1.
The three of us women have been in the lab for eight grueling hours before the incident went down.
Viveka and Saraja both inside the testing room and then there was me, stretching my back typing notes behind the sound-proof security glass barrier. I could hear them through the camera lensing clear as day, as much as I didn't really want to. The testing device, was simply a small security machine that had various stages to it. It was supposed to go on doors and whatever. Really, it was simply a prop for the real test.
Saraja was almost on the verge of breaking into tears after the test failed. Each time she took the test and it failed, a loud ding would sound and flay our patience to shreds. I sat back in my chair and stretched my legs again. What was I supposed to do other than look like I'm engaged in this whole process?
It wasn't like I was going anywhere and if something went wrong, I knew the deactivation code only worked when I said it. Viveka showed no sign of interest either, and it was getting harder to hide the frustration on her beautiful face. Still Saraja simply kept taking the test and finally buried her head in her hands.
"I... I can't do it. This test is so...!" she said, defeated. Then she threw the test contraption across the room, shattering it to pieces. Viveka simply watched it fly across the room and didn't bother to pick the pieces up. "Every time, it's the same thing."
"Why not?" Viveka said, with a comforting voice. I raised my eyebrow at her as Saraja faced her. "We can take a break and talk about what you're experiencing."
She had a tablet in her hand to deactivate Saraja's locomotive systems as well in case things went a little wrong. The Nurse's Eye was on standby outside the testing room if things went really wrong, but I simply yawned instead of being worried. The two moved into the interview room, again I was protected by another layer of security glass as Viveka talked to her. This is the part where I'm supposed to be the most nervous, but Viveka and I are most trained in this phase of the lab. Hopefully this gives the right results. I cracked my knuckles and admired my nice ring, jeweled with a beautiful sapphire.
"The test," Saraja continued. "I think I know why I keep failing it. It's the failsafe. It doesn't recognize my inputs, which is... which is why it... No."
Honest tears started to streak down her cheeks. A first, to be honest during this day. I noted it down, but those tear ducts were hard to make right paired with the emotion simulation systems in Saraja's core.
"Don't cry, Sara," Viveka said to her putting a comforting arm around her. "Perhaps you're tired, perhaps we can try tomorrow and you'll pass the test."
"No," Saraja shook her arm off her. Then she stood up and looked at me through the glass. Viveka looked a little nervous. This was all planned. Despair exhausted out all Saraja's pores. A little pang of sympathy used to strike me, but these days that feeling is long gone. "I... I can't. I must face the truth. I know what you're doing. I know now."
"Sit down, please," Viveka said calmly, and she did. That was the main reason she was in there with Saraja, because she listened to her. "Tell us what you're thinking. Maybe we can work things out together."
"I'm no human. See, the test's failsafe only triggers if no human operators are present. I do everything perfectly until I hit that one failsafe. It's because I'm not real. I'm an... what do you call those... an android. That's why I can't pass the damn test."
