The Colony

CHAPTER 4

A week has passed since the body was found. Since then, security inside the campus was reinforced. No one expected something this horrendous to happen here and even with strengthened security, the thought that a student was killed inside campus doesn't ease our minds. The autopsy revealed that the victim, a 20 years old girl, was strangled. The hematomas show that she was beaten up. The police opened an investigation to find the killer. Even if some sincerely believe it was the Faliaici killer, I think it was a reckoning, maybe between students.

Nonetheless, the classes started the following day. Despite the unfortunate event, I was expecting the first week to be more exciting. Becca had the time of her life. She made a ton of friends and even went out with them. They're going out tomorrow night too, probably to a nightclub or a bar, I don't know. As well as I know Becca, she doesn't really care where she is, as long as she's having fun. She has invited me yet again to go with them. But it still hasn't been this time I lived up to my promise to go out with her. I'd rather stay at the dorm with Olivia.

I'm sitting on my desk, reading, while Olivia is sitting quietly on her bed, legs crossed studying philosophy, apparently ignoring each other's presence, when she finally breaks the silence.

"Are you familiar with the Socratic paradox?" she asks.

"I sure am!"- I promptly answer. - "Are you having a hard time understand it?" - I ask.

"No, It's not that" - She smiles."Basically, it means that the beginning of wisdom is acknowledging that you know nothing. That way, your assumptions about any topic won't interfere with whatever you're trying to learn. Right?"

"Yes...absolutely, I guess that's a practical way to look at it..." I answer thoughtfully, astonished by her elaborate explanation of the paradox."Then what's your question?" I ask.

"Do you think it works the same way for 3rd generation Droids?" She asks intrigued.

So far the oddest question someone has ever asked me...

"What do you mean?" - I ask.

"As you know 3rd generation Droids have the capacity to learn and adapt to any situation. They don't have a knowledge cap like us, which means they will soon outsmart us." She answers.

"So, what you're saying is that 3rd generation Droids are a threat?" I ask, intrigued.

She stares at me for a second, smiles, then turns her attention back to the book as if I never uttered that question. Finally, Becca arrives.

"What's up Mirror?" She asks, definitely not expecting an answer as she jumps to her bed letting out a huge yawn. Ever so often she calls me "Mirror" as a way to get on my nerves.

"Not much, and you? Rebel?" I say trying to get back at her.

"18 years and that's your best comeback?" She laughs aloud.

To this, Olivia lets out a barely audible "excuses me" and gets out of the room, probably outraged by Becca's manners.

"Hey, what's up with this bit..."

"Mind your words, Rebecca!!" I interrupt her. "Don't call her that!"

"C'mon, you know that in my point of view everyone's a b***h. And I'm the baddest of them all. It doesn't seem to bother Vi." She says.

"Well, she's not Vi."

"Weirdo alert." She says rolling her eyes.

I think for a bit on what she said about 3rd generation Droids outsmarting us. I remember reading about that in some sci-fi books, and most of the time the ending was disastrous for humans. I never had a formed opinion about them and even if I did they were here way before I was born, so, it would still not matter. But I know someone who has an opinion about everything! So I ask her:

"Becca, do you think that 3rd generation Droids might have been a mistake?" I ask.

"What the...what you mean?" She asks looking at me, weirded out.

"I'm merely wondering...could they somehow surpass us, humans?" I insist.

"Huh...Look, if they were to surpass us, they would've done it a long time ago. I mean, we created them, they can never outsmart us. You should know this. You're supposed to be the smart one." She says.

"You're probably right."

"Of course, I am! As always. Now let me sleep. I had a long day." She says, closing her eyes.

"I'm going to do quick research at the Library. Sleep tight Becca, love you."I say, affectionately.

"I love myself too." She says in a drowsy voice.

Sometimes I ask myself if she's really my sister and not someone my parents found on the street, who, by chance looked like me and adopted out of pity.

Off I go to the Library, trying to find something that'll help me understand more about Droids and AI. The campus is big, and the Library is situated on the opposite side of our dorm. It's already 11.30 pm, so there aren't many students walking around the campus at this time of the night.

For a moment I look at the stars and picture how life must've been on Earth. When we were kids, dad used to tell us things about Earth that he learned from his great-grandfather. He used to tell us that centuries before the first Droids, Negroids were slaves and treated like animals, sometimes even worse. That just makes me wonder for how long has the human race has been so ignorant since nowadays Bionics are discriminated against as well. He also told me things about religion, which is not really a thing here. There are however some religions, even if they have low if no influence in our society at all. I would say they became obsolete once we got here. Me, personally, I don't believe in god. So many things happened on Earth that it's hard to believe someone all-powerful and all caring exists. And if he does, he gave up on us a long time ago. Honestly, I wouldn't blame him if "he" did. I mean, who wouldn't? Humans are experts in destroying things and killing each other. It's even hard to believe that we all came together to these two planets.

