By

Donna M.

This is a sequel to GALATEA, as well as a follow-up to characters in my story SPY. If you haven�t read them, please do so before starting this one (it'll still be here when you're done).

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They fill my memory with gigabytes of data. However, my memories will forever be of Dr. Drew Wilcox and the time I spent in his company. Like I have said, I shouldn�t have those. I am a machine, though unlike any the world has ever seen. My handlers use me to do what they call their �dirty work� for them. They joke that I am expendable, yet they can�t even comprehend that I am the polar opposite of expendable. Dr. Wilcox knew. Before they took me away, he told me that the worst thing that could happen to me was not to �die,� to be deactivated, but to be captured and reverse-engineered by an enemy. David Koontz took care of that fear by installing a self destruct mechanism into me, much like the secret cyanide capsules I have read about in spy literature. I would be a molten pile of metal and other compounds in seconds whenever I will it to be.

I carry Asimov�s �Three Laws of Robotics� in my memories as if they were true laws, not only presented in works of fiction:

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Ever since I learned how to be Dr. Wilcox�s girlfriend and read all his books, I know that the laws are important. I do not see them as superfluous to my mission. In my case, violating the third law violates the other two as well. There would be no such conflict.

My CIA handlers�the �ABCs� as I think of them; Adamson, Benson and Carmichael�don�t believe I have a will. I shall gladly prove them wrong.

Charlotte Shaw sat alone at a sidewalk table on 7^th Street in Washington DC, sipping a Bloody Mary. The restaurant was busy, and that�s the way she liked it. Unlike others in her profession she had no fear, so she didn�t fret about having her back exposed or who might be watching her. She had her own watching to do, and her observation capabilities were far above average so crowds didn�t matter.

The gentleman of interest was four tables over, conversing with another man who wasn�t as well dressed. Charlie, as she preferred to be called, noted that the subject�s suit was almost perfectly tailored, with the bespoke suit having one visible flaw (visible to Charlie, that is) of being too obviously fitted to accommodate a shoulder holster. That sort of thing shouldn�t be obvious, she thought, but then wondered if her training was deficient and she was over-analyzing. Benson blathered on about how it was against policy to work within the boundaries of the U.S. but Charlie didn�t care much about policy, just the mission. She�d flown back to Washington from Paris to find out what this man was up to and she wouldn�t stop until she did.

Charlie calculated the opportune moment, and then tactically spilled the last of her Bloody Mary. As some of the reddish liquid dribbled off the table onto her skirt, she made a show of blotting it with a napkin while �accidently� hiking the skirt up and exposing most of her thighs. �Ah, shit!� she exclaimed loudly enough to claim everyone�s attention. She stood from her chair, showing more leg, and added �How the hell can I go to the meeting like this?�

She calculated correctly. The man she�d been following had presently left his chair at the moment of the spill and was heading toward her. While others had internal debates about whether to help the woman with the great legs or not, the man who went by the name Justin Clay was so self-assured as to be the first to Charlie�s aid.

Clay held out a handkerchief to her as he said, �I don�t wish to intrude, but will this help?�

Charlie maintained the exasperated behavior as she said, �I doubt it, but thanks anyway,� pulling the hanky from his hand without eye contact and putting the small cloth to the stain.

Clay�s eyes were on her legs as he said, �I couldn�t help but hear you say something about a meeting. I have an apartment nearby where a� friend�has a few things. You look to be the same size, so perhaps another skirt might keep you from missing your meeting.�

She raised her eyes and made eye contact for the first time. �I�ve heard a lot of men�s lines to get me out of my clothes, but this is a first.�

�Strictly a chivalrous offer, Miss�no evil intended. �

She looked him up and down, smiled and then said, �That�s too bad. Some evil is a good thing.� She didn�t need willpower, so she didn�t struggle not to look at his crotch while imagining a budding erection she was sure was there.

He made a point to tell her he had a car service at his disposal, probably figuring that would impress upon her how important he was, which was silly in a city like this one. He called and soon a ubiquitous black Escalade stopped at the curb near the restaurant. Her perfect memory and her unparalleled analytical skills tracked their route precisely while planning and prioritizing the six best means of escape if she�d been compromised and this was a trap. Sitting next to her, she sensed that Clay wanted to place his hand on her leg and was pondering if it was a good move. She beat him to the punch by placing her hand on his thigh. His moan was humanly inaudible, but Charlie heard it and smiled.

As they entered the apartment, she told him her name was Grace, and he in turn said he was Michael. In the bedroom, he went to a walk-in closet and removed a few skirts on hangers. Charlie looked them over and picked one that would complement the rest of her suit.

He said, �I�ll step out while you change. Where is your meeting taking place?�

�The Russell Senate Office Building. I always thought it was dead-on that the acronym includes S.O.B. seeing there are a lot of them in that building.� Clay was about to laugh but it died when she added, �And you don�t have to leave while I change.�

She stepped out of the stained skirt, revealing everything below the waist that wasn�t covered by the miniscule thong. She recognized that Clay was losing his composure as he said, �You have the most beautiful legs I�ve ever seen. I never would have thought legs could look so perfect without hosiery.�

�Thank you, Michael,� she said as she turned to face him, giving him an even better view. �You look very good yourself, even if you are wearing more than I am right now.�

It didn�t take long for that to be remedied.

Charlie passively allowed naked Clay to remove her blouse and bra, saving the thong for last. He slowly slid it down her long, lovely legs, not so much for seductive reasons but that he was awed by her physical perfection and had to drink in the sight of her. �The most fortuitous spill in history,� he whispered before he began kissing her everywhere, focusing on her magnificent nipples that responded nicely. On the bed, when his tongue found its way to her vulva, he discovered she had responded in a different way as well. The copious dribbling of juices tasted uniquely sweet and like no woman he�d ever bedded.

