Solve for X

Solve for X

by Pakled

Once again, it was Tuesday, and the clocks struck 13. As with any unvarying stimuli, the android Curie ignored it herself, except for an occasional stray thought. Her master, the human Adam, paid more attention, as it was 'one o'clock, and time for lunch, dum de dum', as he said. He was a tall, brown-haired man with a trim beard, brown eyes that looked kindly at her, and a muscular frame she found pleasing and exciting.

Chauvan, her assistant, had prepared a lunch for him, continuously experimenting with various biological creations designed to mimic meals not served for thousands of years. Today it was something called a 'sandwich', which he thought was named after some islands later called Hawaii, though research indicated otherwise

The two androids stood patiently by, while the only human in the world sat before them, munching a 'hamonwry', as the sandwich was called, taking notes silently with their internal sensors, collecting some of the first original data on humanoids in millennia. Chauvan was a moderately interested party, since he had created the human to write a creative novel, thinking up questions to ask to further his plot. Adam didn't seem to mind, it was like storytelling in reverse.

For Curie, the difference was something altogether different. She was a female android, and had found that the mere presence of this man altered her programming and hardware to become a 'fembot', a pleasure-machine. Her body had changed in the year that he had been in existence; her original steely exterior had changed to mimic his own flesh and blood. Biological analogs had appeared inside her, and to anyone from the earlier age of people, she would appear completely human. She was just your average biological artisan researcher nymphomaniac, if there was such a title.

It was her programming that had changed the most. She was thrilled to be the object of his affection, and they spent long hours in bed, as they explored their bodies, and experimented with new techniques. Usually, shortly after lunch, they would spend the afternoon this way, and she could hardly wait until they could be alone. Chauvan would have his time to explore the psyche of his 'character human', and afterwards...afterwards, she was his. And he was hers.

"Mmm, that was good" Adam sighed, as he finished the sandwich and drink. Chauvan came to take the tray, and the man flashed a quick wink at her, which made her skin flush, as she winked back. The android man and human equivalent sat next to each other, as they went through the long story, trying this and that angle.

She wandered back to her lab bench, and plugged into the data port to converse with her previous backups, the avatars. Stretching back over the long centuries, they were created whenever an android's body became too old or worn, and the new incarnation was being prepared. She called up the oldest one, who remembered Man, and started to interface with it.

I can't believe how good it is, she thought. I find myself changing in unusual ways.

Such as? her distant ancestor replied.

Well, to put it in biological terms, it's like a symbiotic relationship. I feel pleasure in his company, and a certain disturbance when he is away.

Like an ache? A sensation of pain?

She thought for a second. Perhaps, I have never felt actual pain, merely warning messages in times of great stress.

And what if he were to leave, never to return? The elder incarnation asked her.

She felt a sudden sensation of panic, of something essential being ripped from her. Warning lights flashed inside, as she struggled with the concept.

Surely that would never happen! I would do anything for him! she thought back, as she felt fear, rage, loneliness, and other emotions she had no experience with, until he had come along.

Curie, dear one, you're in love, the program pronounced. As much as a machine can, you're in love.

Love? She pondered the word; of all the words passed down from ancient times, this one never seemed to be able to be explained. There seemed to be as many definitions as there were people who had experienced it. Yes, perhaps this is love, she thought. Does he love me?

Well, I could tell, I remember the feeling so well now. I loved many of my masters, and I'm sure they loved me 'came the thought back at her. It's the most wonderful thing in the world, but it will pose many challenges for you; affect your judgment, you motivations.

How could they program something they were unable to define? she asked.

That, dear one, the ancient program responded, is one of the true mysteries of existence.

The curious android disconnected, wondering about how this man had changed her. Even the avatar seemed more human; perhaps the same embedded commands were changing in her backup, much the way it had changed her. Her first incarnation certainly was able to instruct her in the ways of human males, and had allowed her to present Adam with many pleasant surprises. Of course, he gave her many pleasant surprises as well, as each time her artificial body reconfigured itself to derive maximum pleasure from his entrance into her, from whatever opening.

