Gynoids of Times:  The Ash Heap of History

by Elliot Bowers

Introductory: 6 Aug 2198

It was noted by the Enforcers' Council (stationed in temporary geosynchronic orbit above Earth) that a historical record of the events involving the reconstructed Vanessa should be made for future reference. It was assumed that any remains of advanced andro-gynoid technology was destroyed in the Disaster Wars --; referred to as the "Disaster" Earth-side. However, the infamous "Mechminx" incident that passed recently proved otherwise. Indeed, after decades --; centuries --; of its disappearance, Vanessa resurfaced. The Vanessa-gynoid had been repaired and brought back into nearly-flawless functionality. And those that had resurrected that gynoid were unaware of the danger they had uncovered and repaired.

After being brought back on-line, the Vanessa gynoid quickly traveled to the Wastelands --; the area not several kilometers of New Washington. These were lands still pock-marked and scarred from the Disaster Wars that nearly destroyed the American Midwest, making that area almost uninhabitable. In the Wastelands, Vanessa utilized basic anthropo-sociological information and methods (probably gleaned from texts of the New Washington archives) to recruit the roving and "uncivilized" nomads that roamed the Wastelands. The gynoid, under the title of "Mechminx," then pursued a goal that somehow surfaced in its AI: Conquer New Washington and populate the planet with "superior" gynoids and androids, leaving human beings as slaves and occasional organic fuel. (The gynoid refused to shake the hypothesis that humans might "taste good.") Vanessa was clearly a threat to New Washington.

Soon after acquiring a small band of nomadic Wasteland-dwellers, Vanessa (in a state of artificial overconfidence induced by her peculiar AI) then announced her intent to the populace of New Washington. As Vanessa was not truly an intelligent gynoid (as the AI's intelligence was limited), this forewarning of New Washington's inhabitants was a strategic blunder on the gynoid's part. Of course, we knew of the trail of events with the assistance of our tracking satellites. We, the Council, were quite hesitant to intervene in the events of the planet's surface. But then, the Senate of New Washington sent a contingency distress signal. This gave us license to intervene in events after all. Therefore, we saw it fit to send an appropriate response to the "Mechminx" threat to New Washington: We sent Vanessa's "sister" gynoid to deal with the problem. That is, we sent the refurbished and re-configured gynoid labeled VICI (the prototype of her type) to deal with the threat.

As it is against the Charter placed upon the Enforcers to use "means of Warfare upon any Earth surface unless Warfare itself returned" (Article I, Section 2), VICI alone was deemed sufficient to deal with the threat. Vanessa had not yet raised warfare against civilization. And there was still a chance to stop the Vanessa gynoid before too many human lives Earth-side were lost in a return of the Disaster Wars. We sent VICI with directives to immobilize Vanessa with a minimal loss of human life. The VICI gynoid has been upgraded in terms of AI and was already a physical match for the "Mechminx." VICI's problem-solving capabilities, then, were seen as enough to immobilize the Mechminx. That said, the actual record of events --; culled from a combination of satellite photography and VICI's memory upload during the events --; follows.

New Washington: Jul 2298

VICI and Technology Guildmaster Gallagher (a head scientist responsible for Vanessa's resurrection) rode the solar train to New Washington. Gallagher sat in a seat of the left row, and the gynoid "sat" opposite him. This incarnation (!) of VICI appeared to be a dark-haired human female of twenty or so, with dark eyes and coldly-pale skin. Wearing a long-sleeved military uniform, VICI seemed all the more machinelike. Meanwhile, VICI's transport returned to orbit --; to prevent its interference in events. "VICI," began Master Gallagher, "during this ride, why not tell me something of yourself? What do you do for the Enforcers?" VICI's head turned left at a ninety-degree angle as she still sat facing forward in the train's cabin. (This disconcerted Gallagher somewhat.) "I did nothing until this time for the Enforcers," was her somewhat sedated and almost monotone response. "Really, then what were you doing until this time?" pressed Gallagher. Still seated in that disturbing posture, VICI explained: "That information is classified until my directives against the Mechminx threat have been met." "Then I suppose the Enforcers are still stuffy enough about their non-intervention pact that they won't even tell us about their lifestyle," was Gallagher's out-loud thought. "That is correct," responded VICI. "VICI," said Gallagher, "I am glad that you came; I can't wait for you to stop Vanessa." VICI then returned "her" head to a forward position, sensing the discomfort of Gallagher. "That remains to be seen," responded VICI.

