Grailem by Gary L Beer (top 100 novels txt) 📖

about the behaviour of the robot guards Grailem wonders if he would be able to take full control. The independence 'flaw' in the programming of the robot security force did make them susceptible to any input around them as he had proved in the corridor. The ability to think for themselves and to come to a decision and act on it independently had made them easily susceptible to his suggestions and even his orders.
Aware that he is putting his life in danger by staying in this cell, Grailem is more curious as to how he was discovered - and caught so easily. If he were to escape it would probably be to no advantage; as they had appeared to know his every move.
Confident in the strength of his artificial body; which he had reinforced whilst here on this planet, Grailem felt more confident in winning his next battle with the security robots; providing there were not hundreds of them. The damage to his arms caused by Stoney Brooks had been remedied; along with the reinforcing shielding around the servo-motors that powered his arms Grailem had reinforced the casing around every servo-motor his body possessed.
The indestructible body was now even more indestructible and would be no match for the security robots; no matter how many there were; providing he had enough fire-power. Sitting down on the hard bed Grailem carries out a routine diagnostics test on his body. Ensuring that all systems are working perfectly and the power supplies are fully charged he sits and waits.

Several hours pass before the cell door is unlocked and a robot enters carrying a tray of food and water. Putting the tray onto the floor a metre inside the door the robot backs out and shuts the door behind it.
Grailem stares at the tray in total confusion; surely his captors know what he is? The amount of robot security that was sent to capture him and the way he was treated had proved that; or so he thought. The tray of food must indicate they consider him to be humanoid; yet why the amount of security? And this place is certainly not police headquarters.
Looking around the cell Grailem cannot see any security cameras; which does not mean there are not any. For appearance sake he walks over and picks up the tray. Returning to the bed he places the tray on his knees and starts to eat the strange looking food that is offered. A bowl of gruel, which his taste buds indicate is comprised mainly of vegetable matter, is full to the brim. The dry bread that accompanies the gruel is hard and tasteless, dipping the bread into the gruel Grailem pretends to chew it and swallow it down.
Consuming all the food and water he returns the tray to the exact position where the guard had placed it on the floor.
No more than two minutes pass before the cell door is opened and the robot guard retrieves the tray and walks out of the cell shutting the door behind it.
So; he is being watched after all!

Using the latrine when a suitable time had past Grailem hoped they did not examine his excreta; much of what he had consumed would be undigested, only broken down by the action of the rubberised stomach muscles. Pretending to sleep by lying on the bed and remaining motionless when night falls, he arises at dawn uses the latrine and waits for breakfast.
Breakfast is brought in by the same robot security guard and placed one metre inside the door before it retreats, shutting the door behind it. Grailem goes through the motion of eating the same gruel and bread and washes it down with the cup of water.
Replacing the tray back in the same position the robot security guard soon enters and retrieves the tray.
This routine continues for two weeks, trying his patience to the limit, and he is grateful for the 'space training' and can drift into a dream world to avoid the madness.

