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Project 27 (played anonymously)

Setting:
The year is 2081. A new recession has surfaced in the world despite the promising economy in the robotic industry. One in five households possesses a robot unit, over half of them are older models from a previous generation. They are entirely integrated into day-to-day life, varying from assistants to lifelong companions.

Technology has leaped forward, but not so much that humans are having vacations on other planets. AI has progressed at an immense rate to a point where robots became capable of imitating humans to frightening levels.

To keep the digital, robotic creations from becoming too human-like (and 'take over the world', as the paranoid ones claimed), governments all around the world instated laws to ensure robots and humans would continue to be divided.

1. Robots may not look like real human beings.
There are several methods to keep a robot from passing as an actual human. Many manufacturers have been creative by creating robots that don't look like humans at all. The ever popular 'furries' represent at least half of the robotic population and look like walking, talking animals or humans with heavy animal features.

Those that look human in appearance tend to have tinted skin in genetically impossible colors and patterns. Popular colors are purple, pink, blue and green, though any variation and combination is possible; for the right price of course. Custom patterns and non human markings are also popular, though the more intricate the design the more expensive it is

A large number of human bodied robots from the 30's were designed after the popular french musical duo, Daft Punk from the early 2000's and 2010's. They are often fully clothed to show no skin and wear typical helmets, making them perfectly abide to this law.

2. Robots cannot have equal rights to humans.
Many humans have fallen in love with robots over the years and projected human emotions and feelings on cleverly programmed computers. Although equal rights were demanded for many years, robots have remained unequal and unable to 'enjoy' the same benefits as humans.

Humans have protested and demanded they be able to marry robots, provide 'health care' to robots, emancipate them so they can live their own lives without needing an owner and possess material goods and money legally.

While law prohibits all of these, there are many who have married a robot in secret or used loopholes in the system to leave all their possessions to their beloved robots after their death. If one is found breaking these laws, they will be prosecuted and the robot in question will be terminated.

3. Robots without legal owners must be deactivated and put into storage, or be terminated.
The common trait among all robots is that they exist purely to execute their programming. In most cases, certain types fulfill certain duties. There are 'love' robots (purely used for intimate relationships, thus programmed to focus solely on that), 'companions' (friends/lovers who are programmed to appear emotionally dependent on their owner), 'guardians' (robots designed to protect possessions or people) and so forth. Without an owner to assign commands and give them purpose, robots become virtually useless and unable to execute their programs, reverting back to the default of following basic commands.

It should be no surprise that many owners have delved into the robots' brains and removed the programming that requires an owner, creating robots who appear to have a free will and are constantly doing what they are programmed to do, owner or not. These robots potentially pose a threat to society because they no longer have limitations. Some programming also gets faulty in the process of removing the block, creating robots who do not follow commands, owner or not.

Robots without owners are not rare, but when found and unable to be repaired they are terminated instantly.


(This is currently still a private/closed RP. Please don't join unless you were specifically invited!)
Project 27 (played anonymously) Topic Starter

The bright LED signs screamed at her in the setting darkness. It was a late spring evening, with warm and humid air that made the humans sweat and wear airy and often inappropriate clothes. In just a little under seventy years the climate had changed drastically; spring felt like high summer, and winter felt like the arctic itself.

It was to be expected of course, and as much as she wanted to she couldn't feel the sadness she knew was appropriate for those thoughts. Her visor remained pitch black in contrast to the bright rainbow lights on either side of her 'face' as it reflected the world around her. The digital display flashed the newest trailers for movies currently playing and coming to theaters soon.

"LOVE SHINES" was up in half an hour. A romantic comedy? A bright red question mark lit up on her visor for about ten seconds, indicating mild confusion and curiosity. It was fascinating how humans were able to genuinely laugh and cry within the span of ninety minutes and then walk out as if nothing happened.

She checked her pockets for her wallet and wanted to withdraw her credit card. The only problem appeared to be that it was missing and her visor flashed an exclamation mark repeatedly in alarm.

Scanning surroundings for: CREDIT CARD.