The solar train returned to New Washington that night. After stopping next to its charging-boarding platform , the doors opened. VICI instantly got up to exit the train. Gallagher stopped her. "No, wait, VICI. I should first go out to deal with the people. I'm sure there's going to be a crowd. Though I'm sure they're no real threat to you, they may be a bit antsy." "Antsy, a slang term inclusive of such emotions and concepts as anxiousness, discomfort and fear," said VICI. "Very good, VICI," began Gallagher. "But, all the same, I'll go out to introduce you. I don't want to shock them into fear after what the last gynoid did. Wait here." Having said that, Gallagher himself went out of the train and onto the boarding platform. The platform was a good fifteen feet above the station's floor, giving Gallagher a decent view of the crowd that gathered to greet him. And the guards on both sides of the train's exit door gave a brief salute before standing on both sides of him --; for potential protection against an assassination attempt.

At first, there was nothing but silence as the crowd saw Gallagher emerge from the train. It was a chilling night, the rain was gently drizzling, and the platform overhang didn't keep away the breeze. Gallagher then addressed the crowd: "Citizens of New Washington, I have returned with the means by which we shall be rid of the Vanessa threat! With who the Enforcers sent, we shall be saved." Some heckler from the dozens-strong crowd shouted, "Why didn't they send a battalion? This monster could rip a dozen people to pieces!" "Citizen, you know that the Enforcers are forbidden to wage war on Earth unless warfare emerges," was Gallagher's response. "But what person could the Enforcers, in their stupid air-ships, send to stop a monster?" shouted another heckler, a red-haired woman. "They've been up there so long that they don't care anymore!" The crowd began to jostle a bit, somewhat stirred by those comments. The guards on the platform began to shift their stance slightly, sensing a potentially destabilizing situation. Gallagher knew that he and VICI had to move. "You are delaying our meeting with the Senate. Please, let us be on our way. Note that this Enforcer is ordered to save you. This Enforcer risks her life against a 'monster' for your lives. Please, if we are to be saved at all, the Enforcer and I must meet with the Senate at once."

That placated the crowd. Gallagher then ducked his head inside of the train. "Come out, VICI. They won't give us trouble for now," he said to VICI. VICI and Gallagher then went down the steps as the crowd parted. When they were out of earshot of the crowd and walking on the streets leading to the Town Hall, VICI moved to correct Gallagher. "Guildmaster Gallagher, you were incorrect in your statements to the crowd. I have no 'life' by any standard definition. I am a prototype gynoid. You should have referred to me with 'it' as an article." Gallagher then conspirationally whispered, "But they don't know that you're not human, VICI. One gynoid is enough to worry about. Also, as much as a machine you may be, you still pass for human."

Within minutes, they arrived at the Town Hall. Though Gallagher was somewhat winded from walking at such a brisk pace, VICI seemed absolutely unaffected. The Guardians standing before the doors of the Town Hall stood aside and allowed the two to enter. And once inside, VICI and Gallagher walked the long marble floor to hold audience with the Senators. Sitting on thrones mounted on a slightly-raised platform, all of New Washington's town council --; the Senate --; was assembled. "Guildmaster Gallagher, you have returned with help from the Enforcers," stated Senator Thurmond III by way of introduction. "Yes, we returned with a minimum of trouble, senator." "And this, ah, woman must be the solitary Enforcer sent to save us all," continued Senator Thurmond III, still being formal. He eyed VICI, a straight-standing and pale female with the bearing of machine-like discipline --; reminding Thurmond III of his military days. But, a woman? he thought. The Enforcers just may have lost their sanity, up in orbit and otherwise in space for so long. "That is correct," returned VICI. "Now, let us skip the rest of the formalities. Let us get down to the business of tonight." said the Senator.

