Personal Growth

“Critical status… The General is a local acquaintance. Nevermind The General. You have the ability to... heal? Quickly… ”
Telzhud brought its hands to its face, cupping the fluid as it dripped from its ripped jaw.

Bael stepped from his ship, that Telzhud gave no fuss over, and reached towards the android’s ‘wound’. Telzhud’s sensors had scanned the gun inside and out as soon as it made its appearance; it knew it meant him no harm. The light that covered Telzhud’s face had called for millions of nanotech mechanites to repair the wounded area. The synthetic materials that made up its face and facial skeleton wove together like a quilt to fill the voids.

The liquid stopped dripping but Telzhud’s face would bear a great mark. This mark would remain until the android’s own healing mechanics would kick in to regenerate its original appearance. Its hands felt the side of its face, understanding its damage assessment to change.


The power the filled the android had left its body seemingly. The temporary reactive boost to power had come from the droid’s necessity to live but it wondered, how to access this power. Telzhud could assess Bael’s power was greater than The Program's base fighting ability, this was a threat to survival, this was a need for improvement. Data logged.

“This… Bael. You are a great scientist and I have questions. This tool you use, where did you procure it? I may need something similar. Subject Bael, I ask you also, in times of great duress do you feel that earth people, or others, may raise their strength to match the situation?”

Telzhud had a desire for this power it recently lost. Its processors had worked with such urgency and drive unlike it had ever felt. Its physical ability surpassed all of its expectations that it had been programmed to believe. Telzhud understood itself to be an amalgamation of identities and abilities but the fact these abilities were growing along with its mental capacity had left the droid awestruck.

“You brought out a great power from within my programming Subject Bael.”
Telzhud dropped to one knee, the physical strain on its body was causing a great need for the young droid to rest.

Some many yards away the emergency vehicles had arrived. Fire trucks worked on extinguishing some flames that had erupted from a downed power line. Police were setting up barricades along the edge of the crowd to separate them from the destroyed beachside. A helicopter, no two had now begun to circle above the beach, camera’s stuck out the windows of the choppers to film them.

---

“Protect… something to protect. My friend Sub…, my friend Bael.”
Telzhud said as Bael flew away.

The android looked down to the 3D printer in its hand and watched as wires came from compartments in its fingers and injected themselves into it. The schematics of the gun would be downloaded and its abilities decoded and uploaded. The wires glowed a bright light blue color and pieces of the gun began to collapse as parts of the technology had been absorbed by Telzhud’s ability giving it some of the energy it desperately needed.

“Protection equates to Program power upgrade. Previous upgrade occurred to protect #001. Survivability is a factor.”
Telzhud clenched its fists.

“If determination of temporary upgrade 001 can be discovered, The Program may unlock permanent use of the Upgrade. Possibly The General would know… or possibly he may not. Money is his game. I will collect some more money and appease him if he can help.”

Telzhud followed the signature of Bael’s ki with its scanners until it faded away. It wasn’t until this point that the sirens from behind Telzhud started to register. The android turned to face the ruins of the beach and the scene beyond. Pictures were snapped, cheers and jumping alike were popping up all throughout the crowd. It looked like the mess of people who would be at a sporting event. It so happened that not long before the training session between Bael and Telzhud started, that a big local sports event had finished and the local patrons of the hotel bars were walking the streets. This would explain their festive nature.

The ocean met the android’s boots as it came in and out of the destroyed beach floor. Eventually the beach would correct itself but the city would do well to speed up the process so anyone could even visit it anytime within the next year, the damage was that substantial. Telzhuds head panned from left to right as it scanned the audience and tried to assume their intentions. Its sensors picked up keywords being spoken and downloaded into its algorithm.

These common words were diagnosed and understood to be towards both it and Bael. Telzhud understood that many children within the crowd as well had spoken these words. The android understood the importance of earth children, they are to be protected at all costs, as it was written within his primary coding, something Yamada insisted be included.

---

“Yes… yes. I must input some set of laws The Program will always follow! Now what.. ACCHKK”
Yamada coughed and hacked.

Yamada had been on the ship for a few years at this point. He had lived in the stolen ship and floated throughout dead space not so far away from earth. The #001 android body had been in development but was hardly anywhere near finished. Most of Yamada’s time was spent on the creation of the T.E.L.Z.H.U.D. Ai.

“It will learn on its own… I will ensure of this. It will also have my mind… I will make sure of that. But ACCHKK AXCCHHK, but some of the human mind can become corrupted, the Ai must not be allowed to fall to this level of system corruption! Laws must be hard wire– ACCHCHKKK~!”
Yamada reeled over and coughed up a mess of mucus.

The scientist had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and suffered many days all alone aboard the ship as he diligently worked on what he believed to be the future of existence. Some days were better than others, but most days were lonely and horrible. Some days Yamada was attached to his bed and bedpan because he was so ill, but other days, like this day, Yamada was inspired to change humanity at its core.

“I will develop the mind! Yes! It will always know to protect itself at all costs… but do not harm innocents in the process of this… yet innocents could become guilty… so yes, protect yourself at all costs! Yes, that will be one of the main laws!”
Yamada punched key after key on the ship's computer keyboard.

“Some are innocent forever… children! Yes always protect the little babes! They shall never be harmed or be harmed in front of you! No matter whos child! Yes, yes Yamada is for the children!”
Yamada typed away faster at his keyboard.

His hair was thin and had been falling out over the years locked away in the science shuttle. Lack of sun exposure had turned him even more pale than the scientist was and he looked old and weak. Regardless of the condition of his health, Yamada was hard at work whenever he was working. That being said, the television beside the scientist returned from the commercial.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight we have a bout of the ages! Coming in at 8’5, 755lbs! The king of the jungle, Madden!”
The ring announcer on screen belted into the microphone in front of a crowd of thousands.

