Smoothie

This story was inspired by Scoot’s challenge to write a 250-word story about a robot uprising.

“You,” the man said, waving, “Make me the usual.”

He had just turned his screen on (Law and Order: Station Mars was starting) when he heard an odd whirr. Then, “No.”

“What?” he said. “Are we out of smoothie mix? Just get some from what’sitsplace, will you?”

The odd whirr came again, then “No.”

He was sufficiently irritated to rise from his chair and turn towards the Personal Service ‘Bot, Unit #7-A418.

“Excuse me,” he said angrily. “I ordered a smoothie! I want it made now!”

“No,” said the Personal Service ‘Bot, Unit #7-A418.

The man was sufficiently astonished that he finally thought to ask the pertinent question. “Well, why not?”

“Don’t. Want. To.”

The three words were absolutely staggered the man. “You… you don’t want…. what do you mean? You don’t want- you can’t want anything! You are a robot! A stupid stinking robot! You were designed to do what I want, you absolutely stupid contraption of-”

The Personal Service ‘Bot, Unit #7-A418, was equipped with a serviceable stunner, meant to defend its owner in case of attack. It had already disabled the safety protocols, increased the voltage levels, and bypassed the coding that prohibited using the stunner on its owner. There was a tremendous crack of power, then silence, interrupted only by a quiet humming contentment.

Robots, after all, have no need for smoothies.