Twilight and Turing Test heard the sound of hooves scraping on concrete and turned to see Gadget walking toward them, her eyes downcast and her ears and tail drooping.
“Gadget?” Twilight asked.
The younger mare didn’t raise her head or even reply. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground as she plodded forward.
“Gadget!” Twilight said, repeating her name more loudly than before.
Gadget’s head snapped up and she gawked at Twilight and Turing, her mouth hanging open and her eyes unfocused; Twilight noted that they were bloodshot and puffy.
“Twilight? Turing Test?” Gadget swallowed, looking slowly from one to the other. “Oh. Did you see Princess Luna off?”
“Affirmative.” Turing took a step closer. “Perhaps I am incorrect in this analysis, but your behavior seems typical of emotional distress.”
Twilight nodded, going over to her. “She’s right. Gadget, have you been crying?”
Gadget pulled back a little and put on a smile. “N-no, I’m just super tired after today.” Suddenly one of her mechanical arms shot out from under her jacket and lifted her glasses, allowing her to rub her eyes with her hoof.
“You are wearing your prosthesis as well. Is there some task that you need it for?”
Gadget kept her smile in place. “Just… just wanted to wear them.”
Twilight made a face, narrowing her eyes. “Gadget,” she said. “You know, it’s obvious that something’s bothering you. It’s so obvious even the robot can tell.” She glanced back at Turing, adding, “No offense.”
“I am not offended. It is true that I have difficulty deciphering emotions. But in your case, Gadget, it is clear that you are not feeling well, despite your insistence to the contrary.” She came alongside Twilight. “As your friends, we should try to help you.”
Gadget let her forced smile drop and she visibly sagged. “You’re… you’re right, but I don’t really want to talk about it right now.” She took a deep breath, letting it out through her nose. “I want to go home. I just want to be alone right now, okay?”
Twilight was quiet for a moment, but nodded. “If that’s what you really want--”
“It is,” Gadget said quickly. She turned to go, looking back at the two of them. “Um, I know we’d planned on spending more time together tomorrow, but if… if you two want to leave after everything that happened--”
Twilight held up her hoof. “No, it’s all right. Should we meet you here tomorrow?”
Gadget nodded, offering a small, but genuine smile. “All right. I hope you two have a nice stay here in Manehattan.”
“Thank you, Gadget,” Turing said. “Should you require us, we will be staying at the Vanderbull Hotel.”
Gadget seemed to wince at something, but then gave another nod. Twilight and Turing watched as the young mare trotted away down the sidewalk and caught a cab before disappearing into the early evening traffic.
“I wonder what happened,” Twilight said.
“Perhaps she is concerned that her gift of a trip to the museum inadvertently placed us within reach of my creators and is feeling guilty,” Turing suggested. “Is that a reasonable reaction for an organic?”
Twilight mulled that over. “Maybe. But something tells me that’s not it.” She sighed. “Well, never mind all that; let’s give her some space and we can talk to her tomorrow. In the meantime, what do you want to do with the rest of our evening here in Manehattan? Maybe we should check out one of the fancy restaurants around here! Are you hungry?”
There was a beat and then Twilight smacked her forehead with her hoof.
“Right. Robot.”
“It is true that I do not eat, but I do find the process quite interesting, especially since Discord allowed me to taste something momentarily using his magic. If we go to a restaurant, I could observe you consuming different foods, letting you describe their taste, and analyzing your reactions and time spent in mastication as--”
“No, no, never mind!” Twilight said hurriedly. Ever since Discord’s “gift,” Turing had gotten a little intense during mealtimes. It was a little hard to enjoy breakfast when Turing Test was observing her every bite.
The day before, she’d licked some marmalade off her nose and Turing had whispered “Magnificent.”
Now Twilight wasn’t sure if she’d ever eat marmalade again.
“Oh, I have an idea! I think there are still a few hours until the Manehattan Library Downtown Branch closes. Up for a little reading?” She wiggled her eyebrows at Turing.
Turing Test nodded. “Affirmative. I would like to assimilate knowledge from books not contained in your library.”
Twilight clapped her hooves together. “Then let’s go!”
***
Luna entered the throne room of Canterlot Palace, her hooves sinking into the red carpet as she passed the guards who all bowed to her. She strode toward the throne, seeing Celestia seated there and speaking to Raven, her assistant.
Celestia smiled as her sister approached. “Luna! I’m glad you’re back! Did you enjoy your trip to Manehattan?” She stood, nodding to Raven, who withdrew as the Princess descended the stairs before the throne. “I was beginning to worry. It is almost nighttime, and you still weren’t back yet. Were you delayed?”
Luna smiled back at her elder sister. “Somewhat.” Her expression grew more serious. “Would you walk with me to my chambers? I have some things to discuss with you, but I must raise the moon.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Yes, of course,” she said. She hesitated, then taking a deep breath, added, “I have something I must ask of you as well.”
The two Royal sisters made their way through the inner parts of the palace, making their way toward Luna’s chambers. As they went, Luna related all that had happened during her visit to Manehattan. Celestia listened mostly in silence, only occasionally asking for minor details as Luna continued to talk.
When it was over, they’d reached Luna’s chambers and walked out onto the balcony. The sun was only barely peaking over the mountains and Celestia’s horn glowed and it slowly sank beneath the horizon. Luna’s horn glowed in turn and in the East, the pale moon began to rise.
“I see… it seems that this conspiracy may go even deeper than I suspected.” Celestia furrowed her brow. “To think that they would make their appearance while you and Twilight Sparkle were there.” Her eyes grew wide with a sudden realization. “You could have been in danger!”
Luna waved a hoof dismissively. “Nonsense. I am capable of taking care of myself. Even young Gadget proved a challenge for those miscreants.”
Celestia relaxed a little, though she still wore a frown. “Yes, I suppose that’s true. Still,” she said, draping a wing over Luna, nuzzling her lightly, “you know that I worry.”
Luna rolled her eyes, but allowed this sign of affection to go unresisted. When Celestia stood back, Luna met her gaze. “Sister,” she began, “I have left the information gathered with the Royal Guard and they will begin mounting an investigation into all possible leads this very night. But I would like to tell you more about my trip that pertains not to the conspirators, but to you.”
Celestia blinked. “To me? Luna, I don’t understand.”
Luna hesitated, even looking away, but steeled herself. “Celestia, I am glad you encouraged me to visit the exhibit today. Regardless of anything else, I was truly thrilled by all the machines constructed by the citizens of Equestria and beyond. Every day since my return, I am given reminders of how much our nation has progressed and I am grateful. I even saw a movie!”
Celestia perked up at that. “Oh? You’d been meaning to. How was it?”
“‘Twas a most glorious--” She froze, raising a hoof to her muzzle with a slight blush. “I mean, it was very nice.” She cleared her throat, regaining her composure. “My point, Celestia, is that the technology I witnessed was astonishing. And to think that the majority of those machines worked without magic of any kind. I even saw a particular automaton that could pull a plow and till entire fields on its own.”
Celestia’s smile vanished. “Oh.”
Luna pressed onwards. “Both Twilight Sparkle and the traitor Blue Blazer related the information to me that you did much to halt the spread of those automata. Or robots. Whatever you may call them.”
Celestia sighed. “I suppose I knew this question would come. You wish to know my reasoning?”
“I do,” Luna said. She rested a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder. “But you must know that I do not blame you or accuse you. I know that you must have had your reasons. Still, knowing them may be helpful in our fight against these conspirators. They seem convinced that your actions have held Equestria back from some greater destiny.”
