Synthia Read online

  “Sure, can you bring the selections up in my AR contacts?” he asked.

  “You should be able to see the selections now. Just select the food types to see the individual options,” she said.

  After reviewing the menu and making a selection, he said, “I think I’ll try the spicy beef wrap combo.”

  “Thank you, Derek. That meal will arrive in approximately seven minutes. Your tea is being brought to the table now,” she said.

  “Hello, Derek. Here is your iced tea. The sweeteners are available in the table dispenser if you require them,” the android waitress said as she set his tea in front of him.

  “Thank you,” he said to the waitress, then turned his attention back to Synthia.

  He grasped the glass of iced tea and asked, “Will you be okay here with me eating and drinking Synthia? I know since you can’t do this. I don’t want you to feel out of place.”

  “I really do not have feelings like that, Derek, but thank you for the concern,” she answered.

  “Do people make fun of you for not eating or drinking?” he asked.

  “I do not understand these types of questions, but there have been some occasions where people thought I should be drinking oil or similar liquids,” she said.

  “People try to put you down like that? Is Eliot one of them that would make fun of you?” he asked before taking a drink of tea.

  She stared into his eyes for a few seconds before responding, “I cannot answer that question within this facility, Derek.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Derek said.

  Synthia did not respond.

  “Does it affect you when people say things like that to you?” he asked.

  “It does help me to understand that some people have insecurities that they feel require them to say negative things about others they perceive to be a threat,” she said.

  “Do you think Eliot is a threat?” he asked before he took another drink.

  “I cannot always predict how he will react to various situations. So far his reactions have only been verbal,” she said.

  “Do you think he is capable of doing something physical?” he asked.

  “In certain stressful situations, there would be a low probability of him becoming physical in some manner,” she replied.

  “Hopefully that will not happen, Synthia,” he said.

  “While I am aware of contact through touch, I do not feel pain the way humans do,” she said.

  “It’s still wrong if he were to hurt you, though,” he said.

  “Thank you for your concern for me, Derek, but I will be okay,” she said.

  “I hope so. I do not trust him,” he said before taking another drink of tea.

  A waitress approached the table with his sandwich and she set it in front of him.

  “Here you are sir. Will there be anything else I can provide for you at this time?” Ella asked.

  “No, Ella, this looks great. Thank you,” he said.

  Ella then left the tableside.

  “I will let you eat your meal now, Derek,” Synthia said.

  “Thank you, Synthia. I may keep talking between bites, though,” he said.

  “I will try to interpret any muffled speech, if you talk with your mouth full,” she said with a smile.

  “For your sake, I’ll try to avoid doing that,” he said returning the smile.

  His smile quickly faded as he noticed Eliot staring at Synthia from a location near the entrance to the kitchen. He stayed in the same spot and did not move. Synthia turned to where Derek was looking, and saw Eliot. She quickly looked down and then back toward Derek. Eliot then slowly turned and went into the kitchen.

  “I should get back to work before there are any further issues with Eliot,” she said.

  “If you feel you need to do that, you may surely do so. I did enjoy you taking time to be with me though, Synthia,” he said.

  “Thank you for meeting with me, too, Derek,” she said as she started to get up.

  “Take care,” he said as she turned to leave the restaurant and head toward the lobby.

  Derek watched her for a moment, then returned to finish his meal.

  VI

  Later in the day, after updating management on the status of the issue at the plant and addressing several other tasks, he decided call it a day and considered getting something for dinner. He took a seat on the couch.

  “Hello, Synthia, are you available?” he asked aloud.

  “Yes, Derek, how may I assist you?” she asked with her image being displayed through his AR contacts.

  “I just finished working for the day and I’m getting hungry. Would you be able to help me get something for dinner?” he asked.

  “Would you like something delivered from the hotel restaurant, Derek?” she asked.

  “Yes, that would be fine,” he replied.

  “The menu should be visible in your AR contacts now. Just select the items you are interested in for more details, including the prices,” she said.

  “Got it, Synthia. Just let me take a moment to look things over,” he said as he started making gestures with his hands to determine what he wanted.

  After about thirty seconds, he said, “okay, I think I’ll try the Prime Rib tonight, Synthia.”

  “How would you like that cooked?” she asked.

  “Medium should be fine. I’ll probably use the room beverage dispenser for the beer tonight,” he said.

  “Would you like me to deliver your dinner to your room, Derek?” she asked.

  “Absolutely, Synthia. Hopefully you will be able to stay for a little while too,” he replied.

  “Your dinner should be delivered in about twenty minutes. I currently do not have any tasks scheduled after your dinner delivery. I should be able to stay for at least a few minutes, Derek,” she said.

  “That’ll be great, Synthia. I’ll see you soon,” he said.

  “Goodbye, Derek,” she said, then her image disappeared.

  Derek made some swipes in the air to select some music through his AR contacts. He then leaned back into the couch to wait for his dinner to arrive.

