The Coffee-Maker's Day

written by Richard Kevis

Illustration by William Luna

From the outside, this apartment looks old but wonderful. It has been built with fake red pine wood, blue stone decorations, and lovely LED lighting. Reyleigh kinda loved how the rocks followed a day-night cycle. This little spite towards the dome quickly made Rey sign a lease. That and the local homeowners association were recently disbanded for fraud.

Tall, squared windows let in plenty of light. So they have been added to the house in a mostly asymmetric way. With auto tinting, falling into a circadian rhythm is more straightforward.

Each apartment has a small kitchen and one average bathroom. It also has a large living room, two bedrooms, a fabricator, and an E-cap charger room.

The complex is surrounded by a gorgeous garden, including hanging grape vines, a pagoda, a pond and many different flowers. For a building on a mid-lower level, it was very nice. There is even a frog that was imported from a gene lab.

Like many others before it, the day started simple enough for Reyleigh with grace. Rey rolls out of bed, onto the blankets, onto the floor. The external alarm clock chirps away. The first set on the alarm was the person they wanted to be, and the second set was the person they categorically were.

It is worth noting that the alarm could be set right into the operating system of the cyberized brain, but Rey was not a fan of using the mods when it was not vital or beyond convenient. The idea of sending a datalink to your own brain just felt icky in a way to them.

So they crash into the floor. No artificial release of chemicals into the brain, just a painful ring, and they were awake-ish. After examining the piles of clothes on the floor, they walk over to the dresser with a sigh.

The modern mirror would be happy to scan Rey and select an outfit. Still, after swiping left on a few proposed combinations and ignoring some targeted ads for new clothes they didn't need, the garments would surely end up on a pile on the floor.

A round face with silver hair pulled back in a ponytail is revealed. Amber eyes show morning exhaustion, and freckles cover their cheeks. A round nose sits below an average mouth, holding a gentle smile with slightly imperfect teeth. Thin, rounded ears sit on each side of the head.

Their average, slender body is hunched over from the morning excursion. Two lean arms hang at its sides and end in graceful hands with thin fingers, each with thin nails. The microfilm on the nails changes, almost like mood lighting based on a whim. Their legs are muscular and bent, each ending in wide feet. The build of a runner. Well, Rey was a model designed to operate as backup militia should the need arise, but until that day came, they were free to live as they pleased.

Rey headed into the shower. Water was, for a while, quite the resource, but thankfully desalination has fixed that one particular problem. The wastes below were once a rich ocean, but now endless dunes were below the city.

Some recent rumors said that an underwater city of mechanoids existed where the water once was, plotting vengeance in the name of the dolphins. Horrifying things; the dolphins, that is.

Finally, crossing the wasteland that was their apartment. The 360-degree shower began a scrub and mist. After the last virus scare sterilization before work became mandatory, Rey could not pay another nonsense fine off their cheque. After cleaning both the synthetic flesh, it became apparent that one of their E caps was getting low.

A high decently battery was ejected from the port on their neck. It always took work to insert a new one from the charger. The E-cap or energy capsule was new to Rey this week, not in terms of the actual age of the battery.

Those devices were designed to break and require warranty and payments, and the conspiracy was that batteries and chargers were scheduled to die after the contract expired. Of course, this was more a fact at this stage of capitalism. But the E-Cap was what powered the tech. And it's not like Reyleigh ever had a time in their life they were tech-free. It was built right into their design.

They fussed over the details of the mirror, finally settling on a masculine reflection. Then, with a pleased nod, they dressed in jeans, a cotton shirt, and a pleather jacket. There's something so human about taking something great and ruining it slightly so you can have more.

A ding indicated the coffee was fresh. By plating the mug on the counter, it filled from the bottom. Considering Rey's secondary power system, food and drink were almost optional. Of course, a single meal and sips of water could maintain life, but a good meal is one joy people still have. And Rey identified as a person.

Sadly this meal could have been better and more soothing. Sometimes a bagel and coffee are more about filling the coldness in a soul than providing nutrition. So after a hand full of vitamins and pills to keep the squishy bits and the metal parts playing nice, they were off to work.

