Doctor Will Martin sat in the automated transit car as it zipped through the underground tunnels, past working automata maintaining the facility. The loudspeaker was cheerily playing a pre- recorded welcome message.
"Hello and welcome to the Symmetry Science Research Facility, home of the Department of Synthetic Humanoids. Have a pleasant day." the computerized voice jingled.
Do androids dream of electric sheep? Well, that was his job to deduce. He was a synth-psychologist: a shrink for androids. A fun job; Martin always had a passion for machines and at times preferred them to real people. But that was all they were, machines. That made him a bit dismal. The reason he joined Symmetry Science was because he wanted to help synths become more human.
"Now arriving at Department of Analysis" The speaker announced.
This was his stop. Martin planted his hands firmly in the pockets of his lab coat and marched out of the transit car. Today his assignment was to help a new Mark 2 synth, the first of her kind, adjust to her new life. The Mark 1 synths were crude by comparison, being skeletal metallic humanoids covered in steel plating that fell flat on their sculpted, emotionless faces straight into the uncanny valley (that is, the revulsion experienced when a caricature of a human is seen). Customers were unsettled by these synths, and so they became little more than law enforcers and domestic servants. Symmetry wanted to produce a more flexible synth who could fulfill personal roles and be closer to their owners, and so the Mark 2 project, which ate up almost all of their monthly funding, was born. These Mark 2s were built with synthetic skin, anatomical correctness, even proper biological functions, like eating and breathing. Martin was to perform a psychological diagnostic on the first Mark 2 and help her become settled in existence. He knew nothing about her, other than that she was a female, and was a Mark 2 who had barely seen anything of the world.
Martin's Mark 1 assistant Montag-0451 (a personal joke, as Martin's favorite book was Fahrenheit 451) greeted him at the door. It had a red paint job and its dull metal face was carved in a tiny robotic smirk worn by all Mark 1s.
"Good morning, Dr. Martin. How are you, sir?" it droned.
"I'm fine, Montag. Can you please direct me to the patient?"
"Ah, yes! She's a Mark 2, hot off the floors of the Creative Labs. This way, please."
"Wonderful." Martin muttered.
Montag lead Martin through the Patient Lounge to Room 101 of the Lounge, a far walk down the sterile corridor. The door slid open as he walked through it.
Inside, at the far end of the padded interior, sat a woman-- a synth--wearing a black overcoat and black leggings. Beneath her overcoat she wore a grey, fuzzy shirt. Her face was the milky-white of the soft nanopolymer synthskin wrapped around her delicate frame, with the sleek veneer of porcelain and the texture of human skin, as it was designed to do. Her eyes were warm glowing orange dots surrounded by steel grey, her hair flowing and silvery.
Impressive, Martin thought to himself. He ran a hand through his thinning brown hair and took a seat across from the Mark 2. Her face was pleasant, her expression serene. On the table was a glass of water and a clipboard for Martin to take notes with.
"Hello." he said.
"Um, hello. Who are you?" the Mark 2 asked.
"My name is Doctor Will Martin, and I'm just here to talk to you. Please try to relax. There is plenty of time. How about your name...uh, I mean designation. Can you tell me your designation?"
"Eve 0003, Model 2 Series 100 Cybernetic Organism."
"A fine designation. Now, first, I'd like to make sure you're working properly."
"But that isn't your job, is it, Doctor Martin?"
"Well, not really, but I would assume that's why this glass of water is here; you know, to make sure your organs are all working properly, so your stomach doesn't capsize unexpectedly or something. I guess they were in a bit of a rush so they didn't have time to do a full physical on you."
"Yes, they were. Would you like me to drink the water, Doctor Martin?"
"Yes, please."
Eve took the glass of water and drank it quickly.
"It tastes cold...I like the way it makes me feel."
"Any strange feelings, or pain?"
"No."
"Good, all up to snuff, so it seems. Now, I would like to ask you some questions, and--"
"Actually, I have some questions."
This really peaked Martin's curiosity. Not part of his job, usually, but there never were any questions for him before. This Mark 2 was something else.
"I'm usually the one who asks questions, but if you feel that would help you, sure, ask away."
Eve paused to think.
"What am I, Doctor Martin?"
"Well, you're a synth, a machine designed to be human, to do human things. You're a new breed...er, mark, though, so you're more human."
"What does it mean to be human?"
"That's a big question..."
"What does it mean, Dr. Martin?"
"Well, I would think to be alive. To feel things. To...have a soul."
"Am I human, then?"
"No. You are a machine."
"But, I feel things. I see things, and I have all of these things going on in my head...maybe I have a soul. Am I not alive?"
Martin felt a bit disturbed for a moment. These were strange questions indeed, ones that he did not have proper answers to.
"Are you alive, Doctor?"
"Why yes. I eat, and sleep, and breathe--"
"But are you really alive? Are you happy?" She looked down at her hands. "I...think I'm happy. I never had anything to be happy about, but I am certainly not unsatisfied. I think life, or whatever I have, is a wonderful gift. Do you think so? Or do you take what you have for granted?"
"I, uh..."
"When was the last time you told your wife or children you loved them?"
"I'm not married. I'm only 25, I graduated from MIT 9 months ago. I never had the time."
Eve grabbed hold of Martin's hand, limply lying on the table.
"Then make time. Go seize the day, Doctor."
Martin was deeply moved by this encounter. What on Earth had they created? He felt sort of like Doctor Frankenstein.
"Okay, Eve."
He moved for the door.
"And to answer your question, you are alive. You aren't technically human, but you are certainly alive."
Eve smiled at Martin as he left. Outside Room 101, Montag was waiting.
"Alright, Montag. That was something. These Mark 2s, they have potential."
Montag shook its head.
"I'm sorry, Doctor, but orders from Director Cox just come in. He watched the meeting on the security monitor, and he says he would like Eve to be recalled and scrapped."
Martin became absolutely livid.
"No, no, no, this can't happen!" He yelled. "Now you listen to me, Montag, you go and convince the Director that that is the wrong choice. You are dealing with something very special in there."
"Special, Doctor? Surely you can't be serious. It is just a machine like me, one too smart for its own good. We have to destroy it."
"No, no, listen! This new model is brilliant. They think and feel, they're almost self-aware! More human than human itself!"
"Precisely why we have to destroy it."
"No! There's too much potential...maybe you can convince him to let me run a few more tests. A social experiment, perhaps?"
Montag paused. Then its systems made a blip and his eyes flickered.
"I have sent a request to Director Cox. It is pending approval."
"Well, get on with it, then. I don't have all day!" Martin ordered.
"Yes sir...ah, joyous day! He has given the okay."
"Wonderful. Have her put on cryo-stasis until further notice and I'll get to work on the first tests."
"What tests, sir?"
"Some...social tests. Send an ad out in the classifieds, I need volunteers."
"Will do, sir."
Montag lumbered off, and Doctor Will Martin headed for his office. The time for his grand experiment was nigh. Today, he would kickstart the technological singularity.
This was the day that he would start down the path towards synonimity between human and synth. This was the day his personal crusade began. For he was Doctor Will Martin, android psychologist, and he wanted nothing more than to see a world where they would be loved. He just hoped it was not too late.