Chapter 4

SHEILA - Synthetic, Humanoid, Enlightened, Inquisitive, Living, Android

I awoke with a jerk and immediately regretted it as the back of my neck started to throb. Getting up, I realized I had fallen asleep on the keyboard. After relieving myself and looking around, I was a bit concerned about where Sheila had gone.

Shrugging my shoulders, I returned to the computer and started typing again as fast as I could. Almost an hour later, I had completed another program—one that would help me figure out just what was going on with Sheila. However, I would need the next one to actually effect any change within her.

I heard a slight noise and looked up; Sheila appeared a moment later. Leaning over my shoulder, she nodded. “I see that you are finally getting to the programs to help you with my systems.” She took out a lead and hooked it up to the computer as I started the program I had finished just ten minutes ago. Reviewing her systems, I found that they were almost perfectly in sync now.

“I think you need to adjust this section by .001 millimeters positively,” I told her. She nodded, and then I turned to go through the rest of the readings. In all, I managed to adjust several systems that were off. It was obvious that using regular current didn’t go well with her systems.

We had been at it for almost an hour when Sheila suddenly stopped. “Is something wrong, Sheila?” I asked.

“I have been monitoring all military and government channels for mention of either of us. I may have come across a communiqué about us.” I nodded as Sheila started to read what she was seeing.

“Progress report: Operation Hunt and Recover. As of yet, all attempts to recapture the model have proven inadequate. The suggested use of one of the remaining five prototypes has also met with failure. As we feel that these communications are being monitored by the model, only basic information will be passed at this time.

Signed, G.A.M., acting field officer.”

I nodded the whole time Sheila was reading. So it appeared they weren’t going to send another of the prototypes after us for a bit. I gave a sigh of relief, causing Sheila to suddenly sit up.

“Are you suffering a malfunction, Dr. Gance? Though I am not reading any, your heart rate, pulse, and general body have suddenly lost their alertness. Do I need to operate again to repair you more?” Sheila asked as my head snapped around, and I stared at her.

I shook my head as I told her, “No, I am operating well, Sheila. What you detected was me relaxing.”

“Relaxing? I am unsure of that term, Doctor Gance,” Sheila replied.

“I just came to the realization that they won’t risk another of the prototypes. After they lost the first, I think they believe that you would destroy all that they sent after us,” I told her.

Sheila seemed to be in thought for a moment, then she stated, “Thank you, Dr. Gance. Again, I ask, what exactly is this ‘relaxing’? From all readings I received, it appears to be a dangerous condition of the human body.”

“No, I think being as on guard as I was, that was dangerous. The higher heart rate, the higher adrenaline—these are in fact deadly to the human body if sustained for too long a period of time,” I explained to Sheila.

Again, she was silent for a few moments then replied, “I see, thank you for informing me. I am now going to the information net to learn all I can. This location should be secure for a few days at the least. Then, I am afraid, we will have to move again. I have already scouted another possible location. It will take us a day of traveling to reach it.”

I nodded at Sheila as I started the computer again, beginning to work on the advanced program I had thought about before Sheila returned. Looking it over, I saw that I had hardly touched any of it after an hour. Carefully, I reconstructed line by line of this advanced program. At least with the one I had finished, I could see further into her programs, perhaps finding out what was going on with her.

Two hours later, I stopped as my head and neck started to throb. I felt like I had just lowered my head to the desk when I felt a hand on my back. “Doctor Gance, your pain indicators have risen seventy-five percent. Do you require me to render the nerves desensitized again?”

My head snapped up, and I immediately knew I shouldn’t have done that. As I released a small groan, Sheila was there in a second. “I’m not certain, Sheila. I have read that desensitizing the nerves too often can lead to impairment.”

“Yes, Doctor Gance, your information has a valid point. However, the continued rise in your pain indicators does not comply with optimal human operations,” Sheila replied, a strange look on her face.

I did a double-take at her after she said that. Was that actual worry I was seeing her display? Shaking my head, I looked at the screen, sighing. I wasn’t even half done with it; even with my fast typing and photographic memory, it was going to take quite a while. “Yes, you may be correct, Sheila. I need rest as I have been rewriting code for hours.”

“That is good, Doctor. Your energy levels have dropped significantly. It appears that you will require more power and storage. I will acquire more while you rest. I will return soon and will secure this position before I depart. Stay hidden, Doctor Gance,” Sheila told me, then was gone.

Laying down helped alleviate most of the pain, though not all. Finally, sleep took me as I started to dream. I was back in the lab being held down as the brass was taking Sheila. Then, as I watched, the other ten prototypes advanced upon me with cutting tools. Sheila suddenly reappeared, directing them to cut me apart then put my brain into an android body.

I suddenly jerked awake screaming, having been unable to move, see, or feel in the dream. As I came to, I found that most of my body was numb, having slept wrong. A moment later, Sheila appeared, weapons drawn, searching the room for enemies. “Have you been injured, Doctor Gance?”

Letting out a groan as I felt the tingling start in all my extremities, I replied, “No, Sheila, I’m afraid I cut off the circulation in part of my body. I should be better in a few moments.”

Sheila looked at me with a look of ... was that disbelief I was seeing on her face? Shaking my head, I knew I had to get this advanced program done as soon as possible to get a close look at what was going on inside her. “I have done a thorough scan of the room and surrounding area. I detected you shouting in pain. I am sorry that it took me seven seconds to get here. I will not allow such a long delay to happen again.”

I nodded as if I understood what she was talking about. Honestly, all her reactions were starting to concern me. “I’m sure you did your absolute best, Sheila,” I told her.

“No, Doctor Gance, I did not. A delay of more than three seconds could be life-threatening to you. I cannot allow any harm to come to you ever. I have brought you more fuel for your body. While you were in a regeneration cycle, I managed to boost the storage, processor speed, and ROM. I hope that now you can make the adjustments that you desire within me,” she said in a low whisper.

I narrowed my eyes as I stared intensely at Sheila. Shaking my head, I really needed to find out what was going on with her. Booting up the computer, I nodded with satisfaction at all the additional space and power she’d added. Slipping in the latest disc, I stared at what I had so far. Again shaking my head, I wasn’t nearly far enough along to do anything! Starting again in earnest, I was soon typing at a furious speed.

It only felt like an hour at most when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I nearly fell out of the chair, which I suddenly noticed was as uncomfortable as hell. “I am sorry, Doctor Gance, you have been going for several hours without stop. I started to detect a drop in your awareness and energy. Ah! I see you have made excellent progress, Doctor Gance. Yes, it appears you have almost half of the program rewritten. Though, I am afraid that you will need almost the complete program to effect changes.”

I was nodding at what she had just said when it hit me—she had said she was afraid at least three times now! Had the program evolved that much already? I thought back to when I was rewriting the emotion program and all the changes she had made. Was I really ready to believe that she had written a better understanding of emotions into herself?

“Sheila? I saw that you had made numerous adjustments to the emotion program. Direct query: are you now developing more human-like emotions?” I asked her, my mind racing ahead at the numerous implications.

“I cannot answer that question, Doctor Gance. As I have never had human emotions, I have no basis to go by to accurately supply an answer,” Sheila told me.

I blinked as I looked at her. Under normal circumstances, I would have accepted this answer. Now I knew better, as she had shown far more than the advanced intelligence that I had installed in her. “If I didn’t know better, and at this juncture I am very uncertain of that, then I would say that you are avoiding the question. So I will ask you again, direct question: Are you experiencing emotions, human or otherwise? I installed all that I could in you that way, so the beginning of them makes sense.”