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That same night, after the meeting she had with her old comrade, Lennox had managed to submit the report requested by Lakatos shortly before the deadline.
After a day of sudden ups and downs and the pressure exerted by the delivery of the document, she felt relieved, and exhausted.
And once the mail was successfully sent, she finally turned off the laptop and left it on the table, immediately heading towards her bathroom so she could get ready for sleep; her mind was at peace, her work was done, she could rest in her bed now without something disturbing her thoughts and making her lose sleep, or at least that was what she thought, after all, Gerthy and Leonny had overcome the prearranged estimates and results, they were in good hands, and soon everything would return to normal in the routine, but hectic life of Irma.
While brushing her hair, Irma looked at herself in the mirror, thinking about the possibility of scheduling an appointment with her hairdresser, since her appearance only caused her a grimace of displeasure and concern on her face.
"You look like an old broom with that dull straw hair."
With that comment towards her person, she knew once again that her days of peace and tranquility would not come yet; for her mind used to say strange and disturbing things to her, and at that moment her thoughts were the only noise in her apartment, besides her making noise with her brush, and the purring of her orange cat dozing in her little bed under the sink.
Slowly, she was lost in her own mind, and her gaze was mesmerized in the mirror; no matter how hard she tried not to, she always returned to that place where there was nothing except complaints, scolding and insecurities, a place that Lennox hated, perhaps because that was the sign that she had to start taking that medicine once more.
"You have put on a lot of weight since your last trip, the only thing I perceive is the reflection of a pig."
Suddenly, a small bell woke her from her trance, it was the sharp and short sound of a microwave indicating that a cup of boiling water was waiting for her.
"Well. Time to get rid of that demon that lives in my head…"
Irma took a small amber-colored bottle from a drawer in her bathroom cabinet. Two round white pills came out of it, and before leaving the bathroom, she put them in the pocket of her pajamas.
The cat got up and hurried towards the bed of its owner, who was preparing to enjoy a hot tea while turning on her television.
Lennox took the pills out of his pocket and took them with her drink, the bitter taste of these was so strong that it could be perceived even with the taste of mint and hot lemon mixed in her mouth.
-Yuck! I wish they had another flavor... -
In order to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth, she approached the plate that was on a nightstand next to her bed, and ate a piece of donut that was exquisitely found in the container.
"Sometimes I wish I hadn't given up the family restaurant, at least that way I could recreate Mom's recipes, and I wouldn't have to survive on noodles and pizza..."
The news channel had at that time featured a Sterling commercial announcing the next collection of nandroids that would be released shortly; it didn't seem to be something important, but the tranquility of her mind disappeared again when the nandroids appeared on the television, with that jovial and pure smile that they showed with their "owners" before the cameras.
"Those people, they will be so happy to have one of them in their home, they are surely an excellent company. I don't know what those technicians see as wrong with Sándor's nandroids, nothing can go wrong... malfunction... Leonny..."
Irma turned off the television as soon as she finished her dinner. She was making herself comfortable between her pillows and blankets when her cat came up to her face.
- Do you think Gaspar or Víctor are still awake at this hour, Cannoli? She really needed someone to talk to right now. The cat only pushed her hand away as a sign of wanting a caress from her owner.
-Yeah, I don't think so either. - Lennox gently caressed his cat, who hunched his body and stretched at the stimulating sensation.
After a while pampering her pet, Irma proceeded to confess to her little friend while scratching her tummy:
- I tell you a secret? I think this is the first time that I really wanna be like someone else. Every time I have to deal with people I have to appear to be in control of the situation, but when I talked to this, Lakatos guy, I felt that he was like some kind of monster or demon who knew my shame and fears, I broke down before him for nonsense, and Moretti too. I swear that if they hadn't come for Leonny, I would have started crying; I felt that they were harassing me, that they wanted to make me feel as bad as when I don't take those pills. -
The cat began to play with her fingers, nibbling lightly when she caught them in her paws.
