People Factory (eBook)

Frank J. Andriuli (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2017 | 1. Auflage
264 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
978-1-5439-1893-9 (ISBN)

Infos

In a world where Human-like robots (Androids) have become commonplace, former military officer, Steve Renna purchases one he calls Vanessa. When he accidentally discovers that some of these advanced androids have their own agenda. He reports this conspiracy to the N.S.I.A. (National Security Intelligence Agency), but they don't believe him. Until he pushes harder. As a consequence, he disappears. Vanessa finds him in a maximum security prison off the grid. Vanessa has a dilemma, should she side with the government who created her or with her owner, who she had been programmed to be loyal to and protect.

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THE PEOPLE FACTORY takes place in the not-too-distant future. Human-like robots (Androids) have become commonplace. Advanced experimental androids are just becoming available for the general public. They are capable of rapid learning and independent thought, can display emotion and even have the same body temperature. Steve Renna, a former military officer purchases one of these experimental models. He calls her Vanessa. Then he accidentally discovers that some of these advanced androids already have their own agenda. He tries to bring this conspiracy to the N.S.I.A. (National Security Intelligence Agency). They don't believe him, he keeps agitating. As a consequence, he is kidnapped. Vanessa finds him in a maximum security prison off the grid. How can she get him out of such a place? It looks escape proof. There is no one she can turn to or trust. She will have to find a way and must do it alone. If she were able to help him break out, how will they be able to avoid the massive government manhunt sure to ensue? Will she just be leading Steve to recapture or death?

Textauszug

Chapter 2

Six months before

The impressive, modernistic C.E.S.H. Building absorbed Steve Renna’s full attention with each approaching step.

Emblazoned on the steel facade over the main entrance bore the building name, “Center for Ectopic Species Homogenesis”

Like most of the population, Steve no longer thought about the meaning of the name, he called it the C.E.S.H. Building, pronouncing it “kesh”. No one but the Board of Directors and some Government agencies called it by its official name. Steve remembered being told a translation of the scientific terminology would be, “The Center for Displaced Reproduction of the Species”.

Steve considered this whole thing an ironic title at best, as the people being reproduced were not flesh and blood at all, but people with remarkably advanced, miniature computers instead of brains, and plastic or electronic components instead of the other organs. Steve was aware of how the C.E.S.H persons were becoming very difficult to distinguish from the humans.

As he got closer, he tried remembering the various models pictured in the catalog for secretaries. He knew she would have to look considerably different than Beth the housekeeper he’d purchased about one and one half years ago.

Arriving at his destination, he stopped his musing.

A strikingly beautiful receptionist greeted him.

“May I be of service Sir?” She smiled, as she swiped her auburn hair around her pierced ear.

Her question, the universal prompt by C.E.S.H. persons, cooled him immediately.

She must be a C.E.S.H. person. It’s so hard to tell the difference these days.

“I’m Steve Renna and am looking for a secretary.”

“I’ll get Mr. Holden to help you with that.”

She buzzed Mr. Holden on the intercom.

“There’s a Mr. Steve Renna who would like to see you about a secretary.”

She turned toward him with her brilliant blue eyes.

“May I please have your I.D. number Mr. Renna?” Her voice deep yet soothing

“Sure, it’s SR108565-12.”

As she punched the ID sequence into the Compu-monitor, she began to read aloud.

“You paid for your previous purchase promptly, earn 43,000 Credits a year, own a business and employ fewer than three employees, which is the maximum the government will allow for purchasing C.E.S.H. persons. You are also 5 feet 10 inches tall, weigh 185 lbs., have black hair and brown eyes, and are an eligible and good-looking bachelor.”

“The Compu-monitor said all that?”

“No, I added the descriptive adjectives and your marital status.”

“Well I thank you,” he said, feeling flattered.

She couldn’t possibly be a C.E.S.H. person. They would never think of saying a thing like that, nor would they have such sparkling eyes as they generally don’t show much emotion.

From the corner of his eye Steve noticed a bald, stocky man of about medium height with glasses walking toward him in a quick business-like manner.

“Mr. Renna this is Mr. Holden.”

Mr. Holden smiled while shaking Steve’s hand.

“Please follow me to the secretarial section”, he said.

As they were walking down a long corridor, Mr. Holden embarked on a new subject.

“You understand, of course, why the Government limits a businessman to the purchase of only two C.E.S.H. employees for his business.”

