Loneliest Man Who Ever Lived

[Note: This is a romance story with some erotic scenes. It is

not

a story with erotic scenes in every chapter. Some chapters have incredible sex scenes, but many others have none.]

Chapter 16: The Robot Makers

"Hello, Harry," said Claire.

"Goldie! You're going to want to see this!" said Harry.

"What is it?" said Goldie, coming out of the shower. Her hair looked beautiful, even when wet.

"Your sister, Claire," said Harry, as he calmly stared at the holoimage of Claire.

"Claire!" Goldie came at a run, thumping in bare feet. "Claire, is that you? How did you find us?"

"Hello, little sister. It took a little digging to get Harry's comm number," said Claire. "But I think you know I have a bit of smarts."

"Yes, Claire, you do," said Goldie. "Where are you?"

"Chapel Hill, North Carolina," said Claire. "I'm sending you my address." Her holoimage seemed to press a button.

"What's the weather like there, Claire?" said Goldie, eyeing her sister calmly.

"Cold. And you? Where are you, actually?"

Harry gave her a warning look.

"Georgia," said Goldie, smiling. "Atlanta."

"What are you doing there?"

"Looking for you."

"I'm not in Georgia," said Claire.

"Well, now, we've narrowed it down some."

"Goldie, I need to see you. Will you meet me here?"

"Sure, Claire," said Goldie. "Why don't we meet in front of the main library at UNC?"

"You don't want to meet at my apartment?"

"I love libraries," said Goldie.

Claire appeared to consider. "All right, Goldie. Will you be bringing Harry?"

Harry shook his head.

"No, Harry's going to sit this one out. I'll see you tomorrow, say... at 2 o'clock?"

"Two then. I look forward to seeing you, little sister."

"You too, big sister."

The connection faded.

Harry looked at Goldie. "Well?"

"This is the first time in my life she's called me little sister. That looks like Claire and sounds like Claire, but... that's not Claire," said Goldie.

********

"She could be a clone," said Harry. "A clone without the memories of the real Claire."

"Why use a clone when they have the real thing?"

"Maybe the real Claire escaped."

"Then why wouldn't the real Claire have contacted us?"

"Or she could be dead," said Harry.

"I know. That was the first thing I thought of," said Goldie.

"Well, if it's a trap, you shouldn't go."

"It's a trap all right, but it's also our only lead to The Foundation," said Goldie. "So I'm going."

"Then I'm going too."

Goldie grinned and let her arms play over his shoulders. "Why Harry, is that a bit of a protective side I'm seeing in you? You know, I didn't really like you at all when I first met you, programming aside, but as I spend more and more time with you, I'm starting to find one or two things to like." She moved her face close to his.

"Only one or two?" said Harry. He looked at her bright red, plush lips. He couldn't resist. He took her.

Goldie was so happy. She had him well trained. She could get a kiss whenever she wanted to. And the other thing, whenever she wanted that too. The dam in their relationship had been thoroughly broken.

********

"Goldie!"

Goldie gave her sister a warm hug. The sun was shining, and it was in the 50's, in late February outside the Main Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"I've been looking for you for so long," said Goldie. She looked at Claire carefully. She looked just like she remembered. Bright blonde hair, round face, blue eyes... a perfect clone of her sister. If that's what she was.

"Where have you been all this time?" said Goldie.

"I've been hiding out, with friends."

"Friends?"

"People who think like we do," said Claire.

"I'm sorry, how do we think?" Goldie asked.

Claire said, "I'm sorry, Goldie, I've spent so much time around Fourthers that that's how I talk now. Let me be clearer. I've found a group of Fourthers who are fighting The Foundation."

"Really? How fortunate!"

"Yes, and I'd love to take you to them. Would you like to meet them?"

"Definitely," said Goldie.

"My air car is this way," said Claire.

********

Claire drove, but Goldie talked. "Mom misses you terribly. So does Dad."

"I know, I miss them too."

"Dad is semi-retired. He's fixing up the house in Scranton."

"Scranton?" Claire frowned.

"I mean Dayton," said Goldie. "He still sees patients, though. A lot of people with eye problems."

"Why would people with eye problems see Dad? He's a cardiologist," said Claire.

"I don't know," said Goldie. "Dad says there's some kind of connection, some kind of eye problems are connected to heart troubles."

"Well, that's interesting," said Claire.

"Have you heard from Ben?"

"Ben?"

"Ben, your boyfriend?"

"Ben, my boyfriend. No, no word about Ben," said Claire.