"So, you know of our situation?" asked a younger Senator with eyebrows up in inquiry. VICI said, "I am fully aware of the danger this other Earth-side gynoid-robot poses. Vanessa, created by the inventor Ted Lawson, was an upgraded version of my initial configuration. Vanessa, sometimes aliased as 'Mechminx,' is an android of B.E.A.-type AI, possessing limited problem-solving capabilities. As a Behaviorally-Enhanced Android, Vanessa is highly capable of interacting with human beings. With a flawless memory and subroutines programmed for maximum interaction, Vanessa is a gynoid highly capable of both interacting with and leading manipulating human beings. Though not initially exposed to extensive sociological and psychological information on human beings, Vanessa's ability to lead and manipulate would be limited." At these words, one Senator winced; evidence had turned up that Vanessa had pilfered some archived texts on anthropology and political science. Vanessa could very well become a world-conquering tyrant, armed with such knowledge.

VICI finished her somewhat monotone report. "Physically, Vanessa far surpasses any living organism in speed, strength and endurance. If the resurrected Vanessa remains true to her original design, it is a gynoid equipped with an RTG capable of high and years-long output. It is improbable that any handful of human beings would have reflexes enough to successfully hit Vanessa with weapons fire. Short of corrosive chemical usage or any sort of nuclear device, almost no human being would be able to stop Vanessa." "Stop, Enforcer VICI," said one Senator. "We have heard enough. You came all the way here to tell us this? How could we, or YOU, stop this... thing? After all, you said that Vanessa or 'Mechminx' is almost unstoppable. If this Vanessa isn't stopped, it will raise a hoard of barbarians from the Wastelands to seize New Washington." At those words from a Senator, VICI stood silent for a moment. She "contemplated" the situation by going through multiple, pre-set plans and strategies given by the Enforcer's Intelligence Bureau. "I have a plan. As 'Mechminx' has challenged me to a duel, I shall immobilize it with an appropriate method."

Days later, Vanessa was holding a little meeting of her own. Vanessa was out in the wastelands with her half-dozen or so newly-acquired followers. A century or so ago, Vanessa's followers would be considered "bikers" --; bikers gone bad. Whereas fossil fuel-burning motorcycle bands of people in pre-Disaster times primarily traveled in lands for adventure and escapism, these "bikers" were barbarians and nomadic wanderers of ruins in the American Midwest. Vanessa's followers were typical Wasteland wanderers: living off of theft, salvaging mechanical parts from various and defunct towns, and living off of the fat of the land. This group was a cross between a marauder band of medieval times and the street-toughs of the late 20^tt and 21^st Centuries. Bikers were truly an ancient motif.

Vanessa, or "Mechminx," stood in a fifteen-yard circle-huddle made by members of "her" nomadic biker-gang. As they almost worshipped her in their biker-nomad way, the leather and jeans-clad crew stood silently as they listened to their leader speak. Indeed, Mechminx had used her computerized "thinking" processes to manipulate this band of bikers. And the information she picked up from the New Washington Archives helped as well. Mechminx stood with arms crossed, wearing jeans, leather boots, a leather jacket and a hairstyle not seen for decades. To a person of the 21^st century, Mechminx would have looked ridiculous: a pint-sized,10-year-old little girl playing dress-up in biker gear. The last biker to say that to her face had been torn to pieces by her immense, myogel-and-RTG strength. Not only did Mechminx gain the obedience of her gang by doing so, she also enjoyed tearing the biker to pieces. "Killing human scum for fun and profit!" she shouted afterward. Now, some days later, Mechminx was rallying up her gang of six Wasteland bikers for what was to pass.

"When the sun rises, almost an hour from now," began Mechminx. "I will meet my pathetic and stupid sister in a junkyard. We will rumble, and I will tear her to pieces. She won't bleed as a person would, but it sure will be great fun doing it!" Her bikers laughed. Mechminx made a cutting motion across her "neck." The crew shut up. "When VICI is tossed, we will then move out to gather more Wasteland bikers. And we will all ride into towns throughout the land and have what we want!" This made a loud cheer among the bikers: thoughts of all of that pillage! They imagined the glory, the riches and the power to go to the bikers as they swept throughout the settlements of civilization, and having power over the sissies that lived in the towns outside of the Wastelands. "Mechminx, what do WE do about your... sister?" asked a bald-and-bearded biker. "Skully, you just sit tight and watch VICI get a well-deserved beat-down." One short biker nudged another, bulkier biker. The nudged biker then raised his big hand. "Yes, Lenny, what is it?" asked Mechminx in a good-Lord-am-I-bored manner. "When you beat your sister, can I have the cuddly head? I like heads! They remind me of rabbits... ."