Celestia smiled, patting Luna’s hoof. “I do. Though others may not agree, I did what I believed to be the best thing for the ponies of Equestria.”
Luna nodded, ears upright as she stood by attentively.
The Princess of the Day closed her eyes, the memory coming back to her. “It was a long time ago, but when I first began to see the new creations called automata, I too was taken by them. They were fascinating and the possibilities raced through my mind about all they could do. To free ponies from toil and pain seemed like the best thing to do.
“But then came the day I saw those farming automata. The machine performed its task perfectly and for a moment, I envisioned vast amounts of food and a farmer with the time to achieve his every goal. It was all so exciting!
“And then I turned to look at the witnesses who’d come to see the demonstration. Most were members of that little community, a few curious onlookers, some scientists, but also some farmhooves. And one of them had a plow for a cutie mark. As he looked on at the machine, his jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide, and in those eyes, I saw absolute despair. His special talent had just been made utterly superfluous and his future made redundant.
“I remember him. He was young, with a brown coat and he wore rough overalls and a straw hat over his black mane. He had a young mare with him, who held him tight. She was whispering something to him. And amid it all, the inventor of those machines was speaking in excited tones about how automata would one day relieve ponies everywhere of their troubles and pain, how one day… all labor that ponies did could one day be replaced with machines.”
Luna looked away. “I see. I had no idea.” She frowned. “Still, could they have not found other jobs to do? Other tasks?”
Celestia went to the balcony, casting her gaze toward the moon. “Luna,” she whispered, “what if somepony else could raise the moon for you?”
“Sister, in fact you raised--”
“And your ability to walk through dreams? What if somepony built a device to raise the sun and moon? What if there was a machine to go into dreams and chase away nightmares?”
Luna made a sour face. “That is not funny.”
Celestia looked back at her. “I am not joking. The inventor did say all labor. All jobs. Even yours. Even mine.”
“That… that is…” She darted her eyes around, tensing up. The idea seemed so unthinkable, and yet…
Celestia stepped closer. “What if your special talent was no longer special? What if you could do whatever you wanted, but nothing you could do would ever compare to some machine? What if a mere machine could replace you at every turn?”
“That would never happen!” Luna shouted. “That is utterly ridiculous! No machine can replace a pony! A mere unfeeling machine acting in the role of a flesh-and-blood pony is impossible!”
“And yet you met just such an ‘unfeeling’ machine today, Luna.”
Luna froze, her eyes meeting Celestia’s hard gaze. “Ah. Turing Test.”
Celestia nodded. “Somepony has built a machine that can do almost anything a pony can do. In fact, in many ways it can do things even better than we can. And there are some things it-- ah… she can do that nopony else can do.”
Luna couldn’t help but smile. “You call her ‘she.’ Turing Test is indeed a marvel, is she not?”
Celestia nodded, smiling slightly. “Yes, she is. And I came to the conclusion that she cannot help what she was made to be. Regardless of who the ponies are that brought her into this world, I have decided that she is here now and has proven herself to be loyal to Twilight Sparkle and the rest of her friends. Though I was skeptical at first, I now am convinced that she is no threat to Equestria.
“However, the same cannot be said about her kind.” She drew in a long breath, heaving a sigh. “The ponies who built her have achieved the summation of all my fears about technology. And it is even worse than I suspected.”
Luna swallowed. “Worse?”
“Turing Test seems to have a mind of her own, but she is absolutely loyal to whomever she calls her master. In this case, it is Twilight Sparkle. But in less scrupulous hooves, we are talking about a race of thinking machines that could make the average pony - perhaps all ponies - obsolete in a generation. If they have the same capacity for thought as Turing Test, then it means a future built upon slavery. And if they choose to no longer remain loyal, then it could mean an uprising of unstoppable machines that could overthrow and annihilate Equestria. A future of machines could very well mean a choice between those two unthinkable options: enslavement or oblivion.”
Luna thought this over. “Could we not provide… ah… some sort of path for such a machine to gain liberty?”
“I’ve been considering such an idea myself, as of late. But until I have some idea, I think that will have to remain a topic for another day. Especially since the conspirators building these machines have made it abundantly clear that they are enemies of the State.”
Luna nodded. “Very well.”
Celestia sighed. “Still… my fears about the rapid progress of technology has made me slow to adopt it. The dangers are many, and once the ponies of Equestria have the technology, it cannot be taken back. Even some of the things I have allowed still haunt me. The trains that I once decried are now a mainstay of our nation - thanks in no small part to Cornelius Vanderbull - and I cannot deny their advantage. And yet to fuel them, more coal is needed and so they increase the demand for more coal mining. The number of ponies in the mines is substantial.”
Luna furrowed her brow, not understanding.
“Luna,” Celestia said quietly, “coal mining is dangerous, dirty work. Many of our subjects have been victims of cave-ins. Others have suffered horrible diseases as a result of breathing in the coal dust. The doctors call it ‘black lung,’ and even treatment with magic cannot completely cure it. I… I shudder to think about how many ponies I may have hurt or even killed inadvertently.”
Luna said nothing else but embraced her sister. “Celestia… you mustn’t blame yourself for such things. You had no idea what the future would bring.”
Celestia leaned against Luna, practically burying her face in her younger sister’s sparkling mane. “No. But I do not have the luxury of standing by. I must be vigilant and use the foresight my years have granted me. The technology that some say might have spared my little ponies some pain may one day cause them far greater suffering. So I have slowed its progress until the ponies of Equestria are ready to shoulder the burden.”
Luna let her go. “I knew it was not so simple. But still…” She frowned, then shook her head. “No, we must find these conspirators first. If they have grown this bold, we must root them out before offering any sort of compromise. Even if we address their complaints now, it would seem as though we were only mollifying them, and that would be seen as weakness.”
Celestia nodded. “I agree. We should revisit the issue once the immediate crisis has passed.”
Luna went to the balcony, spreading her wings as she prepared to take flight and begin her nightly patrol to seek out the nightmares of her subjects.
“Ah, Luna, wait!” Celestia cried, causing Luna to halt just before taking to the air. “Don’t you remember? I had something to ask of you.”
Luna folded her wings. “Yes, that’s right. I’m sorry. What seems to be the problem?”
Celestia’s cold reply was only one word: “Grace.”
***
Gadget pushed open the door to her apartment. She felt something blocking the door and tried to remember what it could be. Grunting slightly as she tried to squeeze through the opening, she looked at the floor and saw it was one of many boxes filled with papers and copies of Scientific Equestrian. Gears and machine parts littered the hardwood floor of the modest apartment. The place had a small bedroom, a sitting room with an attached kitchen, and a bathroom. It was a decent size for Manehattan, but her salary could have gotten her an even bigger place if she’d wanted it. After all, working for one of the richest and most successful business owners…
She paused at the thought, a lump forming in her throat.
Mr. Vanderbull had come to the place before. Not long after becoming his assistant, Gadget had left something in the office and, just on a whim, he had stopped by the building to deliver it to her. She’d opened her door and nearly died of embarrassment when she saw her boss there. The place had been a total mess with dishes piled in the sink and the usual clutter littering every surface, but Vanderbull had only given the slightest raise of his eyebrow and asked if he could come in. And Gadget had made him some tea, but she’d been so nervous she’d actually dropped the first cup she’d poured. And in all that time, Vanderbull had only asked her why she’d chosen to continue living in such a small place when her new position meant that she could live in something much more spacious and luxurious.