...
...
...

CREDIT CARD not found. Please retrace steps.


The scan only covered surface areas in sight. If she dug into her recorded memory she could likely find the moment where she lost the card. Her face went blank once more and she stood quietly on the sidewalk. Although robots came in all sizes and shapes, she stood out a little for her height and well endowed synthetic figure. Wilson has customized her appearance while he had still been alive..

COMMENCE TRACING.

...
...

PLAYBACK INITIATING.

...
...
...
...

PLAYBACK COMPLETE. FOUND: CREDIT CARD.


She turned away from the theater's entrance, bumping into a human couple who promptly cussed at her. Her visor flashed "SORRY" repeatedly and she stepped to the side to let them pass. A homeless man sat only a few feet away, and as it turned out he had pick pocketed her. Without cash on her person, a credit card was the next best thing.

"PLEASE." The word was persistently present on her face while her hand extended towards him. Purple and velvet like, as was custom for her product series.
Cici Argentum (played by TheLily)

The clip of high-heeled shoes came across the corner of the street. Cici wore a simple yellow sundress, her hair swept back behind a pair of clips with little sparkly flowers on them. Her shoulders were dropped as she made way to the theatre, something bothering her.

At first she didn't notice the situation unfolding before her. Instead she looked up from her own misery to see the word "please" on the interface. Concern flashed over her own face, her nose crinkling up. She looked around for a moment to see if anyone else was around to diffuse anything that might happen.

She knew, with one look at the man that he couldn't possible own her. She flashed her dark eyes over the robot, envying the curvy figure. She shook her head and stepped up, "Is there a problem here?" She used her best stern teacher voice, but even so, she wasn't very intimidating, now like 27 undoubtedly was to the man. Even with her pretty yellow heels she just barely reached 5'6". That wasn't important to her though.

Making sure everything was alright was more important. She loathed confrontation more than anything.
Project 27 (played anonymously) Topic Starter

The homeless man was still young, though dirty with tangled hair and a beard hardly suiting his hollowed cheeks and sunken eyes. He pretended not to know what the damn robot wanted. "What?! Leame alone!"

27 had no sense of smell, but his dilated pupils, the slur of his speech and the sluggish movements he made to elaborate were clear signs he was drunk. She kept on insisting. The image of a card flashed across her visor with a bent arrow, signaling she wanted him to return the card.

"I ain't go'no card y'heap o scrap!" He staggered to his feet. At this point 27 turned to the woman who had inquired if there was a problem. "YES. HELP. ?" In case the human had missed it, the robot showed the card and arrow again as the hobo started threatening her.

There was no danger for the man. At most 27 would knock him out if he became too aggressive (for her own and bystanders' safety) but never would she hurt a human. Well, he might end up with a hangover, but that was hardly her fault. It was a standard security program in her default settings.
Cici Argentum (played by TheLily)

Cici began to nod thoughtfully. She turned to the man, regarding him for a moment, accessing him. She could smell the alcohol, but she didn't let it wrinkle her nose as she put one hand on her hip, "Young man, did you take her card? Because if you did her owner is going to be right mad. If you took it, do you want to be charged with theft?"

She had begun to speak a little louder, trying to bring attention to the situation. She gave him a disarming smile, "And if you tell the truth, there is a reward for you." A pair of people stopped to see what was going on, but they made no effort to help or do anything but gawk.

She held out her hand, palm up, "What's it going to be, a call to the police or the truth and a reward. You have two minutes."
Project 27 (played anonymously) Topic Starter

The homeless man spent several moments staring at the slender woman and her honestly less than intimidating threat. In his intoxicated state, he was much braver and stupider than he ought to be. "Whadday.. whaddaya talk'n about?! I steal nothin'! NOTHIN'! Y'can't prew.. prewf it! STOP H'RASSIN' ME!!" He staggered towards Cici, shaking his drunken fist.

27 watched the situation with a calm demeanor only a robot could muster. Thank Wilson's insight to build in a holographic projector into her helmet to play back anything she may have recorded without the need to hook up to another device. He hated the inconvenience. "NO." Indicating he lied.

