The Trade In
I took another sip of my morning coffee and stared at the myriad of brochures scattered out on my kitchen table. I know it's old fashioned but I think better when I can see something in print instead of staring at a screen.
I had my choices narrowed down to two. My new girl would be a 2038 Sentek 300A or preferably a 2037 Tonaka robotics 2500 series if I could manage the payments.
Jan stood quietly in the corner of the kitchen patient as always awaiting any orders.
"Clean up this table Jan". "Certainly master" she said in that characteristically clipped semi monotone that all the old fifteen hundred models have.
I studied her movements carefully as she walked to the table and gathered up all the papers. "Would you like me to file...file these for you master?" Sure enough there was that dammed glitch again. For the last five years she had functioned almost perfectly with only a couple of minor issues that you could reasonably expect with any complex machine. A failed balance servo in her left foot that made her stumble around like she was drunk and some connection problems in her right arm. I was able to replace the balance servo myself without too much trouble but the delicate wiring in the artificial arm muscles was a little beyond my skill level. I had to take her to the dealer and let a pro do the work. But lately, she has been repeating a word here and there and will sometimes just freeze up for a half second while preforming household tasks she's done a thousand times before.
"No Jan, just get rid of them" a sighed, I think I've made up my mind. Today is the day.
I continued to watch her as she walked from the table over to the waste bin. She could actually pass for a real girl if you didn't look too close. If you did look close, you would notice a slight glassy look to her eyes and a bit of a sheen to her synthetic skin. I still liked the look of her even after five years though. The long blonde hair, blue eyes, girl next door facial features and long shapely legs still work for me but this glitch thing was really starting to worry me.
I have done quite a bit of research on the problem, contacted her manufacturer and several people who also owned 1500's similar to my Jan and the general consensus seemes to be that the substrate of the chips that contain her AI matrix are suffering from deterioration at the molecular level. In some cases this has lead to a complete failure of the neural net. The cost of replacing the AI chip set would be more than she's worth on the used market so I really need to sell her or trade her in soon and cross my fingers that one of her little problems doesn't show up when she's being evaluated.
I'm not comfortable with the idea of selling Jan to an individual knowing that they would have serious problems with her soon but I didn't have the same reservation about trading her in to a dealership and making her their problem. After all, I will be giving them a big chunk of my money to buy a replacement girl.
"Jan, gather up all your documentation and get a data cable". "Certainly master" she replied, left the room and was gone for about a minute. She returned with a folder in one hand and a slim cable in the other. I took the cable from her and plugged one end in to a near by panel set in the wall. "Jan, I need to transfer all my private data out of your memory into the home system. Stand over here" I motioned a spot near the pannel.
I reached around her and pulled up the white tank top she wore to get at the small data port set in her lower back. When I inserted the cable, she seemed to stiffen, her eyes widened and her mouth popped open in an O shape. This had always happened when ever I did a hot plug on her. It looked for all the world like she had been frightened or surprised. Of course that's nonsense, she isn't capable of simulating either emotion but the effect was nice and kind of sexy in a strange way. "I am ready to transfer files master, shall I begin"? "Yes Jan, transfer all private and personal data now". She stood quiet for about thirty seconds and finally announced "Transfer complete. All private and personal files moved to home system 318-134". I could now be safe in the knowledge that no stranger would know what my favorite foods are or what I like Jan to do in the sack.
I reached around her waist again my fingers finding the end of the cable. I pulled it out and she did her surprised routine again. It really was kind of sexy I thought as I pressed the port cover back into place. My hand lingered on the soft synthetic flesh of her lower back. Why not have a little fun one last time I thought, after all I would never see her again after today. I know it's ridiculous to get all sentimental about Jan. She is just a machine, a tool, a toy, something created and programed for my pleasure and convenience but I knew I would miss her. The dealership didn't open for a couple of hours so we had plenty of time for some goodbye sex.
Jan seemed to sense my thoughts or more likely my prolonged touch on her back had activated her sexual response programing. She took a step closer to me, slowly put her arms around my neck pressing her body against mine. She looked up at me wide eyed and expectant. "Please kiss me master". I looked down at her pretty face and could just make out the tiny glass lenses behind her eyes moving slightly as her visual system focused and tracked my face. I kissed her gently at first running my hands up and down the familiar curves of her back and firm buttocks. I could feel the hard points of her nipples pressing against my chest as she writhed against me. She was in full arousal mode now, small sounds of pleasure escaping her as her mouth opened and her tongue sought mine. I tasted the lite citrus flavor of the fluid I'd used to fill her saliva reservoir last week. I continued to fondle and kiss my Jan for a couple of minutes until I finally broke our embrace. "I want to feel you inside me master". " I know you do honey, it's what you were made for" I said taking her by the hand leading her down the hall to my bedroom.
Jan was top of the line in her day but it was time to trade her in. Technology moves on and the new models are much more realistic and have 10 times the AI and mental processing capacity of my Jan. Heck, the Cindy 2500 model I have my eye on has a full set of complex emotional simulation. She even laughs and cries. It'll be almost like having a real woman around the place.
The end.