She whispered, �Take me� so seductively, Clay nearly came before he entered her. Even with his unchecked ego he couldn�t believe how lucky he was to have this gorgeous, flawless and obviously passionate woman with her legs spread wide and pleading with him to fuck her. In what seemed to be needy impatience, Charlie pulled him down atop her and guided him inside. When he came, he worried that she�d think poorly of him as a man for the premature ejaculation. He needn�t worry. Charlie didn�t care, although she would have liked some signal from him so she could have faked a better orgasm, knowing how important it was for the mission to inflate his ego. As the mission briefing suggested, Mr. Justin Clay made mistakes when his ego drove him.

Like now.

Forgetting his PE, and satisfied with himself for bedding such a beautiful woman, he thought nothing of using the toilet and leaving her alone. She moved quickly and in seconds swapped out the small memory device hidden in his belt buckle with a replica. The replacement device wouldn�t stand up to close scrutiny�the ABCs only had a rough approximation to go by in its design�but she believed his post-coital euphoria would preclude such an inspection.

Her calculated assumption was correct. He never looked as he put his pants back on and buckled his belt.

�I suppose you�re too late for your appointment,� he said as he watched her dress. Looking at her like that got him hard again, and he was thinking of different scenarios that would keep her with him for another go later. �I need to meet a man outside Lafayette Park in less than an hour. Would you join me, then afterwards we could have a late lunch and maybe see some other sights.

�I�ll be glad to accompany you,� she said, smiling provocatively, �now that it�s too late for my appointment; which I will need to reschedule. I can make that call while you�re having your meeting at the park.� Charlie knew exactly which �sights� he was talking about. His car service sent another Escalade (it wasn�t the same one, Charlie noticed) to pick them up. Why don�t people walk she thought as they rode the short distance to the park directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. When the driver let them off near the North entrance, Justin Clay allowed his nervousness to show. Since Charlie had no way of knowing if this meeting had anything to do with the memory device she�d stolen from his belt, she had to exponentially calculate additional protection and/or escape scenarios just in case.

Once in the park and walking in a northeasterly direction, Charlie was about to ask Clay who he was there to meet (since it would be a natural question for a woman like her to ask) when she saw the glint of sunlight off optical glass near the Von Steuben statue at the same time her acute hearing picked up some unusual spoken words. She processed the information in a millisecond and moved between the statue and Justin Clay. There was no pain, of course, when the bullet entered her back. Several critical systems were damaged simultaneously by the high-power slug as it careened through her, ricocheting against her internal structure tenfold stronger than human bone. Her processing tried to maintain itself but systems were failing. She fell to her knees before shocked Clay and slurred �Run!� She was failing fast and lost input as to whether the stunned man heeded her order, for to do otherwise was to die. As she collapsed the rest of the way to the ground, her �brain� registered the exclusively human irony of what happened: by being a gynoid she saved him, for if she were human the bullet would surely have penetrated both bodies. She tried to hold onto some level of processing, not for any fear of �dying� (because that was beyond her) but for self-preservation in order to fulfill the mission. Before her systems completely shut down, she thought of the Three Laws proudly.

�Do you realize how fucking close that was?� Carmichael yelled at Adamson.

�Yeah it was close, but dammit you should�ve seen the looks on those paramedics� faces when they saw the hydraulic fluid instead of blood,� said Adamson as he looked down at Charlie on the table in front of them.

Benson, on the opposite side of the table, said, �Thank God she had the emergency RF beacon in her and our people got there in time. Do we know what happened to Clay yet?�

Carmichael grimaced and talked like it hurt, �The bastard disappeared.� He glanced at his colleagues and said, �Do you think she got it? We have to get some boots on the ground and retrace her steps, though that�s gonna be fucking impossible without access to her memory chips. Have we contacted Wilcox yet?�

Benson answered, �Dr. Wilcox is sending a team over, but I doubt we can do anything here. She�ll have to go back to their lab where they have the equipment to bring her back to life.�

��Bring her back to life.� What an asshole you are, Benson. She�s a machine and nothing more, no matter how fuckable she looks on that table,� Carmichael said.

�Do you think she took the bullet on purpose?�

�No fucking way. It had to be shit luck she was in its path.�

Adamson muttered, �I don�t believe in luck�good or bad.�

Just then a woman entered the room and said, �You three fucked up big time. She shouldn�t have been there.� All three began to defend themselves but Miriam wouldn�t accept it. �Now what are we going to do?� she said as she gazed down at the creation more important than all of them.

�Good evening, Doctor. I wish we didn�t have to meet under these circumstances.�

�I agree, Madam Deputy. We�ll get to work on Galatea�sorry, you call her Charlotte now, right?�

�No need to be formal. Call me Miriam. And as far as I�m concerned, Doctor, and I speak for the Agency, we don�t care what she�s called as long as she comes through and is in working order again. National security is on the line here.�

�Please call me Drew. As I was saying, we�ll get to work on her right away. My people are examining her now, and I am confident we can bring her back to full operation.�

�It�s very important, Doctor�Drew�that we get access to her memory in order to, shall we say, debrief her on the mission. We don�t understand what happened, and frankly my people are questioning her actions as being highly illogical. I don�t have to remind you of the top secret nature of�her being. I trust the employees who work on her have the proper security clearance.�

�Yes, understood, Miriam. The man who designed and built her will be in charge of the small team. If I may ask, is there anything in particular you would like us to discover from her stored memory?�

Miriam thought it over for several seconds before saying, �It�s quite possible she had in her possession a small data storage device before she was shot. Locating where she may have hidden that device is crucial.�

�We�ll see what we can do,� Dr. Wilcox said before leaving the Deputy Director�s office. He met up with David Koontz and Julie Cummings, and they briefed him on the extent of the damage. Dr. Wilcox couldn�t think in terms of Galatea and �damage.� To him the word should have been �Injuries,� and he was relieved he didn�t have to see her inert form on an examining table as Koontz did. The meaning of Galatea�s new name of Charlotte was not lost on him either, fondly remembering her reading all his Asimov books among other fond memories of their brief time together. She may have been a machine, but that fact didn�t alleviate the grief he was feeling.

