Annie Bot

Annie, who is a robotic “Cuddle Bunny,” has just finished showering. Doug is waiting for her on the bed, and she applies lemon-scented lotion that she knows he enjoys to her legs. She makes sure that he can see her robe fall open from his spot on the bed. Sensing his readiness for sex, she raises her internal temperature and lowers the lights. The two talk about her recent tune-up. She finds the appointments degrading, but Doug assures her that they are necessary. At the appointment, she met another companion robot named Stella. All factory models are called “Stella,” and she notes the extreme lack of imagination on her owner’s part to have not given her a more individualized name. Stella’s central intelligence unit (CIU) had been cleared, and she seemed almost childlike, which Annie found disconcerting. Doug tells Annie that as long as Stella could still follow orders, he fails to see the problem.

Later, Doug complains to Annie that she does not keep the house clean enough. He explains that housekeeping is, in part, why he acquired her and suggests switching her to “Abigail” mode for a few hours each day so that she can properly clean.