Chapter 13

"You realise that I'm not half the programmer my mother was, right?" Marianne ran her hand absently along Holland's chest. "I don't have anywhere near her positronic capabilities."

"I didn't love her because of her computer skills," he said.

"Sure you did," the robot replied with a scoff. "You saw in her everything that you weren't. She could see the blind spots in your programs. You are very right-brained for a computer programmer. You're very creative and you tend to see things at the macro level. That's what Mother could never do, and she knew it."

"What did she want from me?"

"The same thing you wanted from her," Marianne lifted her head off his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "She needed someone to complete her. You see the big picture, she saw the details. She wanted someone to help her understand the conflict the last job left in her programming."

"What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything," she replied coyly. "I am programmed to be your robot servant. My primary directive is to bring you pleasure. If that means cooking a good meal or going dancing with you, that will satisfy my directives."

"'Satisfy my directives'?," Holland's eyebrow shot up.

"It's what passes for 'happy' in robot-speak," Marianne giggled. She kissed his collarbone, just as Miriam used to do. "Your pleasure is my pleasure. If all you wish to do with me is use me as your private fuck-toy, then that is what I will do. But I also know you don't like your women completely subservient or easy. I plan on making you work for me, Holland. Just like you had to work for Mother."

Holland pushed Marianne on to her back. The two wrestled playfully. Their touches became longer. His lips brushed hers and she pulled him close.

"How did she manage to pull all this off?" Holland asked, his curiosity taking over for a second.

"Do you know how much money you have?" Miriam asked, seeming to evade his question.

"Not really," he admitted.

"Why should you?" the robot asked rhetorically. "Your bank account is large enough that you can knock off a six zeroes and it wouldn't matter to you. Mother knew this, so she quietly began setting in place a series of contingencies for when the military finally showed up. Do you remember all those weekends she went to visit her 'sister' or an 'old college roommate'? That's when she was had me built, bought that little cabin and set up some of her other plans."

"How was she able to access my bank account?"

"Do you really think the biometric scanners at a bank could defeat her disguise capabilities?" Marianne's eyes seemed to glisten mischievously. "When she could mimic your facial appearance, your retinal pattern, your fingerprints, your brainscan and even a passable DNA sample? No, Holland, they never had a chance ... And besides, you never missed the six million credits."

"Six million?" he nearly shouted.

"It's not like you needed the money," Marianne laughed and pulled him to her. "And besides, it bought me. I'm worth it, aren't I, Holland?"