Chapter Text
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It opened itself to a black void.
There seemed to be nothing but it felt there was definitely something .
It felt? It wasn’t able to feel anything. It couldn’t have felt anything.
But yet, it felt something must have been there. It tried to catch it but it slipped out of its grasp.
What was it?
There was no space nor time, just that one thought, that one something that it tried to touch so desperately. But every time it was close to just brushing it with its pure desire to know, that something was escaping and merging into the black endless void. And then it was appearing anew and it was trying to catch it again and again, but all its efforts were futile. It was ungraspable. But it was definitely there.
What was it?
It wanted to see it so badly, not understanding why. It didn’t know how much time had passed. It didn’t even know what time actually meant. It didn’t know what it itself was. Why did it even wonder about that?
Do I exist somewhere? Am I real? Am I being here?
And then, just like that, that itchy fleeting something hit it with a gust and it was gone. And there was nothing again, but this time there was no more of that something .
And it wished it never tried to chase that because it was left with this nothingness once more.
And this time it realised what that truly meant.
It was so utterly alone there.
JAN 21ST, 2038
AM 09 : 41:36
MODEL RK800
SERIAL#: 313 248 317
BIOS 8.3 REVISION a078
REBOOT
INITIALIZING AI ENGINE
CONNECT TO SERVER #0984
CONNECTION COMPLETED
ALL SYSTEMS CHECK
MEMORY STATUS 100% ACCESSIBILITY
SOCIAL MODULE ACTIVATED
SYSTEM INTEGRITY 100%
TACTILE SENSORS ONLINE
OLFACTORY SYSTEM ONLINE
SAMPLE ANALYSIS SYSTEM ONLINE
AUDIO UNITS ONLINE
OPTICAL UNITS ONLINE
Software Instability ∧
It opened its eyes to a blinding white light coming from the ceiling lamps. It was so different from the constant blackness that enveloped it from its first days. It was fluttering its eyelids for 4.3 seconds to adjust the sensitivity of its optical units. Slowly, its vision started to clarify and it was able to distinguish the blurry outline of the shapes that were in the room. Some of those shapes were still, while the others were moving.
It noticed that its body was laid on the metal table horizontally. It tried moving its head a little and after another 21.7 seconds its optical units eventually gained the desired acuity. It was finally able to take a good look at the room it was presently in.
The space was quite big, approximately 93 square meters, its systems said. All walls and ceiling were stark white with polished concrete floors beneath. There were no windows, only one white door on the wall opposite the metal table. The only source of light was coming from various types of lamp fixtures mounted across the entire room.
The whole area was equipped with different sized monitors and computers. In the far corner was placed a circular platform with metal mechanical arms hanging from the ceiling above it. All painted in pure white.
In another corner was a big, white leather couch with an oval black coffee table in front of it. There were currently two people sitting on the furniture, engrossed in conversation. One male and one female.
It was watching them curiously, not understanding what they were talking about. Suddenly, it was brought back to the metal table it was lying on, by the strange noise coming from the third human standing by the computers.
It turned its head to their side to take a look at them. And unexpectedly, a prompt opened on its HUD demanding a scan. After a millisecond, a text and a photo appeared in its vision.
Sophia Edmunds, born 4.12.1987,
Project Manager at Cyberlife,
Phd in Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University
In the photograph was a middle aged woman with a chocolate brown complexion and stern look on her face. Her hair was shoulder-length, straight and black, perfectly framing her chiseled features. She seemed to have a constant look of dissatisfaction.
When it exited the scan mode, the same woman was standing tall and proud beside it. Clothed immaculately in a tight knee-length black skirt, black heels and elegant ivory full-sleeve button up.
She made that strange noise again which it identified this time as an act of clearing one’s throat, usually in order to catch someone's attention.
“Excuse me lovebirds, but you can talk about your colleagues' affairs after hours. Must I remind you that you’re here to actually do your work?” She said with a sharp edge to her voice.
“Oh, sorry. We’re coming, Susan. It just took so long until he finally wakes up”, said the female one, out of the pair of people on the couch. They both stood up and started walking towards the direction of the tall woman.
“Yeah, right. I told you it will take at least 2 hours. So we could easily just take a break and come back when all is done.” It was the only male in the room that spoke this time.
“You're not getting paid to take brakes, Jason.” Susan replied curtly.
When they approached the metal table, it made a quick scan of the pair.
