Figure out the device

“Alright. Figure I should see what you’re about.” Mya said, putting the tablet device on the table and pushing the ‘Activation’ button on the screen. She really hoped this helped in some way. She wasn't going to catch Jenny right now so maybe she'd come back after she cooled down.

The device hummed and emitted a blue light. A small blue figure started to appear and it looked like a female maid of some kind. Old school style, which was surprising. Mya expected her to be wearing some sort of cyberpunkish slutty maid outfit but no, the maid was rather conservative in her grab. Even had a pair of big round glasses on her.

“What the hell..” Mya muttered, moving close to get a better look at the tiny image. It was about the size of a toy or action figure standing right above the tablet. Floating actually, the little figure was floating over the device. "Is this some kinda image..., like Jenny's Holograms?" the human mused.

“Scanning.” The hologram stared as it looked around. It locked into Mya after realizing she was there and shot out two large beams from its eyes. It actually didn’t hurt Mya, if anything she now had a better idea of how papers being scanned felt. Once it was done with its work, the light show stopped and it waved at Mya.

“Hello there new user to the ‘Tech Up Dummy’ inventor kit. What would you like to build today. We have a number of preset inventions for you to try…” the image started with a curtsy, sounding like it was going through a product push. It stopped when Mya slammed a hand on the desk.

“No inventions. I need help with Jenny.” Mya told the image, a finger extended as she wagged at it, "She's gone off on her own and then you started blinking and.."

“This kit does not possess a ‘Jenny’ preset. Choose again.” The figure answered. A 'beep beep' sound was played and a large red X symbol appeared above the maid as she crossed her arms at the same time. Mya grumbled as she put a hand to her face.

“Hey you’re the one that alerted me about her…, oh XJ-9?” Mya asked through her hand, which was answered with another X. This was going to be a pain.

“XJ-9 Protocol.” Another incorrect answer. Mya wasn't a fan of twenty questions but this seemed to be the only thing she had to go on.

“Jenny, XJ-9, Jenny Wakeman, Model 10 Synthoid, XJ-9.10?” All were incorrect, giving Mya more 'failure' sounds and x's. Though the Synthoid query did give a few parts or designs used for them to try building. Mya wasn't in a mood though to try building anything, not unless it was a locator of some kind. None of the devices seemed useful though.

Mya tapped her fingers angrily on the desk, the noise echoing in the room. Just what did this stupid hologram want? It had to accept something about Jen. Otherwise what was the point of activating now when she was so mad about her contract..., wait..., maybe? That voice at the start of the day had called Jenny something else. A different name that was probably the one on the contract and binding everything together.

“Hope this works.” Mya thought as she tried one more time. She spoke the words as clearly as she could.

“Jennifer Wakeman.”

The figure smiled and flicked out. Soon the device emitted the glow again, producing a different holographic figure above itself. The figure was that of an older woman maybe 60s or 70s. Her long hair stood up into a wavey style, and a pair of large glasses sat on a long nose. She wore what seemed to be a cross between a sweater and a lab coat. Mya was pretty sure this was supposed to be Nora Wakeman from what little she recalled of the show. Meaning this was Jenny’s mom or at least as close one could get to having one.

“Hello dear user. Or should I say, In-Law?” The Nora image announced, looking up at the human,“I see you found the proper key word to activate this sub-routine.”

“Sub-routine? Wait are you real?” Mya asked, wondering what this was all about.

“Are any of us real?” The image questioned back before moving on with a wave of her hand, “To clarify, I do exist but am not Nora. Rather an Ai approximation of her, just with limited capabilities. I am no where near as smart as my creator and struggle with..., emotional connections. However I do believe I am capable in giving help or advice in the handling of XJ-9 as a machine, and smoothing over relationship issues with Jennifer as a person.” the little figure stood straight up and looked Mya dead on, “How can may I assist you?”

“Look Jennifer…," Mya started before she caught herself about the name, "Jen got real mad after reading something and took off. I don’t know what to do and… I’m just worried she’ll do something stupid. I don't know how to find her or contact her.” Mya said as she started to twist a few strand of hair with her hand.

