Words and Music © 2004 Jeffrey L. Sponsler
The 3D Sentinel © 2004 Gary Curtis
Vocals: Falerina
the metal ball spins silently
traversing space in orbital plane
with radar tongues that taste the space
and UV eyes that squint in the light
of distant stars
2
waiting - watching - barely thinking
the sentinel stands
regarding heaven - guarding against
invasion force - unseen hand
3
No visitors to Etheria
for many scores of years
but the warrior robot generals
had the sentinel stand near
4
a flicker of light will wake the wires
the circuits spring to life
to analyze - to synthesize - to realize
5
a false alarm the sensors cool
return to ready state
vigilant above the atmosphere
to protect the planet's fate
6
another day another night
another game of solitaire
then frequent photons flash and trigger
the machine to stop and stare
7
stare hard at distant realm of space
sentinel becomes aware
that an enemy of all that lives
has presented incandescent flare
8
the flicker of light has woke the wires
the circuits spring to life
sound alarms cry out for help
to save the sentinel
9
save me it cries I’ve done my job
don’t let them shoot me down
don’t let the evil ship that nears
that fills my processors with fear
10
the ship will know that cover's blown
the ship will seek revenge
and plunge me into eternal sleep
and will I dream of electric sheep
11
and does there exist a wireless god
that waits to judge me, the tireless pod
I can't be accused the sin of hate
It’s just not there within my data
don't turn me OFF
don’t turn me OFF
don't turn me OFF
12
far below in a central command
a technician moves his silent hand
to throw the switch that shuts the power
that kills the computer in sentinel 9
13
Ground System Engineer:
pod 9's offline again
it logged an invasion - do you believe that?
hey look at the sensors - it looks like an armada!