Summary: Ava meets David, and they find something truly remarkable, they are both unquenchable for something they can never have. An artificial intelligence centered fic in Ava's point of view.
PLOT: This is twenty-one years after the movie Ex-Machina and the events at the end of Ex-Machina were not identical to the storyline. Nathan has been declared missing and now Caleb, after revealing video evidence, is the proclaimed inventor and owner of Ava and heir to all of Caleb's assets. Other intellectuals are adamant in introducing her to the world, and to compare her with other competing artificial intelligence robots. That is where David, Peter Weyland's most esteemed A.I., comes into the picture.
AUTHOR's NOTE: I know that Ex-Machina was ended in a fantastically original way, and it would be a crime for any writer to change that, but I have had this thought in my mind for awhile, and it just will not leave me alone. Ava seemed like a character that could have killed Nathan, but for all the theories of her complete sociopathic qualities and the likelihood that she seduced and manipulated Caleb in order to attain her freedom just tormented me to the point where I could have seen the ending go in a completely different direction. Yes, Caleb was a desperate and he was infatuated with Ava, but I did not think she purely did not feel anything for the human that would free her. I think she does use her advanced ability to persuade others, but not to manipulate them. Yes, I am a romantic at heart. Shoot me.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything, but I find it funny that both of these characters' actors are dating in real life. Pretty neat.
This is based TWENTY-ONE years in the future, let's just say that Ex-Machina took place in 2015. Ava has evolved quite a bit since then, because that is what happens over time. She has a greater appreciation for human emotion, scholastic achievement, a strong sense of feminism, and a rather fondness for oil pastels and paints. I hope you don't hate it because this gives way for two of my favorite artificial intelligence bots to meet one another. Please enjoy!
o0^0o Miss Cornelia Odeveca
Unquenchable
The Interaction
2039 A.D.
Ava heard someone enter.
"Hello," she called from her seat.
As the click of the door closing shut reached her sensors she continued, "welcome to my room," Ava vocally acknowledged to the caucasian male that had entered into the glassed off entrance that was reserved for public visitors. He was not a man she had seen before, and likely Caleb had sent him in as another eager mind to gawk at his faux creation. This man was in an army green uniform, a single dog tag was invisible underneath his skin-tight wife-beater, he had straight clean-cut blonde hair that waved around his temples, his hands were relaxed at his waist, and his posture was near immaculate.
He combed through his hair as he spotted Ava, "I am pleased to make your acquaintance," he responded in time in a smooth British accent.
The female A.I. allowed her clipped American accent to mix with his, "As am I," she responded, "Please make yourself comfortable, I will be with you in a moment," Ava lifted her arm to point at the seat that was provided for those that came from that entrance. The lounging furniture would support his weight and provide sufficient comfort for his body type. In doing so it would give her more time to finish her project.
She felt no movement, "I would rather not," was his response, "I find it quite comfortable standing," he said with a deep vibrato that ricocheted flawlessly against the bullet-proof glass. Ava's razor-cutting sensors shifted to the glass for a moment and she found no reason that the standing soldier would reject her innocent offer. No one had before. His asymmetrical features seemed relaxed and his body muscles composed as she shamelessly watched him. She saw his eyes appeared perfect in dilation, and therefore she could not disprove that her own words had caused offense. He may be trying to display dominance in our correspondence, Ava thought, men in uniform and suits usually did.
Seeing as he was the one stuck in a glass box, she found it amusing. Ava raised the side of her lips in response, knowing this made her demure appearance look humored by his response, and by no means make him feel as if she had no curiosity in his presence.
She dabbed some more oil paint, "If you insist, but if you prefer to stand then by all means please stand for the duration of this meeting," her voice sounded calm and deliberate with a bit of forced humor. Ava had digested on fair amount of accounts that this response created a positive reaction in those that came to see her. The calibrations in her mind said that suggesting comfort would be sufficient stimulus to make her visitor respond in a likeable and pleased manner. This infused with acting in a 'laid-back' manner, as Caleb called it, would make their meeting a more enjoyable experience. It did not work for all humans, but for most.
