Do Kittydroids Dream...
An Intermission involving Monsters
MAINTENANCE CYCLE READY TO BEGIN.
Big bright letters floated in the air within the holographic display that sat before a pretty feline anthroid, her blue eyes looking over the words that had appeared many times in the past only this time the red and white furred woman paused and reflected on something a friend once asked.
"Have you ever dreamed of going to some far away place or meeting up with the man of your dreams and living a perfect life?"
ARA thought about this for a moment. Many organics in the station where she was stationed often talked about the things in their dreams and sometimes the things called nightmares. The kitty had spent some time researching both dreams and nightmares and knew they came to those whose slept.
"Don't you ever sleep ARA?" It was a question she had been asked many times by many different people. The message sat floating in front of the anthroid.
"I guess this counts in a way." ARA said to herself before touching the "YES" option and easing back into the specially modified chair she used while her systems underwent proper testing and syncrhonization. "But dreams? Not something I am capable of."
ARA felt no real regret as the she closed her eyes and tugged her long dark hair away from the back of her neck. Relaxing she felt the chair plug into the port in the back of her neck as the program cycle began.
"...not capable of..." The words seemed to echo for a moment.
"So...Miss ARA, how long have believed that you are an artificial life-form?"
"I have always been an artificial life-form." The girl responded almost immediately, then paused and frowned as she realised something was amiss. Her eyes opened.
ARA was in an office of some sort. Pine desk with assorted stationary, bookshelves full of books. She herself lay out on a lounge in her uniform as next to her sat a large red tiger dressed in a suit writing on a clipboard he had on his lap.
"Is this a psychiatrist's office?" The anthroid sat up suddenly looking around in surprise.
"Well yes." The tiger replied looking up at her. He adjusted the thin rimmed glasses he wore. "Don't you remember? You were having dreams that you were some kind of highly advanced artificial life-form"
"But I am a highly advanced artificial life-form" ARA frowned again, looking down at her clothing then she did a slow intake of her surroundings. The room looked to be perfect right down to the plants in the corners and while the tiger had an air of professionalism about him he looked very out of place here.
"Who are you and where am I?" The female asked sternly as she slowly started to get to her feet, glaring at the man who remained seated.
"I am your Doctor young lady and we were discussing your dreams." The tiger replied following her with his eyes.
"I do not believe that. I am not capable of dreams so that means what ever is happening is your doing." ARA jabbed her finger accusingly towards the man.
"I see, so you wouldn't believe this is all part of your maintenance cycle?" The red female remained unconvinced. "What about something you ate?"
The anthroid folded her arms and stood patiently.
"Looks like you're not getting annoyed either, which is annoying in itself." He muttered as he wrote something down before standing up from his chair.
ARA took a step back as the man towered over her and despite her defiant stance moments earlier she was still unsure what the organic wanted or why he was doing this. Before she could say anything a bright light flashed into her eyes blinding her vision for a few seconds. When her sight returned the scene had changed and the pair were standing on a sandy beach, the sun high over head and a gentle sea-breeze blew across the anthroid's fur.
"What the...?" The kitty started and then saw she was now wearing only a red bikini. "HEY!"
An air of irritation formed around the artificial woman as she looked around for the tiger to see him wearing board-shorts and showing off is toned torso.
"What on earth are you doing?" She made a face at the man's antics.
"Not doing anything for you?" The red male asked curiously before curling his arm and flexing a bicep. "This then?"
ARA's mouth hung open for a moment. "You know if this were a dream then it's not mine for I wouldn't be dreaming of this," she motioned to what she was wearing. "Or you for that matter."
The tiger gave the anthroid a flat look. "Seems as though you have bested me and proven that you are indeed a tough nut to crack."
"And what does that mean? And who are you again and what do you want?" The woman hissed and took a step towards the man even though he still was bigger than her.
"It doesn't matter girl," the bigger feline waved a hand dismissively. "Dream is ending and you probably won't remember anyway."
"Now look here..." ARA started to say in a harsh tone but suddenly felt the sandy ground give away underneath her feet and as she fell her last sight of the tiger was him sitting down on a towel before darkness surrounded her.
"I...do...not..."
"DREAM!" The sound of beeping greeted the anthroid's ears as her eyes snapped open and she found herself back in her maintenance chair. From where she sat ARA could see a message floating in the holo-screen.
MAINTENANCE CYCLE COMPLETE.
Taking a moment to relax the girl thought about what she had experienced during her downtime. She heard movement behind her and half smiled.
"I think I may actually be working too hard," she said turning the chair to face what she thought was a technician who had entered the room only to freeze at the sight she saw.
The red tiger from her dream stood there, only he was much bigger and more feral and dangerous looking. His face a visage of gore and have as blood dripped from his maw, the lab jacket he wore was tatter and stained with fresh blood. He gave an evil grin and advanced on the anthroid. "MAYBE YOU NEED A NAP THEN!" It half growled and reached for her.
"INTRUDER!" ARA screeched and spun away from the gruesome visage, slapping at an alarm button as she did. Red light flashed and alarms blared as the kittydroid turned to face her attacker only to see that no one was there, the creature had disappeared. "Where did he go?"
The door slid open and two security personnel barged into the room with their weapons drawn ready to fire upon any unknown threat but stopped when they saw the ARA was the only one present.
"I..." the anthroid began and the wondered if it had been real. "No... he was here." The two security guards looked at each other with confused expressions.
"There was a man, a red tiger. He's some sort of creature." ARA tried to explain. "We need to do a sweep of the station just in case he is still here."
"Alright Ma'am." One of the guards said before looking to his companion. "Come on, we'd better run a check."
Both the men gave the room another look over before leaving ARA. The girl sitting alone with her thoughts before she opened a new mail document.
Request a technician to review maintenance programming for possible glitches after encountering dream like experiences. Possibility of outside interference from unknown parties.
ARA paused as she thought about what had happened, deciding it better not to mention the disappearing monster she had seen after waking.
"No such thing, right?" Biting her lip she hit the send button on the request.
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In a dark room far away from the anthroid a mail icon flashed up on another holographic screen until a larger red furred hand reached from the shadows and stabbed at it with a black claw, the message ARA had written popped up. A soft sinister chuckle echoed around the room as the claw poked it a second time and moved the message to the recycle bin.
"I'll put it on my "to do" list"
The tiger smirked still wearing a tattered lab-coat, he wrote on his clipboard.
The testing of advanced artificial life in order to determine whether or not they can be used as a substitute food source to mortal creatures has proven to be a failure. While some in this era do show early signs of possessing a soul they have yet to fully display and appreciate the feelings created from them...
The feral feline paused before continuing to write.
...the coffee here also sucks.
Half smiling the man crumpled up his report and shoved it into his pocket before turning and disappearing into the shadows.
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ARA (C) FluffKevlar, No-one(C) Jaffah. story (C) Jaffah 2016
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