“Confirm.” The Nora figure said and her glasses lit up green. The device made a ‘Ding’ and the two other computers nearby made the same noise. “I have outfitted your mobile device and your personal machines with a tracking program, along with her contact information. Outside of heavy interference, you should be able to call her or contact her now.” The Mini Nora explained as she pushed up her glasses. Did holograms really need to do that? Probably a nervous tic from the woman she was based on.

“Well, at that’s one problem solved.” Mya breathed out, her shoulders loosing up. The mechanic got up and paced around, thinking of how to use this..., hologram, AI..., thing. Her path took her by the crumpled up paper ball that seemed to be a ruined mess now. Mya cocked her head back to the little program, “Hey, Nora AI? I think I call you that?”

“If that makes it easy for you.” Came the answer. That was easier than expected.

“Right. Then maybe you can tell me about that.” She sat down and looked at the figure, pointing a finger at the crumbled ball of paper, “What got Jenny so upset after reading that old letter.”

The figure processed this and another ding came from all the devices again. “If the expected time table is correct, the letter was from her actual mother. A written log of the contract she made with Cupid’s Kiss. Jennifer most likely did not take well to the fact this was done without her consent.” The figure explained.

“You…, err she did what?” Mya said pulling up the contract letter on the desktop. Reading it through with a sake of her head, Mya looked back at the figure,“Geeze I’d be super mad at you too.”

“Creator Nora had her reasons as listed.” The hologram stated pushing her glasses up.

“Your creator should have known better if she thought she knew Jen at all.” Mya muttered. At least she had willingly signed up for the service, though she didn't know what it actually entailed. Jen however just had to accept the fact someone else did it for her. Talk about helicopter parent.

“Oh. You think you know Jennifer better then? You know her pains, her struggles, her doubts and fears do you?” The hologram pressed Mya, walking a bit forward. It was no longer hovering over the device, which was a tad off putting as the lights moved to keep displaying it's movement.

“Hey, don’t turn this back on…” Mya started before being cut off.

“Do you know the few friends she made? The people that to this day still fear her? The freedom she always wanted but would forever be denied? What do you know about Jennifer really?” The figure pointed an accusatory finger, "Her mother did. And it pained her to make a choice like this but it was what she thought was for the best for her daughter. What would you have done in that instance?"

She didn’t know of course. She only really knew a little about what had happened on the show, and if the show world continued after it was pulled from TV, there was no way to actually know how those extra years had been on Jenny. The image of Jenny’s face though; of how hurt, confused and angry she was, that was something that struck a cord in the human. Mya saw herself in that face, of that little kid having to finally accept what the world really was. A face she wanted to see if she could stop from ever happening again. Robot or not, no one should have to withstand that kinda emotion alone.

“I…, I don’t know. You’re right about that.” Mya said, leaning down to eye level with the hologram, “But that doesn’t mean I can just sit back and let her be miserable. Especially over something her own mother should have really had a talk about it with her. So please, I’m all she has right now. Help me help her.” Maya pleaded.

The hologram gave Mya a look over and nodded. “I was always going to help, I just wanted you to know that the choices Creator Nora made were out of care, and possibly misplaced foolishness, but care none the less. It was all calculated, though we can discuss equations should have beat out family discussions.”

“Now onto business." the figure said with a snap of her fingers, pulling up a few display graphs along side herself, "Jennifer will come back, after she cools down. She always does unless she has options but she lacks them here. No friends or family makes this the only real choice looking at it logically. Even illogically; as most her supplies for upkeep and maintenance are also here.” The hologram Nora explained with a wave of her hand, while the device showed off a few images. Mostly supply kits and parts. “Should she want to run off, she’d have to return home first to gather power cells and other supplies.”

“So I don't need to go after her? Shouldn't I go see about making sure she doesn't do something stupid?” Mya asked, scratching her head. She hadn't really had many friends and was in new territory. Having to comfort someone that was mad and felt betrayed was something she'd have to learn on the fly it seemed.

“That is up to you and how well you think you can talk to her after possibly only a few hours. Regardless of what you do, you should at least contact her and let her know that she HAS a home here. Jennifer is impressionable, so extending a hand out will go a long way.” The hologram explained, putting her hands behind her back.