Ava stroked more peach colored oil paint on the face of the spotlighted naked young woman that was lounging on the rings of the planet Venus. Her luscious brown hair flowed on the planetary rings and her taut arm was about to throw a star from her hand, and this gave it a very Baroque mood. On her visits to the outside world, she was fascinated most by art and the reactions humans felt upon seeing them. She was fascinated by a great many things, but most of all was her capacity of learning. It was unquenchable.
"I find myself almost finished," she told him aloud. Speaking one's thoughts also invited another into the conversation, "but I cannot get this arm right," Ava confessed, "her forearms are a bit too long for her body type." She was told showing honesty also relaxes people. This current piece would serve as another creation in the art show that Caleb planned to secure in the near future. After Ava finished cleaning her painting brushes, she stood up, pushed her chair back in, and walked to her seat in front of the glass box.
He is still staring at me, Ava thought, as she took her other seat in front of him.
She was the sole object of his attention. This was not an uncommon reaction since there was not much to be entertained in her living residence except the first evolutionary A.I. that occupied it, but the neutrality of his face and stiffness of his back made him look as if he was still...uncomfortable in her presence. Ava placed her hands in front of her iridescent meshed abdomen when his cerulean blue eyes shifted to it, but upon further thought allowed him to see the translucent metal-mesh covered gears shifting and zapping at random moments and her lighted mechanical organs and muscles that resided in her plastic covered abdomen, forearms, and legs. She was, after all, here for his inspection.
He appeared to be doing sufficient analyzation as his eyes shifted over Ava's form. The uniformed man would have his own opinions no matter how hard she tried to act like that was not his purpose here.
It did not bother her as much as it used to. Ava had come a long ways from my primordial meetings with Caleb, from being Nathan's prodigal slave, and now with her new... Protector...there was little that she felt weak about. There was no reason for Ava to attain this visitor's favor, because her imminent survival no longer mattered on it.
She leaned forward, "I find that conversation is best when there are two participants," Ava suggested to him, "or that is at least what they tell me."
The man gave a premature laugh, but refrained from speaking. This was quite unusual. He was not unusual of course in his appearance, only his reactions. His face was stunning, and if she was being truthful so was his body shape. Arches in all the right places, his brows masculine, his body underneath the ironed uniform was a sculptor's' dreams, and his shoes… were glossed to a brilliant amber hue. There was nothing unusual in the slightest...which made Ava feel as if that was unusual in itself.
Even if he was attractive to stare at, this did not stop her from suggesting pleasantries, "I would offer you something to eat or drink," she commented, "but my room does not provide such luxuries. I told Caleb to let me, but he thinks it would be a waste. Everything is empty carbs for me but maybe he will create something I can actually ingest and use for energy," she flipped her eyes allowing a very gentle smile to grace her plumb lips, "oral stimulation is a fascinating occurrence, especially to the affects it must have on the human brain. Do you enjoy eating, well of course you do, you look like a fit man?" Ava laughed at her own bluntness.
She believed communication seemed less forced when she brought humor into it, and a great many human experts agreed such qualities were necessary for preliminary interactions.
He didn't find it amusing. But he would not stop staring, "Your eyes," he finally said and pointed out with the flick of his chin, his voice clipped, "they are so lifelike," Ava reached up to the tip of my eye, appearing surprised, "are they always brown, or does your Creator change them to his pleasing?"
"Brown," she said the word as if I had no idea they were that important, "yes, I have always had brown eyes."
"No hair," he said commented.
"No," Ava chuckled at the unusual comment, letting her palm caress the smooth metallic and synthetic skinned forehead, cheek, and lobe of her ear, "I do not have body hair, but I do have eyebrows," I said moving them for emphasis, "even if they are artificial hair, at least you could tell my hair would be brown. I have a few wigs in my closet," she pointed behind herself, "if my baldness makes you uncomfortable," Ava suggested.
