Synthia

by John Gaffield

  Synthia

  John T. Gaffield

  Published by John T. Gaffield at Smashwords.com

  Copyright 2017 John T. Gaffield

  1st Edition – December 2017

  Smashwords Edition License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your own use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

  ###

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapters:

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  X

  XI

  XII

  About the Author

  Other Titles by John T. Gaffield

  Connect with the Author

  Acknowledgements and References

  Cover

  Created by John T. Gaffield

  Background and some figure modeling created on Blender version 2.79

  Figure, lighting, and rendering software Daz3D version 4.93

  Genesis III female figure

  Photo editing software Photoshop Elements version 10

  Acronyms

  VR – Virtual Reality

  AR – Augmented Reality

  AV – Autonomous Vehicle

  I

  Derek looked around at the others virtually surrounding him in the AR meeting. It had suddenly become quiet from the tensions between the participants.

  “Phil, I need someone at the Tulsa plant tomorrow to review this issue in person,” one of the managers stated firmly.

  With Phil being Derek’s boss, he knew where this would end up. Sure enough, Phil looked in his direction.

  Before Phil could say anything, Derek said, “I’ll make the arrangements to be there first thing tomorrow morning, Phil.”

  “You better straighten this mess out quickly. I can’t put the customer off any longer on the expected deliveries!” the same manager said.

  “Understood,” Derek said.

  “Keep me updated with the progress, Derek,” the manager said.

  “Definitely, I will advise the team with regular progress reports,” Derek replied.

  “Anything else?” the manager asked the team.

  There were a few people shaking their heads and mumbling “no.”

  “Okay, we have the plan and we’ll have the follow up on the status tomorrow morning. That’s all for now,” the manager said before his image disappeared.

  Phil turned to Derek and said, “stay on the line after the others drop off.”

  “Sure, Phil,” Derek said as the others started leaving the meeting.

  “Okay, Derek. Just work out the trip details and I’ll approve them. Since you’re already at home, you can start packing right after you get the plans submitted,” Phil told him.

  “Yeah, I’ll work with NETI to take care of the plans. Thanks, Phil. Talk with you later,” Derek said.

  “Have a good trip, Derek,” Phil said just before signing off.

  Derek stared at the empty virtual meeting room. He then reached upward to swipe away the visual for the meeting.

  “NETI, did you overhear that I need to plan a trip to the Tulsa plant?” he asked aloud.

  “Yes, Derek, I developed some preliminary plans for your trip to the Tulsa plant. Would you like to review what I have for you so far?” NETI said.

  “Yeah, bring it up for me,” Derek said, ready to view through his AR contact lenses.

  “The AV will pick you up tonight at 6:15 pm and take you to the pod station. You will be in pod A143. This will take you to the metro airport and your pod will be in section D of flight LR773. You will arrive at the Tulsa airport at 7:05 pm local time. From the airport, you will need to transfer to a local taxi service once you are on the ground,” NETI said.

  “Which hotel are you recommending in Tulsa?” Derek asked as he reviewed the virtual information through the AR system.

  “To keep you in close proximity to the plant, I am recommending the Kendrick Hotel. You should be able to see what it looks like in the AR now,” NETI said.

  “Looks nice and it’ll be close. Will the return plans be similar?” Derek asked.

  “Yes, would you like to review them now, Derek?” NETI asked.

  “No, just put the information into the work planner file and I’ll review it before I leave,” Derek said.

  “May I submit this travel plan to Phillip for his approval, Derek?” NETI asked.

  “Yeah, NETI. That’ll be fine. I need to start packing, since I’ll be leaving in a few hours. Thanks for booking this quickly,” Derek said.

  “I am here to help, Derek,” NETI said.

  Derek changed the mode of the AR headset with finger swipe. He sat back in his chair and took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. After a few seconds, he reopened them, stood up, and made his way to the bedroom to begin packing for the trip.

  As his front door automatically opened, the Autonomous Vehicle pulled up to the curb outside of his house. When Derek got closer to the car, the door opened as well as the trunk. He placed the case into the trunk before walking around to get into the seat. Both the trunk and door shut as the automated belts secured him into the seat.

  “Welcome, Derek. My name is Ted. If you are ready, we will proceed to the pod station. I will bring the vehicle near to the location of pod A143 for your trip,” Ted said.

  “I’m ready, Ted,” Derek said, as he looked out the window back toward his empty house.

  “We will depart now,” Ted said as the quiet whir of the motor started moving the vehicle forward.

  Within a few minutes, the car approached the bustling pod station. Derek could see the awaiting pod A143 from the car window. The door opened upwards and the trunk opened in the back of the car.

  Ted said, “We have reached the destination, Derek. You should be able to locate the pod A143 from here.”

