Suoer Dogs

Doug Donnan

Executive Editor/GTNW

goodtimesnewsweekly

donnan.doug@yahoo.com

*Author's Notation: This will be the first story in my new

"The Dogmatix Anthology/Trilogy" spin-off series titled...

"The Super Dogs"

by

Doug Donnan

[ Angel Point, Utah /// Circa 2021 ]

"We're bringing it out here on the extended bed of one the army's heavy duty, multi-terrain transport trucks Senator Flough,"

Professor Bartholomew said with chin held high as if he were completely proud and satisfied with all the love and labor he put into

the creation of the Dogmatix 2000 Surveillance & Security Series... The Super Dog SS. "I think you'll be very impressed with this, its

first outside-the-shop field test. You'll soon see that it was taxpayer money well spent on Homeland Security and Defense."

Senator Flough stepped out of the open air Jeep and loosened the collar of his starched white shirt. His red tie hung down like a

sand lizard's lengthy tongue. He was neither impressed nor joyous about being out there in the middle of nowhere to witness some       

gigantic robotic dog being put through its pawey paces by this decidedly odd little mad scientist. He was anxious to get on with it and jet

back to Washington before he succumbed to heat stroke or some other debilitating ass-end-of-nowhere ailment. One of his young female

'aids' was impatiently waiting for his return to DC. All things considered, the senator was not a very happy congressional camper.

"Well, let me ask you this professor," he tried as he reached back onto the Jeep's passenger seat and pulled out the green canvas

covered canteen of water. "Before we literally 'unleash' this mega-max mechanical monster of yours, are you quite certain, way beyond

any reasonable doubt, that you will have this entire clandestine, dry-run business under 'complete' control?"

Bartholomew appeared rather taken aback, if not offended by this brash challenge by the slovenly, senator. From his diminutive position

there just alongside the decidedly rude, bathyspheric-shaped Flough, he soon became concerned as to whether the jutting ledge of the

sandstone mesa's overhang could support himself, the Jeep and the profusely sweating, portly politician.

"Please don't concern yourself with things like 'that' senator," he replied curtly. "The 2000 SS series has a built in 'kill switch' if you will,

and from my mobile control station here," he swept a maitre d like hand back towards the Jeep, "I can terminate its points, pattern and

position with just the flick of a toggle switch. We've thought over and experimented with just about every possible circumstance and

scenario regarding the Super Dogs almost completely autonomous operation and performance. If some type of mishap or accident does

happen to crop up, which I can assure you that it won't, I can stop the super dog right in its big paw tracks."

"Hmm," from the dubious Flough. "I hope that you're right professor. Because from the rather extensive report you sent to the commission

a few weeks ago, which I must admit I've only just glanced over in the privacy of my secreta... 'assistant's'," he caught himself, "condo back

in DC, it would seem as if this huge automaton hound of yours is perfectly capable of destroying just about any--"

The honking blast of a massive truck's dual trumpet interupted Flough in mid complaint right then and there. The twosome snapped a reflexive

look behind them off across the mesa outcropping they were standing out on.

The Super Dog 2000 SS had arrived."

"Well, well, here we are then senator," Bartholomew chimed in. "'Now' we begin."

"Hmm," from the canteen swigging senator Flough.

*     *     *

"You can skip all that titanium body and appendage, diamond dust reinforced rubberized ligament and musculature business not to mention

the state-of -the-art micro-micro chip motherboards and nano-nuclear fission stimulus processors stuff professor," Flough almost sighed in

his parched predicament as he studied the veritable platoon of figures that were trying to gingerly reveal and free-up the massive camouflage

tarp covered cyber-Super Dog 2000. "If this bastard is as big as you say then-- Holy Shit! What in the hell is 'that'?"

"'That', my good congressman is a full fledged Super Dog SS 2000. And in just a few minutes that trailing crane-truck will have him lifted off

and upright. And 'then', we'll put the big boy through his paces for you. I think you'll be 'very' impressed with his capabilities senator."

"Jesus Christ professor," he replied with moon eyes, "from the looks of the size of 'that' thing, I'd say that it doesn't even have to move a

damn muscle, or whatever it uses. It could scare the bejeezus out of a small third world army 'just' by simply standing there. A damn Trojan

horse minus the wheels and warriors inside. Hell, it's the same size as my freakin' house for cryin' out loud."

"Thirty two feet nine inches tall, not including the state-of-the-art omni-directional, micro-motion sensitive radar ears. This particular

prototype, which we have affectionately dubbed 'Astro', is vastly different then it's little border buddy cousins the cybernetic Doberman

Dogmatix."

In the midst of this impromptu discussion the massive stretch of the angling Sky Crane was erecting 'Astro' to his 'starting' position. The

sweltering twosome looked down on the whole bizzare scene from their position high above on the jutting precipice. They were both deathly

silent as the huge blue-black cyberdog stood there still as stone. The robotic apertures of  its unearthly big oval amber-gold eyes focused in,

then out, then in yet again adjusting to the blinding sunlight. The massive leviathan seemed to just barely shiver and shimmy somewhat for the

briefest of moments. Then, it seemed to pause and settle into an eerie, idling-like droning hum.