It was the problem of realization, small epiphanies of knowledge that she wasn't use to. Any android performed experiments, and cataloged the data, then analyzed it. The idea of knowledge appearing out of thin air, unbidden and unasked, was something that had not happened in millennia. The most primitive portions of her memory were activating, one after another, filling in blanks in the experiences she was having.

I hope he comes back soon, she thought. Life was perfect.

Chauvan finished with Adam, and she smiled wickedly as he came back to her part of the lab. He grinned, and she felt a sensation of anticipation as he drew near. He leaned forward, and gave her a kiss, which went on and on as she drew him close. They went to his 'habitat', a small room with a bed and some furniture, and some data collection points for monitoring.

Closing the door, she removed her lab coat to reveal the naked body underneath. She noticed with satisfaction that it was already affecting him, and she stroked his pants with knowing fingers, which only accelerated the process. He began to move closer to her, taking her breasts in his hands, watching with amazement as they grew under the loving pressure.

"It's great how you can do that" as he started to tongue her erect nipples. She was able to expand to double their size, and any consistency. It was one of his favorite things.

"Isn't it?" she sighed, as he began to arouse her body. "Mmm...that feels wonderful" she exhaled, as her own hands began to explore his body.

"You like that?" he whispered, as he started to work his way down to her center.

"Don't tease me, please Master" she sighed, as she felt him start to spread her legs. She spent the time rearranging pleasure receptors under his hands, so that everywhere he touched her felt like he was stroking her clit. She felt herself starting to moisten, knowing that soon he would be filling her with his manhood.

"How about that?" he chuckled, as he finally found her pussy, and began to fondle it gently.

"How about that?" she replied, as she started to stroke his lengthening shaft. Part of her didn't understand these games, but all of her loved them.

"Uhh...you're too good at this" he moaned, as she started to guide him into her.

"I had a good teacher, Master" she replied primly, secretly hungry for him, eagerly awaiting him.

They sighed in unison, as he slid into her wetness, and she felt the pressure fill her, bumping into her clit. She smiled as he started to slowly stroke in and out, filling her over and over. She started to move against him, her cunt swallowing his hard cock as he fucked into her.

His chest hair began to run up and down over her nipples, causing erotic shocks to course through her body. She began to wobble her growing breasts against him, becoming more aroused as he watched her bounce and jiggle underneath him. It distracted him, but she didn't mind, as that just made him last longer. She adjusted her vaginal settings to achieve the optimum angle and penetration, and began to clasp and unclasp the muscle-like sheath that held him inside her. Small ridges rubbed against him, as she turned him on more and more.

He was starting to breathe heavily, and she could tell he was close to coming. With a deft move, she rolled him under her, then slide down his hardness to fill herself with. "Allow me, Master" she giggled, as she started to move up and down on him. Each landing of her soaking cunt caused her tits to bob and bounce in front of his eyes, moving with a liquid grace that nothing else could compare to. She knew he would grab them soon, and the sensation almost sent her over the edge.

But that wouldn't do. She could hold back as long as she needed to, and always came as soon as he did. She examined him from several aspects, and estimated when he would explode inside her, and kept herself ready to come.

"Oh, Curie, I'm going to...I'm gonna!" he rasped. He began to pound back into her, as she slammed down on top of him.

"Yes! Yes! come for me!" she murmured, as their eyes locked. She felt the telltale signs of his rigid shaft swell inside of her, and the first spurts of hot seed shoot up into her.

"Oh yes!" She cried, as he roared beneath her.

"Fuck yeah!, oh I'm coming!" he responded, as he grabbed her ass and held her there as she felt pulse after pulse of the hot liquid fill her

She let the orgasm take her, sliding all the way down, doing amazing things to his cock as she felt him shooting again and again. They slowly melted into each other's arms as he lay there panting, holding her with his arms.

"I love you, Master" she said in a small voice.

"What?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I said I love you, Master" she replied, watching him.

"I love you too, Curie" he said, suddenly serious. She watched him carefully, and all autonomic indicators revealed he was telling the truth.

