"A.I. Dreaming of Electrical Cats"
(A Tribute story)
"So, Michael... How've you been lately?"
Michael is a Quantum A.I. and hologram.
Query is from 'QM' - an officer of the LAAPD.
AKA 'Quiet Marlene'. A 6 foot, 6-inch Blonde.
She is a former Space Marine Captain from the
Outer Colonies. A Nexus-9 Model: Total Obedience.
Mike replied: "I'm not bad. In fact, I feel pretty good."
QM: "No more bad headaches? That's good to hear."
Mike: "You know it, girl... No head-bangers for a while.
But something I wanted to ask you. Something... Strange?"
QM: "What Mike... Is it about our working together? What, exactly?"
Mike: "Well... I do like that we've been assigned to live/work together.
It's not about that... It is about your new animal. That orange... Cat!"
QM: "An orange cat? Is your optical matrix in need of an adjustment, buddy?
I've never had an orange cat... Just the torty gray girl cat... Ophelia. Just her."
Michael, the newest A.I. being tested by the LAAPD, shrugged: if an A.I. could do so.
QM... a Replicant and newer model than past ones like Officer 'K', also shrugged. Yes, she did.
"Well, Mike, do not worry about it. If you're seeing imaginary cats within your optic-visual-screen
that is not such a bad thing. Is this orange cat a male or a rare female? A tabby or solid orange cat?"
Mike: "A tabby male, of course. And he follows your gray torty Ophelia around the apartment. Yes, he does!"
QM: "OK, Mikey... But maybe if this orange cat sticks around, you better give him a proper name. As the old
Professor Dyson once told me... And he was the one that gave me Ophelia from a litter his cat had a year ago:
'QM... The naming of cats is a serious thing, my Girl. It surely is! I'm sure of it, if I'm sure of anything in this Life!'
Yes, that is, if memory serves, what the good professor said to me... Well, you think of a name. I'm blank, here."
Mike: "Well... I think I will call him Julius. Like in that human drink they used to make. And the one great Caesar.
Also, Groucho Marx's actual first name. Yes... Julius the Orange Tabby, it shall be. What do you think, QM?"
QM: "Well... If you are going to be dreaming of Electrical Cats... It's a good a name as any. Julius it is!"
#
A few days later, QM opens her apartment door to find some flowers and a note on the floor.
'In memory or Jasper my lovely orange tabby, who passed on here several years ago..."
There was no name of who had left the note. 'Fascinating...' QM then thought.
The building manager walks nearby. "Sorry, Marlene, I did mean to get that.
The previous renter has left flowers for her cat this day ever since she left."
(The End)
A Tribute and Thanks! to Philip K. Dick, wherever he and his cat 'Pinky' are now...