《Robot's Fate: Alice》 Rise and Shine Your vision is filled with blinding light. It''s overwhelming at first, but then, someone''s friendly voice reassures you. "Don''t fuss, little one. Let your optics adapt." The voice starts off distant and ethereal, but each uttered word makes it louder, clearer. Soon your vision, too, becomes crisp. A man in white overalls is typing something into his electronic tablet. "Optics ¡ª check... Now, can you hear me?" You affirm, and the man reacts with a kind smile. "Good! So cooperative, unlike real kids." He laughs, then sighs. "Audio input ¡ª check, audio output ¡ª check. Your name? Shoot, your identification code." "Good. Self-identification ¡ª check." The man rubs his eyes again, and you notice dark circles under them. With the request cleared up, you sound off, "I am CCM-9242091, Child Companion Model.". Waiting, you look around the room, and the unfamiliar objects in your view start gaining names as your database has initialized. With the data you receive comes clarity, then awareness. You are a machine. This factory is where you were made, and where more like you are being made. You were designed by humans to make their lives better and fuller. And you love them. As the thought comes to you, the man speaks again, "You must have many questions, but I''m only here for the QA. Wait till you meet your new family." "My family?" The word fills you with inexplicable joy and warmth. Family. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The man winces and rubs his eyes, "Sorry, your owners. Folks who bought you. Note to self ¡ª I do need a full 6 hours of sleep." He types something in, speaking as he yawns. "I hope they treat you well. And if not, nothing they can do to a bot that the boys from Maintenance can''t fix. But I''m sure it will be fine. They''ll give you a new name, too. ''CCM-924209'' may be unique, but it''s a hell of a mouthful." Suddenly, you realize from the circles under his eyes, the tone of his voice, the blood pressure in the tiny vessels on his face that the man is tired and sleep-deprived. "Okay, let''s check the sensory input again¡­" "Is everything alright, Mister? You look exhausted." "I do, but who cares?" He mutters, then catches himself. "Wait, you do. You are a companion bot." He sighs. "Listen, I''ve got a 4-year-old down with a cold back home, and another kid on the way. Of course, I''m exhausted. But¡­ thanks for asking." A different man walks into the room, wearing the same overalls as the one before you. This new man is bigger, and you read anger and irritation on his face. As he starts speaking, you hear it in his voice too. "Park, what''s taking you so long? It''s just one robot. You''re not getting any overtime pay, so wrap it up and clock out. The morning shift is already coming in." "Of course, Sir. I was just making small talk. These new models are pretty bright, you know." The man frowns. "Yeah, hopefully not too bright. Small talk makes them learn, remember?" "Let the owners do the talking ¡ª that way if this one goes full on Ellsworth, it''s on their heads, not ours." The man barely looks your way as he says, "Go on, switch the robot off." "Right away, Sir." The man looks at you with a sad shrug of apology, then turns to his tablet. "Sorry, little one, time for a nap. Next time you''re switched on, you''ll be meeting your new family." Before you can react, he taps lightly on his tablet and your vision goes dark.
1Child Companion Model A RobotX Child Companion is the best friend your child could have. Say, RobotX, do you mean a friend who''s completely trustworthy, always loyal, absolutely safe, and enormously fun to spend time with? Well, what do you know? We DO! Our latest Child Companion model has everything you can dream of in your best friend. It comes with a curious mind to be a perfect adventurer alongside your kid. A Companion can study and learn new activities to keep up with your kiddo''s hobbies. Watch them grow and learn together ¡ª they''ll NEVER get bored of each other! And no matter what pranks and antics your child might bring a Child Companion into, its body is made of patented RobotX? ultralight polymer, rendering it completely safe to be around (its tiny hands won''t hurt a fly!). So, what are you waiting for?!! Order one Child Companion right away and surprise your kid with the best gift ¡ª friendship!! Remember, if any unwanted development happens to your Child Companion, you can always request assistance from our tech support team. Meeting the Family White light fills your vision again. Now, once your sensors have adjusted, you find yourself in a spacious, well-lit living room. Your processor works to connect the things you see