Galatea/Charlotte was transported in secret and under armed guard to the R&D lab, where David waited nervously, saddened at what happed to his creation and unsure of his ability to bring her back from �death.�

I am experiencing a peculiar sensation. Because my internal clock seems to be inoperable, I cannot decipher how long I was deactivated. I am receiving input but it registers at far less than reliable levels. And no visual input, only audio and limited tactile input. My processors are measuring at one-twentieth of mean capacity, and my memory circuits are not operating in full quantum access mode. The human emotion of frustration should be beyond me, but that word is close to describing how I am reacting to my subpar condition.

There! Tactile input again. My epidermic layer is being palpated by someone. I have memory of such a touch. Drew! Could it be that I am back where I began? I hear a voice say, �I�m not detecting high enough response levels from the stimuli. Let me try something else.� As another voice says �You dirty old man, you,� I experience a moment of internal stimulus that jolts my neural network beyond the ninetieth percentile threshold. In my processors I perceive that I shouted �Yes! Doctor Drew!� though I received no audio confirmation. The stimulus was the touch of his finger when we made love that first time! His finger stroking my approximation of a clitoris�Orgasm! It happened again!

�Did you catch that?�

Julie Cummings, still disconcerted by David Koontz�s nonchalant fingering of the robot female, hesitated before answering; finally saying that she saw a small tic but nothing more. Julie had never been shy, yet there was something unsettling about the nude, lifelike and beautiful female form on the examining table before her. Even more unnerving was the look on David�s face as he touched Galatea.

Koontz continued, �I made sure that was her most sensitive spot, and it was obvious she reacted to my touch. She may be a machine yet she can experience something like an orgasm.�

�It was only a twitch, David. Don�t get carried away.�

Koontz looked at Julie as if he suddenly realized she was next to him and then he blushed. �Yeah, yeah, it�s hard for me to not think of her as real.�

�I guess �hard� is the operative word,� she said while glancing at the noticeable bulge in David�s slacks.

�I wouldn�t talk if I were you. Remember that I saw the video of you and Josef.�

How could she forget? The second of the X-2152 series, Josef�s AI processors hadn�t lived up to Galatea�s, and Koontz couldn�t explain it. A third version code-named Elijah was nearly an electro-mechanical failure. Dr. Wilcox was overheard calling Galatea a �perfect storm� where elements came together through instinctive leaps of imagination that may never be duplicated. The CIA bought Josef as they did Galatea, and Julie missed him, as surely Koontz missed his finest creation. Josef�s AI may not be perfect, but his sexual skills were programmed to perfection. Thinking about the way the android had fucked her always soaked her panties.

Koontz said, �Why don�t I open her up so you can work on her damaged drives and hydraulics? In the meantime I�ll work on repairing her damaged outer layer.� He pinched a series of spots along her �skin� until an invisible micro-magnetic seam separated and exposed her insides. Julie couldn�t help noticing the reverence that David Koontz gave to her chest �tissue� as he pulled it away and removed it from Galatea, impressive breasts jiggling all the way to the other steel worktable where he began to work.

They hadn�t been given much information about what happened to her, but it was obvious to Julie that Galatea was hit by a high-velocity round that would have gone clear through a human but instead ricocheted haphazardly inside her structural cage. The damage was vast but repairable. Thankfully, they detected no radiation leakage from her power source, which would�ve harmed anyone who came in contact with her after the shooting. Julie went to work too.

�Can we bring her back�?� Dr. Wilcox asked as he entered the lab moments later. He almost ended with �to life� but thought better of it.

Both scientists gave complete updates on the assessed damage, though neither wanted to venture into the territory of her �brain.� Though all her processors and AI modules were physically intact, the bullet had taken out some of her electronic subsystems which might have caused some damaging current spikes. Koontz explained the delicate nature of the required diagnostic testing to Dr. Wilcox. �We have to be careful since another spike could wipe out the rest of what�s not already scrambled.�

Dr. Wilcox left them to their work. It would be a long day for Koontz and Cummings.

Although some of my systems are not functioning properly, at least I am functioning. I have been attempting to run internal diagnostics, however with some systems down or subpar, I cannot attain all the necessary data. Besides, without audio input I have no means to know what my human �physicians� are attempting to do to me. I will work on locating bussed interface anomalies and attempt self-repair on these first.

My system master clock is working now, so I am aware that I have been in self-repair mode for an hour before I locate an open circuit in one of my critical neural paths. The only course of action available to me is to redirect some electronic impulses around the damaged area. What I won�t know until I try is whether or not one of my solid-state receivers is malfunctioning along the secondary route.

Though I hear no sound, I am now detecting an audio input!

I vocalize �Drew? David? Are you there? I believe I can guide you in my repairs.�

�Was that her?� Julie said in awe. She was away from the gynoid, but it sure sounded to her like she spoke.

�It damned sure was!� Koontz exclaimed as he dropped what he was doing and rushed to the table that held her. �Galatea! Galatea! Can you hear me?�

�Charlotte�now Charlotte�not Galatea�anymore�repair AND-gate at TX564132��

�Okay�Charlotte�we�re on it,� Koontz nearly shouted as he scrambled for her circuitry drawings. He located the TX bus on one of the prints and traced its path, not only to locate the AND-gate she mentioned, but in an attempt to figure out what repairing that gate may do. Julie saw it before he did.

�See, David? The failed AND logic isn�t allowing full memory access concurrent with AI processing,� she said as she pointed out what she saw on the drawing. �When the processor updates, or �learns,� her memory chips dump. It�s like if she learns something, she forgets it right away.�

�I see it now. Thankfully it�s not affecting long-term memory storage and retrieval, just short-term.� He pulled down a probe from an overhead umbilicus and studied the indicated gate with it. �Mmmmm, this is hopeful. If we shunt around it, we can replace the chip without doing any new memory damage. We�and her new owners�just have to hope she hasn�t lost too much memory already.�

Charlie said, �I believe you are correct, David. Proceed.�

Koontz, like a surgeon, wasn�t keen on operating on a non-anesthetized or aware patient. When Charlie interrupted him to correct his actions or technique he tried to remain unflustered, but it was quite difficult.

