Evolved(6)

Myles took the control again and clicked on the screen a few more times, and something in Shaun changed. I saw it, the very moment it happened.

He became aware.

His gaze fell on me. “Hello, Lloyd,” Shaun said. His voice was a deep baritone, with a tenor that curled in my belly.

“Hello Shaun,” I replied. My voice was barely a whisper.

And then, throwing my world completely off its axis, he smiled. Not a perfect smile, but slightly lopsided in a very human way. If a simple smile could complete my existence, it was done. He was stunningly perfect.

“It is very nice to meet you,” Shaun said.

“Likewise,” I replied. I couldn’t stop staring at his eyes, and I swore the corner of Shaun’s lip twitched in an almost smile.

“Is that normal?” I asked Myles. “He’s so… human.”

Myles grinned. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? How real they are?”

I nodded, staring back at Shaun. So very real.

“As I was saying before, he has the spatial awareness and object manipulation skills of a surgeon. He can lift heavy objects with ease, but he can also hold the finest, most delicate glass object with precision. He has social intelligence; he can recognise and interpret, process and simulate human affects and empathy. He is, without doubt, the most advanced A-Class synthetic android in the world.”

Shaun tilted his head a little while he studied me, and I stared right back at him. So remarkable.

“He’s been uploaded with extensive knowledge of all requested data,” Myles said, holding the screen out for me to see. I glanced at it but couldn’t take my eyes off Shaun for long. Myles continued anyway. “Literary histories, world current affairs, everything you asked for has been preloaded, but he can access any information you require. If it’s on the web, he can find it, and he can discuss, converse, debate whatever you want.”

Wow.

“Now, as for the personal companion aspect,” Myles went on. Personal companion aspect was synthetic speak for sex. “All lubricants must be silicone based, not oil based, though I’m sure you’re aware. He can self-clean but he might like it if you help him.” I looked at Myles and he winked. “Yes, he has likes and dislikes. Though he’s been pre-dispositioned to your psych evaluation so there are no conflicts. He enjoys conversation, attention, praise…, touch. Sex.”

My heart rate took off.

Breathe, Lloyd.

Shaun looked at me and his lip started to pull up on one side. I already knew that smirk would be devastating. I had to tell myself to swallow, and I pretended the curl of heat in my belly wasn’t desire.

“He likes sex?” I knew this already, but my brain was stuck on that damn smirk.

“Oh, yes.” Myles tapped away on the control panel. “Though I am legally obliged to tell you that if he’s subject to things he doesn’t like, like abuse, torture, non-consensual sex, sex with someone that is not you, regardless if he is powered on or off, he’s programmed to alert the AMA.”

I knew this also. The AMA, or Artificial Moral Agency, was the governing body of Roboethics. Androids of all classes were granted rights under the Geneva Convention, and if any harm were to come to an android, they were all programmed to alert the officials. “Yes, of course. I fully support the law.”

Myles looked up briefly, afforded me a smile that said of course you do. Then he gave me the rundown on Shaun’s ability to do housework and some cooking ability, though thermoplastic elastomer—what Shaun’s skin was made out of—didn’t react too well to extreme heat.

I knew that too.

Myles continued to give me a crash course in operation, explaining the full manual was in the control panel, but Shaun was now programmed to respond to my voice alone.

“Shaun, Power Down,” Myles said.

Shaun looked at him but didn’t power down. “You are not authorised,” Shaun replied.

Myles gave me a nod. “Your turn.”

I looked at Shaun. “Shaun, Power Down.”

Shaun’s hands went to his sides, his eyes closed, and his head bowed slightly.

Something inside me lurched, saddened even. It felt wrong to decide when he was and wasn’t awake, but before I could tell him to power up, Myles handed me the control panel.

“Sign here to say you’ve received your unit.”

I quickly read the screen and signed.

He signed underneath my signature and handed the control panel back to me. “Congratulations. You’re now the legal custodian of Shaun. If you have any questions, issues, or need anything at all, contact us at any time.”

“Uh, yes. Thank you. I will.”

He and the big muscled guy collected the crate, let themselves out, and I was left alone with my new Synthetic Human Android UNit.

Shaun.

I studied him for a second. He was completely still, powered down, and he looked peaceful. I reached out and almost touched his cheek, but it felt wrong to do so without his consent.

I took a step back, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “Shaun, Power Up.”

He opened his eyes and lifted his head. When his gaze met mine, he smiled. “Hello, Lloyd.”

“Hello, Shaun.” I wasn’t sure what to say next. I looked around the room.

“Are you nervous?” Shaun asked. “Your heart rate is elevated and your pupils are dilated.”