It's not like Dualoids were a slave class legally. They could pick jobs, attend schools, get info downloads, and live within the law. But it's not like they are exactly human either, a lesson that Rey would fail to learn yet again today, but they exited the humble apartment for now.

Their last roommate moved out a few weeks ago, and they would need to find a replacement soon, but that seemed like a future problem as they sprinted to work. It's funny. The more time one has to prepare, the more often one runs out the door in a mass panic.

First is a walk across the metal railings. Then, closer to the Corps towers, the walkways are pristine sidewalks, with lush coloured grass and soft music playing that most people ignore with a music data link, going as far as to turn off ears. After all, Corps music is designed to improve mental health, productivity, and mild brainwashing.

After the walk is the train. With hover, and borderline antigravity tech, you would think trains would have been phased out for some flying transport, but nope, they are a perfect apex of vehicle.

After the train ride up from the lower disk, Rey looks out the window, trying to ignore the ads playing on the glass, but would be damned before they paid for the add free windows on the train, and they arrived at the plaza.

As it was lovingly called, Café Street was a pleasant zone. Although, of course, one may think that the people after the tri-apocalypse would need housing more than golf courses. Still, on the plus side, the ambient conditioning was much more pleasant here, with no artificial cold air to keep alertness high. Just a nice breeze.

As Rey stepped within range of the milk frother, their barista shift began. As their identification chip registered, a faint beep sounded, and the machine hummed to life.

Rey reflected on how funny it was that the technology to synthesize coffee had existed before they were built. Yet, it still proved more economical to pay a person a wage barely covering food and shelter to make the drink.

Even now, people still crave human touch, people to yell at when the order is wrong, people to try and cheat the system with their orders, and people to hit on or tell bad jokes to. Of course, all the money parts were automated, but the crew still existed in this retro atmosphere.

The morning crowd was incredibly peppy, and Rey already had to block out the countless puns about being a coffee maker instead of a human. Then, of course, there were the standard jokes about what kind of cup they had, how powerful their shots were, and plenty of 'double shot' puns.

It's funny, though; Rey is more than they look, even if a few hundred volts would kill them instantly despite all the dopey jokes and discrimination against Dualoids among customers. It warmed Rey's overclocked heart when someone tried to be friendly, even in those situations.

An elderly woman noticed Rey right away. The woman didn't wear earbuds or a data link like everyone else and made conversation as she ordered her usual order. She asked Rey how their night was going, what type of music they liked, smooth jazz for the record, and even oddly asked her opinion on political events. This interaction alone made the shift go smoother despite the uphill battle.

Just when Rey thought their mundane shift was near the end, in walked Sam. The spunky human office worker came in sporting a new mod each day, ordering their usual red-eye and giving a large tip. They would often make remarks about the other humans being jerks, and weirdly, some of the ruder customers seemed to have data link and payment issues whenever the same came into the building.

Sam's eyes were bright with an intensity that Rey hadn't seen before.

"Hey Rey, how's it going?" Sam asked.

Rey smiled, relieved to see a friendly face in the sea of unfamiliar people. "Pretty good! It's nice to have a familiar face come in. Well, familiar-ish, your eyes seem to be a new model."

"Thanks for noticing," Sam gives a wry smile, "That's what I like to hear," Sam said. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something important."

Rey furrowed brows and leaned forward. "What's that?"

Sam cleared their human throat. "Activism. I know it's not your thing, but lately, there's been more and more inequality and mistreatment of Dualoids everywhere we go." They paused and looked away for a moment as if gathering their thoughts. "And while the social justice advocates are doing their best, we need more people who can help keep the peace out on the ground level - like us - getting involved too."

Rey shifted uncomfortably. Never been one to get involved in such cases, given the apparent issues about perception as an aberrant. "That makes sense, I guess...but what would I be able to do?" Rey asks with curiosity. It is not like today's shift was precisely motivational for Rey's faith in the status quo.

"Well," Sam said, turning back with a determined look, "you could start by raising awareness for the cause and educate people about Dualoid rights - even when they don't have data links or access to some of the same information humans have access to."

Rey couldn't help but feel an odd sort of admiration for Sam's confidence and humour despite its sometimes dangerous nature. What was even more impressive was Sam's ability to think on their feet as they read people's body language and considered various outcomes without making any mistakes, even if they were profoundly clumsy.