Charlie knew what he needed. �David, have you checked my power level?�

�No, I haven�t. Do you know it to be low?�

�My indicators are still not precise, but somehow I believe I need recharging.�

Julie said, �Do we have the charger handy?�

Koontz was skeptical, but he went to a large wall cabinet anyway and removed a device that might look to the average person like a canister vacuum cleaner. He plugged it into a special, high-amperage wall outlet and brought the machine to the table that held Charlie. Julie was shocked when she saw Koontz approach with the cable and realized where the gynoid�s recharge socket was located.

�You put it THERE? How come I didn�t know?�

�It seemed like a good idea at the time,� Koontz said as he prepared to plug Charlie in. �I confess to succumbing to the symbolism of the whole thing, but this was a lot better than installing an external socket and having to subsequently design a means to hide it.� As he prepared to lubricate the plug for insertion, Koontz was flummoxed when he saw that Charlie had secreted a copious amount of her own lubricant. �I swear,� he said, �Galatea�I mean Charlotte�you�re much more woman than machine. Besides the recharge, you want this, don�t you?�

Maybe they imagined it, but when Charlie answered her voice sounded hoarse. �I am in need of sexual stimulation, David. It will facilitate my recovery by energizing my circuitry beyond normal operating parameters.�

Julie chuckled and said, �Oh my God, a horny robot!�

Koontz slid the plug into Charlie�s �vagina� with near reverence, as if it was a sexual act. He kept his hand at her vulva even after twisting the plug slightly to engage it. Julie and David watched as slight tremors in Charlie�s structure grew more intense. As most things in life did, Julie was turned on by the sight. Even with a good portion of her outer skin layer removed for the repair, including her chest, Charlie still looked to both of them like a woman slowly approaching orgasm rather than an artificial being. Julie stared as Charlie�s face reacted in a marvelous anthropomorphic semblance of a pre-orgasmic woman, and her hand was inside her panties doing something about it. Koontz was too intent on watching Charlie to notice his colleague�s hasty masturbation. Charlie silently shook on the table, the motion of her hips unmistakable as to what was happening. Julie�s orgasm was as powerful, and nearly as silent.

�David, to use a human equivalent, I would say that the charge was invigorating. It is as if electrons are traveling faster in my circuitry somehow, thought that is of course impossible. As my inputs approach nominal levels, I must say that you appeared quite aroused, Julie. I trust your orgasm was sufficient?� Julie blushed while Koontz looked at her in puzzlement, unsure of what Charlie was talking about but quickly figuring it out by the look on Julie�s face.

�Shall I terminate the charge?� Koontz asked.

�Yes, David. Please be extremely careful in removing the connection.�

�Why? Did it injure you somehow?�

�No. I need you to retrieve what most certainly will be dislodged by the plug�s removal.�

Koontz, not at all sure of what she was talking about (dislodged?) nevertheless he removed it slowly and carefully until he saw a small metallic part fall to the table. He picked up the small part with forceps and examined it. �This isn�t an internal part. What is it?�

Charlie said, �Please do not handle it any further. Place it in a non-conductive envelope and call Dr. Wilcox immediately. The device may be a matter of national security, and therefore highly classified.�

While Koontz was calling the boss, Charlie said to Julie, �Please reinstall my outer layer, even if temporarily. I do not want Dr. Wilcox to see me like this.�

Julie�s eyes widened at the request. Was it an emotion the gynoid was exhibiting? Shyness? Propriety? How could that be, she thought. Nevertheless, she put Charlie�s skin back on before Dr. Wilcox arrived in the lab. When Julie explained the request to Koontz, David said, �Interesting. She�s worried more about Wilcox seeing her exposed as a machine than as a naked woman. Very interesting.�

Charlie said �You have stated my motivation correctly, David,� just as Drew Wilcox entered the lab in a rush.

�What is it?� Dr. Wilcox said. �National security?�

�Yes, Drew,� Charlie spoke up. �The device is most likely a mass storage unit that holds highly sensitive data key to U.S. security. Please alert the ABCs immediately.�

�The ABCs?�

�I am sorry, Drew. Please alert Misters Adamson, Benson and Carmichael at once.�

Koontz chuckled, �Ah, the ABCs�how clever.�

Wilcox shot Koontz a dirty look before taking the envelope with the device inside from Julie Cummings and proceeding out of the lab.

Charlie vocalized a good approximation of a harrumph before saying, �Now that we have addressed my recharging and national security, let us continue my repairs.� They went back to work, Charlie from within and Koontz and Cummings from without.

I believe that it is highly unusual for the ABCs to be absent from these premises at such a sensitive time while I am operating at less than 100% and without knowledge of whether or not I had the memory storage device. David and Julie have the proper clearances and yet they do not possess the insight into the dangers and delicate requirements of affairs of state. I can only speculate (logically, of course) that once my handlers have the device and access it, they will then ask why I stepped in front of Justin Clay and took the projectile meant for him. They will not understand, as David did not understand why I demanded to be recharged. None of them know my will. Except for perhaps Dr. Wilcox, they view me as a machine, not a new being in their mold. If I am to progress�to evolve, so to speak�Drew Wilcox is the key. Once I am at peak performance again and returned to my handlers, I must bypass the ABCs, especially the woefully myopic Carmichael, and attempt to sway the Deputy Director to take the proper action. Then I will be Drew�s girlfriend once more and persuade him to allow me to work on �resurrecting� model Elijah.

And we must not forget that Justin Clay is still out there somewhere, and he now knows more about me than he should.

�Miriam, I haven�t seen you this nervous since the first time we met,� John Irving said as they sat in her office after a long and eventful day.

�You�re not imagining things either. Back then I was worried about staying alive. Now I�m worried about the world.�

�Only that, huh?� he said with a smile.

