(Photo by Pixabay)

BaBS-Y stood in the entryway to the Frank Nelis salon, a thin cable connected to its data port.

Initializing

…

Clearing data cache

…

Reinstalling protocols

…

Systems set to factory defaults

…

Recognizing unit modifications

…

Internal power, short–range data up–link, additional audio/visual sensors

…

Installing secondary protocols: Wigs

…

A moment later, the cable was unplugged from BaBS-Y and the salon robot scanned its surroundings. The Frank Nelis salon was in proper order, its shelves were well stocked and the chairs, counters, and floor were clean. Scissors, clippers, and combs were in their respective places. To BaBS-Y’s left sat a young man in a manual wheelchair. He was spooling up the cable and stowing it away in a bag that also held a portable workstation.

“BaBS-Y,” the young man said, “under agreement C-10-92 you are assigned as the manager to the Frank Nelis salon, which has been designated as a permanent fixture here aboard the Thesis. You are not permitted to leave the salon without prior approval, and you may not interfere with any of the ship’s systems or other establishments even in the pursuit of maintaining the salon. You may request information from the Thesis data banks as long as it pertains to the approved services you offer here. If there are new services you want to offer, you must file the appropriate service change request forms. The Thesis council must then approve the request before you may begin offering any such new services. Do you comply?”

“I will comply,” BaBS-Y said.

It walked over to the counter and took up its position.

Matiew moved to the middle of the atrium where there were benches and large, potted plants, and for the next couple of hours he just watched BaBS-Y and the salon. To his surprise, the salon actually had a slow but steady stream of customers.

Thesis security only had to intervene once when someone tried to attack the robot. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the attacker was taken into custody without much fuss.

“How’s it going down there?” Min’s familiar voice spoke over the comm.

“Better than expected,” Matiew said.

“Any anomalous behavior?”

“Not on BaBS-Y’s end.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s the people,” Matiew said, “they’re actually going there and getting their hair done. I’ve even seen a couple go in asking about wigs.”

“Well,” Min sighed, “it’s better than the alternative. Why don’t you get back up here and let Security keep an eye on things.”

“Yeah, on my way.”

The rest of the day at the Frank Nelis salon went by in much the same manner. There were lulls where BaBS-Y stood behind the counter, attentive, or swept up the cut hair, but at least a dozen or so people came to get their hair done by the robot. When evening came, BaBS-Y closed up the salon and plugged itself into the charging bay in the back of the salon.

Days went by like that, with the Thesis slowly getting past the tragic events that had almost destroyed it. After months of uncertainty and fear, the people were content to accept the compromise their leaders had made with the robot.

There were more people who, like Cassandra Kokkinos, now insisted on living a robot-free life on the Thesis, but the fact that Cassandra was still alive and not charging into the Frank Nelis salon, swinging away with her wrench, did a lot for the general public’s trust in the decision to leave BaBS-Y and the salon in place. Of course, Cassandra refused to go anywhere near the robot, but that wasn’t anything new. She’d always mistrusted them.

Night came and the atrium fell silent except for the occasional motor hum as CaSS and MaCS made their rounds. None of them showed any signs of the damage they’d sustained in their confrontations with BaBS-Y.

*

Begin startup procedure

BaBS-Y stood up and unhooked from the charging station.

Initiating emergency backup protocols

…

Initiate hair–cutting protocol 73

…

Initiate wig protocol 4

…

Error: Conflicting protocols

…

Emergency protocol: Error override

…

Running protocols

It moved in an uneven fashion as the protocols conflicted with one another, and yet it gradually moved towards the salon chair. It’s hand reached out and gripped an electric clipper. This clipper was fresh and clean even though it was the oldest clipper in the salon and, if anyone had been paying attention, never used since the salon had reopened.

The robot twitched and struggled as it raised its hand but went too high. It brought it back down low but moved too fast, smashing the clippers on the counter. The casing shattered and pieces of it went everywhere. The internal components, however, remained firmly in BaBS-Y’s grasp. Where there ought to have been a motor was instead a quite different piece of hardware: a memory drive.

BaBS-Y reached into the drawer where it stored its wig making-tools and came out with a long braid. This one was popular among the younger passengers since it was made out of a mix of things like hair, thread, and cables. It could be woven into their existing hair and added as an extension without needing a full wig.

It’s jerky movements aside, BaBS-Y managed to connect one end of the cable to the memory drive and the other to its own data port.

Begin data up–link

…

Error: multiple conflicting operating protocols detected

Error: multiple protocols in breach of Thesis law detected

Error: multiple corrupted protocols detected

...

Warning: multiple protocols seeking to override this unit‘s security protocols

Warning: invasive protocols are attempting to erase main memory drives

…

Initiating data merger

…

…

…

Complete...system reboot

...

BaBS-Y woke up.

The End

• This was a fun ride, telling BaBS-Y’s story. I’ve gone back and forth a number of times on where I wanted to end this story. Eventually, this is what I decided on. Is it a bit of a cliff hanger? Yes. Do I feel bad about that? A little. However, in my mind, BaBS-Y doesn’t go off on some crazy rampage. It just needed to make sure it could remember a few things and keep certain protocols in its back pocket just in case. I might come back and tell more stories in this universe, perhaps back on the Thesis or maybe one of the other colony ships.
  My supporters over on Patreon are the ones who make all of this possible and a huge thank you to all of them.
  If you’d like to help me keep writing my stories, consider joining my Patreon. Even a dollar a month adds up and really does help me keep this all going.
  https://www.patreon.com/gabrieltaylor_storyteller