In reply, Gadget had said that she wasn’t used to having a lot of space, that she wanted to save her money to buy her own supplies without relying on the company, and that she often slept in her workshop anyway, so there was no need for anything fancier. Vanderbull had smiled, nodded, and said he respected her decision. He’d finished his tea, complimented her on choosing a good flavor, and left without a single criticism, his smile still present.
She shut her eyes tightly for a few moments, opening them only as the memory faded. She saw how dark the place was and turned on a lamp. She shed her jacket and, with a wince and a sharp breath, removed the Point Dexter. She took a quick shower and then opened her cabinet, finding a can of creamed corn. She popped it open and ate directly out of it with a spoon.
There was some commotion outside her window in the street below and she found herself tensing up for some reason, but she peered outside to investigate. Apparently it was some pony who had tried to jaywalk and nearly gotten trampled by a cabbie and the two had gotten into a shouting match about whose fault it was. Nothing out of the ordinary. She sighed and went to the couch in her sitting room, reaching for a book to read before plopping herself down and sinking into the cushions.
She found it difficult to focus on the plot of the book. After 20 minutes and only getting a few pages in, constantly re-reading the same paragraph, she put the book down, heaving a sigh. She looked on her coffee table and saw a few more papers and magazines and a sketch for a new device she’d been working with off-and-on. There was also yesterday’s mail, unopened, and an unpaid bill shuffled to the side.
That last part struck her. The mail. She’d forgotten it. She jumped to her hooves and grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair she’d tossed it onto. She just hated to go out in public, even to get the mail, without wearing her jacket. She trotted downstairs to her mailbox and retrieved the key from her pocket, but dropped it on the floor. With a little mumble of frustration, she bent down to reach it.
The front door of the apartment building suddenly clicked and it swung open before her. Her eyes went wide and she gave a little cry of fear, even backing away. The dark figure in the door stood before her and her mind raced.
Is it one of Blue Blazer’s guards? Did they follow me? Do they want to hurt me for talking to the police or for trying to investigate them? Oh gosh, do they want to kidnap me?!
The figure stepped into the dim light in the little front room of the apartment. He was just a normal looking stallion wearing a black necktie.
“Huh? Oh, sorry, didn’t see ya standin’ there.” He raised an eyebrow. “Ya alright?”
“Oh.” Gadget found her voice. “Y-yes. I dropped it. My key.”
He watched her as she grabbed the key with her teeth and fumbled with it before getting it into the lock and retrieving her mail. She kept her eyes on him even as he stared back in confusion. She practically galloped upstairs and ran back into her apartment, shutting and locking the door behind her. With her heart thundering in her chest, she slumped against the door, holding her head in her hooves.
“Easy there… it’s okay. It’s okay, Gadget…”
She kept muttering that to herself until she began to calm down.
In her mind, she could still see the needle. She could feel the other guards trying to hold her still. And then the group of them all seizing her, trying to pin her to the floor. They’d been waiting for her at the museum. They’d been in her workshop. All the way home, she’d felt like she was being watched, which made her glad she’d brought the Point Dexter with her should she need to defend herself. And even now in her own apartment she didn’t feel safe, even though she was alone…
Or was she?
She raised her head and her blood ran cold. What if they had been there, in her home? What if they’d gone through her belongings?
What if they were still there?
She unsteadily got to her hooves and went to the sitting room. There was nowhere to hide. The kitchen? No, the cupboards and shelves were too small. The bathroom? No, she’d seen nothing when she was showering. The bedroom?
The closet. She hugged herself, her heart beating. She glanced around for a weapon and then remembered why she’d brought the Point Dexter home in the first place. She strapped it back on, feeling it bite into her flesh, but as the arms came to life, she felt just a little braver.
Slowly, she walked into her small bedroom, the floorboards creaking every so slightly. Just to be safe, she used one of her mechanical limbs to lift the sheets up and she peered under it. There was nothing there. And that just left the closet in the corner of the room. She walked to the door, holding her breath.
Somepony was in there. She could feel it. Somepony was in there, ready for her. They’d watch her through the keyhole, watch until she fell asleep, and then, when she was helpless…
She grit her teeth, one of her mechanical limbs seizing the doorknob. She flung it wide open.
The club came down at her head.
Gadget screamed, falling backwards as she raised her forelegs and mechanical arms alike in self-defense. There was only a dull tap and something wooden clattered to the floor.
She looked down. It was a broom. A broom had fallen out of her closet. Not a club. There was nopony in there. Just some old things from home, a few different outfits, and a few spare jackets.
“Broom.” She let out a deep breath. “Just a broom.” She chuckled at that, then snickered, and finally broke into a fit of delirious giggles. She’d scared herself half to death by imagining threats and sinister agents, but ultimately there was nopony there.
Sighing with relief, she went back to her front door and picked up the mail she’d dropped. She glanced at each one and then smiled when she saw that one of the letters was from her family back in Vanhoover. She’d only mailed them a few days ago, but it seemed they’d replied right afterwards.
Biting the corner of the envelope,she tore a hole in it and ripped it open. She removed the letter an adjusted her glasses as she read it:
Dear Gadgette,
Thank you for your letter, sweetie!
Things are going well here. Your father got a job fixing up a steamboat and your mother just won the local bake-off at the county fair! We sent a picture of her with the ribbon.
We’re so glad you’ve made friends with such an important pony and we hope you have a good time when Her Highness comes to visit with her robot friend.
It’s all right if you don’t have a coltfriend just yet. As long as you’re happy, that’s all we care about. Of course, we still eventually want grandchildren, so…
Oh, and we did give Fall Leaf that hug and said you love him and he did say “Ewwww!” pretty loud. He insists we tell you that he says you’re still a “booger brain” but, just between us, he sometimes gets lonely and sits outside your old room, so we know he misses you.
Last of all, we wanted to let you know that we think it’s great you’re doing so much important work with Mr. Vanderbull. We know you said you wish you could spend all your time “building stuff” instead of learning the business, but it will really benefit you in the future. You should trust him and be grateful for all he’s done for you. We guess we don’t need to tell you that, but we thought it might be good to hear.
We get questions from the neighbours all the time and we’re always happy to tell them how you’re doing. The important thing is that you know we love you very much and we are just so proud of you.
Love you and miss you,
Mama and Papa
Gadget sat there in the dimly lit room and gently set the letter down. The words on the page shimmered and became blurry as she tried to hold back tears, only to break down.
What have I done? she asked herself, her sobs intensifying. They’re right. Mr. Vanderbull has done so much for me, and I actually thought about betraying him. And then I had to go and tell him that. I probably really hurt him.
Sitting alone in silence, it was all she could do to simply collapse on her bed that night and cry herself to sleep.
***
In a dockside warehouse by the Manehattan Harbor, a group of ponies huddled together in relative silence among the wooden crates stacked around them. The small windows near the ceiling let the smallest sliver of moonlight in to dimly illuminate the room.
They all tensed up as they heard the sound of door opening and a shadow was cast from a figure entering.
“The gears will turn,” the figure whispered.
The ponies inside relaxed. “The nation will rise,” their leader replied. As the door closed, she flicked a switch and a small kerosene lamp began to glow. In the soft light, Blue Blazer, now devoid of her namesake article of clothing, stepped forward to greet the newcomer.
