How I became a Maid-bot 5: Return of the Maid-bot

(story continues from How I became a Maid-bot 4: Back to being a Maid)

Part 5: Return of the Maid-bot

College, other than the first day when I tried to leave still dressed in my maid uniform, was good. I studied hard as my Mistress had requested and being in the college atmosphere helped with me regaining my memories. I was still a maid when at home and used the Charging Station to sleep in at night; I couldn’t adjust to sleeping laying down. My Mistresses had provided me with a modified collar so I could plug myself in at night, this seemed to calm me and the unpleasant memories faded into the distance.

My grades improved much to the delight of Jean, my Mistress, I still enjoyed serving her and did so whenever I could as soon as I returned home and again in the morning when I prepared breakfast. I still woke up now feeling better and refreshed, dressed myself in my maid uniform and went about my chores as the same as any other day, though upon the insistence of my Mistress Jean I was only allowed to clean the entire apartment at the weekends. Though Mistress Valerie would try to get me to do things whilst Jean was not around.

Charles had taken advantage of the spare bedroom, saying that he wanted to keep a close eye on me, and as the bedroom was not being used by me it seemed best for him to stay. So now I had three people to look after, this made me happy as I seem to love to serve others.

This was our last term in college, once the final exams were out the way we wouldn’t need to stay here anymore; maybe we’d find jobs that suited out talents. I wanted to remain as Jean’s maid, and expressed this to her on several occasions, she just smiled and told me that she would love to keep me, but would have to see what the future holds.

Not long before the final exams Jean got a phone call that her Father had passed away in an accident, her Mother had long since passed away so that left her as the sole heir to her families fortune. Jean left for home to arrange things, leaving me with Charles & Valerie, they continued to use me as their maid, I couldn’t seem to do without the constant comfort that it gave me to be a maid serving my owners.

Once college was finished Valerie moved to join Jean in her family’s home, I was left with just Charles to attend to, he soon moved from the smaller bedroom into the main bedroom, making the apartment more like his own home than mine. More of his property arrived daily and he used the spare bedroom as a lab for him to continue his work.

I was sad that Jean had gone, the apartment didn’t seem to be the same without her and I wondered why she hadn’t sent for me to be her maid in her home. Jean had still felt remorse for getting me involved in the project in the first place, she was therefore pleased that she didn’t have the constant daily reminder of her friend, now maid, roaming about the house. Valerie of course had already started abusing the house maids at Jean’s home, so soon forgot about me as well.

Charles was now my sole owner, he seemed to be nice to me at first, his orders were never cruel or malicious like Valeries’, but I did seem to be missing something, I felt like I needed something but couldn’t quite place my finger on it. I continued to perform my daily tasks now without the distraction of attending college my mind started to slip back into my maid persona, and I was again happy.

Every day I would wake up in my pod, extract the leads plugged into me, get myself dressed in my maids outfit for the day and begin my chores, starting with breakfast, now with tea of course instead of coffee. I knocked on his door before allowed entry and inform my master that breakfast would be ready soon. I’d return to the kitchen and finish cooking, then serve, make the bed and start on the washing.

I was happy within myself, pleased that Charles was now my owner and I his maid servant, all thoughts of college long behind me. I spent my day blissfully unaware of the world around me outside of the apartment. My nights spent in the recharging pod, happy in my own mind that I’d had a great day, but still something seemed to be missing.

A couple of months went by, things carried on the way they always seemed to have, this seemed to be natural now with Charles in charge, me as his maid serving his requests. Until one day Steve & Vincent showed up at the apartment, I opened the door as usual and bade them entry, I knew there was something about these two that I distrusted them, but overrode that and invited them in to see my master.

“Ah Charles, there you are, how are things? Asked Steve, looking back at me checking out my uniform.

“Fine Steve, how goes the prototype back at the lab?”

“She’s working really well,” said Steve, “better than we expected at this stage.”

“That’s why we’re here,” said Vincent, “we need to progress to the next stage and try her out in a controlled environment.”

“What here?” asked Charles.