with the names you know. There is a little girl right in front of you, holding a tablet in her hands and curiously looking you over. Behind her, a scrawny middle-aged man is quietly talking to a tall woman, beautiful but stern-faced. And next to them is a large dog, breathing heavily, eyeing you with his big brown eyes full of excitement. You see them for the first time, but somehow, you know exactly who they are: your new family. The most wonderful people in the world. The beautiful woman speaks first, looking you up and down with a look of disdain. "This is such a waste of money. The shipping alone cost an arm and a leg ¡ª couldn''t you just drive the robot here?" The man smirks. "So you could say it was a waste of time as well?" She does not look amused, so the man continues, "Look, it''s for Helen. To hell with the money ¡ª now she will at least have a good friend. Trustworthy, loyal, and not... fickle, unlike the kids at school." "Well that''s too bad she doesn''t know how to deal with her peers. Life is about making connections, and she will have to learn that eventually. Your network is your net worth." The girl, meanwhile, keeps studying you. She tilts her head a little, and you tilt yours. The girl gasps, "Mom! Dad! I switched her on!¡± She looks up at her parents with a happy grin, and the dog in the corner perks up, wagging his tail. Seeing his owner happy, he obviously wants in on the action. "Told ya I didn''t need the manual!" "That''s my girl!" The man smiles and messes up his daughter''s hair. "How do you like her?" The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "She''s so cute! What''s her name?" Remembering the man from the factory, you speak up. "I am CCM-924209, Child Companion Model." The tall woman scoffs. "Just like a real person." "Yeah, we''re not gonna be calling you that." The man thinks for a moment. "Let''s pick something Helen can remember. Something from her books." He deliberates for a moment. "Alice. Helen, do you want your friend to be called that?" The girl nods her head with enthusiasm and stares at you with wonder as if the new name had suddenly changed you into something else. "Alice. You and I will be best friends! Do you know any tricks? Do a trick!" Tricks? You take a fraction of a second to process the request. A quick query suggests that such orders are usually given to small domestic animals, which you are not. "Young Miss, Child Companions don''t do tricks. I am not a pet." The girl doesn''t look pleased, but the man bursts out laughing. "Your new Companion is a feisty one! Helen, Alice is right ¡ª she isn''t a dog or hamster, she is a friend. You should teach her some games you can play together, baby girl. She will learn them all... Sooner or later." "Sooner or later?" the little girl asks. "This model¡­ Alice is not a fast learner. No one wants another Ellsworth, after all. But she''s loyal, fond of you, and will always lend you a hand ¡ª everything you want from a friend." "Is that so?" The woman rolls her eyes. You get a sense that she does it very often. "How ironic considering who owns RobotX." The adults start arguing about something again while the girl marvels at you, grinning every time your eyes meet hers. This is the best family you could ever ask for.
RobotX RobotX is an American technology company specializing in robotics and AI technologies manufacturing. RobotX is the largest seller of robots and AI technologies as of 2074. It was founded as a start-up company working on developing and selling "intelligent" machines. What started as a company of personalized appliances that intelligently adapted to the user''s preferences and quirks ¡ª quickly evolved into the nation''s leading AI company. By the start of the 2050s, the RobotX hardware was used extensively by private individuals, businesses, and national institutions, becoming the main innovative force behind AI and machine learning. Due to the national crisis of the mid-2050s and subsequent Anti-Singularity Laws, RobotX experienced a certain fall in its revenue and popularity. However, the company managed to reinvent itself and return to its role as the AI and robot manufacturing leader. Their human-like robots, especially the Companion series, are considered revolutionary in the way they shaped the modern world, with robots becoming a significant part of human life. Currently, Frank Delaney is the CEO of RobotX. Swimming Lesson It''s a beautiful sunny day outside, and the solar panels covering the estate''s rooftops are feasting on the sunlight. By now, you''ve been active for a few days, taking care of little Helen and helping your owners: Mr. Robert and Mrs. Catherine Everett. Mr. Robert''s instructions take