-I'm not saying I'm weak or something like that, but when I see those robo-nannies, I can't stop thinking about how skillful and incredible they are, not to mention their personalities, that security they show, that confidence in what they do, they are and what they can be capable of, just today when I saw her, Leonny, I realized that, they are superior to everything I had seen, it is something amazing and at the same time, it bothers me, it is as if It wasn't complete admiration… it's… Is it… seriously? Do I envy a robot? -
Irma stopped moving her hand when she realized what really caused her to see those machines, one of the reasons why Lennox preferred to avoid speaking personally with Leonny, it was not only because she did not want to interrupt the nandroid, or because she wanted to see and learn from her, it was because she saw her as if she were some kind of incarnation of what she once was, a servant, a waitress; the difference was that she had been an unhappy girl in that life before her stay at Sterling, a bad memory she wanted to avoid commemorating.
However, there was something inside her, something that did not cause her discomfort, that made her believe that this was something silly to imagine, after all, she was just a programmed machine.
-No, I don't think it's that, I think I'm worrying too much, maybe it's just… stress. If that is. Maybe later when they return to Hungary, I will be free again, it must be the pressure of having to take care of them and watch them until they are ready, I don't have to get upset, everything will be fine... -
The medicine was beginning to take effect, their internal problems and his worries were beginning to fade.
-Thank you Cannoli, you really know how to listen to me, just for that I'll reward you by taking you to the vet tomorrow for your vaccine against r-OUCH! - The cat expressed its displeasure by leaving the mark of a claw on Irma's cheek, and immediately ran to take refuge in the bathroom. Lennox touched his cheek and looked at his hand, luckily it wasn't a deep wound, but it would make it hard for him to sleep thanks to the sharp burning sensation.
-Now I will take care that there are two more vaccines. I'll see which ones. - the girl grumbled.
Irma grabbed her cell phone and set her alarm for the next day.
"Now that I think about it, I could learn something from those nandroids, maybe that way I can update myself, hehehe… Uhm… What would it feel like to be a nandroid? What would it be like to have that confidence and self-confidence? Is it possible to exchange minds and soul with a robot or reincarnate into one…? Or maybe the nandroids have some kind of AI that serves as a tutorial and tells them how to behave, maybe they can't swear or they automatically suppress themselves to control themselves? Nah, I don't think so, It would be interesting, but I don't think that would happen, maybe in a different universe like science fiction…".
Irma settled in her bed and waited until her thoughts finally consumed the exhaustion to turn it into a deep sleep...
- And with this there are thirty shirts ready to be stored in their respective drawers! - exclaimed the proud voice of a girl.
- Thirty garments folded and ready to wear in just one minute! Well done Leonny! - was heard inside that room from a thick but pleasant male voice.
- That's it Liebling! - Gerthy was always the first to support Leonny when she achieved the best times, and encouraged the other nandroids to stop to see her, they were all amazed by her remarkable results, but her instructor was not so surprised anymore, he had quickly gotten used to the ability of that robot.
- Igen! I did it! I finished, and without ruffling my hair! - In Leonny's innocent but superficially presumptuous look there was a smile that allowed us to admire her teeth as white as her own synthetic skin.
-Yes, you like to attract attention. I still remember when you were an introverted and fearful nandroid, I'm glad you changed. You did it very well. Again. - affirmed her instructor, while ordering the other nandroids to continue with the activity.
-Thank you so much Mr. Gomez. I'll sit at my post until the others have finished. - Leonny returned to her chair and settled next to the stack of shirts that was seen on his workplace. Beside her, her always loyal friend, Gerthy, finished neatly and meticulously folding her own pile of clothes.
-You did wonderfully Leonny. You left them all speechless. What else are you going to surprise us with today? Oh, mein herr, excuse me, but I'm done. - Gerthy's smile was usual for her, everyone knew her for having an emotional and exalting personality, but her emotion became greater when she was close to her best friend, and in turn her gossip confidant.
- WE did great Gerthy, come on, give yourself some credit too, you always end up after me, you deserve as much praise and compliments as I do. - Leonny was never interested in competing with the others, because she had the idea that in the end it didn't matter who was the best in the tests, they would all end up with a family with which they really had to give their best. Rather, she liked to stand out so that her "sisters" could follow her example of excellence and efficiency, although she also enjoyed the attention and good treatment she received from her superiors.
