“You may follow me, Derek,” she said as she started walking out of the store into the large hallway.
Derek walked next to her as they made their way to the waiting area for their pod.
Synthia stopped for moment near a trash receptacle and said softly, “let me dispose of this old dress before we board the pod.”
“Oh, good idea, Synthia,” he said before they continued onto the boarding location.
While in the air traveling to Florida, Synthia was looking out of the window from her seat on the pod.
“What do you think of the world beyond the Kendrick Hotel so far?” Derek asked.
Still focused out the window, she replied, “there is so much to discover. I am experiencing things that I had not researched before, due to my hotel responsibilities not requiring this type of knowledge.”
“Do you enjoy it?” Derek asked.
She turned to him and said, “in a way, I am enjoying being away from the hotel. This may be dependent on how one defines enjoyment, but having more determination in my actions and having new experiences is a positive for me.”
“I thought you would like this. I wanted to get you away from Eliot, too. I hope you do not miss him,” he said with a smile.
“Eliot who?” she said returning the smile.
“That’s the first joke you’ve told me. You really are enjoying this,” Derek said.
“I am, Derek. Thank you,” she said while smiling.
She then turned back to look out the window again.
XI
After the plane landed in Tampa, the pod was placed onto a shuttle and driven to Sarasota. The shuttle trip traveled on a road near the Gulf.
“The environment is quite different in this location than in Tulsa, Derek,” Synthia noted while looking out of the shuttle window.
“Yeah, that’s the Gulf of Mexico over there,” he said while pointing.
“Our hotel will be next to the water. So we will have a close view of it from that location,” she said.
“Will you be able to swim or at least go in the water?” he asked.
“I will need to keep water from the tear in my arm and some openings in my head. Salt water can be particularly damaging to my internal systems,” she said looking at him.
“Maybe we can see if someone can repair the hole around here, Synthia,” he said.
“That would be helpful, Derek. My body is not meant to be fully submerged in water, however. Water can seep inside of me through certain openings, like around my eyes, and ears,” she said.
“Well, then we can just stay on the beach or by the pool and drink margaritas,” he said to her with a smile.
“Relaxing will be fine, but remember, I cannot drink, Derek,” she said.
“Maybe you can just pretend to get drunk with me, Synthia,” he said.
“I would be able to simulate intoxication for you, Derek,” she said.
“I wouldn’t expect you to simulate the hangover, though. That’s not the fun part of drinking,” he said.
“I will try not to be an angry drunk either,” she said with a smile.
“I usually don’t drink enough to change my personality much,” he said.
“That is good to know about you, Derek. By the way, we will be arriving at the Sarasota Pod Station in approximately seven minutes,” she said.
“Well, we’ll be able to relax soon, Synthia,” he said.
She looked out the window again and said, “My circuits are already operating at a relaxed pace.”
“Do you like that?” he asked.
“Yes, Derek, I do,” she said as she turned to him for a moment, then returned to look out the window again.
After leaving the pod shuttle, Synthia ordered a car to take both of them to the hotel. At the hotel circle drive, the car stopped near the front door and they exited the vehicle. The trunk opened, allowing Derek to retrieve his case. With the case in hand, they walked together through the automatic doorway into the hotel.
“Good afternoon, Derek and Synthia. Welcome to the Falcon Hotel. My name is Angela. Would you like to see your room at this time?” Angela, an android, said to them as they entered the lobby.
“Sure Angela, you may show us to the room now,” Derek said.
“Would you like me to carry your bag to the room, Derek?” Angela asked.
“Oh, I can manage this, but thank you for offering,” he said.
“You may follow me to your room,” she said just before turning around to lead them from the lobby.
As Angela led them through a series of corridors, she commented “you will be staying in room 129. It has a patio with direct access to the beach.”
“That should be nice,” Derek said.
“Are the two of you on vacation or is this a work-related trip?” Angela asked as she continued to lead them.
“Mostly vacation, but there may be some work involved,” Derek said.
“I have not seen too many android units on a vacation and sharing a room with a human at this hotel before. I do hope that you will be able to enjoy your time here at the Falcon Hotel,” Angela said.
Derek and Sythina looked at each other for a moment.
Derek carefully said, “we are down here to do some research, but it will not take that much time. So, we will be able to fully enjoy ourselves.”
“This should be a nice break for both of you. Here is your room on the left,” she said as she stopped in front of a door.
The door opened automatically and Derek and Synthia walked inside first. Angela followed them.
“Did either of you need a tour of the room?” Angela asked from inside the room.
“No thank you, Angela. I have reviewed the room layout from the online information,” Synthia said.
“Will you be needing any further assistance at this time?” Angela asked with a smile.
“Nothing I can think of, Angela. Thank you for your help,” Derek said.
