"That explains the steep prices," I frowned.
"People pay more to rent or purchase a luxury car,” Bonnie said. “I think you'll find our agents deliver even more utility and excitement, without all the maintenance and upkeep."
I nodded at the unrealistic comparison.
"That was one of my first questions, actually. What do they run on? I assume they don't eat and eliminate, like real people. Do they require special power adapters and frequent charging?"
"We're not quite at the point of human reengineering that we can create robots with the same functioning internal organs," Bonnie chuckled. "We're probably at least a few decades away from that. But to answer your question, they run on special high-efficiency batteries, which are rechargeable with regular 120-volt household current. The average agent lasts about four hours before needing a recharge, depending on the level of exertion and use."
Exertion and use indeed, I thought, bringing me back to my main interest in the robots.
"But they still look like a regular person on the outside, don’t they?"
"Yes—very much so. That is, if you consider these exceptionally beautiful cyberorganisms to look 'regular'. I think you'll find them to be remarkably realistic and natural. Would you like to see one now for yourself?"
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, feeling unusually nervous about interfacing with this kind of machine for the first time.
"I'm almost ready. I just have a few more questions."
"Absolutely. Our clients' comfort and satisfaction is our overriding concern."
"You said they can learn. What does that mean exactly?"
"They're programmed to adjust their speech and behavior based on the external cues they're exposed to. Through your verbal and non-verbal cues, they will begin to learn what you like and desire. Just as in any normal relationship, it's this give-and-take stimulus and response pattern that enables them to behave in such a way that optimizes the results. They soon learn what doesn't work and what does."
The juices in my pussy suddenly started to stir, realizing exactly what Bonnie meant.
"Are they designed to perform other human tasks? I mean other than—"
"Yes. Their muscles, joints, and external organs work just like a normal human's. They can pick objects up, move them, and use their fingers just like you and me. Over time, they can learn how to do the laundry, load the dishwasher—even drive a car."
"Whoa!" I said, my eyes flying open at the provocative suggestion. "I think it would take quite a while before I ever got close to trusting a robot to drive my car!"
"They already do," Bonnie said. "It's just that most of them don't look like a person."
I nodded, beginning to realize how far artificial intelligence had already infiltrated our everyday lives.
"I suppose you're right," I said, hesitating to broach one of the more delicate issues. "What about the—sex thing? How do I know your robots are…clean?"
Bonnie nodded at the familiar question.
"Every agent goes through a meticulous internal and external steam cleaning after each encounter with a new client. All of their orifices are thoroughly sanitized after use. Of course, if you wish to have a virgin companion, you can always buy a new one for your own exclusive use."
I smiled at the not-so-subtly veiled human reference.
"What is the fee to purchase one?"
"Depending on the age, version, and feature set, ownership starts at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars."
I gulped at the exorbitant price.
"That's a pretty steep investment."
"Most people spend almost that much on a new car. The difference is that this machine operates twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Other than brief downtime for recharging, our agents provide constant and personal utility. Plus, there's already a robust and dependable market for used NextGen robots for purchase. In the unlikely event that you grow bored with your companion or wish to trade up to a new version, you should have no difficulty returning most if not all of your initial investment."
I nodded my head and smiled.
"I think you've convinced me, Bonnie. I'm ready to meet one of your agents now."