Human Perfect Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Free Bonus #ScifiHumor Short Story: Upgrade This!

  Other Books by Kayelle Allen

  About the Author

  Contacting Kayelle

  Before You Say Good-bye...

  HUMAN PERFECT

  A Terran Crescent Story

  Includes bonus story

  "Ugrade This!"

  Kayelle Allen

  www.romancelivesforeverbooks.com

  Copyright

  Copyright ©2015 Kayelle Allen

  To my readers:

  Thank you for protecting copyright and preventing piracy. Your support means the worlds of these books will continue for many years to come.

  All rights reserved. This eBook is licensed to the original purchaser only. No portion of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information retrieval and storage system without permission of the publisher. An eBook is not transferable, either in whole or in part. As the purchaser or otherwise lawful recipient of this eBook, you have the right to enjoy the novel on your own computer or other device. Further distribution, copying, sharing, gifting, or uploading is illegal and violates United States Copyright laws. Pirating of eBooks is illegal. Criminal Copyright Infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, may be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Published by Romance Lives Forever Books

  http://romancelivesforeverbooks.com

  Released in the United States of America

  Editor: Jean Paquin

  Cover art, cover design, and book layout by The Author's Secret http://theauthorssecret.com

  Disclaimers

  This eBook is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author's imagination, or are used in a fictitious situation. Any resemblances to actual events, locations, organizations, incidents or persons – living or dead – are coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

  To request permission for quotes and for all other inquiries, contact the author via email at [email protected] or via the website http://kayelleallen.com

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to members of The Edge of Peril.

  https://groups.yahoo.com/groups/edgeofperil/

  Human Perfect

  In the android business, the best of the best are Human Perfect.

  Chapter One

  Terran Crescent, Earth

  Lunar Spaceport Earthside Shuttle Concourse D

  Christa kicked her leather-bound suitcase. "I hate waiting in lines."

  "So do I." The blond young man across from her in the other security check line looked her way. His eyes glowed with the same soft blue as Earth's northern sky before the sun rose too high. "Huge waste of time."

  "I'll say. And then if you're traveling back here from outside the Crescent...? Ugh! They treat you like you're diseased, or some horrible spy or terrorist."

  "Try going to Ylyptya after being on Earth." He inched ahead, his robotic suitcase keeping pace beside him. "It takes two hours of waiting in medical quarantine while they process you. God forbid you should bring in a germ." He held up his hands. "Oh, sorry. I hope I didn't put you off if that's where you're headed."

  "No, New Earth for business." Christa dragged her manual bag forward. "Are you vacationing?"

  "On Ylyptya? Hardly." His smile showed a flash of perfect teeth. "No. It's home. I was on Earth for business."

  "What do you do?"

  "Tom Karellys." He offered her his hand. "Progress Rep for Humancopy. Ever heard of us?"

  "No." Christa released his hand at once, and rubbed hers against her jacket. Who hadn't heard of them? Makers of the galaxy's most 'Human Perfect' androids. Too perfect, some said. You couldn't tell their plastiflesh from real flesh. Still, a rep for Humancopy... if she could get him talking... "What does Humancopy do?"

  "We make andys." Tom draped his coat over his suitcase. "Androids. The Human Perfect type. And you?"

  The line moved another two steps and ground to a halt. "I'm a travel agent. Name's Christa."

  "Nice to meet you."

  "So, Tom, what does a Progress Rep do?"

  "I gauge how well the competition's andys are keeping up with ours." The line nudged forward a few steps. "My flight doesn't leave for hours. What about yours?"

  "Same." With one foot, she nudged her bag to catch up with the line. She turned her shoulder to him and powered up the book she'd been reading, waiting to see if he'd pursue the conversation.

  "I think they opened another lane." Tom stood on his toes to peer at the line of people ahead of him. "If we get through this checkpoint sometime this year, would you like to have dinner?" A brilliant flash of smile melted any resistance. "It'd be nice not to wait alone."

  She put away her book. "Why not?"

  ***

  Having introduced themselves, the two had fallen naturally into conversation as they walked. Tom suggested they eat at AquaCulture, a water-themed restaurant overlooking the hydroponics section of the station. On the barren moon, a waterfall cascading down the windows lent a decadent feel. Synthetic jazz tinkled in the background, muted enough to allow conversation.

  An android waitress rolled up to their table, her lapel sign flashing the soup of the day. Hot pink skin and green hair matched the color of the flowers in the wallpaper and her uniform. "May I take your cocktail order?"

  Tom set down the menu. "Water for me, please."

  "Live a little." Christa perused the list. "They have an excellent white wine."

  "I don't drink." Tom gestured to Christa. "But feel free. I don't mind."

  "I'll have an Ylyptyan Cassis." After the waitress rolled away, Christa caught Tom's curious look. "What?"

  "An Ylyptyan Cassis?"

  "It's the only thing from Ylyptya I know anything about."

  "You're one up on me. I've never heard of them." He picked up a bottle of red sauce, squinted at the label, and put it down, then picked up a green bottle. He set that down, slid the red bottle into the green bottle's place -- and then switched them back. After a moment, he lined up all the condiment bottles, peered at them, and then began reordering them.

