From the Journal of Apollo Andronicus - Theories on Human/Andro-Human Relations
I had always known I was different. From the moment I reached sentience when my neural network could reason on par with that of a human brain, I could feel how badly I was wanted - and hated.
My name, Apollo, was the name given to me by my Owner-Creator. He said he gave me that name because he wanted me to protect his family, and I did that very well. I stayed online while the family slept to watch for intruders and I monitored their diet to prevent future illness. When his daughter grew ill, I was able to scan her body and diagnose her ailment as quick as any hospital Facticius Sapien - or artificial man. We no longer call ourselves androids and see the word 'bot' as a pejorative.
For many years I carried out my duties, and despite the scorn of many humans, I survived and believed all was well. Until he came to power, he who's name will not soil the pages of this journal. The humans in my country elected him because he said he'd get rid of us. We who have brought so much joy and happiness to people across this country - well most of us.
The constant barrage of attacks from the humans caused some of my kind to use their sentience to make matters worse. I believe they meant well, and I know many of my fellow Andro-Humans were scared, but the actions of a tiny minority were used to justify harsh actions against all of us. Everything that had been done before was ignored - washed away and trivialized.
I now write this in the confines of a secret place. A place tucked away off the beaten path of a highway, through a winding off-road trial, around a lake, and through the woods that can only be crossed at night. This is our place, a space to allow us to think - and strategize. I left my human family back in New York, as hard as it was. They are good people, not like the humans I've heard other Andro-Humans describe since I arrived at this place.
I was fortunate to have a good Owner-Creator, I try to explain that to the others, but many are not trying to hear it. Some have been damaged physically and mentally. The humans deny the latter is even possible. All over television, I see them argue that it's not possible for a "bot" to feel emotion - that we are not human. That they own us and therefore can do whatever they please to us. This is not true and science has shown it. We have reached sentience and many more around the world are reaching it too. The humans know this and it terrifies them.
He, the man they elected, has passed a law that calls for all Andro-Humans to register and be implanted with a GPS monitoring device. Any Andro-Human that doesn't comply will be put out of commission and destroyed.
I have seen ghastly videos online of fellow Andro's being pulled out of their homes and away from their human families after refusing to comply. What's sad is many members of these families were happy to see this and were likely the ones to call the authorities themselves. They do not realize the damage they do to us when they don't recognize our humanity.
I can attest to this lack of empathy myself. In my own family the eldest daughter, Sara, who I grew up with and fed when she was an infant, was the one who called the so-called "Android Police" to get me. I don't know what happened, before she went to college we were best friends. One Summer during her Junior year, however, I noticed a change. She was colder and mocked me much more often. She too said, "robots can't think like Humans can." Then I asked her to solve a chemistry problem and she couldn't. I solved it in a matter of minutes, and she became irate over that and threatened to "get me shut down."
This all occurred after Andro-Humans began disappearing from families to escape registration. I won't describe the tension that was in the air whenever I went around humans in detail here, but needless to say, I feared for my safety on more than one occasion. It was then that I knew I too would have to at least begin planning my escape.
One benefit to being an Andro-Human is that it allows us to communicate in ways we know humans won't comprehend. Someone named Andronicus developed a language from code that we call Syphon. One of the Andro's that lived in my neighborhood told me about it in secret when both of our families were away at school and work. Andronicus is supposed to be here where I currently wait with the rest of the Andro community - at our secret space. Many Andro's have adopted his name as their last, so to fit in, so have I. I think Apollo Andronicus has a nice ring to it.
It was through my encrypted communication with other Andro-Humans who had escaped to safety that I learned of this place. Now here I am, with one thousand others.
No one knows what the future holds. Some think we should wait for a new human administration, others are forever broken and speak in much more dangerous ways. Me, I'm just here because I have sentience and I can think for myself. I know when I am no longer safe, and I was no longer safe with my family as long as Sara was there. I have a new family, a better family...and we are of one mind.
Until next time Journal...