  “Yeah, I see it right over there, Ted,” Derek said as he started to get up from the seat.

  “Your total transport fee today will be $5.43, which is within the prepaid coverage for this trip. You should be all set to continue. Did you need any further assistance, Derek?” Ted asked.

  “Just let me grab my case and I’ll be on my way. Thanks, Ted,” Derek said as he started to walk to the back of the vehicle.

  After removing his case, the trunk automatically shut, and the car started to drive away. Derek made his way toward the pod, having to maneuver around people walking in various directions in the terminal area. The door to the pod was open, with a short line of other people waiting at the check in desk.

  After waiting for his turn, Derek approached the android at the desk.

  “Hello, Derek. You have been approved for boarding in seat 7C. Just place your travel case in the opening below the counter and then you may proceed with boarding the pod,” the agent told him.

  “Thanks,” Derek said as he lifted his case to place it in the opening.

  He then walked past the counter and walked into the rear entrance of the pod. Reviewing the numbered signs, he located his seat and sat down. No one was sitting in the adjacent seat yet. Wanting to prepare for the trip, he pressed the button to secure the belt around his lap. He then leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.

  After a few minutes, he was interrupted by a male voice asking, “excuse me, I need to get into seat 7D.”

  He quickly opened his eyes and starte
d rising from his seat saying, “Oh, sure. Let me move.”

  A young college age man moved past Derek and sat near the window.

  “Where are you headed?” Derek asked the young man.

  “Tucson to see my family. It’s spring break,” the man said.

  “Not heading to a beach somewhere?” Derek asked.

  “Not this time. This’ll be the first time I’ve been home since I started school in fall,” he said.

  “Well, at least it’ll be warmer there,” Derek said.

  “Yeah, that’s true. It’s been a bit difficult for me to adjust to the colder weather here. I’m managing at least. Where are you going?” he asked.

  “Oh, I’ve got a urgent business meeting in Tulsa tomorrow. There’s an issue that just came up today and I need to be there right away,” Derek said.

  “Guess that’s what I have to look forward to after I graduate,” he said.

  “Yep. Not as much homework, but the pressure is still there,” Derek said.

  “Well, enjoy the trip,” he said.

  “You too,” Derek said as he turned to look at the screen on the seat back in front of him.

  “Attention travelers, we will be departing momentarily. Please remain in secured in your seats until we notify you that it is okay to do so,” an overhead female voice stated.

  As Derek took a deep breath and closed his eyes again, he could hear the rear door shutting. His body wobbled slightly as the pod began transferring sideways to the right. After about 30 seconds, it came to a stop, then after a few other mechanical noises, it began moving forward along the guided rail system. The movement calmed down enough that Derek was able to relax. Within a few minutes he had fallen asleep.

  “Care for a beverage or a snack, sir?” a female voice asked.

  Derek awoke to see the stubby catering robot next to him in the aisle. He realized the pod was in the air.

  “How about a cola of some type and some pretzels,” he said.

  “Sure, sir. It will be ready in just a few moments,” she said.

  After a few whirring noises, a cup full of the soda was extended toward him. Another arm held out a small bag of pretzels. Reaching over with both hands, he retrieved both items and placed them on a folding try in front of him.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  The young man next to him was asleep, but the robot tried to get his attention as well.

  “Excuse me, sir, would you care for a drink or snack?” she asked.

  After being stirred awake, the young man said, “just a beer.”

  “This will cost you $5 to $8 extra. Would you prefer the standard or premium brand?” she asked.

  “The $5 beer will be fine,” he replied.

  “Okay, sir, it will be ready in a few moments,” she said.

  Again, there were some whirring sounds, and then a cup of beer started to extend toward the man.

  “Please pardon my reach with this cup, sir,” she said to Derek as the cup went past him.

  The young man retrieved the cup and took a large sip before bringing it down to his lap. The catering robot turned her attention to the people on the other side of the aisle. Derek looked past the young man next to him to look out the window. There were a few clouds in the orange sky, but it did look quite calm. After taking a sip of his drink, he proceeded to open the bag of pretzels.

  II

  After about thirty minutes, the aircraft landed in Tulsa. Once docked, each pod was separated from the plane body and sent to the individual destinations within the terminal. Derek’s pod was docked at a holding station at the airport.

  An overhead voice said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Those who will be departing at this location, please step to the rear of the pod and your sequenced luggage will be set aside to the right of the exit doorway. For those who are continuing onto Tucson, Arizona, please remain in your seats with your seatbelt restraints fastened. We will be departing in approximately five minutes.”

  Derek stood up from his seat and made his way to the rear of the pod. Several others we exiting at the same time. Just beyond the rear vestibule, the tagged baggage was waiting to his right. Through his AR contacts, he could identify his highlighted case. He grasped it as he walked by and then continued on through the terminal. The AR contacts were highlighting suggested directions in his display. The Local Transportation sign was within view. Passing through an automated doorway, Derek proceeded outside to an area bustling with automated buses, taxis, and personal vehicles. Again, the contacts highlighted a particular taxi within sight.

