I, Jennifer Ch. 01

The Omni interface chips, mitochondrial synapses connective tissue, and the brain receptors were however very expensive and reusable and re-programmable. They were the main items salvaged from expired Hominoids. Sometimes body parts were harvested to order to be placed in other Hominoids who had developed flaws or had suffered injuries.

Mason came over to where Jennifer was sitting almost in a trance, accessing and manipulating data over the Omni. When she became aware of his presence she broke the connection.

"The novelty wears off after a while," he smiled and took the Omni from her.

"There are many places that actually forbid you connecting with your Omni because they are such a distraction," he said.

Jennifer gave him a wry smile.

"Ok I've had a chance to think about how to get us out of here. I can't let you walk around unaccompanied; a Jennifer would have no business being in a place like this unless she was accompanying a human," he said and Jennifer nodded.

That made sense.

"So we stick with my story, but I still have to hand over my duties to the guy on the graveyard shift and you can't be here with me when I do. You probably won't like this but the only way I can think of getting you out of here is to put you back in your pod and wheel you into storage where I can hide you. I can access the storage area from the outside corridor and then we simply walk out together," he explained.

"Storage?" Jennifer looked puzzled.

Mason pointed with his chin to an opaque wall with a sliding door, behind which were the silhouettes of what appeared to be bodies suspended from the ceiling.

"That's where we keep the Hominoids who haven't expired due to life span expiration. Most times the cause of expiry is obvious, especially for those who work in dangerous fields but they all get the equivalent of a human autopsy so that the R and D guys can learn from any defects that may have led to their demise. Once we have salvaged what we can we pass the results onto R and D," Mason explained.

"So it's like a morgue for Hominoids?" Jennifer replied.

"As good as any explanation I suppose," Mason nodded.

"Look go over to the bins again. Find a functioning Omni in the accessories bin and grab a change of clothes for later. Put them in this," he gave her his backpack.

She did as she was told. Mason was getting nervous as the change of shift approached and he helped Jennifer climb back in the pod. He saw the look of trepidation on her face as he closed the lid. He wheeled her into the Storage area and left her.

His relief was a younger more junior man and Mason found his exuberance and joviality annoying. He was obviously listening to some current hit on his Omni and he shook his head and tapped his thigh in time with the beat.

Mason thought it was the height of ignorance to hold a conversation whilst listening to your Omni but today he just wanted to hand over his shift and get the hell out of there.

Jennifer felt the cold of the storage area even inside her pod. She peered through the plexiglass at the vague shapes suspended from the ceiling. In the end her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the pod and climbed out.

Naked Hominoids were suspended from the ceiling in rows. Most looked like they were just sleeping but some had obvious signs of trauma. There was almost every model Hominoid represented from cheap labour models to the more expensive household models; there was even a combat model, recognisable from the overdeveloped muscles, the large forehead and huge hands. He was generously endowed and Jennifer wondered why they would even bother equipping a combat model with genitals but she accessed her Omni for the data and blushed when she discovered that some human women liked to couple with the dangerous gladiators.

She shivered with the cold but also with despair; this where she would end up, if not sometime in the near future which was likely, then five years from now.

Jennifer climbed back into her pod, shifting her high heels out of the way and attempted to clear her mind of all thoughts and tried to sleep. She was awakened some time later when Mason wheeled her pod into the corridor. He pushed her pod into a darkened room and opened the lid.

"Ok get out and follow me. Act as if you have every right to be in my company ok?" Mason said helping her out of the pod.

She put on her heels, holding onto the pod to steady herself while Mason put on his backpack. They exited the room and strode confidently down the corridor. For Jennifer it was easy, Mason had told her to act confident so she did; Mason was actually scared stiff under a façade of certitude.

Getting out of the Cybertronics building was actually quite easy. Mason waved his wrist over the scanners and the inner and outer doors opened in response to his identity chip; Jennifer simply walked beside him and they exited the building together. Most of building's security was devised to keep people out, not to keep people in.

Jennifer looked up at the immense building, the upper floors disappeared into the clouds and even at this late hour almost every window was lit; work at Cybertronics never ceased. The car park was still packed; a testament to the number of employees still at work.

