Seven wakes to an eery stillness. He opens his eyes and looks side to side. He shakes his head recalling his dream.
(Or was it?)
He recalls Layla's plea that they start a family. He remembers that they had quarreled. He had tried to reason to her. Layla became irate. She was used to getting her way. He sighs thinki of her. She is brilliant, she is beautiful, she is his wife...(well a replica.)
It all started years ago.
Silver ball bearings shifted when the planet shook causing them to spiral down the elaborate track. They rolled into position hitting another sphere then ending on the final rollercoaster ride to a giant pendulum where 11 balls suspended by cable wires swung into infinity breathing life into the once sleeping machine.
The Doctor had designed the structure to withstand most tremors. Only those of catalclysmic force would jar them into motion. It would signify the death of the the old world and the birth of the new. It would begin with kinetics. The machine would signal the tiny robotic spiders hidden deep within the debris to surface and locate their devices.
The spiders would spin their web of technology in silence as robots shift through the rubble and debris clearing the path to renovation. They would be drawn magnetically to their next destination while the androids once catatonic begin their routines of rebuilding the techno color city.
The city was once filled with humans, parks, schools, libraries, grocery stores, quaint little neighborhoods with tree lined lanes and sidewalks. These were soon replaced by skyscrapers, with inventions. They crumbled to industry, to technology. Slowly the machine world began its takeover. One by one the androids grew in number. They became the most sought after employees. They worked without rest, the were able to do three times what plain humans could and for less pay. They were paid in chips. Silicon chips needed for them to repair themselves, to adapt to the newer models. Soon humans became the minority, and a not so sought after commodity. Rebellions would soon ensue as humans fought against the new dawn of the machine world.
The androids, meta-humans, and humanoids tried to live in a symbiotic way but slowly a war began to rage. They had rose in ranks and were gaining independence. It was a slave trade but the Doctor worked hard in their designs and passed a law that after ten years of servitude they be granted freedom. It was on every headline for months until after almost a year. The case went to Supreme Court. The machines had finally won. The headlines raged. The iconic lawyer dubbly named Atticus Finch argued that property such as pets are by law considered property, with insurance and with papers of registration allowing the owners to transfer not just estates but also inherant wishes of their welfare and of their ...freedom. One owner probabated in her will that her android named Maggie 4473 go free and that all her assets belong to her for her entirity.
The machines began a massive strike. They too wanted to be like Maggie. Companies began to crumble, the city fell in production. The rich began to disparage. The machines began to think on their own...about their existance.
They were all fledglings then. The creations were designed bya man known simply to the world as the Doctor. Seven was his first to be metahuman. He was a hybrid humanoid with mutant genes altered in his lab. He had mixes of DNA and robotic implants. One to six all failed in their initial tests. The doctor finally found succeeds with the one he numbered simply as test subject 7.
The Doctor was quite fond of Seven. He normally was detached from all his test subjects, but Seven was different. The doctor worried that his experiment might not make it through the night. From day one Seven was never far from the doctor. As an infant Seven was hidden in the bottom boxes that the Doctor carried out of the lab. He wanted to spend more time with his experiment he reasoned but perhaps as Seven was human; he felt a fatherly urge to protect the helpless baby. All Seven needed to do was reach his arms up smile. He was a quick learner and his results pleased the Doctor greatly.
Seven also grew close to the Doctor's lovely wife Cassiopeia and their infant son Orion. Cassie was shocked but thrilled that her husband who normally spent long nights away was now home with her and their newborn. Soon the boys were no longer toddlers but strong boistrous youths. The two spirited young boys became the best of friends. The Doctor and Cassi now found they could barely tell the other apart. They were like boys acted alike, talked alike, looked eerily alike although Seven had blue eyes and Orion favored his mother. He did not have her her Irish red hair but chestnut brown. He did get her shamrock green eyes and sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of his nose and cheeks visible in the summer. Seven was brown headed almot black with navy blue eyes that appeared black in the dark. His skin was pale and almost luminescent under flourescent light. The rambunctious boys could finish the other's sentences...it was as if they could read the other one's mind, like twins. Cassi watched adoringly but the Doctor deep inside knew that Seven was not what he appeared.
Orion grew bored after private school waiting for Seven to arrive. He decided he would get him out one way or another. The youngster dressed in the usual outfit with dark navy slacks and white long sleeve shirt with one red star on his chest marched to his father's lab. He waved to security then typed in the code and entered.
Orion began to leave but stopped to talk incessantly about his latest science project to the two Security guards. They smiled until the youth ran out only to emerge again. He did this a total of six times. Each visit was shorter as he ran out then back in. The seventh time he did not re-enter but Seven left wearing an extra set of Orions school uniform. It had worked.