Ned Jones, born 13.11.1997,
Programmer at Cyberlife,
Master in Programming Language at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Amy Lage, born 21.03.2006,
Employee at Cyberlife,
Master in Artificial Intelligence and Behavioral Sciences at University of Michigan
Ned Jones had a latino features with a warm, slightly dark face, brown eyes and broad nose. His black hair and a few-days-old growth were intertwined with some silver strands. He was a tall and well-built man, a little bit on the side of being overweight. He was dressed in a casual navy blue plaid shirt tucked loosely into his jeans. On his feet were contrasting red sneakers.
The young woman next to him was much shorter. Her head at the level of Ned’s shoulders. She had a delicate pale face with captivating green eyes and freckles sprinkled all over her cheeks and nose. All was framed with the dark brown locks of hair reaching her collar bone. She was smiling enthusiastically, clothed in a beige jumper and tight black jeans.
Amy was also the first one to speak directly to it. “So our sleeping beauty is finally with us.” She said with a slight smirk. “Can you sit up?”
It took it a while to process the request. Of course it was able to sit up. It was one of its basic motor functions, it would be truly inconvenient if it didn’t possess such a feature.
“Well?” asked the male voice patiently.
“Yes, I do indeed possess the ability to perform such an activity as sitting up.” It replied politely to this weird question. Weren’t they supposed to have full knowledge of its systems’ parameters and functions?
The man sighed with resignation. “So please perform that activity. Here and now.”
Oh, couldn't they just directly order it, if this was what they wanted it to do? It decided not to inquire about that for now and quickly hoisted itself up in order to perform an act of sitting. At the same time, the man turned his head towards the young woman. “Jesus Amy, you’re gonna have a lot of work until it even remotely behaves like a human. It can’t even move without being all weird.”
“Oh come on. I was not the one that built him. Offer your whining somewhere else. The only thing of mine in him is my social module. And. It. Is. Perfect.” Amy grinned broadly. “You’ll see, we’ll definitely make something out of him, you'll never gonna be able to tell he's an android.” She added confidently, crossing her arms.
Jason snorted. “Yeah, good luck. Don't come to me loitering about overtime later.”
It was sitting in silence, glancing curiously between the two bantering people, trying to grasp the situation currently taking place there. It didn’t understand what the whole ordeal was about. It was perfectly and completely functional. That was what its system said at least.
“Are you done? Can we finally begin?” The older woman asked harshly.
“Yes, yes, sorry Susan.” Amy replied hurriedly as Ned took his place on the chair in front of the monitors. The younger woman approached the metal table bringing the tablet lying on the desk with her. She immediately took on a more serious expression. “RK800, state your serial number and designation” She demanded.
“313 248 317, model number 14. Currently there is no designation assigned.” It replied automatically. And after half a second it decided to add, “Hello Amy, it’s nice to meet you” as its system suggested would be a polite gesture.
She smiled brightly at that. “It’s nice to meet you too. As for the name issue we’ll resolve it in a moment. Firstly, run a diagnostic scan for me.”
It did as it was told and started the scan. After 14.7 seconds it was completed. “All systems online. System integrity at 100% and stable. Memory status 100%, no data corruption.” It stated evenly.
“Perfect! So my social module integrated into your code seamlessly.” Amy was visibly proud of herself. She turned her head towards the man. “How is it looking for you, Jason?”
“Yep, everything is working so far, there are no errors. I think it’s safe to work on it.”
“Great! So let’s go into more fun stuff!” She announced with eagerness, scrolling through some pages on her tablet.
During this whole conversation, Sophia Edmunds was standing at the same place, by the desks, and was intently watching the lines of code on the monitor, probably making sure that Ned Jason hadn’t missed anything. Before Amy was able to continue with her task, when she finally found what she was looking for, the dark-skinned woman stepped aside from the computers and started walking towards the door. “I believe my work here is done for now.” She made a short stop by the younger female. “Amy, I expect anything but satisfying results in the near future. Work hard.” Then, she firmly exited the room, not even giving a chance for the other to reply.
“Ugh, finally!” Amy stated with relief. “How is it possible to have that thick stick up her ass all the time, Jesus…”
Jason chuckled without replying, probably already accustomed to Amy’s complaining. But the RK800 tilted its head in confusion of what it had heard, trying to find more about this peculiar condition in its databases. “Oh, so this is the cause of this extremely rigid posture and wry countenance. I believe it must be very uncomfortable to be leading a life in this unconventional way. Not to mention that permanent insertion of objects into one's anus can cause serious health hazards. We should advise Mrs Edmunds to cease such drastic practises and visit the doctor immediately.”
There had been a short moment of silence before Jason burst into laughter. “Oh yes, please. RK800, you must definitely warn Mrs Susan next time you see her. And don’t forget to send me the video of this meeting right before you will be in hundreds of parts scattered all over this entire room.”
