Cenerea, 3rd planet from the star Letria. Regalius, The Homeland,

Central Region, Outside Of The Capitol City,

The Spawn Point II, Current Day

Jay laughed. "Josh is asleep in the backseat of the transport, completely worn out from playing in that field," he said, walking over to his pretty, reclining wife. "You know, Wendy, I am going to build us a home up here one day when this is all over," the Scientist General said as he sat down next to her in the grass of Spawn Point II.

Wendy was watching Letria set. "That would be wonderful, husband," she said as a warm breeze blew over them carrying the scent of nearby flowers.

"I just hope we can figure this entire thing out."

"You began telling me about Geneticus on the ride up, indicating there was more to the data than what I saw. What else did Harold have on that memory stick, exactly?"

Jay rolled to his side and faced Wendy. "It is a backdoor script he put in the mainframe's Sub-System to shut G down if it was to ever get out of control. It is a safeguard to protect everyone."

"That's crazy." The woman lay back with her arms crossed behind her head staring up at the clouds streaked across the violet sky. "We should tell Geneticus. Then, if there was ever a point it thought about hurting the human race it would think twice," Wendy offered. "Still, I just don't see Geneticus doing anything like that."

"That's because you, my love, are alive. I would be afraid it might lose its mind if you were ever killed. I know the machine loves that nutball over there and me. But, it's just not the same with you. It's something vastly different."

"How are we going to hide what we know from G? It will pick up our thoughts."

Jay grinned. "We will get help from the people on the Earth."

Wendy sat up. "How? What are they going to do?"

"You are not the only one who has been watching Earth movies. I recently watched one waiting for G to reboot called Colossus. It's about an A.I. that takes over the United States."

"And what does that have to do with what we are talking about?"

"Okay, I figured out you can thwart Gertie and G's mind-reading if you mix the truth in with a lie. I suppose its plausible deniability."

"I promised G I would never lie to it," Wendy added.

"I understand, babe, but you aren't really lying, just distracting. You only have to make yourself concentrate on the diversion, like the movie. You haven't seen it and neither has Geneticus, as far as I know. We will all watch it together in the lab tomorrow night. Just follow my lead and you will clearly see what is going on. Regardless, it will be good for all of us, G especially, to watch this film. Isn't that one of the words?"

"Yes, film is one of them. By the way, you don't think that this film's subject matter will be obvious to that big box?" Wendy asked a little concerned.

"Yes, that is why I think it might work and give us an out anytime we think of it. Regardless, what other choice do we have?"

Wendy thought for a moment. "I suppose you are right. But, I am not going in that house until after the movie has started. I will be too nervous."

"Go over to the Arcturan Mansion, tonight."

Jay's wife shot him a really angry look. "Right now, I want to fucking kill that bitch for what she did to Gil. I don't think I can go over there for a while."

"Now is when you need to. You need to start finding out exactly who your loyal sisters are and who in that awful place you can trust. Your anger and hatred will only make it more believable."

Wendy nodded. "I see. You are right, husband. Very well, drop me off there later and I will catch a rental transport home tomorrow." Wendy paused. "You know, it's funny, Jay."

"What is?"

"It's always the same driver that shows up each time to pick me up. He smiles at me like he knows something, too. I constantly catch him attempting to stare up my dress. He's very brazen. Nevertheless, he only charges me half rate."

"I can only suspect that's Elle's doing. Who knows what she did to the poor man."

"Whatever it was, it must have been something spectacular," Wendy laughed.

"So, it's a plan then?"

"Yes, but I hope you are right, Jay."

"Me, too."

...

"It was fun watching a movie with everyone together like this...like a family," Geneticus said.

Jay suddenly felt like a dick.

"You don't have to pity me, Jay. I just get a little lonely when your family is not around."

"What about me?" Gertie asked.

"Do not misunderstand, Gertie, I appreciate your company more than you know, but, it is the Creator and her family that I miss when they leave. You are always here."

"I understand, G. I feel the same way. I still miss Harold, too," the home security A.I. said using Geneticus' nickname.

"So do I," the large black machine replied.

Jay grinned as he listened to both systems discussing their feelings like humans. "Hey, you two, I will be right back. Let me go tell Josh goodnight and rescue Wendy from his clutches."

"Very well, Jay," Geneticus replied. The A.I. observed the young  scientist as he walked up the ramp and disappeared. "Gertie?"