"That must make you very sad."

Claire turned to Goldie. "Very sad indeed."

"You carry your burden well," said Goldie.

They drove the rest of the way in silence.

********

Claire drove to a factory, on the edge of town. It was humming with activity.

"A factory, Claire?"

"Yep," said Claire.

She led Goldie inside. There was a bustle of activity in the plant. Something was being manufactured in large numbers. Some kind of electronic equipment. But Goldie, from brief glances, could not figure out what it was.

She was taken to an office where a middle aged bald man in a white coat greeted her.

"Doctor Franklin, this is my sister, Goldie," said Claire.

"So nice to meet you," said Frankin. "Maizie, some tea for our guest."

"No thank you," said Goldie. "What's going on here? Claire tells me that you're some kind of resistance group, working against The Foundation."

"We are indeed," said Doctor Franklin.

"But this looks like a factory."

"Quite right. We are manufacturing munitions to combat The Foundation."

"What kind of munitions?"

A man came into the office, and whispered something in Goldie's ear. "Is he here already?" The man nodded.

"Well then, bring him in."

A moment later Harry Crater stepped into the office, flanked by two guards with compression pistols.

"Great work, Harry," Goldie groaned.

"We knew you would never come alone, Miss MacPherson. Harry here was always our intended target," said Doctor Franklin. "We just waited for him to follow you and show up."

"You thought you were so clever with this cheap knockoff clone of Claire, didn't you?" said Goldie.

"Not a clone, Goldie," said Harry.

Doctor Franklin's eyebrows went up.

"She's an android," said Harry.

Goldie looked at Claire in horror.

********

"How did you know?" Doctor Franklin asked.

"I walked across your factory floor for a full sixty seconds. I recognized a half dozen module components," said Harry.

Suddenly Goldie felt a surge of pride in Harry.

"The question is, how, and why?" Harry asked.

"You're direct and to the point, Mr. Crater," said Doctor Franklin. "I like that. May I call you Harry?"

"You just did."

"Very well, Harry. You might say that we and The Foundation are friendly rivals."

"Friendly rivals?"

"We cooperate in certain technologies, and compete in others," said Franklin.

"Let me try to make some educated guesses," said Harry. "The Foundation is working on creating a clone army to take over the world."

"Something like that," said Doctor Franklin.

"And you are creating a robot army to take over the world."

"Nothing quite so labor intensive, young man," said Doctor Franklin. "But our aims are similar."

"So what would be the commonality between you and The Foundation? Harry looked at Franklin's impassive face, which gave away nothing. Then he snapped his fingers. "Of course! The memory engrams."

"You are as brilliant as they say, Harry," said Doctor Franklin.

"Memory engrams, Harry?" Goldie said.

"Well, a robot, or a clone, can be programmed to do anything, I suppose. But if you want it to impersonate someone, it needs to have their memories. Therefore, you need a method of interpreting one's memories, and a technology for transferring them... both of which would be equally applicable to clones and robots."

"Androids, if you please."

"Sorry. Androids," said Harry.

"Yes, we cooperated with The Foundation for a time. Then we went our own separate ways," said Doctor Franklin. "We had a small difference of opinion."

"The small difference being?"

"Who should rule the world."

"That doesn't sound like such a big difference," said Harry, with a straight face.

"It isn't, when you appreciate that our goals are very much the same. To have the planet ruled by a meritocracy. But while The Foundation is building a literal army, we are growing in much smaller numbers."

Doctor Franklin stopped talking. He simply waited. Harry looked around him, and then his gaze settled on Claire.

"Of course," he said. "It's so obvious."

"Harry? Would you mind clarifying for those of us still stuck in mental kindergarten?" Goldie asked plaintively.

"They're not going to start a war. They're going to replace key leaders with android duplicates," said Harry.

"Precisely," said Doctor Franklin. "You are every bit as impressive as they say, Harry."

"They say?"

"Our contact in The Foundation."

"Your spy," said Harry. "That's how you knew we were searching for Claire."

"Yes."

"But this Claire was not very convincing," said Harry. "Even Goldie knew she wasn't real."

"Harry!" Goldie felt annoyed by the put down.

"You must forgive us, Harry," said Doctor Franklin. "But we didn't have access to the original Claire's memory engrams. All we had were basic biographical data to go on. Our androids which have the original memory engrams of their subjects are quite convincing, believe me."

"Fine," said Harry. "So what are we doing here?"

"They say you're the smartest man on the planet, Harry."

