Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: White (10/29/09)
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TITLE: My Hands Made This For You | Previous Challenge Entry
By Janeil Harricharan
11/05/09 -
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Usually she’d end up going back up to her quarters, or go on shore leave when they were docked, but today was somewhat special. Today, she was on the verge of finishing a pet project of hers.
Donning her white lab coat once more, the woman went over to a metal work table with a work lamp overhead, a small white robotic figure with feminine curves lying half assembled on a tray. A laptop was perched on the corner, and some tools were in a pile next to the tray.
Glancing around and glad that her lab/workshop wasn’t too messy, Hanna sat down on a stool and began to work. She had spent four days reprogramming a processor and a memory chip into the smallest form possible, but with the greatest computational capacity so that it would support artificial intelligence for a robot. Spending about twenty minutes carefully melding circuits and chips together, she then proceeded to replace the infrared sensors of the toy with advanced ones that were of top performance. Voice recognition sensors, depth perception, directional indicators; it was about three hours more before her modifications were complete.
Standing up, she picked up the little robot and placed it onto another work counter, free of any obstacles, sticking her tongue out in concentration, she placed a few batteries into its back and flipped the switch on, holding her breath.
The robot whirred, its motors aligning itself into a standing upright position, reaching only about twelve inches high.
“Hello, how are you?” The voice was clearly that of a machine, but feminine.
“I fine, you?” Hanna’s English was good, but her Russian accent was very heavy, and showed in her speech.
“I am operating within specified parameters. Please give a command.”
“Activate intelligence subroutine, diagnose if you get problem.”
The toy did not move for several seconds. “Subroutine on. No problems detected.”
“Good, now ready to meet your new owner?”
“I sure am!” The voice had changed, and it was clear that the subroutine was at work.
Hanna smiled; the final product and over two weeks of testing had worked and paid off. Turning off the toy, she held it close to her chest and switched off all the lights, walking out of her lab.
Making her way down the ship’s corridors, she quickly ascended a flight of stairs and entered the launch bay of the aerial mobile battleship that she worked on. A slight breeze blew in through the open launch bay doors, the colossal area a little cold. Several mobile suits lined one of the walls, fighter jets and a few bombers scattering the light deck.
A Learjet was being towed to one of the linear catapults. A small crowd was nearby, a man and his daughter talking to the Chawla. She quickened her pace.
“Oh, Hanna, I was wondering when you’d get here. It was a pleasure working with you,” The man said.
“It was the same, too, huh? You did good design work; come back and fiddle around with ship one day, okay?” Hanna turned to the little girl. “You behave yourself, all right?”
“I sure will!” She eagerly declared. She appeared to be about nine years old, and was mannerly, keeping to herself unless spoken to.
Hanna patted her head and handed her the robot. “Here, take this from me. It special robot; keep you company. Just remember to go play with real people, all right? And if she ever get broken, bring her back, I’ll fix her for you.”
“Oh wow! She’s soo pretty!” The girl excitedly clutched the toy. “My own robot!”
“Well, who knows? Maybe one of these days you’ll fly those things.” Chawla said jokingly, motioning to the mobile suits.
“But they’re not real robots, they only look like them. People fly them…and fight.” The girl seemed to turn glum.
“Well, she just trying to be nice, you know?” Hanna tried to make her happy again. “Now come back and visit!”
The girl seemed to forget her gloom, waved, and followed her father away towards their jet.
As it started up, Hannah folded her arms.
“You know, kids so nice and innocent most of time. I like them.” She said dreamily.
Chawla didn’t respond. Looking at her, she nudged Hannah’s shoulder and walked off. Shrugging, Hannah waved one last time before leaving.
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