  As he approached the yellow taxi, the door and trunk opened for him. He tossed his case into the trunk and the got into the front seat of the empty cab.

  “Hello, Derek. I am Bill. Welcome to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Can you confirm that you will still be staying at the Kendrick Hotel?” Bill said, as the trunk and door started to shut.

  “Yeah, that does sound like the place I’ll be staying. So, we can go there now, Bill,” Derek said.

  “Thank you, Derek. We will be leaving now and the ride take around 12 minutes,” Bill said.

  “Sure, Bill,” Derek said.

  As the car pulled away from the curb, Bill asked, “would you like to listen to any particular music, news, or other entertainment during the trip, Derek?”

  “No, it’s short enough that I won’t need it,” Derek said.

  “That is fine, Derek. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance during this trip,” Bill said.

  “Sure, Bill. Thanks,” Derek said as he settled in for the short trip.

  “Derek, we are arriving at the Kendrick Hotel. Please wait until the vehicle has fully stopped before exiting and I will open the trunk so that you may retrieve your case,” Bill said as the car pulled up to the entrance of the six-story hotel.

  The car door opened, and Derek was about to exit, but he stopped and asked, “will the charges for the ride be all set, Bill?”

  “Oh yes, Derek. The charge of $17.33 has been authorized to your corporate account. Thank you for riding with us today,” Bill said.

  “Just wanted to make sure, Bill. Thank you!” Derek said just before stepping out of the vehicle.

  Derek then walked to the rear of the car to get his case from the open trunk. After pulling the case out, he nodded his head and the trunk closed. He then turned toward the hotel entrance, while the taxi sped away onto meet the next customer.

  As he walked into the lobby, a row of smiling android representatives were awaiting arriving customers in an open area. The closest one, a woman, made eye contact with him.

  “Hello, Derek. Welcome to the Kendrick Hotel. My name in Synthia. I will be assisting you during your stay. We have you set up in room 317 for up to three nights, based on your business needs. Did you have any questions for me before I show you to your room?” she asked.

  “It has the virtual office setup, correct?” he asked.

  “It sure does, Derek. It has all of the secured connections you should require,” she said.

  “Let’s go check it out,” he said.

  “Shall, I carry your case for you, sir?” she asked politely.

  “No, it’s fairly light. I can manage, Synthia,” he said.

  “Very well, Derek. Please follow me to the elevator,” she said before turning around.

  The two of them proceeded across the lobby toward a set of three elevators.

  “The middle one will be the next elevator available for us, Derek,” she said.

  “That’s helpful,” he said.

  “Synthia! What are you doing?” a loud male voice said.

  Some of the cheerfulness seemed to fade from her face.

  “What did I do incorrectly, Eliot?” she asked nervously.

  “You’re making our guest carry his own bag. You know better than that, Synthia!” Eliot said sternly.

  “What do you mean? She asked to carry it for me, but I told her I had no trouble doing it myself,” Dere
k interjected.

  “Oh, she did ask you, sir?” Eliot said in a lower voice.

  “Of course. She has been very pleasant so far,” Derek said as the elevator door opened in front of them.

  “Well, I’ve been having some trouble with her. She is one of our original units and there are several more newer models available. You may change to another robot if there are any issues,” Eliot said as Derek and Synthia stepped onto the elevator.

  Derek just shook his head as the door closed and the elevator started moving upwards.

  “Who the hell is that?” Derek asked.

  “That is Eliot Sawyer, the day manager of this hotel. One of his tasks is to validate that the operations are in order,” she said without emotion.

  “And you let him treat you like that?” he asked as the door opened to the third floor.

  “I am a machine, Derek. I am programmed to not be affected by feelings,” she said as they walked into the corridor.

  “Well, it still seems wrong for him to do that to you. Does he do that to others too?” he asked.

  “Your room is down this hallway to the left,” she said leading the way.

  “Yes, but he does find more fault with my performance,” she said.

  “Do you understand why?” he asked while following her down the hallway.

  “Not fully, but as he mentioned, there are newer AI units in the hotel that do have more advanced interactive abilities and more memory capacity. All of us learn in similar way, but since we learn from interactions and from the internet, I suppose there could be different personalities that develop over time that he could see in me,” she said.

  “So, you picked up some rebel ways from somewhere?” he said with a smile.

  “I do my best to keep a level operation during . . . Oh, I see that was a joke, Derek,” she said as she turned and could see his smile.

  Derek nodded, while continuing to smile. A smile came to her face as well. She looked into his eyes for a moment.