Android Store Vignette #2
Avril stretched her tired body then checked the list as the system cycled the now completed android order to the staging area, where the morning crew would double check her work and then package up the custom androids for shipment to their new owners. Finally she was down to the last one, she had saved this one to be her last for the night as it was the most interesting customization she had seen in a while.
This order was why she enjoyed working in this central reprocessing center for the company, a lot of the stores didn't want to have the responsibility for customizing the customer's orders or the overhead of the equipment and sent the custom orders to locations like this. Most customers just wanted a different hair or eye color along with some fairly standard tweaks to the body dimensions or facial features. Avril enjoyed doing those conversions but after doing almost the exact same thing time after time, she needed something new to feel recharged.
This now was one of the really interesting orders, this showed that the customer ordering it was more likely to appreciate the effort she was going to put into doing it right. She ran through the description again to make sure she understood everything the customer was wanting and double checked the settings on the machine to make sure she got it perfect.
This android was going to go old school on look and options, which would take more effort to get right as there were no defaults that were anywhere close. First off the skin tone of the android was to be platinum, covered with a shell of titanium colored plates with obvious lines where they came together and black rivets to show how they are joined. As a subset of the skin, there was the android's head of hair, it was to have a short bob in a style a century out of date in pure platinum which covered where the ears would otherwise show. On top of the head was a titanium dome that sat centered on the crown, but was sitting back at an angle, that could be removed to expose circuits. Those circuits allowed for manual programming of simple physical actions, probably to pretend that they were doing maintenance or some kind of testing on the android. In addition to this there was going to be a control panel in the small of the androids back; this panel will have an On/Off switch, in the off mode the android would be immobile as if totally powered off, just like an old style fully electro-mechanical android. Also in this control panel is a second switch that controlled the panels that covered the androids breasts and crotch, when the panels are opened the softer flesh of the androids original dermis, with its platinum pigment, would be exposed that would allow the owner to enjoy options available to later model androids. She noted that from the 'neckline' of the android's titanium shell the android had the softer platinum pigment dermis for the neck and face, always showing rather than the metallic skin covering the android from the neckline down. Avril thought that the irises of the eyes being silver was a nice selection, and that it was echoed in the lips (both face and in the crotch) and with the nipples and areola.
Avril noted that the android was limited in its range of motion, probably linked to the 'metallic shell' the android was 'built' with. This limited motion would prevent the android from reaching either of the control panels, so even if it was ordered to it would not be able to open or use either control interface.
With the addition of 5 inch wedge heels, a beautifully sculpted hourglass figure, and the exotically sensual facial features, the gleaming android would be quite a work of art.
Thinking about it, Avril decided to throw in an option that wouldn't cost the company much, but would probably make the customer extra happy with their purchase. The flesh area's that were getting tinted silver she decided to enhance the sensitivity to sexual stimulation by an extra 50%. The first time the customer got the chance to play with the android robot's intimacy functions, they should be pleasantly surprised by how responsive the unit will be.
Double checking all the specific dimensions the customer wanted for the androids curves, and confirming all the custom settings were exactly what was listed, Avril triggered the system to deliver an android to be modified to the Customization Bell as it was called. This was a bell shaped chamber about 8 feet tall and about 6 feet across at its base, in the stores that had them the androids had to be manually walked into the chamber and then walked out after the process was completed. Here to accommodate the higher traffic volume there were arms that would place an android into the clamps that took it into the chamber and other arms that would remove it from the clamps after it had been customized.
Avril stretched again as she watched the arm holding the android to be modified closed with the waiting chamber clamps, then the arm stopped suddenly. "Not again," Avril groaned, "Those repair techs promised that they had fixed this problem!" She stepped away from the control console to the arm itself, knowing from previous occurrences that this would take direct action to get the arm in motion again.
Moving to the arm she tried all the tricks that had worked before; after 10 minutes of jiggling, pushing, and shoving, and finally kicking Avril came to an understanding. The techs had indeed fixed the previous problem and look to have created a new and worse one. She stood back and looked over the placement of the arm and decided to try the one thing she had not yet attempted, she was going to try pulling on the arm. If she hooked a foot in the clamp, she would have better leverage than she had had from the smooth floor available from the other angles.