With one press to one of the colorful buttons lining her visor, the projector showed a 3D playback of how the man pick pocketed her and swiped her credit card while she was distracted. While the people gawking started talking among themselves about the homeless thief, 27 repeated the recording until the man caved or the situation was resolved otherwise.

Although the homeless man had yet to actually touch the woman, 27 would not hesitate to intervene should the need arise.
Cici Argentum (played by TheLily)

Cici didn't hesitate as she reached into the homeless man's jeans. Her slim hand slid in easily despite the odd angle. She knew he'd be angry, but at this point there where a half dozen witnesses to the fact that he had stolen the card.

Besides, he might deny until he was blue in the face. As she looked at the names on the cards, "Wow, you've sure got a lot of names!" Anger coursed through her. Plenty of these looked like they were in his pocket for a long time, dusty, cracked. Surely none but the newest worked still. She knit her brow, seething now.
Project 27 (played anonymously) Topic Starter

He stuttered, fumbled and his clumsy attempt to stop the woman actually made him fall down. Some people laughed, others were still gossiping. A policeman was approaching from down the street after a call about something going on with a robot. Oh no.

27 checked her registry while Cici was looking for the right card. Thankfully it still showed her as being owned, so there shouldn't be an issue with a checkup.

The bum was sputtering and coughing, screeching about injustice and inhumane treatment, scrap heaps and other venomous thinks barely comprehensible through drunken slurs. It was when he started to crawl at the human who assisted her that she stepped in and grabbed him by his smelly, worn down clothing and tossed him into a pile of plastic garbage bags nearby. "NO." "!" Don't touch the nice lady, smelly man.
Cici Argentum (played by TheLily)

Cici's face twisted into a sad expression. She turned to the officer to explain, guilt churning her stomach. She gave the officer a sweet smile, unsure of what the missing card was registered under. She gave a polite nod to the uniformed man, "Good afternoon, officer. It seems we've got a problem here." She gestured to the man who now sat in the garbage, "He's not only stolen from this lovely creature here, but others too, it seems." She offered up the handful of cards to the officer, "One of them is hers, but I have idea about the others."

The officer began to inspect the cards for a moment, eyeing the three of them. His eyes narrowed at 27, and he pulled out his scanner. Satisfied, he turned to the bum, "So, what have you to say for yourself?"
Project 27 (played anonymously) Topic Starter

The bum did not stop spewing obscenities! 27 observed in her usual silence, visor black and untouched by the emotions Cici displayed. The scan passed, though she'd not expected anything else. The bum, the officer and the woman were of no concern to her, she just wanted her card back. The officer didn't make that his priority though.

"I DIN steal ANY o'dat, 's all MINE YOU HEAR?!" It was obvious the man wasn't going to admit anything, though he didn't have to. The evidence was rather... clear.

27 looked back and forth between the officer and the woman, stepping forward and flashing the image of the card again. Her card was returned promptly before the officer grabbed the bum by his arm and turned him around, locking handcuffs around his wrist. "You're arrested for multiple thefts of others' property." He looked at 27. "Your owner may press charges against this man if he wishes to, he won't be out for at least 48 hours until then." He nodded at Cici and smacked the bum over the head for trying to bite him. "Ma'am, thank you and please enjoy your evening."

The protests of the homeless man soon faded as he was escorted away, and the robot turned towards Cici. "THANK." "YOU." She had helped get her card back, after all.
Cici Argentum (played by TheLily)

Cici smiled up at Project 27, "No problem." Her legs were shaky and she felt ill. That had been nothing short of terrifying! Her heart was still pounding, "Were you going to see a movie?" She glanced at her watch, "Oh, I think I've missed the showing of the one I wanted to see. First afternoon out in a few months and of course I miss my showing." She shook her head, "What movie were you looking at? Oh!" She paused, "My manners, I'm Cici." She smiled easily to the bot, unable to help it. She liked most people, even if she didn't know thaem.

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