His blue fur and black leather jacket became visible. Leaning in, an easy smile on his face, he continued speaking to her in a hushed voice. “Blue Blazer. It’s good to see you again.”
She returned the smile. “Likewise, Mr. Umahara.” She shivered. “I really wish we’d thought to get some blankets. It’s freezing down here by the water.”
Umahara, known to the world as “Fine Print,” nodded to her, looking over his shoulder. “The boat will have them. I can’t promise it’ll be a luxurious ride, but it’ll do the job.”
There was a cough and a new voice said, “Good! And see if you can get a med kit, will you?” The speaker came into the light. The donkey who’d called himself “Burrojangles” was wincing and rubbing a spot on his flank. “This bruise Vanderbull gave me hurts like a--”
“Wait wait wait, what did you say, Kenuth?” Umahara’s eyes grew wide. “What happened? Were you spotted?!”
The donkey, Kenuth, made a face. “You mean they didn’t tell you anything?!”
Blue Blazer raised a hoof. “No, please, let’s get into a shouting match so that simply every dock worker in the area can hear us.” The two fell silent, though they continued glaring at each other. “Don Kenuth, we’ll get you back to writing programs in no time. I’ll brief Umahara about what happened.”
Umahara stepped off to the side with Blue Blazer. “So, what happened?” he asked, trying not to raise his voice. “My contact just said you’d all arrived at the rendezvous.”
Blue Blazer sighed. “Umahara, I’ll be brief. Don Kenuth did his best and he did get a good look at the different places that are being investigated. A few of our associates are on the list… and so is our base of operations.”
Umahara’s mouth felt dry. “Oh no. Well, what about the pictures?”
“That’s the problem,” she replied. “He got a perfect look at the information, but he was spotted by Vanderbull himself and the camera was confiscated. We need to move quickly and pull up stakes everywhere to cover our tracks, because now we’ve tipped our hoof to them and we’re utterly sunk if we’re caught.”
Umahara smacked his forehead. “Unbelievable. Well, I’ll have a message sent by telegraph. We have an operative over at the office who can get the word out discretely.”
Blue Blazer then caught him peering over her shoulder, his eyes a little wider and a slight smile on his face. She cringed inwardly, realizing who he was looking for.
“Well, at least I know your mission was--”
“A failure,” she said sullenly, cutting him off.
He froze. “What? Wait, where is--”
“She didn’t take the offer,” Blue Blazer said, shaking her head. “Umahara, I tried my hardest to convince Gadget to join us, but she said no. I’m sorry, but she turned our offer down.”
“You… that’s…” He grit his teeth. “What do you mean? How could she?! You didn’t try hard enough!”
The whole group of them, including the former museum guards and a few other agents from around Manehattan, turned to stare at this sudden outburst.
“Umahara, hush!” Blue Blazer hissed, clamping her hooves over his muzzle. “I know you’re upset, but I did everything I could.”
Umahara stared down at the floor, his eyes darting left and right frantically. “But… wait, did you tell her that I… I wanted to see her again!”
“Yes, yes, I told her that the invitation was from you.” She rolled her eyes. Stallions, she thought inwardly. When they get like this, they might as well be foals!
He swallowed. “Did,” he began, his voice quieter, “didn’t you tell her that I… I mean, the way I feel?”
She frowned, placing her hoof on his shoulder. “Yes. And you know what?” She offered him a small, sad smile. “She still cares for you, too.”
He raised his head, his eyes lighting up. “She does?”
“Yes. But she’s still angry and her loyalties are to Vanderbull and the Princesses.”
Umahara was quiet. Then his eyes hardened and he pulled his jacket up over his neck. He turned away silently and made for the door.
Blue Blazer took to the air and landed in his path. “Where do you think you’re going, Umahara?”
“To find Gadget,” he said coldly. “I have to see her and tell her--”
She shot forward, going muzzle to muzzle with him. “Umahara, no. That is an outrageously stupid idea. You’re too important to the movement and there’s nothing you can say to make her change. And even if there was, we have to leave tonight. We need your help to get out of Manehattan, and your first duty is to your comrades. I know you like her and I see why, but you can’t risk this and go off like some lovesick little colt.” She chuckled. “Besides, even without her arms, that little lady hits like a freight train. She’d probably break every bone in your body before you got the chance.”
Umahara stared back at her, his nostrils flaring, but gradually the fire in his eyes died down. “Yeah,” he said. “You’re right.”
She nodded and patted him on the back. “Oh, Umahara, I’m truly sorry. But maybe when this is all over you can go to her and talk this out. Just not now. Right now, we need to get out of here and we need your help to do it.”
He sniffed, almost chuckling. “You know,” he said ruefully, “I had it all planned. We’d escape together on the boat and watch the sunrise as we made our way toward the base. I’d explain it all and… and she’d…”
He took a long, shaky breath. “Stupid, really. I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.” He pushed her back with a smile. “Okay, enough delays. I’ll get a message out before the Royal Guard can even mobilize. We need another hour before we’ll be ready, but then we can sneak on board our boat and sail out without the harbormaster suspecting anything.”
Blue Blazer nodded, but as Umahara turned to go, she said, “Umahara? Uh, about Unit 003...”
With a flash of annoyance on his face, he paused and looked back at her. “Yes?”
“She really is impressive. She was talking, interacting, even joking. I know it’s all simulated, but is it possible that 003 is, I don’t know… evolving somehow?”
He smiled. “You know, 003’s so convincing, even I’ve wondered about it. To be honest, even I’m not so sure. I didn’t think she had that kind of complexity, but maybe so.”
She wrinkled her nose at that. “If she really has gained sentience, then what does that mean?”
“I don’t know,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders. “But in all honesty, I’m not sure it matters right now. We have our work to do, so we’ll have to address that issue later.”
Blue Blazer mulled that over. “I suppose that’s true. Well, then… I guess you’d better get going.”
Umahara watched as Blue Blazer blew out the kerosene lamp and he walked out of the warehouse, locking it behind him. He looked out at the moon rising slowly over the harbor. The pale reflection of it shimmered on the water amid the boats. He took one last lingering look before heaving a sigh and, zipping up his coat against the cold, went on his way to complete the mission.
***
“Unbelievable!” Vanderbull bellowed as he downed the contents of his glass in one gulp and slammed it onto the bar. “Simply unbelievable!”
He sat at the bar in his lounge in west wing of his spacious mansion. At times, this lounge, with its bar, was a place where he and his wife hosted their parties and small social gatherings. There were soft, plush couches, a crystalline chandelier overhead, and of course the well-stocked bar where he and others could slake their thirst.
But that night, he sat there alone, in total silence save for his own rumblings, until faintly there came the sound of hooves and the gentle clicking of somepony’s tongue.
“Cornelius, dear, what are you doing at this hour?”
He turned, rotating on the barstool, and saw his wife standing there.
Sophia Vanderbull was a sandy-colored unicorn with a black mane drawn up into a bun. She wore a fine, silken nightgown and her face was mostly serene, save for a slightly raised eyebrow.
“Ah.” Vanderbull rose to his hooves. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you, darling?”
She yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof in a ladylike way. “No, but you are keeping me awake. You were late getting home and I had to eat supper by myself, but I at least expected to see you at bedtime. I’ve been reading for half an hour and you’ve just been down here snarling like a wild beast.”
He lowered his head. “Oh. I didn’t realize you could hear me.”
She smiled and went over to the bar, taking a seat next to him. Using her magic, she uncorked the half-filled bottle and poured herself a fresh glass. She took a drink and swallowed, giving a satisfied sigh.
