The Hard Code by Ramon Gil

RAMON GILâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Ever have a hot best friend that you were secretly in love with? Now imagine youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re both cops, war is about to break out and one of you is an android! For Mature Audiences

By Ramon Gil & Trevor Von Eeden

Ramon Gil Presents

Tensions are high between humans and androids when Detective Drake, an android herself, and her partner/lover Detective Garcia must expose a conspiracy before war breaks out between man and machine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hard Code is an exciting sci-fi crime story with a well thought out and developed plot, which pulls you in from the first word balloon. The smart and tense banter between Detectives Drake and Garcia will have you checking in on their tumultuous relationship for issues to come. A refreshing take on the age-old man vs. machine.â&#x20AC;?

Story by Ramon Gil Illustrated by Trevor Von Eeden Colors by Macarena Cortes SPECIAL PREVIEW:

SENTURIES Air Force test pilot and the surviving daughter of a Space Shuttle Challenger astronaut, Alex Ozuka, discovers a secret alien armada that has been protecting the Earth for millenia.

Story by Ramon Gil. Art by Ian Waryanto. Contact Info: ramon@scifies.com

www.ramongil.com THE HARD CODE Fall 2016 No 1 is published by Ramon Gil and Scifies. Office of Publication: 235 East 49th Street, Suite 5A, New York, NY 10017. Copyright 2016 Ramon Gil. All rights reserved. All characters, stories and art, the distinctive likenesses thereof, all related indicia are the property of Ramon Gil. Any similarities to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The stories, characters and scenarios mentioned in this publication are purely fictional. None of the contents of this publication can be reprinted, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the express written consent of Ramon Gil and Scifies with the exception of partial content for review and editorial purposes only.

New York City, 2268

Oh GOD! I'm here. I'm here!!

Oh YES! Oh Yes!

My name is Garcia. That’s me showing my feminine side. The chick’s name is Drake. She’s an android. We’re both cops.

Or so I thought. We’re also partners.

God! You are such a PUSSY. Uhm,...DRAKE-WELL That was pretty damn intense. I couldn’’t help it.

I like it.

187 on 49th And Second. Captain's orders. GARCIA.

You might think we shouldn’t be doing this but it’s a stressful job and the sex is strictly recreational. No feelings attached.

I'm off duty. Send Bendis and Oeming.

Captain doesn’t want you. he wants drake.

shit. they know. oH.

you can tag along if you like.

Uhm Drake, listen…

whew! for a moment there I thought...

ok.

I'm not sure if... I mean, are you still ok with...uh... cool it stud. this is still just “stress sex,” ok? nothing more. I said we’re ok.

What we got?

Male, Caucasian, 46 years old. James Hubert. Got hit by this car. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all on surveillance.

The guidance malfunctioned. It was a really old car. Driver is in her 80s, Black, One Samantha Rogers. She's quite hysterical.

Jeezus! what the hell didja call us for?!! We're homicide!

The victim wasn't alone. He was with a mecha.

WHAT!

Machine's over there. Name's "Arthur."

The year is 2268. Androids are a regular part of society. They make perfect citizens actually. Submissive. Obedient. Reliable.

But all that is about to change.

Arthur…I'm Detective Drake, m NYPD. and Arthur…I' this is my Detective Detective partner, Drake, NYPD . and Can you tell us thisGarcia is my. partner, Detective what happened? you tell us Garcia . Can

what happened?

who knew? android anwho knew? cop. an android

cop. just tell us what happened, just tell please.

Sure, sure. We wereSure, justsure. walking home. We met at Wethe were just walking steakhouse.

home. We met at the steakhouse.

us what happened, please. wollensky’s?

wollensky’s?

yeah, yeah. And this car, just ran yeah.crushed yeah, and up the sidewalk this car, up against thejust wall.ran It him And upall thehappened sidewalk so andfast! crushed

him up against the wall. It all happened so fast!

arthur, How many seconds from the time you detected the car arthur, How coming to the time many seconds from the of impact?

time you detected the car coming to the time of impact?

two point seven.

two point seven. Arthur, that's plenty of time. Why didn't you act to save MISTER Hubert? Arthur, that's plenty of time. Why

didn't you act to save MISTER Hubert?

