JNE-99 Ch. 02

Note: This is a sequel to the first "JNE-99". This story will not make sense to those who have not read the first one.

"Next Stop, UN Terminal. Prepare for arrival."

There wasn't much preparing to do. All my carry-on luggage fit in my jacket pocket, and I had already taken a moment to freshen up. Preparing for arrival meant nothing more than sitting tight for another minute and a half. The only difference was the slight downward and barely forward pressure that indicated the train was slowing.

Still, the idea that I was reaching my destination gave me a bit of a rush, and I squeezed the hand of my traveling companion.

"Nervous, Sandi?" asked the slim girl at my side. She gave me a pretty smile, and gently squeezed my hand back.

"Maybe a little," I said. "This is the proverbial It, you know. I'm getting my life back. It's been a long time." I took a deep breath. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, Jenny."

Jenny's brilliant green eyes seemed to twinkle. "You did it all, Sandi. But I'm glad for whatever help I could offer."

I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, feeling the familiar tingle in my lips as I did so. I wondered how it was that she inspired such feelings in me, since I knew that no matter how she might seem, she truly had none of her own.

Jenny was my best friend, my constant companion, and my lover. But she was one other thing too.

She was a robot.

* * * * *

The train emerged from the airless tunnel through which it had crossed half the continent and slowed to a final halt in the underground terminal where we were to disembark. At one time the United Nations had been headquartered here, but that was before I was born and the complex had been one of the many casualties of the brief "global warming" period at the middle of the 21st century. By the time the water level had receded and the area was fit to build on again, the UN had firmly re-established itself in New Zealand, and the former headquarters became the main New York terminal for the planetran system. The tunnel continued on across the Atlantic to London, and eventually around the globe, branching off to every major city along the way.

As I stepped off the train, I took a deep breath and felt reborn. My home in the lost Denver suburbs was miles behind me (though still in my name, it didn't pay to sell it) and I was back in the city, where humanity really lived. For the briefest moment, I felt a bit claustrophobic with the large crowds of people streaming about me - it had been a couple of years since I'd been in such a place. Jenny's presence at my side was infinitely comfortable.

The process of disembarking, checking out through security, arranging for transportation to my new apartment and seeing to it that my luggage was brought along took almost two hours. It was a hassle, one that I knew from my studies of cultural history had been a problem ever since the first railroads were built, and it had only gotten worse as time went on. Efficiency of travel improved as time went on, but so did complexity, and the latter increased faster. It was common stand-up comic material that a trip such as mine from Denver to New York took about thirty minutes, four hours of which were spent in the terminals at either end.

But in any event, we got through the system and on our way to my new apartment.

An air-taxi wasn't the cheapest mode of transport, but it had been a while since I'd seen New York and I wanted a good view. The taxi driver was a robot, and my first order to it was to take us to our destination in silence. For some reason, in New York they program the taxis for inane small talk.

The cab lifted smoothly off the ground, and I pressed my face against the window to take in the sight of Manhattan.

Of course, the most prominent building was the Empire State Building, housed in its protective dome that kept the two-hundred-year-old structure safe from the elements. It was the one significant building that had survived the flooding of Manhattan, mostly because all the stops had been pulled out to save it. In the end, it would have cost about one-tenth as much to let it be destroyed and then rebuild it, much like they had to do with the rest of the island. Oh well, sentimental value and all. It was the tallest building on Manhattan by half due to new building codes, though mile-high skyscrapers surrounded the island on the New York and New Jersey shores. It's funny to look at old pictures that show Manhattan with the tallest skyscrapers in the world, where now it's more of a valley between leviathans.

Real-estate prices in that valley were astronomical. My apartment was on the Jersey side, where it was still possible to find a place for less than three thousand euros a month.

* * * * *

"Where do you want this, Sandi?"

"Mmm... right there. Under the stairs."

Jenny lifted the three-hundred-pound steamer trunk with no visible effort and slid it gently into place where I had indicated. She was great to have around for this kind of thing. It was a double-edged sword, though, because I didn't really like seeing these reminders that she was a robot and not a person. There was some part of me that was never entirely comfortable with that. Still, it hardly made sense to hire a moving crew when Jenny could do it all.