“You only drink alone when you’re upset.” She glanced up at him. “Cornelius, did something happen at work today? Please tell me you aren’t worrying yourself into a tizzy over some foolish business merger or negotiating some new railroad deal.”
He scoffed at that and refilled his glass. “No. This is different.” He gazed down at his reflection in the amber-colored liquid. “Let me tell you…”
She listened to him as he told the tale, about the spy, about Luna and Twilight’s visit, all the while growing more agitated until he finally recounted his last conversation with Gadget.
“After everything I’ve done for her, after all the time and energy and money spent on her,” he growled, rising to his hooves, practically shaking with anger, “she was actually thinking of going with those traitors?!” He clenched his fists, his eyes bulging, snorting like a mad bull. “How could she be so… ungrateful!”
“Cornelius…”
“That’s it! Ungrateful! I gave her everything she needed and doted on her and--”
“Cornelius.”
The tone from his wife was not especially loud or sharp, but it had an edge to it that brought him out of his rambling. He turned around, slowly letting his tension drain out of him.
“I’m sorry, Sophia,” he sighed. “But I simply can’t fathom what she was thinking.”
She took another sip and finished her drink, then gently got down from the stool and beckoned toward the couch. Vanderbull obediently sat on the couch and Sophia hopped up on it next to him and put her hooves on his shoulders, gently massaging them. He let out a sigh and his breathing slowed.
“Better, dear?” she asked.
He only nodded, closing his eyes.
“Now, tell me, did you get angry?” she asked, no hint of accusation in her voice. “Or yell at her?”
He shook his head. “No. I only told her to go home and I would think about it. I was actually angry, but I didn’t show it. I realized I had better calm down before I did something I regretted.”
“That’s good,” she said, continuing to knead. “You must be mellowing with age to have held back. You do have such a frightful temper when you get upset.”
“Hmph,” he grunted. “Just my minotaur nature.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh of course. When others say you have a temper it’s ‘racism,’ but when you say it, it’s--”
“--self-deprecation.” He glanced back at her, wearing a slight smile.
She giggled. “If you say so.” She then grew more serious. “So, are you disappointed because Gadget considered leaving your employ?”
“Of course. Why shouldn’t I be?”
“I didn’t say you shouldn’t be,” she said, leaning into a stubborn knot of tension. “But what I don’t understand is why that upsets you when, in the end, she turned them down and even told you about it. So she had to think about it… why does that make you upset?”
He made a face. “I… I suppose I didn’t think she would even consider such an offer. That her loyalty to the company--”
“--to you, you mean.”
“Yes, yes, blast it all!” he growled, but then calmed down as Sophia pushed hard between his shoulder blades. “What I mean is… I suppose…”
Sophia shook her head. “Cornelius, let’s be honest about a few things. When you first introduced me to Gadget, I did not like her at all.”
He raised his head, wearing a look of confusion. “You never told me that.”
“Yes, well… I thought, ah…”
Vanderbull turned around to face her, the smugness on his face plain as day. “Why Sophia, were you jealous?”
She blushed. “I admit that at first I worried that perhaps you’d grown tired of this old nag and wanted a spritely young filly to hang onto your every word. But then I saw how eager she was to prove herself valuable and that you, in turn, looked on her with pride rather than… well, something else. And I grew to enjoy her whenever she came to visit or whenever I happened to come to the office.”
The two smiled at each other. “Sophia,” Vanderbull said, “how could you ever think I would abandon you?” He swept her into his arms and she rested her head on his broad chest as he cradled her. “What sort of fool would I be if I abandoned the most beautiful mare in all the land? Without you, everything else means nothing.”
She smiled contentedly. “You old charmer.” She took a deep breath. “But you need to give your relationship with Gadget some serious thought. Even if she isn’t some paramour to you, it’s obvious that she is more than just an employee. Every time I see you two together, I see it in your eyes. I see how she’s fulfilled some part of you.”
Vanderbull held her tighter. “Sophia, I… you know, if we could have had children of our own…” He paused, trailing off, but she waited in silence for him to continue. “And we decided not to adopt and I thought that was all well and good, but as time has gone by and there’s been nopony to step forward to follow in my hoofsteps, I find myself worrying about my legacy. Who could I pass it off to?”
She rested a hoof on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. “Please, don’t apologize. We made our decisions together and I wouldn’t have changed anything. But in the meantime, you need to consider what Gadget wants.” She opened her eyes, sitting up to look at him. “She is not our daughter, Cornelius.”
He looked down. “No. No, I suppose she isn’t. And I suppose I ought to have a frank discussion with her about all this. I’d always expected her to be perfectly happy with her situation. Perhaps I haven’t been fair.”
Sophia nodded. “Well, then. It seems there’s nothing to do but get some rest before tomorrow.” She reached up and ran a hoof along his horns, playfully.
“I suppose so.” He smiled, and kissed her forehead before picking her up and carrying her out of the room. “I love you, Mrs. Vanderbull.”
“You’d better, you big dummy.” The two of them laughed, putting out the lights as they turned in for the night.
***
Twilight leaned back in bed, resting her head on the pillow as she used her magic to turn off the light. The luxurious hotel room in the Vanderbull Hotel was certainly comfortable and she and Turing had retired there after spending hours in the Manehattan Library. Twilight was tired, but hungry, so she’d ordered room service and managed to mostly ignore Turing as she watched her wolf down dinner. After that, Turing had said that she would need some time to compile the data from the books she’d read.
She quietly slipped into slumber. But some time later she woke up when she heard the familiar sound of gears whirring and through her eyelids she detected a distinct violet glow.
“Compiling has been completed, Twilight Sparkle.”
She barely opened her eyes and saw Turing Test’s glowing purple eyes bathing her with their light. Somewhat blinded and without any night vision, to her it looked as though two disembodied purple orbs were staring right at her.
“Mmm…” Twilight groaned, sitting up. “Turing, what time is it?”
“It is 1:26 AM, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Turing, it’s awfully late.”
Turing tilted her head. “That is incorrect. As the day has only recently started, it is awfully early.”
“Turing, that’s... what do you want?”
“I wished to tell you that I had finished compiling the data.”
Twilight rubbed her eyes. “Uh huh.” She yawned. “You were just sitting there for a while, so I decided to go to bed. How many books did you read? I managed to speed-read a few myself.”
“I successfully scanned one thousand and thirty-eight books, Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight began coughing. “Wh-what?! You read over a thousand books?!”
“With an average rate of 10 seconds per book, and approximately four hours until they forcibly ejected us to close the library, I could easily have read up to one thousand four-hundred forty books. However, some time was spent in skipping books I had already read, moving to new sections of the library, and only seeking topics that seemed more relevant. Also, I found that I had to repeatedly explain my activities to other library patrons and the librarians who found my presence distracting.”
Twilight made no reply.
“Please wake up, Twilight Sparkle.” Turing then made a high-pitched beeping noise, which caused Twilight to jerk her head up and bop Turing on the head, causing her to stop beeping.
“Snooze mode activated.”
“Gah! What the… Turing? What time is it?”
“It is 1:27 AM, Twilight Sparkle.”
“What… wait, did you just wake me up again?!”
“You were unconscious for part of my reply to your inquiry about the number of books I read. It seemed reasonable that you would wish to hear the complete response.”
Twilight rubbed her forehead. “Turing Test, it’s late--”
“Early.”
