The Silence Broken Chapter 8
A Plan in Action
By Master Odin
The Epoch appeared over the Keeper's Dome in 2301 AD. It landed and the four of them got out. Lucca had a thought.
"Hey, I'm gonna go check on something," she said. "I'll be back in a little while." Crono started to object, but she was already in the Epoch and taking off.
Crono shrugged and followed Gaspar and Belthasar II into the dome.
Lucca landed the Epoch in front of the a worn down factory. She had a robot with her. The robot was purple in color. The front of was painted as though it it were wearing an orange vest over a white shirt, all under a purple sports coat. It wore an orange bow tie and black sunglasses. It had a black tuft of hair on its dark tan head. Its feet were wheels and it had a wheel on each shoulder.
"What do ya want with the Geno Dome, babe?" the robot asked went he got out.
"The robots that attack us were R-series robots, Johnny. We can't hold out for long if we can't find their source."
"So whataya gonna do?"
"Reactivate Mother Brain."
"Are ya crazy, babe?! If you but recall, it wanted to kill the human race."
"But if I can reprogram it, then I can have it build robots that will help us protect Guardia."
"Babe, what do ya know about programming?"
"Little. Why do you think I got you, for your personality?"
"Well...hey!"
Crono was carrying some thing back outside and added it to the pile. That was the last of it. All they had to do now was wait for Lucca to return.
"Where do you think she went?" Belthasar II asked.
Crono shrugged.
"Knowing her, she's got a plan of some sort," Gaspar said.
Lucca and Johnny entered a room with three large broken monitors on the back wall. She went to the back wall and removed the panel under the middle monitor, revealing a complex mess of circuitry and wiring. She looked at Johnny. "Well."
Johnny shook his head. "It's gonna be a long day, babe."
After a few hours, Crono finally got tired of waiting. Gaspar and Belthasar II were arguing. Listening to these to argue is like listening to an old man argue with a N Aw shit! Crono thought to himself as he slapped his knee. He pulled a small device out of his pocket and pressed the button on it. In a few moments the Epoch landed before him.
"Where did that come from?" Gaspar asked.
Crono showed him the device, then proceeded to load the Epoch with the equipment. Belthasar II and Gaspar shrugged and started to help him.
Although he didn't really need to, Johnny wiped his brow after he looked up from his work. He had obviously been spending time with Robo. "The encryption on this is like nothing I've ever seen, but I did it. We're in."
"Good," Lucca said. "I finished replacing the monitors. Good thing they were smart enough to keep a few spares around. She sat down next to him. "Now all we gotta do is reprogram her to help humans."
"I still don't like it, babe."
"Computers aren't capable of evil. They are only made that way."
"They have a choice, don't they?"
"Impossible."
"Excuse me, but I think that mine and Robo's existence just proved you wrong, babe. Robo was created for evil, but chose to help you instead. I was created for war, but decided to become a racer."
"True. Okay then, do you remember how they programmed these things in the twentieth century?"
"You want me to remember an ancient language?!"
"Yeah. Those languages weren't able to allow computers to have a choice."
"That could take hours, or even days."
"Point?"
Johnny sighed. "Dammit!" he exclaimed as he set about his work. Why the hell did she have to be so damn cute!?
The Epoch landed outside the Geno Dome again. Crono got out and looked at the dome.
"What would Lucca want here?" Belthasar II asked.
Crono entered the dome. Belthasar II and Gaspar followed him.
"How's it comin'?" Lucca asked Johnny.
"Surprisingly fast," Johnny said, "but I'd be goin' a hell of a lot faster if you'd stop askin' me 'How's it comin'?' every five minutes!"
At that moment Crono, Gaspar, and Belthasar II entered the room.
"'Sup?" Johnny asked.
Crono looked at Johnny, then at Lucca.
"Um, I'm having Johnny here reprogram the Mother Brain so that it will make robots to help defend Guardia."
Crono looked at her as if she had just said the stupidest thing in the world, and, in his opinion, she did.
"I've got a plan. Johnny's using an ancient, from his perspective, programming language. It doesn't give the computers the personality that the modern languages do."
Crono raised an eyebrow.
"Trust me."
A few hours later Johnny stepped back from the panel. "Done."
"Well, shall we give it a whirl?" Lucca asked.
"I still say this is a bad idea, babe."
"Hit the switch."
Johnny hesitantly pressed the "on" button. The factory started to hum. The three monitors glowed and projected the image of what looked like a female angel.
"Welcome to Geno Dome," it said in a feminine voice. "Mother Brain program activated. When shall I start production of the R-series robots that will protect Guardia?"
"Begin production now," Lucca said.
The machines in the factory started to howl as they began the production of R-series robots.
Lucca thought for a moment, then commanded, "Mother Brain, search your memory for any prototype war robots."
The eyes of the image closed. After a few moments they opened. "Affirmative. Designation Z-779." The panel on the left wall opened to show the Z-779 of this world, inactive.
"What are the capabilities of this robot?"
"Heavy armor, able to withstand multiple physical and magical attacks, even lightning and water. Heavy firepower, using both projectile and laser weaponry, able to take down any human army unless the army is specially equipped. Shoulder cannon combines anti-matter with Shadow magic to increase power. Jet boosters on feet allow for short flight or hovering to allow faster movement. Jet boosters on back for long term flight."
"Does the robot have personality capabilities?"
"Negative. The Prometheus Project was too experimental at the time of Z-779's construction. Original programming is 'Search and Destroy.'"
Lucca turned to Crono. "The Z-779 we met seemed to have a personality, didn't it?"
Crono nodded.
Lucca's face lit up. "I've got an idea! Belthasar, Gaspar, and Johnny, make a Gate generator for the robots to go through when they're finished." She ran off. Crono followed her.
After the three of them had finished their work, Crono took the two Gurus back to the End of Time. The silent protagonist also went back to his own time and retrieved his friends that he left there, including Marle. He left Taban there, making him King por Tempor. Taban was informed about the robots coming to help.
Now Lucca, Johnny, and Robo stood in front of the dormant Z-779.
"Robo," Lucca said, "how would you like an upgrade?"
Robo looked at the robot. If he had a mouth, he would have been smiling.
The Epoch appeared at the End of Time. Lucca jumped out followed by Johnny and the large robot.
"It's him!" Magus and Marle yelled in unison as they drew their weapons.
"Wait!" Lucca yelled. "It's okay. That's the new and improved Robo."
Frog's mouth dropped to the floor. "What hast thou done to our friend?"
"They found me a new body. It kicks ass!"
"What have you done to his personality?" Marle asked.
"Nothing," Lucca said. "It happened during the interfacing between his original body and this one. It might have something to do with the original programming of the robot."
"Well," Magus said, "I kinda like it."
Robo helped Gaspar and Melchior with the building of the monitors while Lucca
and Belthasar II remodeled the Epoch.
.