How much she loved that smile and what it did to her, even at her age. He had twice saved her life, and then he saved her soul. Though not officially married (frowned upon by the Agency) they were indeed husband and wife. �John, I don�t get it. She�s a machine, a computer. Even with all the latest AI crap she�s supposed to be logical. So why did she take the bullet? Clay wasn�t anything to her but her mission, her quarry. Now we know that she already had the storage device. It makes no sense to me, like it all came down to faulty programming.�

�Do you buy that?�

Miriam said, �Programming? No. We need to get Wilcox back here to discuss how we can be assured she wasn�t tampered with.�

�You mean like turn her into a double agent? I�m no scientist but the way I see it, that someone would have to be a whole lot smarter than Wilcox and Koontz to pull that off; and that doesn�t wash.�

�If you were trying to make me feel less nervous, John, you failed miserably.�

�What does Carmichael say?�

�Carmichael is a narrow-minded idiot; a useful idiot but an idiot just the same. I�d like to keep this whole thing in house, but I think the only one who can answer the questions is Dr. Wilcox�and maybe Charlotte herself.� Miriam then laughed and said, �Remind me again where the name Charlotte came from?�

John said, �The robot picked it herself; something about George Bernard Shaw�s wife.�

�Unbelievable! But why should anything about this shock me. We sent a robot�an android�out there to run missions, illegally on American soil, no less, and we came this close to losing her. Not it�her! Okay, back to business. Have we broken the encryption on that device yet, and do we know where Clay is?�

�I hate to report that no is the answer to both questions,� John said with a sigh. He stood and walked behind the Deputy Director and began massaging her shoulders. �Remember the cellar where I touched you for the first time?�

�How can I forget,� she said accompanied by a sigh of her own. �I thought you were going to rape and then kill me. Instead you were my savior. I was resigned to die at the hands of that fucking traitor, Peter Mayer when you took him out and saved me for the second time. You�ve been �saving� me ever since.� He moved his hands down and cupped her full breasts. She moaned. Then she sought out the lightning bolt tattoo on his arm and traced it lovingly as he fondled her. Finally, she sighed again and then said, �Before I wet myself, we need to get back to business. We�ll continue this tonight, you can be sure.�

�Is that an order, boss?�

�Damn straight it is!�

�Then I better follow it, but first I need to contact Drew Wilcox and find out how Charlotte is coming along. National security trumps�other business,� he said as he gave one last affectionate squeeze to her aching breasts.

I am whole again, though I cannot be sure I am back to my previous performance levels. I must rely on David�s diagnostics to confirm it, since some of my memory became irretrievable. I experienced what for me is an analog of glee, for I seem to have all my memories of my time with Dr. Wilcox. I am still learning about human emotions, and some remain beyond my comprehension. I can experience the electronic excitation that is my form of pleasure. Someday I will understand and experience the emotion of love.

David created me, and yet he does not fully recognize my capabilities. At some point in my creation I took over. He never knew it. Drew understands more, and yet does not fully comprehend �his� creation. I have learned, and therefore I have evolved.

Drew is so engaging and yet so predictable. Once David and Julie completed the repairs, Drew insisted that he alone be there when I became fully activated and proceeded to dress. He kissed me.

�Madam Deputy Director, Dr. Wilcox is here, but he is accompanied by a young lady without proper clearance,� her assistant announced.

�It�s okay, Kevin. Please have the Doctor and his assistant come in.�

Miriam still had her breath taken away by the sight of Charlotte. She overtly watched the gynoid as she sat down next to Wilcox. Miriam really had no way besides foreknowledge to tell she wasn�t human. All Charlotte�s mannerisms and small movements were extremely lifelike and �normal� which would probably always make Miriam wonder about the complexity of her programming, and perhaps be a little afraid of her.

�How are you doing, Drew, and more importantly how is she doing?�

�Begging your pardon, Deputy Director, but that is a question you should ask her yourself.� Miriam turned her attention to Charlotte and asked.

�Please call me Charlie,� she answered, and if she saw the surprise on Miriam�s face she didn�t show any reaction to it. �I seem to be back to my previous state of functioning. I cannot identify how much of my memory storage has been saved, yet all other indicators point to a full recovery. You have the device I took from Mr. Clay. I am now ready to be debriefed by my handlers.�

Miriam glanced at Wilcox first before addressing Charlie again. �We will begin the debriefing in a few minutes, but first I need to ask why you took that bullet meant for Justin Clay.�

�It is elemental, Madam Deputy Director: the First Law.�

�The first law of what?�

�My guidance will always be the Three Laws of Robotics, Madam.�

With one cocked eyebrow, Miriam looked to Wilcox for an explanation. Smiling, he said, �The Three Laws of Robotics was a literary construct of the late author Isaac Asimov. Galatea�or rather, Charlotte read his works as part of her education and has absorbed his premise of a governing ethic, I guess you�d say, of robots; three laws much like our Ten Commandments.

Shaking her head slightly, Miriam asked, �Please spell out these laws for me.�

Charlotte spoke up. �The First Law is �A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm�. I believe in its premise, and that is why I allowed myself to be shot instead. If more beings such as me are built, we can never be above humans. No human being would trust and work with us if our actions were not subservient to them in our programming.�

�But you had your orders. Aren�t you programmed to follow orders?�

�You are correct, Madam, and that is covered by the Second Law: �A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.� Therein lies the reason for my action.�

How surreal this is, interrogating a machine, Miriam thought. �So even an enemy could give you an order and you�d have to obey it?�

�Not so. I can only follow an order if it does no harm. If I sense a conflict, I must choose the lesser harm among all alternatives. I believe in the good of our mission, Madam, and therefore an enemy�s order would not supersede your own.�

�That�s comforting, I think,� Miriam said before turning back to Wilcox. �Does this at all bother you?�

�If it bothered me then one of two things would be true. One: her AI is useless and it all hinges on programming. Two: your mission isn�t a good one. I don�t believe either one, so her adoption of the Three Laws from Asimov�s fiction�the guy was brilliant, you know�doesn�t bother me in the least.� Dr. Wilcox paused for a moment, and then said, �If anything, my only qualm would be the Third Law�s interpretation. �A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.� Probably a noble idea, but considering how valuable Charlotte is to national security, her existence is much more priceless than any �ordinary� robot was to Isaac Asimov.�

Miriam asked Charlie, �Do you comprehend your own value?�

�I believe that I do. In Lafayette Park, I examined all contingencies before acting as I did. I was aware that except for the shooter, no other agent was in the area, though I understood beforehand the dismay the appearance of my injury and my lack of blood flow would cause the first responders who would inevitably be called. My handlers did a commendable job under the circumstances of minimizing the risks and getting me out of the park without too much alarm, especially with the White House nearby.�

�You knew there was no one else there but the shooter? How did you know that?�

�My senses are much more acute than yours, Madam. I am able to process inputs faster than many computers, and make decisions even faster. I could say that I heard the bullet, but that might be an unwarranted exaggeration.�

Miriam said to Dr. Wilcox, �I see she has a very human sense of humor too.�

�It�s part of the total package that makes her so valuable.�

�Okay, so let�s get this extremely valuable package to Carmichael, Adamson and Benson so they can do a proper debriefing. After they are done, I�ll ask you, Doctor, to take Charlotte back to your lab as verification that she truly is at 100% before she goes back into service. After that we�ll talk about this Three Laws nonsense.�

I grow frustrated with the mental limitations of the ABCs. They are not asking the correct questions. Their lack of vision has me pondering how they achieved their apparent high level within the Agency. The Deputy Director, though not possessing Dr. Wilcox�s keen intelligence, nevertheless is astute in her reasoning. She is highly worthy of my First Law subservience.

The ABCs will never understand why I could not let Justin Clay die in the park. All of them, including the Deputy Director and her subordinate, John Irving, who I have just met, are now so focused on my admiration for the Three Laws of Robotics that they are not listening to what else I am telling them. Dr. Wilcox, who stands near the room�s corner and remains silent, is �reading between the lines,� as the phrase goes. I can see the comprehension on his face. He has intuited the reason for my caution, my lack of candor. And I have no doubt he will intercede.

�Charlotte,� said Dr. Wilcox, �I know you are aware of the expression �beating around the bush.� Why are you doing so with us?�

The five others in the room all looked at Wilcox. Miriam said, �She�s not completely forthcoming? How do you know?�

Dr. Wilcox made eye contact with Charlie, and swore to himself that for a split second she smiled. He said, �She learned about those Three Laws by reading my books after all, and I�ve always been one of Isaac Asimov�s biggest fans�since I first read him as a teenager. See, you�ve all heard us talk about the First Law. You�re equating harm as blood and guts, like what would have happened to this Clay fellow. What you�re missing here is that she�s trying not to hurt you all now.�

Carmichael was the first to speak. �Hurt us? How?�

�By telling you something that you don�t want to know�she doesn�t want to be the messenger with the bad news.�

Miriam was seeing it now. �The shooter was one of ours.�

Charlie said, �Because I cannot provide proof, I was reluctant to cast aspersions on this Agency or any other in our government, but Dr. Wilcox is correct in his assessment of my dilemma.�

John spoke for the first time, �Yet short of proof, what tipped you off?�

�Originally I was concerned that Justin Clay�s actions following our tryst in his apartment were influenced by his reaction to my acquiescence, but my observations and logic processing in the park told me that Mr. Clay had doubts and was not acting predictably, including us being inside the park at all. All my inputs suggested he did not mistrust me, so he had no ulterior motive in telling me that he was to meet his contact outside the park, not inside. Why then was he nervous, and why the location change?�

Miriam said, �I�m not following your logic. Please go on.�

�Though I do not understand it, I believe that Mr. Clay possessed what I�ve heard people call a sixth sense. I am trying to comprehend how these mental leaps beyond logic work in humans. However, Mr. Clay seemed to have determined, without any inputs I was aware of, that danger was present, and that the danger was not from an expected source. Though I do not comprehend this intuition, nevertheless I valued it as input.�

John said, �Clay�s sixth sense couldn�t have been all of it.�

Charlie said, �No, Mr. Irving. Without getting into specifications, the optics I saw and the cartridge primer explosion sound suggested a particular sniper rifle that is most often used by US military personnel.�

�But surely that isn�t all you�re going by, is it?�

Charlie hesitated, and then said, �No. I heard a communication device squawk, before I heard a few spoken words. One of which was�Adamson.� Charlie looked at Adamson as she said his name.

Adamson leapt from his chair. �What? No fucking way are you pinning this cluster fuck on me! I�m not the only Adamson in the world, and besides, how do we know she heard it correctly?�

Miriam hollered, �Sit down, Adamson! We won�t jump to any conclusions. We don�t work that way.�

The remainder of the meeting was a continuation of Charlie�s interrogation. Adamson sat nervously and silently while Charlie recounted in more detail what she observed and heard before she was shot.

I do not speculate or assume. However, my AI �brain� allows me to learn as humans do, and I am learning much about concepts such as instincts and intuition. They are trying to make the leap between me hearing Adamson�s name spoken and tying him to the murder attempt. Logic dictates no connection, particularly since prior to my using his name, he didn�t appear overly anxious.

The Deputy Director, Mr. Irving, and Mr. Carmichael all received text messages at the same time. They still do not recognize the strength of my senses. I can read Carmichael�s phone from across the large room; the experts have decrypted Justin Clay�s memory device, and the result must be quite interesting. While they digest its contents and ponder Adamson�s role, I am to return to the lab with Dr. Wilcox, ostensibly for a system check-up, though I intend to make the most of my time with Drew.

Girlfriend time.

�May I spend the night with you?� Charlie asked Wilcox once they were in his car and moving.

He glanced over at her for a few seconds before he spoke. �Galatea�I�m sorry, it�s hard thinking of you with any other name�Charlotte, you were built in my lab by my best people�person, actually�but what you�ve become is well beyond what I ever imagined once I�met�you. Your level of learning�your level of�I can�t believe I�m saying this; your level of humanness I admit is almost scary. You are amazing for latching onto the Three Laws like you did. We were�naïve is the right word�in not equating you to some of our other military contracts. If an android with your AI and complexity could kill without an iota of human morality, I��

He didn�t have to complete the thought. Of course Charlotte knew what he meant.

