Sorry but I don't seem to be able to get indenting to work.....
Some background:
Society is broadly split in its attitude towards robots. Some treat them with disdain and use them as slaves, others accept them to the point of treating them as a new, intelligent, life form.
James and Axel (a T6 robot) are on their way to Mars on a shakedown cruise of their Mayflower scoutcraft. The navigation computers are triplicated for redundancy, the software for each one being sourced separately. One of the nodes, apparently, malfunctions and it so happens that the software for this node was written by a robot. There is no danger as the other two continue to function normally but, having time on their hands, James and Axel decide to dig a little deeper.....
The thin, pinched face of Section Head Hindes appeared on the display. Rows of people worked silently behind him, each of them hunched forward over their work, barely looking from side to side.
“I told them it was a crazy idea, but they never listen to me and now look what’s happened. I’ve got an entire section here dedicated to programming Nav Nodes and they foist a robot on me!
Anyway I hope you don’t expect me to drop everything to sort out your little problem, you’ve still got two nodes to be going on with and you’re only on the way to Mars. I’ve got my hands full at the moment - plenty of time when you get back.”
“I wonder if we could have a brief word with the T2?” I asked.
“That’s a bit irregular. What for?”
Axel took over. “Just a robot to robot chat about the software, if that’s OK Mr. Hindes,” he said with a smile, “nothing more than that.”
“There’s nothing in that Nav Node software that you can’t ask me about, there’s nothing in it that any one of us couldn’t have written,” with the emphasis on the ‘us’.
“I’m sure that’s true, Mr Hindes,” said Axel still smiling, “but you know robots, we think differently to humans. Maybe there’s an error in there that only questioning by another robot can dig out. Maybe a misunderstanding or an assumption that a human, say of your ability or experience, just wouldn’t make.”
Hindes relaxed a little, Axel had read him beautifully. “Oh, I suppose you may be right. But it’s still bloody irregular and to be honest I just haven’t got time to discuss it with you, but you’re wasting your time if you expect to get anything sensible out of it.” He turned and shouted. “Sixty-Eight! Sixty-Eight! Get over here!”
Behind him, amongst the rows of desks, we could see some movement. Hesitantly one of the workers stood and moved toward Hindes.
“You’ve completely cocked up that Nav Node software Sixty-Eight,” he sneered as the T2 approached. “Just like we knew you would. You’ve got a Scout Craft into difficulties on the way to Mars and the crew – that’s one of us and one of your lot – would like a word. Don’t take too long and when you’ve finished get back to work.” He stalked off.
She stood before the display, head bowed, a picture of dejection and misery. “I am so sorry for any trouble I have caused you. I did as I was told to the best of my ability.”
“Please sit.” I said
“If you wish.” She pulled a chair closer to the display and sat down.
“Axel,” I inclined my head towards him, “has some questions he’d like to ask.”
“Do you mind if I call you Sixty-Eight?”
“No, my serial number is T2/67GEX068, but I am known to my fellow workers as Sixty-Eight”
“You were specially adapted for the role of writing the Nav Node software?”
“That is correct. Although I have no memory of it, I have heard that I used to work in Engineering. Two years ago my memory was wiped and I had a mixture of astro-navigation and programming skills downloaded. I have worked here since.”
“Tell us about writing the software.”
“I was provided with the specification and wrote the software with utmost care. Others worked on the software for the other node. I took the longest.”
“Why was that?”
“First, I discovered some anomalies in the specification I was given, these had to be corrected. I got the impression that, surprisingly, this was not welcomed.
Also, the other team consisted of several programmers. I worked alone. But also I was very careful not to make any mistakes. In addition to the test plan that I was given, I created several new test scenarios of my own. This also took extra time.”
“Were all three nodes tested together?”
“Yes. The nodes were system tested as a functioning tri-node system. I was pleased that my software functioned according to specification throughout every test. At no time was my work found to be at fault.”
“What if I was to tell you that in this Mayflower the node running your software has been put offline because of discrepancies in its results?”
“I would be both disappointed and ashamed. If I am permitted, I will examine any diagnostic information you can provide, in an attempt to correct my work. Please accept my apologies for putting you both in danger.”
“Do you have any questions James?”
“Only one. Despite detecting that your colleagues were displeased with you for finding errors in the specification, you still went ahead and, in essence, corrected shortcomings in their test plan. Why? I imagine that this also attracted displeasure.”
“You are right but I am conscientious and continually aware that errors in my work could endanger the lives of others. This outweighs any displeasure that I might bring on myself.”
“Thank you for your time Sixty-Eight. You may return to work.”
She nodded, stood and shuffled dejectedly back towards her desk.
