NEW SHORT STORY PUBLISHED - THE REPLICANT

 

Neil Randall is delighted to announce that his new short story The Replicant has been published by Roi Fainéant online literary journal. A tale of endurance, the story was originally written seven years ago, and lay languishing on the author’s hard drive in desperate need of resuscitation and bringing back to the land of the living. On a spurious impulse Randall is reluctant to discuss at any length, he was drawn back to the story (a much longer version than its final incarnation), cut two grotesquely overinflated and hugely superfluous scenes, and the whole story miraculously fell into place around them, like Tetris in reverse.

     Shining a light on the future perils associated with AI and synthetic human technologies, The Replicant is a cautionary tale to be heeded.

      Here are the opening scenes of the story:

 

One morning, before his shift started, a curious thing happened to Niles Campbell. As he stored his belongings away in his locker, he saw, in the adjoining corridor, walking alongside a group of high-ranking officials, his exact double, a man of similar age (forty-four), height (approximately five-foot-eight), build (resoundingly average), possessed of the same physical attributes: short, neat hair greying at the sides, a rounded not unattractive face and slightly prominent nose (all the more visible, as this man, Campbell’s seeming doppelganger, was then walking side-on to the staff changing rooms). Thinking it no more than a coincidence, a vision trick, the play of light as much as the relative distance involved, Campbell closed his locker and commenced with his daily work duties on the factory floor. 

      Only this wasn’t the sole sighting of the man in question. 

     Periodically, over the next few days, Campbell could’ve sworn that he saw his lookalike on half a dozen or more occasions: in the staff canteen, entering the physical aptitude testing unit, exercising in the communal recreation area, on the factory floor itself, even passing in the back of the Chief Directorate’s official car. And whilst these were only fleeting glimpses, the more Campbell saw of this man, the more he was convinced of their similarity, that he was looking at the very same face he saw in the bathroom mirror each morning. 

      This became so disconcerting, he couldn’t help but bring the matter to the attention of a colleague, fellow G-Sector manual operative Shaun Rivera.

      “I don’t want to worry you unduly,” said Rivera, in the kind of grave tones that could only ever unnerve, “but there have been some worrying noises coming out of HR recently regarding the corporation’s new recruitment policy. In a word, I’ve heard talk of them trialling new advanced forms of artificial intelligence.”

      “Artificial intelligence?”

      “That’s right. In the next twelve to eighteen months, those bastards are looking to completely phase out human operatives from all manual tasks. Any worker not reaching their designated work targets will be the first to go. And again, not to worry you unduly, but you almost certainly fall into that category, and you are almost certainly at risk of being dismissed from your post. Or worse.” 

      Rivera’s revelations troubled Campbell for the rest of the day, proving so distracting that he assembled two circuit boards in error, one after the other, causing a significant delay on the production line, and was told to report to the Chief Directorate’s office immediately.

      “Your workstation has been temporarily closed,” said the computer-generated voice in his implanted earpiece. “You will not be able to recommence your official duties until full authorisation has been received from your direct superiors.”

***

“Now, Campbell,” said the Chief Directorate, “we both know why you’ve been summoned here today, don’t we? For some time now, your substandard work performance has come to my attention. As you are well aware, we live in a highly competitive age, where market forces dictate. If we don’t operate at optimum capacity in every department, we will fall behind our competitors.”

      Whilst of slight build and advancing years, Peterson was still an incredibly intimidating figure; a stern, unflinching monolith who perfectly represented the corporation’s motto: Aggressive Innovation Through Consistent Excellence. 

      He continued, “More to the point, new labour laws have recently been enacted allowing the more sizable conglomerates, those with a leading role to play in the development, production, and sustainability of food and energy resources to develop a more productive and sustainable workforce. For that reason, you should consider yourself lucky. If, a few months ago, I had been handed a productivity chart like yours, you would have faced immediate decommissioning, perhaps even liquidation. But now, due to the incredible advances our research facility has made in the development of synthetic human technologies, you have been granted a reprieve, an opportunity to wrestle your fate back into your own hands.”

    “I don’t quite understand, Chief Directorate, sir, I –”

     The much older man raised a hand, gesturing for quiet. “Oh, but you will, Campbell, believe me.”

    Through a side door, two white-coated laboratory technicians entered the room. 

    “You would like us to commence with the demonstration now, Chief Directorate?” one asked, casting a quick, uncertain glance over his shoulder, as if something fearful and unwelcome was pursuing him.

     “Of course, gentlemen. We must debrief our subject here. Full implementation of our programme starts this very day.”

      Bowing respectfully, the two technicians ushered what initially appeared, and was soon verified as a perfect representation of Campbell himself, the kind of synthetic human the Chief Directorate had described a few minutes ago, dressed in the same official corporation coveralls, replete with logo and nametag affixed to corresponding breast pockets. 

      “Behold.” The Chief Directorate got to his feet. “Amazing, isn’t it? A state-of-the-art replicant, identical down to the last physical, emotional, and intellectual detail.”

 

If you would like to read the story in its entirety, head over to the publication’s website.

 

And if you’d like to learn more about Neil Randall’s published work, why not take a look at his amazon page.

 

Or check out his book recommendations on his YouTube Channel Randall Reads.