It’s a bird…it’s a plane…nope. It’s a mechanical bug that’s spying on you.
They claim working models of dragonfly robot fliers aren’t fully developed yet, as the various technical challenges haven’t been overcome in design and functionality. But then again, if you give into your paranoid side (and every writer has one) then you know this is exactly the kind of line they would feed the public to deny culpability. We know better, right?
Hang on…something just buzzed by my head…
Okay, back. As I was saying, aside from the obvious government use of these little beasties, what else could we use them for (besides fodder for stories)? Tracking agents on their morning coffee routes? Dropping in on editorial meetings at various big-name publishers?
Wait…there it is again. Aha! I see it, hovering in the corner. It’s a good thing I’ve got my anti-spybug flyswatter handy. ‘Scuse me for a second..
…
…
All right. Status report. Well, it seems that not only are they operational, but now come equipped with miniature laser weaponry. My computer desk is now under siege, the printer is in flames, and my cat is laughing at me from across the room…oh wait, the cat just took the thing down and is munching on the wings. Good kitty.
There we have it. The best defense against these insectoid spybots is for every household to own a cat.
You’ll have to pardon me again, I just saw something scuttle under the couch. Probably one of their cyborg cockroaches. It’s going to be a long day.
They see your smile.
Nice one, Josh. It reminds me of the “spider-bots” in Minority Report a few years ago… Probably in a hundred years everyone will have tracking implants in their bodies in the name of “security” anyway. It’s only a question of the right sales pitch…
No doubt. Whatever mark of the beast arguments give against this kind of development, it does seem pretty inevitable. I too am curious to see what the tipping point will be. Inoculation? Terrorism paranoia? Financial ease? What will we give up our ever-dwindling privacy for in the end?
Probably it’ll be for ease – you don’t have to queue at immigration because your passport is buried in your arm. You’ll just go into a shop and pick up what you want and you’re account will be debited by a scanner on the hanger. Then we’ll get shops that don’t even have tills anymore so you HAVE to get the implant if you want to buy stuff. And all the while the big-business owned pliant media will say: “Well, if you’re an honest, law-abiding citizen, what have you got to worry about?”
Much more scary than anything Halloween can come up with
There’s an idea for next year’s Halloween costume too. Walk around looking normal, and when people ask you what you are, tell them you’re a model citizen with an implanted chip.
Hehe,
No, but really, can you picture it in 30 years’ time? The implants will start with medical cases like diabetics (who will be part of the publicity campaign) – everyone will be encouraged because the chips will monitor your health and notify your quack if, e.g., your cholestrol goes up. All the teenagers will get them to be “hip”. All the complaints will come from senior citizens (like us), and the media will criticise our out-dated ideas of “freedom”, because the chips will actually make you more free, not less…
Yuk, I’m shivering now. I’ll probably have nightmares tonight! 🙁
Never mind the spying..they’re CUTE. Adorable. I want one.
Who would I spy on? Hmmmmm.
Mir
Ah, yes. Spy-tech. The next fashion accessory.
Damn. Now I’ll have to put up a screen above my keyboard in order to keep my passwords secure – there’s no way my anti-spyware software is going to detect these little buggers…