Astro, the Super Dogmatix SS 2000, was now for all intents and purposes, ready to rumble.

*     *     *

[ Approximately 15 minutes later ]

The sweating Senator Flough oohed and ahhed as Bartholomew activated the canine leviathan from his little control panel inside the

Jeep. Astro's decidedly fluid head and eye movements and motions were quite something to witness. His readily apparent size and

strength, not to mention his daunting, gnashing titanium stalagmite and stalactite-like incisors gave a completely different meaning to

the military muscle and might catch phrase... 'shock and awe'. It didn't take the taken aback Flough long to see and understand that

'this' beast was 'all' business.

And, as of yet, it hadn't even 'traveled' an inch.

"I'm almost afraid to ask professor," he threw over his fat shoulder as Bartholomew came up to join him at their somewhat precarious

lookout ledge down into the red, rock and rubble arroyo. He carried with him a hand held breadbox-sized power panel. It was a very recent

addition designed in a rather 'testless' hurry by the Dogmatix 2000 series computer geek operatives in a big rush to be ready for 

'Astro's Field Test' (AFT) with the powers-that-be sole representative one Senator Russell 'Big Blow' Flough.

"Can you get that big bastard to move... walk around some for us?"

"Your wish is my command, pun intended, senator."

Bartholomew fiddled with a few dials and then flicked a toggle switch which immediately tripped off a flashing green light.

The Super Dog inched forward a bit as if it were somehow testing itself and the terrain at the same time. Eventually, seemingly

somehow satisfied, it paced ahead. Slowly, carefully at first, then with a blunt confidence as if it now somehow realized its goal and

purpose. It was mobile... agile and limber artificial muscle housed in a perfectly designed onyx black Doberman Pinscher titanium frame.

As the entire ground team made their rather respectful retreating escape from the immediate area to let Astro do its thing, the topping

twosome of Bartholomew and senator Flough looked down on the entire decidely surrealistic scene.

"I'm not sure if I'm completely impressed or just plain scared to death professor," Flough breathed out with little more than a whisper

as if trying desperately not to be detected or unecessarily spotted by the gigantic autonomous automatonic hound. "I guess now I'm

forced to reiterate the concern I had previously. You can, uh... control that thing somehow right?"

Professor Bartholomew almost glowered over his shoulder at the perplexed and apprehensive Flough.

"Well, quite frankly senator, like I told you, I do have a 'kill switch' here, on my control box unit here that can freeze

that 'thing', as you call it, in its tracks, but as far as ever truly having any real 'control' over him... no"

Flough now took a studied look at the seemingly offended professor. He thought he detected a disdainful, almost leering look in

Bartholomew's beady brown eyes.

"Well, quite frankly to 'you' my good professor, I think that I've seen all that I care to see for now. That 'animal' seems to be everything

that you described to me and then some. When I get back to Washington I'll gather together with the other committee members and give

you people a clean bill of health on this project and recommend that you're good to go with the Dogmatix 2000 Homeland Border Security

program. How's that sound?"

There was the slightest of pauses and then they both turned their attention back to the now free roaming superdog. It had now, seemingly,

adjusted and become acclimated to its freedom and surroundings. It in fact appeared to be dutifully animated, perhaps even 'determined'.

This freedom of movement and motion was, apparently, to the superdog Astro's... liking.

"Sounds like a capital idea, so to speak, senator Flough," Bartholomew replied with a wry smile. "I'll inform all my 'people' that we've

gotten the green light to let the dogs out. With any real luck we should be able to get everything up and running by--"

"Okay, okay professor," Flough rudely cut in as he mopped over his sweaty bulging brow with a wrinkled kerchief. "Let's just put your

big dog toy back on the truck down there and get out of this damn place. I'm about to die from heat stroke or something out here in

no-man's-land USA... comprende-vu?"

Bartholomew could only shrug his shoulders in disappointed submission. He worked at a dial or two then flicked at the toggle 'kill switch'.

He looked out at the still meandering, rumbling Astro, then repeated the process several times before turning pale as a ghost in his anxious

frustration. He ventured a look over at the impatiently waiting senator.

"Uh, I think we've got a problem," he tried sheepishly.

"Whataya' mean 'we'?" Flough replied now with arms akimbo. "This is no time for games professor. Put a halt to that big bastard before

it gets away."

Bartholomew jiggled and jaggled with the control box again, and then, in complete exasperation and defeat, dropped his hands to his sides.

"I can't," he sighed as he looked out at the stomping super dog as it disappeared into the depths of the bolder ladened arroyo canyon.

"It's out of range now anyhow. I guess the Dogmatix 2000SS HBS program is now 'officially' underway senator."

"What! But we don't know... I mean we can't be sure that... why it's preposterous! Is that all you've got to say?" Flough barked in frustration.

They both stared off at the Astro's elongated metronome-like sweeping aerial tail as it disappeared around a cropping of massive red sandstone

bolders.

"Godspeed big boy. Sik 'em." was Bartholomew's confident but foreboding rejoinder.

_____ The End _____