Finally having a brace point, Avril was able to move the arm holding the android closer to the clamps on the belt feeding the Customization Bell. But as she got it closer she could feel the resistance building up as the hydraulics compressed, and to keep it moving she braced both feet against the clamps and pulled harder. Just as she almost had it, her foot shifted and the arm suddenly swung back to its starting place, the sudden change pulling her forward and causing her feet to slam into the clamps.
The clamps closed on her legs at the shin and the mid-thigh, the arm swinging out of her grasp as the clamps prevented her from following it away from the track feeding the Bell. Realizing that she was being pulled into the Customization Bell, Avril panics, "Computer! Emergency Shutdown!"
This might not have been the best thing for her to do.
The Emergency Shutdown procedure was designed for an emergency evacuation of the store, it tells the store computer to compress all data added since the last sync up with the corporate data center and sends it in for offsite storage, before locking the doors to prevent anyone other than emergency personnel from entering a potential hazard zone. The use of this protocol should raise flags at the corporate office, but due to lazy or rushed employee's using it as a quick way to shut down stores, the only time its use is noted is if there are emergency units sent to a store location. However if the store computer had been left on after midnight, the manager would have been notified and they would have checked with Avril on why she had not yet closed down operations for the night. If she failed to answer they would have had to come to the facility to investigate.
It does not however, have any connection with the Customization system, that hardware is totally isolated from any other computer access to prevent anyone trying to hack in and corrupting or stealing its processes. Which the still struggling Avril remembers as the door to the Customization chamber closes, starting the processing of the android the system registers as loaded and in place.
The system paused as the android unit to be modified was not of the expected parameters; it was 3 inches taller than specified and was of an overall more slim build. The Chambers systems recalculated needed resources prior to proceeding. Once it determined that it had sufficient material available for the altered base model, the system proceeded with the listed modifications. First it increased the bust and the butt of the provided unit to bring it within specified parameters. Then it permeated the androids dermis with platinum pigmentation, guaranteed to not fade for at least 20 years; this pigmentation also removed all of the hair in the androids dermis. Next it proceeded to the erogenous zones that were to get the neural enhancements, the facial lips, the nipples, the vaginal lips; on all three of these zones the system expanded the neural sensitivity to include the entire organ (i.e. the complete breast and the vagina & the clitoris). The silver pigmentation was applied to the entire oral cavity along with the entire vaginal cavity, as the customer request specified that there be no non-metallic coloration's to the delivered android. The system standardized the androids teeth to be titanium finished and all of perfect size, shape and placement. The final step in the first phase of this program was to insert silver mirror-like covers over the eyes, the system chose ones that covered the entire eye; these protect the android's visual sensors from glare and wind damage as well as extending its ability to function in light levels so low it would otherwise be blind.
After giving the android base some time to assimilate these initial changes the chamber proceeded to plate the android from the shoulders to the ends of its extremities. Even though it used rivets to 'attach' the plates to one another, the real bonding agent was a variant of the DiamondPermaBond process. This bonding agent was a self-replicating bio-agent, it was able to bond with the specially prepared body plates as well as with the androids dermis. The androids dermis, like the human skin it was modeled after, became inflexible and broke off from the dermis. The bio-agent will continually brake down the micro flakes and pass them through the exterior surface as waste gases that are odorless and harmless to oxygen breathing creatures. The platinum hair bob is attached prior to the cranial access port and the mid-back switches being configured and installed. The Customization process pauses at this point to check all points of the androids modifications, then double checks the final check; finally it closes out the process and releases the completed product.
Avril had blacked out when the chamber closed as the system automatically blocked all sensory input to the android's central processor to prevent overloads or data corruption. For Avril only seconds passed from the time the chamber closed to when it opened up again, she hoped that no time had actually passed and that she was being released as not being an actual android for the system to configure. The shock she gets seeing her bright metallic skin in a polished surface causes her to pass out.
= = = = = = = = = =
In the morning the facility is opened, and since the store computer was shut down and the doors locked no one thought anything unusual had occurred the night before. The morning crew came in and started their usual routines, Monique's task this morning was to check the androids modified the night before and send them to the dock for packaging and shipment to the customers.
The lights coming on and the noise of people moving around brought Avril around and she could see a mixture of dressed, partially dressed and naked androids standing in front of her, and she had to work out why she couldn't move...and why was she sleeping standing up? It had took a few moments for her memories to catch up with reality. The Bell!....It had processed her as if she were an android....she now had the titanium robot skin! 'Why can't I move? Wait the robot skin, it has an on/off switch, the machine must have installed it set to off. Somebody will come and check out the android's I did last night, when they get here I'll do something to get their attention and they'll get me out of this!'