"That should do it, I think," Jenny said. "I'm a bit dirty from all that moving. Mind if I take a shower?"

"No, go ahead," I said with a wave. Jenny had done almost all the physical work, so I hadn't even broken a sweat in the moving process. I was feeling a bit travel-weary, however, and more than a little strange in the apartment. I had gotten used to a 4,000 square foot house all to myself, and to make the adjustment to a three-room apartment would take a little doing. It would have been nice if it were possible to live there and commute to New York, but the trip I had just taken convinced me of the impossibility of that. I could telecommute, of course, but that was seen as something of a passing phase. It was pretty much accepted as a matter of course that the real doers and shakers were there on the scene, not punching a keyboard a thousand miles away.

I looked out the wide picture window, across the water to the island and the shore beyond where other skyscrapers formed a nearly solid wall of twinkling lights and high-rising steel. I was back in the city, among the throng of humanity I had avoided for so long, and yet I still felt lonesome. I needed something to shake me out of this funk.

When I heard the water come on upstairs, I got an idea as to what the something was.

* * * * *

Jenny's silhouette on the frosted glass of the shower echoed the perfect embodiment of the female form. Her breasts were high, firm, and pleasantly large, her waist narrow, her bottom rounded and smooth, her legs long and toned. She had turned around to let the water flow through her hair. I felt my pulse quicken as I dropped my clothes and pulled open the door to the shower.

"Sandi!" she said happily. "Are you coming in with me?"

"I thought I might," I said with a grin. The shower was large, with plenty of room for both of us. I stepped up close to her anyway, touching my body to hers. Our nipples met at exactly the right level, and I felt mine go hard upon contact. I shivered with the delight of the sensation. No one but Jenny had ever had the power to arouse me so quickly and completely. My lips were on hers before I was even aware of it, and our tongues caressed each other even as we felt each other's bodies up and down.

I had never made love to her in a shower before. Her skin felt wonderfully soft and lubricated under my hands, and I loved the way our tits slipped across each other. My kiss became hungry and lusty as I forcefully licked at her lips, across her cheeks, down her neck, back to her lips again. In bed it would have been wet and messy, but in the shower we were wet anyway, so I felt like it didn't matter. Taking her cues from me as she did so well, Jenny returned the kiss in kind, and soon she had made her way down to my tits, where she pulled each nipple into her mouth. Knowing that I liked it a little rough, she sucked hard and long, until I was moaning out loud with lust.

Before I knew it she had me pushed up against the wall, my legs spread wide. The shower sprayed a fine mist into my face and across my breasts as she dropped to her knees and deep-kissed my pussy as if it were my mouth. Her tongue thrust inside and moved slowly in and out, driving me up close to the edge.

But before I lost control completely, I pulled her away and slipped down to the floor of the shower with her. Lying down on my back, I motioned for her to spread her legs over me and let me lick her in return. Jenny had shaved herself bare at my request some time ago, as I loved the feel of her smooth, soft pussy against my face.

With the warm water of the shower cascading over us, we licked each other's sweet pussies and I felt myself build to climax. My whole boy tensed as I came, and I felt Jenny do the same, quivering even as I did, the sweet cream of her sex melting on my lips.

The high lasted for a delicious moment, and then I rested. And then, as if on cue, came the harsh reality.

She is a machine. She feels nothing. She reacts only as programmed, no more.

I shook the thought out of my head, but it wouldn't go away. In the heat of passion, Jenny was my lover without qualification, but when it was over, my mind always reminded me of the undeniable truth. For all the love I felt for her, for everything she was to me, for all she had done to brighten my life, Jenny was not truly a woman. She was literally inhuman.

I was in love with her, but no power on Earth could make her love me. She could never feel anything at all.

* * * * *

As always, it didn't take long for me to submerge the ill feelings I had about my relationship with Jenny. Still, they were always there, and I wished I could do something about it. I wasn't even sure what I felt. There was some self-loathing, to be sure, as I felt that perhaps I wasn't good enough for a "real" person. Shame and embarrassment, for being a robot's lover. Guilt was the strangest feeling of all, as I felt badly for thinking of her as less than human, when in fact she was, and wouldn't even be distressed if I thought of her as such.