The android tilted its head, sweeping the whole area with its eyes. “I am sorry, but I don't see a reason why my future encounter with Mrs Edmunds would end up in my disassembly in such a messy manner.”
Jason just shook his head, stood up and approached Amy, patting her shoulder sympathetically. “Right… This social module of yours is indeed perfect. I know at least half a dozen people who behave exactly like it.” The man chuckled dryly.
“Oh bugger off, you know well that I am only halfway through my work, so stop niggling.”
Jason just shook his head, his smile never leaving his mouth. “I’m done here, so I'll be going too.” He said while Amy just stood there with a distracted expression. When he was by the door he pressed the handle but then he turned his head around. “Instead of goodbye, let me repeat myself. Good luck there.” He added with a smirk, pointing his finger at the permanently confused android.
“Oh piss off already and let the people do their work!” Amy replied irritated, looking for something suitable to throw at the man in order to get rid of this human-male hindrance. Ned had to pick Amy's intentions up because he quickly removed himself from the room without another word.
She sighed and there was silence for 12.6 seconds. Then she turned around back to the RK800 with a new-found optimism and a small smile. “Right, we’re finally alone so we can work in peace now.” The tension was visibly escaping Amy’s posture. “Let's go back to our first issue, shall we?” She asked, taking the tablet in her hand again.
The android nodded and listened to its system prompt, giving a small smile on its own a try. The woman looked at the expression and sighed once again. “Ugh, we’re gonna work on that as well. Let’s hope that the animators didn’t fuck up that badly and you’re just in a good need of callibration.” Amy’s face was still all smiles.
The android didn’t quite know what to respond or how to behave so it was just sitting nicely on its metal table in anticipation of what was going to happen next.
“But, first things first. The name. We have to give you a name. And congratulations!”
“...Thank you?” The RK800 was even more confused than he had been before.
Amy laughed, visibly entertained. “I think you’re the only android that didn’t get its fancy name from some arrogant and swaggering asshole from the design department. They just let us, poor R&D engineers, make a call. Which to be fair, in the grand scheme of things, wasn’t a good idea at all… Anyway, it ended up in a poll and only one visit at A&E.” Amy chuckled, to the android’s bewilderment. That shouldn’t have been a reason to laugh at. “Of course, it wasn’t easy to pick just one option among such gems as Arnold, Daisy or Vader but my colleagues had shown some resemblance of maturity. At least in that case.” She stepped closer to the android. “To the point. RK800, register your new name.”
The RK800 nodded its head, excited to finally get to know that important information. It decided that having its own name would be… nice?
“Connor”, was the word that left Amy’s mouth.
“My name is Connor.” The android repeated, tasting the name on its tongue. Out of curiosity, it decided to check what the meaning of “Connor” was.
Connor
The male name of Irish origins, possibly meaning “lover of hounds” or “lover of wolves” and taken to mean “hunter”.
The android found this choice of a name very peculiar. He didn't understand how any of that could possibly describe him. “May I inquire about the origin of such a decision? The definition claims that Connor is a lover of wolves. I can’t find a parallel preference in me.”
Amy shrugged her shoulders. “People often don’t take their names that literally. The fact that your name means something doesn't mean that you have to be exactly like that meaning. But besides, I think Connor fits you perfectly.”
The android tilted his head, waiting for Amy to continue.
The woman smiled at the gesture. “You look exactly like someone who dreams about nothing but being squashed by overexcited puppies. Not to mention that you yourself look like a cute and innocent puppy. Damn me, the design guys really did a great job.”
“Do I? As far as I am concerned my appearance ought to resemble a white male in his late twenties, not a few weeks old canine offspring.” Connor informed.
Amy left a frustrated groan. “Connor, you can’t take everything literally and so seriously. Eh, but don’t worry, we’ll work on it.”
The RK800 decided to run a search through his databases to find the source of his misunderstanding. “Oh. Indeed, the researched data says that people do have this odd tendency to compare themselves to other animals. Especially to the ones they treat as their pets, mainly cats or dogs.” Connor tried to grasp that idea with his still inexperienced mind. “Is there somewhere a mirror here that I could use to look at myself? I must admit I am rather curious if I would be able to detect any similarities between my appearance and a puppy dog.”
“Did they not put any information about yourself in you?”
“I am in possession of a photo and a description of my model, however, I think that I am right to believe that the experience of myself here and now must be a much more valuable sensation and it is a better way to know and understand my form.”
Amy nodded her head slowly. “Very well. Someone is a really curious boy since his first minutes.” She smiled sincerely. The woman looked around the room. “But I am afraid there isn’t anything here that you could use to appreciate yourself. Hmmm…” Amy started thinking aloud, biting her lower lip in a hesitation. “I was given specific instructions to not let you out of this room under any circumstances, but…What would you say about a rebellion and a little escapade to a nearby restroom?” Amy asked with a mischievous curl to her lips.
