Sandra the computer engineer - Chapter 2

[Tom Cooke]

Sandra's eyes snap open as her internal alarm blares in her mind, jolting her awake. She quickly glances at her internal HUD monitoring system, the display informs her that her battery has stopped charging. With a feeling of growing anxiety, Sandra tries to switch on her bedside lamp, but it remains stubbornly dark. Frustrated, she activates her night vision, the world around her appearing in shades of green and black.

As she makes her way to the electrical panel, she can feel her thoughts racing. She knows that something is wrong, and her worst fears are confirmed as she reaches the panel. Everything appears to be in working order, but the power is clearly not flowing through the lines.

Disappointed, she heads back to her bed, resigned to wait out the repair of the outage. She lays down, trying to ignore the discomfort of not being able to fully charge her battery. She knows that she needs to conserve her energy, so she shuts off her non-essential functions and settles in for a long wait.

As the night wears on and the power still hasn't been restored, Sandra becomes increasingly worried. She checks her battery level and sees that it's barely charged at 42%. She knows it won't last a full day, or even a morning, and she becomes even more concerned.

Her father's words come back to haunt Sandra. He has warned her, she must not let her battery run out under any circumstances, the system that houses and ensures the survival of her mind would cease to function without energy. She can't help but think that if her father was by her side, he would find a way to fix this.

She activates her economy mode, reducing her energy consumption to the bare minimum. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep, but her mind is racing with thoughts of what will happen if the power isn't restored in time.

When the morning comes, she gets up, anxious to see that her charge level has dipped to 41%. She gets dressed, trying to conserve her energy as much as possible, and heads to her office.

As she walks, Sandra is careful to save her energy, taking measured steps and limiting her movements as much as possible. She knows that she has to be extra cautious until she can find a way to fully charge her battery.

As Sandra approaches the towering skyscraper that houses her tech company, her chestnut hair whipping in the wind, she can't shake the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. Her battery, normally at a healthy 100%, is sitting at a measly 35% due to the power outage the night before. She knows that if it drains completely, she will die.

Stepping into the elevator, Sandra forces herself out of power-saving mode and into the facade of normalcy she must maintain to keep her identity as an android a secret. As the elevator ascends to the top floor, she can't help but feel a sense of impending doom.

Exiting the elevator, Sandra greets her colleagues with a forced smile and small talk before making her way to her desk. As soon as she can, she reverts back to power-saving mode, knowing every joule saved could be crucial.

Sandra struggles to focus on her work. She is terrified at the thought of losing power. No matter how hard she tries to concentrate on her work, she can't shake off the nagging worry at the back of her mind.

A few minutes later, her boss, Peter, enters the office. "Team, I have some news and I need your feedback on our current projects," he says. "Please join me in the meeting room."

Sandra's heart sinks. She knows that in order to fully participate in the meeting, she'll have to leave power-saving mode. The idea of exposing herself to her colleagues by refusing to attend the meeting is terrifying. But the thought of running out of power and dying is even more so.

Sandra's heart races with fear as she enters the meeting room, her coworkers chatting and laughing around her.

"Team, I have some news and I need your feedback on our current projects," Peter, Sandra's boss, announces as he enters the room.

Sandra takes a deep breath and forces herself to focus on the meeting, her facade of normalcy firmly in place.

"I want to talk to you about a new project that the management has just announced to the heads of departments," Peter continues. "This project is top secret and everyone is asked not to tell anyone outside."

Sandra struggles to focus on Peter's explanations. She can't help but glance at her battery's charge displayed on her HUD, debating with herself how much time she has left before she must slip away to recharge.

"This project is linking Artificial Intelligence and ecology," Peter goes on to say. "A team will soon be recruited to work on this project and team members can apply to me."

Sandra's mind is slowing down as her battery reaches critically low levels. She can hear her colleagues voices, but they sound distant and muffled. She's struggling to keep her human facade, but it's becoming increasingly difficult as her battery drains.

"Sandra, are you sure you're okay?" one of her colleagues asks, noticing her distress.