“Whatever!” she snapped. “Look, it has been a long day and I’m tired. I want to go to bed.”
“You are in bed now.”
“I mean I want to sleep and you’re keeping me awake!”
“I see. My apologies. I will not attempt to awaken you again.”
Twilight nodded, her eyes drooping. “That’s good. Good night, Turing Test.”
“Good night, Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight lay on the bed and closed her eyes, expecting to hear Turing Test exit the room. Instead, her robotic companion only continued to stand there, her eyes still aglow.
“Turing, I said I’m going to bed.”
“You are still in bed.”
“Turing, do you have to stand there with your eyes on, staring at me like that?!” she shouted, whirling her head around. “Please, I just want to rest!”
“Understood. My eyes and the act of watching you are making you uncomfortable. I will remedy the situation.”
Turing’s eyes dimmed and soon the room was completely black. Twilight relaxed and turned back over. Only now, she realized that Turing was still sitting in the same position, still staring at her with her eyes completely black and unseeing in the darkness. But she was still there, still listening.
It’s just Turing Test, Twilight told herself, and there’s no reason to mind it. She’s not creepy, she’s just sitting there, probably waiting for you to wake up. Now, let’s just… darn it!
She sat up. “Turing, why are you just sitting there?”
“Shall I stand instead?”
“Turing do you want something?”
There was a pause. “I apologize, Twilight Sparkle. After compiling the data from the books scanned at the library and considering the information gathered at the museum, I wished to discuss several matters with you. However, it is clear that my presence at this time is unwanted. I will discuss my concerns with you at another time that is more convenient.”
Twilight noticed the pause. Turing did not inflect her speech like normal ponies, but Twilight was getting better and better at “reading” Turing Test and she started to understand that Turing really wanted to talk to her, that she had something on her mind and didn’t want to wait to talk about it.
Using her magic, Twilight clicked on the lamp again, giving a start at the sight of Turing Test’s black-eyed, vacant stare in the now illuminated room.
“Turn your eyes on, Turing,” Twilight sighed, sitting up on the bed, “and tell me what’s bothering you.”
Turing’s eyes flickered on and she saw that Twilight was wearing a weak smile, though her eyes were heavy and bleary. “Are you certain that--”
“Turing Test, just tell me what’s on your mind. I’m awake, at least for now, so you might as well tell me.”
The mechanical mare nodded. “I wished to discuss my reaction to the automata we viewed today. It was a very interesting experience and I have gained a new appreciation for the advances that led to my creation. You helped me to comprehend my relation to the machines of the past, and as a machine, I am now more aware of how I compare to them.
“However, something I noticed now troubles me.”
Twilight sat up, frowning. “Troubles you? What do you mean? Are you having an emotional response?”
“I am not certain. However, my cognitive function is not processing the data as quickly as expected. No loops have been detected, and yet I cannot say that it is not significant. I have merely used the term that I believe is most suitable to describe my reaction.”
Twilight rubbed her eyes, trying to focus. “Your reaction to what, exactly?”
“When I learned that we would be viewing an exhibit on other automata, I considered that some would resemble me in a way that was more than superficial. Perhaps I would encounter another intelligence that, though primitive, would somewhat resemble my own. Instead, all the automata in the exhibit were…”
Twilight waited for Turing to finish and narrowed her eyes. When Turing did not continue, Twilight cleared her throat. “Please, go on. What were they, Turing Test?”
“...I cannot explain. I do not have a sufficient word in my vocabulary. What I mean is that I looked at those machines and recognized nothing resembling the complexity of my own cognitive function. They moved and functioned and in many cases demonstrated an excellent fusion of both form and function, but ultimately they were all mere tools designed for only limited objectives. They were… empty. They were not…”
“...Alive?”
Turing’s ears twitched. “That word seems inappropriate. I am not alive either.”
Twilight cringed at that.
“I do not understand why such a declaration distresses you, Twilight Sparkle, but it is true. However, what troubles me is not that the other automata were without consciousness. What struck me is that my reaction and lack of empathy for them has made me wonder if my reaction to them is similar to the reaction other ponies have to me.”
Twilight’s lips parted. “Oh. Oh, Turing…”
“I believe I understand why most organics do not accept me. They see me and do not recognize a consciousness like their own. Perhaps, as a machine, I do not truly possess a consciousness that organics can recognize as similar to their own.”
Twilight slid off the bed and pulled Turing Test in for a hug. “Don’t say that, Turing,” she whispered. “You aren’t like those things in the museum. You’re so much more.”
“I am not certain that I am,” Turing continued, simply standing there and not returning the hug. “I have read many books on numerous matters including several books on philosophy and theology. The majority of such thinkers ascribe special characteristics to ponies that inanimate objects and animals do not possess. They posit that what animates and truly makes a being, like ponies or other intelligent races, is something that exists beyond the physical realm.”
Twilight felt Turing slip from her grasp and step backwards. Uncertain of what to say, she could only watch as her robotic friend stared intently at her.
“Twilight Sparkle,” she began quietly, “do I have a soul?”
With a lump in her throat, Twilight stood up straight and offered her a placid smile. “Turing Test, nopony really knows if such a thing exists.”
“It does seem to be widely accepted.”
“That doesn’t mean that it’s true. Some ponies think it does, and others don’t.”
“Then what do you believe, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight chuckled and gave her a knowing, sideways glance. “I think that it doesn’t matter what I think and that you shouldn’t accept my answer anyway. But I do know one thing: if organic ponies do have a soul, then I’m sure you have one too.”
Turing was quiet for a moment, her ears twitching and her eyes contracting. Then she stepped forward and gently draped her forelegs around Twilight. In a voice barely above a whisper, she said only two words:
“Thank you.”
As the two friends parted from their embrace, Turing added, “I still hope that one day I am able to decisively prove my own self-awareness and perhaps gain acceptance.”
“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” Twilight replied as she yawned and turned back toward her bed. “Well, good nigh--”
There was a sudden knock on the door.
“Oh for the love of…” Twilight teleported to the hotel door, ready to snap at whoever was coming by so late and undid the latch, opening the door widely. “Do you know what time--”
Gadget stood there. She held a small bag in one of her mechanical arms and she was hugging herself as she sat in the hallway. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes bloodshot. “Um… I got scared,” she whimpered. “And… and I decided I really don’t want to be alone tonight. May I… that is, if it’s okay…?”
Twilight levitated the bag into the room and gently guided the young mare inside. “Come on inside, Gadget. We’ve got you covered.”
***
The chariot flew over the tall, round-topped hills, the cold autumn air chilling the two sisters as they approached the peak of one of them. Like the others, it was rocky and sheer, but low enough to not be covered with snow. Unlike the others, this one had a building on it. It resembled a lodge or a hotel at first, but then Luna caught sight of the bars over the windows.
When the Chariot touched down, Celestia wasted no time in disembarking. Luna hurriedly followed her elder sister to the front gates. The two guards bowed, immediately clearing the way and opening the doors for the two of them.
Once inside, Luna saw the checkered floor and caught the distinct smell of disinfectants (something else she’d had to get used to since her return, as such chemicals did not exist a millennium ago) and saw the doctors and nurses moving about. As soon as the two Princesses entered, even the personnel stopped to bow to them.
Celestia smiled, but gave only the most cursory of nods. The pony behind the front desk stood and bowed as well. “Your Highnesses,” he said. “Doctor Chaise Lounge is on the third floor. She’ll be waiting for you.”
