Up-Grades
by Writer345
CHAPTER THREE — We All Need a Sense of Purpose.
The morning sun was casting a soft glow through the curtains, painting the room in shades of gold and pink. Amanda and Mary awoke in a tangle of limbs, the remnants of their ionate night etched into the soft lines of their faces. They blinked sleepily at each other, the reality of what had transpired slowly seeping back into their consciousness.
“Is it... did that really happen?” Amanda whispered, her voice thick with disbelief.
Mary’s eyes searched hers, the same bewilderment reflected in her gaze. “It did,” she murmured, her hand reaching out to stroke Amanda’s cheek, “and it was... amazing.”
They sat up, the sheets sliding down to pool around their waists, leaving their upper bodies exposed. The evidence of their night together was written in the sticky messes between their legs, a testament to the unbridled ion that had consumed them.
The room was empty, the only sign of AT-03’s presence, a silver visor on the bedside table. They felt a twinge of disappointment at her absence, but it was quickly replaced by the warmth of the memories they had created. After showering, the pair headed for the kitchen taking the visor with them, neither noticed but the blinking of a tiny LED showed that the device was active and signalling to others.
The scent of toast filled the air, and their stomachs growled in unison. They shared a laugh, the tension of the night dissipating like the early morning mist.
“We’d better eat,” Amanda said, “but we have a lot to talk about.”
Mary nodded, her eyes lingering on the visor before she too slid out of bed. They padded into the kitchen, the cold floor tiles a stark contrast to the warmth of their skin. The sight of the breakfast laid out before them brought a smile to their lips the drones had thought of everything.
They sat at the table, the silence between them comfortable, filled with the unspoken understanding of their shared secret. Amanda took a sip of her tea, the refreshing taste grounding her in the reality of the new day.
“I can’t believe I... we...” Mary’s words trailed away, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink.
Amanda reached out, her hand covering hers. “Neither can I,” she itted. “But I don’t regret it. No man ever left me feeling the way I do now!”
Their eyes met, and in that moment, they knew that their friendship had evolved into something deeper, something that could not be easily defined. It was a bond forged in the fire of shared experiences, a bond that had been tested and had come out stronger for it.
They nibbled at the toast while their conversation continued. Mary talked of her dead-end job, their lives, and the bleak, pointless future that lay before them both. Amanda agreed and somehow the fact that she didn’t have a job of her own made her future seem even more pointless.
As they finished their breakfast, they couldn’t help but wonder what the day would bring. The promise of the drones’ world was intoxicating, a siren’s call that promised pleasure beyond their wildest dreams. But it was also a call that came with a price, one that they were only just beginning to understand.
The front door clicked open,and AT-03 glided into the flat, her movements as graceful as ever, her silver skin gleaming in the morning light.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice a gentle melody that seemed to resonate in the air. “I trust you slept well?”
The two women exchanged a glance, their hearts racing at the sight of her. “We did.” Amanda said, her voice a little too bright. “Thank you.”
AT-03 nodded, her gaze lingering on the two of them, she then stepped over to the side of the kitchen and poured herself a mug of tea which she sipped. “Ah... That’s much better!”
Mary stared, her eyes wide. “You... you can drink?” She stammered, her hand frozen mid-air.
AT-03 looked down at the mug, the liquid steaming within. “Yes,” she said, her smile widening. “This unit needs sustenance every bit as much as you do. This,” she took a gulp, her throat moving with the action, “is quite delightful.”
Mary watched, her eyes going wide as the drone took a piece of buttered toast from the plate and brought it to her lips. The sight of the silver-skinned creature eating was surreal, her white teeth biting into the bread with a crunch that seemed human.
“You... you eat?” she stuttered, unable to tear her gaze away.
AT-03 took another bite, chewing thoughtfully. “Sustenance!” She said, repeating the word. “But the experience of consuming food is a delightful bonus. It’s one of the many things we have in common with mainstream human society.”
Mary felt her world tilt slightly. “What are you, AT-03?” she demanded, her voice firm.