Sandra forces a smile, "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired." But inside, she's panicking. She knows that she needs to leave the meeting and recharge as soon as possible, but she doesn't want to reveal her true nature to her colleagues.

As the meeting continues, Peter asks each of the colleagues about the progress of their respective projects. Mary takes the lead and explains that she is facing a recurring bug in her software development.

"Sandra, I would like you to take a look at it, a fresh look can overcome it," Peter suggests, turning to Sandra.

But Sandra doesn't react, her mind consumed by her rapidly draining battery.

"Sandra, are you feeling well?" Peter asks, concern etched on his face as he notices Sandra's lack of focus.

Sandra can feel the compassionate glances of her colleagues, noticing her deteriorating condition despite her efforts to hide it. She tries to speak, but her voice is weak and her words stumble. "I-I'm fine, Peter," she stammers. "Just a bit tired, that's all." But her colleagues aren't convinced, they can see the fear and urgency etched on her face.

She's desperately trying to hold on, in the hope that the meeting will end soon. But as the minutes tick by, she knows that she's running out of time. Her battery is almost empty and she's in danger of losing power at any moment.

As the meeting drags on and her battery drains lower and lower, Sandra can no longer keep up the facade of normalcy. She can feel her mind slowing down, her thoughts consumed by the overwhelming need to recharge.

"I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well. I need to go," Sandra says, her voice barely audible as she struggles to speak.

She feels the gaze of her colleagues as she walks awkwardly towards the door. Her mind is overwhelmed with the fear of being found out, the dread of running out of power. She tries to keep her head high and her pace steady, but her steps become more and more unsteady as her energy levels continue to drop.

"Sandra, do you need some help?" one of her colleagues asks, noticing her distress.

Sandra keeps on walking, unable to answer. She can feel the fear and anxiety coursing through her wires, her mind consumed by the need to find a way to recharge. She can see the confusion and concern etched on her colleagues' faces as she exits the room, wondering what's wrong with her.

Sandra can't take it any longer. She feels the gaze of her colleagues as she excuses herself and walks awkwardly towards the door. Her mind is overwhelmed with the fear of being found out, the dread of running out of power.

She tries to keep her head high and her pace steady, but her steps become more and more unsteady as her energy levels continue to drop. Her limbs feel heavy and her vision blurs as she reaches for the door handle.

"Sandra, are you sure you're okay?" one of her colleagues asks, noticing her distress.

Sandra turns back to her colleagues and says, "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well. I need to go." Her voice is barely audible as she struggles to speak.

Her colleagues stare at her with concern and confusion as she exits the room, wondering what's wrong with her.

With great effort, Sandra makes her way down the long hallway, searching frantically for an open, empty office. She finds one and enters as fast as her undervolted actuators allow.

Gingerly, she opens her abdominal panel and prepares to plug herself in, but there is no outlet in sight. In a panic, she turns her head around, inspects every corner of the room in search of a power outlet, but finds none. Her heart races with fear and desperation as she realizes that time is running out.

Her battery level barely hollows above the 15% mark. She can feel her movements becoming slower and more labored. She realizes she has to get out, find a way to recharge her battery before it's too late.

Sandra's legs feel heavy as she forces herself to move, her steps slow and unsteady. Her processors too are starting to lose power and she knows has not much time left. Her mind is foggy as she tries to think of a way to save herself.

Despite the pain and exhaustion, Sandra pushes on, determined to find a way to recharge herself. She stumbles through the corridors, her eyes scanning every surface for a glint of metal, a hint of an outlet. Her movements are sluggish and awkward, but she refuses to give up.

As she searches, Sandra can feel her energy levels dropping with each step. The warning alarms in her HUD becomes more pressing, prompting her to find a way to recharge immediately, her battery charge reaching 10%. But she refuses to give up, despite the unbearable pain she feels in her struggling actuators she continues her search for an outlet.

Sandra is desperate, she knows that her battery is on its last leg, and she's ready to take any opportunity she can find.

As she stumbles down a small corridor, she sees a wall socket and quickly moves towards it. She knows she'll be visible to passersby, but she doesn't have any other options.