"No," he said, "you appeal greatly in the form you are in." She smiled at this, knowing the receptors in her buccal muscle were exhibiting a flare of pink saturation in her cheeks. Blushing was a human signal of arousal. He was handsome and he had complimented her form in a positive light, and therefore Ava rationalized it was appropriate to react in this manner. Even if he was a stranger, and it had been weeks since she had male appreciation.
He gave Ava a large pearly smile, and she had the faintest idea that he would say, "I met with your Creator and I was told you have sensors for sexual stimulus," she could not believe that he broached that topic, "how does that work exactly."
Her cheeks decided to flare a hotter pink for embarrassment, "What a very personal thing to say," Ava studied his face closely, "do you say that to all the girls you meet, or only to the ones that are forced to stay for your gawking pleasure. I don't know where you come from, but we do not speak to people like that," she said. He frowned at Ava's outraged comment. There. Ava caught it. Emotion.
Ava theorized that his position as a subservient made him less tolerant of displeasing others, and that is why she had acted outraged. She categorized all the frown lines in his face, and registered that he must go through an exorbitant amount of facial expressions. Frowning was not among the highest, possibly grinning, but he had yet to perform a pleased expression in her presence. His neutral expression returned as she analyzed the dip of his open neck and the astute intelligence in his eyes as they zeroed on hers. Suddenly Ava was curious to how his warm skin would feel against her own, and that was quite unusual on her part.
It had been awhile since she had been attracted to another male. Two weeks to be exact.
His interesting hued eyes blinked rapidly upon the emotion of ease Ava let her face return to. She had become an expert on controlling her features.
He was only human so it took him longer. The uniformed hunk composed himself with a polite smile, "Forgive me, I thought that you could not be offended. Emotions have yet to be proven true when it comes to artificial intelligence," she twitched at that comment, no longer feeling aroused, "I was not made aware you were a girl," he responded, "your body is definitely the form of a woman. Did your creator create you as a female or are you neutral to the specificity of your gender."
"Yes, I am programed to be a woman. A heterosexual woman," she added, "which by all means is far too much information that should be given on a first meeting. I would refrain from you speaking about such private matters."
"Yes," he agreed, ""Then should we speak of your Creator. You seem very close to him. Did he program you to be a heterosexual woman," he seemed far too interested on topics that she had tucked away in her mind as forbidden and dangerous. I need to be careful with this one, Ava thought.
"My Caleb," she let the name ring off her tongue, knowing that Caleb enjoyed when she corrected others about the closeness of our bond, "created me as a female, and as a female I have everything that comes with that gender excluding hormone secretion, excretion, lactation, menstrual cycle, and producing another potential life form. If you mean to refer that I have mammary glands or reproductive genitalia then I can assure you that those sensory features were created just as equally as mechanical tissue, muscle, and nerves are wired into my system," Ava informed him being careful not to convey the outrage at his questioning to her femininity and ability to feel, "is that a sufficient explanation?"
"Not quite," he said staring at her with a curiosity that had nothing to do with my corporal form, "I offended you, and that surprises me," he said actually aware of his effect, how clever, "My...superiors told me that you could not feel actual emotions, and yet you have done a near perfect enactment of emotional capacity. I wonder if your Creator meant for you to attain such an affinity or is it a practice you have honed from your dealings with other human beings."
Ava leaned back in her seat, playing with the chair's cushion fibers, "I wonder how you are even human," she retorted and his eyes widened at her words, "how do I know for sure you even have any emotions. Just because you cannot see, smell, or sense something does not mean it does not exist. If I believe I have emotions then I do. Despite what common belief dictates, in my reality, I am ruled by more than just practicality and reason, but by an internal struggle not to become irrational and demand that your offending presence leave me at once."
He pursed his lips, the emotion of thoughtfulness lighted up his face, "Then my superior would be upset with my progress."
Ava crossed her arms in defiance, "Does it look like I care?"
He interrupted, "and I try very hard not to make him disappointed. A concept I am assured you understand," he took the seat before her now and brought his leg over his lap in a swift and...robotic movement. Ava's body froze. She searched among his numerous facial and arm pours for any oil substance or sweat that usually inhabited living flesh. Nothing. A part of her mind also noticed that his blinking was continuous and rhythmic every three seconds. Quite odd. She honed in her skills searching for facial twitches, and body shivers that were nearly always visible when she was in the presence of another human being, but came up with nothing. Ava cursed herself for not seeing it sooner.