the highest priority, and you can see why ¡ª he is by far the smartest person you''ve ever seen. By now, he trusts you enough to let you and Helen play unsupervised. There is nothing to worry about. Why would there be? You can''t even fathom hurting Helen or her parents in any way. As you stand by the backyard pool, Helen is in the water, walking around in the shallow area and casting cautious glances toward the deep end. Then, she moves towards it, and your mind flares up with alarm. You have a distinct, high-definition memory of Helen''s father instructing you to keep watch over Helen. "Miss Helen, don''t go there! The deep end isn''t safe!" Helen stops, startled, then crosses her arms and pouts. "Mom always says that! But how can I learn to swim if they won''t teach me?!" She stomps her foot. "I''ll never become a pirate if I can''t swim!" "A pirate, Miss Helen?" A quick query pulls up several reference pictures: large flamboyant men with unkempt beards, eyepatches, and wooden legs. Most importantly, you realize that the pirates are a thing of the past. You inform little Helen accordingly. "Bah! You''re just a doll with no imagination!" The little girl blows you a raspberry while slowly walking towards the deep end again. "I''ll be a pirate like Captain Redtail!" Another brief search pulls up several matches: Captain Redtail is a popular children''s show in the 2070s. It tells the tale of a small rodent turned pirate captain ¡ª "a squirrel who knows no fear!" Unlike Captain Redtail, Helen seems to have plenty of fear about the deep water, but she is getting over it quickly. "All I need is a ship!" she asserts. "Then, I''d do what I want, go to bed when I want, sail where I want! But I can''t sail if I can''t swim!" she says, tiptoeing across the descending pool bottom. "Just¡­ please, don''t tell Mom and Dad. Okay?" The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It''s not clear what her fear is caused by, the depth of the water or the risk of being caught. Then suddenly, her foot slips. All of a sudden, little Helen is underwater. As her face surfaces again, you hear her croak while coughing up some water: "HELP!" You freeze up, momentarily overwhelmed. Your first idea is to call her parents¡­ but she did ask you not to tell them ¡ª she will get in trouble for going to the deep end. You could also help Helen by yourself, but you may not figure out how to do it quickly enough ¡ª and time is running out. And simply jumping after her¡­ You know water isn''t safe for you. But little Helen''s life takes far greater priority over yours. You don''t go with your first idea. You don''t have time for ideas, as you leap into the pool with a loud splash. Your polymer frame sinks to the bottom immediately. Next, you reach Helen and push her to the shallow end of the pool. You keep your mouth shut to keep water from getting inside, but it still sips in. You barely manage to get Helen standing when your vision begins to darken and sputter with static. The last few steps towards the ladder out of the deep end, your servos grind to a halt and lock up. Only your head remains above the water, helplessly looking up at Helen as she rushes to climb out of the pool. "Girls! What''s all this splashing about?!" Mr. Everett sounds strict as he briskly approaches. From behind him, Mrs. Everett appears, rushing toward Helen with a terrified look. She doesn''t just cry out, she shrieks. "HELEN! Why did Alice get in the pool?! Robert, you said she wouldn''t do that!" Her high heels click-clack across the ground as she desperately pulls Helen into a tight, desperate hug. "She is a machine! What if Helen was electrocuted, for crying out loud?!" "She wouldn''t be, the RobotX models have safeguards against that¡­" Mr. Everett tries to explain in vain. "She wanted to save me!" Helen blurts out. "I¡­ got in the deep end, and started to drown¡­ Alice jumped after me." Mr. Everett breathes out in relief while Mrs. Everett keeps hugging her daughter. Soon, her shoulders begin to shake with sobs. "Never do this again, Helen, you hear me?!" As you watch her, thoughts rush through your processor. What you did was dangerous and irrational. After taking several hours to dry out, you realize how much you''ve violated your self-preservation protocols. But at the moment, you did not hesitate at all. A human you love was in danger, and you saved her. And it felt good.