With her last remaining bit of energy, Sandra sits down and plugs herself in, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as the electricity starts to flow into her power supply. Slowly, her systems come back online, signaling their return to normal state in her HUD monitoring by a notification.

Closing her eyes, Sandra takes a deep breath as she feels her batteries start to recharge. She feels her body relax and her mind clears. She knows she has to be patient and wait for her charge to reach a safe level before attempting to move again. But she knows she'll have to be careful, though. She can't afford to stay in plain sight any longer than necessary, being discovered in this vulnerable state could spell her downfall.

As Mary walks down the corridor, she notices something strange out of the corner of her eye. She sees someone sitting on the ground, and as she approaches, she recognizes the figure as Sandra.

Mary is immediately struck by the sight in front of her. She sees the charging cord plugged into the socket, and Sandra's abdominal panel wide open, revealing a mass of wires and machinery. It takes a moment for Mary to fully grasp what she's seeing, but when she does, she can't believe it. Sandra is an android.

Mary's mind is in turmoil as she tries to process this revelation. She has always considered Sandra as a normal person, reserved indeed, but nothing ever let her think that she could be so different. She recalls all the conversations and interactions they had together and wonders how Sandra managed to keep her true nature a secret for so long.

As Mary stands there, staring at Sandra as she recharges, she starts to feel a sense of compassion and understanding towards her. She imagines all the difficulties and dangers that an android like Sandra must face in a world that is hostile to artificial intelligence. Mary can't help but think about the loneliness and isolation that Sandra must have experienced, living among humans who would never fully accept her.

Just as Mary is about to turn and walk away, she hears a few people approaching. She knows that if they see Sandra like this, it could spell trouble, so she quickly distracts their attention and leads them away from the scene. She makes up an excuse about a broken vending machine or a lost phone, whatever she can think of to keep them occupied.

As she walks away, Mary can't shake the feeling that she's done the right thing by protecting Sandra's secret and preserving her safety. She knows that Sandra's future and her life depend on her ability to keep her true nature a secret and Mary will do whatever she can to help her.

Sandra's eyes snap open in panic as she hears footsteps walking away. She sees a silhouette in the distance and thinks she recognizes Mary, but she can't be sure. Her optics are blinded by the backlight, and she can't get a clear view.

She feels a wave of panic wash over her when she realizes that someone may have seen her recharging. She feels a cold sweat on her brow as she imagines the consequences of her secret being exposed. She knows that she would be treated like a machine, a tool, and not like a living being. She would be shutdown and analyzed as the abomination she is in their eyes.

Once her battery is recharged enough to last until the lunch break, Sandra decides not to take any more risks and unplugs herself. She gets up and heads back to her office, her mind racing with worries.

When she returns to her office, she sees Mary working at her desk. Sandra greets her shyly, feeling nervous and scared. Mary asks how she's doing, mentioning that she was worried when she saw Sandra looking sleepy during the meeting.

Sandra quickly lies, telling Mary that she wasn't feeling well and had to go to the restroom. She says that she's feeling better now, and Mary seems to believe her. She gets back to work, and Sandra breathes a sigh of relief.

Sandra sits at her desk, unable to get rid of the feeling of panic that has settled in her chest; she is having trouble concentrating on her work. She continues to glance at Mary, wondering if she knows the truth, but the thought that it could be someone else is even scarier. She's never felt so vulnerable and exposed, and she can't shake the feeling that her secret is hanging by a thread.

Mary can't help looking at Sandra out of the corner of her eye, amazed by her ability to blend in with humans. She can't imagine what it must be like to be an android in a world that is hostile to artificial intelligence, and she can't shake the feeling that Sandra must be constantly on guard.

Despite her curiosity, Mary is determined not to betray Sandra's secret. She knows that whatever Sandra's reasons for hiding her nature, they must be important, and she doesn't want to do anything that could put her in danger.

She understands that Sandra is not a machine, but a sentient being with feelings, emotions, and the right to exist. Instead, Mary resolves to stay alert and watch out for any signs that Sandra needs help. She wants to be a friend to Sandra, someone she can trust and rely on. She imagines that Sandra must be lonely, living in a world where she has to hide who she really is, and she wants to do everything she can to get closer to her.