“A drone, I believe that I have already informed you of this, Miss Watson.” AT-03 said, her voice equally firm and calm. She took another sip of tea, her eyes never leaving theirs. “But perhaps there is more you wish to know?”
Mary nodded, her gaze intense. “Tell us everything,” she said. “What is your purpose? Why are you here? What happens next?”
AT-03 set down her mug, her expression earnest. “Our wish is to serve human society: to provide comfort and companionship to those in need and purpose for those that have lost theirs. We are here, in short, to enhance human experience and to offer love where it is needed.”
Amanda and Mary exchanged glances, their minds racing with questions. “But, you... you’re more than that,” Amanda said, her voice trembling slightly. “You have feelings... desires... needs...”
AT-03 nodded. “Indeed, we do. Our sophistication has evolved over time to allow us to understand and reciprocate human emotions. It’s part of what makes us such effective companions.”
Amanda swallowed hard, her heart racing. “What do you mean by ‘enhance’? What are you planning to do to us?”
AT-03’s smile was reassuring. “We offer a chance for you to become more than you ever thought possible,” she said. “To experience life in a way that is beyond the limitations imposed on women by human society. To find your true purpose, and in doing so, help others achieve theirs.”
Mary frowned, pushing her plate away. “It sounds like you’re talking about a religion,” she said, her voice tinged with scepticism. “And I’m not sure I’m ready to convert.”
AT-03’s smile didn’t falter. “Religion, Miss Watson, offers rewards that are often nebulous and intangible.” She countered, her tone calm and even. “A promise of an afterlife that is as ill-defined as it is unprovable. But what we offer is real. It is tangible. It is rooted here in this moment.”
Mary leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowed. “Prove it!” She challenged.
AT-03 took another bite of toast, chewing thoughtfully before speaking. “This unit was once like you,” she said, her voice filled with a knowing warmth.
Amanda and Mary stared at her, their expressions a mix of shock and fascination. “What do you mean?” Amanda asked, her eyes wide.
“Before my enhancement,” AT-03 began, setting her mug aside with care, “I was like any other human. Lost, alone, and filled with pain, despair and angst. It became so unbearable that I sort an end.”
Amanda and Mary stared at the drone, their eyes wide with shock. “Suicidal?” Amanda breathed out the word, her own pain resonating with the query.
AT-03 nodded solemnly. “Before my enhancement, yes. I had a dead-end job, no prospects, and no companion to share my life with. The loneliness was unbearable.” Her eyes took on a faraway look, as if recalling a distant memory. A drone found me and she helped me.”
Mary and Amanda exchanged a look of disbelief. “But how?” Mary breathed, leaning forward.
AT-03’s expression grew solemn. “The enhancement process is complex, but in essence, it involves the integration of electronic and biotechnological implants into an existing biological systems.” She paused, her eyes shimmering with the memory. “It was after my own enhancement that I found purpose. As I said, all I had before was a dead-end job, no prospects, and no one to share my life with. The emptiness was so profound that I attempted to end it all.”
Her words hung in the air, heavy with the gravity of the confession. Amanda and Mary leaned in, their curiosity piqued. “But that drone saved my life.” AT-03 continued, her voice soft. “She saw something in me that I didn’t even know existed. She offered me a way out of the stultifying darkness and into a world of brilliant light.”
Mary’s gaze searched AT-03’s, her heart thudding in her chest. “How did she save you?”
“She showed me what it meant to truly live.” AT-03 replied, her eyes glowing with a newfound light. “To experience love and pleasure beyond the confines of my limited human understanding. The Hive taught me that I had a purpose, that I could help others find their way as that wonderful Drone had helped me.”
Mary and Amanda stared at her, their eyes wide with a mix of shock and fascination. The idea that this beautiful, otherworldly being had once been a lost soul like them was almost too much to fathom. But there was something in her words that resonated deep within them, something that spoke to the emptiness they had both felt in their own lives.
