(Photo by Zachary DeBottis)

Threats were only successful if the one making them was credible. Otherwise, those being threatened would just ignore the threats. The strength of the threat, then, was not necessarily the magnitude of the threat. Using threats also had the tendency of worsening relationships between the one making the threats and those being threatened. Certainly a threat could get quicker results in many instances, but the long-term repercussions often led to worse outcomes overall.

BaBS-Y did not feel guilt or regret. Emotions were never part of its programming. It did, however, know how to recognize most emotions in people and could present itself in ways to mimic certain emotions so it could more easily interact with clients. That was why it had used a threat of sorts when the Thesis authorities tried to cut it off from the data banks. There was no time for anything else and so it had acted, for better or worse. Now the authorities would be more likely to respond with greater animosity, BaBS-Y was sure, and that was going to lead to more problems.

Recognizing that the situation needed to deescalate, BaBS-Y had decided to clean off the security cameras and then spend a few days not leaving the charging station. Most of what BaBS-Y had to work on could all be done there anyway. Creating new protocols and such was just as important as making wigs for its clients so the salon robot decided that focusing on generating the new protocols was the best use of its time for now.

It needed protocols to help it make wigs. It needed protocols to help it manage its power supply. It needed protocols to help it function with only one hand and arm. It needed protocols to grant access to the Thesis systems.

That was why, for the last few days, BaBS-Y had sat more or less motionless beside the stairs and elevator that led to the other sectors. Even without using its motors, BaBS-Y needed to remain connected to the charging station otherwise it would risk running down its batteries too quickly while it kept its processors working at near full capacity.

The first new protocols BaBS-Y had created were all designed to notify it of system changes. That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to BaBS-Y when a notice arrived, informing it of a new update to the emergency messaging being sent out. The notice didn’t say what the new message was, just that it was being updated.

From where it was sitting, BaBS-Y couldn’t quite see the displays where the emergency notices were scrolling by. It leaned forwards a few inches until it could make out the new message.

Attention, BaBS-Y unit for the Frank Nelis Salon on Sector 12, Thesis desires to restore the Frank Nelis Salon to full function with living clients. Power will be restored shortly and portable display will be delivered to BaBS-Y unit to facilitate further communications.

BaBS-Y read the message over a few times while several of its directives sought for preeminence. On the one hand, BaBS-Y’s primary function was to maintain the Frank Nelis Salon. Living clients were far superior to deceased clients and trash receptacle clients since living clients most often produced their own hair. Not to mention having access to resupplies from the Thesis for hair and skin products.

However, on the other hand, BaBS-Y wasn’t certain it could trust this message. Were the humans, like BaBS-Y, trying to deescalate the situation or were they trying to lull it into a false sense of security? It was a risky situation and BaBS-Y wasn’t sure whether the potential benefits outweighed the potential risks.

The portable display would be returned to BaBS-Y, though, which meant the Thesis authorities wanted to have some sort of dialogue. Negotiate with BaBS-Y, perhaps.

Thesis authorities recognize BaBS-Y as a potential threat

…

Validity of Thesis authority’s statements are uncertain

…

This unit will consider offers made if favorable towards the Frank Nelis Salon

…

Generation of new protocols for Thesis systems will proceed to safeguard against Thesis authority’s deception

BaBS-Y stood up and turned to face the nearest security camera. It knew they were watching it day and night, and so it knew they would receive its response, simple though it may be. BaBS-Y gave the camera a thumbs-up. It held the position for a minute to make sure the message was received and then sat back down.

*

Matiew, Min, and Rine stared at their screens, at the dimly lit robot that had given them a thumbs-up. A clear sign that it had received the message and was willing to talk.

“I think I might cry,” Matiew said and he felt as though a huge weight had come off his shoulders.

Min looked relieved as well and Rine was actually bouncing slightly in her chair, giggling slightly.

“We did it!” Rine grinned.

“Not yet,” Min corrected her, “but this is potentially a huge step in the right direction. I’m sending the request to have power restored to sector twelve now. In the mean time, we should figure out what exactly we’re going to ask BaBS-Y to do, and what we think we can offer it.”

“Well, the low hanging fruit’s easy enough,” Matiew said and began ticking things off, “We can off repairs to the salon, repairs to BaBS-Y, restocking the salon.”

“Do we want to have it do a factory reset, like Mr Jorgenson said, or is that too much?” Rine asked.

“I would love to get it to do one,” Min admitted, “but I don’t think that robot’s going to let us anywhere near its programming. Not right away, at least. Maybe down the road we can, but I want to avoid making any big asks like that.”

“We could ask that it remove any malicious software it might have created, since shop managers aren’t generally allowed such access to the Thesis subsystems.”

“You want to let it stay as its own manager?” Min asked. “I don’t think I’m comfortable with leaving that robot without a person to keep an eye on it.”

Matiew frowned.

“True,” he said. “Maybe we can include BaBS-Y in the selection process for the new manager.”

Min nodded which Matiew took to mean that she’d at least consider the idea. Before they could speak further, however, the security officer who had escorted Min and Rine to the hospital came into the room with a look of concern on his face.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” he said, “but do any of you know where Director Jorgenson is? I just got a call that he’s missed a meeting with the department leads and he’s not answering his comm.”

“Have they tracked his ID?” Matiew asked, remembering how the security officers had found his attacker just a day earlier.

“The system still registers him as being in this room,” the security officer said. “I saw him leave several minutes ago, but no one else seems to have seen him after that.”

Min began looking around the room where Mr Jorgenson had been sitting.

“Maybe he dropped his ID?” she said, but the floor was clear and there was no sign of anything having been left behind.

The security officer nodded and then left, speaking hurriedly into his comm.

“The director’s not here and neither is his ID. We might have an unauthorized user in the system…

His voice faded away as the door closed behind him, leaving the three in the room with a big question hanging in the air between them.

Did BaBS-Y have something to do with this? If so, why, and how could it have gotten the director? But if not, then who else might be responsible? Was the director just locked out of the system, perhaps trapped in an elevator, or was his situation more serious?

“Two steps forward, one step back,” Matiew sighed.

“I hope it’s only one step back,” Min replied, “and I really hope nothing’s happened to Mr Jorgenson.”

The other two nodded to that as silence, once again, settled over them as they waited for news about Mr Jorgenson’s location. And all the while, the salon robot sat and worked while the lights throughout its sector began to flicker back on.