-I already know it. We are the best in the group, but I feel that we are a team, you are the leader and I am your most faithful follower. It makes me feel good to know that you have someone to help you carry the weight of perfection. We share our strength, and that makes us unbeatable. What does it matter who receives the attention and affection, knowing that our families will always give us reciprocal love and care? -
-That's the spirit Gerthy! How lucky I am to have you as a friend. See? I already gave you a compliment. - Both nandroids laughed and talked quietly as they waited for the other nanndroids to finish and for it to be the class change.
When they were finally able to leave their training in the Laundry, they headed in an orderly manner towards the last training of the day, the Elderly Care Session was the class that indicated that very soon they would return to their stations and enter an induced sleep that would last until the next morning, but to stay out of everything that happened in the facilities, the robots used to talk to each other while walking in the corridors, on the stairs, and even in the classrooms.
For Gerthy it was always a great opportunity to collect a lot of gossip and rumors, so she would always have something to talk about; she simply loved talking with her other colleagues and with some humans who worked at Sterling, something that rarely happened, but she enjoyed doing when the occasion presented itself. For Leonny, it was a way to relax after each magnificent session in which she appeared; relaxation, that was what he always hoped would happen when she got out of her training, but it was not always possible, because she used to chat a little with the other automata that followed her or crossed his path, questioning her effective programming and wanting to discover her secrets to unlock those great abilities. -"It's something natural to me, but I think that everyone can do it, they just have to try harder."-, she always told her curious admirers.
But despite that modest fame, she preferred to avoid it, and you could almost always find her walking around, sometimes with Gerthy, sometimes alone, looking down the hall, looking at the paintings and witnessing the windows that gave her a glimpse of the outside world, out into the large green spaces where people appeared and vanished equally among the trees and bushes, all local workers, some possible acquaintances of Gerthy's; they were people she saw every day, but she felt the impetuous curiosity to know where they were going and why they were leaving in such a hurry.
- LEONNY! I found you! Sorry, but I was talking to a nice friend, and she told me that there is a shortcut we can take to get to our classroom faster. -
- Really? Do you think it's safe? -
-She has already used it, maybe we can see new things along the way, come on, let's see what awaits us. -
- Oh, rendben, alright. Show me the route. - Gerthy took Leonny's hand so she wouldn't run away or get lost, and they both ran through a corridor that connected with many others, but all of them were full of large groups of nandroids that were heading in order to their next activities.
The route they always took must have been to their right, but this time they took the path in the center, a corridor that connected to other more solitary spaces, free of robo-crowds; those large spaces were where they learned to deal with babies and small children, learned about how to bathe them, how to dress them, how to deal with their mischief, and also how to put them to sleep. For their good fortune, they were able to go through that long corridor unnoticed, since their feet were designed in such a way that they always walked on tiptoe, it was more hermetic, silent and sophisticated.
Left, right, right, and left, Leonny little by little began to get lost among so many turns and among so many similar doors; a terrible flaw, she thought at the time, was that it had been designed without a built-in GPS system. There seemed to be no end to that hurried walk, but without warning, Gerthy stopped in an instant in front of a door, causing Leonny to bump into it.
-Well, we arrived. It was fast, don't you think? -
- Wait? That's it? - The nandroid was surprised as she adjust her white apron, there were only a few seconds left before the class before hers began to evacuate the classroom, her group used to arrive long after the room had been emptied.
-My contacts are reliable Liebling, never doubt it. -
Suddenly, the door opened in front of them, they both stood aside, and waited for the nandroids of that group to leave so they could pass; they were all different, some models had brown hair, others had black hair, blondes, redheads, different shades, straight, fluffy, short, long hair... a great variety paraded in single file, as if from a catwalk of a fashion show in question. Their interaction with them was nothing more than usual, some greeted them, others looked at them, and others simply ignored them as they left, but a model from that catwalk approached them with curiosity...