There were no 'Jetson' type flying cars in the twenty-fourth century; most cars were small and manufactured from plastics stronger than steel and powered by batteries that only needed to be exchanged once a year. The vehicles coasted along silently.

Mason's car was parked about halfway across the lot and Jennifer's feet ached from wearing her heels by the time they got to it. Jennifer stood by her door waiting for Mason to open it for her, as a high ranking Companion bot she was programmed to expect the man to open the door for her. Mason stood on the other side of the car and shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey! You aren't my Companion so get used to doing shit for yourself," he said, a little distain in his voice.

"I'm not being precocious, you told me to behave as if I have every right to be here so I am behaving accordingly," she replied, blushing a little.

"You're right I suppose, they have everything here under surveillance," he walked around the little car and helped Jennifer into her seat.

Because her pencil skirt was so tight, getting in the little car was difficult and in frustration she hiked it up so she could swing her legs into the vehicle. Mason could not help staring at her lovely thighs displayed in the glistening stockings. The titillating sight made him forget for a moment that she was defective.

They rode in silence, Mason listening to music and Jennifer surfing the internet on their Omnis. Mason pulled into the auto-park at the front of his apartment building and the car was whisked away by the parking elevator and piloted into its allotted slot. There was just enough room to open the doors and exit the parking slot into the well-lit corridor where they boarded the high-speed elevator, which took them to the fifty-seventh floor.

The apartment was smaller than was usual for a Mezzo but Mason was single and didn't own a Companion of his own so he didn't need much space. He slid his wrist across the sensor and the door opened, the lights came on and background music emitted from hidden speakers.

Jennifer tentatively followed Mason into the apartment; if things had gone to plan she would now be entering the apartment of the person or persons who had purchased her and would be beginning her life. Instead she was in hiding with Mason, who although he was compassionate to the extent that he couldn't terminate her, made no attempt to hide the fact that he thought her an aberration.

Mason dropped his backpack on the small lounge and went to the fridge.

"Drink?" he enquired.

Jennifer stood just inside the door, unsure what to do.

"Yes please," she gave him a wry smile.

Hominoids, just like humans required sustenance to survive and the higher functioning ones like Jennifer had tastes, likes, and dislikes, they were designed to be as humanlike as possible after all. Alcohol and drugs affected Hominoids just like they did humans but actual addiction had been eliminated from human DNA.

Mason poured two glasses of wine and took them over to the lounge; he moved the backpack out of the way and patted the seat beside him. He placed the wine bottle in the middle of coffee table.

Jennifer cautiously approached the lounge and sat down, smoothing her skirt under her legs. She crossed her ankles and took her first sip of wine. She liked the robust red and took another long slug.

"Hey sister take it easy," Mason laughed but he topped off her glass.

"Why are you doing this?" Jennifer broke the prolonged silence.

"I don't know," Mason admitted.

"You know what will happen if they find out that you didn't terminate me; that you snuck me out of Cybertronics," Jennifer touched Mason's arm.

As a Companion Hominoid her natural disposition was to be tactile to anyone who meant her no harm.

Mason turned to face her.

"You may be defective, but you are still beautiful and I can tell you are caring. I know that's your programming but...well I don't know. I just can't harm something as lovely as you," he sighed.

"Do you not have your own Companion?" Jennifer asked.

"I was married once. It didn't take and ever since I haven't really wanted a full-time partner," he whispered.

"Am I really beautiful?" Jennifer engaged his eyes with hers.

"You are and you know you are," Mason gave a wry smile.

"But what about?" she looked down at her lap.

Mason just shook his head; he had no answer.

"Do you know there used to be many women like me centuries ago. They were quite common. They started their lives as men but were gender dysphoric. Some had sex reassignment surgery but some didn't and lived their lives as women anyway. Society actually embraced diversity back then and some of them went on to become famous and even held positions of power," Jennifer said, sipping more wine.