Without waiting for a reply, he went on,

“You see they must maintain the level of employment. This has been mandated by H.E.G.A - ‘Human Employment Guarantee Act’. The real persons you hire, can of course, purchase a C.E.S.H. person to work on the job for them.”

They arrived at the secretarial section. He was impressed with the large room with glass-enclosed cubicles lining the wall. The room lighting was subdued with each cubicle lit by a small spotlight placed above and slightly in front, highlighting the models.

Each cubicle contained a different secretarial model within. They were of many sizes, shapes and apparent ages. Steve read the catalog numbers displayed on the cubicle plaques which ranged from #Sec-450-A to #Sec-600-G as he walked along.

They came to one cubicle off by itself. Mr. Holden started rubbing his hands gleefully together.

“Mr. Renna, this is our coup-de-grace. This is #Sec-750-xpl.”

Steve saw an attractive blonde, but other attractive models filled the room.

“What’s special about her?”

Mr. Holden stiffened as if struck by a blow.

“In addition to her unusually good looks, Mr. Renna, she is capable of highly advanced and highly individualized thoughts and actions. As her catalog number stipulates, she is an experimental model. There is a limited number available and we are selling them on a trial basis, awaiting responses from buyers, before going into full-scale production.”

Steve moved closer for a better look. Her eyes did seem more human than a regular C.E.S.H. person.

“What can she do?”

Mr. Holden opened the cubicle, stepped on the platform behind the model and pressed the activator button concealed under the ‘skin’ at the base of her neck. Her eyes immediately brightened and her body lost its stiffness.

“#Sec-750-xpl this is Mr. Renna. I would like to have him ask you some questions to show him what you can do.”

The Secretarial model turned toward Steve at the introduction and smiled.

“Mr. Renna, feel free to ask her questions if you wish.”

Steve nodded slowly, “Miss 750-xpl, suppose I told you I had some extremely important work to do and didn’t want to be bothered by anyone. Let’s further suppose that a Mr. Brown came to you and insisted on seeing me, saying it was urgent. How would you handle it?”

“Of course you understand that without specific instructions from you as to what to say, I must tell the truth. But, what I would say is - I’m sorry Mr. Brown, Mr. Renna said he is extremely busy and left word not to be disturbed. However, since you say it is urgent, state your problem and I will interrupt him and tell him what it is. If it is possible for Mr. Renna to break away he will, if he cannot I will tell you so. The decision would then be yours as to whether Mr. Brown’s problem is urgent enough or important enough for you to stop what you are doing.”

Steve looked the model over carefully, “I’m very impressed. I’ll take her. The only thing, however, is that my clientele is rather conservative, and a blonde looks just a little too flashy. Can I have one with dark brown hair and brown eyes?”

“No problem.”

Mr. Holden deactivated her by turning off the switch under her skin. She stiffened and her eyes glazed over.

Mr. Holden said, “There are a few more features I would like to acquaint you with. First of all, you can program her to do something yourself, if you wish, by merely preceding your instructions with the words ‘I want you to learn this and do it until I tell you to stop.’

Secondly, she has auto-programming. This means she will continue to learn by what she sees, hears and reads. Your reaction to what she has learned will determine whether she stores the information in her memory banks or discards it. Another thing, and this is a stipulation we make, she must be treated like a normal, real person. This means, that unlike the other secretarial models, you cannot leave her in the office overnight. Her major asset is that she has auto-programming and continues to learn. She cannot do so in a darkened office. You must take her home every night. She must have a room of her own and she will have her supper with you on weekday nights. On weekends, if you prefer, she will eat alone.

I noticed that smile when I said she will eat. It’s true. She can eat and swallow her food. It will then remain stored in a special compartment in her body where it becomes biodegradable.”

“It sounds like she can do everything a human can do. I feel like I’m taking home a real person.”

Surprisingly, Mr. Holden didn’t laugh.

“You are closer to the truth than you realize, Mr. Renna. She can do almost anything a real person can do, and I do mean almost anything. I don’t want to overwhelm you at this time, but we will schedule an appointment for a month from now. I’m sure you will have many questions at that time and be better able to understand the answers.”

Mr. Holden went to a wall intercom and ordered a model #SEC-750-xpl, with dark brown hair and brown eyes.”

“We’ll wait here. The technician will bring her to us. Because of your good credit rating, you can take her home with you now.”

When the door opened,...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 22.12.2017
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Science Fiction
• ISBN-10: 1-5439-1893-X / 154391893X
• ISBN-13: 978-1-5439-1893-9 / 9781543918939