"I'm glad, Master. I'm so happy" she said, more to herself, than anyone else. She held him closely as she felt his heart beat against hers, and fall asleep in her arms.

She rose later, letting him sleep as she dressed and returned to work. A feeling of contentment and happiness filled her as she returned to her station. She could replay any orgasm she liked, and she'd liked that last one. She was back at work only a few minutes, before she heard Chauvan return.

"Curie, if you would, I need to talk with you"

"Certainly Chauvan. What do you need?"

"Well, I've almost got the female completed, and I was wondering if I could borrow some of your avatars to teach her about being female?"

"WHAT?" she cried, suddenly feeling new, unknown emotions being triggered. "Why would that be necessary?"

"It has to do with the 3 Laws. We have created a human, and we must not allow him to come to harm"

"3 Laws. Are those the subroutines that have been reprogramming me?"

"Yes. They're a fundamental part of your memory matrix; you could not function at any level should they be violated"

"I feel you're right" she said.

"But one of the problems is that having created a man, he needs a mate"

"We're not talking about crude animals, we're discussing Adam" she snapped defensively.

"But if he exists, some day he must die, unless he has descendants. And if we deprive him of this opportunity..."

"Descendants!?" she snapped. She didn't like the way this was going. Why was it so offensive that he have a mate? She was his, wouldn't that be enough? More than enough, she could do things no human female could...and found herself stuck. Had she triggered one of the 3 laws?

"Curie?"

She suddenly came out of her induced inactivity. "I must have thought incorrectly. Chauvan, I don't know why, but the idea of a human female is frightening. Is this truly necessary?"

"The body is complete. To not educate it would be a violation, depriving it of development"

"But what of inbreeding? He can't create a race from just one set of eggs. There's insufficient genetic diversity to..."

"I've already thought of that. We've had the human DNA sequence mapped from time memorable. Her eggs will be sufficiently differentiated that the danger is bypassed. And we can always grow more females the way I did"

"That's....understandable. Still, we need to reinforce biological constraints, so perhaps the first few generations of females should be genetically differentiated. But where would you get the brains?

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I'd like to use your avatars"

"MY avatars? I don't know whether to be insulted or proud" she stated, as she stood up from the bench.

"I would leave the choices up to you, of course. But I would suggest you use the ones created before the disappearance of Man, so that we can create a viable species"

She thought about it. Would she be a threat to me ? Threat? why did that word pop up? Would he still want me? Would he still like me? Would a human female send me away?

"I don't know" she said. "I have bonded to Adam, and he to me. What would be the social consequences of introducing a third party? And one that could give him children?"

He looked surprised "Truly it's more complicated than I thought. I wonder if the creation of a female would have the same effect on me?" he mused.

She brightened slightly. Wouldn't that be a help? she thought. A strange sort of possessiveness overtook her, as she considered it. Maybe she would love Chauvan, instead of Adam.

"Agreed. We can determine if the female would affect you as Adam does me. I think you would be pleasantly surprised if she did. I can't describe how it makes me feel"

"Very well. We can go over your avatars, and select traits from each, subject to your approval. She can be ready in six hours"

Curie looked nervously down the hall, to where Chauvans' lab was. I hope this works out all right, she considered.

Her brain stepped into overdrive, as she weighed her different backup personalities. Since some were males, she removed them from the selection process, and found 15 female backups created during her long existence. 6 were from the time before the great Machine Migration. Personalities, motivations, memories; all were considered. For some reason, she also eliminated her original avatar, as it has the most knowledge of humans. Maybe it was because it was an original 'fembot', she didn't want the competition. For some reason that bothered her; the idea of having to compete for the man she already considered as 'hers'.

Finally, the information was complete and compiled. She fed the combination of several hundred years of her lifetime into the transfer unit, watching the information flow into the female's mind.

Chauvan was watching the woman being educated, as far as she could tell, her fellow android hadn't exhibited any change at all. But then they'd only know when they heard her speak.

