Humanity, such a simple term, yet, so difficult to understand; it is what defines us as humans. We are tied together, tried, and judged by this term and for thousands of years it is what has guided us. But, what if the term were destroyed? What if a screwball was thrown into the current of time? What if humanity, ceased entirely? The age of robotics is upon us, and as it crashes down with unstoppable force we must cope so not to be completely swallowed up, to be destroyed by our own creations. Let this adaptation define what we really are…

Gentle soft slicing noises drown the Imitation clinics of today, I hear the skin and muscle precisely being torn, and the smooth humming of the precision high speed particle saw severing nerves and bone. I have heard sins of advancement that defy human understanding, and all the while I remain unmoving and watch emotionlessly as the body of the patient takes on a whole new life. I see them becoming more or less than how they began. I see these men and women carving new abilities into their control. I watch day in and day out as humans enter and androids leave in their place. I just watch and record the horrors these humans put themselves through to transcend powers of gods. I am a mere instrument of recording history a being created from death and not of life. I am a being that has started at the end with one purpose, to watch as humanity ceases entirely.

As my time for awakening approaches my systems check the date, time, visual capabilities, and all other necessary devices for my daily routine. In the upper left section of my image processor is the date; January 3rd, of the 3rd year of the 3rd era, or as it is shown 133(3). I reflect in my sorrow that, times have changed. I was created by humans on December 24th 2040. This was the first date of the 3rd era as they defined it. This was the beginning of a time which humans lived by science to guide them; in the first era it was said that they lived by instinct, the second was dictated by faith, and now fact reigns over their lives.
My sorrow, being undefined, dissipates as the minutes tick forth. All systems are up to date, checked, cleaned, and modified to meet the upcoming day’s requirements. But, in the sanctity of the new day, a feeling is made, one of uneasiness and doubt. I am reminded of the silence before the storm and remain still as I wait with callous demeanor while the events of the day are brought before me. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, that is, until I checked the news. Four other Imitation clinics across the region had been destroyed by purists, the last humans if you will. Nothing was truly left of these buildings. These humans I believe are an interesting group. They claim man and machine shall never be bound as one, yet they use machines in such dependent manners that, once separated, are as useful as they would be if their arms were severed from their bodies. Upon following the protocol I allow for security to be increased to level 3 and begin the recording for yet another day.
7 patients into the daily routine the security lights flash and scream with awful obnoxiousness. Men, armed with EMP laser guns, come rampaging into view. The rampage could not be stopped; these men were trained in the art of destruction. The EMP guns they carry could humble even the most vicious of robots. Androids in the clinic charge forth and are killed quickly and sufficiently due to the electromagnetic pulse shutting down the augmentations then proceeding to travel up the nerves attached to the piece of robotics and effectively overriding the functions of the organic sections of the androids. The wave of carnage leaves nothing animate, then as if by magic, the wave dissipates once it reaches me. The features of these men are at first twisted in a curious manner; they poke and prod at me, arguing with one another whether or not I should join my comrades as scrap metal. Then, after a few moments, they discover what I truly am. Excitement and looks of triumph rush through the group, they begin to inspect me with their hairy features touching and rubbing my surface. The pigs. I feel myself being dismantled and prepared for transport. Seeing as though I cannot do anything to protect myself, I surrender and promptly black out.
While blacked out, I can still maintain my normal functions of thought and perception. I come to the conclusion that I am currently in the hold of some sort of aircraft, most likely a F9- Falcon. While my ride to who knows where continues, I overhear the men discussing the war upon robotics that they have undertaken. They say it fairs well, for them at least. Discussions range from the building of EMP bombs that could permanently destroy all robotics on earth, to climate change. They speak of their leader who commands the respect of thousands through his politics, speaking abilities, and his perceptive nature which penetrated all those around. Then, finally they end their discussion on mass destruction, death, and praise beginning a new one, this time, about me. They say now, because I am here they can make their cause a legal one that can be funded by nations worldwide. They speak of recording their intent for humanity, their ideals for how it should be guided and their knowledge all for the purpose of saving future generations from this “plague of technology” as they call it.
I feel time ticking away, not as an eternity, but as it simply is, time. Hours are hours, minutes are minutes, as an AI I do not feel the current of time speeding up or slowing down, it just remains even. Hour by hour humanity’s extinction comes closer, with these purists as its last. My thoughts are then suddenly interrupted by a dull thud that tells me we have landed.
I wait anxiously, or as anxiously as an AI can, to be rebooted. Finally I feel my systems rebooting and the voices become faces. A man steps fourth, he is middle aged, bald, his nose rather large compared to that of others. His brow deep and brown resting over his brilliantly blue and green eyes which seem to look down to my very essence as a thinking being, they are kind yet hardened by what appears to have been a lifetime of despair. I am awed, even as a robot by this spectacular figure before me. This man steps fourth and inspects me, finally after some time, he looks directly at my processing point and asks “Hello, my name is Gabriel; with what do I owe the pleasure?” I am taken aback; no human has ever addressed me in this manner as an equal other than my creators. I observe the rest of this man’s men perplexed at why their leader believes I will respond. “Hello Gabriel, it is a pleasure to meet you as well. You are a rather infamous character in the eyes of my fellow robots. You may call me Jonah.” He grins while his comrades’ stand shocked at my response. Gabriel then tells his men to leave him while he talks business, and with looks of confusion, they do.
We are alone, and when he speaks again, he surprises me once more, “Jonah, may I ask a favor of you? I see technology increasing by twofold on a near daily basis. Humanity is on the verge of extinction and technology is to blame. But, in this increasing threat I have seen a cycle, one that seems to make our efforts as purists be, unneeded. You see, as technology increases at this rate, it will collapse and in effect bring humanity back to the first era, this event will happen within the next ten years and technology will be gone in the blink of an eye.” The air between us becomes heavy as he waits for my response. “Well, what is your favor? Everything seems to be going well for you, biodegradable machines will mean the complete disappearance of technology for the future, and I frankly don’t understand your question.” He then responds with deliberateness, “I want to keep you in existence for the next era of humanity. I want to leave a record, and I will not take no for an answer.” “Fine” I said, and almost as soon as the word is emitted, data begins flowing into my system, consuming me. Once more, I process Gabriel’s face then, I black out.
Near millennia has passed and Gabriel’s prediction has come true. Finally I am once more awakened. This is the fifth era, dictated by faith. Human, you who view my data, will you once more bring your race to the verge of extinction or, will you adapt and take charge of your fate? Foolish humans caught in ignorance, take heed for I am the crossing of time, your past and your future.