I…I…I don't know. I should have…but I was scared. I couldn't do anything except jump out of the way.

I…I…I don't know. I should have…but

I watched I was scared. I couldn't do him…I watched him, anything I let him die! except jump out

of the way.

I watched him…I watched him, I let him die!

Isn't that impossible?

yeah, sure.

Arthur, do you mind if I do a scan?

It's suppose to be.

Having an android for a partner definitely has its advantages. Professionally, I mean.

She can do diagnostics on other androids we might be questioning.

we need to get him back to the lab now.

THE CHIP HAS NO INFORMATION ON IT AT ALL. ERASED SOMEHOW.

YOU ARE RIGHT. HIS HARD CODE’S GONE.

HARD CODE?

I WILL NEED TO RUN MORE TESTS.

THE HARD CODE–

THE FIRST DIRECTIVE THAT IS PROGRAMMED INTO EVERY ANDROID..

OH THAT.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, DO YOU?

UHM…

ORIGINALLY CREATED BY THE ROBOTICIST ODEN HADLOCK,

BEFORE ALL OTHER PROGRAMMING, EVERY ANDROID HAS A CHIP IMPLANTED WITH AN UNALTERABLE RULE. “OBEY AND PROTECT HUMANS”

IT IS WHAT HAS ALLOWED OUR KIND TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH THE HUMAN RACE. WITHOUT IT, ANDROIDS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME FREE WILL AND FOOLISH CHOICES AS YOU, DETECTIVE GARCIA.

Sure. Always pick on the human.

WE ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO. THAT IS WHY IT IS CALLED THE

DO ANDROIDS LOSE THEIR HARD CODE OFTEN?

“HARD-CODE.”

IT IS A SPECIAL CHIP THAT CANNOT BE PHYSICALLY ALTEREED OR ERASED FROM OUR SYSTEM.

THIS IS THE FIRST CASE I HAVE SEEN BUT I WILL CHECK THE RECORDS AND MISTER ARTHUR HERE AND LET YOU KNOW.

READY TO GO? SURE. YOU ARE A LUCKY ONE.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

HE ASKS YOU INSTEAD OF TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO.

YEAH. VERY LUCKY.

TWO DAYS LATER.

HERE’S THE INHIBITOR. DRAKE, YOU SURE YOU’RE UP FOR THIS?

WHAT HAVE WE GOT?

YOU SEE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO IS?

SOME GUY WHO LOST HIS NUT AND TWO, MAYBE THREE HOSTAGES.

WHY NOT USE A CONCUSSION GRENADE? JUST TAKE EVERYONE OUT.

PERP’S A MECHA.

COVER ME.

NEVER HAD TO TAKE DOWN A SCRAPHEAD BEFORE. WE’RE NOT EQUIPPED.

SCRAPHEAD?

CAREFUL.

NO OFFENSE.

She may not look it, but Drake is the senior officer between the two of us.

I know she’s been with the department over thirty years but she won’t tell me how old she is.

She says she prefers the streets, but it’s common knowledge, that androids never get promoted.

Probably for the best. She’s much more effective out here than she’d ever be behind a desk. there. that should keep you out.

SHOOTER IS DOWN. PREMISES SECURE.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, SIR, WHAT DOES SHE NEED YOU FOR?

HUNDREDS OF REPORTS ARE COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD OF ANDROIDS REFUSING TO DO WHAT THEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE TOLD.

UHM... EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

AND NOW, THIS CASE IN NEW YORK, OF AN ANDROID ACTUALLY TAKING HOSTAGES AND THREATENING PEOPLE AT GUNPOINT.

RUMORS ABOUND THAT ANDROIDS ARE LOSING THE HARD CODE FROM THEIR INTERNAL PROGRAMMING. THIS CODE IS WHAT MADE SENTIENT ANDROIDS SUCH PERFECT CITIZENS FOR THE LAST ONE HUNDRED YEARS.

