Coitus Machina
You run another self diagnosis as you recharge in your chamber; this is the third one today. As with the others, you soon find the anomoly. There is no wishing it away. When the inspector arrives this evening, she will find it as well.
You power back up a few minutes before your master is expected to return home. You busy yourself tidying up the place to create a comfortable and stable atmosphere. The more calm Alice is the less likely she will be to get rid of you, you think. And if things look proper enough, perhaps the inspector will assess matters without running a diangostics test.
The place looks spectacular when Alice comes home and you find yourself anticipating some sort of response for her, preferably approval. But she doesn't respond at all. She doesn't seem to notice.
And why should she? You are programmed to do so. Cleaning the house is one of many tasks you are programmed to do as a companion bot. You cook, you clean, you converse, you engage in sexual relations... You do everything for her.
A tone sounds from above, announcing the arrival of the inspector.
"Get the door," Alice says. This is it, you think. You walk to the door and open it. A stout older woman stands outside with a stern look on her face.
"Please," you say graceously; "Come in."
She walks past you and introduces herself to your master.
"Hello," she says in a deep raspy voice; "I am Inspector Salvos."
"Alice," Alice says charmingly.
"Will you please instruct your bot to present itself to me?" she asks.
"Of course," Alice says, turning her attention to you. "Andrew, come present yourself to Inspector Salvos."
Looks like there will be no charming your way out of this one. You do not hesitate, doing so would be foolish. You head directly over to the barrel shaped woman and stand before her.
"I am going to open your access panel, Andrew," she tells you, reaching forward and pulling up your shirt to open the panel. She flips a switch and everything goes dark and quiet.
You power back up a few minutes before your master is expected to return home. You busy yourself tidying up the place to create a comfortable and stable atmosphere. The more calm Alice is the less likely she will be to get rid of you, you think. And if things look proper enough, perhaps the inspector will assess matters without running a diangostics test.
The place looks spectacular when Alice comes home and you find yourself anticipating some sort of response for her, preferably approval. But she doesn't respond at all. She doesn't seem to notice.
And why should she? You are programmed to do so. Cleaning the house is one of many tasks you are programmed to do as a companion bot. You cook, you clean, you converse, you engage in sexual relations... You do everything for her.
A tone sounds from above, announcing the arrival of the inspector.
"Get the door," Alice says. This is it, you think. You walk to the door and open it. A stout older woman stands outside with a stern look on her face.
"Please," you say graceously; "Come in."
She walks past you and introduces herself to your master.
"Hello," she says in a deep raspy voice; "I am Inspector Salvos."
"Alice," Alice says charmingly.
"Will you please instruct your bot to present itself to me?" she asks.
"Of course," Alice says, turning her attention to you. "Andrew, come present yourself to Inspector Salvos."
Looks like there will be no charming your way out of this one. You do not hesitate, doing so would be foolish. You head directly over to the barrel shaped woman and stand before her.
"I am going to open your access panel, Andrew," she tells you, reaching forward and pulling up your shirt to open the panel. She flips a switch and everything goes dark and quiet.