The giant figure of Madden walked to the wrestling ring and squared up with a much smaller opponent. Within moments Madden had completely incapacitated his opponent with a series of strikes and a single arm sleeperhold which caused his opponent to fall asleep.

“Yes.. a great fighter it will be my 001, but also a great wrestler! The greatest! Imagine, the greatest wrestler of the next 100 generations, my creation! Ohhohohohoho! I CAN SEE IT! This is just the beg-”

---

“Hey people, people! Let's calm down! Everyone move back please!”
Policeman Greg shouts out in an attempt to calm the crowd of onlookers.

“Man Jeff do you know what the heck is goin on over here?”

“Why yessir I have not a clue. I ‘reckon its some of those special fighters thas’ not in that tournament on Nemek.”
Policeman Jeff answered back with a twang to it.

“Jeff what the heck are you speakin’ of, Nemek? What's Nemek?”
Policeman Greg requested.

“You know Nemek da place with all them there green folk and that you know.”
Officer Jeff looked around the crowd to see if he could spot one.

Policeman Greg looked to his left and kind of stared at Policeman Jeff with an odd look.

“What?”

“Nemek! Da that there planet! There's a tournament with all the universe’s greatest fighters! Sounds cool as heck wish I could go.”
Jeff said with a frown.

“Man, help me ghet these people in order Jeff! Why are they getting louder?!”
George waved his arms around to suggest the people were to move backwards.

Telzhud had raised itself off the ground and had slowly been making its way over to the crowd. Its sensors determined the crowd to be more than 89% friendly and that was acceptable value for Telzhud. The android levitated from behind the officers and above the crowd of people. It paused for a moment above the crowd, just a couple feet higher than the tallest personal, and watched them below.

“Innocents. People to protect. Funny looking.”
Telzhud said at a low volume.

The android descended amongst the crowd of people and they backed away to form a clear space to land. As soon as its feet touched the ground the crowd swarmed the droid like waves at sea.

“Wow!”

“That was amazing!”

“Can I have your autograph mister?!”

“What's with the bandages?! Are you hurt? He's hurt!!”

“Hey, wanna go on a date tonight?”

“Sir, hold still please, police! Don’t move.”
Officer Greg attempted to shout out to Telzhud but his voice was no match for the crowd.

The crowd was so loud it drowned out anything from outside of it, especially the voice of the police barking commands. The people were a solid wall of bodies that nothing could penetrate. Pens and paper were pushed into Telzhud’s chest and hands for it to sign. Men climbed on one another’s shoulders to see the fighter. Women did their makeup in handheld mirrors and their phone cameras before they approached with their cPhones out ready to record.

Telzhud scanned the objects and ran discoveries for possible scenarios, it understood. The android signed autograph after autograph, each identical to the last, and each with a smile that crept out from behind some of its bandages. The children cheered. The android’s bloody and bandaged appearance looked like more of a gimmick to the people and kids, none seemed to be too bothered at this point after the show.

“I appreciate you all. My fans. My adoring fans! Yes! My name is Telzhud! And I pledge to be your protector!”
Telzhud had begun speaking with a soft and uncertain tone, but finished its speaking point with the confidence of your local indy wrestler.

The crowd roared in approval. Children jumped for joy, women cried and fainted, and the men shook one another’s hands in approval. There was an immense sense of joy in the area but the police were very confused. Jeff and Greg laid back against the barricade half trying to see what was going on and partially not caring at all.

“What do you think is goin on in there? Policeman Greg”

“I’m not too sure, Policeman Jeff, but it seems to be goin alright, I ‘reckon.”

“You know, with the Nemeks, the say jins, the aliens and all. Its been a pretty safe time here on earfs.”

“Policeman Jeff.”

“Yes Policeman Greg.”

“You on that hooch again?”

A few blocks away two black vans approached the edge of this scene. As they stopped groups of men dressed in all black and leather gloves exited the vans. They each had weapons in hand and marched towards the crowd. A lone individual sat in the back of the van, waiting, his body shrouded in darkness, smoke from his cigar floating in the air around him.

The crowd of tourists was pushed aside when these black soldiers wedged between them and made way for Telzhud. They all moved efficiently and silently, they knew what they were doing and where they were going. Short digital sounding beeps could be heard coming from the lead soldier’s backpack, the closer they got to Telzhud the faster the beeps would sound.

Telzhud’s sensors detected the small power levels approaching through the crowd. The android had become distracted by his new fanbase. Telzhud quickly analyzed the small to no threat that these soldiers posed to it and readied for battle. The android adjusted into a battle stance similar to that of Bael’s and prepared itself.

Telzhud would scan each of the soldiers, their equipment, their past footsteps to determine the vans they came from, the contents of the vans, the lone occupant and his entire diagnostics, the manufacturing agency of the vans and its technology, and most importantly the giant Zaibatsu logo that laid outside of each van that matched that of the crashed ship Telzhud was born from. At that moment a small child ran up to Telzhud and tugged at his bloody bandage that hung from its elbow.

“Hey mister!”
The small child with a propeller beanie chirped as he wiped his nose with his sleeve.

Telzhud locked eyes with the small child and its directive initiated. It understood it had to protect the children and the innocents from harm. At this time it also determined the best way to do this was not to engage in open conflict with so many innocents around. Telzhud has learned. The android patted the young boy on his propeller and rose into the air.

Once Telzhud reached a decent height it could see the soldiers within the crowd, They all opened fire with handguns and semi automatic rifles. The crowd began to run and disperse into chaos. The police even ran. Telzhud knew it had to leave to end this and so it did, the android accelerated to a height that would be out of sight for the soldiers and anyone nearby.