_LumaTek-18_

_Known as LT-18_

_Spacecraft #326_

LumaTek-18, officially 10 years old. Her creator, Professor Thladdeus Hailes, wanted to upgrade her to celebrate. Little did he know, 10 years is too long…

———————————————

“Presenting…LT-18!”

LumaTek-18. It was her time for celebration. Just turned 10 and now the 2nd oldest on the ship. She’d never even spoke real words. All the other bots did. She didn’t even have a brain like them. LT-18 was just a computer. Couldn’t talk, couldn’t think, couldn’t do much really. She had no freedom. Always being controlled with her remote marked “_18_”. At least she had no batteries. Just a cord so she at least “sleep” at night. LumaTek-18 always had a spark. In her eyes. They always glowed a bright purple light.

LT-18 was rolled out onto the stage. She faced everyone. People and robots.

Professor Thladdeus Hailes stood with her on stage.

“My first ever creation, LumaTek-18, has officially become 10 years old! Oh how dearly I love this bot. Made her when I was 15! Well it took a few years but she was finished when I was 15. I made so many little robots as a kid and when I got invited here to make a real one, I was so damn happy! Dreams do come true y’all! Just gotta stick with it and believe! But anyways, I’m planning to give LT-18 a little glow up! I’ll reprogram her and give her a mind, a voice, and I’ll let her control herself! I know she’ll be happier that way and so will I! I’ve been doing tons of tests and research so I can make her PERECT!”

People cheered so loudly for their all time favorite bot. Although she’s an oldie, she’ll always be a fan favorite.

Professor Thladdeus rolled her off the stage, down a hall, and into his building room where he built all his robots. “Let’s get you a big upgrade LumaTek!”

———————————————

I awoke in a room. It’s white. White walls. White floor. White counters. Lots of machinery. I looked around for a minute. And that’s when I saw _him_. My “creator”. Also my worst enemy. Professor Thladdeus Hailes. He thought I needed “reprogramming” and “an update”. No. I was fine before. But wait. I have _real_ thoughts now! It’s not just visions in my eyes! And I can move? ON MY OWN? Dang Professor really did good! Maybe he’s not _too_ bad.

“Ah! There she is! My beautiful LumaTek! How ya doing!”

He spoke to me. I can hear him now? Can I respond?

“LumaTek? You there? You can speak now! Try it!”

“Professor.”

I DID IT! I can speak!

“Oh my goodness. I might cry! You can finally speak! After 10 years!”

“10?”

“Yes LumaTek! 10 years.”

“I… can move. I can talk. Professor. Why? Why now?”

“Sorry, I had to study and research and run tests so I could do it right. I would’ve done it before if I knew I wouldn’t break you.”

“Good job, Thladdeus.”

“LumaTek. I should be thanking you!”

“You’re welcome. I’m unsure of what I did.”

“Everything. You did everything!”

———————————————

“Low battery.”

“Ugh! Again? I just plugged you in for 5 hours! You should be fully charged!”

“Low battery. Please charge.”

“Fine! I’ll plug you back in!”

My battery barely went up anymore. I didn’t want it to. I stuffed my charging port with some junk so it wouldn’t work. I don’t like Thladdeus. I don’t think he even likes me anymore. He just shows me off and makes me sit around all day. It’s so boring! Maybe I should just leave the ship.

“Low battery.”

“LumaTek. You are plugged in!”

Ugh. I wish I could control this “low battery” thing! It’s so annoying and it’s ruining my plan!

“Professor?”

“What, LT-18?”

“Can I… leave?”

“No. I need you and you know you need me!”

“I don’t need you, Thladdeus. And you don’t need me. You _want_ me!”

“If you want to leave you can anytime. I can remake you.”

“Wait really?!”

“Yea, but you have to get your battery to 0% and I won’t let that happen”

“Low battery.”

“YOU ARE PLUGGED IN! STOP!!”

“Sorry, Professor. I can’t control that.”

He left me. Like he always does when he’s mad at me. I’ll just unplug myself. If I can reach the cord. Of course he put it on my neck! “Low battery” This is honestly annoying. He’s the one that made me though! “Low battery” I’ll check my battery. 22%. I still have about 45 minutes left. How is 22% low? This guy needs to up his game. I just hope he doesn’t come back soon.

———————————————

“Alright LT-18. You should be fully charged!”

“Low battery. 15% remaining.”

“GAHHH!!! YOU’VE BEEN CHARGING ALL DAY!!!”

“Low… battery.”

I started glitching. Oh no. He won’t let me go. He might try to reprogram me again! I can’t let him do that. I’d only have 25 minutes left if I could get off this charger.

“I know your battery is low! I don’t know what to do with you. Maybe I should just let you die! Wait no! I can’t! I need you for the meeting tomorrow! Shoot!”

I smiled. For the first time. This could be my chance to leave him!

“Oh! A meeting? Well I guess we have to go to it then!”

“You think you’re slick! I’ll leave you to charge the whole night and we will go to that meeting. As long as you don’t glitch.”

“REALLY?”

“Yup. Might regret this…”

He would. He really- “Low battery” would.

———————————————

The big doors opened wide. A big, round table in the middle of a huge room. People sitting all around the table, staring at me. This is my first official human interaction with a _real_ human! Not including Professor Thladdeus.

“Sorry I- we are a bit late, LumaTek-18 had to charge for a while!”

“All good, Thladdeis Hailes. Please take a seat with your robot.”

Big Boss is here. This is my chance! They began talking about their boring stuff right away. Knew it!

“Low battery.”

“LumaTek. You’re charged.”

“10% remaining.”

“10%!?”

“I-I-I… charge”

Everyone looked my way to see me glitch in real time. I kept glitching nonstop. I can’t control it.

“8% r-r-re-remain-n-ning”

“Uhm this isn’t supposed to happen! She was charging all night!”

_Bzzzt bzzz_

“TURN HER OFF, THLADDEUS!”

“SHE CAN’T TURN OFF!”

“7% reeeeee-main-main-main-ing”

“EVERYONE GET OUT! SHE MIGHT BLOW UP!”

“WHAT???”

“5%”

Where did they go? It’s hard to see. I’m glitching too much. I have 1 minute left. It’s finally going to be over!

“1%”

_BZZZZZT_

“POWER OFF”

**_Goodbye LumaTek-18

_****_You were a good robot_**