Mattie, still under ‘Maidbot’ control, left the flat, shutting the door behind her.
It was only when she started walking down the corridor against her will, heading for the lift to the garage level to get her car out, that she realised that she couldn’t even speak or open her mouth…
The maidbot software had decided that the simplest way of making sure she concentrated on her duties was stopping her from talking to anyone. After all, robots don’t talk, do they…?
Mattie had just lost another way of getting help…
She was still really embarrassed and ashamed of the costume she was wearing, especially as it was on full show under the transparent coat. She was almost glad she didn’t meet anyone in the corridor, lift or car park.
Once she had got to her car, got in and started it, the software in her collar made her drive to the local supermarket. She got out, collected a shopping cart and, in full view of everyone, started shopping, collecting the items that the AI had pre-programmed into her.
The problem was, the costume she was wearing was of a fetish, sexual nature, and really not meant for everyday use. After just a couple of rows in the store, she was really sweating, and the visor was starting to steam up…
She almost bumped into an indignant woman, standing in the middle of the aisle.
“You should be ashamed of yourself!”, the woman said. “Going out like that, in public! There’s people with children in here!”
The AI made Mattie step round the woman, and she walked on, trying not to cry. It was getting really difficult to see out…
Just about managing to see to use the self-checkout, Mattie paid for the shopping, then got everything back to the car. She then sat there and waited for the visor to clear. The AI had picked up that there was a problem, and opened the visor a crack, as well as turning on the air conditioning in the car. Mattie sweating and steaming up had registered as an overheating problem in the maidbot, which the AI was correcting.
For a second, the AI’s control wavered. The battery was running low in the collar. Mattie’s hands flew to her face, and she yanked and yanked at the visor, trying to force it open. At the same time, the collar connected to the wireless charging circuit in the car. Mattie had built it too well…
Mattie screamed in frustration through gritted teeth as her hands dropped back to her sides, then grasped the steering wheel. She then drove back home…
One of her neighbours saw her in the corridor, but Mattie ignored her, carried her shopping into the flat and shut the door. She was then made to put the shopping away by the AI…