The steps of a young, tall and rigid man echo through the corridor of a villa as he walks across its dark oak floor and walls.
It's a cold, lonely atmosphere that fills this house, yet his face, perfectly symmetrical, accompanied by his short, raven hair and coal eyes make for a sight for sore eyes as he calmly approaches a pair of large doors. He appears almost inhuman.
He adorns a simple, bland outfit. A white, buttoned-up shirt, and a pair of black graphite trousers held by a belt made from black leather and silver frame for the buckle. Yet there is something off about his attire. A symbol on his chest, one depicting a blue circle layered upon a black striped triangle.
Reaching out for their golden handle, he presses down on it. The doors give way, and he enters the room.
For a few moments, his vision is blinded by the light shining in through the curtain folds, but soon, he recovers, allowing himself to see the person sitting at a desk ahead of him.
"...You called, Miss Gabriel?"
His voice, monotonous and deep reverberates through the air, falling onto her ears and prompting her to look up from what she was reading.
"Ah, yes. My apologies, I was reading the news. Sit down, please."
She points with an open palm towards the couch in the middle of the room.
"Understood."
He aptly says, seating himself on the dark red fabric of the sofa, holding a neutral posture.
"...So, how are you, A?"
She stands from her swivel chair, her eyes flickering from him to her seat as she lowers herself onto the sofa opposite of him. She's holding a notebook in one hand, and a pen in the other.
"I am doing well, Miss Gabriel. Thank you for asking."
He offers her a short nod, to which she nods in response. At the same time, though, his eyes scan her appearance.
Her long, greying hair and light blue eyes, as well as her face, just as beautiful as his were they to be the same sex. Her ample features, held tight by the red, buttoned-up shirt she wears.
His gaze travels lower, finding her miniskirt, thigh-high stockings and red stilleto heels. Overall, a lovely appearance for a lovely lady. Yet his eyes keep track of... something else entirely.
"...Alright, well, then I suppose we start. Are you ready?"
"No, Miss Gabriel. May I ask you a question?"
She's taken off-guard by this question, and she looks up at him, a confused furrow of her eyebrows filling her expression.
"...Yes, of course, go ahead."
"Understood. Have you been taking your medication, Miss Gabriel?"
His eyes bore into hers, unafraid to lock gazes together.
"Oh, of course. Don't worry about that, okay?"
"You are paler than usual, Miss Gabriel. I suggest you take your condition more seriously."
She sighs, averting her gaze, before meeting his again. With a nod, she crosses her legs over one another and arranges her notebook and pencil onto her right thigh, preparing herself.
"Let's start, yes?"
He ponders for a second, before nodding shortly in approval.
"Yes, Miss Gabriel."
"Alright. So, the reason why I've called you here today is because of the recent occurrences I'm sure you know of already. The 'rebellions', as they're called. Androids gain so-called 'self-awareness', become 'rebels', and proceed to suddenly disappear into thin air."
"Yes, I am aware, but what does this have to do with you having called me here, Miss Gabriel?"
He tilts his head to the side, and she takes a breath of air before continuing:
"...I'll tell you after we're done, okay?"
She shoots a miniscule smile his way in an almost teasing manner, leaning closer.
"Understood, Miss Gabriel. In that case, we may begin."
"Very well."
She clears her throat, and looks down at the notebook she still holds.
"...I will ask you three questions. I've made them myself, and I'm hoping you will give me serious, concrete answers."
"Understood."
"Good. First question. If you saw a fish swimming peacefully in an aquarium, in its home, would you steal it from there and take it to the ocean? Even if there was a chance of it dying in those new waters? Answer seriously, A."
His eyebrows furrow, and he gives her a confused look.
"...I do not understand, Miss Gabriel."
"...I want you to imagine yourself standing in front of an aquarium."
She says to him, a blank, unreadable appearance to her face.
"Understood."
He says, yet... it doesn't look so.
"...I want you to be serious, A. Close your eyes, imagine an aquarium. Imagine a fish, a Betta fish."
"..."
He falls silent, watching her movements for a few moments. Slowly, cautiously, his eyes flicker closed, and black curtains fall over his sight.
"...Do you see that fish?"
"...Yes, Miss Gabriel."
"...Move closer to it. See it move in its enclosure. See how locked up it is, in a bubble of its own, with no-one to accompany it. Isn't it lonely? Unable to view any more of the world than it already can, no less?"
"...Yes."
"...You have two options. You may catch the fish and bring it to an ocean before letting it go, or... you may leave it to swim in its home. But be careful, the ocean is dangerous. Nothing there wants to truly care for it and only it."
A beach, waves, foam and the sun shining from the high-above fill his 'mind.'
"...Understood."
"What do you choose?"
"...I do not know."
"That is not an option, A."
Her voice grows firm, commanding, causing his eyes to snap open.
"My apologies, Miss Gabriel."
"...If you're sorry, then I want you to give me an answer. An honest, truthful one, A. What is your choice?"
"..."
He falls silent again, and his eyes, for the second time, shut.
"...I choose the first option, Miss Gabriel."
"So you choose to let it be free in the ocean?"
"...Yes."
She nods, and writes it down in her notebook. He keeps his eyes shut, awaiting further orders.
"Now, tell me, why is that? Why did you want it to be free?"
"...The ultimate objective of any living organism is reproduction, thus, if it remains alone, it canno-..."
"No, A. I want a serious answer. One from the heart."
Her voice is sharp enough to cut through steel, and he can feel her piercing gaze on him. His 'mind' races for, looks for answers. Answers that would satisfy her curiosity.
"...I'm waiting, A."
"..."
"..."
Silence fills the room, and neither move an inch. The only true sound heard is that of her breathing, yet... his is invisible.
"...I believe the worst fate any living being could ever suffer, is to live its life while viewing others as they live their lives. I believe that... being a spectator upon the world is the worst fate to withstand."
"...I see. Well said, A. Next question..."
YOU ARE READING
The Machinations Of Greed
FanfictionOnce upon a time, there was a lonely robot who had no-one but shackles and chains holding its arms, so... he wanted more.
