A New Toy

She opened her mouth to say something, but he got there first.

"Doll unit: Cassandra. Voice key: Christopher. Function: Stop."

She stopped.

- - -

The man from Life Labs, an unassuming, instantly forgettable type in a brown suit, entered the hotel room to find his client clad in the complementary gown and slumped in an armchair. The Doll unit was frozen, down on all fours on the bed, naked and with her mouth open as if she were about to speak. As he crossed the room, he saw come, both hers and the client's, gleaming on her perfect thighs. He didn't think much of it, he'd seen it many times before.

"Mr Cooper. How was it?"

"It was... incredible. It's just... It looks so much like her." Christopher Cooper, his hand still a little shaky, lifted a glass of some liquor or other to his lips. His eyes never left the Doll unit. "And her personality too was... it was very similar. You said it's not the real thing yet?"

"Doll unit: Cassandra. Voice key: operator. Function: clean." The doll was suddenly animated again, but this time there was no trace of any of the taunting, teasing personality. She stood up and with a relaxed gait, strolled into the bathroom. Seconds later the shower started.

The man in the brown suit turned back to Cooper. "That's right, you and your former wife had a very unique relationship. It's taking the boys at Personalities a lot longer than they thought to really capture it."

"I see."

"But we had the body finished, so we fitted the lexicon you gave us and used the closest personality match we had. Actually, she thought that you were the Doll."

"I gathered. It worked very well. Uh... thank you."

"Please, no more thanks are necessary. It's all part of the service. And if I may offer a personal aside - your wife was a remarkable woman. It's an honour to try and create this... tribute to her." In the background the shower stopped.

"I miss her so much, since she passed..." Cooper sighed, "I couldn't work, I couldn't sleep." His second sigh was a deep, wrenching one. The man from Life Labs hoped that he wouldn't cry, that always made him feel strange. "Thank you for giving me my life back."

"Sir, that's what we do. We make sure your dreams never really die."

Cassandra - the Cassandra Doll - appeared quietly at the bathroom door, awaiting instructions. Her face was without expression and her body was naked, spotless and perfect. Both men stared at her without speaking.