We slept together as we usually did, but I didn't make love to her again that night. Jenny, of course, didn't press the issue. I might have preferred it if she had.

* * * * *

I didn't sleep well that night. My dreams were troubling, dreams about holding Jenny in my arms and finding her cold and metallic to the touch, or gazing into her eyes and watching them glow with a cold, green light. She usually stayed by my side through the night, pretending to sleep, but on this night she was busy setting the apartment in order. I woke at least a dozen times alone, wishing she were by my side but at the same time glad she wasn't.

Morning came far too early.

"Sandi?" came her bright voice from the kitchen. "Sandi, it's time to wake up! You don't want to be late on your first day!"

"I'm up, I'm up..." I muttered, rolling out of bed and into the shower. The strategically placed massaging nozzles of the shower scrubbed away most of the lack of sleep, and an anti-somnin pill did the rest. By the time I'd shoveled down breakfast and let Jenny adjust my hair, I felt almost normal. But I was in a foul mood; despite the claims of the stimulant manufacturers, there are some things that only a decent night's sleep can do anything about.

I didn't look Jenny in the eye even once. Still troubled by my dreams and my waking thoughts of late, I let her do my hair without the benefit of a mirror in front of me, and avoided our usual morning intimacies. She showed no sign of displeasure at my cavalier treatment of her.

Finally ready to leave, I gave her an automatic kiss on the lips, which she returned without our customary embrace. She was picking up on my mood. I looked for the first time that day into her intensely green eyes, wondering what she saw in mine or if she was even capable of knowing my inner turmoil.

Jenny's eyes had surprised me the first time I'd seen them. They were a vibrant, electric green, eyes that no human being could have without cosmetic enhancements. I had eventually learned that all late-model robots were being constructed thus; so similar were they to humans, it was determined that some feature should identify them as robots. At first, I had found them disconcerting. Later, I had found them enticing and beautiful. Now, they served as a constant reminder of what she was, and I didn't like it one bit. I had asked her once whether it would be possible to alter them and make them more natural, but she had explained that it was legally impossible. She wasn't even permitted to wear sunglasses.

"I'll be here if you need me, Sandi," Jenny said. "But I'm sure you'll have a great first day."

I sighed. "Thanks, Jenny," I said. "I appreciate everything."

"I'm happy to be of help, Sandi," she said.

I frowned slightly. Sometimes, she was a bit too much of a willing servant for my taste. I opened the door to leave -

- and almost ran into the man in the hall, his hand over my door buzzer.

"Oh! Excuse me," he said, slightly ruffled. "Er, Ms. Greene, I presume?"

"That's me," I replied. "And I'm running a bit late. If you need something, I hope it's quick."

"My name is Stan Duncan, I'm with Androids, Incorporated."

He just stood there as if the introduction explained his whole reason for being there. "Yes?" I prompted impatiently.

"Er, I understand that your recent purchase of an android from our company was slightly awry. I'm here to collect your android and take your order for a replacement."

I realized why he looked familiar - he had shown up on my doorstep in Denver a few months back, trying to exchange Jenny. "There was a mistake, yes, but I've decided to keep the one I have," I said, a little peeved.

"I'm afraid that's not entirely your choice," Duncan said with a false apologetic look. "See, the android you originally ordered was of a considerably lesser value than the one you received. I have your original order here if you need to -"

"What I need is to get to work, and you're in my way. I'm happy with the android I have, and if it's because your company made a mistake, then that's not my problem. Keep tighter books in the future is my advice to you."

"It's just not that simple, Ms. Greene -"

"Look, buster," I said, getting angrier by the moment, "unless you have a court order to seize my property, you'd better keep your grubby hands off Jenny. She's mine and your company will just have to deal with that fact."

Duncan didn't move. "Really, Ms. Greene, there's no need to become agitated. We'd rather settle this without the need for a legal case."

"Jenny!" I called, not taking my eyes off Duncan.

"Yes, Sandi?" she replied. I saw the man's eyes flicker in her direction.

"Jenny, I want you to stay home today. Do not go out for any reason. If anyone tries to gain entry to this apartment while I am gone, you will immediately summon the police and report a break-in."