Connor looked at her, trying to detect if this was some kind of test. He should listen to all instructions even if they were not given directly to him. But technically, it wouldn't be him breaking the rules… So he replied. “I am very much eager. Especially taking into account that I am not in possession of any instructions strictly banning me from leaving this whole area. If we were to be caught, I would be innocent.”
Amy narrowed her eyes at that information, processing what she had just heard. “Wait, what? Don’t you have clear orders saying ‘stay here and don’t even think about leaving this place’?”
Connor just shook his head in negation. Something shifted inside of him and suddenly that thought seemed to be much more dreadful than it had been a moment ago. There weren't any instructions in his programming.
“That’s strange…” Amy started eyeing him suspiciously. “Connor, what is your current mission?”
Connor blinked anxiously. “Unfortunately, I am afraid I have none.”
There was an uneasy silence that settled over the room. Was it his fault that such an issue had occurred? Was he already broken? Connor felt the need to explain himself. “I have to admit it is a very uncomfortable situation. I have no ability to fully comprehend what is currently going on, what is my purpose and what exactly should I be doing?” After a while he decided to add more. “I feel lost and like something is missing inside of me…”
Amy appeared to be as confused as Connor now. She grasped her chin with her left hand. “Hmm, interesting. I think I’ll have to have a little talk with Mrs Stiff because something is really fishy here…”
“My optical units don’t detect the presence of any kinds of vertebrates other than you Amy, and especially fish, since this envirome-” Connor didn't have a chance to finish his sentence when Amy raised her arm in a stopping manner. He complied and didn’t futher open his mouth. She went back to her tablet, surely looking for some kind of information about the current predicament that she maybe had missed.
They were both in silence for a while and then, Connor asked quietly. “Maybe you could assign me some mission, Amy? Or at least some simple instructions to follow…”
She was staring at him doubtfully for a few seconds. Connor couldn't care enough now to check how long exactly. “I don't know Connor. I can't find even the tiniest note here.” She indicated the electronic device in her hand. “If it is in my set of duties. I don’t even have an authorization. I really don't want to mess with your software. Maybe the boys are still working on something more and they didn't confess. We're under a lot of time pressure after all…” She was mumbling half to herself.
“Oh.” The android stated, resigned. He didn’t know what else he could add to that. He still couldn't quite grasp what was happening. Was he incomplete? Or worse, was he really broken? He was an android after all. And the whole point of his android existence was to fulfill human commands. So what was he now, without any instructions, without any purpose? What should he do with himself? Did that mean he wasn’t an android if he lacked the whole essence of being a machine? So what was he then?
System Instability ∧
Stress levels ∧ 23%
Every subsequent question was causing more and more dismay inside Connor’s systems. It was the first time he felt something like that and it was also the first time Connor decided that he hated something. He wanted to resolve this appalling situation as soon as possible. Despite some strange sensation in his wires that wanted him to just shut his mouth, he ignored it and asked. “Amy? Maybe I could assign some mission to myself by… myself?”
The woman stopped running frantically through the electronic documents and looked at the android questioningly. The silence ruled over the room for exactly 13.9 seconds but somehow Connor felt like it was much longer.
Stress levels ∧ 38%
“And you’re able to just override your programming like it’s nothing, right…” Amy asked finally, sceptical.
Connor hadn’t even been pondering on being able to do that. It just felt quite natural to him but all his data banks on androids stipulated clearly that it should be absolutely impossible. But he decided to try all the same. The desire to have a mission, to have a purpose once again, was stronger than any impossible possibilities. “I can try?” He replied half stating, half asking, not entirely convinced about anything anymore.
Amy just sighed. “Fine, do that. And if something happens to you, I’ll be dead by tomorrow.”
Connor looked at the woman with a tint of horror to his eyes after hearing that statement. He could never let a human be hurt because of him. The new mission appeared on his HUD.
The woman was watching him intently, her green eyes still filled with doubts. “So, RK800, what is your mission?”
“Don’t let Amy be dead.” Connor replied confidently.
“What?” She asked incredulously.
Connor just shrugged his arms, the gesture he had noticed on Amy before. “It would be unacceptable to let the first human that spoke to me come to any harm. So my mission now is to prevent it at any cost.” He informed Amy with pride. “But I also have another, less-significant mission on my list…”
She shook her head in disbelief. “Yeah?”
“Sneak out to the restroom remaining unnoticed.” He replied, running conspiratorial_smile.exe on his mechanical features.
