Robot Boyfriend Sterling (special preview)

Sterling laughs and there is a squealing feedback. “Ever since I was built I have to fight and argue for what I thought was right and needed. I don’t act out because I want to but because I have to. I wasn’t sent into space because I knew it was ridiculous to try and use robots to simulate human life. I am not human, and thank my makers for that. If I was a human, I might just shoot myself.”

“Ow,” one of your crew members whispers.

You scowl up at Sterling. “And what is wrong with humans?”

“For one, I know my limitations. Do you?” He bends at the waist, meeting you face to face. “Humans never know when to quit. They injure themselves, their pride, their ego. They can’t stop and through sheer stubborn will, they won’t. That is what I see as their greatest flaw.” He tilts his head.

“Colonizing planets?” He says. “The whole reason I was created? That is not knowing your limitations. You have no one to blame for the distruction of your planet and wanting to destroy more than on your own hubris. Your own stupidity and-”

You strike Sterling. You hit him as hard as you can and he falls down to the ground with a loud clatter.

“What the fuck?” Mara shouts at you.

You’re shaking and you can’t feel your hand. Having Sterling get into your face brought something out of you that not just made you afraid, but uncontrollably angry. Then when he called you stupid, well not you but...but the fact he did that while in your face, it caused a surge in your body, reacting to something you had buried long ago.

Sterling lifts himself from the ground, turning to you his face screen is all static and glitch. The front is clearly cracked from your blow.

“I hope that hurt,” he says as he stands up. His face glitches and you see a glare through the static and white noise.

“I’m so sorry,” you whisper in terror.

“The rest of you can go,” Sterling shoos off your crew. “You’re staying here with me,” he points at you.

You stay put, sitting at one of the tables. You’re still shaking and you watch as your crew leaves. Sterling moves around his desk. He takes off his faceplate and you see the hollow concave within. He sets the cracked face plate down then opens a cabinet behind his desk where there are three more suspended.

“Now,” he says as he connects the new screen into place. It lights up, going bright blue and then buzzing into static before showing a black screen. “Care you explain yourself?”

“I am so sorry!” You gasp. “I just…” you hang your head as the hot, painful tears begin to spike.

Sterling walks over towards you. “No need for that.” He places a box of tissues beside you. “Calm yourself down.”

After a while you manage to stop crying and you’re able to answer his question. You tell him about your step-father and how he treated you when you were little. Sterling is silent as he listens and then he walks away from the desk.