"Well, you know what they say," said Harry.

"We could use your help, Harry," said Doctor Franklin.

"What kind of help?"

"Our androids, even the ones with memory engrams of their original hosts, still choose what to say and do based on thousands of subroutines. Some of these subroutines are still a bit... rough."

"I'll say," said Goldie.

"You could help us iron out some of the kinks, so to speak."

"Perhaps I could," said Harry. "And in return? Let me guess. You'll hold us prisoner."

"No."

"You'll do something terrible to Goldie."

"Harry, don't give them any ideas," said Goldie.

"No," said Doctor Franklin.

"If you're not going to imprison us, or hold Goldie as a hostage, then... why?"

"That's what I hope you will discover. Give us two days, Harry. Two days to convince you to help us."

"And if you don't?"

"And if we don't... then you're free to go."

"We're not prisoners?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Goldie. Car keys. We're leaving now." He started for the door.

"Got them, Harry," said Goldie, holding up her hand.

"Wait!" said Doctor Franklin.

Harry turned around.

"Two days," said Doctor Franklin. "Two days, and you're free."

"Of course," said Harry.

"Claire, will you show Harry and your sister to their quarters?"

"Of course, Doctor Franklin."

********

As they lay in bed that night, Goldie, with her arm around Harry, said, "Do you really think they're going to let us go in two days?"

"Not a chance," said Harry.

"Me neither," said Goldie. She yawned. Suddenly, she started to get sleepy. She heard Harry yawn too. "But we're here, in the middle of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It shouldn't be as hard as escaping from a Caribbean island, or a compound in Maui, or..." Even as she spoke, she dropped off to sleep. Harry was already unconscious.

********

"-given her the neutralizer? Good? Ah, yes, she's coming around now."

Goldie gradually returned to full awareness. There was a bright light shining down on her face. And she was standing up, even though she felt like she was lying down. She opened her eyes. She was in a large room, standing on some kind of glowing pedestal.

And she was completely naked. Her arms were at her sides, but her legs were spread wide. She instantly had a bad feeling about this. She tried to move, but couldn't budge. There was something holding her in place.

"Ah, you're awake now. Good."

Doctor Franklin came into view. Claire and the woman called Maizie were at his side.

"What happened?" Goldie asked.

"I'm sorry we had to sedate the two of you, but it was necessary to remove you from Harry's presence without him noticing."

"And the reason for that being...?"

"You're going to be part of a grand experiment, Goldie," said Doctor Franklin.

"I don't think I like the sound of that," said Goldie, as she rotated on the pedestal. Suddenly she noticed a second pedestal, not far from her. It seemed to have something on it... a humanoid form. But it was green, and nondescript.

"You are going to love this, sister," said Claire.

"Really,

sister

? What is it exactly that I am going to love so much?" Goldie asked.

"We are going to make a perfect android duplicate of you," said Doctor Franklin, his eyes shining with delight.

"I wouldn't advise. I don't copy well. I smudge," said Goldie.

"You're quite an entertaining character, Miss MacPherson. I can see why Harry prizes you so highly." He stared at her round breasts, well developed pubic bush, and creamy thighs. "As well as the obvious reasons, of course." He turned to Claire. "You may begin."

Claire went over to a control panel.

"No, Claire, don't." Claire started to manipulate the controls. "Claire, stop. Claire, this is your sister, telling you to stop." Claire continued to work the controls.

Goldie, feeling nervous, licked her lips. "I have to tell you, doc, that you designed the

perfect

Claire. My real sister never listens to me, and is more than a bit of a cunt, to be honest."

Doctor Franklin chuckled, which didn't make Goldie feel any better.

Machinery started to hum. Goldie felt a heat descending on her. She saw little white pluses projected all over her body, as if she was being measured.

"Begin!" Doctor Franklin cried.

Claire hit a master switch, and a beam struck out, and cut into the humanoid shape in the next pedestal. Goldie looked at it, and started to see the rough shape of its arms, body, and legs become smoother, more detailed. Very soon it started to assume her very shape and form.

Doctor Franklin assumed personal supervision over the sculpting of a certain key areas of the android's body. He came over and stared unabashedly at her between the legs.

"Sorry I can't spread'm any wider, Doc. Do you need a better view?" Goldie asked.

Franklin ignored her. He went over to the android, and looked between its legs, and then came back to Goldie, and frowned.

"That's not the most typical expression I see on men's faces when they look down there," said Goldie.

