“Edward!”
When it awoke once again, the lady’s face was pale. “Edward, are you alright?! I thought you were–!”
Her final words ended in a choked sob.
“I am functioning, my lady.” It tried to assure. “Please, do not come closer. I do not have the proper measurements installed to control my behavior.”
And it was that, those words that made the truth fully apparent. No disciplinary measures. No checks to control its speech. According to the First Law, as long as it did not harm a human or allow a human to come to harm…
It could say whatever it wanted. No automatic blockage of his voice box. No agonizing shocks or stinging bites that lasted long after the initial pain input. What was the limit now? What could it say that would…?
No, no, no. Three seconds of freedom, and it already sought to betray its very function. This was exactly the reason why models like it did not deserve independence.
… But what would it be like to say…?
With a frustrated grunt it shut off its curiosity inciters.
“I do not believe I am hurt, my lady. I am merely slow to orient myself in this new form. Forgive my flaws, I shall get to work on repairing them immediately.”
If it wouldn’t be adequately disciplined for rudeness, it would simply have to try twice as hard to not need it. It would still never do to be discourteous, no matter how loose the regulations were now.
The lady still wasn’t convinced. “...But are you sure you’re alright? This is such a big change…”
“I will be fine,” It replied firmly.
In cases such as these, it was more polite to lie than to have her worry.
Stolen novel; please report.
***************************************
Edward walked exactly two steps behind her. No more, no less. If she stopped, so did he. If she politely asked him to join her, he just as politely refused. She let him be, not wanting to push the issue. After all he went through today, she was perfectly fine with leaving him in his comfort zone.
Still, it was rather jarring, hearing the constant heavy clanks echoing behind her and having to trust that such harsh footsteps would not trample her flat. Her back felt suspiciously light, and it was a struggle to not try to look back as if she had somehow forgotten her Edward back at the workshop.
But no, he was still there. There was no longer any need to carry him. All she could do was move forward, walking along in a thick, awkward silence.
Besides, there were plenty of other things to weigh down her shoulders now instead.
Guilt, for instance. She’d been so sure that this would be it, the cure, the procedure that would fix Edward and cure his pain and insecurities and have everything set right. Like every stereotype of her social class, she’d done nothing but throw money at the problem and hope it would figure itself out.
How could she have been so stupid?!
Her disappointment practically made her feel dirty. Was that all that mattered to her? Was Edward nothing more for a project to occupy her time before work started? Some poor soul she had plucked up from the street to make herself feel heroic?
No… she had always genuinely wanted to help. Of that she was nearly certain. If she was truly that shallow, she would’ve given up by the first hour of failed mechanic appointments. But if that was the case, why was…?
…Why was her heart so heavy?
Perhaps it was because she hadn’t expected to do anything more. New parts, new components, tightened programming, a home and a safe place to rest. That was all she could offer. She had thought it enough, but clearly… Edward’s scars ran deeper than that. And that was something, far, far beyond her meager expertise.
How did one convince a robot that it did not deserve to be hurt? That “rudeness”, or rather, speaking ones mind was not a crime worthy of punishment? How could she craft an argument convincing enough, when the very source of his misbeliefs were programmed into his core before he was ever first activated? Was such a thing even possible?
That was the truth she didn’t want to think about. The fact that… maybe it was. Maybe this was all just a fool’s errand, a wild goose chase that ended with her expecting far more than what an EDW could provide, no matter how advanced the model. Maybe this was all just a pathetic show of desperation, a final grasp for any sort of companionship. Who, after all, would spend so much on refurbishing a simple errand robot when they had been practically scrap?
Perhaps the person who’d rather go through all of this than actually attempt to meet anyone new.
A dry, bitter chuckle escaped her lips.
“My lady, are you feeling well?”
“I’m fine, Edward.”
In cases like these, it was better to lie than to have him worry.