The Enemy of My Enemy? Pt. 2/Chapter 10
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After the final image of the footage, they sat in silence for a moment. “The force of that blow knocked me and that gremlin straight through the floor and into the sewers below.” Portia spoke to Kylan at last. Her voice was quiet and reflective. “There was so much debris that by the time I was able to make it out… they were gone.” She turned to face him, a rare look of defeat on her face.
But the Norseman was still staring forward with wide eyes under a furrowed brow. His whole body was shivering and his nostrils were flaring; his breathing was rapid and deep. He was barely able to speak when he said, “We’re going after him,” through clenched teeth.
When Kylan looked over at Portia, he was surprised to no longer see any expression on her face. “I want to, Kylan, very much, but I can’t,” she said somewhat coldly, “because I want to respect my lover’s wishes even more.” She mechanically turned her head away, “On our way to that place he told me that if he didn’t make it back, he wanted for me to take care of our people. But he especially wanted me to take care of you. He left other instructions for Anja in case neither of us did. I can’t let you put yourself in danger.”
Kye was dumbstruck, but he sensed the conflict in her. She could not disobey Frances Stanley’s direct orders. He knew that her programming would shut her higher functions down instantly if she hurt Stan or acted on unapproved new feelings. Though she was programmed with the ability to learn, she could not authorize an override on her other parameters. The very contemplation could stop her functions.
Kylan had a feeling that it would take good-old-fashioned human rationalizing to help her. And he was going to help her because even with her synthetic muscles exposed and a thick wire disappearing into her hair, he was finding it very difficult to think of her as “inhuman.” But neither was she merely a machine. He had conclusively come to see her as truly alive and to appreciate her for what she was -- a different, yet, compatible lifeform. After all, she was never ashamed of being an android nor was she ever pretentious about the fact… or of being female.
In her own search for understanding, Portia had reached many of the same conclusions that were instinctive to humans. She noticed great activity where there was heat, so she associated the color red with things such as anger and passion. She found calm in the blue of the memories of sky and ocean just as Kye did in Aura’s eyes.
Even Lori’s husband, Jim, had grown to like her when she took a great interest in music and became a fair musician herself. But at times the musician found it irritating when he couldn’t scientifically answer her inquiries about “how” music represented and created certain moods. Still, Portia was able to associate abstract things correctly most all of the time.
It was a rare occasion that she needed anyone’s help, but this was one. Kye was closest to Stan and Portia and felt that he had been dwelling with his own demons for far too long. And after seeing the monster that Daniella had become he felt that he owed them. Kylan let go of Portia’s hand and grabbed her by the shoulders. Anja had already finished wiring and reattaching new muscles but some clear lubricant oozed out of the open wound on her arm. He looked straight into Portia’s dazed eyes and said, “Your lover’s wishes?! He was being manipulated by his feelings for Phillip! We can’t put that much value on his wishes if he wasn’t thinking straight. Maybe YOU have to, but I don’t. You’re not supposed to let me put myself in danger but you can’t stop me from going after Frank. So if you’re going to take care of me, I’ll need you to watch my back.”
An overwhelming look of joy came over her face. Her loving smile could have tamed a raging beast. “Thank you, Kye,” she whispered as she drew him close and she kissed him. She kissed him as no human woman could.
He was powerless as her soft full lips locked on to his and generated an almost burning heat. Her sweet antiseptic saliva was spiced with semi-hot cinnamon. Her equally hot tongue caressed his entire mouth with such sensuality, it was as if she were savoring every crevice. Kye felt as if he was melting and merging with her. Then he felt the slightest minute tingle as she released an extremely low voltage current through her whole mouth that made him salivate even more. Without lungs, she was not able to create as much suction as a human woman, but with her throat and her mouth she managed to make more than enough.
As she slowly and gently released him she said, “Don’t feel dirty, Kylan. You set me free. I did that for Frances. For helping us both. You see? My fuzzy logic can let me make excuses like humans do, too,” she chanced the jest as she stroked his hair.
Kylan found himself at odds. Portia’s kiss had confirmed something that he had denied for a long time. There was an attraction and tension that existed between them. In addition to Kye’s long time denial of his growing feelings for his best friend’s lover, much of his apprehension towards the androids was actually a reflection of Daniella’s.
His subconscious had bonded with Daniella long ago when she still had some decent qualities. Part of Kylan had tried to respect his exaggerated memory of her. Until today. After seeing who his true friends were through Portia’s eyes, and the terrible reality of Daniella’s corrupt nature, Kye had his own open wound that needed to be filled.
