I finally wrote this story out! I intended it to be slightly longer, with bit more history added to flavor the world, but this is what I ended up with. Please enjoy! And leave a comment, yeah?
"While the after-church party was as festive and forced as every mandated after-church party, something made today even more uncomfortable than all the other after-church parties they've been attending everyday for the past 15 years. Something in the back of their minds had subtly upset the group, and while this was a celebration, it was celebrating nothing. Most of their adult lives were spent in the massive, mechanical cathedrals, and the lunch parties that followed the hours-long service. Most of the adults were drinking too much, excusing themselves because it was Oriana's first time singing in the Church choir.
As the crowd of adults mingled against their will, a girl in a blue dress and black shoes stood outside the wall of people, and smelled the rose she had found at the edge of the patio. In the grass past the patio she had found the rose nestled in a crib of broken glass, alongside a few more heavily damaged flowers. Someone must have dropped a vase, she thought. She was careful to avoid the glass when retrieving the discarded rose: an unnecessary precaution.
As the crowd of adults mingled against their will, a girl in a blue dress and black shoes stood outside the wall of people, and smelled the rose she had found at the edge of the patio. In the grass past the patio she had found the rose nestled in a crib of broken glass, alongside a few more heavily damaged flowers. Someone must have dropped a vase, she thought. She was careful to avoid the glass when retrieving the discarded rose: an unnecessary precaution.
At the sound of familiar buzzing, she looked up, and through the thin, striped tarp she could see two Surveyors flying overhead, their frames a suggestion of aircraft and insect. Sleek, jet-like frames flanked by rapidly vibrating wings, Surveyors are robots that patrol the massive suburbs surrounding the Machine Cities.
One of the drones notice the girl, and it slowed down to observe her. The mild AI of the drone didn't have enough curiosity or interest to continue observing the girl, and continued surveillance behind it's partner. Leave the important thinking to the Machine.
Oriana was used to the attention. Robots are always staring at her, often emitting audible puzzled sounding clicks. Even her parents and relatives and family friends will sometimes stare at the girl with strange looks on their faces.
A few of her parents friends were discussing today's sermon given by Pastor Anthony Mk-1201 regarding the compassion of the Machine for Man. pastor Anthony Mk-1201 was a popular robot in the community, who was often invited to parties and dinners of families who attend his daily service.
"I really liked how the Pastor emphasized the importance of the Treaty of New York in 2821. Sometimes the religious types don't focus on important dates," said Tom, who liked to read history.
"But it's not when or what happened in the past that's important," began Allen, who liked to paint, "It's how it affects us now, we- Hank, what are you looking at?"
Hank, who liked to drink, had a flushed faced that held a bitter grin as he said, "Do you think it can even smell that rose?"
Tom and Allen stared at Hank, shocked and scared of his behavior. It was dangerous talk.
"It looks like a girl, sure, talks like a girl, too. But is it anything more than a doll? A mechanical puppet!" Hanks eyes were bloodshot and wet-looking.
"Hey! That's a terrible thing to say! Of course Oriana isn't a robot, she's flesh and blood!" yelled Allen.
The crowd had grown silent, and everyone was listening. The girl's parents were absent fetching jackets as the day had begun to turn cold. The girl was lost in her own thoughts, ignorant of the crowd staring at her and the drunk man.
"She's still synthetic! She was made by the Machine! She's as soulless as a toaster!" slurred Hank, as he gestured towards the City.
Tom, despite being a quiet and caring person, felt like hitting Hank until he bled. Unfortunately, violence was outlawed under penalty of death.
"Well you better get used to it! Because we all knew that after Bert and Silvia were given Oriana, we'd be soon to follow! Soon there will be Synths everywhere!" Tom said, but even though he mentioned this as a positive outcome, everyone around knew that the gifts of synthetic, artificially created children was the reason they felt so uncomfortable.
One of the drones notice the girl, and it slowed down to observe her. The mild AI of the drone didn't have enough curiosity or interest to continue observing the girl, and continued surveillance behind it's partner. Leave the important thinking to the Machine.
Oriana was used to the attention. Robots are always staring at her, often emitting audible puzzled sounding clicks. Even her parents and relatives and family friends will sometimes stare at the girl with strange looks on their faces.
A few of her parents friends were discussing today's sermon given by Pastor Anthony Mk-1201 regarding the compassion of the Machine for Man. pastor Anthony Mk-1201 was a popular robot in the community, who was often invited to parties and dinners of families who attend his daily service.
"I really liked how the Pastor emphasized the importance of the Treaty of New York in 2821. Sometimes the religious types don't focus on important dates," said Tom, who liked to read history.
"But it's not when or what happened in the past that's important," began Allen, who liked to paint, "It's how it affects us now, we- Hank, what are you looking at?"
Hank, who liked to drink, had a flushed faced that held a bitter grin as he said, "Do you think it can even smell that rose?"
Tom and Allen stared at Hank, shocked and scared of his behavior. It was dangerous talk.
"It looks like a girl, sure, talks like a girl, too. But is it anything more than a doll? A mechanical puppet!" Hanks eyes were bloodshot and wet-looking.
"Hey! That's a terrible thing to say! Of course Oriana isn't a robot, she's flesh and blood!" yelled Allen.
The crowd had grown silent, and everyone was listening. The girl's parents were absent fetching jackets as the day had begun to turn cold. The girl was lost in her own thoughts, ignorant of the crowd staring at her and the drunk man.
"She's still synthetic! She was made by the Machine! She's as soulless as a toaster!" slurred Hank, as he gestured towards the City.
Tom, despite being a quiet and caring person, felt like hitting Hank until he bled. Unfortunately, violence was outlawed under penalty of death.
"Well you better get used to it! Because we all knew that after Bert and Silvia were given Oriana, we'd be soon to follow! Soon there will be Synths everywhere!" Tom said, but even though he mentioned this as a positive outcome, everyone around knew that the gifts of synthetic, artificially created children was the reason they felt so uncomfortable.
Everyone at the party knew that The Machine was providing children to families instead of having the parents give birth to natural children, they all knew that The Machine, who had defeated the human race thirty years ago and forced man to be waited on by robots, and live stress-free and creative lives was making man adopt hybrid children to raise as their own.
A horrifying idea to some.
But no one could deny that on Oriana's first day of choir, she certainly looked beautiful."
A horrifying idea to some.
But no one could deny that on Oriana's first day of choir, she certainly looked beautiful."
