The robot jungle was a dangerous place. For the most part, it was devoid of carbon based life, but was teeming with robotic activity. Long ago, in an effort to preserve the rainforest, natural trees were supplemented with robotic ones. These machines were capable of extracting minerals from the earth, somewhat like the roots of an organic tree extracting nutrients. They were designed to process and use these minerals to extend themselves and also automatically manufacture miniature versions of themselves in the form of seeds. This allowed them to be self-replicating. However, the unintended side effect was that these robotic trees started to displace the real ones until all that was left was the robotic jungle that Dr. Doppler now looked out into. He watched it safely through the thick panes of glass that were the walls of his laboratory. He observed that the jungle was now so dense that many of the units struggled to compete for resources. They were not always able to maintain themselves, causing the artificial bark to peel, exposing the circuitry within, in many places. These trees fed on the layers of scrap that now made up the floor of the jungle.
The various species of robots that inhabited the jungle were also self replicating. Robotic birds, insects, and lizards swarmed about. Dr. Doppler watched as one bird landed on a tree near a section where the synthetic bark plating had started to peel off. It began picking at the plating with its metallic beak. Eventually, it would start stripping wires and parts within. It was gathering these parts to use for self replication. All the species in the jungle collected the material for their manufacture from the robotic plant life or other species. At the end of their lives, they would contribute to the layers of scrap parts on the jungle floor, providing material to other robotic life. Thus everything in this jungle was part of a circular, self-sustaining ecosystem. Initially, the robots were designed as experiments in self-replicating technology. They were even designed with a capacity for random programming changes when their algorithms were copied from one individual to the next. This caused the different models to diverge and form new variations much like real species of life in a natural jungle. This is what interested Dr. Doppler the most. This is why he had this research facility constructed here.
Dr. Doppler was one of the world's leading researchers of robotics, specializing in self replicating technology. Therefore, this jungle was a treasure trove of science that he dedicated himself to exploring. His work had great significance to society and he pursued it diligently. However, he didn't consider his isolated life in the jungle to be an extraordinary sacrifice. In truth, he was much more comfortable living among the reploids in the research facility than he was with his fellow humans in the city. Dr. Doppler was an elderly man. His long white lab coat fitted loosely on his tall and thin frame. His long pointed beard reached halfway down his chest and matched the colour of his white, spiked hair. He stroked the beard with his blue gloved hands as he stood there in the laboratory.
The large, multi-story complex was built with glass walls that allowed a clear view into the surrounding wilderness. Today, this also filled the lab with warm sunshine. The section which he currently occupied was a vast space filled with rows of glass enclosures for specimens, and arrays of laboratory hardware with computer terminals. Most of the cages were empty. It was a real struggle to collect specimens. Doppler would send out reploids to collect them, but due to the hostile environment, they didn't always return with useful samples, if they returned at all. The problem was the Sigma Virus that was raging throughout the jungle. Much of the wildlife, having gone Maverick, ran amok through the jungle. However, when a smaller robotic creature would go Maverick, it was nowhere near as dangerous as a full blown Maverick reploid. This made it an ideal subject for study. However, this created a treacherous environment for the reploids that were sent out to collect specimens.
One of the reploids was returning now. From his vantage point, Doppler could see Alia making her way between the trees, above the layers of scrap of the jungle floor. She had taken significant damage along the journey, her plating was scratched, and a few parts were bent. Alia carried one large cage with each arm. Doppler was unable to see their contents from where he watched, but presumably there would have been several samples in each one.
Dr. Doppler began unlatching several of the enclosures in the lab in preparation for the new samples. The elevator doors made a gentle whine as they spread apart, allowing Alia to enter with her treasures.
Alia was an accomplished reploid researcher in her own right. She had many years of lab experience prior to her collaboration with Dr. Doppler. However, it was an honour for her to work with such a notable scientist. As a human and reploid research team, they complemented each other very well. Alia was not heavily armoured. She had a slender build with black and red panels and short blonde hair.
Alia set down the cages and together with Doppler, they began transferring the specimens into the glass enclosures. Alia knew Doppler well enough not to bother with small talk, and they worked in silence. Alia felt an amicability from Doppler and considered him a friend, but he was a very focused man and not one for wasted words.
Alia's delivery today was focused on insects, specifically, multiple species of butterflies and dragonflies. The dragonflies produced a high pitched buzzing from their tiny motors that oscillated their wings. They had very simple bodies comprised of a small cylinder with attached wings and legs. Most of the butterflies were a more intricately detailed design and were quite beautiful. All of these robots were slightly larger than their natural insect counterparts.