"This isn't necessary, Ms. Greene,” Duncan said.

“This man is blocking my egress,” I continued. “I am feeling threatened by him. If he makes a move in my direction, you must interpret it as an attack.”

Jenny was instantly at my side.

Duncan deliberately backed up a step, though I saw no indication of fear in his eyes. “Ms. Greene, it would really have been better for all concerned if you had allowed us to take care of this problem without all this fuss. I’m afraid it will be necessary for me to involve our legal department.”

“You have ten seconds to leave before I summon police and have you charged with obstruction.”

Duncan nodded curtly, turned on his heel, and left.

I let out a breath. “Bastard,” I whispered.

“Would you like me to go to work with you, Sandi?” Jenny asked. “If you are in danger, I should be with you.”

“No, Jenny, that’s not necessary,” I said. “I want you to stay home today. If you leave, they might try to take you. I’m not sure they can’t legally do that, but I do know they can’t enter my apartment without a warrant. You need to stay here for your own safety.”

“I’m more concerned about your safety, Sandi,” she said.

I turned to face her, and grabbed her by the arms. “Dammit, Jenny, will you stop being such a fucking machine!”

Time seemed to stop. Jenny’s expression didn’t change, nor did her posture. I felt as though my words bounced off her and came back to hit me in the gut. I saw her mouth moving, but I couldn’t make sense of her words past the pounding of my heart in my ears.

“W-what?” I asked.

“I said, ‘I’m sorry, Sandi,’” she replied. “If you think I should stay at home, then that’s what I’ll do.”

There was no hurt in her voice, no sign that my outburst had affected her in any way. She even smiled a bit. I felt sick at what I had said, what I had felt, and her indifference only made it worse.

“Are you all right, Sandi?” she asked. “You look a little upset.”

“No, I’m fine,” I whispered. “I... I have to go to work now.”

“Sure, Sandi!” she said with a bright smile. “I’ll see you when you get home. Have a great first day!”

She turned back inside and let the door close between us.

* * * * *

It was not the best way to start my new job. I arrived at the office with a knot in my stomach that wouldn’t go away, and tears that I refused to let loose. I didn’t even know how I should feel. If it had been anyone but Jenny, I would have felt guilt, shame, perhaps even a little residual anger, but that all applied to a situation where I’d hurt someone’s feelings. I hadn’t done that to Jenny. She had no feelings to hurt. So how was I to feel?

“Excuse me...”

I turned, and saw a woman I had previously seen only as a hologram - it was Lorraine Wells, the VP of Operations for Ecostar, my new employer. “Oh, hello!” I said, trying to hide my personal anguish and put on a bright and spirited face. “Ms. Wells, right? I’m Sandi Greene.”

“Please, Sandi, call me Lorraine. We prefer to be on a first-name basis in this outfit. I was starting to get a little worried about you.”

“I’m really sorry I’m late,” I said. “I wasn’t able to get completely unpacked last night, and I had a hard time finding everything.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she replied in a voice that left me with the strong impression that future transgressions would be cause for worry. “It can take some time to settle into a new living arrangement. Come with me, let me show you your new office and introduce you to the people you’ll be working with.”

* * * * *

The ride up the elevator was a long one. I couldn’t help looking over my new boss, partly because the elevator walls were mirrored, but also in part because my liaisons with Jenny had given me an appreciation for the feminine that I didn’t used to have - or at least, I had never let it surface. Whatever the reason, I found myself more and more drawn to attractive women, and Lorraine was attractive.

She looked to be about my age, though of course it was impossible to tell how old she really might be - what with gene therapy and cosmetic surgery, even someone on the high side of the century mark could look twentysomething. One can tell by the eyes, though, and hers looked to be somewhere over forty.

Her body was sculpted to the current corporate aesthetic: tall, with long legs, narrow at the waist and curved enough at the hips and chest to show unmistakable womanhood. Her hair was ice-blonde and cut very short, almost a flat-top. Her cheekbones were high, her face oval and youthful with no lines or blemish. I found it difficult to determine her eye color at first, and then realized that they were green - I had simply become so used to Jenny’s vivid irises that naturally green eyes seemed colorless at first.