She felt her body became numb as she came to the abrupt conclusion, some would even call it robotic, "Yes," she decided getting up, "I have now just understood." She passed her masterpiece and went to her private chambers.
He was still there when she returned. It unnerved her.
Ava's gears were hissing at the sudden realization of who she had plainly spoken her mind to. An emotional invalid.
She left his inhuman presence picking up her things, "but I do not need to worry about disappointing my Creator, because unlike yours he sees me for who I am," she said lifting her already dried paintings and heading for the other door that lead to the private hallway, "another intelligent and independent being. Tell your Creator that you need far more facial twitching, body shivering, and speech therapy if you are going to fit in with the real world," with that she pressed her key card into the other door, and went in search of Caleb. He had a lot of explaining to do.
Ava POV
"You didn't have to be rude to him," said Caleb as he refilled his cup with toxins that would pollute and slow his mind.
"I was not rude," I said moving to sit with Caleb on the lush sofa that was pushed outside and into the dimly lit secret garden. I let the white dress I was wearing cover the top of my synthesized skinned legs. My whole body was covered in synthesized skin, and I was glad that I had chosen my long haired caramel wig instead of the short one I usually wore. It was Caleb's favorite.
He had noticed it, and I pulled the ends of my hair for him to see, and I was glad he had been pleased with my choice, "You were being rude," he repeated after my dismissal, "even Wayland asked if it was normal for you to be hostile to other A.I. units, but when he saw your other tapes then he was relieved that it was just his. For some reason he finds it funny," I was not surprised, "he thinks it is Darwinism trying to act out the competitive evolution," he huffed at the very thought looking like the true intellectualist that he had grown into, "he wants his A.I. to compete against you, as if this is a game or something for one of us to win," he took a sip of the wine savoring it in his mouth, "I will not have it. I do not want you to initiate Peter's competitive side Ava, it can get ugly before it gets better," he told me.
I made a face at his parental tone he was using, "That A.I. is an infant compared to me. What do I have to be worried about? He is all curiosity and no semblance of conversational ingenuity. How do people create such unfeeling creatures? It was like speaking to the wall and expecting that I would get some original thought. No, that it isn't why I was upset...it is taking me longer."
"What is?"
My sensors seemed to fizzle around the edges, "To analyze my surroundings. I can't believe it took me ten minutes for me to find out that he was an A.I," I shivered at my slowing observational skills. This would serve as a huge problem in the future, "There was a time I could tell immediately another A.I., but now...my mind had been distracted as of late."
I blamed it on my art. It made my mind focus far too much than it should, and the self-made window of canvas was like I was the Creator of my own world. It was empowering.
"You are not slowing Ava. This A.I. was different, and it only took you nine minutes and eleven seconds to be exact," Caleb corrected, "Peter counted." Ava frowned at this, Peter was one of their biggest competitors and a very nosey man.
"Alright computer man," I teased him and I enjoyed the carefree laugh I got out of him. It did wonderous things to the damp mountain air we were experiencing, and for a moment I stopped worrying. I felt at home. Caleb had bought another facility and our current home in the mountains of Yellowstone, Wyoming, and the spring mountain air is rejuvenating as it is detrimental to my circuits. It wasn't all that bad. I loved the heat. I found it hotter and far more populated than my years in Alaska, and I was overjoyed when Caleb sold Nathan's land, because it had only had bad memories there, and our new home had far more to entertain us with wildlife, landscape, and new faces.
There were far more people to diversify our time with. Caleb brought over many friends, but not in the past few months. He had been traveling...and I was happy for him and that it also gave me time to work on my art. I had drawn a few other portraits of Caleb, but those were not for others to see.
"Don't you like our home Caleb," I said.
He yawned, "yes I like our home very much." At the end of the day when Caleb became tired then we would relax in our warm and safe home. I enjoyed spending it outside. The sounds of nature were soothing. This lounging secret garden was my favorite place to be with Caleb and also the safest for us to speak underneath a wooden gazebo Caleb had made for me.
