The MurderBot Diaries: Exit Strategy

The prodigal son returns! And, like the many who have been away for a significant amount of time: he comes bearing a gift—a gift of liberation, the final nail in the GrayCris coffin. Though intangible, the endowment will ultimately serve to expose GrayCris for what it is: corporate evil driven by a shrivelled, heartless conscience.

For those familiar with the first three volumes of the four-volume series, we have witnessed a shift, an evolution of an AI whose periodicity has undergone a dramatic contortion: the burgeoning of conscience, independent thought and free will. It developed a sense of trust, friendship and camaraderie, and slowly it has learned how to share the sandbox. Its use and knowledge of cryptic colouration ( together with vast computer skills) have made it a master social chameleon. Extemporaneous vision has lent it an edge in the arena of survival. Though it maligns humans' humanness, its sense of observation and doggedness has benefited both parties. Our SecUnit is, in fact, a paladin. MurderBot exhibits all the attributes of a paladin: a right, heroic person, or a defender of a good cause. A crusader whose actions have reunited the original Preservation Aux team with whom, together with damaging evidence to implicated GrayCris and clear his alleged murderous spree, will vindicate all falsely implicated. 

I have enjoyed the journey, much like watching a child grow and mature. We have been privy to MurderBot's growing pains, the stumbling, getting it right and wrong, the conscience tug of war, and somehow, like a cat, it lands on all four. Critically, we can not say enough about our SecUnit's addictive compulsive, the need to be driven, and what drives MurderBot is truth and its conviction. An obsession that involves helping Dr. Mehsah and clearing itself from the grip of GrayCris.

Dr. Mensah's unique gift of vision and foresight has graced MurderBot beyond the "me human, you machine" attitude to one of human parallel. Because of this association, MurderBot travels within the galactic planetary systems, a white knight to aid its distressed damsel. MurderBot's impetus of respect, loyalty and kindness becomes the currency of its devotion. Time and time again, MurderBot has demonstrated its affection for its human counterparts by surrendering to their plea for help, even at the cost of bodily injury. So, it comes as no surprise that MurderBot would fully invest for the sake of Dr. Mensah's "Preservation."

In the end, MurderBot has a security consultant offer as SecBot (GoodNightLander Independent), its citizen status has become immaterial to Preservation Alliance. It has become illegal to buy SecUnits. Dr. Bharadwaj wants to go public with its story as a part of a documentary account and a movement as begun by Preservation Alliance to press for full citizenship for constructs and high-level bots. It is reminded that it has future options to consider and friends to help if the need arises. 

We leave MurderBot undecided about its immediate future but in a wholesome place to weigh and mull its options until needed.

MurderBots' foray into the world of humans continues in the stand-alone novel: NETWORK EFFECTS.

Post-Script

I hope that someone somewhere thinks about turning the MurderBot novellas into a television series. 

I was impressed with the artwork that went into development for the novellas' cover page. Please check out Jaime Jones's portfolio at  www.artpad.org. 

To Purchase: 

Exit Strategy: The Murderbot Diaries
Network Effect: A Murderbot Novel (The Murderbot Diaries Book 5)
Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries Book 6)

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