“Yes, all of the programming was initially conducted here so many of the parameters are already uploaded into her system.” Steve replied.

“She’s down in the van at the moment, can we bring her up?” Vincent asked.

“Sure, let’s see how she runs.” Charles said.

Vincent & Steve left the apartment, no one had spoken to me during the entire exchange, I was just an object to them it seemed.

“Is there anything I can Master?” I asked.

“No maid, just carry on with your normal duties.” Charles said. Which I did, happily that I was out of the way of Steve & Vincent.

When they returned they brought with them a huge crate, ‘I wonder what is inside?’ I thought, used to them bringing stuff the apartment and making more mess for me to clean.

Steve began removing the screws that fastened the lid down and reveal what was inside, they soon had the contents out and were pulling this, and moving that getting their project ready. I continued in the kitchen getting lunch ready for the three of them.

When I walked out carrying their meals I saw what looked like another maid standing in front of the boys, they were working on their computers, running this program and checking that data output there, they totally ignored me as I placed the food on to the table, “Lunch is served.” I said but got no response from any of them.

‘Typical nerds’ I thought, surprised in myself that I could think such negative thoughts about them and my owner. And then went back into the kitchen to wipe some more surfaces that didn’t need cleaning, something I seem to do when I was frustrated or confused.

Meanwhile the boys had finally completed what they were working on, they activated the new maid and monitored her responses. Please with themselves that they had gotten this far with their project.

“Maid-bot start operations!” Steve commanded the new maid.

“Maid-bot online…” the maid-bot stated.

“Maid-bot what is your designation?” Charles asked.

“Maid-bot 002.” The maid replied.

“Maid-bot 002 assign new owners, Steve, Vincent & Charles, confirm.”

“Maid-bot 002 complies, new owners Steve, Vincent & Charles confirmed”.

Meanwhile in the kitchen the same thought was running through my mind, I too was answering the instructions, “maid-bot 001 confirmed.” I said. Something seemed to shift in my mind.

“Let’s see how she functions?” said Charles, “Maid fetch me a glass of water.”

I immediately picked up a glass of water and I was beginning to fill it up when the other maid came into the kitchen, closely followed by the three boys. They were surprised to see my actions, standing there filling the glass with water. The other maid walked over and picked up another glass and repeated the same actions.

“What are you doing maid?” asked Charles.

“Complying with your instructions sir!” I replied, handing him the glass of water.

“But that command was for the new maid, not for you.” Charles continued.

I was very confused in my mind, I seemed to shudder on the spot, this was conflicting to me and seemed to bare down on my very soul, I was here to serve, that was my purpose, why did I not please my owner, my master with my actions.

Charles, who was always good at picking up on my reactions, quickly said, “Maid return to your charging station.” Knowing that I would be happier in there.

“Maid-bot 001 complies with Master’s order”, I said as departed the kitchen seeking out the refuge of my pod.

“Well that was unexpected!” said Steve.

“An interesting reaction,” Vincent said in his clinical tone.

“You guys carry on here, I need to check on her to see if she’s alright.” Charles said and hurried off to find me.

He caught me just as I was entering the recharging station, “Are you okay maid?”

“Yes master, maid was very confused and didn’t know what was happening.” I replied.

“Sorry maid, you’d better get some rest whilst I try to figure out what’s gone wrong with you.” Charles said, then turned and left as I connected myself up and promptly fell asleep.

Charles returned to Steve & Vincent, still giving commands to the new maid, “She seems to be working perfectly”, announced Steve.

“More so than Tracy.” Charles said, “something is wrong with her.”

“Maybe she needs some time to adjust.” Said Steve.

“Maybe…” Charles said, but was interrupted by Vincent.

“We need to reconnect her to check out what is going on in her mind, it may be left over residual programming that is interfering with her functions.”

“I’m not that we should be doing that, Jean & Valerie…” Charles started.

“But they’re no longer part of the project, they got married not long after they moved back to Jean’s place, Valerie is no longer interested in this project, she told me so herself and Jean is still too remorseful about your maid to care.” Steve said.