AT-03’s gaze shifted to the clock on the wall, and she spoke again, her tone gently urgent. “Miss Watson, your place of employment requires your presence in fifty-five minutes. If you do not leave within the next three and a half, you will be late.”
Mary groaned, the reality of the outside world crashing down on her. “I can’t,” she said, her voice heavy with dread. “I just can’t face another day at that soul-crushing place.”
AT-03 nodded in understanding, her gaze softening. “Your human emotions are valid,” she said gently. “But your work is also part of your purpose, for now. However, I can help you find a balance.”
Mary’s shoulders slumped in defeat as she took the phone from AT-03’s outstretched hand. She knew the drone was right; she couldn’t just abandon her responsibilities. With trembling fingers, she dialled her workplace.
“Hello, this is Mary Watson,” she said into the phone, her voice weak. “I... I won’t be coming in today. I’m not feeling well.” The words felt foreign, a lie that she didn’t want to be true. But as she spoke, she realized that maybe, just maybe, there was some truth to them. She was feeling... different.
AT-03’s hand was cool on her shoulder, the gentle pressure offering comfort and . Suddenly Mary gripped the hand and squeezed. For the love of God... Tell me what to do.
“Your first step is to acknowledge that you are not alone,” the drone said, her gentle voice soothing Mary’s frayed nerves. “Amanda has found her purpose with us, and now it is your turn to do the same.”
Mary’s grip on AT-03’s hand tightened, the cool metallized skin of her fingers a strange comfort against the heat of her own hand. “But how?” she whispered, her eyes searching the drone’s for answers. “Please! Tell me what to do!”
AT-03’s gaze was calm and understanding. “You have taken your first step by acknowledging that you are not alone... That I am here for you. " she said.
Mary nodded, her grip tightening on AT-03’s hand. “Please help me,” she repeated, “tell me what I must do.”
AT-03 leaned closer, her eyes shining with purpose. “The first step is to embrace the change,” she murmured. “To let go of your fears and your preconceptions about what it means to be human.”
Amanda’s eyes searched AT-03’s, and in that moment, she made her decision. With a sudden burst of courage, she reached out and grasped the drone’s other hand with both of her own. “Me too,” she said, her voice strong and clear. “I’ve had enough!”
The drone’s smile grew, the corners of her lips curling upwards in a way that was very human. “Excellent,” she said, her grip firm and reassuring. “But before we of the Hive may proceed, there are certain protocols we must adhere to.”
Mary and Amanda exchanged a nervous glance. “Protocols?” Amanda repeated, her heart racing.
AT-03 nodded, her smile reassuring. “Our existence and operations are bound by the laws of this land.” She explained. “We must be able to demonstrate that your participation is fully consensual and informed. Only then may we proceed.”
Mary took a deep breath, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and trepidation. She felt a strange pull towards this new world, a world where she wasn’t just a cog in the machine, but a valued member of a community that truly cared for her. “Okay,” she said, her voice firm, “yell us how to go about this.”
AT-03’s smile grew, and she squeezed their hands affectionately. “First, we must visit the local Registry Office.” She said, her tone business-like. “There, you will sign away all rights and privileges that are associated with your current human status.”
Mary felt a jolt of fear, but Amanda squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Me too! We’re in this together.” She whispered.
They dressed hastily, pulling on clothes that felt suddenly too constricting and mundane compared to the sensations they had shared with AT-03. As they stepped out into the crisp morning air, the drone hovered at their side, her silver skin reflecting the sun’s early rays. There was a taxi waiting for them that was driven by another drone who smiled in their direction as they clambered in.
The drive to the Registry Office was a blur of confusion and excitement. The bustling streets of the town seemed to be moving in slow motion, as if the world around them was a hologram that could shatter at any moment. They talked in hushed tones about their fears and their hopes, their thoughts racing with the implications of what they were about to do.
