The Mechanic

Chapter 2: Runa

The next morning, Tyo was woken at 7am by his housebot, just as he was every morning. But today, he did not have his eggs and toast at 7:20, nor did he leave for work at 7:25 or arrive there at 7:30. No, today he had left his apartment without a suit or a briefcase, and instead of taking the train, he walked to the small cafe around the corner for a long cup of coffee. It seemed that after breaking his routine last night, he was unable to return to it.

It felt odd, unnatural even, to sit alone, a small buoy in a sea of conversation. He had not been here since before Her death, and the empty chair across from him took up too much room at the table. Still, it was a nice day, and he had chosen to sit outside, favoring the warm rays of sun that enveloped his back.

The waiter arrived, a young man in his early twenties with a handsome face and a lively twinkle in his eyes. "Hello sir," he chirped, "what can I get you today?" Tyo's eyes caught the metal of an ID chip along the waiter's left cheekbone, identifying it as an android. His heart dropped, and Tyo could not conceal the look of disappointment on his face. He had been hoping to talk to a person today, not a machine. "Is something wrong, sir?" it asked.

"No," Tyo said curtly, his voice lacking the cheery and pleasant tone he had intended on using. "I'll have a cup of coffee."

"Right away, sir," it remarked as it left. A moment later, it returned with a mug and filled it with a dark, steaming brew. "Anything else, sir?"

Tyo looked at its face, too perfect to be human. "No, that'll be all." The android nodded and went about tending to the other tables, leaving Tyo to ponder over his cup of coffee.

Androids did not belong in the public industry, and the sight of one serving customers bothered Tyo more than he cared to admit. Only a few months ago the law had been passed allowing androids to work directly with customers outside of a household setting, though few places had begun enforcing the practice. Those machines belonged in factories and workshops and homes with the other machines, not in a coffee shop.

Though they had decreased the need for human labour and greatly lowered the prices of goods through their low-cost work, they were unnatural. Nothing more than things playing pretend as humans. Now, they had begun taking jobs that should belong to humans as well. Was it fair that people starved on the streets while these androids got paid, actually paid for stealing a position that should belong to someone who needed the wages?

Tyo shook his head and sipped his steaming coffee. Soon, androids would be running businesses and living among humans as if they were such. A shudder ran through his body at the notion.

A sharp crash and a shrill shriek pierced through Tyo's thoughts. At the table next to him, a dark-skinned woman sat frozen, covered in scalding hot coffee. The android waiter scrambled to pick up the shards of the broken coffee pot, mumbling apologies.

Without sparing a moment to think, Tyo ran over with napkins, and with a red-haired woman's aid, they helped the flustered customer clean off the coffee. "My apologies, ma'am," the android atoned, still searching for broken glass.

"You've ruined my shirt!" wailed the dark-skinned woman. Tyo and the redhead finished cleaning off as much coffee as they could, but there were burns on her skin and her white shirt was permanently stained brown. "You bots are absolutely worthless!" the woman continued.

"This is what happens when you let damned robots work with humans!" Tyo joined in.

There were echoes of agreement muttered throughout the crowd of customers, who had paused their dining to watch the hectic scene unfold.

"My apologies," the android repeated. He had finished cleaning up the glass, but did not dare stand.

"No, no, this is my fault," the red-haired woman with pallid skin interjected, with a wavery voice. "I-I wasn't watching, and I bumped the server, and-and then he dropped the pot, and it wasn't his fault!"