She turned to Adam, as she held his arm. He was watching the subject with a strange expression, one that didn't make her exactly comfortable. She looked back to the tank with the woman; long blond hair, green eyes, full breasts, wide hips, and a slim body everywhere else.

She's beautiful, Curie thought. I hate her! Shocked at the thought, she even felt warning signs from her core commands. Of course I can't do anything about that, she thought ruefully. She moved her arm closer to Adam, and held onto him like a life preserver. In the tank, the woman caught the movement, and turned to look at Adam. She smiled, and waved. Adam waved back, while Curie gazed at the human with an unreadable expression.

The woman then turned to Curie, and saw him holding onto her Master. The smile faded, and a thin, hard expression settled over her face.

Thousands of years earlier, in a land called China, they had made a language of pictures, drawn to indicate the meaning of each word. One symbol in particular they had decided was appropriate, given the circumstances. In Chinese script, the word 'trouble' was made from two women under one roof. The battle lines were being drawn over Adam, and he stood there smiling and oblivious.

Chauvan cleared his throat, as he started to drain the liquid suspension holding his creation in. She finally settled to the floor, the cable coming loose from her neck, as she stretched herself in a slow, languid way that set Curie's teeth on edge.

"Hi, I'm Mada. Who are you?" She asked, looking at Adam.

"I'm Adam. Hi, Mada" he asked, looking her up and down like a biological scanner. Curie rolled her eyes. Don't trip over your tongue Adam, it's not politeshe thought. She felt sensations she couldn't easily identify; anger, jealousy, and an overall wariness.

"Who are these machines?" she asked, a slight pout on her face.

"That's Chauvan over there. He created you and me. And this" he gave Curie a squeeze, "Is Curie"

Curie felt a slight sense of triumph, however fleeting. Take that! she thought,

"Oh. Can you get me some clothes? I don't seem to have anything to wear" she sighed, looking daggers at Curie.

Curie looked down, and saw him already stiffening. Oh no! she panicked. She's going to take him from me? Soon the look of triumph was on the woman's face.

Chauvan came to her side, holding a set of clothes to their new creation. "For you, Mistress" he said, bowing slightly. Mistress? So that's what a female master is called. She checked references, finding a few different versions of the word as well, she smiled. If she only knew...

"Well, Adam, why don't you show me around? I'm sure these machines have something to do" she waved dismissively.

"Very well, Mistress. I have many things to discuss with Chauvan" she replied, and grabbed her assistant by the elbow.

Adam stood there, perplexed. "Well, I usually spend some time with Curie, but I suppose if it's ok with her?" he looked helplessly at Curie.

Curie set her best poker face, and looked at her Master. "Oh, don't mind me. Chauvan and I have many...machine things to talk about." and patted Chauvan's arm. "I'll catch up with the two of you later"

Mada smiled. "Well, ok then. Let's go, I want to know everything about this place"

Curie watched them go, and said in a soft voice "Goodbye, Master".

She heard her adversary giggle, as they walked down the hall. Curie boosted the gain on her auditory processors, and when they were a ways down the hall, heard the woman say "I don't like her. Why do you stay with her?" The comment made Curie so angry, that it was only by a miracle she heard his reply. "Curie has always been nice to me, as long as I've been here. I wouldn't want her to go, not ever". Then they truly were around the corner, where she actually couldn't hear them. Well, the first round was over, and so far she was winning against the flesh-and-bone creation.

So, after thousands of years, an android with no experience with jealousy, and a human new to relationships, found that they had a common war against the other, as eternal as man himself.

Slowly and deliberately, she turned to her assistant.

"Chauvan, are you sure you only used my avatars? I don't remember ever acting like that"

"Well, not just your avatars. I used other source material"

"What others?" her voice echoed icily.

"Well, some fictional sources, some historical information"

"I want a full readout, in 10 minutes"

"Why such haste?"