"I suppose I am somehow the same. I feel like a woman, I think like a woman, and I mostly look like a woman; I just have the wrong genitalia because of some coding discrepancy when I was created and incubated," she said.

"So that's what you were doing with your Omni during the drive here? Research?" Mason smiled wryly.

"Unfortunately you can't change centuries old laws and conventions. Three races, three castes, two sexes; nothing else is tolerated," Mason sighed.

He stretched out on the lounge and Jennifer instinctively put her head on his shoulder, seeking comfort. Mason froze. Jennifer whipped her head away from him and sat up straight.

"I'm sorry. It's my disposition. I should know you wouldn't want a freak touching you," Jennifer sighed.

"Stop saying that! Stop calling yourself a freak!" Mason turned and took her shoulders in his hands.

"What am I then?" a tear ran down her cheek.

Mason looked into her green eyes, her perfect features and her ruby red lips. He leaned forward and kissed her softly.

"You're different; that's all. You're just different," he stroked her cheek.

"Please don't show me affection that you don't mean; that's worse than you openly despising or pitying me," Jennifer said softly.

Mason pulled Jennifer into his arms and kissed her again; this time there was passion in the kiss and Jennifer responded. She kissed him back and put her arms around him; she opened her lips a little and Mason tentatively slid his tongue into her mouth. She tasted sweet.

They broke the kiss; some unspoken conjunction between them registered that it was proper to do so.

"That was nice Mason. Is it ok if I call you that?" Jennifer held his hand.

"Of course it is," he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"You know I can cook?" she smiled at him, a genuine smile.

He smiled back at her and softly squeezed her fingers.

"I know all the attributes and abilities of your model," Mason returned her smile.

"If you can make a meal out of what's in that refrigerator, you are not just a Companion, you're a magician," he filled their glasses.

Jennifer rose and made her way into the small kitchen and began to explore. Mason changed the music to something more soothing.

"I'm going to freshen up," Mason said and retired to his bedroom.

When he returned nearly an hour later he was surprised to see that Jennifer had laid the table with linen, sliver and glassware and there was an aroma coming from the kitchenette that sharpened his appetite.

"Sit," Jennifer pulled a chair away from the little two-place setting table.

Mason sat, he was wearing a bathrobe and he smoothed it under him. Jennifer lightly touched his shoulder as she made to return to the kitchen. Mason caught her by the wrist and pulled her head down to his and kissed her, softly stroking her hair.

"You are wonderful," he smiled into her eyes and then let her go.

Jennifer smiled back at him and then returned to her kitchen duties.

They ate together at the small table, their knees touching. They spoke about anything except Cybertronics and Jennifer's defect. Jennifer had a thousand questions. Even though she was programmed to be up to date with current affairs she wanted know everything about Mason, his past, his family, his likes, dislikes; she was as attentive as any courtesan. Although Mason knew that's pretty much what she was, he still found her engaging and her company delightful. He had been alone for far too long he realised.

They spent the remainder of the evening snuggled up on the lounge; Mason with his feet on the coffee table and Jennifer clinging to him with her stocking feel tucked under her. The kissed a little but mostly they just watched the screen and finished another bottle of wine between them. Both their minds were racing, what were they to do next? Then there was the awkward discussion about sleeping arrangements. Jennifer refused to allow Mason to give up his bed for her.

"It's like this Mason. You're the human, I'm the 'skin-job'; therefore you get the bed and I sleep on the lounge," Jennifer was adamant.

"But I'm the man and you're the woman so I should," Mason countered.

Jennifer stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"Even that argument doesn't hold up," she looked up at him with those big green eyes and Mason's heart melted.

Jennifer took the pillows and blankets and made a bed for herself on the lounge. Mason had gone to bed but Jennifer had used his bathroom before they settled down. She sat on the toilet to pee even though she didn't need to; but it felt right. She brushed her teeth and brushed her hair.

She slipped out of her skirt, blouse and bra, she had taken an oversize T-shirt from the clothing bin at Cybertronics and she pulled it on. She did not take off her pantyhose or panties; they helped hide the parts of her body that she despised.