Monique pulled up the orders that had been worked on last night and checked on her supplies. She put the documents on a cart that had the test equipment she'd need and a case of the collars the Legal required all androids wear. On her way over to the product to be checked, she chatted with the packers. Made sure they were going to be ready for the number of units her documentation said she'd be sending their way shortly.
While waiting for someone to get there Avril kept trying to move, trying to lift a hand or get her body to rocking....anything to show she wasn't just an android to be packed up and shipped out. Wait! She could hum, she would make noises an android wouldn't make! That'll tell them something's up, that they need to check her out closer!
As Monique left the packers she headed over to the coffee pot, it finally being ready to dispense some of the black gold she needs for kick-starting her day. Cup of steaming coffee on her cart, Monique completes her last steps for gearing up for a day's work and heads over to the androids waiting her inspection.
Avril could see the girl approaching the completed androids from last night, and hummed as loud as she could, but the girl made no sign that she heard the trapped woman's plea for help. Avril felt like jumping up and down in rage, was the stupid girl deaf?
As Monique approached where the androids waited her inspection, she turned on her music; she found a good fast beat did more for getting her going in the morning than coffee did. Her head started bobbing to the beat as she got into the new album she'd just downloaded. Her co-workers knew that once she had her music cranked, a bomb could go off next to her and unless it dislodged the player the dark haired girl would probably miss it.
After the girl had inspected and cleared away about 2/3rds of the units to be inspected, Avril finally recognized that her potential savior was wearing one of those induction players, the ones that stimulated the hearing nerves directly and cut out the outside world! She had been humming herself hoarse for nothing! Uugh! Hey, her eyes! For some reason, somehow she was able to move her eyes! She'd wait for the girl to be right in front of her and roll her eyes and the girl would notice that! She had to!
Monique had gotten into a rhythm, first taking the processor tester cap and attach it to the units head and while that process was running, checking that the physical changes met the specs for the order, making a close scan for defects, closing out the paperwork and then sending the unit to the dock for packaging. The unit clamped over the neck at the base of the skull and was fitted over the top of the head, she would then activate the testing software that would check for any pathway damage the Customization chamber might have caused. If the customer had called for alterations in the physicality of the android, she would test the firmness settings of the added tissues. Some customers wanted super firm flesh, others wanted pleasantly squishy; she had special equipment for testing these post production modifications to make sure the customer got what they ordered. She was totally in the zone when she hit the final unit, which brought her to a crashing halt. "I hate these really out there orders! I have to work like three times harder just to do my usual stuff! Ugh, sorry robot girl, I'm taking my break first then I'll tackle you!"
'No Wait! You Can't GO! Come Back HERE!' Avril screams in her mind at the retreating girls back. 'I'm ready for a break too.....' the trapped woman whimpers to herself.
After chatting with her friends and taking a leisurely lunch, Monique reluctantly returns to her final unit for testing. She got back to her cart and pushed it right next to the strange order, and looked it over very carefully. Since it had a metallic skin, all her dermis test gear was useless; checking her documentation she corrects herself, mostly useless. There were some areas the equipment could test, shaking her head, she sets up the equipment to test the intimate dermis zones before giving this thing a close up exam for defects.
Avril was making herself dizzy with how she was rolling her eyes in all kinds of crazy patterns trying to get this dimwitted idiots attention! Surely the twit could see that her eyes were moving when an android shouldn't be activated enough at this stage to do something like this! Surely!!!?!! When the girl opened the panels exposing Avirls breasts & vagina, the sudden rush of cool air striking her with unusual strength as the extra sensitive flesh was exposed. Before Avril could fully adjust to the exposure of her most intimate zones, the test equipment starts kneading and flexing that same flesh. 'OOOHHhhhh, wha...AAAHhhh.... what are yooooooohhhaaAAHH. What are you DOING TO MEeeeeeee!!??' Avril's eyes roll back in her head as the test gear brings her to orgasm.
