Perfect Match: The Pinocchio Project

'A Strange Bunch'

"Kai?"

"What's wrong, Nadia?"

"Are you sure about this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hayden. Are you sure you want to go through with the operation?"

"I don't know what you're talking about — "

"Don't pretend!" Nadia exclaimed. "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about."

"If you're talking about Hayden becoming human..."

Nadia didn't know what to say to that. Kai sighed and went on.

"This was her decision. I just decided to support her — "

"Support her to do what?! Change for your benefit?!" Nadia said angrily. "Did you ever once think about how it would benefit her?!"

"Nadia, for God's sake, calm down!" Sloane pleaded — which was the wrong thing to do.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, Sloane Washington!" Nadia yelled. "How dare you tell me that?!"

"Damn it, Nadia, that's enough!" Hayden shouted in exasperation "Kai's right. I made the decision. I thought it would benefit both of us."

She went on to explain how becoming human would enable her to fully experience the joy of sex and the orgasm, as well as the total childbirth experience, and finished with the prospect of finally being able to marry Kai.

"After all, who wants to marry a robot?"

"But what about loving you just the way you are?" Nadia asked. "Didn't Kai always tell you that? That he loves you just the way you are?"

"Nadia..." Hayden sighed. "Look, I'll still be me; just... human, right? Everything that's me now will be me when I'm human. Isn't that right, Sloane?"

"Well, technically, yes," Sloane nodded slowly. "But nothing is ever certain with science. So many things could go wrong."

Suddenly stunned, no one said anything, so Sloane went on:

"But that's just what we're here to do, isn't it? To find out?"

Hayden smiled and nodded in agreement. So did Kai. Finally, Nadia said, "Together."

* * *

Keegan and Steve were with Khaan as he prepared the operating table.

"Steve!" Nadia exclaimed in surprise and ecstasy. "I'm so glad you came!"

"I'd never miss an adventure with you," Steve replied.

They kissed deeply, lovingly, as Sloane rolled her eyes.

"Kai," Keegan said.

"Keegan."

"What brings you to Tokyo?"

Kai sighed. "My Hayden wants to be human."

Keegan could only shake his head. "Not an easy task by any means."

"I know," Kai replied. "We don't even know all that can go wrong."

"And yet you're willing to take the chance to find out?"

"Hayden is," said Kai. "As for me... I just want what makes her happy."

Keegan shook his head again. "You humans are a strange bunch."

"You don't know the half of it, pal," Kai simply said.

On the operating table, Hayden called out to Kai.

"I'm ready, Kai," she said. "Wish me luck."

Kai smiled and grasped her hand tightly. "I love you, Hayden."

"I love you too, Kai."

They shared a romantic kiss before Sloane powered her down. As her eyes closed, Hayden's expression became blank and unreadable, as though her soul — if machines have souls — had left her body.

Please, Hayden, Kai found himself thinking. Please... just please be okay when this is all over...

Post-Chapter Author's Note
I could bore you with details on what all was involved in transforming Hayden from a robotic Match into a human, but that would turn you right off. Instead, I think I'll just skip merrily on to what happens afterwards. By the way, you should totally go stream "Bicentennial Man" with the late, great Robin Williams. Those of you who want to know how to turn a robot into a human — at least theoretically — will be happy, and those of you who are just in it for laughs will be happy too. Everybody wins!

Anyhoo, I gotta skedaddle. So long, everybody, and I'll catch you in the next chapter!