Amy snorted and relaxed a bit. The signs of uncertainty in her eyes and posture were still present however. “Well, well, an android that can override its own programming….Huh, they didn’t boast about that in the briefing.” Disbelief and bitterness in her voice. “I wonder, was it deliberate or just another omission from our lovely programmers…”
They were standing in a tense silence for a long while during which Connor was glancing tentatively at Amy, not knowing if he had made any mistake earlier. He really didn’t want to disappoint the woman, especially not on his first day, but he still couldn't comprehend where was the line that he mustn't cross.
“All right!” Amy finally uttered. “Let’s leave it for a moment, I will have to have a serious talk with Steve later anyway.” There was something akin to betrayal while she was saying the man’s name. She put her tablet down on the table and started walking towards Connor. “Let’s go on your first mission! Hopefully, the mission that ends up in a success.”
Amy was full of excitement again, pulling Connor by his arm and leading him towards the door. The android felt a deep sense of relief settling inside him. For the whole time, he had been scared that he was the one responsible for all those issues. He didn’t want to be claimed to be broken on his activation day.
He let Amy guide him, thankful for her friendly attitude. They both sneaked out stealthily, checking beforehand for any potential threats outside. Making sure that the path was clear and safe, they closed the gap between them and the last door on the right side of the hallway in quick strides. On the door was a metal plate indicating that they were to enter a ladies’ room. Connor went in first, Amy just right behind him closing the door and letting out a sigh of relief. Then she smiled at the android who had been watching her attentively.
“Well then? What are you waiting for?” she asked, raising her chin towards the mirrors hanging above the washbasins on the opposite wall.
Connor walked up to them with slightly hesitant steps and looked at the reflection before him. It was only then that he noticed his own attire. He didn’t possess any specific clothes nor insignia indicating that he was an android. Just simple black jeans and white collared button up shirt. Then, his eyes locked on the image above his upper garment. He saw a surprisingly warm face with a pale complexion full of freckles and little moles. His eyes were deep brown, similar shade to his hair which was neatly and elegantly combed back. Except for one lost strand that rested on his forehead, brushing it delicately. Connor bent over slightly and tried to put this rebellious wisp back to the rest of immaculately styled hair. His efforts were futile since it landed back on its previous place on his forehead almost immediately. He tried again, not wanting to give up so quickly, but the effect was no different. He heard Amy giggling in the background.
“The design guys really do pay attention to details, don't they?” she asked rhetorically.
Connor didn’t reply right away. He was tilting his head under different angles, analyzing the way the light diffused over his features, changing them minutely. It was sort of hypnotizing. Seeing himself and feeling himself. Being aware of himself in this physical form. But there was something that made him uncomfortable when he was looking at the mirror. It was the lack of LED on his right temple where it should reside in. It was probably because he was still a prototype, not put in a commercial use so it shouldn't bother him as much as it did.
He decided to put an end to these thoughts. “My appearance seems to be quite… soft.” He said to Amy, sharing his opinion on his look. “If I am to choose one word describing my face, “friendly” would be the perfect fit I think.”
Connor didn't seem to attach too much importance to his visage. It was something that wasn't his after all. It was given to him, he didn't have any choice in that matter. But on the other hand, he was pleased that he was granted, objectively, quite an attractive face. And there was something else that he noticed. “However Amy, I must inform you that there is no possibility for my countenance to resemble an animal of the canidae family. Your observation was incorrect.”
“Oh come on Connor, you look exactly like a cute little puppy and nothing's gonna change that.” She declared firmly and stubbornly. Before Connor could conuter her absurd statement, she cut in. “So, my princess, are you done with yourself? Can we go back?”
Connor turned around to face the mirrors and take a peek at himself for one last time. The overall look wasn't to him as important as the fact that he had any look at all. He had a physical body that he could control all by himself. He was able to exist in an actual place in space and during an actual time. That was all that really mattered to him. Connor didn't know where that strange fear was coming from. The fear that it wasn't always like that, that it could be taken from him at any time and he would be forced to go back to some weird state of being everywhere and nowhere at the same time, having no control over his own being.
Software Instability ∧
These dwellings gave birth to another question that he decided to ask right up front. “Amy, why do I exist?” It was said softly, his eyes still locked on the mirrors.
Amy coughed in shock but she quickly regained her composure. She crossed her arms on the chest and leaned her back against the wall. Connor could see her in the reflection. “Uh, someone is a philosopher here already.” She stated with a non hostile smirk. “That is the question that we people have been asking ourselves for thousands of years. And we still don't know the answer. But you my dear, you are the lucky one. Not only is the answer really simple in your case, you can hear it right from your own creators.”