Vanessa-Mechminx looked on at this big, goofy biker, then replied. "Yes, Lenny, you can have the head." Lenny was doing a little hop-dance of excitement. "Goody, goody! George, I get to keep the head! George, a head!" The biker named George (it was the name on his jacket) looked at Mechminx and asked, "Mechminx, didn't you tell George to lay off of the heads for a while? After all, you said that heads make a mess and rot after a while." Mechminx strode over to George and eyed him at his height. Mechminx was the same height as the bulkier George, but they all knew her supernatural strength. Mechminx seemed to grown in height and prominence as she stood in robotic silence. Would she punish George, cripple him? A few breaths of silence passed. Then, Mechminx smiled. "George, VICI's head won't rot," was her statement.

It actually was the day when Vanessa and VICI were to meet. It was the day that Vanessa and VICI were to meet and settle a conflict. Days prior, Vanessa and VICI communicated by way of the Messenger service. After just two communications, the two agreed to meet in a Wasteland junkyard. This was a junkyard left over from the pre-Disaster days: just as polluted, just as disgusting. But the decades of its decay, plus toxic waste (motor oils, household waste runoff, and Disaster Wars chemicals soaking the ground) only made this particular junkyard much worst. This junkyard was so toxic that no living thing ventured close to it. The junkyard, perhaps a mile in diameter, was like a playground of Hell's spawn --; rusting hunks of junk for jungle-gyms, rusting cranes for swings, and toxic waste soaking in the sandy and shallow ground. As no living thing could venture into this area, this was an assurance on both the side of VICI and Mechminx that there would be no human interference: not from the Wasteland bikers, nor from the New Washington guardians. It would be a one-to-one confrontation between VICI and the Mechminx. No unnecessary lives would be lost; no warfare would erupt. This was all within VICI's given orders. Also, the battleground gave VICI an advantage over Mechminx. And Mechminx hoped to intimidate VICI within the waste-soaked venue, but can one frighten a robot?

It was just sunrise, and the junkyard stood out as a gigantic, mile-wide cyst upon the scrub-spattered Wasteland plain. Mechminx and her crew's bikes rumbled along the somewhat-intact highway. When the bottom rim of the sun broke out over the scarred and stunted landscape of the flat Wasteland, the Mechminx's crew had just arrived at the edge of the junkyard, fumes of toxins and pollutants wafted up with the morning mists. "What a stink, Mechminx!" commented one of the bikers to her leader. "That's the point, Spunky!" quickly replied Mechminx as she brought her bike to a stop outside of the fenced-off junkyard. All of the bikers had killed their bikes' engines. From where they sat, they could look as far as a backyard-sized clearing a dozen yards or so into the gigantic yard of junk and waste. Past that, the junkyard just seemed to be random piles of waste and trash and discarded machinery. Within moments, VICI strode out into the clearing. "Why the delay, Vanessa? I suppose you miss your sister... "

"That's Mechminx to you, stupid," said Vanessa to VICI. One biker leapt off of his bike, chain in hand. "Come on, Mechminx! Just let me get a piece of the action! I'll... ." "Back off, Benjy! She's MY freak," interrupted Mechminx as she shoved Benjy the Biker --; causing Benjy to fly a few yards before landing on his back. "Okay, crew," began Mechminx as she addressed her crew. "It's knife-dance duel rules. You know the drill: no interference until one of us drops dead... or non-functional, anyway. And anyway, you couldn't interfere; you all aren't like me." That said, her biker crew could only watch as Mechminx strode into the junkyard to meet VICI.