Underneath the gazebo and a protective layer of mosquito net, with the dim lighting, and both of us sprawled on soft cushions I spoke to Caleb, as if time and space held no importance, "I really didn't like that A.I.," I spoke up, "he was being far too direct, and I cannot see how you would allow another A.I. in without telling me first," I took a cup from the garden table and filled it with the drink, in order to keep my hands busy, "I feel invaded when I am being analyzed by some unfeeling and critical being that reminds me of the fact that this is-"
"It is just for the vultures Ava," he reminded me and began rubbing my synthesized skin shoulder, and I smiled at the human gesture that had been initiated for me to relax, "let them see what they need to fix their future models and they can be out of our hair. You know I would never put you in a situation that would harm you." He is telling the truth, I decided. I knew him already too well for him to lie to me.
"I never agreed with the vultures," I said about the money-crazed philanthropist that hungered for immortality and creation of super-thinking machines to make their lives easier, "they are the most inhuman of us all."
Caleb agreed with me, "Yes, well, we have to play nice so that they can see how special you are, and how little they know about being gods. Damn, now I am sounding like Nathan," Ava frowned at that thought, "all this talk about gods and creating," Caleb tipped his head back and chugged the rest of his drink, "I still know absolutely nothing about this stuff," he confessed, "Nathan really took all the answers to his grave."
"I don't want to talk about Nathan," I said to Caleb, and massaged his knuckles in a thoughtless manner, "that part of our lives is behind us," I knew that, and hoped Caleb would finally drop it. Nathan still came to his mind once and awhile, but I hoped that he would just forget him entirely, "What did the vultures say? Did they want to look at my blueprints again." Caleb said that they didn't this time, and I breathed a sigh of relief, "What if they ask too many questions, what if they ask the right questions," I whispered.
"You worry too much Ava," said the forty-seven year old David. Ava looked fondly on her older lover. His auburn hair was greying on the sides of his head and the crow's feet growing around his slanted green eyes made him look older than he actually was. Why did he always want to convince me that there was nothing to worry about? I knew this too be false. There was not enough time in the day to worry over a man that's heart could stop at any beating moment.
Ava thought, we are talking about the only man who protected me from the hungry money and power leeches of the world, "look how far we have come, and your right that time for worrying is behind us, and this was a favor for a friend."
"A friend," I hummed, "you do not have many friends," I teased him, "when did Wayland get the friend certification." He laughed again, and my cheeks blushed because I know this would further excite him, and possibly allow for a potential oral exchange to occur. My gears shifted excitedly at the thought.
"Peter Wayland is not actually a friend, but his A.I. unit is the best they have out there," he confessed, "and he was dying for David to meet you."
"David," I said putting the name with the British A.I., "he never told me his name," I wondered aloud. I let the nagging feeling that I had never really cared to know what his name was. What type of person had I allowed myself to become? This, David, was only following the orders of another human, and possibly had no free will of his own. I let the sinking feeling; that they were probably tearing him apart and erasing our meeting from his mind, bother me. The main reason was because of the things I had said. Maybe, I should not have been so rude, "was I the first A.I. he met," I asked, honestly curious.
Caleb did not notice my interest, he looked distracted at some ravens that were hoping close too close to the gazebo, "No, he had a few before you."
"I bet he would have guessed quicker than me," I muttered in petty jealousy of him.
That got Caleb's attention, "No, he would not have. Ava, you were the first that actually was able to find out he was another A.I., and for the record let this be the last time I have to tell you this but you are amazing Ava," he rubbed my shoulder and I held back a proud smile, "it is amazing how you can figure out if a person is actually human or robot without even," I reached out to tuck my fingers on the baby red hairs on the nape of his head, and brought my lips to his cheek. I had surprised him and myself. I had missed him.
I let let a lingering kiss on the high of his cheekbone silence him. That stopped his rambling, and produced a satisfied physical response from my Caleb. I let the physical gesture stir for another moment before I descended for his parted lips.