Some background:
Society is broadly split in its attitude towards robots. Some treat them with disdain and use them as slaves, others accept them to the point of treating them as a new, intelligent, life form.
James and Axel (a T6 robot) are on their way to Mars on a shakedown cruise of their Mayflower scoutcraft. The navigation computers are triplicated for redundancy, the software for each one being sourced separately. One of the nodes, apparently, malfunctions and it so happens that the software for this node was written by a robot. There is no danger as the other two continue to function normally but, having time on their hands, James and Axel decide to dig a little deeper.....
The thin, pinched face of Section Head Hindes appeared on the display. Rows of people worked silently behind him, each of them hunched forward over their work, barely looking from side to side.
“I told them it was a crazy idea, but they never listen to me and now look what’s happened. I’ve got an entire section here dedicated to programming Nav Nodes and they foist a robot on me!
Anyway I hope you don’t expect me to drop everything to sort out your little problem, you’ve still got two nodes to be going on with and you’re only on the way to Mars. I’ve got my hands full at the moment - plenty of time when you get back.”
“I wonder if we could have a brief word with the T2?” I asked.
“That’s a bit irregular. What for?”
Axel took over. “Just a robot to robot chat about the software, if that’s OK Mr. Hindes,” he said with a smile, “nothing more than that.”
“There’s nothing in that Nav Node software that you can’t ask me about, there’s nothing in it that any one of us couldn’t have written,” with the emphasis on the ‘us’.
“I’m sure that’s true, Mr Hindes,” said Axel still smiling, “but you know robots, we think differently to humans. Maybe there’s an error in there that only questioning by another robot can dig out. Maybe a misunderstanding or an assumption that a human, say of your ability or experience, just wouldn’t make.”
Hindes relaxed a little, Axel had read him beautifully. “Oh, I suppose you may be right. But it’s still bloody irregular and to be honest I just haven’t got time to discuss it with you, but you’re wasting your time if you expect to get anything sensible out of it.” He turned and shouted. “Sixty-Eight! Sixty-Eight! Get over here!”
Behind him, amongst the rows of desks, we could see some movement. Hesitantly one of the workers stood and moved toward Hindes.
“You’ve completely cocked up that Nav Node software Sixty-Eight,” he sneered as the T2 approached. “Just like we knew you would. You’ve got a Scout Craft into difficulties on the way to Mars and the crew – that’s one of us and one of your lot – would like a word. Don’t take too long and when you’ve finished get back to work.” He stalked off.
She stood before the display, head bowed, a picture of dejection and misery. “I am so sorry for any trouble I have caused you. I did as I was told to the best of my ability.”
“Please sit.” I said
“If you wish.” She pulled a chair closer to the display and sat down.
“Axel,” I inclined my head towards him, “has some questions he’d like to ask.”
“Do you mind if I call you Sixty-Eight?”
“No, my serial number is T2/67GEX068, but I am known to my fellow workers as Sixty-Eight”
“You were specially adapted for the role of writing the Nav Node software?”
“That is correct. Although I have no memory of it, I have heard that I used to work in Engineering. Two years ago my memory was wiped and I had a mixture of astro-navigation and programming skills downloaded. I have worked here since.”
“Tell us about writing the software.”
“I was provided with the specification and wrote the software with utmost care. Others worked on the software for the other node. I took the longest.”
“Why was that?”
“First, I discovered some anomalies in the specification I was given, these had to be corrected. I got the impression that, surprisingly, this was not welcomed.
Also, the other team consisted of several programmers. I worked alone. But also I was very careful not to make any mistakes. In addition to the test plan that I was given, I created several new test scenarios of my own. This also took extra time.”
“Were all three nodes tested together?”
“Yes. The nodes were system tested as a functioning tri-node system. I was pleased that my software functioned according to specification throughout every test. At no time was my work found to be at fault.”
“What if I was to tell you that in this Mayflower the node running your software has been put offline because of discrepancies in its results?”
“I would be both disappointed and ashamed. If I am permitted, I will examine any diagnostic information you can provide, in an attempt to correct my work. Please accept my apologies for putting you both in danger.”
“Do you have any questions James?”
“Only one. Despite detecting that your colleagues were displeased with you for finding errors in the specification, you still went ahead and, in essence, corrected shortcomings in their test plan. Why? I imagine that this also attracted displeasure.”
“You are right but I am conscientious and continually aware that errors in my work could endanger the lives of others. This outweighs any displeasure that I might bring on myself.”
“Thank you for your time Sixty-Eight. You may return to work.”
She nodded, stood and shuffled dejectedly back towards her desk.
But thanks for the suggestion. 