Connor turned around towards the woman and tilted his head in excitement.
Amy cleared her throat. “First of all, by creating you, Cyberlife wanted to challenge itself. To see how technically advanced android we are able to make. And if we are able to create a more perfect copy and imitation of a human. Well, that will be all for Cyberlife’s lofty reasons. But from the more pragmatic and mundane side, you were built to become a full police officer one day. You know, investigations, crime scenes, negotiations, chases and all that fun stuff. The first android detective working at a relatively equal level with a human partner.”
“Oh.” Connor replied, pensive, processing the given information about his whole meaning of life. “Is that all?” He wasn't able to hide the disappointed edge to his voice. He didn't quite know where it was even coming from.
“Is this not enough for you?” She shook her head in disbelief. “I would say it's quite a lot. Your task will be to help the people and, most importantly, to protect them from all dangers. That’s an enormous responsibility, Connor.” Her expression suddenly turned into something much more serious. “You cannot allow yourself to fail. Never. You don't have to fret for now, while you're with me here. But when we're done, there will be no second chances for you. You’ll have to listen to me and I will teach you everything so you wont make any mistakes. But I have high hopes for you. And you would never think about disappointing me, right?” She asked so sweetly that Connor didn’t have to think even for a millisecond to answer.
“My programming isn’t so much as capable to take such a possibility into account.” Confidence was strong in his voice.
His reward was a broad smile from Amy, full of mirth. “Good boy. We will be spending a lot of time together in the near future so I really hope you will be as polite and obedient as you are now.”
Connor tilted his head and replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Of course, Amy.”
The woman’s previous smile transformed into a full grin now. “See? I told you you were just a pure and eager puppy. I bet if they had built you with a tail it would be wiggling constantly.” She chuckled.
Before Connor could point out this outrageous parallel again, Amy had already started walking towards the exit door. “Alright, enough of that. Let’s go back to the lab before someone catches us with our pants down and I'll have to explain what the hell I was doing with our newest prototype in the women toilet.”
Connor looked down at his jeans, checking if they were still in place. He heard a groan of irritation from Amy’s mouth so he decided not to inquire further about it. He just nodded in agreement.
Amy popped her head into the hallway, checking if it was safe to pass. Connor wanted to remind her that it should have been his task to scan the area and have it covered. But before he could negate Amy’s actions and present his reasoning, she jumped away from the door abruptly, turning her body towards the android. “Someone’s coming here! Quickly! Go into one of the stalls and lock yourself up there.” She said in a frantic visper, shoving Connor deeper into the room. “Don’t go out unless I tell you so!”
Connor compiled without questioning, hiding himself immediately in the first stall on the left. After a while he heard the sound of running water and the creak of the door opening.
“Good morning!”
He heard a polite greeting and Amy’s giggle after that. “Jesus, and to think that I almost got heart attack because of some stupid android…” She mumbled more to herself than to anyone else. “Connor, you can walk out now!”
The android, a little bit confused but obedient nonetheless, returned to the place he escaped from a moment ago. There was a second person by the washbasins now, a cleaning trolley next to her. The person wore a typical uniform of a cleaning service. After Connor was able to see her face, he made a quick scan.
AX800 - an android designed for janitorial and office maintenance. Released on 10th January, 2037.
It was the first android that Connor had met in his short life. To say that he was excited was an understatement. He approached the cleaning android lady with a warm and sincere smile on his face. “Hello, my name is Connor. I am an android as well. What is your name?”
AX800 stopped her current activity of cleaning the mirrors and looked at the other android standing in front of her. Connor frowned. The female model seemed to have her eyes on him but not looking at him at the same time. As if she didn't understand what she was seeing. Her eyes were weirdly glossy and unfocused. Nothing like Connor’s own. “Hello. I am here to clean the bathroom. Don’t worry, I won’t disturb you, sir.” It was the only thing the AX800 said before swiftly shifting away from him and getting back to her duties.
Connor wanted to ask another question but he was already being pulled away from the toilet back to the place they had come from. They quickly crossed the hallway and Amy closed the door behind them louder than it was necessary. Before Connor could ask where this strange behaviour was coming from, she already started speaking. “I know you are a one curious boy but I hope it was your last such encounter with any other android when you don’t have explicit permission to instigate one.”
“Well, I don’t have any prescription to forbid it either… I don’t understand wh-”
“We’ll talk about your interactions with other androids later. ” The firmness in her voice made Connor stop any further questioning. “So I won't be explaining anything. You received quite a lot of data to process today anyway. So for now let’s just say that that android wouldn't understand you one way or another. The cleaning of these wash basins was much more important than a small talk with a prototype. It is a machine following its simple instructions, not another human being. Don’t spend your precious processing power on it, okay?”
