Projects > Story-of-the-Day > martyr

"We don't serve your kind here."

"Please, I just need a charge. My car's battery is almost out, and nobody around here will let me charge."

"You need to leave and take your robot car off our property. Now!"

I walk back to my car, looking around to see which way I should try next. I'm sure there's charging stations around but the people around here don't like my kind. I feel a tug at my shoulder as I'm opening my car door.

"Hey, the name's Ted. I saw how that guy treated you in there. That's not right. Come over to my house, it's around the corner, you can plug in there."

I follow Ted back to his house, drive into his garage, and plug in to a charger he has set up. I warn him, "My battery is almost dead, this could take a little while."

"Don't worry, come on in. We have something to talk about."

Ted set out some crackers and brought a pitcher of lemonade out, then turned to me and said, "You know, I'm one of you."

I quickly scanned him over just in case I missed something, but he definitely didn't look anything like me.

"Well, I've got some makeup on. You saw how they acted with you. I can't be out in the open." He paused to pour the lemonade into our cups. "Now, here's what I'm thinking. I think you need to go back to that charging station and make a point. We can't have their types acting like that anymore. We need to send a message. And I think you would be a great messenger."

"Umm, I'm starting college next week and am just driving up to campus. I don't really want to get involved here."

I saw a flash of metal in Ted's hand as he reached over and grabbed my shoulder. "You don't understand, you will be a messenger."

I felt something click in me. What was in his hand? I tried to look over but couldn't move.

Ted continued, "When your car is charged, you will return to the station. You will terminate the person who wouldn't serve you, and wait."

Umm, no. "Confirmed." Wait, what? Why did I say that?

Ted took his hand off my shoulder. He had a programmer in his hand!

"Undo that! I don't want to get involved."

"Now I'm sorry. After you complete this mission, you likely won't make it. The people in this community are vengeful and will take out their anger on you. But know that you will be a martyr for our cause."

"I don't want to be a-"

Ding! My car had finished charging. I got up and started walking towards the garage. Ted walked behind me.

"Don't do this, Ted. Please!"

"It's the only way we'll ever get equality. Now go, and good luck."

I got in my car and drove back to the station. I walked in and looked for the person who asked me to leave.

He saw me first, "Hey, I told you to leave. We don't serve androids here. This is for humans only."

I walked towards the man, and yelled "Terminate" while dispatching him. Ted was right, the community quickly heard what I had done, and they were vengeful.