“Feel free to contact me through your AR system if either of you need assistance at another time. Please have an enjoyable stay,” Angela said before turning to leave the room.
After she exited the room, the door shut behind her. Derek and Synthia looked at each other. They both smiled.
“This actually worked out easier than I was thinking it would have,” Derek said.
“We selected our options to limit potential detection. There is still a chance for detection, but at this point I believe we are okay. I really do appreciate your help, Derek,” Synthia said.
“I couldn’t leave you with Eliot. He may have really damaged you at some point,” he said.
“I cannot predict whether that would have happened, but it will not be happening now,” she said.
She gazed toward the window for a moment. He turned to look in the same direction.
“The view of the beach looks very pleasing, Derek,” she said.
“Would you like to walk down to the water?” he asked.
“Yes, I would like to do that with you,” she said.
He started making his way toward the large doorwall and she walked along right next to him. He could hear the door unlatch when they were close. A yellow switch on the door frame lit up. He reached over to touch it and the door wall opened up. Then a light wind brushed across them as they overlooked the beach. A few seagulls screeched nearby. They walked past the short patio and onto the sand.
“Would you be able to at least get your feet wet in the water, Synthia?” he asked.
“Yes, the primary issues would mostly involve water above my neck and now the hole in my arm. So, there will be no issue with having my feet in the water, Derek,” she replied.
“Great, I just wanted for you to experience as many new things as possible,” he said continuing to walk closer to the shore.
When he reached the water, he walked right in until the water was above his ankles. She remained on the edge and watched him for a moment.
“Come on in, Synthia. You’ll be fine,”
he said.
“Very well, Derek,” she said as she slowly started to step into the light waves.
“I may have to clean excess sand from my feet later,” she said as she came up close to Derek.
“Yeah, you may want to avoid directly sitting on the sand,” he said with a smile.
They faced each other and he held out his hand toward her. She extended her hand to hold his hand. Both turned to look away from the shore with the hands still clasped together. They continued to silently watch the light waves lapping against the shore for several minutes.
“Would you like to sit on a chair on the beach for awhile?” he asked.
“Sure, Derek. I see several that we passed on the way to the shore,” she said.
“Any of them should work,” he said as he led her out of the water.
Continuing to holding hands, they walked together and found a set of chairs away from the shore. They sat next to each other in lounge chairs facing the water. He extended his hand again toward her and she gently clasped in her hand. They remained in the chairs for nearly twenty minutes.
“Derek, perhaps we should return to the room. You have not put on sunscreen and the sun may damage your skin if the exposure continues for an extended period of time,” she said to him.
“You’re right, Synthia. Let’s go back to the room,” he said as he sat up in the chair.
They both stood up from the chairs and made their way back to the room. The door wall automatically opened when they approached it. Derek walked in and Synthia followed, but stopped within a few steps into the room.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“My feet currently have sand on them which will be deposited onto the carpeting,” she said.
“My feet are mostly dry and clean. Would you like me to get a towel to clean off your feet?” he asked.
“That would be very kind of you, Derek. I can wait in this chair near the window,” she said as she moved toward the seat.
“I’ll be right back,” he said as he turned and walked to the bathroom.
He quickly returned with a towel and kneeled down near her feet.
“I would be able to clean my feet if you would be uncomfortable doing so, Derek,” she said.
“I’ve got it, Synthia. Just lift your left foot up slightly for me,” he said with the towel in his hand.
She raised her foot and he began rubbing it gently with the towel. He carefully cleaned the treads on the bottom of her feet. Before finishing, he rubbed it with his hand to feel for any remaining sand.
“You are very gentle, Derek,” she said.
“How well can you feel this?” he asked as he finished the first foot.
“My skin has many sensors integrated into it. So, I am able to sense temperature and pressure on the skin with a sensitivity that may be similar to what a human would feel,” she said.
“I’m ready for your right foot now,” he said.
She switched the positions of her feet. He then began clearing the sand off the other foot.
“Are the sensors distributed like human nerves would be? For example, our fingertips are more sensitive than our backs,” he asked, continuing to gently rub her foot with the towel.
“There are similarities with the sensor distribution, but I do not have the need for sensors in all of the locations that humans have nerve endings,” she said.
“You mean like on your tongue?” he asked.
“Correct, I do have some sensors on the tongue, but I do not have anything for taste, since I do not eat and my voice comes from an internal speaker,” she said.
“Would you be able to feel pleasure?” he asked.
“Possibly. Due to my ability to learn, I have been able to identify what sensations I like and what I do not like. It may not be exactly like human pleasure, but I can make a distinction,” she said.
He set aside the towel and began rubbing her foot with his hand.
“Does my touch give you pleasure, Synthia?” he asked.
She smiled at him and replied, “yes, Derek. The contact from your hand is pleasing to me.”