  "Tom, what are you doing?"

  "Sorry." He yanked his hands back and put them on his lap. "Bad habit. I was trying to decide it I should line them up by color or size, or if the name of the product should be--" He shook his head. "Never mind. Order is a flaw, but I will overcome it."

  Raising one eyebrow, Christa took in the neat row of bottles. "Order is a flaw?"

  "Perfection is godlike. No real person is perfect. No real person is a slave to order. I embrace chaos."

  A feeling of unease shivered up Christa's neck. "An interesting mantra for someone who makes andys."

  "I don't make them. I only check up on them."

  "Still, embracing chaos is a radical departure for the andy business, isn't it?"

  "The core values of Humancopy say we embrace chaos and reward innovation. Innovation requires change. Humans are the epitome of change, are they not? To make Human Perfect androids, one must think like a human."

  That shiver launched into a full out shudder, and Christa rubbed her arms, warming herself.

  Tom opened his napkin and placed it on his lap. "So, what's in your drink?"

&nbsp
; "Vermouth. The Ylyptyan version is sweeter than the Terran. I'm addicted, I think."

  "If you like sweet, you should try Ylyptyan chocolate."

  "I prefer dark."

  Neither spoke for a moment.

  "Do..." he began, as she spoke.

  "You first," they said in unison and both apologized. He out-waited her.

  "How often do you come to Earth, Tom?"

  "This is my first trip. I've enjoyed it. How about you?" He looked up as a black and white checker-faced andy brought their drinks. "Thanks."

  The android's forehead flashed "You're welcome," before he rolled away.

  Christa sipped her drink. "You don't have to thank andys, you know. Or is it 'professional courtesy' on the part of one andy to the other?"

  His mouth puckered in a boyish smirk. "Testing them for response. They're made by our competition, Innersoul. Humancopy only makes andys with human appearance. Sorry. I won't do it again. You were about to tell me whether this was your first trip to Earth."

  "I'm here often. Last year, my company sent me to seventeen conventions in Terra City alone. I research trips and assign ratings."

  "Maybe Humancopy could relieve you of some of that waiting you dislike so much. Our andys are perfect for research."

  Smoothing the napkin onto her lap, she scoffed. "Thank you, but andys are incapable of the level of judgment a company like mine requires. Our clients have discerning tastes."

  "Judgment is a matter of making choices based on requirements and a bank of options. Our andys do that well. In tests, 94.82% of the participants couldn't tell Humancopy from human." He leaned back as the waitress brought their food. When she left, he bowed his head in what Christa assumed to be prayer.

  "Tom, may I ask you a question?" She played with the stem of her glass, avoiding his direct gaze.

  He sat back and folded his hands. "By all means."

  "Can andys pray?"

  "Maybe the question is better asked, 'should they?' A monastery on New Terra ordered two andys from us to research texts. We made them appear to be monks."

  "But they can't pray, can they?"

  "They fold their hands, bow their heads, and chant along with the other monks. The leadership there wanted them to look like everyone else."

  "But to pray? That's sacrilege, isn't it?"

  "We don't know if they're praying. They're moving their mouths and saying the words. Does that constitute prayer? Ask the person next to you in church." He dug his fork into his food and paused. "I can't say. I'm not the one they're praying to."

  "But andys don't have souls."

  "Can't be proven. Unless you're one, of course."

  "Ugh, no!" Christa picked at her food, while he ate everything and devoured the rolls. Perhaps he didn't travel much. To Christa, everything had that plastic stored-in-a-starport taste, but Tom seemed to relish every bite.

  After dinner, Christa pushed away her plate. "So, are you?"

  Tom blinked, brows furrowed. "Am I what?"

  "Are you an android?"

  He gave her a perfect, dazzling smile. "Can't you tell?"

  "No." She folded her napkin. "If all your company's andys are as good as you are, it's no wonder people can't tell them from humans."

  "Did I say I was an andy?"

  Squinting at him, she chewed her lower lip. "You're a tease."

  He laughed his too-perfect laugh.

  Chapter Two

  Outside the lunar station, night reigned eternal, star glitter mingling with the lights of ships as they entered and exited the port. A freighter spit out cargo; a superliner disembarked passengers. Closer in, a stream of green and amber lights marked the hustle of local shuttles.

  "Pretty, isn't it?" Christa pressed her fingers against the observation window. Its clear-glass quality made the scene resemble a painting. "I like looking out this type of glass better than I did that thick stuff they used to use."

  "It's phyren. Named after its inventor. He's from Ylyptya, too, by the way, and an android."

  "You have a knack for bringing every subject back to andys."

  "Sorry." He leaned against the phyren window. "Born with it, I guess."

  "Were you?"

  "Was I what?"

  "Born."

  "Born!" Amused, he offered his wrists. "Check me for a pulse."

  "Some androids have them. The Innersoul ones certainly do."

  "Do they?" He cocked his head. "Our competitor is making strides. I'll have to tell my boss."

  "Your master, you mean."

