Cheryl and Jamal, girlfriend and boyfriend, were cuddling while watching the holo news.

“Thousands are gathering to protest!” said an anchor.

“What’s their goal?” asked a co-anchor.

“Well …“

Cheryl muted the broadcast.

“What … the … ?” Jamal turned his head toward her.

“Let’s go, honey!”

“What? We have finals to study for, Cheryl.”

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“I know, but it looks fun!”

“But what’s it about?”

“We’ll find out when we get there!” she stood up, smiled, and offered her hand.

— — — —

A rowdy crowd packed closely together at the protest, carrying slogans, flags, and noise-making devices and playing music.

“What’s this about?” Jamal asked a stranger while raising his voice.

“Robots in battle! Millions of people will die because robots lack empathy! They are killing machines!”

“Death to the machines!” shouted someone holding up a megaphone on a stage.

The stranger also chanted, “Death to the machines!”

“Uh, Cheryl …” Jamal tapped her on the shoulder while speaking directly in her ear, “I have a problem with this …”

“What is it?” she replied directly in his ear.

“I’m majoring in robotics. The whole purpose behind robots on the battlefield is to save soldiers’ lives, and their ethical subroutines are proven more logical and reliable than irrational human acts of passion like fear and hate in war ...”

Cheryl shrugged, smiled, and loudly chanted, “Death to the machines!”

Jamal sighed.