Whoosh
A door slides open from left to right. A young woman scurries across a bedroom as quickly as she can coming to a stop at the room window. As soon as she reached the view which was into outer space, a transport pod shot away from the lower deck of the same space station she stood on the third level of. Every few seconds she waved both her hands vigorously hoping someone she missed already would see her farewell before the pod shuttle burned itself into Earth's atmosphere becoming no longer visible. As soon as it did, her smile was gone. She felt a rush of sadness fall over her. It lasted but a few seconds until she remembered the promise she had been left with which made her smile come back.
Goodbye, love, until next time. She whispered toward the void of space tapping at the same spot on her window where the pod had just disappeared.
That same soft whisper triggered the room's computer. AI kicks in and a familiar digitized voice projects from the room speakers.
Hello, Ms. Tera, today is March 19th, 2036. You have slept for approximately seven hours, ten minutes, and forty-seven seconds. Your hardware reports battery levels are at ninety-two percent. Your humanware suggests a toilet as soon as possible with kidney levels at maximum capacity. Breakfast is highly recommended as your last meal was dinnertime yesterday where you had the salmon and asparagus with mashed potatoes. Therefore, shall I prepare your usual morning meal?
The beautiful young android-like woman with short silky hair just above her shoulders and cream-coloured skin continued to stare out toward Earth. Her smile cracked a smidge wider after hearing the digital voice resonate around her room.
Oh, Hi, Roomer. Good morning. How many times have I told you that there is no need for status updates? I thought I changed that setting. From now on, just say hi, good morning, or some other start of the-day pleasantry. Leave out everything else, please. I think I know when I need to use the washroom.
Understood, Ms. Tera. I was only trying to be helpful. This is one of my main functions as you are aware. Besides, I sensed you were slightly unhappy. And your heart rate reflects a change in pulse. Bodily functions usually help with that.
Roomer, again. Stop! Quit reading my stats and vitals. Two seconds ago, I was happy to hear your voice. Now you're making things weird and ruining my moment.
Sorry, Ms. Tera. The human part of you is far more telling than the robot. It also gives me the most grief. At least with the zeros and ones, there are no emotions involved. I will also remind you that I am your personal companion and one of my jobs is to protect you. I need to check those things from time to time for your overall well-being. When Dr. Cross is away, you're my responsibility. He expects my report upon his return.
OK then, tell me, Ms. Tera. What has made your stats and vitals all a flutter?
You just mentioned it?Eric. Eric has my stats and vitals all a flutter.
Don't you mean, Dr. Cross?
No, you heard me correctly. I meant Eric. Eric Cross. Oh, I love how it sounds when I say his full name out loud.
Ms. Tera, no offence, but you know you get like this every time Dr. Cross departs for Earth. Now, shall I get started on your breakfast? Come, let's head to the dining wing.
It's different this time. He literally just promised me that the next time he comes to Galaxy Station to work on me and finish all my scheduled tests and upgrades, he's going to bring me back down to the surface. Back to Earth along with him. He told me minutes ago. Right before he took off and kissed me goodbye smack dab on my lips. I'm never washing my lips again.
Ms. Tera, that seems to me as being against station protocol wouldn't you agree? You're an experiment remember and all experiments stay here at Galaxy Station. You know that. I'm starting to think it's the human part of you that may need an upgrade.
Oh, be quiet, Roomer. Go recalibrate or something. I know what Eric said, I heard exactly how he said it. I'm going to Earth real soon. And I bet when we get there, he's finally going to ask me to move in with him. No more being apart. I'm to stay with him for good. I know it. He wants me to be his wife. After all this time, I'm finally leaving this place to go be Mrs. Eric Cross. Hear how wonderful that sounds.
Excuse me, Ms. Tera. You're an android. A cyborg really. How is that relationship you foresee supposed to work on that planet you're looking at right now? I think you're getting a little too carried away with your relationship with Dr. Cross. As I said, you are an experiment of Galaxy Station. Only his experiment, nothing more.
What do you know anyway, Roomer? Your access is always blocked during our sessions together and in case you forgot, I still have all the human parts necessary for a man like Eric to consider me a life mate. I'm human enough to be a wife. Please, stop ruining my good news. Do you know how long I have waited to hear those words come from his mouth? How long I have waited for him to tell me I'm going home with him?
I'm sorry, Ms Tera. However, my AI capabilities have allowed me to develop a relationship with you over the years. I have learned a lot of information about you. Some of that Dr. Cross has uploaded to my database. But most of the information has come from being with you day and night twenty-four-seven since Dr. Cross found you and brought you here. The same day I was brought online to use that same information to aid and protect you. One of my protocols is to formulate dialogue that acts as your conscience. A voice of reason if you will. So please excuse me for doing what Dr. Cross has programmed me to do. Plus, I have been your only company outside of Dr. Cross since you came to the station three years ago. Have I not also used some of that information to help figure out your past?
Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Speaking of my past. That's another thing. Eric also told me that he's almost ready to tell me where I came from. How he found me and how I got here. I think that's another reason he's taking me down to Earth. To finally explain why I am like this. Why some parts of me are human and the rest of me a machine. I have memories but they are only from my time with Eric and you, Roomer. He tells me that they are inside of me somewhere and he is focussed on unlocking them at some point. First, he wants me fully back together and 100%.
When it comes to your files on memories, Ms Tera, I cannot even get close. I can access the whole station, but when it comes to you, Dr. Cross has set up quite a firewall to keep anyone from reviewing your private session logs. That said, I highly doubt he is planning on bringing you to Earth at this stage for the reasons you believe.
You are wrong. Eric loves me and we are going to be together forever. In one week I will be on Earth as his soon-to-be bride. First the wedding, then my memories. There is nothing you can say to me that will convince me otherwise.
With that, Roomer's digital voice manifested into a full holographic figure from a beam projected down from an eye-like lens in the middle of the bedroom ceiling. The projection was of a tall balding man in a suit with a pencil moustache. Features much like an image of a butler. Once Roomer's body was fully generated he crossed the floor until it met Tera at the window. They looked straight into each other's eyes.
Ms. Tera, even though you have a human heart and half a human brain. With half a human body and the rest synthetic skin full of steel, computer chips and wires, the people of Earth will only see you as a robot. Robots are everywhere. They are used to these robots. What you are will never compute with human beings. What you are is illegal. Your systems must have a glitch. Let me scan you again.
Keep your scan to yourself, Roomer, and go compute this. Eric and I are destined to be together. Cyborg, android, robot, human or not, Eric has me put back in one piece for a reason. We have spent all this time together in the name of love. The reason is love. Eric loves me, Roomer, and that's no glitch.
Sorry, Ms. Tera. I only want to protect you. Roomer raises one holographic hand and holds it against Tera's glowing chest.
All I ask is that you don't allow this droid heart to become a destroyed heart. You're human, yes, but you are also a machine. Humans are way more complex than any machine. That means either part of you can be broken. I say this as your companion and as your friend.
Now, let's get you that breakfast.