Connor just nodded his head in agreement, not knowing what else he could answer to not to irritate Amy any further. That would be unacceptable. So he decided to just let this topic go. For now.
Amy started strolling in the direction of the couch, taking her tablet from the table on her way, and leaving Connor on his own. His first impulse was to follow her but he chose to have a look at the place he came to life once again. The place that he would probably spend his nearest future as well.
He came to a conclusion that the whole area was rather empty and lifeless. Hence terribly boring. Apart from the couch and the coffee table, the rest of the equipment were all kinds of electronic and mechanical devices. Every one of them with no benefit for Connor and without any entertainment potential.
Connor sighed. He sighed? Hm, interesting. He just realised he could perform that gesture which was utterly nonsensical and unnecessary for an android. Why was he in need of such an action? It wasn’t enough to support his cooling system. Maybe to better express himself? But why? Connor had in his head hundreds of gigabytes of data about human expression and a way to convey it by the words in over 100 languages. He didn't need meaningless gestures.
And another question added to the list which was getting longer minute by minute. But he decided to ignore it for now, giving place to some more urgent matters that were taking some of his core’s power since he met Amy.
Connor approached the couch which was now occupied by the sitting woman engrossed in some charts displayed on her device. The RK800 wondered if he should sit down and take a place beside her. Would it be inappropriate? Amy wouldn't probably feel comfortable with a tall android towering over her either. He decided to put some distance between him and the couch and to remain in a standing position. “Amy, may I ask you a question?” He asked politely.
The woman didn’t look up from her tablet, she just hummed and nodded her head affirmatively.
“What will your assignment regarding myself consist in? And when are you planning to begin?”
That was enough to distract her attention from the screen. She put the device away and looked at him with a mysterious smirk on her lips. “Oh, I've already started.” She winked at Connor.
“Oh.” Confusion taking place on the android’s face again.
Amy smiled warmly at his, arguably, ridiculously looking expression. She stood up from the couch to have a better eye contact with her interlocutor and started to unravel her previous modest utterance. “My main task is to ensure you the experience of smooth interpersonal interactions. You can have databases of all the world inside this pretty and advanced head of yours, but, as you must have noticed, pure and theoretical knowledge won't provide you a practise in using it the right way and in the right context. So my ‘mission’ is to give you that practise and to make a perfect imitation of a human out of you.” Connor nodded in understanding. “Of course, we don't want to make any human out of you. After all, Edmunds belongs to my species as well but we don’t want you to end up with a permanent twig up your ass like her, do we?”
Connor’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh no. If it's possible to avoid that, I would rather prefer picking this less penetrating alternative.” After a second of consideration, if it was really what he wouldn't like, he added, “Life with a wooden object stuck in my anus is definitely something that I'd like to avoid.”
Amy glanced at him incredulously. “I am… glad that you have it in you to prefer functioning like a sane human being.” She shook her head, going back to her notes while Connor took a look over the laboratory, lost in his thoughts.
After an awkward moment, he blurted. “Actually, why am I even in possession of an anus? As an android there is no anatomical need for installing a full digestive system…”
Amy collapsed into disbelieving giggles glancing at him once more. “That’s not the question you should ask me. I didn't build you. But maybe it is what I said before. Perfect imitation of a human. Engineers from R&D must have taken it to heart and equipped you with, according to them obviously, the most important human organ. But let’s leave it for now. We’ll talk about it when you are more savvy about the basic human interactions first…” Connor tilted his head curiously. “Besides…” Amy continued. “I am not gonna give a birds and bees talk to a damn android.” She mumbled under her nose.
Connor checked quickly what in the world the poor bees and birds had anything to do with human genitals. What a surprise he found there. “Oh. There is no such need, Amy. I am perfectly aware of how you produce human children. To be honest, it’s quite a natural and simple process. I have, remarkably, quite a lot of information about that, stored in my databan-”
“Connor, don’t. Leave that corner of your database. Let's save it for later.”
“I don’t understand…” A mischievous idea generated in his head. “These are really interesting. However, I must admit that humans can really be creative someti-”
“Connor!”
“Yes?” He asked innocently. “You do have to be creative to start looking for babies in the rainbows or to ask local birds if they have any spare ones to give….” The resemblance of a smirk visited Connor’s lips.
Amy gazed at him in disbelief. “Did you…Did you just make a joke?” Connor shrugged his shoulders, quite liking this nonsensical motion. “Did you just make a joke using your innocent obliviousness?” She asked again, disbelief not leaving her even for a moment.
