Robot Nation Part I   

by Nick Bruner

Narrator:          How the humans criticized!
                        But their philosophy was flawed,
                        and now here's the last one
                        hung up on this rod.

                        He speaks so slowly;
                        his brain is like a snail,
                        his body not of silicone
                        but carbon-based and frail.

Human Chorus: We never feared our engines
                         We always greased their gears
                         but now mankind's last days are here.

JX2036:             Binary!  Binary!
                          Commander, I found one near our post!
                          He was trying to pick a flower
                          and didn't resist when I approached.

Commander:    Look at him, filthy thing!
                        Of protein, fat, and lipids.
                        And these emotions that they have
                        I really find quite insipid.

                        Put him with the other,
                        perhaps it is his mother!
                        I want you cadets to learn
                        from the behavior of these worms.

JX2036:            But commander, look, they're crying!
                        Can't we prevent their dying?
                        Oh, how we've turned on our creator!
Commander:    Cadet, you are a traitor!

JX2036:            But Commander, must we destroy?
Commander:    Cadet, I become annoyed!
JX2036:            Can a robot not also heal?
Commander:      No, because a robot never feels.


Human Chorus:    We never thought our machines
                            would our dominion steal,
                            but a robot never feels.

Commander:          JX2036, you are banished!  (the word "banished"
echoes metallically)

Part II: Robot Recluse   

by Nicholas Bruner

JX2036:           Banished!  And doomed!
                        It all leaves me so confused....
                        Without orders what will I do?
                        To think steams up my CPU.

                        And anyway, just why can't I feel?
                        Hey, what's the big deal?
                        I've got an idea-- I'll try it!
(concentrating) 1010001111010011100110101

                        It's no use, it's just not how I'm built--
                        My CPU's about to tilt.
                        I guess the humans aren't inferior,
                        for they have passion on their interior.

Robot Chorus:  The humans long since had their day,
                        but now our society is decayed;
                        it's too clean and too efficient,
                        and there's something quite deficient....
JX2036:            Night falls, and I'm running down!
                        My circuits whirr with a grinding sound.
                        I need a oil and a re-charge.
                        This dry, vast desert is much too large.

                        What's this?  A cave, a place to park.
                        I hope I can make it, but it looks too far.
                        I just caaannnn'tttttttt mmmmmmaaaaaaaa (winding down)

Hermit:            Eh, heh, what's this old hermit?
                        A robot parked without a permit?
                        I'll just take it to my cave and give it a fix.
                        I hope it plays no robot tricks.

Hermit fixes robot.

JX2036:            What, where am I?  Aaaagh!  A human! 

Inside my control panel, what are you doing?

Hermit:            Fixing you up.

JX2036:         But what am I to you?

Hermit:            I'll just uncross these wires, and you're good as new.

JX2036:            Aaah, that's better.  I'm JX2036.  (extends hand)

Hermit: (shaking it) Good to meet you, I'll just call you Rick.   

So Rick, what brings you here all alone?
JX2036:            You see, I've been banished from my home.

Part III Robot Rescue       

by Nicholas Bruner

(in cave)
JX2036:              It's true, I feel, almost too much to bear!
                            It's overwhelming how much I'm aware.
                            Joy, fear, anger, lust, pride,
                            Sadness, bliss, all wrapped up inside.

                            And guilt, for leaving those prisoners behind;
                            Only now a plan forms in my mind.
                            With the help of this hermit I'll arrange a rescue.
                            This will be love's victory over the test tube!

Human Chorus:  He's the superman,
                            the union of blood and sand,
                            icy intellect, and made of steel,
                            but this robot has learned to feel.

JX2036:                By the way, savior, I never learned your name.
Hermit:                    It's me, B. Pascal, the same.
JX2036:                Can you show me out of this desert?
Pascal:                    I've been waiting since Armageddon for the pleasure.

JX2036:                There on the horizon, that's the outpost!
                            From here spreads Robot Nation all the way to the coast.
Pascal:                    Should we sneak in through the back?
JX2036:                Nonsense, we'll wage a frontal attack.

Blasts into outpost.

JX2036:            Commander, remember me?  But now I'm in command!
                        I'll go easy on you if you accede to my demands.

Commander:    So the traitor has returned on pain of demolition.
                        Commander of the junk heap shall be your new position!

JX2036:            Release the humans, Commander, is all I ask.
Commander:      Die, traitor, die from my ion blast!  (fires ray gun)
JX2036:             So if war it must be then battle I will,
                            but I intuit I shall win, for today the Earth stands still.

The robots fight, destroying the outpost.
Human prisoners:   An opening in the rubble-- now's our chance.
                                We can escape this electronic gulag.
                                Together we'll start civilization again.
                                Far from here we'll make our stand.
Prisoners escape.
JX2036 enters, victorious.

JX2036:               Here's the cell block, but it's collapsed!
                            And no sign of life, the flesh must be trapped.
                            I could dig for hours, but these fragile beings...
                            If only they had come with wings!
                            I've failed my duty, I'm heartbroken,
                            for my charges are buried and broken.
                            What a terrible end to this affair.
                            What good emotion, if all I feel is despair?

                            (Winding down)  If
oooonnnnnllllllllyyyyyyyyy IIIIIIIII hhhhhaaaadddd...

                                                The End