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Disclaimers

This story is intended as Adult entertainment.  It contains
material of an explicit, adult, sexual nature.  If you are
offended by sexually explicit content, please do not read any
further.

This story is a work of fiction.  All characters and events
portrayed in it are fictional, and any resemblance to real people
is purely coincidental.  The author does not necessarily condone
or endorse any of the activities described.

This story may not be reproduced bin any form for profit without
the written permission of the author.  It may be distributed for
free with all disclaimers attached.

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Our Robot

by Nobilis

Chapter Nine

Bill

I hefted my bag off the baggage carousel and checked my cell
phone.  It still said, "Security Blackout."  Since when were
plane terminals appropriate places to scramble cell signals?  I
couldn't believe people still put up with that.  I looked around
for a pay phone... nothing.  There was an internet kiosk, but it
had a line of a dozen people queued up for it.

Bah.

Customs, more security checks, all the usual traveling nonsense.
I had slept on the plane, but I didn't feel rested.  It was early
morning, Japan time, I hadn't even been to the office yet and I
was already in a bad mood.

I tried to call Anne from the train, but I couldn't seem to get a
decent signal most of the way.  I think I managed to get a few
sentences through, but that's it.  I'm going to have to have a
word with my cell provider about their supposedly "global"
network.

I got to the hotel, checked in, and called Anne from the Hotel
phone.  She didn't answer.  I checked her schedule.  AH, she had
a concert... she's probably getting ready.  I left a message.

I lay down to try to get a few hours sleep before the office
opened.  No such luck.

I turned on the TV.  I should have known better.  The only show I
could catch the gist of was some kind of game show, where a male
contestant had to answer trivia questions, or else a vibrating
egg would be handed to a woman next to him, which she had to put
in her body.  There wasn't any nudity.  The unfortunate woman was
wearing a knee-length skirt.  If he continued to miss answers, a
dial on a giant console would gradually get cranked up, evidently
increasing the vibrations.

I watched in spite of myself... it was very surreal.

When that show finished I shook myself free and turned the TV
off.  It was 7am, local time; late enough that I could expect
someone to let me in to the office.  I freshened up, put on some
clean clothes, and walked over to the Ministry office.  I got
hung up in the lobby with security checks.  They took me into an
office off the lobby, scanned me, my clothes, and my briefcase. 
They confiscated my cell phone and my laptop, but not before I
recorded another message for Anne in case she tried to call me. 
I wondered, briefly, if a Japanese visitor would have gotten
treated this way.

All that out of the way, they gave me a pass and an escort.  At
least she was pretty.  Miss Tanaka was about five feet tall, with
long, straight black hair, and that perfect complexion that
everyone in Japan seemed to have.  She was wearing a navy skirt
and suit jacket, with a white shirt and black flats.

She brought me to the elevator and pushed the button for the 45th
floor.  "Mister McCloud, before Mister Rabazugai arrives I feel
it is necessary to apologize."  Her English was perfect. 
"McCloud" couldn't be an easy name for her.

"Apologize?  For what?"

"Apologize for the way Mister Rabazugai has treated Mister
Obgebor, and for the way he will treat you."

"That bad?"

"Mister Rabazugai does not wish for your project to succeed."

"That bad.  Why are you telling me this?"

"We *do* wish for your project to succeed."

"We?"

The elevator stopped.  Miss Tanaka put her finger briefly to her
lips before the doors opened.  We stepped out into a brightly lit
hallway.  Confused, I followed her down the hall and into a small
room full of cubicles, with some offices to one side.  "Welcome
to the Central Elections Management Council."

John Obgebor popped up over one of the cubicles.  "Bill!  You're
here!"

I walked over and shook his hand.  He looked like hell.  His eyes
were bloodshot and his handshake was limp.  "Boy, am I glad
you're here."

John and I went into a conference room and he gave me his story.
Much as Miss Tanaka had told me, this Rabazugai fellow was making
the job impossible.  He was changing requirements around,
shifting resources constantly, and micromanaging the project to
death.  Anyone who got too friendly with him was summarily
transferred to someplace unpleasant.  I was NOT looking forward
to this.  John showed me the progress he had been able to make in
the four weeks he had been in Tokyo.  At this rate, we'd be lucky
to get the project done in a year.

Before we were able to start working on a strategy, the door
opened, and a tall, handsome Japanese man entered.  I stood up,
and he bowed slightly to me.  I did my best to bow back.  Miss
Tanaka stood behind him and to one side.  He spoke some Japanese,
and Miss Tanaka translated.  "You are Mister McCloud.  Thank you
for coming.  I hope we will be able to finally get this project
moving along, now."

I smiled and told him I was certain that with diligence on both
our parts, we would be able to achieve our purpose.  Both of us
were lying through our teeth, and both of us knew it.  I settled
in for a long spell of bullshit.

By the time I left at six (Tokyo time) my head was spinning.  My
body said that it was two AM, and I had been in meeting after
meeting all day long.  I hadn't had a single break to get to my
phone and call Anne.  As I was getting my things together to
leave, Rabazugai confronted me yet again.  Through Miss Tanaka,
he politely informed me that he was going out that evening for
some entertainment, and asked if I would like to come along. 
Miss Tanaka gave me a very subtle nod of the head.  I was
puzzled.

"I'm sorry, sir, I'm very tired and I need to get some rest. 
Perhaps after I have adjusted to the time difference."

He repeated the offer, in the politest possible terms, and Miss
Tanaka mouthed the words, "Accept."

"Alright," I said, "But not for more than an hour. It would be
very bad manners to fall asleep in the middle of dinner."

Rabazugai laughed and the three of us went down to his car.  I
gave Miss Tanaka a questioning look, but she silently shushed me
again.

What the hell?

End Chapter Nine


  
Our_Robot_Chapter_09