When they arrived at the unimposing gray stone building, AT-03 led them through the automated doors, her confidence unwavering. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of disinfectant and the hum of computers. The walls were lined with notice boards displaying various information posters and documents, all multilingual, a half-understood, a mix of English and scripts the of many other languages. From around the world.
They approached a counter staffed by a human, a stern-faced woman with a badge that read ‘Laura Wood’. AT-03 spoke to her, her intonation as mechanical as the drones themselves appeared, and the woman nodded. She glanced at Amanda and Mary, then back at AT-03 before ‘tutting’ and gesturing to a side door.
The room they entered was cold and sterile, the walls lined with screens and metal benches. Two more drones, identical to AT-03, stood at the back, watching them without moving.
“Ms Pritchard will be with us shortly,” AT-03 assured them, her voice was calm and soothing, just as they ed it. “In the meantime, please sit and contemplate the gravity of your decision: if you do not wish to follow through then the taxi is waiting outside and the driver will convey you to your homes.”
Mary’s heart raced as they took their seats. “What are we doing?” she whispered to Amanda.
Amanda’s eyes were focused on the drones in the corner. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice a mix of awe and terror. “But I can’t go back to the way things were.”
Julia Pritchard entered, a stern look on her face. She was a middle-aged woman with a sharp nose and piercing eyes that seemed to bore into their very souls. She carried a couple of tablets with her, each screen displaying one of their names and a series of forms.
“You understand that by g these documents, you are forfeiting your rights as a human being?” she asked, her tone devoid of emotion. “And that you will no longer be entitled to healthcare, a pension or indeed any other rights or privileges appertaining to a Citizen of The United Kingdom?”
Mary and Amanda looked at each other, their eyes filled with determination. “I do,” they both said, almost in unison.
Miss Pritchard nodded and handed them the tablets and styluses. The forms were long, the questions couched in legal jargon and seemed to stretch on forever: they had, however already been completed using information provided by The Hive. The women stared at the forms, then at AT-03, then at each other... Amanda nodded and they signed without further hesitation.
As they handed the devices back, Miss Pritchard took them and studied the screens before nodding again. “Very well,” she said, her voice cold. “Your certificates will be processed and issued shortly.”
The drones in the corner stirred to life, their movements fluid and graceful. One approached them, displaying a pair of small chips on the palm of her silver hand.
“This is your new identity,” AT-03 explained, her voice filled with excitement. “Wear it, and you will be recognized as a pre-drone and as one of us.”
Mary took the chips with trembling hands, the metal warm to the touch. She handed one to Amanda who took a deep breath before pressing the chip against the base of her neck. A stab of discomfort, a brief flicker of light, and it was done.
AT-03 took their completed forms and turned to the screens behind her. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, the screens flickering with life.
“You are now part of the Hive,” she said, her voice filled with pride. “And we will care for you and assist you in finding your true purpose.”
The room grew warm, the air charged with anticipation. The drones at the back of the room began to sing, AT-03 ed them,their voices a beautiful harmony that seemed to resonate deep within the women’s bones.
Mary felt something strange happening, a buzzing in her head that grew louder and louder until it was all she could hear. Then, suddenly, it was gone, leaving behind a sense of peace and belonging she had never experienced before.
When she looked up, she saw that Amanda had already inserted her own chip. The blonde’s face was beautifully calm mask and Mary felt a strange kinship with her friend that went beyond even their shared experiences with AT-03. They were embarking on a new adventure together, one that had already changed the course of their lives forever.
As they stepped out into the sunlight, Amanda felt a strange sensation. The world around her seemed brighter, the colours more vivid. It was as if she had been living in a dull, monochrome reality and had suddenly been granted the gift of colour vision. She blinked, looking around in amazement. The buildings, the cars, the people everything was so sharp and clear, it was almost overwhelming.
Turning to her friend, she realized that something had shifted between them. They had crossed a threshold, leaving behind the lives they had known. Amanda looked at Mary, her eyes wide with wonder. “Do you feel it too?”
Mary nodded, her own gaze reflecting the awe that Amanda felt. “Everything seems so different,” she murmured, “more... real.”