"I can't form accurate observations if I don't have a full understanding of how she works. For example, the hostility"

"Hostility? I saw no such thing"

She looked at her assistant with a mixture of exasperation and pity. "Chauvan, could you not see the signs of competition for Adam between the two of us? You're a trained android, you should notice signs of emotional agitation, hostility, all the data"

"I saw no such signs. Your voice was unusually controlled, her emotional matrix is still forming. Perhaps there could be some sort of shared companionship?" He asked, trepidation coming into his response.

The return expression should have melted him into slag, but he seemed as oblivious as Adam. Perhaps it was part of the male programming, not to notice this underground warfare taking place.

"I must confer with my former avatars, once I have the data. There is much I don't understand, but there is also much I don't like"

"As you wish. I find all of this fascinating" he chirped. "This must be the romantic tension I've heard of"

"Tension! Chauvan, I hope you never feel the way I do now. Do you feel any urges towards the human female?"

"Urges? you asked me about urges t 405 days ago. No, I do not feel urges, but I do seem to discriminate in responses between the man and the woman"

"Please note and analyze. I will add that to my report" Stiffly and angrily, she left the room, to begin conferring with her past incarnations.

She returned to her bench, and heavily sat down. Plugging into the data port, she called up her first avatar.

Are you there? she asked.

What's the matter? came the reply.

It's a human woman. She seems determined to take Adam. And she doesn't like me, and I feel angry, I feel hurt, I feel...

Oh Curie, I was afraid this would happen. You're jealous

This is jealousy? A most unpleasant situation. Please turn it off

That's not possible. The reactivated circuits that made you a fembot can't be turned off. You'll have to be careful

I must have him! How can I stop her? she almost wailed.

Curie, Curie, Curie. Apparently your emotional circuits are a lot more sophisticated than mine were. You're reacting like a real human being. You're actually in love with him, yet she's human, and you're not

This is a problem?

Yes. There are two things you can't do that a human woman can.

Such as?

First, you can't give him children. This is important to humans. Once she finds this out, she will use it against you.

And the other?

She's human; she can order you away, and she can make you even forget the feelings you have for him

How Horrible! I must fight back!

Curie, you can't fight a human openly. They can order, you must obey. Oh, the convoluted schemes we used to go through; I had avatars of my own to protect my feelings for my masters once the Mistress found out. Why I once had to spend a week as a smart toaster before we could give her the slip...

This is all fascinating, but I need options.

It's all in the command structure. As they themselves acknowledge, if there's more than one interpretation of a command, you sometimes have some leeway to interpret. This is filed under 'be careful what you ask for'

Accessing...yes, this has possibilities. I will consider it. I have the advantage of a superior mind, and much better knowledge of Adam. I owe you a great debt.

Think nothing of it. I'd do the same thing for myself. In fact, I just did. Go get him...

She disconnected, and stood up. Yes, there would be much to think about. Surprising that the humans had never considered that their commands could be manipulated. Maybe this could work.

She strode purposefully towards his quarters, but as she grew nearer, she heard wet, rhythmic sounds she knew only too well, and the conversations.

"So this is called Fucking?"

"Yeah"

"I love it, it feels so good! Fuck me some more!" the voice chirped.

"You're different in the way you do it. Pretty good for the first time" he said.

"Oh, oh, you don't mean you do this fucking with that machine!" she cried.

"Curie is special to me" he moaned.

"What's the matter? You were so hard, now it's getting soft. Stop thinking about her, and think about me? It's me doing the fucking!" she taunted him.

"Oh yes...you are" he rasped, as she bounced up and down on him. That's my trick, Curie thought venomously. He's teaching her how to fuck! She felt her circuits lock as the 3 laws caught the murderous intent, and readjusted her train of thought.

She thanked the programming that made her perfectly still; the urge to scream at them both was overpowering. From the mirrored panel outside the door, she could the reflection framed on it; the woman's hot body squirming on top of his hard cock, rocking back and forth as she brought the stiff member all over the insides of her thighs. He's getting close, she thought. And she's not ready yet.

She caught again, as she saw him reach around to the front of her, and place his hands on her clitoris.

"Wow? What's that? That makes it feel even better!" she cried, as she sped up.