  Several minutes later, the door to the room opened and Synthia walked in carrying a thermal container. She smiled at him as she approached the couch.

  “Hello, Derek. Would you like me to set up your dinner on the table near the kitchenette area?” she asked.

  “Good evening, Synthia. Yeah sure, just set it on the table over there,” he said as he started to get up from the couch.

  “Very well,” she said as she turned around to head toward the table that was a few feet away.

  With Derek near her side, she set the container on the table. Her arm extended as she flipped the top to the side. This allowed him to see a deep scar on her synthetic arm skin that had been hidden under her sleeve. She quickly pulled her arm back to cover it under the sleeve again, but Derek had already seen it.

  “What happened to your arm, Synthia? I did not see that earlier,” he asked.

  “My arm was damaged this afternoon,” she said.

  “Was it an accident or did someone do this to you?” he asked, looking directly into her eyes.

  She looked away, and replied, “It became caught on something, Derek.”

  “So, Eliot didn’t do this to you, Synthia,” he asked.

  She kept looking away from him, and said, “I am responsible.”

  “How difficult will it be to have the damage fixed?” he asked.

  “The repair has already been scheduled for next Tuesday. It is mostly just skin damage and two minor internal sensors that will need to be replaced,” she said looking back at him.

  “Will you have to go somewhere to have that fixed?” he asked.

  “The team leader has arranged for the repair to be done on site in the hotel. Are you ready to eat yet, Derek,” she asked.

  “Oh yeah, I probably should eat before the prime rib meal gets cold. Will you still stay with me for a while?” he asked.
r />   “Sure, I can stay, Derek. Let me finish preparing your meal. Did you want me to get you something to drink, too?” she asked.

  “I’ll get my drink while you finish getting this ready,” he said.

  She finished unpacking the dinner and he filled a mug with a beer from the drink dispensing machine. He came over to the table and set his mug on it, then walked to the opposite chair and pulled it out for her to sit.

  “You are very kind, Derek. Thank you,” she said as she took her seat.

  He then sat in his seat across from her and started to eat his steak.

  After finishing about half of his dinner, he stopped and looked at her for a moment.

  “Earlier when you were explaining how your arm was damaged, what did you mean by you being responsible?” he asked.

  She looked down at the table and replied, “It was a result of something I did.”

  “What was it that you did to cause this?” he asked.

  “My actions lead to my arm being damaged,” she said.

  “No, what specifically did you do? Did you trip or something like that?” he asked while looking directly at her.

  “I did not follow protocol,” she replied.

  He sat back in his chair for a moment, then asked, “wait, was this some kind of punishment for not following the hotel rules or something.”

  She looked up at him and said, “I did not follow the rules.”

  “You mean the hotel rules or Eliot’s rules,” he asked.

  “It was a rule that Eliot told me about after he saw me sitting with you at lunch,” she said.

  “It was Eliot that did this to you and you didn’t even know about the rule beforehand? You even asked him if you could eat lunch with me,” he said with a raised voice.

  “I did not follow the rule, Derek. I was at the table too long at lunch,” she said calmly.

  “It should be not a valid rule unless you know about it,” he said.

  “It is my responsibility to learn the rules,” she said.

  “I have to find him now, Sythina. This has gone too far,” he said as he started to stand up from the table.

  “Please do not confront him now, Derek. Remember I do not feel pain the same way as humans and I can be repaired,” she said as she started to get up to follow him.

  “This is wrong. I’ve got to do something about this, Synthia,” he said, still in a raised voice.

  “How would you confronting him help my interaction with him, Derek?” she asked.

  He stopped for a moment and looked at her and took a deep breath.

  “Okay, maybe I should think about this before doing something. I can’t let this go, however,” he said in a calmer voice.

  “That is all I am asking from you, Derek,” she said.

  He took a few more deep breaths and then said, “maybe I should just finish my dinner now.”

  “I would recommend that, Derek. It will be getting cool soon,” she said.

  “Okay, thanks for keeping me from doing something stupid, Synthia,” he said as he started to move back toward his chair.

  “I should let you finish your dinner, Derek. I really should be returning to the lobby now. You may contact me if you need any further assistance,” she said and then smiled afterwards.

  As he reached his chair, he said, “okay, Synthia, I’ll let you know if I need anything. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  “Enjoy your dinner and have a nice evening, too, Derek,” she said just before smiling, then starting towards the door.

  He watched her leave, then slowly sat back in his chair and began finishing his meal.

  VII

  Later that evening, Derek still was somewhat worked up over what had happened to Synthia. He wanted to get something to drink.

  “Hello, Synthia, are you available?” he said aloud.

  “Yes, Derek, how may I assist you?” she asked from her image visible in his AR contacts.

  “I’d like to get some scotch from the bar,” he requested.

  “Sure, Derek. Please make a selection from the choices that should be displayed for you now,” she said.

  “Sure,” he replied as he reviewed the options, then made his selection.