Monique notes in her documentation that everything meets the customers specs except that the android is taller than the selected unit. But when she looks at a 3-D model of what the unit would have looked like with the original blank chosen, she can see why the tech last night changed base units. This version looks way better than the original choice would have been. Turning back to the unit she picks up the test cap and stops, "I forgot to start this test....oh man, with that cap thingy, this won't fit! Now how do I test your processor?" She stops to think her way around this problem, staring at the units face.
Avril gets herself under some kind of control as the dermis test equipment finishes its routine. When the dark haired girl stares at her face, Avril starts rolling her eyes madly in all directions, flashing back to the girls face to see if she gets the message.
"Huh, you know with those liquid silver eyes you've got, one could think that they are moving when they're not. But you're not even activated yet, so that's just me being freaked out by your weird build." Monique puts the processor test gear back on the cart, and see's the box of control collars. Grabbing one to put on the robot android unit, she reviews the documentation again. "That's it! That's how I can test the processor for damage without the testing hardware!" The dark haired girl put the control collar back on the cart and walked off with a purpose.
'Uh, why didn't you recognize my eyes moving? You said 'liquid eyes'? Arrrgg, dumb machine! It used full coverage eye shields, not the eye colorization I had set it for!' Avril was beginning to lose it, she just had to do something to signal she was a person! She just had too, before it was too late! She watched as the smaller girl came back with a small step ladder, and placed it behind where the metal covered girl was standing.
Monica hummed along to her music as she set up for the alternate testing she was going to try on this metal shelled android. She set up the step ladder and climbed up it, "At least the original base unit, I'd've been able to reach its hat thingy, even with these heels you've got...but noooo that twit last night had to use a taller model! Now let's see..." The quality tech was able to pop the metal android's top open and looked at the exposed controls. "Here it is," and she activated a switch and put her hands on her hips, "....and nothing. What's wrong with your vocal unit?"
It felt really strange when the girl did something to the top of Avrils head and she could feel something move, and it even felt stranger when the girl on the ladder did something else and Avril started speaking, "Aaaaa.... Eeeee.... Iiiii.... Ooooo.... Uuuuu. Aaaaa.... Eeeee.... Iiiii.... Ooooo.... Uuuuu." She heard herself run through the vowels four or five times before the stupid girl behind her figured out the problem.
Monique could see the android's mouth moving but couldn't hear it speak, then she felt really stupid. "Duh, my music!" Once she turned off her tunes, she could hear the android speak the initial audio test, then she triggered the second one.
Avril actually felt relief when the tech stopped her making those vowel sounds, but wasn't sure the next test was all that better. "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog." Avril was just waiting for the stupid girl to give her a command that would let her speak independently. Then the girl turned off her voice, now that the stupid twit is listening, her voice gets turned off!!!
Monique was pleased that she had worked out a way to test the unit after all, she was really glad the special features the customer wanted included this test interface, now just a motion test and she will count it good. A couple of tentative pokes and the metal android started marching in place, arms swinging strongly. The left arm on the back swing knocked Monique off the ladder, but she caught her balance and stepped away rather than fall on her butt. "Enough of this already, let's get you fired up and send you to shipping."
Avril wasn't sure what to feel when her body started to move after being immobile for so long, and after spending so much time trying to get it to move now she was trying to get it to stop moving. Then she was turned her off, and her top was closed. Hope rose within her as she felt the girl open the panel in her lower back, but then a man called out.
"Monique! Come over here please!" The man was of average height and waved to the tech working on Avril from about 10 feet away, so he could easily be seen by her. The dark haired girl, obviously Monique, stopped with the panel open but Avril was still set to off, and joined him as the two moved over to a desk against the wall.
= = = = = = = = = =
"Monique, how far along are you with the QC on that android?"
"Mr. Tollings, I was just about to bring it up on the secondary control and send it to shipping. It took longer than usual because I had to do some alternate testing since this one had unusual mods that prevented me from using the standard tester." The dark haired tech explains to her boss.
Nodding, "Yes I could see the unit marching in place and guessed what you were doing. Nice job thinking outside the box that way," Mr. Tollings compliments her while looking over some paperwork. "Well I caught you just in time, I'll take over from here. After you finish the quality checks aren't you scheduled for order entry for tonight's production run?" At her nod, he continues, "Then go ahead and start on them and I'll handle this from here."
As Monique heads off to a desk to get started on the paperwork for the evening shift, she turns up her music. Mr. Tollings returns to the android, once there he picks up the control collar sitting on the edge of the cart, "Well you're not going to need this now. Let's get you back into the chamber and take care of you properly!"