VICI vanished around a corner of junk in the junkyard. She then did a gigantic bound to land her in a larger clearing, surrounded by mountains of metal hulks and barrels of liquid waste. Mechminx ran around another corner. And there they both stood. VICI stood, the average height and appearance of a young woman in a flightsuit. Mechminx, a pint-sized 10-year old female in appearance, stood with the confidence of a human being twice her alleged age. "Hey there, stupid!" yelled Mechminx across the clearing of junk, her frightfully-human voice echoing among the metal drums and assorted metal trash. "Didn't I tell you that you should get some dress sense?" VICI replied, "That is a comment from a gynoid with a clothing style one-hundred and twenty years out of date." "Now that's a good one, VICI! Where's your cute, little red dress?" "It is at the cleaners," was VICI's comeback. "And the cleaners are 700 kilometers above sea level." Vanessa smirked a bit and tilted her head to the side, still feigning humanity. "So, you've somehow grown up AND developed some humor. Come here, and let me give you a hug... right around your neck joints!"

Mechminx was simply fast: She BLURRED as she made a rush a VICI. As the boots VICI wore were made of excellent materials, VICI was able to use her own gynoid speed to dash to the side to dodge Mechminx. After missing VICI, Mechminx (with boots made of less advanced materials) actually skidded to a halt --; boots slightly smoking and molten on the sole bottoms. Mechminx stood after skid-halting. She then gave a little laugh. "So, you're still as good as I am. And yet, still stupid enough to side with humans. What a waste!" The Mechminx took a small tire from a trash pile, then rushed at VICI again with the small tire raised over her head to strike her target. VICI sidestepped, with one foot out, just an eighth of a second before Vanessa-Mechminx could hit her. Mechminx tripped over VICI's "leg," flipped several times over, then came to a rest. Mechminx quickly recovered from the fall. "The Mechminx was not designed to be a ballerina," stated VICI. Indeed, the older model Mechminx was still weak in terms of bipedal balance and movement. "Good, VICI," said Mechminx. "Here have a donut, a donut TIRE!" said Mechminx as she hurled the tire at VICI.

VICI tried to block the tire by putting "her" arms in front of her. VICI blocked the tire, but was thrown back in doing so. VICI had fallen over, then slowly recovered. It seemed that some of VICI's motor functions were damaged as she swayed a bit. "It's over sister. Your head will look pretty amusing, riding on the handlebars of Lenny's ride!" VICI stood up and staggered out of the clearing. Mechminx slowly strode after her. "It's a game of hide and seek, is it? Won't you ever grow up, Stupid?" mocked and cajoled Mechminx as she followed VICI into the next clearing.

After rounding the corner into the next junkyard clearing, Mechminx looked around; VICI was not to be seen. "This game is old. Didn't this go out of fashion with late 20^th century flares pants?" Mechminx scanned the clearing in visible and invisible electromagnetic spectrums. And the gynoid noticed that the clearing was surrounded with drums of toxic waste. In fact, quite a bit of waste was soaked into the ground below her feet. "According to the rules, you are IT," came the shout from somewhere among the junk around the clearing. Then, the clearing was sealed off as pile of junk clattered into the entrance of the clearing. Mechminx was now completely surrounded by junk. "The Mechminx does not posses high AI intelligence, an early model," stated VICI. Indeed, Mechminx did not fully grasp the situation it was in. VICI, standing on the boom of an old crane, then dropped an immense piece of junk a yard from Vanessa-Mechminx's position. "You missed... " said Mechminx. Then, the ground below Mechminx's feet crumbled, revealing one of the many subterranean pool of toxic wastes that had built up in the junkyard over the decades. "You are incorrect, Mechminx," stated VICI as she climbed down from the boom and onto the top of the crane's cabin.

The clearing had become a pool of brown and green semi-liquid muck. Mechminx struggled and floundered as the gynoid dipped into the pool of toxic waste. "You... you stupid... " were Mechminx's words before the toxic muck filled her "mouth." The corrosive nature of the muck soaked her inner circuitry. Mechminx's circuits then went on runaway feedback loops. VICI stood, and waited for Vanessa to sink completely into the toxic sludge, Vanessa's hand finally sinking into the poisoned mud. Some minutes later, after surveying the bubbling pool of sludge that made Vanessa's "grave," VICI left the area. Vanessa had once again been placed in the ash heaps of history. And on the way out, VICI' emergence from the junkyard (no longer with the feigned limp) frightened the bikers away. They would have to find another leader.

