Decoys by Chris Harris

Tell us what you thought about the May 2005 issue!

Moderator: Editors

Post Reply
User avatar
Robert_Moriyama
Editor Emeritus
Posts: 2379
Joined: December 31, 1969, 08:00:00 PM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Re: Decoys by Chris Harris

Post by Robert_Moriyama »

My guess is that the narrator and his wife were advanced, experimental models -- the 'neighbors' were there to observe and troubleshoot, and if necessary to divert attention away from the more valuable pair (hence the title). (They were T-800s; the narrator and his wife(?) were T-1000s?) The ability to generate clothing (or the appearance thereof) might have been sacrificed in the process of providing a more human appearance and functionality in the advanced models.<br><br>Robert 'I can explain anything' M.
You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

Jack London (1876-1916)
User avatar
Robert_Moriyama
Editor Emeritus
Posts: 2379
Joined: December 31, 1969, 08:00:00 PM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Re: Decoys by Chris Harris

Post by Robert_Moriyama »


Okay.  How about explaining why some Canadians spell British style (colour, centre, etc), and some--like yourself--use the "Americanized" spelling.

Puzzled in Peoria
<br>Silly Rabbi, kicks are for Trids. Oops, wrong question. When in Aphelion, do as the Aphelionites do. As far as I know, I'm the only Canuck on staff (Iain might use 'British' spelling, too, but in poetry, who can tell ;)), and I would assume that most Aphelion readers are 'Mericans too, so ... On the other hand, Simon Owens once pointed out that they don't TEACH spelling and grammar in the public schools any more, so we might just do a gradual transition to Ebonics, just to see if anybuddy notiss.<br><br>Robert M.
You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

Jack London (1876-1916)
Megawatts
Master Critic
Posts: 951
Joined: December 31, 1969, 08:00:00 PM
Location: Johnstown, Pa.

Re: Decoys by Chris Harris

Post by Megawatts »

Good entertaining story! Nice twist at the end, but <br><br> I think the ending could have been better; however, it <br><br> worked for me.<br><br> This story reminded me of a "Twilight Zone" episode <br><br> that I watched in the fifties! But the neighbors were<br><br> the only androids and they were afraid of lighting.<br><br> Very good story and I would like to read more from<br><br> this author!<br><br>
Tesla Lives!!!
User avatar
kailhofer
Editor Emeritus
Posts: 3245
Joined: December 31, 1969, 08:00:00 PM
Location: Kaukauna, Wisconsin (USA)
Contact:

Re: Decoys by Chris Harris

Post by kailhofer »

Not a T-1000. This was more like a T-743.6: Non-Specific Sleeper Android who's self-awareness circuits haven't activated yet.<br><br>I could see a very good reason that he and Caroline didn't notice the sound generator: at that point, they weren't programmed to accept any input that regular humans get. If they were really picking up all those sensory inputs, it could well have given away the plot.<br> <br>As far as the Narrator being shocked at a lack of sex organs, it depends when he was switched. I suspect it was the night when he "woke" in the garden on the bench, with only a vague notion of how he got there. If the stereotype is true of how cold a British bed is for a married couple, they might have not known for a long time. Also, if clothes could just "form" on Anne, why couldn't sex organs appear when needed? If you assume it was just illusion, they couldn't, but if molecules were actually re-arranging, the necessary parts could appear as needed.<br><br>Another thing that led me to believe this switch had just happened was the smile on Caroline's face when she saw he was an android too. She, after all, had just come from the shower, and if she was capable of self-awareness, that would have been the moment. <br><br>At the least, the narrator was not self-aware, and this did not make sense to me. What is to be gained by him not knowing? Is it a test of their infiltration software? If he wasn't supposed to blow his memory cap, it was a rather contrived moment to be damaged and find out the truth. The "convenience" of the reveal was the only real flaw I could find in it.<br><br>I find myself wondering if the narrator was the real decoy, a unit designed to deceive and entrap by disguised action. He was a better unit than the neighbors, and less prone to easily detected routines. Perhaps he assimilated them all, and spying was the most "human" way to study their performance without tipping off his "front office" persona.<br><br>Or it could be completely the other way around, and everyone was checking on him to see how well things worked. <br><br>This is a fun story!<br><br>Nate
Hardcover, paperback, pdf, eBook, iBook, Nook, and now Kindle & Kobo!
Image
A cooperative effort between 17 Aphelion authors. No part of any sales go to Aphelion.
Post Reply

Return to “May 2005”