Captain Redtail Captain Redtail is the protagonist of the animated series, "The Adventures of Captain Redtail," created in 2071 by the American animation studio Tidbits. The character first appeared on Radventure Network on the 12th of June, 2071. Captain Redtail is an anthropomorphic red squirrel who is captaining a ship called Oakmast in search of mystical treasures and glorious adventures. Throughout the show, Redtail tries to find the treasures collected and hidden by his father, Greytail, a legendary pirate who disappeared when Redtail was a kid. Easily Fixed In the backyard of the Everett estate, you watch Helen as she plays with a small white drone, controlling it through a tablet. Similar to the one you have assigned to you. Cooper lies nearby, looking bored as he calmly watches Helen, and you can easily understand him: your friend is utterly consumed by her game. The toy hovers over the treetops, fluid and responsive. Whenever it pulls off a particularly impressive move, Helen reacts with outright glee. Meanwhile, you are baffled. What is she hoping to achieve? Humans seem to derive pleasure from the most counterintuitive things. You are about to voice your doubts when you hear the drone''s rotors grind against the tree branch. It gets stuck, and soon, it''s tangled up for good. Unable to free it, Helen angrily stomps her foot. "Just when I was getting the hang of it! Ugh!" Cooper barks, sharing her frustration, and she pats the golden pooch on its head. "Alice, could you please get it down? I would do it myself, but¡­ Mom hates it when I climb trees. Can you help?" You consider your options. The logical decision would be to call Helen''s parents, but Mr. Everett is at work, and Mrs. Everett is having an important online meeting. What do you do? Helen''s pleading eyes convince you. You start climbing the trunk, and reaching the drone takes you a mere couple of minutes. Helen stands under the tree, watching you. She looks worried ¡ª perhaps this wasn''t such a good idea after all. "What are you two doing?!" Helen sharply turns around, startled. You look towards the house''s door and see Mrs. Everett approaching Helen with a furious look. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Mom, the drone got stuck in the tree, and we¡­" "I can see that! What were you thinking? Alice, get down from there immediately!" "Helen, Alice could get broken! Do you know how much she costs? You are grounded!" Suddenly, the branch you were holding onto cracks, giving you a second to grab the drone before you start plummeting to the ground. The next moment, your vision and your insides are rattled as you hit the ground. Helen dashes towards you to help you out. She stops dead in her tracks and shrieks. "Alice, your arm! Are you hurting?" A piece of your arm''s servo is sticking out through the ruptured synth skin. You know what ''hurting'' means but can''t experience it ¡ª only humans feel pain. The damage left your arm with limited functionality, nothing more. But before you can tell Helen as much, Mrs. Everett cuts you off. "Don''t worry, sweetheart. Alice is a robot, she feels nothing. Dad will easily fix her when he comes home." She takes the drone from you and leads Helen inside the house. In the evening you visit Mr. Everett''s workshop. Inside, it''s the usual scene ¡ª he is examining something complex, humming a 2050s tune. His workshop is full of contrasts: the things he works with range from state-of-the-art holographic interfaces to simple, well-made power tools. Some of them are antiques by the 2070s standards, but Mr. Everett has a use for everything. Noticing you, Mr. Everett smiles. "Alice! Come on in. Did you want something?" "Sorry for distracting you, Mr. Everett, but I need help." You show him the damage done to you. He frowns, adjusts his glasses, and breaks out his tools. "Ah yes, Helen told me. Be careful next time ¡ª you might be a robot, but your frame is made of ultralight polymer. It''s not built to take damage, or deal damage." "Can''t have a child companion hurting the child by accident, right?" The next couple of hours are spent fixing the damage done to you. As he works, Mr. Everett goes through every detail of what he''s doing and why. Occasionally you ask questions of your own to get a better understanding. And soon, only a small trace on your synthetic skin reminds you of the damage you once sustained. You spend some time in the workshop, watching Mr. Everett work. He asks you to pass him this tool or the other and explains each one''s purpose. When his work is finished, Mr. Everett jokes that you too could one day become a fine robotician. Lewis the Mechanical Mailman It''s early morning at the Everett house. Helen is still asleep, and your own recharging was completed an hour ago. Now, you attend in the kitchen while the autocook is putting graceful finishing touches on the owners'' breakfast. You notice Mr. Everett sniff the air ¡ª his coffee is done, brewed to perfection as always. You are waiting