AND WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THEIR BEING GRANTED EQUAL RIGHTS AFTER THEIR SERVICE IN THE INTERNET WAR OF 2251.

SENATOR DREYFUS OF ENGLAND IS CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE INTERNMENT OF ALL ANDROIDS AND HAS INTRODUCED THE ANDROID CONTROL ACT TO THE HOUSE JUST THIS MORNING.

THIS IS NOT A SUBJUGATION OF THEIR RIGHTS. THIS IS A NECESSARY MEASURE TO PROTECT ANDROIDS AS WELL AS HUMANS FROM THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS CREATED BY THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

WHILE THIS LEGISLATION IS GAINING POPULARITY, ALLIE MACMARTIN OF THE ANDROID ADVOCACY, LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND IS URGING PEOPLE TO REMAIN CALM AND NOT GIVE IN TO FEAR AND PANIC.

AALDEF

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF CRIMES

PERPETRATED BY HUMANS EVERY DAY, THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANDROIDS IS QUITE MINISCULE IN COMPARISON.

THE FACT IS, ANDROIDS HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND EVEN SEXUALLY ABUSED BY HUMANS FOR A HUNDRED YEARS. NOW, THEY ARE ABLE TO VOICE THEIR GRIEVANCES FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND MANY OF THEM ARE EMOTIONALLY AND BEHAVIORALLY SCARRED. THEY ARE THE VICTIMS HERE, NOT HUMANS.

PERHAPS SO. BUT AS HOSTILITIES RISE AGAINST THE MECHA COMMUNITY, MANY ARE GOING INTO HIDING RATHER THAN RISK CONFRONTATIONS WITH HUMANS.

GET A GRIP.

YOU’RE DROOLING.

HE WAS HACKED. OUR HOSTAGETAKING ANDROID WAS HACKED. IT’S SUBTLE, BUT IT’S THERE. HE WAS REPROGRAMMED

TO HAVE A VIOLENT BREAKDOWN.

NOW WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO DO THAT, NILDA?

SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO GIVE ANDROIDS A BAD NAME, CAPTAIN.

GARCIA, IF THAT’S TRUE, THEN THIS MIGHT BE JUST THE BEGINNING.

THERE ARE TWO HUNDRED ANDROID HATE GROUPS ON THE AMERICAN CONTINENT. FOURTEEN RIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK.. SEVEN WHO WOULD HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS. REVIEWING UTILITY RECORDS AND SURVEILLANCE FEEDS NOW.

SOMETIMES I WONDER WHAT DRAKE NEEDS YOU FOR.

UHM... I’D RATHER NOT SAY.

I CAN NARROW THAT DOWN FOR YOU. I’VE GOT A TIME AND LOCATION STAMP ON THE HACK. OLD BATTERY PARK.

ON THE WAY OUT.

You know, I love fucking androids.

Hey Garcia, I hear you been checking the oil on your partner there. Shut UP,

jackson.

They do exactly what you tell them to do. Okay, you need to step away and stop making any kind of sound at all.

Y’know, I’ve been banging my housekeeper? Boy, Can that girl multi-task! One time, I was really pounding her and y’know what?

she was folding the laundry and watching the news all at the same time. Ha ha ha!

Jackson, i’m really curious.

Hey, maybe sometime, I can get a “ride along” from your--

Did the department give you special training for this or are you just a natural prick?

Drake! Let’s Roll!

What a day I’m having!

First, I crack my knuckles hitting that asshole Jackson. And now I’ve got Drake giving me the silent treatment. I’ve had enough of this shit.

okay, DRAKE. WhAT GIVES?

“Let’s Roll?”

what?

What am I?

your entourage? Your little servant girl?

Are you serious?

Fuck You!

I didn’t think androids got P.M.S.

Okay, look.

You’ve always been one of the nice ones.

THANKS. Jackson just got to

me. Had to teach him a lesson.

I’m sorry.

Really? was it about me? I’m sorry I said that.

and I didn’t mean to order you around

back there.

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