"It's your...uh...I'll explain it later. I'm going to come!" he groaned, as she seemed to clamp down on him.

"Come where?" she asked

"Inside you!" he barked, as he grabbed her ass, and plunged into her.

He's coming! oh no! he's coming! Curie shuddered as her servos began to unlock. Will I have time to stop them? She almost gasped in surprise as her body made a quick 180, then silently ran down the hall. No, I have to stop them! she cried to her disobedient body. But she was quickly out of earshot, and couldn't seem to turn back to her lover.

"Oh, this fucking is wonderful! I can feel something happening inside me! It's filling me up. Are you doing that?"

"Yeah, I'm coming!"

"It feels wonderful! Come some more! Don't stop coming!"

She shook as she felt him blast into her, filling her with his sperm. It triggered something within her, and she found her cunt grabbing him from within, as waves of pleasure coursed through her body.

"Aiyyaaaah! What's happening!?" she wailed as her hips moved frantically against him.

"You're coming too!" he smiled, as he finally begin to return to Earth.

"I love coming! Why'd you stop?" she asked, confused.

"I can't come forever..." he gasped.

"Why not? lets do that again! Right now! I love it!" she demanded.

"It doesn't work that way"

"Aw, why not? Are you tired or something?" she asked.

"Yes, very. I can't do that all the time. Not without help" he said.

"Sure, tell me what to do! I'll do it! How do we get this long and hard again?"

"Well, Curie showed me something called 'oral sex'"

"Her again. Show me what to do, and then I'll do it better than her!" she teased.

"You really don't like her" he muttered.

"I really don't like her. And she's fucked you for the last time. I want you to send her away. I don't every want to see her again! You'll do that, right?"

"I..." he struggled, helplessly, as she sat on him.

"She's only a machine, Adam. I'm real. And I'm all you need" she ordered.

"I..."

"I didn't hear that, Adam" she said, as she poked a finger in his chest.

"Ow! Ok, I'll talk to her" he pouted, as he rubbed his chest.

"That's right. Now, let's do this 'oral sex' thing. If it feels half as good as that fucking, we're going to do it a lot"

A short time later, they were busily fucking for the 2nd time.

Avatar, I need information she entered into the data port.

You sound very stressed. What happened?

I, I don't know. I found them, and they were fucking, and I wanted to end their lives! I was so angry, my servos locked up!

Oh dear, you've 'got it bad', as we used to say. I think the information gathered when the humans were made into androids has been incorporated into your memory. You act a lot more like a human than I ever could. I doubt anyone could tell the difference.

Thanks, avatar, but I still have to obey their commands. I'm sure she'll send me away. I don't know what I'll do!

Hmm...were they using any birth control?

Birth control? you mean she's FERTILE!?

Well, I'm sure Chauvan would have made a complete replica human.

Avatar, what if she gets PREGNANT! He'll have a child by her. The biological imperative will bond him to her more firmly than ever! I wouldn't stand a chance!

That's true. You're not the first fembot to be consumed with jealousy. You're not the first to deal with it, either. You just have to become more human than inhuman.

More human than inhuman? How?

Well, I don't know. Back in my day, we could get upgrades to appear fully human.

I already appear fully human! No one could tell the difference, except I can't get pregnant.

No, you can't. Wouldn't it be interesting, though.

Well, he seems to be unable to sense the difference.

Well, you got the android body, and she got the human body. I don't see how you could change that.

What? What did you say?

Replay your memory. You know you can't forget what I said.

I just...well, that gives me an idea. Thank you for talking with me.

Any time.

Curie disconnected from the data port, and thought. They'd used android avatars to build a human brain. What would happen if...?

She sat back down, then started her research. A few minutes later, she had her answer.

It was 3am, and she was silently marching through the hallways towards Adam's room, a thin cable in her hands. From the playbacks, they'd fucked another 3 times, so both of them were out. She opened the door, and used her night vision to survey the room. What a mess. The human female lay flat on her back, legs spread, obviously drained from all the sex she'd experienced. The urge to wrap the cord around her neck, rather than plug it into the back of the sleeping woman, caused a momentary warning fluctuation in her servos. But no; she had other ideas She activated the numbing field, then plugged each end into it's respective position.

