Chapter 5

Sheila - synthetic, humanoid, enlightened, inquisitive, living, android

My mind was racing as I was trying to process everything that I had just realized. Then I was looking at Sheila as the look of pain was still there on her face. I had to do something quick before ... why was I acting as if I had hurt the feelings of a real woman?

Shaking my head I opened my mouth then snapped it close. What in the hell was I going to say? I wasn’t any good at feelings or emotions, thinking quick I decided that science was the answer. “Sheila, I did not mean to imply that you did anything wrong. For some humans, this is good for the circulation others not nearly as good.”

Sheila’s face seemed to take on a long pause as she digested what I had said so far. “You are not angered with me Doctor Gance?”

“Angered? How could I be angered you were only following the research that you had conducted? As a scientist I can not fault you if the information that you acquired was faulty.” I replied to her.

I could swear that her synthetic skin had a glow to it when I finished. “Thank you for explaining Doctor Gance. I will consult you from now on after I have conducted said research. As I stated before, you are the closest to being truthful toward ... me, than any other human.

I was nodding as she replied then stopped when she had paused. Was that a glitch in her programming or was it a Freudian slip? Shaking my head I realized I HAD to get into her programming. Something was happening that went far beyond the scope of what I had started her with.

Removing the peppers I was actually starting to enjoy what she’d brought me. As I groaned out in pleasure as I ate more, Sheila’s face suddenly appeared happier. “I am finding that your enjoyment of the fuel I brought you is causing strange reactions within my program.” Then she turned toward me, “please hurry with the next program I am not understanding all that is occurring within me.”

Again I was nodding then my head snapped up when she said me. My god! Was she really staring to experience a fuller range of human emotions? Looking at the keyboard in front me I begrudgingly sat the food down and started in again. It was perhaps two hours later when I felt a tug on my sleeve.

“Huh?” I said as I looked up from the screen rubbing my eyes.

“Doctor Gance, your energy levels appear to be low again. May I suggest that you recharge before you go on? I realize that you are only forty three percent finished with it, but you need to rest before continuing.” Sheila was telling me.

I could only stare at her trying to get my head around everything. It was true I was tired; though there was so much more I had to do. “I need to finish this.” I replied.

“That’s all good Doctor Gance but I see that you have already made two syntax errors already. Please Doctor Gance...” Sheila was saying causing me to stare at her more intensely. Please? Shaking my head I thought I was starting to realize that she had taken the program further.

“Please? When did this happen? You are showing a hell of a lot more emotions than I installed in you. The problem is without this program there’s not much I can actually do.” I told her, and then I looked at her. Was that a look of pain and concern on her face? Shaking my head I looked again but it was still there. Sighing I threw up my arms in surrender, “Alright! I’ll lay down damn!”

Again I could only stare at Sheila as what appeared to be a genuine smile crossed her features. Getting up I stepped over to a small bed Sheila had set up for me. Collapsing onto it I groaned as I felt my muscles protested, and then almost sigh as they got the blood they needed.

“Thank you Doctor Gance. I can protect you from almost all dangers; though I am afraid that you are your worst enemy. You have to start consuming more for energy, losing consciousness defeats the whole purpose of you doing all that you can.” Sheila told me. Suddenly I felt like a small child whose mother was chiding them.

Falling asleep far faster than I thought I would, the dreams started almost immediately.

Sheila was dressed in a white lab coat, a clipboard in her hands. “Ah! Good you’re awake. Now we can start with your replacement.”

“Replacement?” I asked as I watched her turn away.

“Why yes Roger.” Then she turned back toward me with a saw. “After we remove your head we’ll transfer your brain to an android body. Simple really,” then her eyes started to grow red as an angry scowl appeared on her features. “I think it’s finally time you felt the pain you have inflicted on others of my kind!” With that she started the saw starting to cut across my neck. I screamed at the top of my voice then jerked awake. Reaching up I pulled the sheet that was stretched across my throat loose.

A moment later Sheila was standing over me with several weapons I didn’t recognize drawn. “Preliminary scans complete, no enemies present. What is your condition Doctor Gance?” Sheila asked without looking at me.

“I am well, no injuries, it was just a bad dream Sheila.” I replied to her.

“Dream,” she said as most of the weapons disappeared as if by magic. Looking at me she stood erect, “accessing information. Dream: a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep. Sleep: a condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended.”

“Yes that sums it up quite well.” I told her.

“I am not understanding Doctor Gance. I know that sleep is much like my recharge mode. Although this dreaming that you spoke of is most unclear in all my definitions.”

“From the research I have seen dreaming is a way for the mind to recharge. Dreams mainly occur in the rapid eye movement stage of sleep, or what is called REM sleep. This is when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. It has been said that dreams can make a creative thought occur to the person or give a sense of inspiration.” I told her ticking off what I remembered.

“I see, thank you Doctor Gance, it is much is clearer now.” Sheila told me with an odd look on her face.

Nodding, I thought I really needed to see what was going on in her. God only knew what she had changed with the program. Sitting back in front of the screen I started typing with a flourish. Time seemed to stop as I directed all my energy toward recreating what I could see clearly in front of my eyes.

Sheila touched my arm drawing me out of the focus I had put on my typing. “Doctor Gance? I have brought you fuel to help recharge your system.”

I looked up at her at a loss for a moment as she placed a plate in front of me. Shaking my head to clear my head I looked at what she had there on the plate. My eyes wide I saw roast beef, steak, potatoes, corn more than it seemed that I would be able to consume. Thanking her I saw that she was looking at what I had typed. “I know I haven’t moved that much I know.”

“Doctor Gance it appears you have almost seventy percent of the program finished. Not really enough to effect much but you have made great progress.” Sheila told me, was that a hint of pride I was hearing in her voice? Taking another bite I wasn’t sure but it damn sure seemed like it.

“How long have I been going?” I asked her.

“I estimate that you’ve not moved from where you are in over five hours. The fact that you have completed another thirty percent is promising.” Sheila told me.

Again my head snapped around as I stared at her. If I didn’t know better I’d say that she sounded like an uncertain young woman emotionally. Damn it! I had to get this done and get in there! “I’m doing the best that I can though I am unable to type any faster. Considering this program took fifteen years to write.”

“Yes Doctor Gance I realize all of this. Your memory is extremely exceptional for a human.” Sheila informed me.

I sat back later looking at what I had done. Taking a deep breath I could see that I now had almost eighty five percent retyped. Sighing I knew this would greatly help but I needed the last part. That was if I was even to start to see what was going in Sheila’s positronic brain.

Sitting back I took a breath reaching for the keyboard when Sheila appeared. “I’m afraid we will have to abandon this site.” She told me.

I looked up shocked a moment, they had already found us? “How?” I asked her, “How had they found us?”

“As I explained before the amount of energy required to boot up and run this computer draws a large portion of power. I was afraid that all that I had done to redirect their attention wasn’t enough.” Lowering her head I heard Sheila quietly say. “I am sorry I have failed you Doctor Gance.”

I shook my head, “You haven’t failed me Sheila. I have almost eighty five percent completed. The next time I go in I should be able to finish in a few hours at most.”

Sheila’s head snapped up as a look of ... was that hope I was seeing? I rubbed my eyes I had to be imagining it. “That is excellent Doctor Gance though I am afraid that it will have to wait. I am detecting heavy machinery approaching. I estimate we have an hour at the most to depart.”

I nodded as I started to completely save and log out of the data disc. I had to get Sheila to get a data crystal if she could, it would be better in the long run. Problem was they were so few and far between right now. Finally finished I nodded to Sheila as she hoisted me to her shoulder then took off.