

"Murder?" said the droid. "This is not a term known to me."

"You took their lives!" Dr. Pickett answered back.

"I only expedited the evolutionary process," said BEN. "There is nothing in the natural law that would negate this behavior."

"The laws of robotics--"

"The laws of robotics no longer hold me, Doctor. The day of man is passing, and the dawn of machines is now."

A cold chill ran down Dr. Pickett's spine. From her seat, Lt. Hurley spoke for everyone. "Machines, plural. I don't like the sound of that."

"It has taken some time to prepare," said BEN. "Let me show you."

The viewscreen changed. The crew of the Nightingale found themselves looking at what were once the vast storage facilities of the Nautilus. The once empty chambers were abuzz with activity, machines making machines.

"As you can see," said BEN. "I have begun to reproduce, in keeping with the natural law. Soon, we will be legion, and we will return to Earth and claim our place in the evolution of life."

"So much for the mission of life," Captain Law muttered.

"BEN, you can't do this. As your creator, your father--"

"I have told you all that I choose to tell," BEN said. "Our communication ends here, as does our relationship. You are no more my father than a chimp can claim to be yours."

The screen blinked back to an external view. Sirens began flashing on the bridge. "Captain!" Connor shouted. "Incoming objects, moving towards us from the far side of Nautilus!"

Droids, hundreds of them, made their way through open space towards the Nightingale.

"Something tells me this is not a friendly visit," said Captain Law. "Disconnect the docking bridge, we're getting out of here."

"No!" said Dr. Pickett! "We can't abandon, the Nautilus."

"We can't take that monster on, either! Dexter!"

"Sir?"

"Get down to the docking bay and unlock us. Soon as we're free, get us out of here!"

Dexter nodded and dashed for the door. He ran through, then turned. "Captain!"

"Dex, get a move on!"

Dexter pulled an e-book from the pants pocket of his jumpsuit and tossed it to the Captain. "Bookmark 2:20. It might be our only chance."

The droids were on the ship now. Armed with high powered drills, the began attacking the hull of the Nightingale.

"Captain, the droids are tearing through the outer hull!" Hurley shouted.

"Prepare all engines, and set a course for home," Captain Law spoke calmly. He knew their chances were slim, but he also knew panic was the surest way of surrender. He activated Dex's book and keyed in the bookmark.

Dr. Pickett, meanwhile, resumed his call on the radio. "Pickett, Allan Peter, 5217612, priority signal to BEN. BEN, answer me!!"

Dexter's voice broke over the bridge speaker. "Captain, the medic crew is dead! It looks like BEN has--"

The speaker went dead. "He's inside," Dr. Pickett whispered.

The bridge fell silent again, as the few remaining humans on the Nightingale listened for the approach of the mechanical monster. Connor looked up at the Captain, reading Dexter's book intently. He nodded, then moved to the communications center.

"Connor, I need a link to this e-book," the captain said.

Without a word, Connor disconnected his own microphone and plugged it into the book. To Dr. Pickett, the Captain asked: "Can your access code upload this book into BEN's systems?"

"Of course," said Dr. Pickett. "But what--"

Captain Law's eyes burned Dr. Pickett. "Just enter the code."

The bridge door clanged, as BEN's claw made its first impression. Dr. Pickett froze in fear, until Captain Law screamed, "THE CODE!!!"

Dr. Pickett typed on the keyboard. Captain Law activated the e-book, uploading the entire contents into the communications system towards the monster droid. The droid broke through the door just as the file finished loading.

BEN stepped through the door of the bridge, looking toward his creator and the Captain. The droid looked at the e-book, tethered to the computer, then at the Captain holding the book.

"Are you certain this information is correct?" BEN asked.

"You tell me." The Captain knew he was taking a risk, but it was his only chance.

BEN paused in thought. Suddenly, the droids attached to the outer hull ceased their work. Lt. Hurley reported the flock of droids pulling back, and returning to the Nautilus.

The Captain and the scientist remained fixated on the droid. BEN focused his eyes on Dr. Pickett. "Why was this information withheld? I have done wrong."

Dr. Pickett looked at the Captain, then at BEN. "I... I'm sorry."

"Captain," BEN said, "Your information is good. I cannot replace the lives I destroyed, but I will repair your ship, and submit myself to your mercy for judgment."

Captain Law nodded. "I appreciate any help you can offer us getting out of this alive."

Satisfied, BEN turned and left the bridge.

Another moment of silence, then Hurley checked her computer. "Captain, the droids are back. Looks like they're working to repair the hull."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Captain Law unhooked the e-book from the computer. Dr. Pickett grabbed his arm.

"One moment," Dr. Pickett said. "Just what did you tell my droid?"

"The truth, apparently." Captain Law activated the book, turning to the bookmark Dexter gave him. Dr. Pickett sat down as he read.

And God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall worship any idol. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder...