The virgin & the bad boy (Gravity)

Chapter 57/The loosing of Io

A/N Video Ross: The world's first AI attorney ( in case you think Memphis was too wild). 

/New York/F**K Cafe

We found a F**K Cafe near the courthouse and were having lunch trying to think what to do next. Kindra looked really upset and she was a machine. The case for the 'concerned citizens' had quite undermined our plans. Having emotions 

"Any ideas?" said Memphis.

"Start asking for emergency donations?" said Kindra.

"Sneek her off planet," said Dante.

Memphis calculated "You would be charged with stealing from a government court proceeding. It would be like stealing evidence I could get the term down to five years, soft labour in a prison if you got caught. Seven if Dante does it."

Soft labour, Dante shuddered. Soft labour meant doing courses like flower arranging and design of soft furnishings with murderers and gang lords until you got out.  

"We just have to come up with a one hundred percent full proof way to prove she's human and can fail the Turin test." said Leo " Could we prove she's lost her sanity?"

"I have not lost my sanity," said Io. "I don't even have to look under table for it"

"If she won then she will be put in a hospital for the insane." Memphis said "I had a brain scan done to slow things down. I logged on to the doctor myself and it told me she's as sane as you are. In fact slightly saner."

"OK any other ideas" I asked.

"Is she ovulating?" said Memphis. I drooped in despair .

"Any ideas not involving conception?" I said.

"Don't we need to prove she can do something a machine cannot?" George said.

"It can't be something emotional machines can do that," said Kindra on the edge of tears.

"Something creative - write a poem?" said Leo.

"Kentro write an original poem" I said.

Kentro started "There once was a Mole with a bucket, spying a hole one day it said.."

"...That's enough" I interrupted. "I'm not sure Io could even do that"

For a second I wondered if Io could be a machine. No, I had seen her after she had been dumped. Machines don't do that spontaneously. The problem was machines had been programmed to do most of the stuff we could do including emotions. Perhaps Memphis was right - it would be hard to argue that a machine was capable of giving birth to another human. It wasn't totally a water tight argument. There are pregnancy machines for rare animals but they needed the 'raw' materials.

"What does Io..." I started then looked around "Io? Where is Io? She was here a minute ago."

Io had gone we started to look around. Calling her name. Memphis looked under the table.  Ten minutes later and Io was still not there. She had gone. 

Lunch time was over the court was about to restart and she wasn't found. Everyone carried on looking then Memphis and I went back to court to stall.

****

After using every delay tactic possible. Memphis and I were called back to the bar before the Judges. There was no news from everyone else. 

"We understand that the robot in question is not here?" said the head Judge.

This was bad they were calling her 'the robot' not the 'the defendant' I couldn't believe they were falling for Bentham's line.

"That is correct your honour," I said.

The judge smiled. "You don't have to call me honour, my name is John."

"Oh thanks John," I said.

"but court etiquette says you have to refer to me as your excellency. If the subject of this investigation, the robot known as Io, is not present in court by 9:30 tomorrow morning..."

"...Make it 10:00" said one of the other judges.

"OK. 10:00, If the robot Is not here by 10:00 tomorrow morning then it will be declared to be officially a machine, and placed on e-bay by the court executive at 10:30. You must understand, no machine can make fun of the court like this. Court adjourned" said the Judge loudly. "If we hurry we can get an hour in a local ball play space," he added to the other judges they nodded.

Despondent I returned to the restaurant. Everyone had gone off looking for her. Start from the beginning. she had been sitting on the edge  I went to the women's toilets and on the way there passed the doorways to the food preparation area. I went into find Io on her hands and knees cleaning.

I went up to Io scrubbing the floor.

"Io what are you doing. You missed your court appearance." I said.

Io nodded towards the cleaning robot in the corner.

'Customers were kicking this robot. I told them to stop. They told me if I didn't like it I should wash the floor my self . I repair cleaning robot and clean while glue dries" said Io.

Her english was getting better. I looked over at the cleaning robot. It had some obvious foot marks of being kicked.

The robot spoke in binary to her from it's corner under a steel preparation table. My earrings translated

"<BING> the rumba said 'You're truly are the saviour of robots'" they said.

I looked at Io "Come on Io we need to get home"