This became obvious one morning when a customer got overly heated with Rey for no reason. Still, Sam had already spoken up before they could do anything and handled the situation like a pro. It wasn't until then that Rey realized just how unique humans like Sam are in today's world.

Sam gave Rey a thumbs up and winked before heading out the door, saying something about having to get back to work. "Okay then!" Sam said as they waved goodbye. "Remember, justice never sleeps! So keep your eyes open and stay safe. See ya around, buddy!"

With that, Sam turned and left the shop while Rey watched with admiration as they walked into the night, their words of justice ringing in their ears. Taking a deep breath, Rey silently vowed to do their part for Dualoid Rights - starting now! If it was easy. Maybe.

Reyleigh was leaving their shift and heading for the train. The eternal twilight gave no indication to the body that it was time for rest. A few day-old biscotti in their bag. Sadly they walked in on something they wanted to ignore but couldn't.

From the outfits, it was a group of human purists and religious fundamentalists, and the three of them were gathered around a vender. Again, rather aggressively, they were not shoving him, not quite breaking the law, but they surrounded the vendor in explicit intimidation.

The three purists wore matching outfits of plain white robes, with iron crosses and other new religious symbols sewn into the collars. They had gathered around, standing close enough to make him feel uncomfortable. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, eyes darting back and forth between them, hoping they would just go away.

"Hey, why don't you come back with us for the night,"

"Really have we not grown at all as a people? Rey wondered in frustration that if the vendor were to shake them off and scream at them to leave, these monsters would likely claim this poor worker was an aberrant suspect, and the enforcers would arrive.

"Hey, leave them alone," Rey said before their thoughts caught up, realizing that it was idiotic to get in evolved. "Crap, I just said that." No reaction.

The rage was building as the goons got closer and closer. It was this vendor today, which could happen to Rey tomorrow. Sam's pep talk rattled around Rey's brain, and something snapped.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Rey barked. "Look at me when I'm talking to you! Your little show might look tough, but do you think it's doing the cause any justice? Do you think this is about faith? This is about people not being treated like people! So why don't you return to your homes and find something real to do with your lives!"

Rey had been ranting for several minutes, with arms gesturing wildly and face contorted in frustration. The bag of snacks hit the ground as it flung in annoyance. "They clearly have zero intention of going with you!" Rey yelled.

The three strangers standing before exchanged glances, smirks playing on their lips. The one closest to Rey spoke first. "Just walk away, server bot," he said coolly.

The second one stepped forward, a glint in his eye. "Unless you would wanna come instead?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. The third chimed in, leaning against the wall behind them. "We could show you a good time." She flashed a horrifying smirk.

The panic within Rey began to rise. [You cannot harm a human, intentionally place a human in harm, and not ignore a human in harm.] This was built into every Dualoids, into each of Rey's pieces.

The law claims that people are equal, but in the end, this fundamental difference, this power to kill, is the division. When pushed to the breaking point, or perhaps for no reason, Dualoids who ignore these three commands are hunted and recycled. In plain language, they are murdered,

Rey was no different. They could never actively harm these humans. They could run, hide, and call the enforcers in self-defense, but fighting was never an option. Even tossing a bag of cookies was just a bluff.

The worst part is perception. It's not like the enforcers can just run an aberrant test. If Rey were to have had those cookies connect with the target, a camera caught them. As long as the goons have possible deniability, it would all be over for Rey, yet here Reyleigh is, being a hero and getting closer. This poor vendor would be the next Dualoid to go missing into the desert under mysterious circumstances.

Unlike Rey, who was built as a backup militia member who could get away, this vendor would never be able to escape these goons. So Rey decided they would go in their place and figure it out later, a profoundly foolish choice. They considered blaming the defective battery for the words they were about to say.

"Fine, I will go with you guys if you leave this one alone."

If this vendor fights back, his business will be ruined. If I go, at least I can try and get away later. They don't know where I work and live, Rey thought.

Great, I am going to die for a stranger. That is really, really stupid. I just finished school, all my modules were finally done, and I nearly had enough money saved to do something of value. So Rey thought to themselves before a data link came. But, then, a datalink from somewhere came, right as an arm, reached out to grab Rey.

[Run]