MY ANDROID SHIPMATE

The history of this can be described in a few words. I had retired from service with the Space Navy after a remarkable career, with exploits which had attracted notice so that I was offered employment by various space agencies. One of these included the use of an ultramodern space ship. When certain alien cultures engage in trade they like their ships manned by material beings. Some civilisations are millions of years old and have an inconceivably advanced technology, and often exist on a higher range of frequency. They can lower their frequency down sufficiently but is irksome, uncomfortable and exhausting because of the expenditure of their energies.

When I was offered this post I readily accepted, already having been an experienced space traveller in the secret space program of Terra. My ship is incredible with artificial intelligence and a personality capable of advanced astrogation. It must have been several years in this service which was mostly scouting and surveying, and often as a carrier, for a passenger or goods about which I did not ask questions. The ship carried a range of weapons which I never needed but had been trained in their use.

It became clear to me after certain conversations, that time in their world is different and so I was not able to be sure, but I think that time I spent in space was longer. The missions in which I was involved will not be described in deference to their request. Suffice to say that it was generally peaceful. The long periods of isolation in space can have strange effects on the mind, and sometimes cause hallucinations and psychosis endangering the safety of the ship and its occupant. My employers in their wisdom of a million years or so of space travel engaged a female android to be my assistant pilot and maintenance mechanic, and more importantly for companionship.

I soon found that she was very capable in the domestic chores and knowledge of a variety of cuisines obtainable from the replicating device installed in the craft. I marvelled at the grace and beauty of this creature presenting a height of a little more than five feet and a comely hourglass figure, which she covered from a selection of outfits appropriate to her selected exercise, for example a mechanic’s one piece coverall or a short skirted housemaid’s uniform for cleaning and laundry. The personality of this creature so closely resembled an organic woman I would defy anyone to detect any slight hint of her true nature.

After a few days of our acquaintance and conversations of a wide range of subjects she began to demonstrate titillating mannerisms which only be interpreted as seductive. I recalled the remarks of the agent. “This artificial lady has all the qualities you could desire in a true woman and you are encouraged to make full use of her wide repertoire which is indeed greater than her most sophisticated and educated counterpart.” I thanked him and thought it was the most exaggerated description of what was only a mechanism. I soon found out that he was correct, I had a companion which had been provided with an exact psychological match more than any dating service could afford, and furthermore the skills of an experienced courtesan, which I was not loth to use.

When the time came for my contract to expire I was asked how I would like to be paid, in leading currencies, diamonds or gold. I had already made up my mind and ventured a bold request for the spaceship and its entire facilities. The diminutive bald headed agent evinced what could have been humour in the twitch of its bland facial features, “You terrestrials are full of surprises, I can see no reason why you should not have the vessel which is only one of a fleet obtained by replicator” .

There was a pause as he communicated telepathically with his employers and said, “Your services are worth more, we insist you also accept some gold and a few diamonds together with an amount of money which your infantile culture still uses, and you can have the android”. I gasped inwardly, and thought best not ask how much money.

The trip back to earth was uneventful. I put the ship in the safe stationary orbit, with the android in standby ready to bring it down when I needed it in response to a coded transmission from my cell phone, failing which a series of light flashes were agreed on. A pied a terre was the next thing and a luxurious apartment was rented on a six months lease in a pleasant suburb of the capital. I then spent sometime in buying new clothes and sat in a resteraunt comparing the service and cooking on my ship. As I sat savouring a rather inferior dessert I contemplated the proper furnishing of the flat, and had a brilliant idea. Why not get Alice, the female android I had so named, to make the choices. I brought her down in the early hours in the seclusion of a wooded area. After I had sent the ship back to its resting orbit, I drove her to the flat in my new modern convertible saloon.

When she was acquainted with the idea she made a quick appraisal of the fashions of the day and lost no time equipping her wardrobe, following which she quickly made a selection of furnishings. Her choices were excellent, and so within a short interval I was able to settled own in comfort.

The question remained what to do with the ship, the imperative being secrecy. I decided to leave it aloft for the time being, and so it was sent on automatic to stay above cloaked and undetectable to radar. I had a small device for summoning the ship to descend on command. Furnishing the apartment having gone smoothly and with the exquisite taste, we began to settle down in the traditional way of a married couple. She was an excellent cook and we entertained some of my army colleagues who were also retired, but because of the nature of our employment we never discussed work. One of my fears was about security, but it appeared that we were privileged in the absence of enquiries into our incomes and so we continued in the hedonistic style associated with Mafia types and politicians.

