Adaptive Delivery Protocols
A thin crust was readied, spread by robot limbs
Smearing barbecue sauce, sprinkling cheese on the dough
Bits of chicken and pineapple drop down to trim
The pizza hits the ovens, flash-cooked in a row
Its order prepared, the drone secures its load
Soaring out from its station, high into the sky
It darts past hovertraffic, finding the abode
Of its latest client, awaiting their pie
The building is vast, shooting up past the clouds
Though the drone stays far lower, its target in sight
Weaving through the rest of the late-night food crowd
It finds the apartment, still lively with light
A faint jingle chimes from the balcony door
Accompanied by a soft tap on the glass
The homeguard app vibrates the phone on the floor
Its AI soon opting to let the drone pass
The drone floats through the doorframe, now in silent mode
Finding its human patron, dozed off through the wait
It scans for a drop-site with its sensor nodes
Placing the box down next to an empty plate
To confirm the delivery, it snaps a quick shot
Just as a small housecat meows up at the guest
The drone turns and lowers, while the kitten swats
At the hovering being, newfound in its nest
Concerned that the cat might follow it outside
The drone prints long receipts, spewing them at the wall
With the kitten diverted, the drone swiftly glides
Causing the sliding door to shut in its quick trawl
With the porch secured, the drone leaves for its home
At the autorestaurant near the city's lowgrounds
After a quick recharge, again ready to roam
Endlessly through dense clusters of peers on their rounds
Ethan Hedman is
a speculative fiction writer from South Florida, the land of heat, humidity,
and hurricanes. Ethan's work has been featured in a variety of publications,
including Tales From OmniPark, Community of Magic Pens, and Gunsmoke &
Dragonfire. His full bibliography can be found on EthanHedman.com.
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