Even Artificial Things
Science fiction. Two short stories.
"Robot, not Robotic" - A human struggles with transitioning into a robot.
"Eloise and Paladin" - A love program mysteriously goes awry.
"Even Artificial Things" - What happens when humanity finally creates robots that are sentient and sapient?
Excerpt
(From "Even Artificial Things")
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law
Third Law of Robotics
HE WOKE UP TO data scrolling across his pupil. Remember to forget. Live long and fail to prosper. It all meant nothing. Blinking away the static, he realised someone was sitting quietly in the room with him. Who?
Wait, wait, he knew this. Lauren? Lo and behold? No. Was it Lorelei, the pine-skinned mermaid siren? She wore a short emerald robe and a clasp of white silk flowers in her cornrowed red hair. He wore a transparent sheet and nothing more.
His optiscreen confirmed his companion’s identity. Lorie. A HOAP-401 model, sex assignation: female, designed with LATi5, Living Advanced Tissue. She had no sweat, blood, or tears. No downtime was required. She was self-generating, impervious to necrosis. A force-field of nanonium casing undetectable to the human eye. And her resources included a databank ranging from the Mesozoic Era to the present day.