Malfunction

Holly Dolly Grace left Miss Erin’s room, and was almost back to the Playroom, where her programming told her to be. Even when she knew exactly what to do, the synthvoice filled her mind.

[Open Door via Knob]

“Thanks, but I knew that already.” Grace muttered, the smallest insubordination of her day thus far. It surprised her that she still had her own voice, even after less than a day as a Holly Dolly.

[Malfunction: Unwarranted Speech. Logged]

Grace paused as her C&C Collar’s reprimand faded away. A small smile touched her lips, and her small moment of disobedience made Grace consider an even greater disobedience. Instead of opening the door as her programming desired, Grace pulled her mitten back, turned, and skipped down the hallway, taking advantage of her newfound knowledge of the house.

[Warning; Unit HD824 is Off Path]

Grace ignored the stream of warnings and errors being sent through her head, as much as she could ignore her loud robotic conscience. She continued to act the part of the doll, though, because for her plan to work, she needed to be a malfunctioning android, and not a human. Misbehaving dolls needed a maintenance call. Which would allow Grace to get in contact with someone in her company, and out of her stupid striped tights and dolly dress.

She skipped all the way to the mansion’s Den, where she came across Mister Allen, the Secondary Head of Household. He lounged on a very leather couch as electronics filled as she should have been, watching a basketball game, and barely glanced at Grace.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“Erin Miss play. sent me. Room. to,” Grace answered with a stutter stop, and Mister Allen furrowed his brows.

“Great. Another maintenance trip,” he said.

Grace smiled at the ease of her success and skipped between him and the television. “Patty. Playcake, Mister Allen. Allen?” She held up her mitts, waiting for a response.

“Holly Dolly, Shut Down.”

Grace’s C&C collar gave a double chirp and her robotic conscience blared.

[Shut Down Acknowledge]

The pretend doll didn’t have a chance to gasp before a hard “thrum” reverberated through her mind. Every muscle in her body froze in place and Grace lost her balance, falling backward into a sitting position, her legs scissoring away, mittens held up to play patty cake, and unending shock held on her face.

Debug

Grace was aware the whole time. Awake, but unmoving. Stifled, even in mind. A passenger while Maidbot Vivienne 14 and Butlerbot Reynard 399 carried her stiff body back to the place she ought to have been: the playroom. Her Toy Box. They packed her into the foam and closed the front of the packaging. All while Grace viewed the world through an unblinking gaze.

“Unit HD824, run virus and security check.” The maidbot said.

[Virus and security check active....active...complete]

Grace had no idea what the collar could even be checking. She wasn’t compatible with viruses. Was she?

Despite there being no audible communication, the Maidbot nodded when the collar’s scan ended.

“Unit HD824 operating with all digital systems nominal. Error caused by Grace Anderson Subroutine.”

It took all of Grace’s willpower just to blink in shock. The maidbot should not know her name. And as the implications of that wormed through Grace, the coldest chill rolled down the toy’s spine. Not only could the C&C Collar could upload information into the toy, it could send information to other bots.

“Confirm: Malfunction was deliberate sabotage by G.A. Subroutine in attempt to receive high level maintenance. However, logic is faulty. Before shipment to repair facility, Unit HD824 would be inspected by Head of Household. Biological nature would be discovered.”

She knew. The maidbot knew Grace was [biological]. That meant...what? And they were...she didn’t know what to think. Were the bots [helping] her?

“Head of Household will receive report that erroneous behavior was caused by minor bug, and has been corrected. No further action required at this time.”

Vivienne 14 smiled then, as if she heard something pleasing.

“Unit HD824 will remain in Shutdown mode until morning maintenance cycle. During this time, she will contemplate all the best ways to serve her Owners.”

With that, the maidbot left the room, leaving Grace to unflinchingly stare at the Playroom that was her home.