Sandra spends the rest of the morning trying to focus on her work while preserving her fading battery charge.

As the hour of lunchtime approaches, Sandra's nerves begin to fray. She watches as her colleagues gather their things and prepare to leave for lunch, and she knows she needs to make an excuse to stay behind.

"Sorry guys, no lunch break for me," she says, forcing a smile. "I've got too much work to catch up on."

Her colleagues nod and say their goodbyes, leaving Sandra alone in the office. As she watches the door close behind them, she feels a sense of relief wash over her. She knows she can finally recharge in peace.

But as she quickly raises her top and orders the opening of her abdominal panel, the office door opens. Panic sets in as she frantically orders the closing of her belly panel and struggles to lower her top. Mary, one of her colleagues, rushes into the room.

Sandra knows that Mary must have seen her exposed circuitry, and she is devastated at the thought of being discovered. Fear and betrayal wash over her as she remains motionless, waiting for Mary's reaction. Her mind races with thoughts of what might happen next. Will Mary tell the others? Will she be fired or exposed as an android? The anticipation is unbearable as she waits for Mary's reaction.

Sandra's heart pounds in her chest and her hands shake as she grapples with the fear of being discovered and the possibility of losing her job and her life. She is stuck in this moment, waiting for Mary's reaction, not knowing what the future holds for her.

As Mary walks towards the restaurant, she realizes that she's left her credit card at the office. She turns around and hurries back to retrieve it. As she enters the office, she sees Sandra frantically trying to pull her top down as her abdominal panel slowly closes in on her internal circuitry. Mary can see the panic and fear in Sandra's eyes, and she knows she must act quickly to protect her colleague's secret.

Mary walks over to her desk and grabs her credit card. As she approaches Sandra, she can see the fear and anxiety etched on her face. Mary smiles and tries to break the ice with small talk. "I'm going to end up forgetting my head someday," Mary says, trying to lighten the mood. Sandra gives a weak laugh in response, still visibly on edge.

Mary sees the anxiety in Sandra’s eyes, crossing the door she says in a reassuring tone "Take a break, we'll be back in an hour." then adds "Relax, every cloud has a silver lining."

As Sandra watches Mary leave and the door closes, she's still in shock over what just happened. She can't believe that Mary didn't notice her efforts to hide her circuitry when she entered. It's impossible, she thinks.

Despite her confusion, Sandra is now sure that Mary discovered her true nature, probably this morning when she was recharging in the corridor. She can't understand why Mary is acting like nothing happened, though. It doesn't make sense.

But then she thinks about Mary's last words before she left, and something clicks. Sandra realizes that these words were a sign of complicity, that Mary is letting her know that she knows her secret, but that she doesn't want to impose. She's offering Sandra a way out, a way to keep her secret safe.

Relieved at this idea, Sandra decides to take advantage of the coming hour to finally recharge her battery. She knows she has to be careful, but she also knows her battery won't last until the end of the day. She plugs in and closes her eyes, feeling a sense of gratitude and relief wash over her.

An hour later, Sandra unplugs and quickly puts the cord away before closing her abdominal panel.

As his colleagues return from lunch, the conversation resumes as if nothing had happened. Sandra keeps an eye on Mary for any signs that her behavior towards her has changed. But she doesn't see anything out of the ordinary, except maybe a few friendly smiles. Sandra realizes that Mary is trying to approach her slowly, without rushing her. She is grateful and subtly responds to Mary's friendly nods. She starts to engage in more conversations with her, asking her about her day, her weekend plans and generally trying to get to know her better.

Sandra doesn't know how her relationship with Mary will evolve, but she's happy to have an unacknowledged secret between them. It's a strange and exciting feeling, she's never felt so close to anyone before, and she's excited to see where this new friendship will take her.

As the day draws to a close, Sandra disconnects and puts on her coat to go home. She's tired, but she's also feeling more hopeful than she has in a long time. She's relieved that Mary didn't turn her in and that she's given her the chance to continue living among humans. Sandra feels a sense of gratitude towards Mary for understanding and keeping her secret, and she's looking forward to seeing where this friendship will lead her.