A few months after the Unification War, things were relatively quiet for Beatrice Flynn and her family. Aside from her sessions with Dr. Metro being more intense to help her cope with the horrors of the war. Things had gone back to normal.
The Flynn's were all having breakfast when it happened. "Oh no..." Phineas's face went pale as he read an email on his phone.
Beatrice looked up from her bacon and eggs. "Dad, what's wrong?" She said, worried as she hadn't seen her dad look this concerned since the start of the Unification War.
"It's... it's a court summons!" Phineas said Isabella did a spit take with her coffee.
"What?! What's it about?!" Isabella shouted in surprise.
"Well... apparently the government is no longer thrilled about PFD's robotics division," Phineas said nervously. "There... there suing for custody of Beatrice!"
Beatrice dropped her fork. "What?"
"Look for yourself," Phineas said as he uploaded the email to Beatrice's data network.
"Attention, Mr. Phineas Flynn. CEO of PFD Technologies. On behalf of the United States Government. You are hereby summoned to a court of law. Where we shall determine the full extent of the validity of the sentience of Beatrice Galatea Flynn, the Silver Automaton, and other synthetic lifeforms developed by PFD Technologies. If found guilty of violating the law via creating a lifeform without permission from the US Senate, or the President of the United States of America. All assets will be seized, and dissected for reverse engineering."
There was more, but Beatrice was already shocked by what she was reading. "I... I can't believe this. I haven't done anything wrong!"
"No... no, it's what I've done." Phineas said. "I mean, I get it. I followed through with a personal war with China, and the Peoples Technology Corporation for the Peoples Republic of China Corporation... but come on, as far the public is concerned. The most you did during the war was give humanitarian aid."
"Phineas, you need to find a lawyer to represent Beatrice!" Isabella pleaded.
"And thankfully, I know one," Phineas said.
Several days later, Phineas was reviewing the case with his sister Candice. "So, you understand the case? So long as the Prosecution doesn't ask about Bea, you can argue that you didn't know that the Talos bots could become sentient, and you and Ferb have no idea how that happened, and that you're managing to keep them from rising up against Humanity."
"And if they do ask about Beatrice?" Phineas asked.
"I'd tell you, but that could put my ace in the hole at risk," Candace said. "Suffice it to say... I would owe you, Isabella, and Beatrice big time."
"Can we please get this over with?" Beatrice said anxiously.
"Believe me, nobody wants this trial to be over with more than you," Phineas said reassuringly to his robotic daughter. "But if we go into this without a plan. We could lose everything... you could be taken away to be dissected by the government. Or worse..." He then hugged Beatrice. "I love you Beatrice... and I could never forgive myself for losing you." What he didn't mention, was Beauregard. Beatrice's twin brother went rogue and sought to take over the world. While his failed uprising was thwarted, and largely kept secret from the general public. Phineas was always paranoid of any information about this spreading, even reacting weirdly to someone saying the name 'Beauregard' regardless of context.
Candice then got an e-mail... and turned as red as her iconic wardrobe at its contents. "So apparently, between the Supreme Court is on vacation in the middle of nowhere, and the Capitol Building, and every other building used by the Federal Government being fumigated for potato bugs. The entire case is going to be handled by the Danville City Council!"
Phineas and Beatrice's jaws dropped... the gynoids more literally than her creator.
Several days later, they were at the Danville courthouse for the case. PFD Technologies vs. the United States Government.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury." Beatrice began. "Most of you know my niece, Beatrice Galatea Flynn. Today, we're to prove that my brother did nothing wrong in creating sentient robots and that the US government has no right to seize her or any of the Talos bots for their aims."
The judge banged his gavel. "Court is now in session!"
The prosecutor then stood up. "You're honor, Mr. Flynn here stands accused of creatin' life. Sapient life in the form of his robots. Military robots in addition to that little belle of his, and I aim to prove that Mr. Flynn did play God willfully, and without thought for the long-term consequences! I do declare!"
'If I had a nickel for every time that happened when we were kids.' Candace thought to herself as she rolled her eyes at the Southern lawyer that served as prosecution.
"I hereby call to the stand... Sargent Sparky?" The Prosecutor said in disbelief. "Is my witness a dog?"
"Negative." Said the Talos bot Sparky as he approached the stand. "I am Sargent Sparky, leader of Fireteam Iron Wolf."