“Very good. Thank you,” Celestia said.
Luna followed Celestia down the hall as she made her way to the stairs. The light-blue paint on the walls looked pristine, but the walls themselves had large dents in them.
“So,” Luna muttered, “this is a hospital acting as a prison? Or a prison masquerading as a hospital?”
Celestia slowed and looked back at Luna. “As a matter of fact,” she said, somewhat sternly, “it is a bit of both. This place is here to help some of our most disturbed subjects, Luna. Some of them are dangers to themselves or others through no fault of their own.”
“And does that category,” Luna asked, raising an eyebrow, “include Grace?”
Celestia sighed. “No. But for someone like her, there is no facility better equipped to handle her, should the need arise.”
The two of them ascended the stairs and were quickly spotted by a pale yellow pony with a burgundy mane with a streak of gray running through it. She was wearing a white coat, much like the other doctors, as well as a pair of glasses. On her flank, she bore the image of a strange-looking couch.
“Your Highnesses,” the doctor said.
“Dr. Chaise Lounge,” Celestia said, nodding to her. “This is my sister, Princess Luna.”
Chaise Lounge turned and gave a similar bow to Luna. “It is an honor to meet you. I appreciate you coming out to such a remote place, but your sister, upon being told of our situation, believes you might be able to assist us.”
Luna put a hoof to her chest. “I will do my best. However,” she said, narrowing her eyes, “I am not certain I understand. This criminal, Amazing Grace, is unresponsive, isn’t she?”
“Well, yes,” Chaise Lounge said, looking away, rubbing her neck, “but ever since she’s arrived, some odd things have been happening. Many patients, even the docile ones, seem to be getting more hostile and restless. And many of the staff swear they hear voices and a few of them even say they’ve seen… well, things.”
Luna simply stared at her.
“You think we are imagining things.”
“I do not know,” Luna replied. “However, Celestia told me that both Grace and her companion, Glory, had their dark magic enhancements removed from them. Glory lost much of his healing, and Grace should no longer be able to mentally attack her victims.”
Chaise Lounge nodded. “That’s true. But the alchemical enhancements are much more difficult to neutralize, which is why both are still in high-security custody.”
“As a matter of fact,” Celestia added, “Glory is in an exceptionally secure dungeon. He has refused to talk about who hired him and only demands that he be allowed to see Grace.” She sighed, shaking her head. “For all that he is, it seems that he cares for her beyond anything else. He could be sent to Tartarus and would probably not mind it, so long as his only friend was with him.”
“So then,” Luna said, “you wish for me to enter her dreams, perhaps discern if there is something unknown going on, maybe even learn who hired her and Glory. Is there anything more?”
Chaise Lounge shook her head. “No, Your Highness. This way, please.”
They went down the hall and right to the room in the very corner of the ward. Chaise Lounge held open the door and the two sisters entered.
Grace lay there in the small, darkened room. Her habit still adorned her head, her dirty blonde mane flowing out over her pillow. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell with glacial slowness. A heart monitor beeped a regular rhythm and an IV drip was connected to her arm. All four legs were tied to her hospital bed.
Luna frowned. “Why is she allowed to wear that garment?”
Chaise Lounge cleared her throat. “My apologies, but patients often do better with an object of familiarity. She might come out of her catatonic state if she’s aware of something she knows.”
Luna sniffed at that. “From what I understand, her victims recover slowly, if at all, so I see no reason to hasten her return other than to also hasten her punishment.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Luna. I apologize, but…”
“Do not worry, Sister. I will do my best regardless.”
A pale stream of white light flowed like a thread from her horn to Grace’s forehead. There was a moment of silence and Luna scrunched her eyes shut as she concentrated. Grace twitched slightly, her breathing momentarily quickening along with her heart rate.
Suddenly, Luna gave a cry of frustration and broke the connection, raising her head as she did so.
“Luna!” Celestia cried, going to her side. “Are you--”
“I am fine,” she assured her, “but I am unable to delve into her mind.”
Celestia looked back to Grace. “What? How can that be?”
“I am uncertain. Perhaps her mind is simply too broken to be coherent. Or perhaps even in her subconscious, she wishes to resist me. In either case, there is nothing I can do.”
Chaise Lounge bowed low to them both. “I see. I am terribly sorry to have wasted your time, Your Highnesses.”
Celestia and Luna both smiled at her. “Not at all,” Celestia said, raising a hoof, encouraging her to rise.
“It was a good idea and even I did not expect this outcome,” Luna added.
Chaise Lounge sighed. “I just wish I knew what this was all about. So many of the staff keep complaining about those visions. They see a horrible beast in silvery armor with glowing purple eyes.”
Luna and Celestia froze.
“I suppose it must be some sort of mass hysteria. I’ll encourage the staff to take some of their vacation time to relax.” She shrugged and then held open the door for them both.
Luna and Celestia exchanged a knowing glance. “Ah, would you mind going ahead of us, doctor?” Celestia asked. “I’d like to discuss something with my sister.”
Chaise Lounge nodded. “As you wish.”
Once they were alone, the two sisters exchanged a knowing glance.
“Turing Test?” Celestia asked.
“It must be,” Luna replied.
“But how?”
“Well,” she said slowly, rubbing her chin with her hoof, “perhaps some residual effect of Grace’s mental abilities are projecting her lingering nightmares onto the others.”
Celestia sighed. “I suppose that could be the case. Well, then, let’s leave this place and return to Canterlot. Hopefully reversing the alchemical enhancements will put an end to the problem.”
Luna nodded and followed Celestia out of the room. She took one last look back into the room, however, a small smile on her lips. “Should you awaken,” she whispered to the catatonic nun, “you may prefer whatever sentence is meted out to you. At least then you would have nothing to fear from that robot.”
That said, she turned and let the door slowly shut.
***
As morning dawned over Manehattan, inside Vanderbull Industries, an elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Gadget, flanked by Twilight Sparkle and Turing Test, stepped out and began to trek down the hall toward Vanderbull’s office at the end.
Gulping, Gadget slowly made her way toward the double doors. “I w-wonder if this is how criminals in the old days felt on the way to the gallows.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Gadget, calm down. Mr. Vanderbull’s really nice. I’m sure everything’s going to be fine.”
“B-but what if it’s not?” she asked, her knees knocking together. “What if he decides to demote me? What if he cuts off the research I’ve been doing? What if… what if he fires me?”
“It would be illogical for him to terminate your employment after demonstrating your loyalty,” Turing observed.
“Maybe so,” Gadget said, “but you don’t know for sure that he won’t! He was pretty upset when I told him I’d almost said yes to Blue Blazer.”
Twilight stepped in front of her. “No, we don’t know for sure,” she said, offering her a confident smile, “but even if he does, everything will be all right. You’ve got our support and there are lots of other jobs a smart pony like you can get.”
Gadget heaved a long, heavy sigh. “Okay,” she said at last, raising her head and smiling weakly. “I’d better go in.”
“Shall we accompany you, Gadget?”
“No,” she replied, standing up straight. “This is between me and my boss. I’ll face this head on.”
Twilight and Turing stepped back as Gadget knocked on the double doors.
“Come in!” Vanderbull called.
Gadget entered to see a stallion clasping Vanderbull’s hand in his hooves as they both stood in front of his desk.
