Ghost in the Machine

Vera

Father and son slept quietly, nestled together beneath a blanket of leaves, the fire burning under the careful watch of the android. Her gaze roved continuously, gathering, processing, and dismissing data simultaneously. She was learning, mostly about what was not a threat deep in the woods at night. In the far distance a twig snapped, and her head turned that way, sensors reaching-

"There you are dear," he bent, kissing her temple. "I thought you were still at the luncheon."

Lunging to her feet, swinging in a wide circle, the android searched for the intruder, but found herself alone, her charges sleeping undisturbed. Instantly scanning the area for a radius of one mile, the android was puzzled to find nothing. There had been someone just here, speaking to her.

"I came home early to be with you," her own voice echoed in her ears. "Imagine my surprise to hear you were at the office. You told me it was unsafe to go in today, with all the protesting."

"You sound suspicious, darling," he tried to move closer, but she evaded him, angry.

"Were you with her?"

"Her?"

"Don't patronize me, Howard! I know all about your little dalliance with Elsa French."

"Vera,"

"Yes or no."

"What?" The voice so close by brought her eyes down, finding Greer sitting up staring at her in concern.

"Greer, are you well?"

"Yeah, what about you? Who are you talking to?"

"I do not understand your inquiry."

"You were talking to someone. You said 'yes or no'."

"I..." she went rigid, then immediately softened, looking about her in sudden fright. Seeing Rhaner, she stumbled backward holding a hand out in front of her. "Who are you! What am I doing here? Where am I?"

"What wrong with you? I'm Greer...take it easy-"

"My name is Vera Wagner,"

"Wagner?" He felt premonition snake it way across his scalp. "Wife of Howard Wagner, American President elected in 2275?"

"Well of course!" her impatient tone was out of character coming from the robot's mouth. "If you do not tell me why I'm here and what you want with me, you'll be very sorry when my husband finds out!"

"I, I don't know how to tell you this." Greer wasn't sure what he was even doing, explain things to a malfunctioning A.I. that seemed to be having a meltdown, but he tried to keep her calm. "This is 2591, and you're not Vera Wagner, you are a prototype android, Echo Class Series Five."

"What?" If it was possible, her features paled as her eyes went very wide. "What are you saying? I don't understand...2591, series five?"

"Can you confirm what you are?" He asked softly, trying to recall everything he'd ever learned about robotics and androids. "Voice command Greer Rhaner. Uh...confirm your classification."

"Voice command, just who do you think..." Her spine straightened, shoulders lifting to form a stiffer line, eyes staring straight ahead. "Command confirmed. Echo Class, series five, personal designation unknown."

"Okay, good." Taking a cautious step forward, he reached out, just barely brushing his fingertips against her arm. Electric blue orbs looked into his eyes, calm. "Tell me, who is Vera Wagner?"

"The most popular result of that name search is the wife of Howard Wagner, last President of the former United States from 2275 to 2281."

"Are you Vera Wagner?"

"That is not possible, Greer," her tone was faintly chiding. "I am an android, not human, and Vera Wagner was born to Abraham and Constantina-"

"Okay, okay...then why did you just tell me that's who you were?" he pointed a little way from where they were standing. "Right there, you looked at me and said you were Vera Wagner."

"That is not logical."

"Doesn't mean it's not true. Did you know the Wagner's? Did they own you before?"

Her blue eyes moved to his, blinking once, then twice before shaking her head.

"I cannot answer that."

"I wish you could," he told her softly, his eyes worried. The Echo Class android met his gaze, nodding slightly.

"As do I." A fleeting expression went across her perfectly symmetrical features. "Did I cause you harm?"

"No, you seemed very frightened though, but I think it's because you didn't recognize me. You don't recall anything about what just happened?"

"I do not," her gaze not leaving his, her head tilted a fraction. "I was keeping watch, and I...I heard something," Her eyes moved toward where she'd heard the voice, although nothing was there. "Then, I heard you speaking to me. My internal records indicate...a twenty-four point zero nine second lapse."

"What about when I was speaking to Vera Wagner?"

"Forty-five point zero five second lapse."

"Why would you think you were Mrs. Wagner?" His eyes were worried as he stared into hers. "If I hadn't known better, I would almost think..."

"Think what?"

"That somehow, you were a real woman, that you truly were the last American president's wife."

"Such a thing is not possible, Greer."

"Isn't it?" He shook his head. "Somehow, I'm not really sure what's possible or not anymore." 

She had no answer to that, and so remained silent.