Today is Episode Two of Unbiased Law, a robot drama set in 2111.  As humans are phased out of the system of law, robots replace them becoming purely black and white in their dealings with the public. Crime is down, and almost eliminated completely due to the accuracy rate of the droids. However, after one man is placed in found innocent after spending a few years in prison, the law system is thrown into question. If one robot can make these errors, how do they know more won’t… or already have?

If you’re just tuning in, Episode One is here feel free to catch up and then return to this Episode! Enjoy!

PS-Also I know it’s a bit late but I’ve posted my short story for this week here! You will most likely see this link again tomorrow!

As I lay here in the puddle of water and oil, I watch the tail lights to my car disappear into the torrential downpour. Will anyone notice me? I see the light come on for my power cell. Normally we never see that, as droids we have our regular maintenance. The repair droids make sure we’re in tip top shape, and our power cells get replaced every time without a disconnect. It seems she hit mine. Ms. Del Mar, if that was her real name, when I wake up I’m going to…

A droid stands over me, staring closely at my face. What happened? Where am I? Why am I immobile? The droid realizes my visual interpreters are working and he stands up straight. “Hello Magnus, I’m the doctor at the police station. It seems you’re a detective and a former member of the Police Artificial Intelligence Detectives. Any idea how you ended up on our doorstep with a bullet hole in your face armor?” I pause a moment but nothing appears in my recent memory banks. It seems they’ve been wiped cleaner than a newly built robot. “No Sir. I have no memory, not even in my reserves.” The doctor looks closely at my face again and tinkers with something. Suddenly I can feel my legs and arms come online. He nods and spins whatever tool he is holding. “You should be good to move now, and try updating from our network, you should have some firmware upgrades.” I sit up and see if I can connect to the network. What’s this? A password? “Umm, doc, what’s the password?” He is already heading for the door by the time I ask, but he turns to me. “Your password? It’s written on your old ID badge in your wallet.”

I fumble with my wallet, and find the ID badge. I find the password and enter it into the prompt, connecting… Still connecting. Finally, I’m granted access. Now, where would this update be located? Maybe it’s… And before I know it my thought process is interrupted. “You Have Mail.” I really have got to change that, I think the doctor installed the most basic system possible. An email, from myself? Ten minutes ago? Let’s load this up.

“Magnus, If you’re reading this it means you’ve been shot in your memory core. I’d explain everything but it’s way easier to access your old self and install the backup. You’ll understand in a minute. Sincerely, Magnus.”

Well that was odd. I enter the link at the bottom of the email and it takes me to a file. Download? Of course! I wait a few moments as the file transfers. Wow, apparently I am about to remember a lot, four hundred and thirty seven zettabytes worth of memories. Installing. Rebooting.

When my visuals come back online, I leap to my feet. I’m not in my car, I’m not sure where I am or what’s been going on. After a brief survey of the scene, it appears I’m in the police station doctor’s shop. Well, it seems everything is going as well as it could. I guess I got my email, considering I’m back to my old self. I shake the reboot off and leave the room. As I open the door, a droid rushes to my side. “Sorry Magnus, but I can’t let you leave just yet… especially with no face plate. I reach up and touch where the plate should be. Oh, cords… got it. “You must be the doctor who patched me up?” The droid nods, and he responds with confusion in his voice. “You don’t remember me? I told you to update only moments ago!” I fix my tie and suit jacket. “I didn’t update, had a quality backup. I’m good as new, mentally at least.” The doctor nods. “Well at least that’s good news, but once we get your face plate back on the Commissioner wants to see you.”

Moments later I’ve got a shiny new face and all my memories, like nothing happened. Now… to find out who Veronica Del Mar is and put her in prison for murder and the theft of my car. I restored that car myself. But first, I should probably see the Commissioner. As I walk into his office, I overhear part of his conversation. “Yes. Yes. I will get my best on it now Sir. Yes. Sorry. No. I do not know what will happen if the judge is found guilty. I know. Unbiased Sir. I will. Goodbye.” The Commissioner looks up to me. “M46-NU5, welcome back. I require your service.” I survey the room, wishing he had possibly dragged that out a bit longer. “You want me to investigate who shot me Sir?” The Commissioner shakes his head, and motions for me to close the door.

“Off the record mode, M46-NU5.” The Commissioner has never been in off the record mode, at least that I’ve seen. I stand still as a coat rack, awaiting what terrible news he has for me. Suddenly, he slams his hand on the desk leaving a solid dent behind. “Magnus, you have been working your own firm for a decade or so now, correct?” I am startled by the question, not where I was expecting him to go. “Yes Sir. A decade indeed.” The Commissioner stands and I detect his scanners surveying my entire frame. “Magnus, I need you to listen and listen closely. Droids are in trouble if we do not solve this promptly and efficiently. Have you heard of the man wrongly convicted and sent to prison by a robot judge?” I had heard of it, but not much. “I know little about it, but I’m guessing things aren’t going well?” The Commissioner shakes his head. “Let me bring you up to the current news.”

“A droid judge was proceeding over a case in which a man was caught at the scene of a crime, holding the murder weapon with the victim’s blood all over him. It seemed evident that the man had committed the crime. Upon further analysis, the man had scratch marks and the victim had his skin under her nails.” The Commissioner looks at me, as if he expects me to interrupt, then continues. “It was too easy. Too default crime. We all speculated it may have been staged to put a light on us. We put the man through the polygraph and he passed. He admitted he had done the crime.” I take my moment to interrupt. “So, it was by all definition a completely solved case.” The Commissioner nodded in agreement. “However, once he was convicted and placed into prison a man came forward stating he was the real murderer. We put him through the polygraph and he was telling the truth. He explained some details that were not released to the public. We realized then we had been tricked. The humans are trying to start a war against us.”

End of Episode Two! I’d love to hear any feed back on today’s story and feel free to be brutally honest. Email me, or comment, either one is fine! I do know that today’s episode isn’t as much of a cliffhanger as the last, however I believe it is definitely a good point to end on. Our main character has died already, people are framing robots and the mystery woman is on the run. Will Magnus find out what we already know, or will the moments after he uploaded his back up be lost forever? Tune in for Episode 3 in two days! Thanks for reading!