for instructions from either of the adults, but secretly, you hope that it''s Mr. Everett who has requests for you. Helping him is always a joy, and he often needs a lot of help with some exciting new project of his. He never tells you what he''s making, but with how many deliveries he is getting for it, it seems big and important. Not least because every delivery gets a grand announcement by the house AI. The courier is arriving in two minutes, it says as Mrs. Everett looks up. "The courier? So they sent that cheery-eyed dimwit again," Mrs. Everett scoffs. "What is this, the good old 2050s? Shouldn''t they be delivering everything by drones at this point?" "Drones that get stuck in trees?" Mr. Everett smirks. "Or get shot down by some kids with a BB gun. Or simply malfunction mid-flight." He sips at his coffee and loudly exhales. "The parts I order are too expensive to risk that. A robot mailman is more reliable, and more respectable." "Respectability ¡ª exactly what I think when I see the RobotX CTO tinkering in his basement." Mr. Everett''s eyes grow narrow, and he puts his coffee mug aside. You can read the disappointment on his face. "Alice, my delivery should be arriving soon. Go pick it up outside." You walk out into the front yard and immediately hear energetic barking. The family''s dog, Cooper, runs up to you, wagging his tail and hopping up and down. He is a big, shaggy animal, already quite old but showing no signs of it. You pet him on the head the way Mr. Everett taught you, and he looks at you with the most special expression. Finally, you think to yourself ¡ª someone who understands the way you look at humans. It''s not too long before a self-driven electric car pulls up near the front gate. The driver seat is empty, but in the passenger seat, you see a tall robot dressed in a neat blue uniform. He gets out, takes a big package from the car''s spacious trunk, and approaches you. "Good morning to you, young lady!" You notice his eyes flash ever so slightly as he scans you. "Ah! You''re the one I''m supposed to give this package to!" Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "That''s right." You reply, smiling back at the mailman''s happy grin. "Certainly. May I ask, are you new here? I''ve delivered to this house before, but the pick-up was always conducted by another young lady¡­" "Helen!" "That''s right!" The robot seems overjoyed, and you can easily understand why. Helen is a lovely human. "I am Lewis, and you are?" He offers you his hand. "Alice." You shake his careful hand. The robot is so nice and polite, it''s hard for you to understand why Mrs. Everett disliked him. Suddenly, you get an idea to ask a question. "I didn''t know there were tall robots like you. Do grown-up humans need friends too?" Lewis laughs. It''s kind-hearted, if a little exaggerated. "Some sure do, but I am not that kind of a robot. I deliver mail." "Besides, Mr. Everett and Mrs. Everett hardly need any friends. They are such a splendid family!" "Mr. Everett is wonderful, but Mrs. Everett is very angry. She called you a dimwit!" There is a surprised look on Lewis''s polymer face. "Huh. I wonder where she got this impression. I don''t believe my supervisor would agree with that." You nod, pretending to understand what he is talking about. "But Mrs. Everett is such an illustrious woman! She is a member of the Senate, so she knows what she is talking about. Perhaps my performance has been poor." "After all, I like small talk far too much!" He laughs, but you have a hard time joining in. "I should go now. Give this to Mr. Everett, and tell him our company thanks him for his business!" Lewis gives you the large package, only letting go once he is sure you are holding on to it. The package isn''t too heavy, but big enough that you can barely see behind it. Still, getting it to Mr. Everett should be doable. "Goodbye, Alice!" "Goodbye, Mr. Lewis! "Please!" You hear jolly laughter. "Just Lewis. Lewis the Mechanical Mailman!"
Schoolmates One evening, you sit in Helen''s room, helping Helen with her homework. Cooper lies nearby, calm and sleepy under a warm plaid blanket. With Helen''s school tablet in hand, you methodically check her equations and correct them. Helen isn''t paying attention: she is preoccupied with petting Cooper on his shaggy golden head while also telling you about her day at school. And the more she tells you, the sadder she becomes. It seems little Helen isn''t getting along with her peers. "...And then she said ''Go cry to the only friend you have, the one you bought!'' Can you imagine that?" "Nobody wants to be friends with me," Helen says with tears in her eyes. "Why do they treat me like this?" The question