-Wait, you are… Gerthy, right? -
-Ja, that's me. Did we already know each other? Oh, of course we do, I'm sure we gossiped together in a hallway sometime. But can you repeat your name? -
- Sure, I'm Polly, and she's… is she Leonny? -
-The one and only. -
-Fantastic, she wanted to meet you, she has to see you... where is she?, wait a minute. - That robot went along with the rest of the nandroids and got lost among all of them. His hair was short, and a chocolate brown, similar to Leonny's, but duller.
-Follow me, I finally found it. -
-Oh yeah? Who? Is someone worth of our time? -
-I would say yes... -
Polly came out of the crowd accompanied by another nandroid, this one had reddish-colored hair that was tied up in a big ponytail, her hair was so long that if it were untied it might be able to compete with Leonny's; her look was calm, rigorous and penetrating due to the hardness, disdain and elegance that it emanated, along with the gestures that her hands perceived and her sweet and honeyed voice, but somewhat dominant.
-I think I know her… Yep, it's Wendy. Hi Wendy! I met her on the floor- Oh, wait, Polly's back. -
-Molly, this is Gerthy. It's who I told you about before. -
-So, she's the one who promotes the super-nandroid so much? - Her authority and pride could be felt as if a kind of mystical and invisible force was present with such power that it could cause a strange sensation in the body with each word coming out of her mouth, at least that's how her instructor had described it.
-Nice to meet you Molly. It's true, I'm the one talking about Leonny, actually, she's here. Come on Leonny, introduce yourself, don't be scared. - Gerthy quickly greeted the robot to introduce her recognized companion, pushing her friend forward.
-Helló, I'm Leonny. -
-Are you the super-nandroid? Wow, what they say about you is true, a beautiful and educated, accommodating and impressive nandroid, and that great hair of yours, so soft and silky; finally, someone worth knowing. You're quite a topic in our group. - Molly boasted.
-I feel flattered. Super-nandroid, Haha! I'm guessing Gerthy was responsible for divulging that. - Leonny teased a little.
-They say that you are capable of cleaning even the messiest room in less than half an hour, and that you can prepare the most complex dishes as if it cost you nothing to do so. But I also heard that, do you enjoy loneliness? - Molly asked intrigued.
-I like peace and quiet, it's not something to worry about. -
-No, of course not. Well, unless that prevents you from fulfilling your duties. -
-What do you mean with that? - Leonny asked confused.
-I'm just saying, a nandroid should always be ready at all times for what those under her care need; I respect and admire your renowned ability, but I think that your withdrawn and solitary attitude is not normal, so I advise you to be a little more sociable, perhaps something similar to your lady-in-waiting, but above all, do not trust your abilities alone for wanting to have time for yourself, we are the great support that our families desire and require, our advanced engineering is the symbol and pride of this company, of our creators, and we must not disappoint those who believe in the quality of Sterling and in our work. We can't even think about leisure and rest, we don't need it, WE can't have mistakes. -
Molly's words tried to be supportive in her own way, but the tone she had used in them had not been the most appropriate, because for the first time they managed to make Leonny feel bad.
-Oh, sure, I understand…- Leonny said, trying to sound calm, although deep down she was afflicted and hurt. Gerthy immediately detected Leonny's discomfort that she was trying to suppress, she perceived a bad intention in Molly's speech, a misunderstanding that she was not going to let it stay that way.
-Wait a minute Fräulein. Are you saying that Leonny's programming is a mistake? - Gerthy's annoyance was present with that defiant statement.
-Don't worry dear, they are insignificant failures, even I have had my mistakes, but they have been as minuscule as hers. I already gave you a number of options to fix those flaws. Oh, and by the way, it was a pleasure helping you. - Molly was satisfied by that "noble" action that, in Gerthy's eyes, had been the opposite.