Mya looked at the device on the table and weighed her options...

——

What was she doing?

Jenny stood against a wall and tapped her head lightly against it. She had stopped at a gas station a fair travel distance from the house, and had parked on the far side to get some privacy. What she didn't realize was that a nearby street camera was focusing more on her than the street it should be covering.

The trip was far faster than she expected. The bike's speed was top notch and at the moment she didn't feel like using her own internal jet systems. While she was mad..., going flying in unknown air space was probably gonna get her killed...., or so mad she'd start a fight with the authorities.

“Let my emotions get to me again.” She thought but…, how could mom do that to her. Her entire teenage portion of her life, she fought tooth and nail for some freedom. Some level of autonomy. And she thought her mom had eventually gotten the idea. After all that time she though she'd finally started to become closer to human.., to show the world that she wasn't just some weapon copying emotions. "I thought I finally was done having to prove myself..." Jenny muttered.

But no. The letter just made it clear she didn’t care. Or maybe her mom did and just choose to sell her future to some random person picked out by random site's algorithm. Match maker for a bot, by a bot. "I suppose..., it could be worse" Jenny thought. Mya was.. okay but what if it was someone else? And even if it was a nice person like Mya, why did she not even get a say in this? No, of course not it seemed. Just another experiment in the line to make a better protector of Earth or something.

“Is that all I really am just some… tool at the end of the day?” Jenny thought as she hugged herself.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like being a hero she just…, always wanted to be treated like a person than a thing. And she had, just only by very close people. Brad and Tucker treated her like a sister, Sheldon was Sheldon(he’d flip about this whole thing) but the rest of town had been a coin flip some days. Of being an unwanted freak at worst or semi destructive hero at best. Even after years of practice, you just can’t break a few super powered or killer robot heads cleanly some days. And then there were the villains that took advantage of this rift, or the humans that did so. The Crust cousins were the first but they weren't the last. Sky Patrol didn't like her that much and even some politicians started getting on her.

“Wonder why I even put in the effort?” Jenny muttered, her eyes watering with proxy tears and her hair keeping that light red at the edges.

A light crash shocked Jenny out of her pity funk. It sounded like it came from inside the gas station. ‘Guess I should check that out.” Jenny thought, picking her self back up. The robot crept along the wall, and then around the building’s corner. Off by the street, the camera kept track of her. As she slowly approached the glass wind, she started to extend one finger further than the others. The tip of this finger opened up, revealing a lens. Jenny then stretched her arm out, and placed the finger just on the edge of the window for a look.

Three thugs, one cashier, about four customers. One of the thugs had smashed a shelf unit, probably to intimidate the civilians. One thug had a gun of some kind pointed at the cashier as he emptied the safe while another thug had hooked up to the cash register by way of a cable from his arm. Probably taking the credit stored on it, though Jenny wasn’t sure how the money system worked just yet.

Why did she put in the effort? Because push came to shove, she couldn’t just let people be hurt. Not for long anyway. And that sense of justice wasn't something you could program into a bot. This seemed simple enough and well, she had some frustration to work out.

“Also gives me a chance to see if Cupid’s changes did anything…” Jenny thought before a beeping caught her attention. Jenny brought her hand back and backed away from the window.

Dashing back the way she came, unaware of the street camera continuing to follow her, Jenny shook her hand. From her thumb popped out an antenna and her pinky sprouted a receiver. A panel slid away from her wrist and she pushed a button on the pad behind it. She brought up her finger phone to the side of her head and asked, “Hello?”. As no one in this world should have her number. Was it spam, already?!?!

“Jen, hey it’s me Mya. You, got a set?” The voice came over. Jenny had to clamp her mouth closed in surprise less the criminals heard her.

“Mya!?! How’d you get this number?!?” Jenny hurriedly whispered into the phone, “And now of all times?”

“I just… wanted to talk. If you had a moment.”

Jenny put her free hand to her head, mentally groaning about all this. The timing was shit but even without that.., did she really want to talk right now?