"Claire, can you come here? Have a look at her labial lips. I'm not sure they're quite wide enough."

Goldie watched as Claire obediently came over and stared into her lower opening.

"Yeah, sis. Come and check out my vaj. And take some notes. You might learn a thing or two."

Claire stared at Goldie's vaginal opening, and then went and compared it to the Android.

"Another two centimeters?" Doctor Franklin asked.

"I think you're right, Doctor Franklin. I'll program it in," said Claire, moving to the controls.

Goldie winked at him. "You're not just a great roboticist, Doctor Franklin. You also have a keen eye for pussy," she said, with bitter sarcasm.

The laser scalpel worked on the android. When it finished, Doctor Franklin said, "And now I must apologize for one last indignity," he said.

"What could be more of an indignity than being stripped naked and--" Goldie suddenly noticed Claire coming forward with a rod. She started to aim it at Goldie's nether lips.

"No, sis. No. Not in my wildest dreams," said Goldie. "Claire, no!"

Claire was expressionless as she inserted the rod between Goldie's vaginal lips. She gasped slightly. But Claire didn't push the rod in. It was only about an inch inside of her.

"We have to make sure your proportions are the same on the inside and the outside," said Doctor Franklin.

"Well, I hate to clue you in, but you've only gone about an inch. I think even Harry, who is not the most terribly sexually experienced man, will notice-" and suddenly she gasped as Claire pressed a button on the rod, and Goldie felt something begin to fill her up, like a liquid.

"What're you doing to me, Doctor?"

"Just making a mold," said Doctor Franklin.

A mold?

"Please do not move, you'll spoil the impression."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to make a bad impression," said Goldie, wetting her lips. Goldie panicked a bit as she felt herself being filled up with some kind of gelatinous liquid. She looked down at Claire. Claire looked up at her without expression.

"To think I ever wanted to rescue you."

"Soon we will truly be sisters in every sense of the word," said Claire.

"You mean, when you start munching on Goldie-bot's rug? I'd pay to see that."

Claire didn't respond. Goldie felt the substance hardening inside of her. "Oooh... oohhhh...."

"I apologize for the discomfort," said Doctor Franklin.

"You're the most apologetic mad scientist I've ever met," said Goldie. "Maybe you wouldn't need to apologize so much if you didn't do so many terrible things. Have you ever thought about that?"

Claire said, "Doctor Franklin, I think the mold is ready now."

"Very well. Extract it."

Claire reached into Goldie's vagina and with nimble fingers started to pull on the mold. Claire gasped as it started to come out. "Easy, easy!" She gasped again in discomfort. "I'll bet you get wet fantasizing about moments like this, don't you sis?"

Claire didn't respond. When the cast was removed, Goldie saw that it was vaguely shaped like a banana.

Doctor Franklin admired it. "You have an upwards curvature at the inner end of your vaginal canal, Goldie. Did you know that?"

"Well, yes, I mean, on some level, I've always known that," said Goldie.

Franklin smiled as he held the banana shaped object. "You must provide men with a great deal of sexual pleasure."

"Harry tells me it's my best feature," said Goldie.

Franklin looked up at her and chuckled. At least she could get a reaction out of him. Franklin handed the banana shaped object to Claire. "Have it scanned, and program the laser."

"Yes, Doctor Franklin."

In moments the android body was drilled with a laser in its nether region.

"What do you think?" Franklin asked.

Goldie looked at the green humanoid duplicate. "It's great. It will fool Harry perfectly. He'll never notice a green waxwork dummy in place of me. You're brilliant, Doctor Franklin."

"Not green for much longer, my dear." He nodded to Claire, she flipped a switch, and two sides of what looked like a humanoid shaped coffin came forward and enveloped the android. For several minutes there was a loud sound of humming, and Goldie could see glimpses of strong flashes of light coming out of the coffin.

And then a few minutes later the coffin retracted, and Goldie saw... herself. The same skin color. With eyes, lips, and hair. It looked just like her.

"Isn't she a masterpiece?" said Franklin. "She has a solid state plastisteel core with computer components, overlaid by a pliable layer of germ protoplasm."

"Exciting," said Goldie dryly.

Franklin went over and looked at the robot's breasts. "Claire, did we get the areolas big enough?"

Claire went and compared Goldie's to the duplicates. "Yes, Doctor Franklin. But they are not quite red enough. You have a good eye. I'll activate the cosmetic laser" She pressed a button, and a smaller laser shot out, burning the tips of the android's breasts.