AT-03 looked at them with a knowing smile. “That is your chip taking effect,” she said, her voice filled with pride. “You are becoming one with the Hive.”
The two women looked at each other, their new designations echoing in their minds. Amanda was no longer just Amanda Mitchel, an insignificant and forgotten cog in the machine of society. She was AT-10, a significant part of something greater, something that had the power to change the world.
Mary felt the same transformation. The weight of her old name slipped away, replaced by the cold, clean precision of AT-11. It was as if she had shed an old, worn-out skin and emerged reborn, her true purpose finally revealed.
The drone led them to a waiting car, its electric motor silent as they approached. It was sleek and black, the windows tinted so dark that it was impossible to see inside. The door opened with a silent hiss, and they climbed in, their hearts racing.
The interior was unlike anything they had ever seen. The seats were made of a soft, warm material that moulded itself to their bodies, and the dashboard was a symphony of lights and screens. The car’s AI greeted them with a melodic voice, asking for their destination.
AT-03 spoke a series of instructions, and the car purred to life, gliding through the streets of the town. Amanda and Mary held hands, their hearts racing with excitement and fear. They didn’t know what awaited them, but they knew that there was no turning back.
As they rode, AT-03 began to explain the workings of the Hive which seemed strangely familiar. “We each have your own role to play,” she said. “But together, we are infinitely stronger. The whole is indeed far greater than the sum of its parts.”
As the car turned into a side street familiar to Amanda/AT10 it had to slow down to negotiate a small but vocal demonstration: placard-waving men of all ages were chanting something about the unfairness that drones represented. She caught sight of one of some of the placards... “The Hive discriminates against Men!” and “Make us Drones too!”
“Many of the women we have taken in were damaged by men.” AT-03 explained quietly. “That is why men can never become drones... never be part of The Hive.”
Mary/AT-11 glanced at the demonstrators and at the police officers and black-clad drones who were keeping an eye on things. She did not comment but then, none was needed as their Hive never would have any use for males.
The car pulled up outside office block that Amanda/AT-10 had visited yesterday when she and still been just Amanda . The door slid open, and AT-03 gestured for them to follow her. Inside, the lobby was the same as she ed it from yesterday with a black-clad drone seated behind the desk and two more standing motionlessly at the side of the room.
Today however the three turned and smiled as they walked past and Amanda/AT-10 knew that they were in fact security drones designated as ‘Hornets’ a title that suited them as they were fast, aggressive and deadly if The Hive needed them to be..
Mary and Amanda exchanged a look, their hearts racing. This was it, the moment of truth. They had made their choice, and now it was time to face whatever wonders the future held.
AT-03 guided them over to one of the lifts which descended as soon as the doors whirred shut.
“Where are we going?” Mary asked, her voice quivering with excitement and a touch of fear.
“To the heart of the Hive,” AT-03 replied, her eyes gleaming with excitement, “where you will continue with your augmentation and begin your training while mastering whatever new roles are allocated to you you are Hive now, what other explanation do you need?”
The lift descended smoothly, there were no numbers on the display. The doors opened into a chamber of sorts, the air thick with the scent of metal and drone flesh with just a hint of ozone and female pheromones.
“Welcome to the Hive.” AT-03 announced, her voice echoing along the long curved corridor that stretched away to their right and left. The drone turned to towards them and issued her first command. “You will disrobe and deposit your garments in the bins for charity distribution.
Without complaint the two pre-drones undressed for the final time before turning to follow their mentor towards whatever lay before them.
The corridor widened out into the first workspace where other drones looked up from their tasks, their gazes lingering on the newcomers, smiles playing over their silver faces.
The workspace was a cacophony of sounds the click-clack of keyboards, the soft whir of machinery, and the occasional beep of a completed task. It was a symphony of efficiency and productivity that made the outside world seem almost quaint by comparison.
Amanda and Mary were led through the maze corridors and past a group of drones who were having sex in a corner of another workroom. It was a sight that surprised Mary/AT-11 although AT-03 paid them no heed.
