Galiger

Two hours. It had taken two hours to climb up to the top. But it was worth it, let me tell you. The expanse that stretched out before my eyes was indescribable. I blinked several times to stretch my eyelids as wide as they could, simply to comprehend the scope and vastness laid out before me. Stars streaked across the heavens into an endless inky black void, yet the planets that hung before to my eyes seemed close enough to touch. Sun-like giants of blazing gas swelled and pulsated, flashes of exploding gas pockets commanded every corner of my attention.

Everywhere my shifting gaze landed, I saw celestial bodies of bright, color-filled, cosmic grandeur that my small mind could never have imagined. I was awestruck; breathless. More importantly, my mind was blank and my body relaxed. For the first time in weeks, I felt at peace.

The rumble of a passing cargo ship shook me out of my trance, my ears only catching the tail end of Galiger’s string of mechanical commentary: “…exceeding them in scale and limited only by imagination. Impressive, wouldn’t you agree Liam?” I blinked a few more times as I tore my eyes away form the stellar eye porn taking place in front of me, reaching up to pat my face a few times and rub the bridge of my nose as the emotions came rushing back. “Aye impressive, a little overwhelming, but totally worth the climb.” Forcing a grin, I shot Galiger a look to see if the hard plastic chaise would mirror my expression or at the very least, show some emotional distaste to my sly confession of guilt. But the AI seemed only to acknowledge my agreement and moved on further along the atrium, still chatting. “Not many visitors up here these days, you know. Those with the clearance necessary to operate the telescope don’t seem as interested in the distant stars as they used to be.” I couldn’t quite tell, but the robot almost managed to sound wistful somehow through its digital speech modulator.

I gave the ring around my index finger a subconscious rub with my thumb just as the temp regulators kicked on and I pulled my leather jacket a little tighter around my shoulders. She would have had a cute little remark at that I imagine. I shivered a bit before turning back to follow up behind the light footed robot. Swaggering just a little, I gave his chrome dome a friendly pat. “Well it’s a good thing you’ve still got me here to dust the ol’ girl off every now and then.” I adopted a more authoritative tone I’d heard one of the Enforcers use yesterday, “Can’t have such a fine piece of scientific genius sit here and waste its potential.” Galiger chortled a bit (as well as an astrotech drone can) as we reached the stairs and our steps echoed off the glass walls, “Ha, indeed Liam, you are welcome to use the lab whenever you need. Dr. Fields is… is… is…” We both stopped halfway up the stairs as his audio script struggled with the recent change to past tense. “was always happy to see you!” The deception of organic conversation was broken for a minute with the cold joy and utter lack of remorse in his tone. But he stopped and quickly turned to face me. “Apologies Liam, parts of my programming still haven’t fully come to terms with it.” His tone was completely changed now. His translation of sorrow actually took me by surprise. “It is important to have you here, just like it was before.” Was it just my imagination or did Galiger seem somewhat relieved to have company after so long? She knew we would need each other. Maybe she programmed him that way on purpose?

I shook away the thoughts and continued past Galiger up the stairs. “It’s all good Tin Man. I’m here to forget anyway.” My hand instinctively reached for my belt to unclip my flask and quickly raise a shot of Jameson to my lips as we crested the stairs. And there was her lab, just as she had left it. The glass doors slid open as Galiger approached and the stark metallic sounds of her machines greeted my ears like a symphony of audible memories. Her desk prominently commanded the front opening, her computer still strewn with half-finished research papers and open notebooks, pages endlessly flipping back and forth in the cool breeze of the office temp regulators. Her University accolades proudly framed on the shelf. Sarah K. Fields, Ph.D. – Doctor of Nuclear Engineering & Doctor of Bio-Mechanical Science with Specialization in Advanced Artificial Intelligence Development. Her first published research journal sat propped up on the shelf against the second and third leather bound achievements of her career. “I can’t touch them.” Galiger stated coolly, stepping over near the desk and making to close one of the notebooks before his silver joints suddenly froze a few centimeters from the paper. “Dr. Fields doesn’t… didn’t want me cleaning up and risk losing a single formula.” I watched him closely as his joints whirred, fighting against his programming restrictions. I watched partly to monitor his emotional cues and social behaviors in the stress-filled environment and partly to distract myself from hearing her voice and seeing her face in every square inch of the damn room. Another shot from the flask.

“I’ll take care of the mess. We can go through her notes later.” Pushing aside the notebook Galiger was still staring at, I walked around the desk and stood next to the chair, not daring to sit. Clearing my throat of the lump I suddenly found there, I clicked ON her computer and logged in, blinking a few more times as the stream of digital notes popped into view. “What files did the judge need again?” I asked absent-minded, my eyes drifting to a framed photo tucked behind the computer view screen. Again, my ears went fuzzy, my mind captured by the image of a familiar wood porch swing and meticulously trimmed rose bushes. Lost in a memory… Her eyes reflecting the sunset glow as we kissed… My angel from the stars… I had surprised her with a necklace that evening at dinner. We were celebrating her newest journal publishing. ‘Time to relax and go on a long vacation. No robots, no tech, just us.’ She had promised. Galiger’s bleating digital voice responded to my question, but my mind was already far away.