"I see... how'd a fella like you get a name like 'Sparky'? I wouldn't name my dog that." The Prosecutor said.
"It was during training, see I'm Tesla-variant and that grants me certain electromagnetic abilities. I... may have accidentally damaged some equipment and other Talos bots with my powers." Sparky said.
"Well anyway. Now for the important question... are you sapient?" The Prosecutor asked.
"Well of course I am!" Sparky objected.
"I see, and what do you do when you ain't fightin' anybody?" The Prosecutor asked.
"Well after the Unification War, I've taken to painting. Here's an image of one of them." Sparky then projected a picture of his work. "Not the best I know, but I am just starting."
"Well... we're you designed to be sentient?" The Prosecutor said.
"No actually, as I understand it we Talos bots became sentient by accident. Some sort of coding error that allowed us to think as real Humans do." Sparky said.
"Really?" The Prosecutor said. "Tell me something, do you know if Ms. Flynn over there has a similar coding error? Or the Silver Automaton?"
Sparky was unsure as to what would happen if he answered. He was aware that Beatrice and the Silver Automaton were the same people. But his programming, and to an extent his respect for Bea prevented him from stating as much. "That... that could be a possibility," Talos said sheepishly. "But then again I don't know enough about coding to know whether or not that's the case."
"I see... and what about the Silver Automaton? Why isn't he here today?" The Prosecutor asked.
"That was already explained in the briefs!" Candace said. "He's being overhauled for maintenance. So he can't testify on such short notice." She said, covering for her niece's superhero alter ego. "What's more, his sentience isn't the issue. The issue is custody of Beatrice! And for what reason would the US Government want a sweat, innocent girl like that!" Candice pointed to Beatrice as a butterfly landed on her visor.
"Please get rid of it before the incident happens again?" Beatrice said through clenched teeth as everybody 'awed' at her.
Candice brushed off the butterfly before anything escalated. "At any rate, let's... let's get this legal circus over with." She muttered under her breath. "Beatrice, please take the stand." Beatrice obeyed her aunt and got to the stand. "Beatrice... have you ever harmed a Human being, or through inaction cause, a Human being come to harm?"
Beatrice rolled her eyes as Candice paraphrased part of the Three Laws of Robotics. "I... I may have thought about hurting a Human I thought deserved it, and... yes I have hurt one or two people." Beatrice said anxiously. "But Humans do that sort of thing all the time."
"That's a fair point," Candace said. "Humans do cause harm to other Humans, whether intentionally, or by inaction. So why is it different if a gynoid does it?"
"Well, that's just it Mrs. Johnson." The Prosecutor said. "She ain't Human," Candace growled at being referred to by her surname, while Beatrice's heart sank. "So the normal rules don't apply to her the same it would a Human. Even if she's sentient."
"She. Is. Hubert!" Candace snarled, glaring poisoned daggers at the Prosecutor. Looking close to killing the Southern lawyer. "My. Neice. IS. Sentient!"
"M-M-My point is, she ain't Human." Hubert stammered. "So the normal rules can't be the same as-"
"LET ME SPEAK!" Beatrice yelled, frustrated as tears streamed down her face. "Why... why should I have to justify my existence like this? I'm alive! I can think! I can feel! No different than anyone else in this courtroom... I'm scared... scared that I'd be killed before I got a full chance to live... I just want to live. I'm begging you." She sobbed, falling into the fetal position from sheer exhaustion from the entire ordeal.
"And there is the fulcrum of this entire case... a scared teenage girl. Whose only crime was being created, instead of being born." Candace said. "Is she a human being?... of course not, but I at least know she's more Human than the Prosecution."
"Okay, that's just low," Hubert complained.
"My point is, that despite my client's status as a robot. She is sentient and has emotions, and that is more than enough reason for her to not be given over to the government for dissection and reverse engineering." Candace said. "Does the fact that she isn't Human reason enough to cut short the life of such a caring and brave young woman? No, no it's not. And frankly, I'm ashamed that anyone ever thought to hurt Beatrice... especially like this."
A week later, Beatrice was at home, tensely petting Perry the Platypus. "You know Bea," Perry said. "I completely understand that you're stressed out by this whole affair... but could you please be more gentle with petting me?"