Portia’s intentions were always honorable but that made him desire her even more. This was especially true now that he no longer felt any obligations to his past. But Kylan was also honorable and he would never want to betray Stan after all they have done for each other. But as long as Stan was alive Portia would not allow a full-blown affair anyway. Kylan was feeling the sting of Daniella’s selfishness.
For Portia, her attraction to Kylan was not physical. As an android, such biases and superficial desires required programming. She knew how humans based their ideals of beauty on health, youth, averages in appearance, fertility and symmetry. But Portia respected Kylan for his actions and deeds, though she never liked his disinterest in androids. That only made her more curious as to why he accepted her… and she was programmed to be curious.
When she would tease him or pry, he would become withdrawn and that only made her suspect that he had genuine human feelings for her. Portia knew that those feelings could be dangerous but that they could also help him overcome his aversion to androids.
All he would tell her was that she was “different,” that he envied what she and Stan shared. He told her that she was a real friend because she chose to be. But he seemed to enjoy their sparring sessions a little too much, so naturally she encouraged more! When Kylan relaxed, he was one of the most considerate and interesting people she knew and, in her own way, she loved him for it.
As if to answer two questions at once she told Kylan, “Don’t worry, we’ll work something out.” She then subtly asserted her loyalties by saying, “Do you remember when you were telling me about being able to choose my partner?” Kylan nodded in sad acknowledgement. “Kye, if I could really choose…you would be my second choice. I honestly do love Frances. He has done far more for me than anyone knows. He’s made me what I am and capable of making that decision. We’ve been through so much and we’ve been through it together.”
“I just care about your freedom,” Kylan said. “Humans say that if you love something, you must set it free to know if the love is mutual, and Stan refuses to do that.”
She looked at him quizzically and Kylan was reminded that she wasn’t really a human, “That’s a very human thing to say,” she said. “I don’t resent Frances for the restrictions he put on me. How justified would it be of me to abandon him after he’s put the last years of his life into my development. He’s never hurt me and it would hurt him if I left him. He spent a lot of money on me, Kylan, but he also spent a lot of time.
“He showed his feelings for me by teaching me how to use my potential. He also taught me to be productive in a positive way. I am programmed to encourage him and help him use his own potential as well. We have grown together for mutual happiness. And we are very happy when we are together. We mirror each other, Kye. We ARE one. I told you at The Balcony that I don’t see any reason to change my preset perspectives if it will only cause us all pain.” Sometimes Portia’s android logic was much too foreign for Kylan to fully understand, but that did not make her stance any less valid.
“You also told me that he made you incapable of that feeling, but I actually saw you feeling emotional pain at least twice today,” Kylan said with genuine concern.
“I know, Sweetie, and that is what I really needed to talk to you about since my Darling isn’t here to help me, but not just yet,” she said hesitantly. “You’ve given me something else that I need to consider right now. And if I might see Frances again, I’ll need to be fixed presentably.”
Portia lay her arm back across the gurney and Mitzie suddenly stood at attention and stiffly walked to Anja’s side while smiling strangely once again at Kylan. Anja produced a section of fishnet material. It was similar to the spools of open mesh taken from the warehouse. She began to attach it over Portia’s exposed semi-translucent muscles. A small electrical current made them contract momentarily.
“Please hold me, Kye,” Portia said softly as she leaned against him. As Kye hesitantly put his arm around her, she seemed comforted and happy.
Instead of normally feeling like he was being deceived or manipulated by the synthetic woman as he did at The Balcony, he realizes that she is showing a side of herself that only Stan has seen. Vulnerability. And yet, like Shakespeare’s wily and endearing heroine of The Merchant Of Venice, she would have her way in the end.
As Kye held her in silence it dawned on him that he was now in Stan’s world. They sat together under Aura’s frozen and tranquil gaze while Anja removed matching sections of Portia’s rare skin-tone from Mitzie’s arm to repair Portia’s. Mitzie showed no sign of inconvenience and Portia would occasionally revert to her own robotic nature and test the progress of the repairs.
When Anja was done Portia asked Kylan to inspect the result and for his opinion. Kye could not tell that Portia was ever damaged as he looked at her arm and felt it. He was also reminded that as strongly built as Portia was, she was not grotesquely muscular at all. Her physique only became extremely obvious when it rippled and flexed under her soft silken skin. Fortunately, she did not have to use that much strength very often. But when she was at ease, as she was now, her firm but softly yielding body had a pleasing suppleness within her contours.
Kylan was shocked when she looked up from his grasp on her arm and said, “Kye. For me to fulfill my duty for everyone’s safety, including yours and Frances’… I have to take back The Surface.”
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