Chapter 1: Free Reign on Design
If asked, Doctor John Conner would deny that it was partially the loneliness eating away at him that urged him on in his decision to invest in a Skynet T-Bot (a machine that is made to order, with looks ranging from machine to very nearly human).
No, not loneliness…
His wife, Kate, had been dead for five years now, and he no longer found it as easy as it once was to find a nanny for his two twin five year olds, Kate and Sora. He was a busy man, he had the money, but the older the twins got the more nannies they seemed to go through. He admitted that the twins could be rambunctious, but he never thought them bad enough that word of the 'devil children' would spread so fast and far through the nanny community to the point where none were up for working for the prestigious doctor…
It had been John's father, Kyle, who had suggested the whole thing. Kyle had purchased a refurbished model T-800F, lovingly calling 'her' Star. Star looked human, but there were times when 'she' did something that would give the façade away. It also helped that Star's speech mechanisms were not reparable, making the somewhat seemingly aware mute Bot even more endearing to John's father, who treated the T-Bot as if she were his own flesh and blood, often referring to her as John's little sister.
Kyle had provided a valid argument, and John could see the logic; he just had a hard time excepting that a T-Bot was his last option. John's mother, Sarah, had hated the technology that made what she called abominations. This was always a strong and horribly argumentative topic in their household back when she was with them.
It wasn't that John agreed with his mother; he just didn't really agree with his father either. Kyle treated the T-Bots as if they had feelings, whereas John saw them as nothing more than unfeeling machines.
*~*JOHN/MARCUS*~*
"Welcome, Doctor Connor, we've been expecting you." A petite blonde in a mint green nurses outfit greeted him cheerfully, and John recognized her for what she was as she gave him a pleasant, albeit plastic, smile. She was the same model as Star, John noted, recalling how popular the T-800 were; functional, with an easily upgradeable memory bank, while appearing almost human.
Almost human, John repeated in his mind, as he regarded the slim and slightly curvy T-Bot with a wary eye. Her big blue eyes blinked up at him blankly, and he shivered at the deadness he saw there. Dead? No, they were never alive. John didn't like the lifelessness he saw there. They appeared so human, and yet in his mind he could only see them as some lifeless human replacement with dead eyes. Perhaps this was a bad idea…
"This way please, Doctor," she said in her soft soprano voice, her machine mind not comprehending the apprehensive and slightly disturbed look John now wore. She turned on her three inch heels and began to walk smoothly down the corridor towards a set of double doors.
John followed behind her as they walked down several more nondescript corridors before coming to what appeared to be an office. Behind the large oak desk in the center of the sparsely decorated white room sat a woman John recognized immediately.
"Doctor Connor!" Serena Kogan greeted him happily, rising from her desk and moving to take his right hand in a firm handshake before turning to the T-Bot and dismissing it.
"So," Serena began happily, her eyes wide with surprise and pleasure. "You are finally getting a T-Bot of your own! It's so exciting!"
"Yes… something has come up… and father talked me into giving it a try," John murmured as an explanation.
"Oh! How is Professor Kyle! I hope everything is going well with his T-800F," Serena exclaimed, her voice even happier, if possible.
"He and 'Star' are fine," was John's short response; he could only handle so much Serena at one time. Her chipper attitude tended to make him even more sour than he tended to be.
"That's great!" she all but squealed in delight. "Come, come, take a seat, and we'll get you all setup for your own T-Bot, shall we!" she continued, waving him towards one of the plush chairs positioned before her desk, as she closed the door and made her way back to her own seat.
"What model?" she began, filling out what John could only assume was an order form, all business once they were both seated comfortably.
"Anything is fine," John answered, his voice sounding gruff, as usual.
Serena just pursed her lips at his response, marking something down on the paper; she looked back up at him before continuing. "What exactly are you looking for in your T-Bot?"
"What exactly do you mean?" John countered.
"Well, what functions are looking for your T-Bot to have?" Serena explained. "Such as: Housekeeping, Child Care, Maintenance, Hard Labor, etc." She smiled sweetly across her desk at him as she listed off a few of the functions that were available.
"I suppose I need one that can do housekeeping and child care…" John said slowly, not liking the smile that grew brighter as he spoke.
"Perfect! Like a housewife model!" Serena squealed in delight, writing on the paper once again, all professionalism gone as she pulled a portfolio from her desk before he could correct her. "Now please choose features from here that you find pleasing!" she practically giggled as she opened the portfolio, which seemed to hold a wide variety of pictures of physical features to choose from in building your T-Bot's custom face and body.
John didn't even give the portfolio a second glance as he looked at Serena. "I don't really care much for what it looks like. Average and plain will do."
"John Connor! The face and body of your T-Bot is very important! It adds a sense of uniqueness and individuality to your Bot! I'm beginning to believe you aren't serious about purchasing a T-Bot at all!" Serena protested, firmly refusing to take his nonchalant attitude on this subject.
"Fine… We've known each other since our college days… Just pick something that you like," John replied. It was a T-Bot for Christ's sake! What difference did its appearance make, just as long as it worked correctly?
"No, John! I'll pick something that 'you' will like. After all, we have known each other since our college days." Her smile was a bit borderline evil around the edges, and John momentarily wondered if he had made the wrong decision placing the T-Bot's appearance and model in her hands, whether they be capable hands or not.
*~*JOHN/MARCUS*~*
Their meeting ended quickly after that. There were several papers to sign—many dealing with the purchase of a unique T-Bot—and the date for which he would need it delivered by. Both of these subjects were flexible. Money, well, it wasn't really a problem. As for date, he told her to send over the T-Bot as soon as she had it available.
"I'd only do a custom T-Bot for someone I really cared for John," Serena said as she walked him to the door of the facility. "Our friendship means much to me, and I want this Bot to be perfect and special just for you."
"Serena… Our friendship means a lot to me as well, but you really don't have to fix anything special." John sighed exasperatedly. "I just need a normal Bot for around the house that I can trust with the kids…"
"Of course, of course," she murmured as if she were trying to appease him. "You just want an average, plain and simple working Bot… And John, I'll do exactly as you ask." John sighed again knowing there was a catch, because he was talking to Serena, after all. "But one must remember, you gave me free reign!"
~ To Be Continued ~