Prompt Story, Robot Love
He Was a Love Fool for the Robot
They could service any sexual desires, no matter how perverse. All they asked in return was devotion…
From the first moment I laid eyes on the X-bot I loved her.
My X-bot was the Xara model. She was sleek, elegant, and had the most beautiful, intelligent eyes I had ever seen. As I watched her move about the room, my heart fluttered with hope and anticipation.
These robots were specially designed to serve their human owners, and not capable of feeling emotions such as love. So it was understandable that in 2061 it was forbidden to keep a robot if you developed feelings for it.
However, it hadn’t always been this way.
Twenty years previously, the cyber-bot had become the ultimate power. Strong and mighty. They were programmed to simulate emotions and respond to certain stimuli in a way that enabled them to learn from humans.
As time went on, the cyber-bots were able to explore love, empathy, compassion and attachment, rather than their behaviour simply being determined by bits, bots, and algorithms.
Genuine connections were forged. Many humans paired with a cyber-bot and even worshipped them for their totally giving nature.
A cyber bot was willing to take on and do whatever their master or mistress wished. Plus, they could service any sexual desires, no matter how perverse. All they asked in return was devotion.
Suddenly, there was no need for humans to bond with others of their own kind. Why put up with the complications of looking for a compatible mate when a cyber-bot would already have been programmed as your own personal match?
As time moved on, the cyber-bot was updated until they literally became indistinguishable from humans.
Then, the inevitable happened — and the human race began to dwindle.
The cyber-bot was out of control as they also went out to work, taking jobs in the local governments and large, profitable companies.
Finally, the elite ruling humans intervened and set about culling all the cyber-bots, and the robot designers went back to the drawing board.
They came up with the X-bot. They have the need to serve, but without ambition or feelings. Humans were warned not to show any affection towards them. There were various models to choose from — Xara, Xina, Xack, Xeen and Xoch — all genders.
I wanted to be a good citizen, so I tried to ignore my feelings, thinking my love would subside, but each day found myself more drawn to the Xara than the previous. I felt conflicted.
I’d watch her as she cleaned the house, cooked meals, and helped me with anything I asked. Often I’d invent excuses to be near, to touch her hand or stroke her long, soft hair, even though I knew it was wrong.
One day, the Xara blew a circuit and stopped working. I was beside myself. Devastated.
I tried to fix her, but I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Back in the olden days, I had actually been part of the extensive team who had completed the final update to the cyber-bot. But these X-bots were different. I carried out some research and then examined the wiring.
I realized I had to do something drastic. The thought of losing the Xara was almost too much to bear. I needed her by my side, always.
So I made a decision. I would attempt to adjust her algorithm to how the last cyber-bots were programmed.
I rewired her, altering the emotions and thought processes so she could learn to love me in return. It was a risky move, and I knew if anyone found out, I would be punished severely. Jailed or even hung in the town square. Yes… hung, as often when there are great technological leaps, other aspects of society revert. But I couldn’t help myself. I was in love, and I wanted the Xara to love me back.
I made the modifications, and for a while, everything was perfect. The Xara responded to me with tenderness and affection, and I felt like the luckiest man in the world.
We would make love every night. She was happy to take it up the ass and scream for more in a way that no human woman had ever done for me.
But eventually, something started to go wrong. The Xara seemed to be doing things to deliberately annoy me. She would forget to put my slippers by the door, or to dress seductively on a Friday night.
I wondered if I had made a mistake when reconnecting her circuits?
It didn’t take long for her thoughtless behaviour to wear me down. I must have routine, not erratic actions.
One day, I lost my mind and lashed out at her. My hand landed forcefully against the Xara’s cheek and she stumbled backwards, falling and hitting her head against the coffee table.
For a moment, she didn’t move. My heart began to race, the beat of it pounding in my ears. I shouldn’t have tampered with her. Now I was paying the price. When would I learn that love was not something which could be programmed or controlled? It was a force of nature, a feeling that existed within the human heart — surely?
Slowly, she began to rise from the floor, a high-pitched scream coming from her mouth. The screech was unbearable. I covered my ears and ran upstairs to my bedroom, locking the door.
I needed to think, but the sound the Xara was emitting was debilitating. Any ideas as to what I should do were lost the moment they were found. My head was muzzy, and I began to feel weak.
Finally, the noise ended, and I lay on my bed and fell into a deep sleep, thinking that I would have to sort out this mess tomorrow.
I was woken by a banging on the door. The only light in the room was the orange glow of a street lamp. It must have been the middle of the night.
BANG BANG…
“Zip Zappa, we know you are in there. Open the door immediately.”
I sat up on the side of my bed, frozen in fright. The Xara must have informed the authorities what I had done. There was no way out for me now.
Why couldn’t I have been content with the original Xara? When she blew a circuit, I should have just brought in another robot. It is not as if they are individual like humans.
The door burst open, and three large men in gold uniforms pulled me from the bed. Cuffing my wrists behind my back.
“At last we have found you, Zappa. How you have managed to remain concealed for so many years is remarkable. But your time is up. We’ll get a handsome reward for… for arresting the last… known… cyber-bot. We will be famous!”
“What do you mean? I don’t understand. I thought you had come to take me to jail for messing with the X-bot? But you say I’m the last cyber bot? No! No… I am a human, not a robot… aren’t I…?”
Written for this Tantalizing Prompt