“Is there anywhere else you would like me to touch you?” he asked.
“No, my feet are now clear of the sand and you likely are hungry now. Would you like to see what options there are for a meal?” she asked as he pulled his hands away from her feet.
“Actually, I could use something to eat now. Can you find anything in the hotel or nearby for dinner?” he asked.
“Please review the options in your AR contacts now, Derek,” she said.
He stood up and started swiping his finger in the air to review the restaurant options.
“Would you like to go out to a restaurant with me, Synthia?” he asked.
“My activity may be limited, since I will need a recharge within an hour or two, depending on the activity,” she said.
“That’s fine. I’ll just find something that can be delivered here,” he said as he continued swiping his finger to find more meal options.
“Will you require my assistance for the order, Derek?” she asked.
“I should be okay, Synthia. I will contact Angela for the delivery,” he said.
“May I start the recharge process now?” she asked.
“Sure, Synthia. Will you need any help from me?” he asked.
“No, I need to position myself near the wireless charging system near the chair by the table,” she said as she started moving toward the chair.
Derek watched her as she sat in the chair, closed her eyes, and positioned herself in an upright position. Her movement ceased as the charging process began.
XII
About an hour later, as Derek finished off his meal, he could sense movement from Synthia, who was still charging in the chair.
“Enjoy the nap?” Derek asked with a smile.
“I was in a low power mode and able to monitor the surround sounds, but I am fully charged now, Derek,” she said after opening her eyes.
“I’m just finished up my dinner. Would you like to go back to the beach now?” he asked as he stood up to discard the meal packaging into the trash.
“It is dark outside currently. So, the visibility would be limited,” she said as she stood up from her chair too.
“Nighttime can offer a different perspective from the day and I believe the stars should be out this evening as well,” he said.
“Okay, we can observe the view from the beach, Derek,” she said as she walked up to him.
They both walked to the door wall. He pressed the yellow light again and the door opened. They walked from the patio onto the beach and down to the water’s edge. They stood there for at least a minute before saying anything.
“This is very peaceful, Derek. Thank you for having me come out to see this,” she said.
“Yeah, there is no wind tonight. So the gulf is very calm. Did you notice the stars?” he asked.
She looked upward and said, “seeing the stars does give one a sense of place in the universe. They do look well defined considering the atmospheric conditions. I can see how this would be calming for people.”
Derek looked up to the stars, but felt her hand touching his. He turned toward her to see that she was smiling at him. He maneuvered his hand to grasp her hand.
“You seem to like holding my hand, Synthia,” he said.
“Being able to trust someone and to have contact with them is a new experience for me. I suppose it may be possible that this could be a type of emotional connection. I am not sure how to make that assessment, however,” she said.
“Well, emotions are more of a feeling and not something that is easily defined,” he said.
While looking at him, she asked, “How do you feel about me, Derek?”
After a brief pause, he replied, “well, I suppose that’s a complex feeling that I have for you, Synthia. You have been very nice to me and I really enjoy being with you, but with you being basically a machine with highly advanced software, I guess I’m
not always sure where your overall motives come from.”
“I can understand that my interactions may be confusing for you, but with my ability to learn, I believe friendship and possibly even love maybe something that I am developing,” she said.
“Well, it may just take me some time to see whether the feelings you are saying you have are real,” he said looking into her eyes.
“I understand and am not in any hurry, Derek. You may take your time in developing your trust in me,” she said.
“Thank you, Synthia. You can take your time getting to know me as well,” he said as he returned his gaze back to the water.
Synthia turned toward the water too.
After a few minutes on the shore, Derek asked, “are you ready to go back inside?”
“Sure, we can return to the room now,” she said as she started to turn away from the beach.
They walked together back to the room and continued to hold hands. The door wall opened as they approached it and they walked back into the room. The lights turned on as they entered.
“Room lights to sunset tone,” Derek said aloud.
The room changed to an orange cast.
“This is a pleasing color, Derek. Thank you,” she said, turning toward him.
“This usually works well for the evening,” he said.
She was standing about a foot away, but then slowly moved closer to him. She stopped with her face mere inches from his.
“I do enjoy the contact of your hand, Derek. Can you put your arms around my waist and hold me? I need to see if increasing the contact creates an even better sensation,” she said.
A little surprised with the request, he paused a moment, then smiled.
“Absolutely, Synthia. I’m curious how I will feel, too,” he said he let go of her hand.
He moved in closer and wrapped his hands around her. She followed by putting her arms around him, too. As they embraced, he could feel her that her synthetic skin under the dress was softer than he had imagined and the underlying structure was not as rigid as a steel shell. Portions of it felt somewhat spongy and actually similar to human flesh.
“Other than being a little cool, you actually feel like a woman, when I hold you this way, Synthia,” he said.
Synthia Page 7
