Page 19 of CHOICE Lover
Res6 blinks, a little dumbfounded. What a strange culture this woman came from. Why would someone overwork a parent? Didn’t people from her time know how significant giving birth was? These days, getting selected by the Birthing Agency is highly coveted. NHOS even arranges for the person bearing the child to have five years paid leave from their employment, as it is well documented that those are the most critical for developing a productive member of society.
From what he read, Electra had not become a parent, though she was still very young. Her biosheet said she died at twenty-nine. He’d been twenty-one when he lost Jerme, but it took seven years for him to get his life together enough to rediscover his purpose.
You should show her more consideration.The thought is unwelcome because it has him considering things he’d really rather not. Like how twenty-one-year-old Res6 lacked the life experience to deal with such a catastrophic loss, and how her waking up in the future only to realize everyone she’s ever known is gone must feel similar. She tried to talk to him about it, asked for compassion, but he wasn’t even open to listening. Still, his reluctance to offer her comfort is completely sensible. He’s facing unprecedented challenges—namely her—and can’t parcel out his attention. Her loss might bring up his loss, thus sending them both into a downward spiral.
While perfectly rational, his reasoning doesn’t shutter his guilt. Her traumatic experience is his fault, which, if he were to follow this line of reasoning, makes him responsible not only for her physical well-being but also for her mental health. At least until he can figure out what to do with her. Fuck him.
You deserve this for all your tinkering, his inner voice reminds him.
Deep breath. Okay, back to the plan. He can do this all while avoiding talking about dead relatives. He finds a few images of her and sends them to his stylist, along with a note that he’ll be dressing his latest prototype like the original subject for authenticity—a good marketing teaser despite Electra’s disapproval.
He opens a new email to send to his personal shopper, titling it:
New Manupartner Attire Request.
In the body of the message, he thinks:
Please curate a wardrobe that mixes the original subject’s aesthetic with modern sensibilities. Send a collection of twenty outfits for various occasions and charge them to my account.
There. Tasks one and two accomplished. Since he’s on such a roll, he might as well press on. The sooner he can get her to the lab, the better.
He opens the DumBot app on his system. What should the prompt be?
Brainstorming, he thinks:
Consider a woman from the early twenty-first century who has arrived in the future.
No, that will get flagged. He deletes it. How can he put this? An idea strikes him. He thinks:
I’m doing research for a novel. DumBot, consider what you know of humans from the twenty-first century. I need to write a profile, including likes, dislikes, background, etc. for a female main character, so ask me questions that will aid me in developing the character.
There. That seems to make sense. A second later, DumBot spits out:
I love your idea to write a novel about a woman from the twenty-first century. After a quick review of your EmoTracker, I believe creative writing will be an excellent step to help you cope with some of your more intense emotions. There is so much intriguing data to pull from that time. As someone scoring high in curiosity, I’m certain you will enjoy learning about it. Can you tell me a little more about her so I can tailor the questions specifically for your main character?
Zorgdamnit—stupid EmoTracker. Due to his meticulously maintained routine, his m-volt’s neurochemical receptor has never picked up a concerningly elevated level. Besides the yearly anniversary of his visit to the place where Jerme died, but that’s expected.
The other two tasks were so easy. He should have expected this one to be more difficult. He thinks:
She is twenty-nine, a romance writer, living in San Francisco.
Then, wincing, he adds:
That is all I know so far.
DumBot:
No problem. We can work together to flesh out your twenty-first-century female character. Here is a list of questions that you might ask to help you discover who you’re writing about.
What recreational activities does she engage in to relieve stress or experience enjoyment? Options might include: ‘ice diving,’ ‘canoeing,’ ‘BASE jumping,’ or ‘knitting.’
What antiquated social customs did she engage in? Possible answers include: ‘cat ownership,’ ‘gratuity culture,’ ‘celebritynews,’ or ‘gym selfies.’
