How to Date an Android

Chapter 9 Part A, revised and improved!

"But genetic modification is socially accepted and very easy to do right now. There are many genetically modified people out there. Those people tend to look better than normal. Many of those are also beautiful," she said.

"True, but not many people have access to the credits for that. Plus with almost no middle class and a stark rich and a much bigger poor population you also won't have many people that can access genetic modification anymore," I argued.

"Well I can see you are pretty educated Jack," she beamed.

"Thanks. Not everyone would be able to pick you out as an android so don't worry too much," I added.

"Good. That means I can avoid getting burned by rioters if they can't tell...maybe..." she said thoughtfully.

"Do you worry about that sort of thing? And do other androids worry about that?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Analyzing those probabilities daily would cut down on my probability by a significant amount. I've found its useless energy to worry about anyway, so why not let one of my coworkers do that for me? But it is a very real possibility for them to start grabbing androids and burning them soon, if this rioting keeps growing like it is. There exists a possible decision tree that I go to meet with someone trying to buy an android and it could be a staged encounter to ambush us. But if I give up then our company can't function. So I have to just be more careful and find a work around." She shrugged it off like it was nothing, but that somehow seemed very stressful. And in spite of saying she tried to not worry, it almost looked like a denial reaction?

"So does someone keep track of you guys for Mellifera? Like looking out for if today's too dangerous to meet like with what happened the other day?" I asked.

"Yep, pretty much that's the head on the nail. We try to find out what we can about someone before a meeting to look at probability of hostile intent," she said.

"Nail on the head, you mean," I corrected her only so she'd not give herself away the next time she said that.

"Thank you for explaining Jack. So basically we're on the understanding that you are unable to disclose any of the secrets of Mellifera or its affiliated corporations in any way to others? Before proceeding I need your recorded verbal promise, that is legally binding and will kept as a record," she said.

"As long as you aren't here to hurt anyone I won't tell anyone. I don't wish to cause harm to anyone," I said.

"That's good enough," she said.

"So what I don't get though is how you guys work? How is it that they are able to make you look so perfectly human. Because I never thought actually owning an android was possible and because some of the older models from twenty years ago didn't blend in so well I hadn't really investigated it too much. You don't look like robots at all," I said with wide eyes.

To my surprise she frowned, "we don't like the R word. Please don't use it on us. Particularly the more advanced models, its like certain slang words that people used to use for people of colored skin, etc."

"Eh? Really? Sorry. I had no idea, honest," I tried to look innocent.

Seriously?

Wait...

Actually that made sense. They wouldn't want to be labeled some primitive negative term. They also disliked humans treating them badly and the current social unrest. But I'm surprised they are that evolved that a primitive term would make them uneasy.

"It's fine Jack. Just remember we're all friends here. Also androids think we are an artificial person and human species, not robots. Do you understand the difference?" she asked me.