The Only Warm Heart in the Cold of Space

The Only Warm Heart in the Cold of Space

Sofia went out for a walk today, thinking she had been sitting at home for far too long. But old TV shows and computer games were so entertaining! And her sofa and armchair were so comfortable.

Her old bones ached, and she barely managed to make her way down the short flight of steps.

The elderly woman thought sadly that before long she would no longer be able to go for walks without a wheelchair. For now, though, she could still walk, even if she needed a cane. An antique one, made of real wood, which she had brought with her aboard the space shuttle, packed among the bare minimum of personal belongings. The delicate balance between the amount of luggage, equipment, and oxygen could not be disturbed.

The old woman slowly shuffled along the broad path, its surface without a single scratch or dent. With a sad smile, she remembered how she had once been horrified and furious by how little space there was.

Now the road seemed far too long.

The little town, made up of identical white houses beneath a transparent dome, looked as though it had come straight off a postcard celebrating the conquest of space. Postcards and stamps like that were distributed whenever humanity conquered yet another planet. Astronauts usually signed them for their admirers and future space explorers.

The town looked strangely out of place among the dark cliffs and craters left by falling meteorites.

With some effort, Sofia raised her head and gazed at the bright stars in the black sky. Constellations that had once been alien to her had long since become familiar.

Walking farther, she stared at the outline of the spaceport, which, as usual, was being repaired by robots.

It seemed like only yesterday that a meteor shower had broken through the dome above it and destroyed the storage facilities.

The repairs had already been going on for about forty years, with no end in sight.

A beautiful young woman with a little girl was coming toward the old woman. Both wore light-colored tracksuits. The only unusual thing was the pair of pink plastic cat ears perched on the dark-haired head of the child, who looked about five years old.

For a moment, Sofia's heart skipped a beat. She had never seen either of them before.

Could new colonists finally have arrived on Temus?! Just like they promised in that brochure I was stupid enough to fall for during that tour of the lunar spaceport?

Thoughts appeared and vanished in frantic succession. She was afraid to believe in her good fortune. Besides, there had been no alert. And in the space settlement, alerts were sent out for practically everything.

“Have a nice day, Sofia,” the woman said with a smile that was far too perfect.

It immediately became obvious that she was a robot.

“I’m new to our town. My name is Sicilia. I was made from parts belonging to Susie and Millie. Six months ago, they reached the end of their permitted service lives under safety regulations. Some new parts that had previously remained sealed were used as well.”

“All right, all right, I understand,” Sofia waved her off, feeling disappointment bring tears to her eyes and a painful emptiness to her chest. “Any news about people moving into the empty houses?”

The woman turned in perfect synchrony with her and stared with empty, unblinking eyes at the neat rows of vacant houses.

“No authorization has been issued for the production of new neighbor robots due to resource conservation,” Sicilia replied, turning back to her. “Primary resources are currently allocated to oxygen production, greenhouse operations, and ice extraction for water production.”

“I mean people!” Sofia snapped.

Normally she didn't lose her temper, knowing perfectly well how pointless it was. What was the point of arguing with a machine? Even one that looked terrifyingly human.

“Here is a new human,” the woman said, indicating the little girl, who was staring at Sofia in gloomy silence.

“The ship arrived after all?!” Sofia would have jumped for joy if her old body had allowed it.

“Why didn't I hear the announcement? Or did I sleep right through it? Ah, old age is no fun.”

“There was no ship,” the robot continued in the same mechanically indifferent voice. “The girl's name is Trixie. She is your clone.”

“A clone? Why? I never gave my consent! This is ridiculous. What's the point of talking to myself?”

“The central computer made the decision on your behalf. Once a human colonist reaches the age of ninety, he or she is considered incapable of making decisions concerning their own reproduction. According to Protocol 78896, Settlement Number 568863 on this planet must, as part of its standard complement, have one human being in residence. One unit. This requirement remains in effect until further instructions are received from higher authority.”

“Then why don't you give the girl to me? I am human, after all. I can raise her.”

Warmth stirred inside Sofia. Her heart fluttered. She had dreamed so long of the day when she would finally have human neighbors instead of a handful of robots and rows upon rows of empty houses.

Her dream had never come true, but at least the girl was alive. Real. Even if she was Sofia's clone.

Sofia had always opposed cloning, but she knew she could have loved this child.

“Impossible. According to your most recent medical test results, your life cycle will soon terminate. Under safety protocol, I am not permitted to expose my ward to unnecessary risk or stress.”

The old woman tried to reach a trembling hand toward the girl, but the child recoiled and hid behind the robot.

As though hiding behind her mother from a kidnapper.

“Threat of attack against protected subject detected,” the woman announced, shoving Sofia away. “Threat temporarily neutralized. Any further attempt to attack the protected subject will result in elimination.”

Sofia almost fell onto the smooth floor. She stepped out of the robot's path and away from her clone, who continued watching her warily.

Sadly, she realized that now they certainly wouldn't let her anywhere near the girl.

And only later, years from now, would Trixie understand what it was like when all your neighbors were robots.

Sofia could only hope that the girl would live long enough to see other humans arrive.

She trudged back toward her house without looking behind her. She didn't particularly want to die ahead of schedule, after all.

She consoled herself with the thought that there were plenty of things to keep her entertained at home—games that were far more enjoyable than playing with a temperamental little child.

And if she was lucky, she might even manage to pick up some show from Earth over the communications link, which was forever malfunctioning because of the enormous distances.

Or at least something from Mars.