It was in the afternoon of the fourteenth day when the door is finally unlocked and a small humanoid dressed in a dark coloured suit enters the cell. Carrying a small attaché case he stands a metre inside the door as it is closed and locked behind him.
Grailem sits up from his position of lying on the bed and stares at the suited man curiously.
"Good afternoon Mister Finda, my employer apologises for the delay in keeping you here but searching your premises took time. My employer is curious about some of the equipment you have constructed; as much appears to have no purpose."
"A lot of what I am making is unfinished." replies Grailem in a calm helpful sounding voice.
The suit looks at him strangely, obviously expecting hostility or even aggression, Grailem's calm answer unnerves him; "My employer would like the purpose of these devices explained to him before completion. How you came to arrive on this planet is also a question my employer wishes to ask; and to how you obtained your identity." he asks, the fear he feels raising his voice several pitches and he closes his mouth hurriedly.
Keeping a calm expression on his face Grailem gives the suit opposite him a wry smile as he answers; "Your employer seems to want to know a lot; yet I know nothing about you - or your employer."
"I apologise for not introducing myself; I am called Raymond Sirap."
Memory returns to Grailem and the meeting with the Director's and Executives; he can remember the one standing before him now as being at the far end of the huge table from Rames Sirap. Obviously a low ranking family member he would have been presented with this opportunity as being an honour to interview the alien called Alexander Finda. The possibility that their captor could turn violent, showed to Grailem that the man before him was considered dispensable.
Grailem looks more closely at the being in front of him; by outward appearances he is all human but closer inspections reveals the second eyelid and artificial skin covering his face and hands.
"I remember you, you attended my demonstration of the security device I had invented. I hope you liked the demonstration?" asks Grailem in the same friendly manner.
"Yes, we found it most informative; except for the parts you did not tell us."
"Parts - What parts?" Grailem asks innocently.
"Your premises have been thoroughly searched and several thousand of your devices were discovered. We have examined these devices in our laboratory; using X-rays, electronic microscopes and have even resorted to mass spectrometry; and your devices keep their secrets well."
Grailem shrugs his shoulders and continues to stare at Raymond Sirap's eyes.
Feeling uncomfortable under the cold unemotional steely gaze he hurries on with his questioning; "We need to know what these devices are for; and how you made them. Mass spectrometry results showed that the tiny spheres, which were encased in a titanium mixture, appear to contain a complicated binary circuit. Would you care to elaborate Mister Finda?" Raymond Sirap asks politely.
"Not all the time that you keep me locked in here as a prisoner." Grailem answers curtly.
Raymond Sirap is surprised by the strength and determination in his voice and upright posture; "You have committed a lot of crimes since you arrived on our world. Your arrival was undetected and is considered a serious threat to the security of our planet. Until you tell us how you arrived, your stay here will be a long one." replies Raymond Sirap as he turns and taps on the cell door.
The door is immediately opened and Raymond Sirap walks out of the cell without a farewell or backward glance.

Grailem feels frustrated by the brief interview as it did not tell him how they had located him and the workshops. The only solution he could think of is that all of the population is micro chipped; and the photograph taken at the cafe and shops takes more than his visible image. By telling the suit that the devices they found in his workshops would need months to complete, he hoped might deter them from looking further.
Their examinations of the devices would continue to prove useless as each one had a casing of titanium combined with a radiated form of a lead compound. His devices would appear mainly as solid objects and their circuitry remain a mystery. The components could only be determined by mass spectrometry which analysis‘s the chemical formula as it destroys the object. The result would be a collection of elements in varying degrees of quantity; how they fitted together would be hard to determine.
The mystery was why they had allowed him so much time before arresting him? If the surveillance was as good as it appeared they would surely know about his artificial body. The appearance of the regular meals showed their surveillance was not that good. Which means he could avoid it now more than he had done before.
The body of Alexander Finda was buried under the floor of one of the outbuildings and he would unlikely be found. If he had a microchip inserted into his body it appeared that it no longer functioned, maybe the electrical power of the living body kept it activated.
Or maybe there was no microchip at all.
Grailem wracks his brain for alternatives; Sirap Communications had over one hundred and fifty satellites in orbit around the planet. The planet's only moon also possessed communication equipment owned by Sirap. The power source that would be available on the moon would provide more than enough power for simple communications equipment.
It is certainly a possibility that surveillance of the planet is carried out from the moon; along with the help of a few satellites when it is out of 'line of sight'. The more he thinks about it the more he becomes convinced that he is right; the power available would be more than enough to power a high resolution camera. With an eye in the sky that would have a focus that could count the blades of grass on a lawn is certainly a possibility.


Chapter Eight

He waits, patient as ever and waits for his jailors next move.
Twenty eight hours pass with no food or water and Grailem is left totally alone. The door to the cell is finally opened and two military type robots enter. These robots are built differently to the other security robots; they are both covered in thick armour plating. The armour looks to be twenty five millimetres thick and is composed of a strong black carbon.
Standing two metres tall and a metre wide their thick limbs make them look like they are designed for heavy construction, rather than security.
His captors consider him to be humanoid; and with having no food or water for twenty eight hours should have put him in a weakened state. The presence of the two huge robots seems totally unnecessary and Grailem wonders if there is a more sinister motive. Attempting to starve him showed that torture was not