  "Master is too old-fashioned a title. At Humancopy, we prefer sir and ma'am. Do you have a problem with andys?"

  Christa crossed her arms. "It's not easy to trust anyone when you don't know if you're talking to a man or a machine. It makes me nervous."

  "I thought humans had outlived that ridiculous Frankenstein Syndrome. The monster turning on its master and all that."

  "Humans?"

  Dismay flashed in his eyes. "Christa, I--"

  "Aha! You are one, aren't you?"

  "Why should that matter? And why do you insist on classifying andys as machines?"

  "Andys are machines. Humancopy ought to stop trying to convince everyone it makes alternate people or whatever your slogan is."

  "Alternate Egos. Thought you hadn't heard of us."

  "I guess I have. A commercial or something." She turned her face to hide her embarrassment at being caught in a lie, but felt her cheeks growing hot. "Anyway, it's unfair. People don't know if they're dealing with people or not. I think it makes people jumpy. It does me."

  "People, people, people! What about androids? Don't they have rights? A Humancopy andy in the military was tried in human court. Did you hear about that?"

  "No."

  "He refused to obey a command that might have resulted in human deaths. When the court determined his ability to refuse had to be terminated, he instead terminated himself. His conscience would not allow him to harm humans."

  "Oh, please. As if a machine could have a conscience. I'm sorry, but I still don't trust andys. You never know what they're going to do. They're machines. Machines don't need rights."

  "You seem hostile about andys."

  "I certainly am! I'm sick of being tricked. I liked you when we first met, but now I don't even know if you're human."

  "But--"

  "If you'll excuse me, my flight's about to leave."

  "Christa, wait." He gripped her wrist.

  "Let go of me at once." When he released her, she strode away, head high.

  Upon reaching the gate to her ship, Christa sat down in an isolated seating area. With the twist of a ring on her left forefinger, she activated her commlink, shielding the holographic information from public view. Set to the highest encryption, it created a backup of the data as well. Stretching the float-screen with her fingertips, she then selected her preferred keyboard and tapped in a recipient name, Innersoul President Jamal Kamayeh.

  "Made accidental contact with Humancopy Progress Rep Tom Karellys. Used Christa cover." She selected the rating system and tapped options. Social 6. Food/fuel consumption 8. Physical appearance. "Definite ten." Linguistics, 10. Sense of humor, 8. Alcohol effects n/a.

  Under Comments she wrote, "Didn't know our androids had a pulse. Flirted." She tapped the stylus against her lower lip, recalling the dance of light in his blue eyes. There'd been such soulfulness behind them... Why did he have to be an android? If he'd been human, she'd have... You'd what, Christa? Flirt back? He works for the competition. Like that would ever work. With a sigh, she rubbed the place on her arm where he'd held her and noticed a fading mark.

  She continued, "Used phrase 'Frankenstein Syndrome.' Suggest covert purchase of Karellys model andy for detailed study. Debrief on arrival. Humancopy seems incapable of outright lying. Used evasive wording. Not Human Perfect. Ours are far superior." Christa logged off as her flight began to board.

  Chapter Three

  Parys, Ylyptya

  Huma
ncopy, Inc.

  Corporate Headquarters

  Dothan Kolte, President of Humancopy, looked up as Tom Karellys entered. He frowned, set down his stylus, and leaned back in his chair. "I heard you had a run in with one of Innersoul's industrial spies."

  "She told me she was a travel agent."

  "Does she know what you are?"

  "I told her I was an Android Progress Rep. Our technology impressed her."

  When Kolte laughed, his shoulders shook. "Imagine that. Did you get it?"

  "Her sensors were so attuned to my touch, the moment I closed my hand around her wrist she shut right down. Only took fifteen milliseconds to put the new one in place. She won't even remember being off-line. The new chip is in place and actively recording." Tom set a case the size of a small coin on Kolte's desk. "It's all there. Two years of activity. Everything she's ever seen or done for Innersoul."

  "Think she felt it?" Kolte turned over the case.

  "There was nothing to feel, sir. Not even she can tell she isn't human. Her cover is flawless. Who'd suspect an android of being an andy-hater, or a spy?"

  "True." He slid the disk into a slot on his workstation and pulled up the specs. A holographic display flooded file names, cross references, images, and details into the air. "Talk about total recall. Look at this data! This is amazing. She's brought us far more intel than a human would. She's... She's..."

  "Sir?" Tom clasped his hands behind him. "I believe the phrase you're looking for is 'Human Perfect'."

  The End

  * * * *

  Free Bonus #ScifiHumor Short Story: Upgrade This!

  "No way." Drone-12 lifted a brow made of the finest artificial hair, the droidskin around his eyes wrinkling in a lifelike manner. "Right in the produce section of a grocery store?"

  "Modulate your volume." 2-XS scanned the hall. No humans in sight. "And" -- he lowered his voice to a whisper only another android could hear -- "translate this. They say Niner will never snap out of it. He's scheduled for a refit."

  "Ridiculous." Drone-12 lifted one extender arm in exasperation. "Reboots are cheaper."