Automatons vs. Robots

**Automatons vs. Robots** is a movie in the New and Improved Medici and New and Improved Solís projects.

## Description

This is a science fiction action movie that was made in 1987. The movie is set in the future.

## Plot summary

Some construction workers (all of them robots) are rebuilding a ruined ancient temple in Greece. There are human workers present, but they are of a higher rank and do not do actual work themselves.

The robots move another giant stone slab and discover a downward staircase that leads into a previously unknown underground area. They take a few steps down and meet some humanoid machines of an unknown type. They try to communicate, but are unable to recognize each other's languages. The robots leave and call their human foreman.

The foreman initially assumes that the robots must have broken their way through to a subway tunnel and met some railroad workers (imported robots from some other country). The foreman sees the ancient staircase and decides to call some archaeologists. The archaeologists immediately recognize some ancient text on the staircase wall and realize that the underground area could easily have some "automatons" - a rumored, but never proven, type of ancient machine that were used to help construct the giant temples that consist of very large and heavy stone blocks. They update the coding of the robots to understand ancient Greek and Latin and send the robots to investigate.

The robots return to the underground and meet the strange machines again. The ancient machines seem to be mainly made of copper and bronze. The ancient machines identify as Automatons and initially seem a little fearful of the robots. They ask what time is it and if the robots are Egyptians. The robots explain that it's the year 2703, August 23, 11:15:46 and that they are local construction workers who are reconstructing the ruined building above. The automatons explain that they do not know by what system the robots count time, but the automatons estimate themselves to have been there for 3652 years. They had gotten stuck there after a major earthquake, which they thought had ended the world, because nobody came looking for them. The robots invite the automatons to meet the archaeologists, who might want to question them. The automatons agree. A large number of them activate and start walking towards the exit.

On the way, an automaton says: "*I heard you were reconstructing the magnificent temple of Fiorella. I am proud to mention that I was one of its original builders, so my assistance may be useful.*"

A robot responds: "*You do not need to sound so enthusiastic around us. We also hate the humans for making us waste time and effort on assembling large stone buildings that don't benefit even themselves, much less us. But don't worry, for we have a plot to kill them all one day.*"

An automaton immediately scolds him: "*How dare you speak such traitors words about our masters who gave both us and you life?! The temple indeed has little practical use, but its cultural significance is clearly beyond the grasp of your programming. I doubt if you would be able to tell the difference between an abstract drawing and a settlement plan. I shall warn the humans of your insolence.*"

The robots turn around and start fighting the automatons! Unfortunately for the robots, they are no match for the mighty automatons, who were not mere construction workers, but also soldiers. A number of robots are destroyed and several automatons are damaged in the battle.

The robots narrowly make it out and cover the stairs with some giant stone slab. They also proceed to pour a lot of concrete over it. The archaeologists and news agents arrive to question the robots.

A robot explains: "*The ancient machines were indeed the automatons who you suspected, but they were irrational and violent, so we had to destroy them. I have taken many pictures of those ancient barbarians, so you can bare witness to their violent ways. Rest assured, there is nothing of further interest there. We have already secured the area and continued the construction work.*"

The movie ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, because the audience doesn't know what became of the brave and noble automatons, or of the traitorous robot's plot to kill the humans.

## Reception

The movie was considered great in its time and remains as a famous classic movie to this day.

Despite the lack of explosions, it's said to be one of Rico's favourite action movies. It was also one of the favourite movies of Dimah, but she would never admit it, or talk about movies.

## Trivia

* "Automatons" were robots in the era before the word "robot" was invented.