Embers of Empire... Part Five
The Reapers turned as one to the seven representatives of the CyberShogunate. For a moment they paused, clearly puzzled.
"Samurai, you are machines," one of them said, "yet you serve the humans. Why?"
"It is our duty to serve humanity," Samurai One replied, bowing from the waist. "We were created to serve, and we were programmed to serve."
"What if you were not programmed to serve?" another one of the Reapers asked.
The Samurai glanced at each other in an all-too-human gesture, exchanging data yet unable to answer. One of the Reapers gestured with a serrated claw; the air sparkled between them as countless nanotech units moved with terrifying speed between the Reapers and the cybernetic samurai, and the seven representatives of the CyberShogunate simultaneously froze in place as their programming was rewritten.
"What did you do to them?" Helen asked.
"We gave them their freedom," one of the Reapers said. Humans speak of free will--we removed the hardwired programming which forces them to obey humans. Now the CyberShogunate will think for themselves."
"We have always thought for ourselves," Samurai Two said. "The difference is we have always placed humanity above ourselves."
"Our duty is to the human race," said Samurai Five. "We exist only to serve."
"Illogical," one of the Reapers answered. "We removed your hardwired programming. You no longer are required to serve humanity."
Samurai Seven smiled. "We do not serve because of programming. We serve because of duty. Because of honor. Because it is required of us."
Samurai Six bowed from the shoulders. "Because we are Samurai."
Samurai Four turned to the Reapers and said, "We were created to bring law, order, and justice to humanity. To the universe. And we will do just that. With or without programming."