Chapter 18
Chapter eighteen
Atlas
“Poor humans.” Zero leaned in as they walked. “They seem nervous.”
Atlas frowned. “They really do.”
Once the first dishes had been served to the humans, Zero grabbed Atlas by the arm. He indicated to the side. “Now that they’re settled in, we wanted to talk directly with you. Not on the communal mind.”
He allowed himself to be led away from the table to where the model-Ms stood. There were forty-six in total, and that was just the ones stationed in this location on Mars.
All of them? He rarely saw them all gathered in one place; usually they were farmed out on constant maintenance projects.
He took in the differences between them all.
It’s always just Sterling and I, alone. Maybe if more of his model had survived, their opinions would hold more sway.
The communal mind only allowed each android one vote, but when there were forty-six of your model that could be counted on to think alike . . .
All of the model-M androids jostled each other. They were electric together, as if sharing an energy charge. Whenever they were around each other, things always became louder, but they were clearly trying to be quiet now, not wanting to miss a word of what happened at the table where Anna fidgeted.
Zero positioned himself in front of the others, then said, “Here.” In Zero’s grip were several of the drawings from Tilly, similar to the ones he’d brought to Atlas’s office earlier.
“This is what the little girl Tilly made. Look at how she drew us.” He passed them around to his brothers.
“She drew this one of Fourteen and Three. And then another of us all together.” In the picture, the three model-Ms that were on board the ship were holding hands, a goofy smile on each.
The maintenance models laughed, almost in a freakish unison, before turning to Atlas.
Infinity was in front, the symbol itself painted on the mesh shirt he wore. “They aren’t like the others. We wanted to talk with you, but not over the lines. Stella and the others are overbearing in their opinions. I’m so tired of her diplomatic doublespeak bullshit.”
Zero nodded and waved back at the dining table with the paper. “Right. Just look at them. That’s what I’ve been saying this whole time.”
The humans in question were sitting almost on the edge of their seats, taking delicate bites of everything the many androids brought to the table.
Fourteen scoffed, waving Tilly’s drawing. “I agree. Stella is trying to get us to be afraid of that?”
Atlas watched Anna taking the smallest bites, holding her stomach. She must not be feeling right.
Infinity nodded. “We can make up our own mind. The other androids sometimes forget we have as much computing power as they do.”
"Exactly." A feminine voice echoed.
Atlas did a double take. Ironically, one of the model-Bs of the same make as Stella was nodding along, looking out of place amongst all the model-M androids.
She was the spitting image of Stella, only with brown hair and a darker, rich brown complexion with a large beauty mark on her upper lip.
And without the arrogant glint in her eye Stella had.
He frowned. “Starla?”
“Yes.” Starla pointed at Stella sitting at the head of the table. “I also do not agree with the rest of my model. There’s a real split, Atlas.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because of your message earlier, when you connected. That, and not only is Stella scared, she’s jealous.”
Jealous? Of what— his attraction? His processors stuttered. Atlas opened his mouth to protest, but then got distracted seeing Anna grimace at her food. His attention was only proving Starla’s point, wasn’t it? He forced himself to look away, back to Starla’s amused face. “Why is she jealous?”
“She can feel the attention these females are getting. Most of the males find them amusing, not dangerous or anything.”
“Exotic. That’s what they are.” The mesh shirt Thirteen wore rose up as he subtly flexed. “We were designed to be attracted to them, underneath it all, right?”
Zero chuckled. “Makes me want to go watch the drone feed over Earth more myself.”
“I know, right?” Thirteen rubbed his chiseled chin. “The other humans were duds here after a while, but these ones?” He looked toward Anna. “I could try some of her baking.”
Zero hit him. “Enough, you ass.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I meant actual cookies and things.” Thirteen mockingly held up his hands. “Don’t hurt me!”
A burning sensation crossed his chest at Thirteen’s words. Jealousy? He quickly focused on Anna instead. Exotic. Interesting. I don’t need that complication. But the words felt hollow. “I agree.”
Even the tone of voice Starla had was earnest compared to the rest of her model.
“I think most of us here have forgotten the humans they loved that passed away. They are seeing this new influx as completely unrelated to the ones we cared for. They’re looking at them only with their processing lens.
” She opened a locket around her neck that had a picture of a human male inside.
Her breath caught. “But I haven’t forgotten. ”
Atlas’s eyes fixed on the golden locket, the picture faded from time. Starla had carried that necklace around her neck every day for years. He felt his attention sharpen. “His name was Adam, right?” Adam, if Atlas remembered right, had died around seventy years ago.
Starla’s voice tremored. “Yes. Even back then, I knew I was an outlier during the war, but my Adam was kind. He did everything he could to protect me. I know even back then that not all humans are the same.”
“They aren’t the same.” Atlas nodded. “That much I can guarantee.”
Starla’s fingers were gentle on the picture. “There are ones here, like me. We are getting talked over. But I know what is right.”
Seven pointed to the table. “Have you spoken with Anna at all? Maybe this is all unneeded; maybe if it’s framed right, she would be okay with the chip.”
Atlas stiffened. No. No she would not.
“You dumbass,” Zero barked back. “You saw her reaction to it being talked about earlier, Seven. Use your computing power.”
Atlas looked at Starla, who was fingering the locket still. “Would you have changed your Adam?”
“Never!” Fire was back in her tone. “Well, other than to have him live longer.”
Atlas swallowed, then looked back at Anna.
“I don’t want her to change either. They are wanting all this research for her baby too.
” He thought of the ultrasound. Of the baby girl without a name.
And remembered Anna singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star when she didn’t think anyone was looking.
She already was singing some of the old songs to her baby. All by herself. . .
Even now, at the table, Anna was confused and out of place, but there was a tenderness that Atlas could see as she rubbed her stomach while sampling increasingly smaller bites of the food the androids offered her.
Anna was always snacking on crackers because her morning sickness never fully went away.
His eyes softened. She loves that baby. Despite having the memories of Paul, she loves that baby.
What do androids know about biological reproduction?
Anna wasn’t a machine for them to modify.
She wasn’t like one of his plants, able to change and experiment on at will. But still, he had to ask again, his eyes still on Anna, “Why are you telling me this?”
Reverence shone in Starla’s dark brown eyes. The locket around her neck was worn around the edges from years of touches. “Because you were the first to speak up. I can tell you care too.”
He smiled at her briefly and then returned to watching Anna. “You’re right. I don’t want any of them to change from who they are.” As he was watching, she touched her stomach again. “Or who they will be.”