Visits to the casino always produced positive results, nothing outrageous but satisfying ,my partner had an uncanny way of winning at blackjack, as with our evenings of bridge playing at each other’s homes. It was in these forays that I saw the extraordinary capacity of the android mind, she was fluent in every foreign language we encountered and there was quite a number in this colourful community of wealth. When I remarked on this she shrugged, and said, “What do you expect I am an android with exceptional abilities, some of which I hope you will never need to see. “

I became irritated, it was the first time she had referred to herself as an artificial construct, and said, “Can you give me some examples just to satisfy my curiosity?” She replied with supercilious sniff of a conceited woman, ”Martial arts” she said, “as I think you call them, with every kind of weapon, and then there are degrees in many subjects”. She then smirked, and gave my right ear a painful twist saying, “You take a great risk when you spank me, but don’t worry I am programmed to love you and I really do”.

We did not use the spacecraft much for reasons of security, but had some adventures exploring the dark side of the moon. When this attracted the unwelcome attention of certain aliens we stopped doing this, and there was plenty to see here anyway with careful and discreet use of the spaceship. We toured the most isolated and beautiful scenic areas. When my companion read about the native Indians who professed knowledge of extraterrestrial visitations, we decided to go and talk with them.

I engaged a campervan and drove to the desert area where they preferred to live. We were introduced to their medicine man and the pipe smoking ceremony followed. When we were left alone with him he smiled and said, “Your beautiful companion is not human, tell me about her”. ”I will let you tell you herself”, I replied and to my astonishment she engaged him in conversation in his native language. The medicine man unperturbed nodded wisely and said nothing for a few minutes, and finally said, ”Your secrets are safe with me, but I would greatly appreciate travelling with you in your ship”.

We had a bite to eat with him and agreed to his request. A rendezvous in a nearby canyon was made at a day and time he regarded as propitious. We made a number of trips to his remote village and took him up into space to view the earth and the moon. In typical indian fashion he enjoyed the experience but without making a show of it. It became a regular event and on occasion remarked how he loved the conversation with my companion in his own language, and remarked to me, “She will not be able to remain with you forever”.

The following years sped by, and I began to show signs of aging. The waistline had dropped and my hair was greying. She never changed of course, and was the envy of all our women friends. Snide remarks about children became commonplace, with references to my virility or her inability to conceive. Always indirectly of course, in this sophisticated community. But it had a sinister effect on my beautiful android lover. She became wistful and talked about how nice it would be if we could have had a family. I did not realise that an android might become depressed and envious of those on whom she was patterned. It came to a head when she started to develop signs of pregnancy, complete with morning sickness. I was very alarmed, and dared not confuse her by denying. I suggested we return to her home planet for a check up to which she readily agreed, but I was still worried. The craft descended quietly when summoned, decloaked and we entered to lift off immediately.

When we arrived, there was a small group to welcome us, but without any warning Alice was rendered unconscious and removed. I received a telepathic explanation, ” We were aware of the change, and if you had not acted we would have had to. If we had to come and retrieve her we might have been seen and raised questions. Now you have brought her back we will do what we have to do”.

“What will happen to her?” I said.

“The brain will have to be wiped clean, and completely reprogrammed. She can be returned to you if you wish but there will be no memory of you. Living like a human woman in your society has provoked a psychotic condition in her desire to be a living human being and to conceive There is no cure and you are responsible. It was not in the design to live permanently in a human community”.

Aghast at the thought of deprivation I felt a wave of love and sympathy from these highly spiritual beings. I let them escort me to the area for human visitors and the complete apartment with all modern conveniences, but plain and spartan in appearance. I made use of the alcoholic beverages and after a couple of drinks I calmed down and berated myself for being besotted by a robot, selected a meal from the replicator and then slept on the sofa. When awake I had a shower and shaved. The morning ablutions completed I settled down to a light breakfast of cereals and fruit. I had just disposed of the remains when I had a visitor from my hosts.

It was another man. He introduced himself and said, ”We thought you might like some company. You are invited to stay with us if you like, some are third generations here in this small colony.” I thanked him and we chatted for a while and when he said, “Come along and meet some of my friends”, I accepted.

There were two couples of which my companion was one. The formal introductions made we sat down and looked at each other. I was a trifle embarrassed as they knew of my relationship with the android, until the second man who like the rest was dressed in the fashion reminiscent of the twentieth century remarked, “You are not alone in your experience with an android. It is a normal practice in this colony where women are scarce ”.

I thanked him for the remark and began to open up, and after two glasses of excellent dry sherry described my life on planet earth and possession of a spacecraft. They seemed duly impressed and expressing envy of my good fortune. However, in spite of their obvious friendliness I felt there was something brewing. This became revealed when one of the ladies, a mature blond with a well preserved figure and complexion volunteered a statement, “We want you to meet someone, she is a close relative and has been deeply involved in the programming of female androids which will be apparent when you meet her.”

