Grailem by Gary L Beer (best novels for teenagers txt) 📕

brighter to his eye. Bringing a darkened filter over the eye he is able to see deep inside. Beside the heated element another slightly smaller element lays dormant, as no electricity passes through it.
Having a slightly different shape to the light element Grailem deduces that it can only be an inactive camera. If it had been the same shape he would have thought it as a back-up system. Increasing the magnification he can see that the element is comprised of a lense that entirely encases it.
Feeling happier that he is learning more about who is controlling this planet, Grailem stops his examination of the light and camera fitting and puts the microchip out of sight in a drawer. With the camera being inactive, showed him that Martin Maseeve's microchip device is sending the correct information.
To monitor over three billion people continuously would take over three billion watchers; which would be completely impractical. With the microchip device programmed correctly, performing any illegal activity or thinking incorrect thoughts would register differently to mechanical robot watchers. The humanoid's who carried out their lives honestly and obeyed the rules would not even be noticed amongst the population. Even though sophisticated surveillance equipment had been fitted everywhere, most would remain inactive until needed.
With the modified device from Martin Maseeve programmed to report normal bodily functions Grailem feels he can move about more freely. The location signature of the device he had left untouched and he curses himself again for overlooking it. Coming to grips with reality since arriving on this planet had been more difficult than he had thought.

In space, after his initial anger and as the years passed, he would only have need to think of one thing. Having movement that proved useless to manoeuvring in space made him forget at times that he had a body. The dream world he created had its problems, but these he could solve in his own time; with a new creation if needed.
Here on this planet he had a multitude of things to occupy his mind; the brain cells that had remained dormant during the aeons in space had begun to function properly again. It was difficult to slow the rush of thoughts at times as memories are re-awakened and connections to the prosthetic nervous system re-established. Memories of just what his artificial body is capable of; and the destruction it could cause reminds Grailem of his previous errors.
Getting the mirror from the bathroom he sets it up in the kitchen above his head; working his hands in reverse he pulls the newly attached hair from above the microchip device. Cutting the artificial skin open Grailem reaches in and pulls out the tiny device, snapping open the casing and using high magnification he locates the tracking beacon output and mind control circuitry. Fusing several of the connections together Grailem disables the mind controlling circuitry and adjusts the frequency so that it will respond to the electrical impulses of his thoughts.
Satisfied he can do no more he re-seals the device in its casing and inserts it back into his head. Using the pressure and heat from his fingertips, rather than sewing, Grailem relies on the compression and natural adhesion to stick the hair back over the scar to hold it together.
Eager to explore above ground he programmes the tracking device to report normally and leaves the apartment. Using the lift he is soon at the ground floor and stepping out onto the busy pavement.

Joining the people and robots that are walking along the pavement Grailem strides confidently. Glad to be in the open air rather than skulking around in the sewers he walks just for the enjoyment of walking. The shops in this sector are crowded with shoppers and feeling happy he enters a clothing store.
The variety is limited; most of the human population dress similarly to the service robots uniforms of dark blue and purple. The two choices are size and colour as all the garments have that same uniform style.
Leaving the store he carries on walking the way he was heading before he went into the store. The maps of this area shown on the computer network were good but Grailem wanted a closer look around the neighbourhood. He walked every street within a kilometre of his new apartment; several alleyways he found that were not shown on the map, may prove useful - if he ever needed to run again.
The people he passed on the street did not look happy. They looked content and well fed and went about their business with a sense of purpose. None he saw hung around on street corners or stood around in idleness, even the refreshment areas the people stopped just long enough to eat or drink before they moved on.
Happy, smiling faces were non-existent - as was the excitement and joy of life. Serious faces usually surrounded him and Grailem, being empathetic, could feel their unhappiness influencing him and he craves escape to a happier world.
Returning to the apartment Grailem turns on the viewing screen and looks at the surveillance cameras in the infra red. All are inactive showing that the new disguise is working well and he eagerly awaits the shift at the computer factory. The viewing screen shows the same tropical island and he sits and rests; the computer and viewing network will be monitored; and Grailem wanted to show no unusual activity from this apartment.