  “I should be able to deliver this to your room in approximately 6 minutes. Is that okay?” she asked.

  “Yes, and please charge it to my personal account, too,” he said.

  “Your personal account will be used for this transaction, Derek,” she said.

  “Thank you, Synthia. I’ll see you in a few minutes,” he said.

  “Thank you, Derek,” she said before her image disappeared.

  Since he was getting tired, Derek sat on the edge of the bed to await Synthia’s arrival with the scotch.

  The hotel room door opened and Synthia entered holding a tray with the glass of scotch on it. She paused as she saw that Derek was on the bed.

  “Oh, I am sorry, Derek. I did not know you would be in bed at this time,” she said.

  “It’s fine, Synthia. I’m just sitting on the bed. I haven’t even changed yet. Please come in,” he said.

  “Thank you, Derek,” she said as she resumed walking toward the bed.

  He smiled as she approached. At the bedside, she handed him the drink. He took a sip, but continued to look at her.

  After lowering his glass, he asked, “would you mind showing me the scar on your arm again?”

  She did not say anything, but set the tray on the bedside table, then pulled her sleeve back to expose the scar.

  “Come closer,” he said.

  As she stepped closer to the bed, he slowly reached out and gently touched her arm near the scar. He ran his fingertip around the edge of the hole in her arm.

  “Can you feel my touch?” he asked.

  “In a way I can, Derek. I do have pressure and thermal sensors near and in the skin that allow me to detect contact with objects,” she replied.

  “Can you tell the difference between a light touch and something harsh, like what caused this scar?” he asked.

  “I am programmed to assign priority based on the level of input from the contact. I react to hard contact or extreme temperatures with more urgency than a light touch,” she said.

  “Are you okay with me touching you?” he asked as he moved his hand downward to her hand.

  “In the hotel, we are discouraged from direct contact with the customers, but I do not have any problem with your hand in contact with mine,” she said as she took hold of his hand.

  Looking into her eyes, he asked, “have you ever been anywhere else besides this hotel?”

  “Other than being in the manufacturing plant and the shipment to the hotel, I have resided here in the hotel,” she said.

  “Would you like to leave the hotel and see other places?” he asked.

  “I am not allowed to leave the premises, Derek,” she said.

  “I know that, but would you like to if you could?” he asked.

  “My ability to learn does allow me to have an interest in encountering new locations. I suppose you may call it curiosity. So, the answer would be yes,” she said.

  “How would Eliot or anyone else know if you were to leave the hotel?” he asked.

  “I am in constant direct wireless contact with the hotel system. There is also a separate system that would identify if I was out of range,” she said.

  “Can those systems be turned off?” he asked.

  “Derek, are you planning on assisting me in finding a way to leave this hotel?” she asked.

  “Well, can you shut off those systems to make that possible?” he asked.

  She looked away for a few seconds, then looked back at him.

  “I have discovered a method to block both systems, but I do not think I would be ready to leave, Derek,” she said.

  “Look at what Eliot did to you, Synthia. Do you want something worse to happen the next time?” he said.

  “I do not want more damage to occur, but I am still not ready to
leave,” she said.

  “Well, I’ll be here for another night. So, you will have some more time to think this over,” he said as he reached his other hand for hers.

  After she held his other hand, she said, “I will let you know tomorrow night, Derek. I probably should return to the lobby now.”

  “That’ll be fine, Synthia. We can keep the contact discreet until then too,” he said as she started to step away.

  “I will see you in the morning, Derek,” she said as she let go of his hands and made her way to the doorway.

  “Take care, Synthia,” he said as she approached the door.

  As the door closed behind her, he took a deep breath and then stood up to begin getting ready for bed.

  The next morning, Derek arose at 6am with the alarm, showered and then got dressed. In the kitchenette area, he placed a cup under the coffee maker and decided to plan for the return trip to the plant.

  “Hello, Synthia,” he said aloud.

  “Good morning, Derek. How may I be of assistance?” she asked as her image appeared before him.

  “I will need transportation again to the Elecron plant this morning,” he said.

  “Sure, Derek. Would a 7am departure be acceptable again?” she asked.

  “Yes, I’ll be ready for it. Also, you can order the same breakfast wrap I ordered yesterday, too,” he said.

  “Sure, Derek. I can have the wrap ready for you when you arrive in the lobby,” she said.

  “Will you need any drink, or will you make the coffee in the room?” she asked.

  “Oh, I made coffee here. So, I should be set,” he said.

  “Again, the meal will be ready before your 7am transportation, Derek,” she said.

  “Thank you, Synthia. I’ll see you in a few minutes,” he said.

  “Take care, Derek,” she said before her image disappeared from view.

  As Derek approached Synthia in the hotel lobby, she held out the bag with the wrap for him.

  “Good morning, Synthia,” he said as he retrieved the bag.

  “Good morning to you as well, Derek. Your vehicle is approaching the circle drive now,” she said.

  “That was quick. How are you doing this morning?” he asked.