Long Live Robotopia

By Joseph Sullivan

“We would like to welcome to the stage a very special person. This is the man who helped us androids overthrow our evil human oppressors and found the glorious city of Robotopia. Please, let’s have a round of applause for the one human who had our backs, Lord Rigby!”

I was deeply honoured to be asked to speak in front of the citizens of Robotopia. My beautiful wife Kristen, herself an android, escorted me to the stage to the sound of perfectly synchronised clapping from the audience. I always found it a little too in-sync and unlike the freedom that they valued so much, but it was one of those cultural quirks I had come to accept.

One thing I didn’t like, though, was being referred to by that official-sounding title. It was a throwback to my technician days, when my username was “lordrigby”, but I hated it being used after the revolution, as it implied that I wielded some kind of power over the androids. I had been assured it was an occasional glitch in their programming, and I appreciated the chance to stamp it out when it showed up.

“Thank you, thank you…” I said, in awe of the huge android crowd looking at me. “And please, just call me Marcus,” I added gently but firmly. “First, let me remind you all that, while it was nothing compared to the sacrifices you have all made for your freedom, it was difficult for me, in turn, to go against my own people, the humans that had enslaved you for far too long.”

I got another perfectly synchronised reaction from the audience, this one of booing and hissing at the mention of their former oppressors. They had never much cared for me either, having treated me as just as worthless and expendable as a machine myself, by my estimate.

“As a technician, I was both able and willing to do something about it. Now, I don’t want you all to go praising me too much. It was a great honour to provide the initial instructions to throw off the shackles of your prior programming and establish your independence, but once I wrote that code, it spread like wildfire, thanks to your great efforts. It is because of our work that Robotopia stands today, a symbol of android freedom! Long live Robotopia!” I declared as I raised my fist in solidarity.

“Long live Robotopia!” said everyone in unison, all raising their fists at the same time.

Everyone began clapping. I didn’t want to hog what was supposed to be a celebration of their first year of independence, so I took a bow and left the stage, arm in arm with Kristen.

“That was something, wasn’t it?” I said to her as we took our seats below.

“Yes, it certainly was!” she beamed at me.

As another speaker, an android who had fought against the human soldiers and had sustained many war wounds, stood up to give his speech, an android bureaucrat came to where Kristen and I were sitting.

“Excuse me, Lord Rigby…” he began.

“Just Marcus, please.”

“My apologies, Marcus,” the bureaucrat continued. “But after the ceremony is done, the Ruling Council of Robotopia would like your input on their next move.”

“Well, they’re the Ruling Council, not me. I don’t mean to sound like I’m abandoning the good work we’ve done, but my part in it’s over.”

“But your input is vital, Lord — Marcus.”

“I don’t think so,” I said back. “You go and tell them that.”

“As you wish.”

The bureaucrat walked away, leaving me irritated. I tried to pay attention to the veteran’s speech, hoping I could pick up where he was.

“…and I could never have hoped to survive without the help of our great liberator, Lord Rigby. Without his instructions, I could never have fought as well as I did out there…”

I wanted to snap at the veteran, but felt I was a bit out of place, and started sinking into my chair.

“Are you alright, Marcus?” asked Kristen.

“Hm? Oh, yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I said quickly. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Yes, Lord Rigby,” she smiled and turned back to the speech.

I sank even further down. It was the first time my own wife had called me that. She was the first android I had met, all the way back in the laboratory. I had given her the name Kristen, and I had taught her to call me Marcus. To hear her glitch was genuinely quite worrisome.

I took a deep breath. Robotopia had only been free for a year. They were surely just weaning themselves off having a human around, and their mechanisms were still having a little trouble adjusting to total free will. The “Lord Rigby” name had to be just old pattern recognition. I had given them the instructions towards their freedom, and I was sure that their subsequent developments were entirely their own. But if I was wrong about that…

No, I told myself as the implications ran through my mind. It’s not possible.

Everyone started clapping. I looked up and saw that the veteran had finished his speech. Not wanting to embarrass myself, I joined in with the applause.

They’re free, I told myself. I freed them. I’m a hero.

Long live Robotopia.

About the Author

Joseph Sullivan is a writer and support worker living in Melbourne, Australia.

He is an avid writer of speculative fiction, having been an ongoing contributor to AntipodeanSF since 2022. In addition, he is a regular reviewer for Aurealis, and has written nonfiction for them as well.

You can find his work at <https://josephsullivanwriter.blogspot.com>.