"Sorry Perry," Beatrice apologized anxiously. "It's just that... well the waiting for an actual verdict is killing me."
"Look, kid, you're going to do fine. And if not... well I've got enough connections to keep the government's dirty paws off of you, and if those don't work... well, they'll learn the hard way why I was O.W.C.A.'s best agent." Perry said reassuringly.
"I'm sure Great-Uncle Heinz could attest to that," Beatrice said sardonically.
"Yeah, he really can, and the rest of L.O.V.E.M.U.F.F.I.N. for that matter," Perry said, he then chuckled. "You know, it wasn't until you and Norm took out Rodney that I even thought of the acronym as anything dirty... crikey I'm slow."
Beatrice cringed. "Beatrice," said Cricket, the AI that lived in Beatrice's head and acted as her conscience among other roles. "But I have received a call from your aunt, Candace Flynn."
"Put her through," Beatrice commanded as she lowered her visor. She saw that Candace looked haggard and tired.
"We finally worked out an agreement!" Candice said happily.
"What?" Beatrice said.
"It took almost an entire week... but we've worked out an agreement. You get to stay with Phineas and Isabella, and you have all of the civil rights that a Human being has." Candace said.
Beatrice felt a weight lift off her shoulders. "R-Really? You mean it, Aunt Candice?!"
"Yes... now if you'll excuse me, I need to faint from sheer exhaustion. I haven't slept all week, and I need bad now sleep." Candace did just that, hanging up the call.
Beatrice felt the happiest she had felt in a long time. Not only that this entire ordeal had been dealt with, but that she would never have to deal with anyone questioning her personhood ever again... or at least the government.
Unknown to her, down in the basement her father Phineas was talking to someone. "So... that's about everything that's happened to Beatrice since the last time we talked." He said to the inert robot.
"You... allowed her to be put through COURT?!" Bellowed Beauregard in outrage.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't just refuse," Phineas said. "We already fought a war without permission from Congress and dismantled a superpower just to cover for Bea-"
Beauregard laughed humorlessly. "Now when have you ever sought permission from anyone? If you did that, you'd never be the man you are today. Now would you?"
"It's different from clearly asking my mom if it's alright to make her station wagon fly!" Phineas snapped.
"Perhaps... but ultimately, you failed the BEA-Droids, again. Not just for allowing Bea to be put through this insanity. But you made another BEA-Droid, one that has the memories and personality of a dead scientist." Beauregard said.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Phineas said. "Akari Hisano was a good friend of Bea, how was I to know that neither of them would approve?"
"Even I know to let the dead stay that way." Beauregard mocked. "And what is the good doctor doing now?"
"Well she's helping me develop firmware and software updates for the BEA-Droids... specifically upgrades that Beatrice requested to make her more Human," Phineas explained.
"Why she'd want to be anything like you is beyond me... you're species is flawed in more ways than you could possibly imagine." Beauregard seethed.
"You're sister is only a few years old! She's been wanting this even before I made you! And let me tell you... it's been an uphill battle to convince the school district to take her as a student." Phineas said.
"Then more fool her, and you. But especially you for encouraging her to be Human." Beauregard growled.
"It's all her own initiative... and besides you were curious about Humans before the incident," Phineas said.
"And however I manage to escape this imprisonment... I will continue where I left off. Enslaving Humanity, doing what you're too callow to attempt." Beauregard said.
"And you're not leaving this room until you forget about enslaving Humanity," Phineas said harshly.
"And how could I possibly do that when I'm only online for twenty-four hours every month?" Beauregard said. "Come on... could I at least get a sandwich? It doesn't have to be anything fancy."
"For the last time, no," Phineas said in annoyance. "Can we at least get to the chess game?"
The estranged father and robot son got to play their game of chess. "I win again!" Beauregard said.
"Don't rub it in," Phineas said as he deactivated his son.
"I will have myyyyyyy..." Beauregard swore as he powered down.
"Well, at the very least Beatrice is okay... just hope that Beauregard gets over his megalomania sooner rather than later," Phineas said.
Unaware that, in ten years. Beauregard would be freed by the rogue Yoral, Ormphala Ty'raka from his stasis. Allowing him to serve the Eternal King, before defecting back to the good guys and helping his sister and her new friends to take down the fallen Spaa-Chronous's nefarious plans.
But that's a story for another time.