An Object Of Study

Care

When I returned to the Lab the next morning I was surprised to see the 3D Printer already working… and to find two bottles of water and some food on one of the tables. What the…? "Good morning, Jules." David welcomed me from one of the analysing tables. He seemed much more friendly today.

"Good morning." I whispered and bowed my head. I heard him come closer and he lifted my chin tenderly. "I didn't take good care of my poor pet yesterday. But from now on I will, Jules. I understand that you work better when your needs are fulfilled properly." "Thank… thank you, David." I whispered, keeping my gaze lowered. He was kind towards me again, but I wouldn't stop to show my deepest humility towards him, at least not yet. He should think that he had finally broken me. If I could make him believe that, then maybe he would stop Mother's surveillance on me… and I needed him to stop this surveillance.

"My poor Jules. Will you accept my apology?" he asked with his most warm and velvety purr and softly stroked my cheek with the back of his long slender fingers. A shudder ran down my back and my eyes fell shut. It felt so good. Bastard…
"Yes, David… of course… although there is nothing to forgive… I… I should have known… known where my place is." I whispered, stuttering helplessly. Why did he make me stutter, damn it? And why the heck was he so damn nice again after he had been so hard and mean towards me? If he had been a human I would have thought about a conscience… or at least mood swings… but this? He confused me more and more the longer I shared his presence.

"Da… David?" I asked carefully and looked up into his eyes. "Thank you… for the efforts you made. You… you are too kind. It must have taken you some time…" His expression was so kind with a soft and understanding smile and he tenderly caressed my cheek again.
"I didn't think about it that having a pet means responsibility. And you are mine, so I'm responsible for your needs now. I'll take good care of my little kitten."

So I was his little kitten now. Whatever he was thinking that would mean, but he already did a great job in caressing me. If it had been possible I would have purred because of his gentle caresses on my cheek. It was highly distracting… but also arousing. Why did he know so damn well how to touch me to pull the right strings?
"David… please… stop doing this." I begged and slightly turned my head to kiss his slender fingers. His thumb tip stroked over my lips and my eyes fell shut again.
"Please, David… why are you doing this to me?" "Because I was very mean towards you and want to make it good again. My little Jules shall be as happy as possible."

I had an idea why he did this. He did nothing without a reason. The printer was already working on his arm, I had registered that much before he had started to distract me. Soon the synthetic tissue would also be ready. I had shown him the way, now he could walk it himself. There was only one thing left he needed me for… to assemble it and attach it to his arm. After that my little purpose for him was fulfilled. My time was running out, I felt it. And for whatever reason, he had decided to make these last two or three days nice for me. A wave of sadness and despair crashed down on me. To know that my life was limited was already bad enough, but to be aware how limited it actually was made me feel like breaking apart. And in this short time I'd also never manage to carry out the plan I had made.

"Why is my girl sad all of a sudden? I thought you'd be happy." O why did he have to sound so caring now? He sounded like a loving father. My shaking knees gave in and I fell to my knees before him, letting my tears finally roll over my cheeks. Why couldn't he be hard and mean again? It would have been easier for me to know I still had a chance to earn my life by doing his bidding.

"Please, David… please don't." I whispered and leaned my forehead against his thigh, embracing his long leg, and cried into his trousers. "Don't what, Jules?" he asked, sounding surprised, and I cried even harder. Why did he humiliate me even more?
"Don't think I'd be stupid, David. You can do anything to me, but don't think I'd be too stupid to not realize that you treat me like a moribund. I know I'll have lost my purpose for you when your spare part is attached… I just hadn't thought you'd speed that up, David… you said… you said we're not short of time…" I wept and hid my face against his leg. Again he stroked my head comfortingly.

"I don't speed up anything, Jules. And I don't treat you like a moribund. I intend to tell you when your time runs out, and beforehand, not to surprise you in a moment of happiness, like a human might do. You deserve that much honesty, because you always were honest towards me. And because you still did your best, although you are my slave. You are so much like Lt. Col. Nicholson, and that impressed me a lot, Jules." "Who?" I asked and looked up to him. "The movie you watched the other night, Jules. The Officer who built the bridge over the river." I sat back to my heels, keeping eye contact. "That man had a totally different motivation. He wanted to show the superiority of his soldiers and his people for honour and glory. And for what? The bridge was gone in the end… as my life will be."

David furrowed his brows. "You had fallen asleep that night. How do you know the ending?" "I watched it again last night. I thought it might help me again to fall asleep. But it didn't. So I watched it till the end. And your favourite movie, too, David." His face got an air of surprise. "You also watched Lawrence of Arabia?" he asked and I nodded. "It must have been about six in the morning when you finally fell asleep, Jules." Now it was me who nodded.

"And still you came here?" I nodded again. "Nothing special. I'm used to short nights. The working schedules for Weyland were sometimes worse. I can manage two days and nights without sleep." "Although you worked with Androids?" "Yes." "Jules, this is stupidity. A human brain becomes tired, even if the body doesn't." I rose from my knees and went to the table where he had put the food on. He had really thought about everything.
I picked up the silver bottle and opened it. The wonderful scent of coffee streamed through the Lab. I took a deep and indulging breath and poured some into the cap of the bottle to take a sip. Black and strong… a liquid dream. "That's why humans have this magic drink, David. It keeps us running." I softly moaned and took another sip. Damn did David make great coffee… "Oh David… when you tell me now that you can also cook I'm gonna marry you…" I purred and downed the coffee. He looked at me questioningly with a slightly tilted head. Of course he couldn't understand that.

"Sorry… some centuries ago the ability to prepare food was a criteria for a man to marry a woman. It was supposed to be a woman's job in the family. Over the years it shifted a bit and also men enjoyed preparing food for the family and so it also became a criteria for women to marry a man. That's why I said this." I explained and poured a second coffee. David nodded pensively, processing my answer.

"I remember seeing things like that in your old movies." he answered and stepped closer to me. "Can you cook?" he asked while I took a sip and I started coughing. This question hit me unprepared. "I'm afraid, no. I'm highly untalented in the kitchen… so untalented that I'm even unable to make such a good coffee. But you are a true magician, David. Is there anything you are not perfect at?" He stroked my cheek again and made me shiver. "We have some hours of spare time. Why don't we find out?" How did he mean that now? And what the heck was he up to?