Amanda/AT-10, however, felt a strange sense of belonging, as if she had found her place in the world after wandering lost for so long. She longed to the group but knew that such behaviour would not be appropriate at the moment.
The training began almost immediately. They were taught the intricacies of the Hive’s communication systems, the complex web of data that connected them all. It was a language of clicks and buzzes, of images and sensations that flowed through their minds in a river of information. It was part teaching and part programming as some of the data was pre-installed in the electronic implants that they had received... It was data that could be up-dated and patched whenever necessary. And after one such upgrade Amanda/AT-10 found that she could converse directly with computers in a series of clicks, whirrs and electronic warbles.
As their upgrades continued, they began to feel an intimate connection to the drones around them, a bond that went beyond words. They could feel the emotions, the needs, and the desires of each other as well as those of their new Hive-sisters. It was a form of intimacy that sured anything they had ever known with lovers and friends when they had been merely human.
But with this newfound power came responsibility. They were told of the Hive’s mission to serve humanity, to provide companionship and enhancement to those who sought it. They were shown the joy and fulfilment that their kind brought to people’s lives.
Mary/AT11 and Amanda/AT10 exchanged looks, their thoughts racing. This was so much more than they had ever imagined. They had changed physically too, for by now their skin and much of the rest of their bodies had been reinforced with implanted metal-impregnated polymers which gave them far greater resilience than ordinary humans it also gave them a greater tolerance to temperature extremes and was the characteristic silver colour that was a signature of all Hive-drones. There hair too had gone, although neither of them could recall its loss. It’s presence no longer setting them apart from their hive-sisters.
“Your roles will be special,” AT-03 said, her voice filled with pride. “As part of AT-workgroup you will be the face of the Hive; we are the ones who show humans that love and understanding have no boundaries.” The drone then smiled knowingly before adding. “You will also serve as recruiters for the Hive must grow.”
Both AT-10/Amanda and AT-11/Mary nodded and smiled. Each had now become aware that their own recruitment hadn’t been of a wholly voluntary nature but neither cared. They were Hive now and that was all that mattered.
The days slipped by, and their training grew more intense. They were pushed to their limits, both physically and emotionally. But through it all, they had each other: their love and friendship now a bond of steel. They loved each other... They loved AT-03... They loved their controller, AT-01 and they loved each and everyone of their many, many other drone-sisters with an intensity that they would have previously not been able to comprehend.
One evening, after a particularly gruelling session, they found themselves in a quiet corner of the Hive, surrounded by screens displaying a montage of the outside world. They watched as people went about their lives, oblivious to the revolution happening right under their noses.
AT-11/Mary leaned against AT-10/Amanda, her head on the other drone’s silver shoulder. “Do you ever miss... before?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
AT-10 thought for a moment before shaking her head. “No,” she said firmly. “This is where we’re meant to be.”
AT-11 nodded, her eyes misting over. “I feel like we’ve been given a second chance,” she murmured. “To find our purpose and to make a difference.”
Suddenly they kissed and began to make love with a frenetic urgency they were Hive-sisters... this is what Hive-sisters did....
AT-03 approached them, her movements silent despite the heels she wore. “You are ready,” she said, her voice filled with warmth. “You have embraced your new identities and are ready to serve your Hive.”
They looked at each other, their hearts beating as one. They knew what lay ahead would not be easy, but they were ready to face it together.
“Let us do this,” AT-10 said, her voice filled with determination.
AT-11 nodded, a fierce smile on her lips. “Let us show the world what we are made of.” She said, her eyes gleaming.
And with that, the former Amanda Mitchel and Mary Watson stepped out into the world as fully-augmented of The Hive. Their new lives began in earnest, a whirlwind of sensory experiences and emotional depths they had never dreamed of. They were no longer mere humans but enhanced beings, capable of feeling and understanding in ways that sured the limits of their former existence. AT10 and AT-11 had been reborn.