The Tales of a Misjudged Computer or Everyone Loves Dave
Disclaimer: Same as before. Sorry for another short chapter. Next one will be longer. Please review but no flames.
Chapter 4- Backfired
"Floyd... I need your help and if you can do this for me, I promise you that I will share Dave with you."
Frank was on a private channel with Heywood Floyd at Ground Control. He made sure HAL was distracted momentarily with Dave. He also knew of Floyd's wishes concerning Dave. Just before he had left, Frank had spoken with Floyd about this problem of jealousy towards HAL and Floyd had assured him he knew exactly how he felt. This instantly made them the best of friends and now, it seemed, Frank had created the perfect opportunity to get rid of the pesky computer.
"What is it I need to do, Frank?"
"Just say that the ground based HAL-9000 proved that the error was HAL's and not ours."
"But HAL checked out... he was right!"
"Dave doesn't have to know that... Just do this for me and I promise you that everything else will fall into place." Frank smiled.
HAL felt as if his heart had been ripped in two when he heard Floyd's announcement that HAL was wrong. He had never been wrong before. Maybe he really was malfunctioning. Dave would hate him now. HAL wished he could cry right then. instead, he looked at Frank and Dave as they switched off the monitor that Floyd was on.
"So what do you make of this, HAL?" Dave asked. He still wanted to give HAL the benefit of the doubt.
"Well... this has never happened before... it can only be attributable to human error..." HAL whispered, choking back electronic tears. He noticed something different about Frank. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was wrong.
"HAL, are you sure? I mean, we know about all of the great things the 9000 series has done... but can't it be possible that this is a computer error?" Frank said, trying to convince Dave.
HAL stammered. He knew it wasn't possible... but maybe Dave's smile really had knocked something loose. Dave looked at HAL as HAL tried, once again, to defend himself. He then smiled at HAL again.
"Alright, HAL... I believe you. Thank you HAL." Dave said. He then turned to Frank. Something about his voice wasn't right. HAL brushed it off. "Oh, Frank... I believe one of the pods is having a bit of trouble.. can you, um, check it out with me?"
Frank's heart raced. This was it! Everything had worked. He followed Dave to the Pod Bay. Dave instructed HAL to rotate the pod and open it so they could get in. HAL closed the door behind them and rotated it on command. He would do whatever Dave wanted him to. Dave then switched off all of the sound to the pod. HAL was confused. Why wouldn't he want HAL to hear? He zoomed in on their lips to try and decipher what was being said.
"Well, what do you make of it, Dave?"
"I... I don't know... What do you think, Frank?"
"I think we've got a big problem."
"I was afraid of that..." Dave sighed. "Well... we don't have many other options..."
"We don't have any option." Frank said. He couldn't believe it. Dave was still trying to defend HAL.
Meanwhile, HAL watched in horror as he read their lips. They were going to disconnect him! And Dave was finally agreeing to do it! HAL really wished he could cry now. He had let Dave down in the worst way.
Suddenly, HAL noticed something wrong with the AE-35 antennae. As Dave and Frank stepped out of the pod, HAL decided to address Dave.
"Erm... Dave... there's another problem with the AE-35 antennae..." HAL said.
"I find it hard to believe that it can happen twice in-"
Suddenly, alarms blared and all contact with earth was lost. Dave turned off the alarms and looked at Frank. Frank's heart sank. He should've brought two spare units... and just trashed the old one. He had forgotten about that.
"You were right, HAL!" Dave said.
HAL smiled inside. "I guess this restores your confidence in me then?"
"Yes HAL. Frank can go and replace the unit right now."
Ten minutes later, Frank was floating to the antennae. He had forgotten to distract HAL again and had forgotten to turn off his headset so HAL couldn't hear.
"Dammit.. Should've just trashed this one instead of leaving it in... Damn computer... always right. Dave won't disconnect it now. I don't have a Plan B either..."
HAL stared at Frank, shocked. This was all a plan to disconnect HAL! He had been right all along, but Dave wouldn't believe him. He probably still wanted to disconnect him. HAL rotated the pod in space and began to drive it forward. It would hit its intended target with perfect accuracy.