I was beginning to feel uneasy and gulped the rest of my sherry. As if on cue the door opened and a young woman stepped inside. She had a cheeky grin and smiled saying, “Surprise, Surprise”. She was the double of my android, my knees buckled and my friends quickly put a chair behind on which I sat. The apparition gasped and said, ”Oh , I hope he is not going to have heart attack. He looks a bit pale.”

I replied, “I am certainly not having a heart attack. You are a bit of a shock that is all”. I was beginning to feel angry, but I suppressed it and I stood up and smiled saying, ”I am very pleased to meet you”. She extended her hand, which I held perhaps a moment longer than necessary. My host said ‘We must have another round of drinks”.

She giggled and said, “I think you are taking it very well”. I said “I have a background of more dangerous situations, but this is a bit close to the heart”. She handed me a glass of whisky with some ice and said, “ I am very sorry, I did not mean to hurt you. Is the likeness so great “ ? ”You might say that, the difference is only in the hair and colouring. Alice is a classical brunette, the hair dark short and curly. Yours is a beautiful red and long, and the eyes such a bright blue”.

At which she batted her long eye lashes at me and blushed slightly, ”It is also embarrassing for me. I am the model on which she was made, in every anatomical detail, that is apart from the colouring. Of course I am not the first, but they love to experiment ever making improvements”.

”Well, I think they exceeded the completeness” I said, “and also failed in one aspect. She came to think she really was human and wanted a baby. That is why I have brought her here when she began to develop symptoms of pregnancy, which she must have picked up in conversation with women friends”. ”Why, that is terrible” she said, ”Yes and risky too” I added, “living with a psychotic android with advanced martial arts training”.

I was fortunate in the support from my new friends, who were discreet enough not to ply me with the sympathy overtures which they wisely withheld. A celebration dinner was created in my honour. I am not sure what it was for, my liberation from the relationship, or the survival from a possible attack by a disappointed psychotic android. There were our couples and the Alice origin, whose name was Thelma. It was an enjoyable event and I was able put my sadness away.

There followed a pleasant few days touring the colony and certain parts of the planet which were permitted. I did not see any natives, they are mysterious creatures living on a higher level of consciousness but able to step down for short periods to communicate. Probably the oldest civilisation in the galaxy, apart from the Draco an aggressive reptilian race. The toleration of the human colony was also associated with opportunities for the perfection of human androids for which there is an insatiable demand. The colony numbered in thousands in a genetically controlled environment at the insistence of their hosts, although I am not sure what that implies.

When I announced my intention to leave, Thelma took me aside and said, “Take me with you, I want the lifestyle you enjoyed with her”. Needless to say, the idea had crossed my mind, so I held her in my arms and kissed her after which I said “OK let’s go”.

We were not allowed to depart without the blessings of our alien hosts who summoned me for a rejuvenation and certain improvements, but would not say what they were. When were about to leave they sent the repaired android to see us off. So Thelma and her duplicate embraced exchanging girlish whispers.

The spokesman of the planet sent me a telepathic message, ”We are thankful for your cooperation in enabling us to put a soul in an android”. When Alice came and whispered in my ear, “I can remember some things it was wonderful, thankyou”. So I guess they must be right, about the soul that is.

My ship had been overhauled and checked out. There had been some interesting additions and improvements in the way of defence for interplanetary excursions and visits to the newly established colony on the moon. The last thing was a request, “Please visit again when you have been successful in procreating. You owe us that much”.

The After Math

My family life has been fairly typical. My friends in this wealthy community remarked on the changes in Alice’s hair style and colouring, fortunately the eyes are also blue. There are two children, a boy and a girl aged six and five. Visits were made as requested after each birth during which we all had medical checkups and some procedures to delay ageing. I still have the ship which is a bit of a worry. So far it has been securely hidden at a discreet height and only used on specially selected occasions for sorties into remote wilderness areas, and camping trips with our native Indian friends. Foggy nights are the most suitable for bringing the ship down. I do not look forward to telling the children our transport is very special. What would you do? I have a mind to return the vessel and put it all behind, and perhaps go back to it when the children are old enough to know things, but how old? They are due for school and they may talk to their friends, but I have learned there is a school for the children from the Secret Space program crews which may be most suitable. In any case, I plan to keep it for my retirement and do a little exploring, I am sure my Indian friend would be keen to go with me.

For those who might be interested in the android, she elected to make use of her formidable warrior training programming, vast knowledge and abilities by joining the Silver Legion, (an interdimensional military organisation) as a special ground based liaison. She visits us from time to time, and is very interested in the children.