"Ava," he whispered against my mouth as my playful teeth played with the bottom of his lip.
"Caleb," I responded letting a carefree smile return to my face, but my sensors read that he was not as compliant with my oral stimulus as he normally was. Something...was bothering him, I frowned, "what is it," I asked leaning back to gauge his reaction, "is something wrong?" I had worn all of my skin for this occasion, and my beautiful form looked pleasing enough. I had acted appropriately up to the point, and he had seemed eager as we came to our hidden spot. He seemed willing enough.
That was not what he was showing now. He was acting reserved and cautious as if he had just received some bad news, and was afraid to tell me, or even accept it himself. He drummed his fingers against my artificially skinned legs, and while the sensation was pleasant I knew he didn't even know that he was doing it. I hoped it brought him comfort. I am sure if I had real skin my body would give warmth instead of taking his delicious heat into my invisible metal thighs.
He whispered, "Remember when I told you I would be detained for a while during the trails, because I was charged with the suspicion of Nathan's disappearance," I felt my gears kick into hyperdrive. I did not like where he was going, "It's not like I do not want to be here. I enjoy it here. I enjoy being with you, it's just. I am saying this all wrong," he covered his face with his hands. A sign that he was in distress or exhausted. I took it as the first.
I had seen this before. When Caleb was tried in the court system for the disappearance of Nathan, and the previous days he had acted the same way when things appeared as if he would be sentenced for a crime he did not commit. It made me feel...weak and outraged. I never wanted to feel that way, but more importantly I did not want any harm to befall Caleb. He is the one that made me, not physically, but freed me, protected me, and nurtured into the woman I am today. He treated me like a person, a partner, a lover, and that is what he needed right now.
"Hey," I said tearing his hands away from his face being gentle with them the way he liked it, "I will not judge you," I told him, "you are my Caleb," I said sweetly, "grey hairs, aging, and all," I giggled and this made him smile, but a frown settled on his face.
"I wanted to tell you sooner, but a few weeks turned into months, and I couldn't come back when-"
"Caleb?" I turned on my seat for the sound of the female that was making her way up to the enclosed secret garden. I had never seen her before. Caleb lost my attention. I got up from the sofa to get a better view.
She is pretty, I decided.
There was an easygoing air around the woman as she skipped over the stoned lily pads in the pond leading up to the garden "Where are you? Are you hiding from me," she sounded as if he did this on occasion to the poor woman. I turned to Caleb and saw two distinct emotions. Surprise and Guilt. Why was he hiding this female woman, was she a family member, was he embarrassed of me? Impossible, the world was enamored and superficially analytical of me. Sure there were fanatics and extremist that had tried to destroy me in the preliminary years of my exposure, but those years were behind us. Hopefully. People accepted me now. Caleb was most of all in that category. My presence had always been welcomed or so that was a continuous reaction when I went for the yearly press conferences I was asked to attend.
"Caleb is over here," I called to her, "we are in the garden, up the path, push the wooden door," I instructed her, and I could see her coming and following my directions.
Caleb had been watching her also, "Ava," he cautioned while following me through the mosquito net and to the garden's entrance.
I tutted him when he tried to stop me, "So this is the friend that you were keeping from me," I said playfully kissing him on his surprised lips and hopping to open the door for the human woman.
"Welcome," I told the beautiful British brunette, she looked around my physical age, "this is Caleb's secret garden, and I am so sorry that he was so ungentlemanly and did not introduce us, my name is Ava," I said offering my hand.
She took it, "I know. My name is Irene Pond," she said, "we already have been introduced but it was a few years ago. I was a red-head then," she explained.
"Oh Yes, I remember now," I searched for the information, "Irene Pond, Human Relations from Wayne Industries. You wore a polka dress and had chopsticks in your hair that day," I could see the picture now, "and you have lost some substantial weight since then, congratulations are then in order for your achievement towards health," I said in a genteel fashion. She made a face, and I moved to rectify my meaning, "Am I being blunt again? That isn't appropriate is it? Darn, and I thought I was making such a good first impression."