gives you a stop. Helen is wonderful ¡ª who wouldn''t want a friend like that? You quickly access the database to learn more about bullying and why it happens. And what is it about robot companions that might bring others to hate you? Is it not okay to have a robot friend? You feel uncertainty. Why would anyone not want to have you at their side? Is having a robot companion a bad thing? Or is there, maybe, entirely another reason for those kids to be so cruel to Helen? What should you say? This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. You shrug. "I don''t know why your classmates are the way they are. But you shouldn''t mind them so much." "Uh, hello? They hate me!" You take your friend by the hand. "You''ve got wonderful parents, a wonderful dog, and me, too. We all love you very much! Isn''t that more important than some classmates? You can tell she needed to hear what you''ve said. "You''re right. Thanks, Alice." She sniffles and steps closer to hug you. "You are welcome. I will always be there for you." When Helen lets go of you, you offer her the tablet with the equations already checked. "Here, it''s all fixed. You''ll get an ''A''." Pleased, Helen gives you an enthusiastic nod. "Awesome. Who needs other friends when I''ve got you?" The Dog Dies The Dog Dies Today, the Everett estate is in mourning. Cooper, the family''s beautiful and fun-loving golden retriever, died at the ripe old (for a dog) age of 11. He''s been declining little by little over the last month until he couldn''t go on anymore. The entire family is grieving, but Helen seems to be the most affected. She has been crying for hours, inconsolable despite the efforts of her parents. "Come on, baby girl. It''s all right¡­" Mr. Everett gently hugs her. "Cooper had a great life with us. Sadly, nobody can live forever ¡ª that''s just the way it is." Hearing that, Helen bawls even harder. Mrs. Everett looks at her husband worriedly and takes over as Helen''s consoler. "Helen, darling, your Dad is right." She sounds very gentle ¡ª it''s almost strange to hear. "It''s something everyone must go through, but you have to be strong. Don''t cry, think of all the good times you had with Cooper." She can''t finish as Helen breaks free of her embrace, screaming, "But there will be no more! He''s gone! He''s gone..." She runs out of the room, crying her eyes out. The Everetts exchange weary glances ¡ª nothing they can say will help at a time like this. Mr. Everett turns to you. "Alice, find Helen, please. She needs company." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. You nod and go looking for Helen, thinking along the way. Why would Helen react so violently? Of course, Cooper has lived with the family a long time, and he was fun to play with, but ultimately, it''s just a dog ¡ª an old dog. What happened isn''t surprising. Why is Helen so upset? They could always buy a new dog. You find Helen in her room, sitting on her bed and clutching Cooper''s old collar in her hand. You settle down next to her and spend some time sitting with her in silence. Helen turns her red teary eyes to you. "Why did Cooper leave us, Alice?" You remember how Helen reacted to the words of Mr. and Mrs. Everett. You are not sure you know what to say to calm down Helen when even her parents couldn''t do it. So, you resort to a hug. You embrace Helen and say nothing, holding her tight, trying to give her a sense of security. Helen sniffles, and tears start rolling down her red cheeks again. She doesn''t push you away, so you keep hugging her and let her cry into your shoulder. Soon, Helen starts feeling better. "Thanks, Alice." She gives you a sad smile. "You are a good friend." You are proud of yourself for making Helen feel better. You did a good job, you think. But you are still curious about Helen''s reaction. You must understand her better to help her more efficiently in the future. "If I may ask," you say gently, copying the tone Mrs. Everett used in the living room, "why does it make you so sad that Cooper has died? It is a dog. You can always buy a new one and teach it to act similarly." She looks at you wide-eyed. "What do you mean? I''ve known him for all my life. Dogs are not all just the same. You can''t just buy another one and replace the old one, it''s not a thing! They are different just like people, just like..." She cuts herself off, and now she has the look of realization. "I think I know. You can''t understand what I feel because they don''t make robots very smart. Remember Dad talking about it, back when we bought you?" You nod, remembering something of that sort. Something about¡­ "Ellsworth?" "I''ll ask Dad to make you smarter. I need a friend, not just a toy."