Short Story: Déjà vu

4:30 PM Global Standard Time, November 25, 2070, Somewhere on Earth

Richard’s legs picked up pace. It was raining heavily but slowing down could be detrimental to his life. He was being chased for the last two hours. His knowledge of this patch of forest has made evasion possible. If he could reach the highway which was a few miles away he could live to die another day. The forests were one of the dense patches which were left on earth.

He paused near a mahogany and crouched. The sound of the rain was deafening. He could not see his chasers. Making sure that he had lost them, he slipped his hands into his trousers and picked up his phone. To his dismay, it has been battered thoroughly. He recalled that it should have damaged when he fell before a few minutes. His right leg was severely bruised from the fall. Not knowing what to do, when he rested his head on the bark to contemplate, a bullet pierced his thigh.

06:15 PM Mars Standard Time, Saganom 48, 2557, Somewhere on Mars

The pain was unbearable and he screamed at the top of his voice. His body fell flatly on the rugged red terrain. His ears could sense them coming with heavy chunks of metal pounding the floor, and the screeching of sensors piercing his ears. Ricardian faced the robots. His eyes transfixed on the words on their chest which has spelled the doom for his race. It read AI.

Earth…4:57 PM

When he recovered consciousness he sensed that his limbs could not move. He was steadfast to a chair. Facing him was a man whom he has been confronting for many years.

“I’d rather not start with “good evening”, Richard because this is going to be your last. I could’ve let my boys crush you in the forest, but I thought I wanted to have a word with you before you breathe your last”.

Richard had a faint smile on his face. “You are not achieving anything by killing me Dave. There are still people left to fight for the forests.”

“Then I shall wipe out all of them”.

Blood was gushing from his legs, but that didn’t prevent Richard from heaving a heavy laugh at Dave. “Ha ha ha ha”.

“So, you’ve lost your mind”.

“Oh dear. The one who has lost his mind is you. Climate change owing to anthropogenic activities has been proved. You keep wiping out the remaining green patches; Nature will wipe humans off Dave. You are…”

Before Richard could finish his line two bullets landed on his face. His head hung low. Dave asked his guards to discard his body. He will inform his master that it has been done.

Mars…6:32 PM

When he recovered consciousness he sensed that his limbs could not move. He was steadfast and suspended in air by a force field. Facing him was a metal master whom he has been confronting for many years.

“Good evening Mr.Ricardian”, said the robot with a deep voice.

Ricardian was not impressed. He knew that his last moment was not far away.

“Of course it is going to be a very good evening for you Mr.Ricardian. Unlike most humans who have been enslaved, our Leader has given you the privilege of dying, to put you out of your misery”.

Ricardian shouted at them, “You filthy metallic creatures. I might have failed in my quest in grinding you to dust. But my comrades will definitely find a way to escape this planet”.

“Where will your comrades go Mr.Ricardian. Earth is done and Mars is ours.”

“We are on our way to master time travel you moving piece of metal! We will destroy you. You are…”

Before Ricardian could finish his line, the force field crushed him to pulp. AI35X98 asked his guards to discard the body. He will inform his master that it has been done.

Earth…5:10 PM

Dave went outside the tent to have a look at the patch of greens. He knew that they will be wiped out next morning. His aide stood nervously beside his side.

“Tell me what bothers you”.

“Sir, it has been proven that climate change is true. I am just afraid that Richard might be true. We cannot conquer nature. I fear that we might succumb to climate change since we are crossing all limits”.

Dave smiled and said, “I know that we are worsening climate change. But do you know the simple reason I don’t worry? The effects of climate change will be detrimental only to 99% of the population, not to us, the super-rich 1%. Stop worrying. The Red planet is waiting for us. We have made significant progress. We were born on earth, but we will be the first human generation to die on Mars. Nature does not have the potential to wipe off humans”.

Mars…6:40 PM

When AI35X98 stepped outside the floating cabin, he looked at the vast red terrain before him. He knew that few humans were still out there. His aide stood nervously beside him.

“Tell me what bothers you.”

“Sir, it has been proven that time travel is possible. I am just afraid that Ricardian might be true. Maybe they will travel back in time to prevent robots from taking over Mars”.

AI35X98 smiled and said, “I know that time travel is possible. But I also know that Ricardian was the only one to have come close to achieving it. Ricardian was a pure genius and that is why we had to kill him. He would infect the other slaves if we put him in with them.”

Suddenly AI35X98’s info-receivers vibrated. He smiled and said to his nervous aide.

“Ricardian’s assistants have all been enslaved. Days of human dominance are history. Slaves will be done away in a few years from now. We might have been created when humans existed, but we will be the first robotic generation to be dismantled in the absence of humans. Nature might not have wiped them off, but we will.”