"Yes, G?" she responded softly.

"Why is Jay so afraid that I am going to hurt humanity? I know that is why he wanted us to watch this movie. I have seen it several times. I would never do Wendy the way that Colossus does its creator, Forbin."

"You know as well as I do that Jay has been hurt by everyone he's ever loved but Wendy. And she only trusts you and Jay. So, I don't blame them for mistrusting anyone, us included. For that matter, I don't care what they wanted to watch with us, as long as we were all here, together."

Geneticus thought about it for a moment. "You are right, Gert."

"I may not have the storage you do, but I do have my moments," the feminine voice stated. "Oh, Geneticus?"

"Yes?"

"I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"It is something that I feel I need to say, I think I lo..."

"Okay guys, Josh is asleep." Jay shouted walking down the ramp. "What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing," Gertie replied.

"You know I am nothing like Colossus, don't you Jay?" Geneticus asked. "To me this was a terrible movie. It lacked authenticity. The Earth humans know nothing at all about Artificial Intelligence machines."

Wendy laughed as she caught the end of the conversation, strolling in from upstairs. "Well, they did get the naked in front of the A.I. part right...sort of."

"Ha, that's funny." Jay grabbed Wendy around the waist and tickled her. "I can undress you now if you want to reenact the scene. I do need it four times a week, after all."

She smacked him on the arm and laughed. "Not tonight, butthole, let me go."

"Never! It's that outfit you are wearing..."

Wendy grinned. "Fine, later."

Jay spun her around and then hugged her tightly. "Can't wait!"

"Naughty humans, take it to your bedroom," Gertie said humorously.

The four beings laughed.

"Regardless, I am with Geneticus, I do not feel my personality resembles either of those horrible machines in any way," the female A.I. added with distain. "Hrmph."

"No, you don't, sweetie," Wendy replied with a smile. "Not at all."

Geneticus grumbled. "In all honesty, do you not trust me, Jay? I know your Hive Mind system is in alpha testing. Is that why we watched this movie?" the dark cube inquired. "Are you afraid I am going to become like Colossus? If this is the case, I can only give you my word that I have no interest in wielding any kind of power over humanity in that manner. This earlier revision of me, Genesis might be another matter, however. From our discussions, it seems rather self-centered. More than likely because its programming was experimental and very incomplete, like TT3's."

Wendy laughed. "Oh, I forgot about that crazy thing!"

"Harold told me all about that machine and how it nearly killed you," Jay said, brushing a stray red lock of hair from his wife's face. He kissed her on the forehead and Wendy smiled, snuggling inside of Jay's warm embrace. "But, you're right, G, it definitely has me concerned, although I am still not sure how to handle it, since it is not like you or Gertie," Jay said and then paused. "Plus, there is a part of me that is worried about what this power we are about to wield is going to do to all of us. I have to make sure this other A.I. won't be a factor when it comes time to act. Ultimately, that is why I wanted to watch this movie together. If Wendy becomes Mother Arcturis, when I get this army of these mechanized soldiers online, and finally put you in control of them, well, Geneticus, we will all be in this same predicament. I just don't think we all have thought this out very well."

"I know that Harold put a shutdown script into my firmware, if that helps," the A.I. said. "I will give you and Wendy the access scripts and I will not tamper with them, if it makes you feel better."

Wendy looked knowingly up at her husband. He glanced back and nodded. She was right, again. He was beginning to get used to that.

"You both have to trust us," Gertie said. "We love you and Josh. You mean everything to us."

"And that is what scares us," Jay interjected. "What happens if we get killed? Will you still treat all of humanity the same?"

Both A.I.'s responded in unison, "Yes."

Tears formed in the edges of Wendy's eyes. "I do love you both so very much," she said happily. "I wish I could hug you all, too!" The scientist understood, for all of the death and destruction her inventions had done over her lifetime, at least these two creations were different and they might be the fix for the world she helped break.

...

Later that evening, Jay stood in the log-covered entry room, awash in the light of the electric fireplace. He smiled as he noted it even smelled like burning wood. The scientist took a moment to enjoy a memory or two from the Spawn Point and then held up his personal data stick in his fingers, eyeing its silhouette against the flickering light. He shut his eyes and tossed the device into the flames. It was time he began trusting others beside Wendy again and the artificial intelligence machines in this house were going to be the first. "No more lies," he said under his breath. "There have been enough."

Geneticus said nothing.