Taking Martin Maseeve's shift at the factory proved easier than Grailem thought; his main job was monitoring the robot workforce. Grailem had watched Martin during his shift and safe and secure in his office he watches the viewing screens and the robots as they carry out their repetitive work. The main programming machine that fed the data into the microchips was only turned on when human staff were present.
Grailem's night time explorations and use of the factory's facilities and materials had given him the opportunity to carry out further improvements to his systems. His recent disastrous encounters with the security forces had shown that the lack of energy and insufficient weaponry had been his downfall. Fitting extra power supplies to feed the energy weapons and the repelling field Grailem felt he could fight for days; if needs be.
The computer chips he had designed and constructed to avoid the surveillance equipment are ingenious. When they are programmed he will be able to move about in complete anonymity. The ability to indicate that he is a metre or kilometres from his correct position will take little energy from his systems. The chances of confusing the enemy were going to be easy; and could even prove entertaining.
Programming the machine that would programme his design of computer chips is a simple matter of slotting in his memory card with his data into the machine. All Grailem has to do is walk down into the factory and place his chips on the conveyor belt, removing the blank ones. This only takes a few minutes as in the process he makes out he is cleaning a part of the machine.
With his chips replacing the company chips he hurries back to the control room. At the end of the day he hoped that by replacing the blank micro-chips rather than subtracting; the machine would record it had programmed the correct amount. Looking at the screen he sees he is just in time as the first of his modified microchips enters the machine. Activating his memory card he feeds its data and programming into his seven microchips. As the last one is completed Grailem takes out his memory card and transfers the programming back and hurries out of the office and down the stairs.
Reaching the conveyor belt in plenty of time he casually removes his now programmed microchips and replaces them with the blank ones he had removed. With a bit of luck this particular batch of microchips might not be needed for several months before the error is noticed. By then, he hopes to be long gone from this planet.

Returning to the apartment after his shift Grailem checks the surveillance devices and is pleased to see them inactive. Taking the modified microchips into the bedroom (the room with the least surveillance cameras) he places them in a drawer and returns to the living room. Activating the viewing screen and locating the entertainment channel he sits and rests. Ten minutes pass before he feels the slight raise in temperature from the microchip in his head as it transmits its information.
Adding the newly designed microchips to his system; several contained within the prosthetic skull, would also enable him to detect other peoples microchip wavelengths. He could then adopt that persons identity and life functions into his own microchip detector and transfer his to theirs.
One of the microchips he had designed was especially for the robotic security force that helped rule this planet. The past attempts at controlling the robots had met with a certain amount of success. This new chip would enable Grailem to totally override their systems; and they would then only obey his instructions.
That is a long way away he hopes, as his main concern; even after his insane killing spree, is the concern for the people on this planet. They are obviously being bred as cattle; for food and slavery and periodically shipped off planet to who knows where.
This feeling surprises Grailem as all the time he had spent among these people on this planet, he had felt alone. He was different and had always been since his first awareness. That he cared for someone else other than himself was a new, almost alien thought.
The people here behaved differently to those who he grew up with and the freedom of mind he had experienced when he was growing up was not here. On his world the people did crazy things and had crazy parties just to celebrate the happiness of life. He had never been invited, but he remembered the carers around him talking about parties they had gone to.
When he escaped the laboratory and hid out in the nearby city he found that he merged with the population easily. Many around him did not seem to care what he was and where he came from. He went along to parties and tried to join in but never fully understood the purpose as he had 'never let go' and enjoyed himself. He did not know how to; and being friends with someone was a totally new experience. Grailem had only managed casual friendships as most considered he took life too seriously, which was true as he had experienced no real childhood and did not know how to ‘play‘. Some people he found did not take life seriously at all, and seemed to drift along not caring what was happening in the world around them.
Since Grailem had arrived on this planet no one had ever questioned where he was going or what he was doing. The family group of two parents and one child in this sector had been a familiar sight when he had gone to the shopping plaza. He had noticed the lack of noise as the family groups got their shopping. They did not appear to mix with the other families and the children appeared aloof to one another.