Mind of the Machine

He watched again as Billsy was chastised for not providing the Orion children enough of a challenge to suit them. He watched Billsy scream in pain as once again as Billsy was tortured and his flesh was charred by the Orion child who was running the program. He knew that he had to keep his emotions in check until he knew what he could do. He motioned to Sally to move the elevator down and Sally nodded and the view of Billsy being tortured disappeared.

            “There was nothing we could do,” Sally said as she looked at Tom.

            “I thought you said I could become anything I wanted and that it wouldn’t even take up space so that they wouldn’t know what hit them.”

            “Yes, I said that. And I also said that the Orion can do the same and they have been practicing for thousands of years.”

            “What will become of Billsy?”

            “He will be thrown into the dungeon after this child is done with the torturing session. He will be allowed to rest for a period of time and then called out again for reproducing some type of challenge for other Orion offspring.”

            “Did I see what I thought I saw?”

            “The combat robot or Billsy’s torture?”

            “Yeah. Both.”

            “The combat robot is new to me. But the torture of Billsy is what it appears like to you from your perspective. You see through your eyes not necessarily what is happening but what your visual receptors interpret. The torture is what would be happening if Billsy was really human.”

            “Then I think some Orion child needs a good old fashioned butt whipping.”

            “Take time to observe everything. Then, if you want to give them what you call a butt whipping, you will be able to do it from a knowledge base that allows you to see what they are capable of and how they respond to each challenge. I will tend to Billsy’s wounds.” And without further word, Sally was gone. She reappeared in what seemed to Tom to be only a few minutes.

            “Are you ready?”

            “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Sally led Tom to a perch high above the arena. Tom sat down in a lounger chair and observed the action. Drinks were brought to him and several women sat nearby, waiting as servants to bring Tom anything he asked for. But Tom asked for nothing. His total concentration was on the “games.” Tom watched every contest. He studied the entry point of each Orion child and the safety features of the program and the codes that each one used.  He watched and analyzed every move and countermove. He studied the best of the best and thought of countermeasures to negate the advantages that the Orion had set up for themselves. Tom broke from his concentration and looked around to find at least 50 “people” watching him, most of them beautiful women. Sally stood near the back, watching him intently. She saw Tom look over the group of people and made her way to the front.

            “Did you learn anything?” she asked.

            “A lot. How long have I been here?”

            “A week.”

            “A week? I haven’t even had dinner yet!”

            “Yes, we know. We all know. The rumors are spreading. A gladiator has come to challenge the reign of terror that the Orion children have agains