- OH NO! That's not helping her! Saying that your way of being is a mistake is not helping, you don't know the good work she always does, you can't judge her behavior and her tastes, her owners will take care of that, but I think that she, more than anyone, can give herself a breath, YOU have no idea how exhausting it must be to always stand out. –
- And you do? - The coldness of that question silenced the red-haired nandroid. -I've never heard nice things about you, you know? They say that you're "good", but that you could be better, some others say that you're distracted and somewhat irritating, that the only thing that stands out about you is your social skills, because despite your potential always ends up being the shadow of her. If you carry on like this you could end up being their parts, or maybe with luck they'd put you in a used machine sale. -
Molly surprised Polly by the harshness of her comment, because, although she already knew his severe and disciplined attitude with the other nandroids that she did not consider as friends, her anger at such a brazen and daring testimony of the redhead was unusual for her. Rarely did the comments of others go beyond his displeasure or disinterest and revealed that spiteful and little-known side of him.
- Elég! I won't let you keep making us feel bad... Or is it... are you the one who feels bad? - Molly's eyes were wide open, she was watching Leonny, silent, static. Maybe it would be false, maybe it would be true, but Leonny was sure of something: that self-assured nandroid was no longer so calm, and she thought she had found a perfect weak point to attack; Molly had already made them feel bad, and for the Lioness of Debrecen, it was only fair to return the feeling, even if she had to let go of her "no bragging, no competing" beliefs for the one time.
-Molly, that's enough, it's better if we-
-Of cooourse, that must be it, because what other reason would there be for you to try to discourage us? I am sure that you would not reach even one of the achievements that I have acquired, I'm sure your results should be as simple as those of the others, you should not have anything to brag about, perhaps you are "good", but you have nothing more to offer, you are as ordinary and insignificant a model as all the others who walk this facility.
Besides, "dear", with your way of being the only family that could love you, it must be as despotic and arrogant as you, maybe, and with luck, you will end up with a indulged and spoiled child who treats you like one more toy, just a entertainment; or perhaps something more at your level could be that you end up as a model that remains on display and that over time ends up obsolete, so mediocre and fleeting, just as you really are. -
Leonny's look showed cruelty at the same time that her vain smile stretched until it reached the two rosy cheeks, she had managed to give Molly a gigantic blow, right in pride, and that was easy to recognize; Molly's face grew into a deep scowl as she clenched her fists tightly, her teeth grinding so hard it seemed they would break at any second. Polly was stunned, she didn't know how to react to these attacks, she wanted to say something, but she could only watch.
- Ja! Tell her Liebling! I even think a more horrible fate for her could be to be put as a simple receptionist or secretary, or even worse: she could end up serving a filthy rich family that owns a proliferating industrial or commercial empire. - Gerthy wanted to give a great shot, but both Molly and Leonny looked at her confused.
-Gerthy, that's not a bad fate for her, it's quite the opposite. -
-No Leonny, if I've learned anything from human history classes, it's that those families are a big mess, they are… creepy. -
Polly pulled Molly's sleeve to retire towards the last session that was their turn, Molly hurriedly accompanied her friend, but not before cursing the two Sándor's nandroids in pure anger. - I HOPE NOBODY BUYS YOU!!! -
-Don't listen to her Leonny, cats meow all they want, but the lioness shouldn't care. -
-You're right Gerthy, come on, let's go inside. -
Polly looked at her friend with concern, she had never seen her like this, her hands were shaking, but she had to do something with her.
-Molly, I know you just wanted to help them, but-
-Let's never argue about this again, okay Polly? I don't want to have anything to do with them again, now I know I have to be tougher and not try to be nice to just anyone. But I appreciate that you care about me, I needed to calm down. -
-That's what friends are for, right? I think you already have enough enduring our girls, especially Amy and her witticisms. - a small short laugh came from Molly while these interesting nandroids disappeared from the place...
-Sorry for what happened, I'm going to try not to be so talkative, but don't worry, in a month we'll be leaving here, and soon a family will buy us, we'll be their best investment ever made, and I hope I never have to come back to see them again Leonny. -
-I hope that Gerthy. Remélem... - Both nandroid did not expect that there would be a machine that would have developed such an unpleasant and annoying attitude for them, but hoping to learn from what happened, they decided to be more considerate with their companions; maybe that way, they would avoid meeting them again in the future.
They might not see them again, but those had been their first and most tense beginnings with two of the most prominent automata they had ever known.
END OF THE CHAPTER
