Karyn and Jon read the report together.
2028 TOSHIBA FDA PETITE
RIN: T42R8992Q1400FS42327
Family Domestic Assistant
Young Adult Female 5'2" 110lb
Torso Size B - Toshiba Power Supply
1/30/2028: Unit offered for sale
2/18/2028: Purchase reported; AI initialized; registered to private owners
(E. Blunt note: A colleague of mine bought this robot for her family. They named her Kimi. She was very sweet. Family Domestic Assistants are basically intended to work strictly as maids, in the sense that they are not sexually functional in their default configuration.)
8/10/2028: Scheduled maintenance; AI tested maturity level 4.1
"What's the maturity level mean?" Jon asked.
"It's derived from a composite Turing Test and academic exam every AI is required to take every six months. Once they hit a rating of at least ten, they are legally entitled to be treated as people after four years, or immediately upon a rating of at least twelve," explained Karyn.
12/20/2028: Aftermarket modification-- Integrated Arm Tools-- CRAFTSMAN LIGHT DUTY MODULAR ROTARY TOOL - LEFT/ CRAFTSMAN MULTIPURPOSE 20W LASER & WORKLIGHT - RIGHT
2/05/2029: Scheduled maintenance; AI tested maturity level 6.4
4/27/2029: Aftermarket modification-- Sexual-- J&Z; SUPERTWITCHY G340 VAGINA WITH HI-SENS AND MAX-CONTROL, J&Z; VERSA-BOOBS WITH AUXILIARY FLUID RESERVOIRS
(E. Blunt note: My colleague's husband is responsible for this one. This did not go over well with her, to put it mildly.)
"What the hell?" Jon shouted upon reading the last entry. "I was sort of prepared for the idea that this body would be-- fully functional, but I was just fine learning that she wasn't."
"Afraid you're going to be a nymphomaniac? I don't suppose it makes you feel any better that J & Z make top quality robotic sexual components," offered Karyn.
"Now would be a good time to tell me whether you're a lesbian," Jon grumbled.
6/16/2029: Unit suffered two twelve-gauge shotgun slugs to the head, AI destroyed, unit seized by San Jose Police Department
(E. Blunt note: My colleague caught her husband making use of Kimi's recent upgrades and decided to destroy Kimi.)
8/23/2029: Damaged head removed, headless unit given full nanite sterilization treatment and sold at auction to private individual.
(E. Blunt note: That private individual was me.)
9/05/2029: Head replaced, refurbished unit certified for use, placed in storage.
3/26/2030: Unit passed inspection.
"That's really not too bad of a deal. There are loads of people walking around on older hardware than that," said Karyn brightly.
"Yes, but-- my curiosity is going to get the better of me sooner or later. I'm worried that--" Jon trailed off.
"Worried that you'll enjoy it too much and get carried away. Stop worrying. You've got a great career ahead of you, from the sound of it."
Jon and Karyn soon reached home, and the days went by. The brain-mapping sessions were tedious, but before Jon knew it, the day of the main operation had arrived. He could only hope that two days before his GED exam he would not lose any important memories in the transfer.