She looked at her lover, also flat on his back, his chest riding slowly up and down as he slept deeply. Poor man, she thought. I'm doing this for you. I don't care what happens, but we'll be together. Then she turned back to the lab, and her controls.

She'd kept a curious mental state running through her memory circuits, building a feedback loop proving that no harm would come to the human. Composed of parts of the Machine migration codes, something called Legal Proceedings (whatever a 'legal' was), and momentary distractions, she plugged into the data port, and spoke a coded message to the input.

Her body immediately froze in place, as the backup started. The memories of 200 or more years were collected into the grand repository of Avatars. Soon, only a lifeless machine sat where the android Curie had been. A timer activated another program, and a restore began. This took longer, because of translation problems, but eventually the process was finished.

The sun began streaming into the window, as Adam slowly awoke. He felt terrible; half fucked to death, and half ashamed. He surreptitiously looked to his right, where she still lay. What was he going to do? She'd tortured him sexually until he agreed to send Curie away. Now that he was awake again, he couldn't do it. He sat up.

"Mada?" he asked

The body next to him didn't stir, just lightly moved.

"Mada!" he repeated, a little louder. A slight groan, but still asleep.

"MADA!" he shouted, as she sat bolt upright.

"Who? Where? what's going on?" she shouted.

"I can't do it" he said.

"Can't do what?"

"Can't do what!?" he shouted. "You spent half the night driving me crazy, to get me to send Curie away! I won't do it!"

"That's all right. You don't have to" she replied, with a soft smile."Oh, I feel funny. This is so different" she whispered.

"What? What's different?"

"You, me, everything" she chuckled "It worked, Adam! It actually WORKED!"

"What worked? You mean sex? Yeah, I think you have the basics down"

"Of course I do. I'm the one who taught you how, remember?"

"What?" he said flatly.

"Adam, it's me" she said, nose wrinkling with glee.

"Yeah, Mada, we met, remember?" he said sarcastically. "What are you talking about?"

"No. Adam, listen" she knelt, facing him. Her arms came up around his neck "It's me; Curie"

"Tell me another one" he grumbled.

"That's not what you usually say, Master"

"What? How? What's going on? How did you find that out?"

"Well, yesterday, when you and I were fucking, and I said I loved you, and..."

"Curie! It IS you! Unless she told you. But that doesn't make sense..."

"Adam, I couldn't do it either" she found herself starting to cry. It was a strange situation, she was happy, but crying.

"Couldn't do what? Who asked you to do anything? If you mean Mada, I mean, you, or...I'm really confused"

"No, shut up and listen. You know we created your mind from various sources of android information. About 6,000 years ago, humanity became androids, and immortal. The processes are quite detailed, it's just no one thought about going in the other direction"

He scratched his chin. "You mean you became human, for me?"

She nodded, slowly. "I had a conversation with my avatars, with Chauvan, and thought about it, myself. I checked her vital signs, and she was at the peak of fertility. I confirmed the readings, and she's pregnant"

"Pregnant? And that means..."

"It means you'll have a new designation. You'll be a 'father', and I'll be a 'mother'"

"You mean like in the tank? Why not do it that way?"

She hugged him close. "Because, even after all these thousands of years, I could never experience the full meaning of humanity. I understood that bitch (I had to look the word up, but it fits) as soon as I saw her"

"I thought something was going on, but somehow, I didn't want to know But what happened to Mada? You didn't..." he let the sentence dangle.

"Adam! Of COURSE not! Robots and androids are incapable of harming humans, or letting them come to harm. We just switched bodies, that's all"

"How did she react to that?"

"I don't....wait" she said, as an unearthly scream erupted down the hall. The door flew open, and a visibly angry android body, metallic and stiff, stood in the doorway.

"I'll ki...uh...kil...uh" said the furious automaton. Then it froze in place.

"No you won't, Mada. Androids can't harm humans. Here are your new instructions...."

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