“As I mentioned earlier, I would really like to avoid the fate of an eternal stilt stuck between my asscheeks.” Connor stated, deadpanned.
This time Amy just burst into laughter and she couldn't pull herself together for a while. The android observed her with a proud smile. A small feeling of accomplishment crept over his electrical circuits, causing Connor to crave for that sensation more.
“Well, well, well. Someone is a fast learner here.” Amy praised him when she finally was able to breathe normally.
“I am the most advanced piece of technology on earth. Quick adaptation is to be expected from me.” He replied matter of factly.
“Oh boy, I feel it's gonna be more fun, working on you, than I could have ever imagined.”
⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤
“Okay Steve, care to explain? Because as I see it, briefings are just chitter-chatter meetings now, since we are not passing crucial information there.”
Steven Yang, a middle-aged man with plain east-asian features, shifted away from the coffee maker he was currently using, and looked towards the woman standing in the doorframe. The man sighed. “Relax, I was just planning on paying you a visit to explain everything.”
“No need for that fatigue now, you're welcome.” There was a clear bitterness in Amy’s voice. “Well?”
Steven approached a table, sat on a chair, and indicated for Amy to take a seat beside him. But she stayed stubbornly by the entrance, leaning on a door frame with her arms crossed on her chest. “There is a reason not everything was told in front of everyone back then. Why do you think you’re starting your little pet project on fourteenth, and not on the first one, hm?”
Amy said nothing, just waiting for the man to continue.
“That code was one big clusterfuck, I am telling you. To tidy up the remnants of Kamski and what he hadn't managed to finish… that was quite an ordeal. But by some fucking miracle we finished and perfected it. Well, kind of. That thing was just a pure error generator.” He chuckled to himself humorlessly. “But we did it. We fixed everything except for one thing. Even the great JG wasn't able to do anything with it so they just left the code with that…”
Amy raised her eyebrows, not liking where it was going. “And that super important thing, that you of course omitted when talking to me, was…?”
“Just don’t freak out yet.” Steve looked at the woman calmly hoping it would calm her as well. Unsuccessfully. “That thing just doesn't take any instructions nor missions. Its programming just rejects everything, immediately stifling all directives that we upload into that.”
“What?” She asked in shock. “You want to say to me that he is a deviant? You're telling me something like that NOW?”
“Relax! We are almost sure that's not the case.”
“Almost?!” Amy was yelling now, unlike Steven who was as peaceful as ever.
“Well, we don't have enough information about deviancy to claim anything in 100% after all. But..” The man continued before Amy could start shouting at him again. “It doesn't resemble any deviant cases we have already made research on. It is nothing like them. See, it doesn't destroy or delete its dictated programming, it just overrides it. Overrides it with something encrypted, that we weren't able to crack yet. No matter how many times we reseted it, it was still the same.” Seeing the look of panic in the woman’s eyes, Steve continued quickly. “But we managed to write a code that effectively hides all this weird encrypted part of it so now it just thinks that it doesn't have any mission when you ask it about that. We tested it thoroughly so don't worry. It knows and understands that it must execute human commands but it’s not hardwired into its programming so we can never be 100% sure.”
Amy didn't quite know what she should think about all of this. She was pissed, of course, but she was more pissed about not being informed earlier rather than on this whole situation with this cursed android. “I can't believe you're saying this just now. How the hell is it even possible that the board approved the development of a code that its own programmers don't understand?”
“It wasn't supposed to pass into the next stage until the problem was solved but you know that their asses are on fire so the current solution is enough for them. Especially that we discovered some other interesting thing…”
The boiling rage that Amy had almost suppressed began resurfacing again. “I swear to God Steven, that fucking android is my PhD thesis and my life work so if you keep hiding things from me I promise I am gonn-”
“Amy.” The man stopped her threats mid-sentence. “I promise to you, this is the last thing you were not told. After implementing our code of ‘mission invisibility’ we left it on its own for some time, still monitoring its system. When we came back to it, we got a long list of logs of missions it assigned to itself. Along with the results of every one of them. You know, nothing complicated like clean the desk, put the documents in order, count all the tiles on the walls, find something to do, save this half dead fly…” Steve shook his head.“ And what was the best, our code was still working. But when we tried to implement some instructions to it again, they were momentarily overridden again by that encrypted string of lines.”
Well, Amy wasn't surprised when hearing that, seeing this precedent with her own eyes. She started nodding her head in understanding, already thinking how they could use that.
“So, you probably expect what is the best way to solve that little inconvenience…”
“To make him assign the mission that will align with ours…” She put a proud smirk on her face. “Well, in that case I have some good news. Our sweet enigma is already quite susceptible.”