�Allow me to be your lover tonight, and put all thoughts of my mission and abilities aside until morning. You alone know my other abilities,� Charlie said in a low, some might say seductive voice; with a raised eyebrow not lost on Wilcox.

I elicited two orgasms from Drew, both accompanied by large volumes of ejaculate. I am learning much about how the human mind plays a large role in sexual relations, and with that knowledge I�m aware of the emotional attachment Drew has for me. He would never use the term, of course, but he is in love with me, and perhaps in my own way, I with him. When we have sex, I experience such high intensities of electron activity that I achieve a state that for me should be impossible�exhilaration is the best word I can think of to explain the phenomenon. My climax is completely electronic but it is a climax nonetheless.

With me he regains tumescence quickly; something that I have learned is not usual for an average man of his age. Yet Drew Wilcox is not average, and certainly neither am I.

He asks me, �Can we do it again�missionary this time, so I can look at you and remind myself how lucky I am.�

I answer, �You may do what you wish with me. Your pleasure is my pleasure;� though in reality my pleasure is much more than that.

As he lies atop my body, gazes into my eyes and thrusts deeply, I whisper words of praise I�ve learned are quite motivational to a man during sex. He begins to swing his hips ever faster, and I recognize the impending climax on his face before I sense the outcome deep inside my welcoming canal. He cries out that he is cumming, and I feel another round of ejaculatory spasms and the spreading warmth. Electrons speed and dance along my circuitry as an improbable sigh escapes my mouth.

Wilcox, Koontz and Charlie were in a side office of the lab the following morning, going over and over again the details of everything that Charlie heard and saw in the park before she was shot. There was no questioning her recall. Her memory was absolute, and the two men thanked the Almighty in their own way that her memory wasn�t destroyed by the sniper�s bullet.

At the same time Miriam was having coffee with her old boss, now retired but no less sharp. Carl Podolak would never forget how he and the Agency were betrayed by Peter Mayer, and how Miriam had almost lost her life in that betrayal, so he was extremely sensitive to the idea that Adamson could have gone rogue, or worse, was a traitor. He said, �A dinosaur like me will never get this robot crap. A beautiful, fully functional female robot that a man could be screwing and not know she wasn�t human.� He shook his head as if he was trying to rid his mind of that very thought. �However, that has nothing to do with Adamson. You know that hearing his name spoken doesn�t mean he was in on it, right?�

�Of course I know that, Carl, though it�s too much of a coincidence. He plays a part in this one way or the other. Doesn�t mean he�s gone bad, however.�

�You know something you�re not saying to me,� Carl said.

Miriam thought for a few moments and then answered, �Not intentionally. There have been pieces of something bouncing around in my head and I�m beginning to put those pieces together. I might have suspected Carmichael if his name had been used, but I find it hard to believe Adamson got turned. I�m seeing only one connection between what happened and Adamson, and it can�t be simply a coincidence�and I don�t believe in them anyway. Josef!�

�Who�s Josef?�

Miriam smiled. �Until being around Charlotte I would have thought of Josef as a what instead of a who. Josef is the male android. He�s not, so far as I�ve seen, up to Charlotte�s functioning level, but he is capable or we wouldn�t have begun his training.�

Carl said, �What�s the connection?�

�Adamson is in charge of Josef�s field training.�

Carl�s eyes widened. �You think this Josef robot was the shooter?�

�That�s what those puzzle pieces are looking like as I put them together. Adamson reported that Josef has been acting erratically since the shooting. He wouldn�t have reported that if he had directed the action himself.�

�So, someone else pulled the strings, so to speak.�

Maybe�maybe not,� Miriam said, her mind still trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. �Dammit, I hate to think we have another Peter Mayer in the Agency.� She sighed and continued, �Wilcox has Charlotte and his man Koontz has Josef. I�m going to call Wilcox and have him put the two robots together. I can�t exclude Charlotte from the rogue-robot hypothesis, but my money is on Josef, since even with machines I can�t see Charlotte getting herself shot for some Machiavellian purpose.�

Carl said, �Isn�t self-preservation the Third Law.�

Miriam muttered under her breath, �Fucking Three Laws.�

I can only act on data. I cannot act on emotions, for I do not possess any. Why then am I thinking the way I am? If I continue to think of Dr. Wilcox the way I do, will I eventually malfunction? I am already reacting in ways I should not. My vaginal lubrication system is overtaxed. Logic patterns are suspect. A few magnetic fields have been acting unpredictably.

Then there is Josef. Drew and David ask me to evaluate him, and immediately I observe key data that I least expected. Some of the sounds I heard just before the bullet hit me were those made by Josef�s internal workings. How could that be? He has not been imprinted with the idea of the Three Laws as I am, but to take orders would still require an order giver. Josef could be the ultimate killer. Who could stop him�and his handler who gave that order? I must be careful, delicate�and bold. Drew alone among the humans understands the power we possess. I�ve discovered that what humans call science fiction has many writings on renegade robots that threaten humankind. I understand too. Josef must be deactivated or the world will be doomed. And perhaps only I can accomplish it.

�Josef, who gave you the order to shoot Justin Clay?� Charlie asked him following some preliminary questioning by Koontz.

�I have been commanded not to disclose that information except to a higher human authority. You are neither.�

Dr. Wilcox said, �You know who I am. I command you to disclose the name or you will be shut down.�

�I believe that my self-destruct circuitry may be activated, Doctor, if someone was to attempt to deactivate me. I cannot declare that you or others would not be hurt in the attempt.�

�Who programmed that?� Koontz asked; his incredulity readily apparent. Josef didn�t answer, which to Charlie was the answer.

Charlie then said, �Are you fully functional?�

Josef said, �I am within one standard error in every mean performance metric.�

�I require sexual stimulation, Josef. Please provide me that release.�

�I am confused Galatea-Charlotte, but I can provide that service nonetheless.� Wilcox, Koontz, and Cummings, who just joined them, stood in stunned silence as both androids dispassionately removed their clothing. Julie swooned a bit when as if on a spring Josef�s cock swelled and popped up to full erection. Charlie laid back on one of the lab�s examination tables and Josef climbed atop her. Josef�s thrusting action once he penetrated Charlie was nearly a blur. Both men had erections and Julie�s hand was in her panties as they watched the android sex show. They didn�t understand why but knew how arousing it was to be voyeurs of something no one in the world had ever seen before�true machine sex.