As I wander my way to the Library, I observe someone sitting alone on a bench under a light post. I get close trying to figure out who's the person sitting there and I recognize that face! Suddenly she stares directly at me giving me a shiver down my spine. She smiles. Yeah, it's her. Olivia Leif. She probably came out here to study peacefully. But gosh! She gave me the chills when she looked at me like that. Anyways, this might be a good opportunity to finish our conversation. I promptly give up on going to the Library. Talking with Olivia will give me a good insight into what she really meant back there. As I approach her, she murmurs, still loud enough so I can hear.

"She's uncomfortably loud," Obviously, she's talking about Becca, and I have to agree.

"I know. But don't get her wrong. You'll like her when you get to know her well."

"Does she call you b***h too?" She asks.

"She's not as bad as she appears to be," I say trying to smooth the situation.

She closes the book and looks at me again with her prominent blue eyes. This time, no smile. "Do you know what's the biggest difference between humans and them?" - She asks

"Them?" I ask confused.

"Yes, 3rd generation Droids." She explains.

"Well...that's a good question..." I say, unsure of what to reply.

"They don't kill each other..." She says before we both stare silently at each other for some seconds. "...don't you think that that gives them some kind of an advantage?"

If her goal was to creep me out, mission accomplished. I want to say something, but I'm stunned. She still looks at me waiting for an answer but noticing I'm too shocked at her sudden questions she slowly turns her head to the dark sky.

"Don't overthink it. We have classes tomorrow morning. We better go to bed." She says, smiling, as she stands up and starts walking towards our dorm.

I follow her, nevertheless thinking about everything she said today. How can I not overthink it? Does she mean that 3rd Generation Droids will ultimately try to take over? And if so, did she accept that humans won't be able to fight them back? Maybe because we're too busy fighting each other. Does that mean they've already outsmarted us?

I lay on my bed with these thoughts still fresh in my mind. I doze off.

I wake up and Becca is still asleep. It's 7 am and she'll probably be late if I don't wake her up. Since trying to wake her calmly never works, I don't even bother. I throw my pillow at her, which wakes her and as usual, in a bad mood. But I don't mind. I'm used to it.

We notice Olivia's bed is empty already. We take a shower, get dressed, and rush to the cafeteria, and just as I expected, it's crowded. I take bread, eggs and bacon, and orange juice, enough so I can hang onto something until lunch. Rebecca takes the same but enough to feed a whole family, along with a huge cup of coffee.

We sit down and start eating while we watch the morning news. Looks like the Faliaici killer struck again. Another victim, this time, a 25-year-old man, heir to the Allenori powerplants. The weird thing is all his victims are humans. I mean, 3rd generation Droids are similar to humans, being the sole way to tell us apart, the fact that they don't age. Other than that, they may as well say they're humans and we wouldn't know. This means the killer is well aware of what he's doing and not just killing random victims. The Head of the investigation team says they will intensify their searches. Six confirmed victims already and they still have no clue about who's the killer is. They'll have to reinforce the security since E9's representative, Cedrix Ware, will come for a meeting with our planet's representative, Kenneth Kain.

It makes me wonder how things are going there in E9. I read online that they are already over-exploring some resources. Therefore, I assume that this meeting might be to discuss that. It hasn't been that long since we arrived here how can they possibly be over exploring already? How pitiful. "E9, the planet of progress." like Becca says: "Progress my ass." They should worry more about balance than progress. What else do they want to achieve? We even played god - creating intelligent life.

As I think about this, Olivia arrives, holding a large cup of coffee with her name misspelled on it. She stares at Rebecca devouring her breakfast as she had been starving for days.

"What ya' looking at?" Asks Rebecca, obviously offended by Olivia's insensibility.

Which I understand. It's a bit uncomfortable to have someone looking at you while you're eating, even though it's impossible not to notice her.

"I'm not even going to bother answering...you might get offended..." She replies. "Have you girls watched the news about the Faliaici killer?" Continues Olivia

"Yeah, This dude is killing s**t! Literally" Says, Rebecca, as she finishes her breakfast.

"We don't know if it is a dude yet," I say.

"Well, this b***h is killing s**t! Literally." She corrects.

"Wow, your language is overwhelming." Olivia intervenes.

"Look, whoever is the killer, it just seems to target important people-" Conveys Rebecca making quotation marks with her fingers because she doesn't acknowledge anyone as being important. "- which means we are ok, no need to worry 'bout this killer." She elaborates her point before taking a gulp at what was left of her coffee.

"Interesting opinion. And you, what do you think about this, Samantha?" Asks Olivia.

"I have the same opinion as Becca. But still, we should be cautious and not stay too long outside the campus." I answer.

She nods and stands up. "Time's up girls. Philosophy class, We better get going." We get up and head to the classroom.