Nodding, Danny said, “Sure.”
Danny got up to leave. Ralph was still picking food from his tray, so Danny left it there with him.
When he got back to his room and shut the door, the lights turned on and the TV screen lit up.
“GOOD EVENING, MR. ROMANO,” said SPECS. The screen spelled out the words.
“How’d you know I was in here?” Danny asked, stopping suddenly by the door and frowning at the screen.
“THERE IS A SENSING DEVICE IN THE DOORWAY. AND THE ROOM LIHTS WENT ON. I HAVE A….”
“But how’d you know it was me? Can you see me?”
“THERE ARE NO CAMERAS IN THE STUDENTS’ ROOMS. I DID NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT IT WAS YOU. HOWEVER, THE CHANCES WERE BETTER THAN NINETY PERCENT THAT ONLY YOU WOULD ENTER YOUR OWN ROOM AT THIS TIME OF THE EVENING. I HAVE A MES….”
“Well then, how’d you know I’m Danny Romano? I could of been anybody.”
SPECS’ voice did not change a bit, but somehow Danny felt that the computer was getting sore at him. “YOUR VOICE IS THE VOICE OF DANIEL FRANCIS ROMANO. AND NO ONE ELSE’S. I HAVE A MESSAGE….”
“You know everybody’s voice?”
“I AM PROGRAMMED TO RECOGNIZE THE SPEECH PATTERNS AND VOCAL TONES OF EVERYONE IN THE CENTER. I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU FROM THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.”
SPECS waited patiently for Danny to reply. Finally, Danny said, “Okay, what’s the message?”
“YOU WILL FIND A BOTTLE OF PILLS ON THE TABLE BY YOUR BED. THEY ARE FOR ASTHMA. DIRECTIONS ARE WRITTEN ON THE LABEL. THEY READ AS FOLLOWS: ‘TAKE ONE PILL BEFORE GOING TO BED AT NIGHT, AND A PILL WHENEVER NEEDED DURING THE DAY KEEP THIS BOTTLE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. NOTIFY THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT WHEN ONLY FIVE PILLS ARE LEFT.’ ”
“These pills’ll make me breathe okay?”
“I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I CAN PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. DR. MAKOWITZ IS ON DUTY AT THE MOMENT.”
“Naw, that’s okay.”
Danny went to the bed and saw the bottle of pills on the bed table. They were white, plain-looking. He glanced up at the TV screen and saw that it had gone dead.
“Hey SPECS.”
The screen glowed again. “YES, MR ROMANO?”
“Uh… any other messages for me?” Suddenly Danny felt foolish, talking to a TV screen.
“NO OTHER MESSAGES. I HAVE YOUR SCHEDULE FOR TOMORROWS CLASSES, BUT I AM PROGRAMMED TO GIVE THIS INFORMATION TO YOU TOMORROW MORNING, AFTER YOU AWAKEN.”
“Can you give it to me now?”
“IF YOU ORDER THE INFORMATION, I AM PROGRAMMED TO ANSWER YOUR REQUEST.”
“You mean if I tell you to do it, you’ll do it?”
“YES.”
“Suppose I tell you to turn off all the alarms in the Center?”
“I AM NOT PROGRAMMED TO ANSWER THAT REQUEST.”
Danny plopped down on the bed, his mind running fast. “Listen SPECS. Who can give you orders about the alarms? Who can make you turn ’em off?”
The answer came at once. “DR. TENNY, THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARDS, THE HIGHEST MEMBER OF THE GUARDS WHO IS ON DUTY, THE CHIEF OF THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT. THE HIGHEST RANKING MEMBER OF THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WHO IS ON DUTY.”
Danny thought for a moment. “Suppose the guard captain told you right now to turn off all the alarms. Could you do that?”
“YES.”
“Okay SPECS,” Danny suddenly said loud and firm, “turn off all the alarms!”
“I AM NOT PROGRAMMED TO ANSWER THAT REQUEST.”
“This is the captain of the guards. I order you to turn off all the alarms!”
Danny could have sworn that SPECS was ready to laugh at him. “YOU ARE NOT THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD FORCE. YOU ARE DANIEL FRANCIS ROMANO. YOUR VOICE INDEX SHOWS IT.”
“Okay SPECS. You got me cold.”
“I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT STATEMENT.”
“You won’t tell Tenny about this, will you?”
“THIS CONVERSATION IS RECORDED IN MY MEMORY BANK. IF DR. TENNY OR ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER ASKS TO VIEW IT, I AM PROGRAMMED TO ANSWER THAT REQUEST.”
“But you won’t tell ’em unless they ask?”
“CORRECT.”
Danny grinned. Tenny can’t ask for something unless he knows it exists.
“Okay. G’night SPECS.”