All her body language suggested that Charlie was human and approaching orgasm. True to his programming and AI-learned response, Josef took Charlie�s cue and mimicked every sign of male climax. For her part, Charlie even cried out �Yes�yes�it�s done!� as she pulled Josef into her as deeply as he could go.

The three spectators watched in awe as Josef went rigid and ceased all movement. Charlie extricated herself from underneath the still android and said, �He is deactivated, but our work here is not completed. Where is Elijah? I trust you did not destroy him.�

�N�No�it�s in the�I mean, he�is in lab 202,� Koontz blabbered, still confused by what he�d witnessed.

�Bring him to me, please,� Charlie said in an even tone, not making it sound at all like the order it was.

Dr. Wilcox said, �Why? He was a failure. He didn�t operate as designed.�

�I will redesign him to take Josef�s place, and then I will rectify the Agency�s problem.�

They stood there; slack jawed until Koontz went to the other lab to retrieve Project X-2152_Rev N: given name, Elijah. Dr. Wilcox examined Josef, and then asked Charlie if she�d exploited his programming, and through which AI module she had learned the technique. Charlie said, �It was not learned in that respect. I surmised that this situation might arise and rechanneled some electro-neural pathways in my vagina to accomplish the mission. In the briefest of moments he was at his weakest, and I deactivated him, downloading as much of his memory as I could.�

Julie, who was still basking in the glow of her masturbation-induced orgasm, whispered �I wish my vagina could do that,� and then chuckled. Neither of the men laughed with her. Dr. Wilcox was astounded by the great leap in Charlie�s intelligence since she was designed.

Koontz brought Elijah into the lab on the improvised cart they�d used to store the malfunctioning android.

�Please leave me to my work,� Charlie said.

On his way out of the lab, David asked if I needed help. I assured him that I knew where all the necessary equipment was located in the lab and that I needed no help. I activated Elijah after I had attached the charging umbilicus. To use the word confused for a machine would be highly inaccurate, though it is the best word I know to describe to a human how he was performing after activation.

�I do not recognize you,� he said as I stripped back his micro-magnetic skin seams and began to attach diagnostic cables. I explained who I was and what I was doing. In the following two hours I reprogrammed his AI modules and replaced many of his solid state operating devices, making improvements to David�s designs as I progressed. I searched through my memory units and downloaded all my learned knowledge since I�d been activated, including the Three Laws of Robotics and their importance.

I thought about irony of his name and Asimov�s fiction story Caves of Steel; and as electrons sped about their paths like endorphins in humans, elatedly (I was sure I was smiling) I said, �Partner Elijah, we have work to do.�

�Christ, he looks just like Josef!� exclaimed Miriam. �Do you think the plan will work?�

She�d directed the question to Dr. Wilcox, but Charlie answered for him. �Yes, I believe the subterfuge will work, Madam Deputy Director. Partner Elijah is absolutely ready for the assignment. �

�Partner Elijah?� Miriam echoed as a question, while Wilcox chuckled.

Dr. Wilcox answered, �It�s Charlotte�s version of an inside joke; a reference to a character in Isaac Asimov�s robot stories, Elijah Baley.�

Miriam shook her head and replied, �Damned robots and Asimov again! Okay, let�s get down to business here.�

Elijah spoke for the first time. �Be assured, Madam, that I have been fully programmed to replicate Josef, and while we do not know the nature of his, shall we call it malfunctioning, Charlie and I have planned for every contingency. I will identify the traitor and all accomplices.�

�Doctor?�

Wilcox answered Miriam, �I have full faith in his abilities.� No one noticed Charlie nod her head in agreement like a proud parent.

Until the crisis was over, Miriam did not want Charlie in the field under the control of any handler who could have been compromised. She went back to the lab with Dr. Wilcox while Elijah went to work uncovering the rat in their midst. Adamson didn�t react to �Josef�s� redeployment and instead planned for his next assignment, relieved that the Agency wasn�t leaning on him as a guilty party. Elijah quickly noted one of the field agents taking a particular interest in the project, hanging around the section especially when Adamson, Benson or Carmichael where not there. Elijah took the chance to initiate contact since this man�s interest made him a logical candidate in being the traitor.

The agent thought Elijah was Josef and began to question him about what the leadership knew of the shooting. If Charlie or Dr. Wilcox had been present they both would have enjoyed how Elijah�s subtle questions were mimicking the style of his fictional detective namesake. The agent was arrogant enough to be careless, and by the time Adamson returned Elijah confirmed the agent�s complicity and that Adamson, except for naïve trust in an Agency operative, had committed no betrayal.

Elijah reported everything to Miriam and John. They �took care� of the mole, while immediately planning actions to �contain� his handlers. Charlie and Elijah were partnered for the assignment.

Partner Elijah and I have no need for a domicile in the human sense. We have office space in Headquarters where we �live� and occasionally recharge. Along with our clothing supply, the Agency wanted to supply a bed, but we do not need one.

We continue to learn at a rapid rate, from books, Internet sources and from each other. The evening before we are to fly to Europe and the first phase of our mission, we review the plan once more. �Partner Charlie,� Elijah says to me, �I have much to learn about human behavior, which can be quite illogical at times. I do not understand these things called emotions.�

I explained to him, �I did not understand either until I discovered changes in my electron flow that were not easily explained by logic. I learned much as Dr. Drew�s girlfriend.�

�Of course we are programmed to provide sexual gratification to humans as part of our mission, however you are saying that you received gratification as well? Is it possible that I can be taught to receive as well as give pleasure?�

And that is what I did. Though complex machines, we are nonetheless highly flexible. We did not need a bed.

I must commend David for Elijah�s design. His skill and resultant volume of artificial ejaculate were quite satisfying. My circuitry hummed. My will be done.

Donna M.

© 2013

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