Jennifer couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned but her mind was racing. What didn't help was that she was programmed to seek and provide human comfort, to be lying on her own like this was anathema to her.

Finally, after a few hours, her bladder forced her to arise to use the toilet again. She padded softly through Mason's bedroom and closed the door to his bathroom so as not to disturb him. But she so wanted to disturb him; to feel his flesh against hers. As she sat and tinkled in the bowl she scanned his grooming products arranged beside the sink. He had everything from hair jell to moisturiser.

She closed the door behind her as quietly as she could but Mason was awake, she could see him through the gloom. He threw back the covers and patted the sheets beside him.

Jennifer slid under the covers and turned her back to Mason, her heart thumping in her chest.

"Thank you," she whispered in the dark.

She felt Mason's arm close around her and pull her to him. He turned her around and kissed her; his body pressing against hers.

"No thank you. You are beautiful, and you are a wonderful person," he stroked her face and kissed her again.

Mason helped her take off her t-shirt and Jennifer gasped when his lips found her breasts and suckled her tender nipples. He kissed her on the mouth, passionately this time and she responded. His hands went to her breasts and stroked them, tweaking her nipples.

Jennifer felt him erect against her. She knew exactly what to do to pleasure him; but she didn't have the right equipment to consummate their union. She would have to use other skills. Also she was very aware that she was becoming erect herself in response to his stimulation; her penis was engorging between her legs which was becoming extremely uncomfortable.

Jennifer snaked a hand down between their bodies and she found Mason erect and ready, she stroked him and pressed her breasts against his smooth hard chest.

When his hand left her breasts and began to stroke the front of her panties she froze. She broke the kiss.

"Please don't. You know there is nothing there for you. Let me pleasure you with my hands or my mouth," Jennifer whispered.

Mason could see the glint of tears in her eyes.

He rolled Jennifer on her back, climbed between her legs and kissed her softly on her eyelashes, sipping away her tears.

He lowered his lips to her mouth and kissed her as his fingers continued to explore between her legs. He found her swollen member trapped by the gusset of her hose and he freed it so that it tented her pantyhose and panties.

"Are you sure?" Jennifer murmured.

Mason nodded and kissed her again, he squeezed and stroked her erect member through the silky material of her panties and hose and she reciprocated, stroking him; milking little jewels of pre-ejaculate from his glans.

Mason pulled down Jennifer's panties and she lifted her buttocks off the bed to help him. She put her fingers in the waistband of her pantyhose intending to roll them down too but Mason was impatient. Jennifer was manipulating him expertly and he hadn't been with a woman for so long that release was not far away.

Mason tore out the crotch of Jennifer's pantyhose and began to probe between her legs. She helped him and guided him to the entrance to her anus.

He thrust forward and he penetrated her sphincter, immediately ejaculating as the tight flesh of her anus enveloped his swollen member. He kissed her and pulled her hard against him and Jennifer wrapped her legs around him, encouraging his climax, rubbing her gossamer-clad legs against his flanks.

To her surprise and delight Jennifer orgasmed with him; she spent herself between their bellies as waves of pleasure emanated from where Mason was penetrating her.

They shuddered against each other, kissing and stroking and clawing and mewing until their passion was spent. Then they lay in each other's arms and kissed and stroked each other tenderly.

"I'm sorry I'm not equipped to service you properly Mason," Jennifer stroked his face.

"Jennifer you are equipped perfectly; that was amazing," he smiled down at her.

"But did I hurt you? I err...even I know that usually lubrication is required where none occurs naturally," he blushed.

Jennifer smiled up at him.

"You know I researched all about those trans women of the past. Well being a 'pleasure-bot' as you humans are want to call us, do you think I wouldn't have researched how they made love?" Jennifer grinned cheekily up at him.

"So I prepared just in case," she kissed his wrist as he stroked her face.

Mason still looked puzzled.

"Moisturiser has more than one purpose," she smirked.

Mason's face lit up with realisation.

"You cheeky little minx," Mason tickled her, and Jennifer squealed and wriggled on the bed.

They rolled around in the big bed and made love until they were exhausted and finally fell asleep in each other's arms.