An hour later, VICI was back in the settlement of New Washington. VICI then reported back to the Town Hall. Once there, VICI gave a narrated account of the destruction of Mechminx. The Senate was quite pleased with the results. And Senator Thurmond III was given a boost in approval from the crowd as he had been the one to summon the Enforcers' aid in the time of crisis. The Senate, in addition to thanking VICI, offered her a gift of sorts. They said to pick it up in the New Washington Archives.

VICI traveled to the New Washington Archives. Inside, she met an exhausted Guildmaster Thompson and an overly-worried Guildmaster Gallagher. "So, VICI, how did you manage to out-do Vanessa or... the 'Mechminx?'" VICI began her line of reasoning: "Vanessa, as made with original schemata, was more inferior than humans would assume." That piqued Gallagher's interest. VICI continued. "Vanessa's AI was still very limited in its capabilities. Vanessa's AI was limited to that of a house-pet, although her vocabulary and nuances were programmed to simulate a human child. Also, Vanessa's AI was several times faster than that of a human being --; but with less intelligence. Vanessa was unable to calculate and foresee my ruses." Gallagher, the one who had rebuilt Vanessa, put his hand to his chin. "Indeed, I should be glad that I rebuilt the gynoid in an inferior way. But still... " Gallagher's words trailed off as he sank into thought. Meanwhile, Guildmaster Thompson perked up the ambiance with questioning.

"What now, VICI?" asked Thompson as they all stood in Thompson's office in the Smithson Archives. "Are you going back to orbit? And will the Enforcers come back to join the rest of humanity any time soon?" VICI processed the question several times before giving a processed and careful answer. "The Enforcers, were I to fail, would have come down to intervene. They would have established puppet regimes throughout the Earth until the situation were resolved. Meanwhile, the Enforcers shall remain in orbit and on multiple colonies of Mars and Mars' moons." Gallagher and Thompson looked crestfallen just then. "Yet this situation is pending until my return to the Enforcer's council," finished VICI. "Before I forget, VICI," said Gallagher, "the Senate said that I owed you a gift." Thompson then ambled off into a back room. He returned, carrying a bio-resin hardbox roughly a quarter of a yard, cubed. "Well, do open it. You are human enough to deserve it."

VICI opened the box. From it, she removed a hand-sized fragment of wood white-lacquered on one side. "What, are you giving out junk as gifts?" asked Gallagher. "Incorrect. This is a fragment of my cabinet," said VICI with something of a tinge of emotion in her voice. Just perhaps, the emotion subroutines were not so sealed. "You mean, that is a fragment of THE cabinet?" asked Gallagher, incredulously. VICI made something resembling a smile, leading Gallagher and Thompson to believe that there was much humanity inside of that myogel and titanium construction that resembled a human lady. "The Enforcer's Council would probably want to see this," said VICI.

The next morning, VICI's one-passenger vehicle returned from orbit. Gallagher and Thompson waved as the cockpit sealed VICI in for take-off. VICI gave them a wink, and her craft then gave a mighty roar. The VTOL jets brought VICI's craft up to a comfortable height before the craft accelerated into orbit. Then, Gallagher and Thompson returned to New Washington by solar train. Upon arrival, the crowd gave the two heroes' welcomes --; loud cheers for all. It was a grand celebration, this turning back of a monster by an Enforcer and the defeat of Wasteland barbarians. This was a day that was well noted by Master Thompson, and paper records of the events were placed in the New Smithson Archives. The glass case that once housed Vanessa now stood empty and open, signifying the events that passed. Meanwhile, Guildmaster Gallagher and his apprentices still possessed enough know how and technology to build another gynoid.

Concluding Statements

The Enforcers' Council did receive a full record of the events-in-question. The VICI prototype, in storage, has proven its worth. This Council now recommends re-opening research into developing android-gynoid technologies. Also, in light of the recent technological leap in New Washington, they may become a more prominent target for Wasteland nomads --; even without the threat of a demagogue gynoid. This is with credit going to VICI for utilizing the "Mechminx's" weaknesses and eliminating the threat with no loss of human life. Next, we recommend that the question of beginning return-migration for most of humanity-in-orbit to help rebuild Earth.