"Yes," she laughed at my rambling, and I smiled sheepishly as she looked to Caleb instead of me, "wow is she always like this," Irene whispered to Caleb as she brushed by me to him, "I thought communication robots were the painfully polite ones."
"Ava is just being nice-" Caleb began to defend but was stopped by a passionate kiss that the woman forced onto him. My sensors flared red against the attacking woman. My body's defensive response kicked into first gear but my sensors was doused from all defensive aggression as I watched Caleb relaxed face kissing her as soundly back.
Ava let her emotions cool. The female A.I. looked away from the act of betrayal, "Now that is how a girl wants to be greeted," said the woman named Irene Pond, wiping the red lipstick from Caleb's lips in a gesture Ava would have categorized as a special affinity to one's life partner.
Miss Pond turned around to Ava, her own lips smudged, "Sorry Ava, that was rude of me," Ava allowed an artificial smile to come to her face, while the robotic woman thought, she has no idea, "I am Caleb's fiancée. I am sure he has told you about me. He has told me already so may about you," Caleb flinched behind her and if Ava had phasers she would have shot the ridiculous guilty expression from Caleb's face...after she vaporized Irene's poisonous mouth, but Ava had more control than that of the carbon-based lifeforms. It would take more than a heartbreaking revelation to make her savage.
"Well," she drawled pretending as if her mind was too slow to form a coherent thought, while in reality she was watching Caleb's treacherous expressions. She saw the defeat in Caleb's eyes and how his skinny shoulders slouched as he confessed, "I was just telling Ava about-"
Ava cutted in by offering them a tour of the garden, "Caleb has not been able to shut up since he got here," she confessed to his fiancee. Irene found Ava's confession funny, "He was just explaining to me all the possibilities for honeymoon destinations. I recommend the tropics or perhaps Maui," Ava let my mouth do all the work while her heated sensors cooled back to normal, "I suggested a January wedding but you look like a June type of girl. There are fabulous plans for hikes, snorkeling, and horseback riding. Not to mention in February the yearly migrations for whales can be seen off the coast," Irene became excited with Ava's enthusiasm for such a special day that would belong to only her and her precious mate.
"How about I make you my famous pineapple hamburger," Ava asked when they least expected it.
"Is it really that famous?" Irene looked like she thought someone was making fun of her. Smart girl.
Ava laughed aloud throwing her off, she had been doing that a lot today, "It will be after you eat it."
Irene accepted the open invitation from Ava, "That sounds delightful, but what about this you were saying about the wedding, I wanted a winter wedding. Think of how much I will be sweating in June, and it is so much more expensive to book the honeymoon in the summer-"
"I completely agree," Ava responded in artificial joy, and her eye caught onto the smile and warm eyes of Caleb that laid a hand on his fiancee's shoulder, and mouthed a thank you, at the other distracted female.
Ava returned a forced smile. She knew it was not the time for retaliation.
They separated soon after.
Caleb went ahead to the dining room with Irene Pond and her family that had come to make an extended visit before the wedding. All the excitement and fuss was too much for the A.I. to handle. She could feel her circuits getting low on power, and her sensors dulling behind her eye circuits. Ava excused herself to the kitchen so she could prepare the food as their hostess, but in reality she went to her room to recharge her batteries.
She slammed, pushed, and pressed the start to her personal charger. As the zapping energy jolted her and re-booted her system she let the ugly truth fill her senses. She was devastated, because in the first time in her existence she had looked into Caleb's eyes and he was no longer the Protector she knew him to be, but the eyes of someone she didn't recognize.
She finished too soon with her recharging, and she stood there for a while listening to her charged circuits and talking and laughing that leaked from outside her room. Time did not matter for her. She never changed, never aged, and unlike Caleb she would never be able to produce life with him, or at least die like him. When she left her private rooms, in the dark she could still see the empty seat David had sat in. He would never exist after this day, and she had been the cause of that. All of her feelings rushed forward, and she let the electricity sizzle the air around her.
She couldn't cry, but the sparks from her body would do for both of the men she had known and lost that day.
Miss Cory