"Alia, please start by scanning every specimen for the presence of the Sigma Virus." Dr. Doppler leaned towards the glass to study the new specimens in detail.
Alia had already completed a scan of herself upon arrival to ensure she had not been infected in the field. This was a potential risk in her line of work. She reached into the enclosures with the scanner device. It had a long probe that she waved near each specimen until it contacted them just right to get a reading. Not only could this device determine if each specimen was infected, but also provided a full download of each robot's programming, and transmitted it to the main computer.
"All of the specimens are clean, Dr. Doppler." Alia started browsing through the programs for one of the specimens on a nearby terminal.
"Very well. Let's proceed with replication of one unit of each specimen. Once they're ready, let's introduce the virus to each specimen right away. We can review the original programming while we wait for the virus to take effect." Dr. Doppler walked over to another terminal and also began pouring over the code that was presented to him, representing the programming of the specimens.
"Dr. Doppler," Alia responded. "Might we consider replicating two units of each right away? Our current inventory of raw materials is healthy and we could save ourselves some time if we require subsequent iterations."
"Good idea Alia." Dr. Doppler spoke without taking his eyes off the screen. "Let's go with two units each."
Alia began to move the specimens into the largest enclosure which contained a thick layer of scrap parts lining the bottom, simulating the forest floor. This chamber was used to allow the robot creatures to collect materials for self replication. Once all of them were relocated here, she would override their programming to force them into their self replication cycle, resulting in extra copies of each specimen. Duplicates of the specimens were required so they could be experimented on while maintaining a clean original. The easiest way to produce these copies is to have the specimens duplicate themselves. Once this was complete, Alia would move the specimens back into individual containment, and intentionally infect one set of copies with the Sigma Virus.
"Computer, log journal entry." Doppler activated the recording function. "We have obtained fresh samples from the jungle today. They have all been scanned, and confirmed negative for the Sigma Virus. We are beginning self replication now to produce test subjects. These specimens will be intentionally infected with the Sigma Virus, then thoroughly analyzed."
Alia continued her work diligently as Dr. Doppler continued to peruse the program code. Eventually, he withdrew from the terminal and exited the room via the elevator. Doppler pressed a button on the elevator console and waited patiently for the door to slide closed and for the lift to start its descent to another laboratory.
The neural cybernetics lab was smaller than where the self replication robotics experimentation took place. The rows of computer terminals were quite similar, but this room contained many benches with various neatly arranged tools. The desk at which Doppler took a seat contained what looked like a large face down bowl with numerous electrical devices mounted on the outside surface. He picked up one of the tools and began adjusting several of these components.
Dr. Doppler called it the "neuro-augmentor". Its purpose was to connect a human brain to a computer. He hoped this would allow the capacity of the human mind to be expanded as it offloaded much of its processing to the computer. However making this connection in a meaningful way proved to be a great challenge. The device needed to stimulate targeted neurons, facilitating communication between the computer and the brain. The problem was doing the mapping and targeting all while the position of the subject's head could constantly be moving slightly within the device.
The time melted away as Dr. Doppler lost himself in the adjustments and fine tuning of the device. Finally, he was interrupted by the elevator doors opening with Alia emerging from the lift.
"All of the new specimens have been set up for their self replication cycles," Alia announced. "I'll load the virus as soon as self replication is complete. In the meantime, I thought I'd spend some time in a capsule for a recharge and some minor repairs." Alia twisted her arm, revealing some of the scratches she had picked up in the field today.
"Yes, thank you Alia." Doppler continued to fidget with the tool and device as he spoke. "You deserve a rest."
"You've been spending a lot more time here. Have you had any luck?" Alia approached the workbench to get a closer look at Doppler's device.
"Fine tuning the dynamic adjustment mechanism has proven to be quite cumbersome." Dr. Doppler set down his work and looked up at Alia. "Could you imagine if this works? We'd be able to enhance the capabilities of the human brain the same way we could redesign a reploid to be more advanced. Take us for example, Alia. You are already performing your duties as a researcher as well as I can. In a few more years, they may design a reploid that will far exceed both of us. Humanity could be left behind and reploids will take on the remaining work that humans are still doing. With the neuro-augmentor, humans could continue to advance and keep up."
"You're still very much needed here Dr. Doppler. I don't think any reploid could produce this groundbreaking work. Keep at it, I'm sure you'll get this working." Alia was flattered by Doppler's assessment of her work at the laboratory.
She found it interesting that humans were worried about being left behind by technological advancement. She always thought of this as a concern for reploids who were always at risk of being replaced by a more sophisticated model. Alia herself had received several upgrades to her hardware and software over the course of her life. These are the thoughts that would run through Alia's processors later as she prepared to shut down in her capsule.