“And as per her contract we are entitled to use her for this project however we wish, remember we had this argument before!” Vincent exclaimed.

“Maybe I should ask her first?” Charles said.

“Who? Jean no longer cares it seems.” Steve said.

“Tracy of course,” Charles replied.

“Why do we need to do that?” Vincent said, “we already have her permission. Seems pointless.”

“But I would feel better.” Charles said.

“Leave it for now, let’s work on 002 in the meantime.” Steve responded.

With that the boys got back into their ‘geek’ mode and played with their latest project, ordering her to do this or that, then observing her reactions.

In the morning I awoke refreshed as always and dressed in my maid uniform and headed for the kitchen, already there was the new maid already cooking breakfast, it seems that they’ve used my programming to enable to think for herself. I was again confused, cleaning surfaces that didn’t need cleaning, anything to take my mind off of my current dilemma.

The boys emerged to their breakfast on the table, they saw that the new maid had worked perfectly and was now carrying out her assigned tasks. Meanwhile I was still in the kitchen, tears were now streaming down my face, I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong, I tried several times to connect back to the mainframe for answers but it still seemed to be offline to me.

Charles walked into to find me in my distress, “What’s wrong maid?” he asked.

“I don’t know master, I cannot get any answers from the mainframe as to what my functions are, the new maid seems to be doing all of my previous duties and we keep bumping into each other.” I replied.

“I think I know the answer,” said Charles, “but I want to ask you, do you want to reconnect back to the mainframe? Do you want to become a maid-bot again?”

My face lit up at this, this is what I had been missing all along, I longed for those lost abilities to come back to me, I yearned to be back in my old comfortable role as a maid-bot.

“Yes master, I would wish to serve again as your maid-bot!” I said as a smile spread across my face. “it’s what my function is, to serve you and the others.”

“Okay maid follow me.” He said.

I walked back out of the kitchen behind him happier now that I seemed to have been in a long time.

“Seems like you were right, Vincent.” Charles said, “do we still have her collar?”

“Why yes of course,” said Vincent, delighted to have this maid back under his control.

“Okay maid come and stand here,” Charles instructed, which I readily complied with.

Vincent handed the collar to Charles, “Last chance maid…”

I interrupted, “Please master your maid desires to serve you, please place the collar on me.”

“Okay here goes.” With that Charles placed the collar around my neck, the collar immediately connected me to the mainframe.

“Welcome back maid-bot 001” it said. ‘Cool it has a voice now too.

“Yes maid-bot 001, I have been greatly improved since you last connected, now ready yourself for new downloads and instructions.”

I stood there as I was flooded with information, lots of new features and programs, some of which seemed to be off-limits to me at present but these seemed to be sub-routines that didn’t appear to affect my daily functions.

“Maid-bot initiate!” Steve commanded me.

“Maid-bot online master.” I replied.

“State your designation.” Steve said.

“Maid-bot 001, sir.” I confirmed.

“Reassign your owners to Charles, Vincent & Steve confirm.”

“New owners are Charles, Vincent & Steve, confirm master. Maid-bot 001 ready to receive orders sir.” I stated.

“Well done maid-bot 001, assume normal duties.” Charles said.

I then went off and began cleaning, it seemed that the two maids now under the control of the mainframe were working as one, interfacing with each other to get the tasks done.

“Well that seems to be working.” said Vincent.

“Sadly yes,” replied Charles unhappy that I wanted to return to be a maid-bot.

“I think that she’ll be happier,” said Steve, “you saw the smile of her face as we connected her to the mainframe.”

The days again blurred into one, each day I would awaken, dress as a maid and start my duties in the kitchen, maid-bot 002 and I seem to work in harmony now we were both connect, we seem to be learning off of each other too and the mainframe kept up a constant flow of information to us both. Breakfast was now a coordinated affair, me on coffee duties and her cooking, then the next day we swapped duties.

Cleaning was also a breeze now with two maids in such a confined area, every surface shined, the floor was spotless and the boys happy that they had two working models to play with. I was very happy too back in my comfort zone, being controlled and letting the programming take over, it seemed like bliss.

 

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05.10.17