I lay on a wide sleeping array in the Captain’s compartment looking at his collection of ancient devices and what he called, ‘knick-knacks’. Some pieces according to my PHUD were thousands of years old. The molecules of the bulkhead separated and the Captain entered through the opening. I could hear the sounds of a few crewmembers in the outer passage as they went about their way. With the characteristic crackle and hiss of rebonding molecules, the opening sealed behind him
The Captain looked upon me in a manner by which I could not read his facial expression. My PHUD denoted no elevated levels which would denote the Captain’s emotional state so I waited for him to respond. He stood with arms crossed over his chest for a moment then said, “So are you feeling better Pandora? You can feel right? I don’t need to plug you into a station or put you back into your container to recharge do I?” Once more that involuntary smile made my lips stretch across my teeth and I replied, “No Captain I am now fully autonomous. Since I ingested far more than the suggested maximum of solid nutrients, I will not require recharging for many intervals.” “Hmmph! You did eat a lot. I don’t think an MHG-3 could eat all you did and not end up incapacitated!”
The Captain paused and I noticed his posture was of one engaged in heavy thought. He looked at me sternly and I suddenly felt uncomfortable. “Captain if I am not to lie upon your sleeping array, please inform me as to where I may spend my renewal interval.”
“Yeah..., about that. It would be best if you had your own sleeping array.” I then remembered the Captain’s aversion toward taking a Manufactured Being as companion. I sat up and the Captain took a step backwards from the array. I was not certain if he did so to make way for me or out of caution. I was also not certain as to what I should do. “Captain, if I am an inconvenience you would be well within the strictures of the Probationary Agreement to place me back in the container for the duration. I would not be offended by your doing so. I recognize your reticence towards having a non-gestated human female in such intimate quarters.”
The Captain uncrossed his arms and said, “Well, you do have a point Pandora. It is strange having a woman... uh... female... what exactly are you?” The Captain’s sudden lack of poise made me laugh. It was the first time I had ever done so on my own. Once I started, it was impossible to stop. My PHUD displayed my emotional override controls and I completely ignored them. Soon the Captain was laughing as well. I had a spasm in my abdomen which made me fall back onto the sleeping array and curl up in a ball.
Captain Gital sat beside me on the array as we both recovered. I found my eyes could also produce tears and my nose mucus for they were both flowing as I lay on my side. After a couple of hard sniffles, the Captain reached onto the small shelf over the array and handed me a small box with a cloth like substance sticking out of slit at the top. “Here, wipe your nose.” I pulled the material and a short length came free. Wiping it at the base of my nose produced a pleasant odor and I felt the mucus being absorbed into the material. My nose felt clean and dry. “It’s emulated after ancient ‘Sani Cloth’. If you had a Personal Body Membrane, wiping your nose would be unnecessary.”
Once I was done the Captain had me wad the material in my hand. An instant later, it disintegrated in a flash. I found my new companion to be quite unusual. “So Captain Gital since you have no intention on taking me as your sexual intimate, what measure of companion shall I endeavor to be?”
Gently the Captain placed his hand upon my face. I was surprised to feel his hand was calloused. It was apparent he did not always rely on his PBM for dermal protection. He looked me in the eyes and said, “There is no doubt you are beautiful Pandora. I’ve only seen a woman like you in my dreams. I’m just not of a mind to take up with a machine.”
At his statement I felt a painful spasm in the walls of my chest. My skin flushed hot and I suddenly did not want him to touch or look at me. Instead, I turned away. “I am not a machine Captain Gital. I am a blending of the biological and mechanical unlike any other. I am unique!” I could feel his eyes upon my back and did not like it. “Are you insulted Pandora? I apologize for insulting you. I did not realize your AI was so advanced. Will you excuse my remark?”
I sat for a few moments noting the many strange sensations my body registered. My ears were at a much higher temperature due to the extra amount of blood circulating through them. My skin was also flushed and with muscles tensed, I wondered if this was anger I felt? Why would I become angry after hearing the Captain’s honest response to my presence? I had no answers and my PHUD had no search parameters by which to find any. I took a deep breath which seemed to ease the tension. I could not bring myself to look at the Captain as I answered his query. “Of course Captain Gital, I will excuse your remark. I appreciate your honesty and am not insulted. Now, where shall I be placed during my renewal periods?”
Once more the Captain gently placed his hand upon my back and again the simple touch felt pleasant. Crossing the room towards the far bulkhead the Captain called upon the Transport’s AI. “Dromedary,” “Yes Captain Gital?” “Would you be so kind as to create an adjacent compartment four meters by three meters by two point five meters?” “Of course Captain Gital. I will comply. Initiating Bulkhead Molecular Reconfiguration.”
As the dry echo of the AI’s voice faded, an unsettling crackle and hiss of Micro-Crotanium molecules performing controlled unbonding as the bulkhead shifted away from us to make the new space. I briefly felt the heat from the active molecules emanate from the new compartment and then quickly cool into its new form. I stood beside the Captain as the requisite conduits and arrays for life support, hygiene and waste evacuation facilities formed. A standard sleeping array formed and upon seeing it I felt a jolt of disappointment. It must have been obvious because the Captain remarked, “Yeah, that sleeper is a bit ordinary after experiencing my mod’ded rack. Tell you what, later we’ll find a configuration that suits you Pandora. How about that?” I nodded enthusiastically in the affirmative.
I found myself unable to hold back the smile that burst upon my face as I entered the new compartment. My compartment. “Dromedary,” “Yes Captain?” “Please initiate Voice Command Recognition for our new crew member, Pandora 001.” I looked back towards my companion and he gestured for me to speak. “Dromedary I am... Pandora 001. Please log my voice for command recognition over this compartment.” “Welcome aboard Pandora 001. Voice Recognition complete. Compartment assignment established and you are now registered as an official EPIMETHEUS Transport crew member. What is your crew designation?”
The AI’s question hung heavily between the Captain and me. I stood before the mirror over my personal hygiene station and saw my face for the first time. A pair of amber-colored eyes framed by brown skin and short black hair stared back. “Pandora 001, what is your crew designation?” I turned back toward the Captain who smiled and nodded. The smile returned to the being in the mirror as I watched her say, “Dromedary please log my crew designation as, Companion.”
© 2012 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved.
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