YEESSSSSS!!!!! Avril feels elated as her rescuer activates the arm and returns her back to the machine. Soon she would be able to scratch her nose, it had been itching for a long while now.
Mr. Tollings carefully compares the settings of the Customization control panel against the paperwork he carried over from his desk. Flipping back and forth between the various pages, before triggering the system with a sigh of relief. He grunts in annoyance when the system pauses waiting for additional material. Looking up what its needing, the man quickly adds it to the systems supplies, then the machine processes with its new commands before releasing the completed results.
Avril opens her eyes after being released from the chamber a second time, and is confused. She could see herself pass the same polished surface as before, which meant that she was headed back to the docks not to the pre-processing area she should have been at if she were being rescued. Everything seemed the same as before, except she felt like something was being shoved into her stomach. Before she could feel her waist was being compressed like in a corset, now it felt like there was a box inside the corset being shoved into her belly.
Mr. Tollings looks over the changes the second trip through the machine had wrought on the unit. With a sigh and a glance around, he pulls out a pair of glasses that will allow him to examine the belly of the android. Still unused to needing the glasses, it takes him a few moments to get them adjusted so he can see properly. Then he opens the panel that is now in the androids midsection and examines the components inside, after making sure they can be adjusted and changed he closes the panel and makes notes on the paperwork.
Avril tries to hum at him since he is so close to her, but the earlier command locking down her vocal cords is still in effect. Then she tries to roll her eyes at him as he returns and looks her closely in the face, getting even more frustrated as he focuses exclusively on her forehead. What was he looking at there? Had the skin pigmentation given her a zit or something? Ugh, when she got out of this she needed to get this man some breath mints!
Mr Tollings was examining the headband which was the other visible change the customer had requested in the order change. In the headband centered on the units forehead there was now an LED that would light up when the unit was in the ON state. The headband was actually one of the external control collars the government required for back up security; the customer not liking the collar look for this android wanted it modified and built into the unit as a headband. He reaches around behind the unit and fumbles at the power switch turning the unit on, and see's the LED light up.
Hey personal space buddy! Living girl here, and you're way too close..... hey your turning me on! Just a few more seconds and I'll be able to explain what happened last night! Yea!
Mr. Tollings could see the unit power up and go from a statue to an almost living animation. "Unit you will go over to that red column with the sign Outbound on it...."
"mmm... mrster.....Mister Tollings..please listen to...me! I'm the" Avril forces out as her control systems come on-line.
"Android! You will cease speaking! You will not speak again, except in response to a query directly to you, until you are in the presence of your Owner!" Mr. Tollings barks back to Avrils attempt to communicate. He is surprised by the hurt expression on the androids faceplate, but pleased by its obedient silence.
Avril couldn't believe that he just shut her down like that, how was she to explain to him what had happened now that he had ordered her to be quiet and only answer specific questions? She stomps her foot in frustration!
Ignoring the units unfolding emotional programs Mr. Tollings continues, "You will go to that column I just indicated and wait until the loading crew is ready to box you up for shipment. You will, quietly, obey their directives. Is this understood?"
Avril fights the skin's controls but again the technology built to be her new skin is more capable than her own willpower, she can feel her head nod, "Yes sir." Then watches helplessly as her body turns and strides off to the indicated spot. Once again so close but denied the opportunity to get rescue! Wait, he said her Owner, she will be able to talk to him! She'll be able to tell him what happened, and while really embarrassing, she can finally get her situation told and get freed!
The manager watches the android unit head over to the loading dock, appreciating the artistry of its creation. Shaking his head, he considers the dichotomy of this customer. His company offers an advanced independent AI in an almost perfectly human shell, and the customer downgrades the external appearance to make it appear to be a robot model from over a decade ago. As part of that downgrade, the customer requested the wireless download feature be replaced with a hardwire access port of something called 'firewire'. He'd had to look that one up as it hadn't been a functional technology in years! Then on top of all this antique technology theme, he had them program the unit with a personality overlay that would have it act like it was a person trapped in a robots body! Mr Tollings knew their product was good, but wasn't sure how it would handle this personality mod. Well maybe with all the other work they had done, the customer would be forgiving if it wasn't up to their expectations? He could only hope so.