The Cyborg's Daughter ( I'm close to 100K reads! Then Party)

Chapter 4/The school of the damned

A/N - THANKS FOR LOOKING AT THE SKETCHES - WE ARE PRETTY EXCITED TO BE STARTING THIS NEW ADVENTURE. RK+REB. Picture OK this gives you an idea of the slave collars. 

Row 9/School 1/Island 7 

316 days before the singularity

School had been it's usual unpleasant experience but more so. To be fully honest  it had started off well seeing Hunter's dumb face when he saw his first robotic teacher. Unfortunately if it was true that what you don't know can't kill you then Hunter would be invulnerable and quite possibly immortal.    

"Why am I being taught by a desklamp hanging from the ceiling, biscuit ?" Hunter had said as we arrives. The teaching robot just was a little more than sensor pod hanging from the ceiling moving on tracks. It could put images up on the remaining two working screens but more importantly, send shock signals to your collar to punish you, which the machine enjoyed doing. 

I had taken up my usual position at the back of the class and Hunter sat next to me. The teacher noticed Hunter and a few other new shocked kids had arrived, they were handcuffed to a victim as well, but we were the only mixed couple. The teacher  was trying to get them to be as prepared as possible in case any of them  were taken at next week's testing. 

In theory, when slaves who had grown up on the island arrived the slave training camp -pre-trained. Kids who were deemed 'compliant' could skip the whole breakdown torture sequence and move straight to final training. The teacher had generally  me marked down as reject and concentrated its efforts on those who were likely to be chosen. Somehow this lack of attention suited me fine. Today Hunter had to learn all the basic stuff that was covered in kindergarten. Things like the three laws of humanity. That was dull, even I knew them and I was deliberately useless at slave stuff like this. Unfortunately without a collar the teacher could not electro punish Hunter with out hurting me. The electro-sting came from  the hand-cuff to me from him. So I was punished for every mistake and every reluctant second Hunter had paused. I wasn't happy. This was my worst day at school I could remember. 

"Again" said the teacher as all the class sat looking at Hunter. Hunter hesitated possibly deliberately.

"Answer the master, moron." I said, irritatedly with out moving my lips.

"A human must not allow a robot to be harmed, biscuit. The second law is a human must always obey orders given by a robot unless this breaks law one. biscuit red banana. The third law is a human biscuit must not let its self come to harm unless this conflicts with laws two or one biscuit biscuit" said Hunter.

I tensed up. I could see the hate in Hunter's eyes. Without a collar the teacher wouldn't know if Hunter was lying and if he was over Tourette-ing his speech.  Would the teacher deem this as acceptable? The big danger from getting a robot punishment shock was biting your own tongue, I knew how to take punishment. It was all just pain induction - the sensation of pain nothing physically damaged you. That didn't stopping hurting for hours afterwards. 

"Acceptable," said the teacher moving around shaking slightly as the rickety old track in the ceiling wobbled. I noticed I had been holding my breath. 

"What is your name slave" said the robot hanging  and turning back.

"1008" said Hunter teeth clenched.

"Correct What is rule 17? 1008" the teacher asked.

"No fighting" said Hunter reluctantly. 

"Nearly. No fighting unless ordered to by your owner. This is enough Class dismissed" the machine said.

We were running late, so late we hadn't ended with the pledge of obedience to our machine overlords.  The clamps around our feet were released and we could go. It was lunch time and the machines generally sent us home, now. Outside class I met up with Xalishia and my other step sisters.