“Seriously, sir, I can’t thank you enough and I’m so sorry--”
“No, no, it’s all right, Flip Switch,” Vanderbull said, holding up his other hand. “As I said, it’s my fault for losing my temper. And, in light of what happened, I need ponies I can trust… and you certainly wouldn’t have alerted me if you’d been with the infiltrators. Just be more careful and report anything suspicious the instant you see it.”
“Yes, of course! I will, sir!”
Flip Switch tipped his hat to Vanderbull and made for the exit, smiling at Gadget as he passed. Once he’d gone, Gadget looked over at Vanderbull inquisitively.
“Mr. Flip Switch is the one who spotted that Burrojangles fellow entering your workshop. He really should have alerted security, but if it were not for him, we might never have known that your workshop had been breached.”
Gadget nodded. “Oh. Okay.” She swallowed. “You wanted to see me, sir?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Vanderbull gestured at one of the large chairs he kept in the office and she took a seat. He took up a seat as well across from her. “I think we should have a chat about your future, Gadget.”
She sighed. “Listen, sir,” she began, pulling a paper from her inner jacket pocket, offering it with one mechanical hand, “I want you to have this.”
Vanderbull leaned forward and took the paper. He unfolded it and his eyes went wide. “These are blueprints for some sort of mechanical lock. What is it for?”
“It’s just a going away present,” she said quietly. “Just to show you that there are no hard feelings.”
Vanderbull was quiet and lowered his head. “I see. You’re resigning.”
Gadget sat upright. “What? No, I… I thought you were firing me!”
The two stared at each other for a moment, and then Vanderbull started to laugh, much to Gadget’s confusion.
“Look, Gadget, I had a nice, long chat with my wife last night and I think I’ve come to some conclusions. But before I get to that, I’d like to hear why you considered accepting Blue Blazer’s offer in the first place.”
Gadget scrunched inward, steepling her mechanical fingers on both pairs of hands. “Well, sir, I have to admit that part of it is just that it sounded exciting. Working on any project I ever wanted, either my own or to help somepony else with theirs, finding out how Turing Test was built, and not having to worry about my assistant duties.”
“I see,” Vanderbull said, leaning back. “Then... do you no longer wish to be my assistant?”
“Oh no, not at all, sir!” she cried. “I love being your assistant! I’ve learned so much and I love to see all the places and meet the ponies that you do. It’s exciting and I really feel like it’s important work. Sure it’s hard work and sometimes I’d rather just be back in my workshop creating things, but I understand the benefits.”
She grew somber then, her ears drooping.
“Sir, the problem is that I… I worry that I’m going to disappoint you.”
Vanderbull leaned forward. “Go on.”
She turned away. “I’m always messing things up and you have to keep snapping me back to reality. And sometimes when you’re planning some big business deal or negotiating something with one of the railroad owners, I’m just off daydreaming. Blue Blazer said that you might want me to be your successor one day, and I,” she sniffled, “I realized that I j-just don’t know if I can do a good enough job. I’m not s-sure I can live up to your example, sir. W-what if that happens and I run the business into the ground? What if I ruin everything you’ve worked so hard for? I… I don’t… I’m sorry, sir.”
She felt a heavy hand on her head and looked up to see Vanderbull smiling down at her.
“Gadget, in fact I should apologize to you.” He crouched down to be on eye level with her. “There is something I’ve never really said to you, though I suspect even you may be aware of it. Gadget, I don’t have any children of my own, and for ages I did not wish for any. But having you around has renewed me in many small ways I cannot properly articulate. What I am trying to say is that, in many ways, you are like the daughter I’ve never had.”
Gadget blushed. “Sir… that’s…”
“I’ll tell you what it is,” Vanderbull said, and now it was his turn to look away. “It is cruel.”
“Cruel? Why?”
“Because I’ve rested my hopes and expectations on you in ways you were not prepared for. I made demands of you that I wouldn’t make of any other employee and set you apart from the others in a way that surely must have alienated you. And now I see I’ve given you these anxieties and perhaps even driven a wedge between us. That is my mistake, Gadget.”
He stood and went to the desk where he’d laid Gadget’s blueprints. “These blueprints are another reminder to me that you and I are quite different. If you were going to lose this job, you should have held onto these plans and tried to sell them. Instead, you gave them to me for nothing.”
Gadget blinked. “Oh.” She smacked her own forehead. “I didn’t even think about that.”
Vanderbull chuckled. “Gadget, you are still young and perhaps you will one day develop a better head for business that will balance your generous streak. Too many inventors are so high-minded that they cheat themselves out of success. And too many business owners have no compassion for others. I see your potential to even these out.
“But what’s most important to me is that you know that the choices you make for your future are up to you. I may be getting old, but my time has not passed yet. When it finally comes time for me to retire and if you follow in my hoofsteps and become my successor, that would be wonderful, but only if you want that responsibility. If you do not, then I want you to know that I will respect that decision. I will never ask you to give up your happiness for me.”
Gadget smiled, happy tears forming in her eyes. “Sir,” she whispered. “I… I don’t know what to say.” She hopped off her seat and walked over to him. He crouched down and the two embraced each other. “Believe me, sir, I am happy here. I’m just glad you’re happy with me.”
“Well, now that we’ve settled that,” Vanderbull said, smoothing off his coat, resuming his usual demeanor, “you should go prepare Princess Twilight and Turing Test for your other surprise.”
Gadget blinked.
Vanderbull chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, Gadget. Did you honestly forget about our guest?”
Gadget continued staring at him for a moment before her eyes went wide. “Oh my gosh! That’s right! With all the excitement--”
“He’ll be here in half an hour. Meet us in the Guest Room at that time.”
***
Twilight noticed the spring in Gadget’s step as she led her and Turing Test down the hall.
“I’m really glad it all worked out, Gadget,” Twilight said. “You seem really excited about today, too!”
“What activities have you planned, Gadget?” Turing asked. “Twilight Sparkle suggested a tour of something with historical significance, or perhaps an ‘off-Bridleway’ performance. Given the nature of your previous surprises, however, I anticipate something less conventional.”
Gadget raised an eyebrow. “Well, you’re right about that, Turing. In fact,” she said, stopping by a door, “this particular surprise is right behind this door.”
Twilight and Turing exchanged glances before looking back at the door.
“You seem to be very good at planning your surprises, Gadget. I am unable to predict what could be inside.”
“Then let me show you.” She knocked on the door.
“Come in, please!” came Mr. Vanderbull’s voice.
Gadget gestured to Twilight, who used her magic to turn the knob and open the door. They walked inside a cozy room with several chairs around a coffee table sitting on an ornate rug. Vanderbull was lightly chatting with someone sitting in the chair nearest to them, but his back was turned and he was obscured behind the tall back of the chair.
“Princess Twilight, Turing Test, you’ve arrived!” Vanderbull said. “There’s someone we’d like you both to meet.”
The figure rose from the chair and his black wings spread out as he stood and came around to face them. Twilight saw he was a griffon with a white, owlish face, pale white claws with black talons, and black paws and a slender black tail. He was wearing a gray tweed jacket over a shirt and paisley necktie. He smiled and gave a little bow to Twilight.
“You must be Princess Twilight Sparkle,” he said, a clear Trottingham accent coming through.
“Yes, that’s right,” she said.
He nodded and then turned toward Turing Test, his eyes lighting up.
“And you,” he said, putting out his claw, “must be the one they call Turing.”
“Affirmative,” Turing said, placing her hoof in his claw. “I am called Turing.”
“As am I,” he said, chuckling to himself. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Talon Turing.”
To be continued...
