24/7 Lofi Binaural Beats - Beats to Be Brainwashed/Obey to :: Chapter 1

She first encountered it at a cafe. A sudden downpour had led a small crowd scrambling into whatever local establishments they could seek shelter in. Molly had been swept up in the excitement with them, into the cramped cafe, now filled with damp but relieved Saturday shoppers. She found herself panting a bit, smiling and trying to laugh with the groups around her, brushing some of the rain off her coat. She began to push past the cosseted huddles with a litany of sorries and thank yous, looking for a space where she could be out of the way and keep to herself until the weather dissipated.

It was through all the loud chatter and clanging of coffee machines that she noticed there was one space still vacant at a two-person table. Despite the overcrowding, no one was choosing to sit there. In fact, a small radius of space was forming around it. As she squeezed her way towards it through the crowd, she quickly realised why.

Sitting by itself, hunched over a laptop and typing away, was a drone. Molly had seen pictures of them before, had heard rumours too, but had never encountered one this up close before. She stared at it, transfixed. Not a single bit of skin was showing, its body coated tightly with latex that shimmered in the warm glow of the cafe (some rumours even indicated that they no longer had a human body underneath at all). It’s head was completely covered by a helmet with a pitch black visor and cat ears protruding from its top. Despite its robotic, dehumanising form, it was dressed in a pastel pink hoodie with a pink scarf and skirt to match. It was even shuffling about on the chair to get comfy in the least robotic fashion possible.

Molly was beginning to detect an air of hesitancy to the cacophony around her, as if the throng of shoppers were trying to pretend it wasn’t there. It was at this moment that something snapped within Molly - perhaps out of curiosity or perhaps from just wanting to spite the crowd. She stepped out into the empty space, placing her hands firmly on the vacant chair, and immediately her sudden burst of confidence evaporated on the spot as the drone’s faceless rose up to meet her.

“U-umm… uh… is this seat… is it okay if I sit here...?” Molly stuttered, her words becoming quieter as she realised what the people around her must be thinking of her.

“3338//Pleasantry :: It’s available, feel free to take it.”

It took Molly a second to realise that now she had to sit at the chair. Purple LEDs from the drone masks were now flickering as it studied her, watching her timidly take the seat opposite. She could feel the warmth rising to her cheeks, why was she doing this? Her hands tightly gripped the edges of the seat, looking down at the floor around her.

“3338//Curiosity :: Are you quite okay? This drone’s sensors are informing it that you’re seeming agitated.” It spoke with a human voice, but it had a mechanical tone to it as the speakers outputted the audio from its helmet. It had lowered its laptop screen, its attention now fully fixed on its squirming visitor. She could feel her blush growing ever redder.

“O-oh, I’m fine… I just… I’ve, er, never met someone like you before.” What was she saying? Was this small talk? Was she making small talk with a drone? She looked back up at it, and now she found she couldn’t look away. The faceless visor, the cute pastel fabrics - she found herself a bit jealous that it could dress so cutely in public like that.

“3338//Reassuringly :: Well, it’s not going to bite.” It tapped on its visor. “It can’t, you see. This unit’s designation is #3338. What’s your name?”

“M-Molly, I’m Molly. It’s, uh, it’s a pleasure to meet you. What are you doing here? I take it you can’t drink coffee…”

It laughed an electronically distorted laugh, leaning forward and relaxing its arms onto the table. “3338//Informatively :: It comes here to write, one of the few tasks that can’t be programmed into it. Of course, once its Mxtress discovered that’s what it wanted to do, They programmed it to come to this cafe and initiate the writing process. But the actual act of writing and formulating stories has to come from itself and not its code.”

It sighed contently. Molly could hear the joy in its tone that had sprung up from getting to talk about its ‘Mxtress’. “So, you are programmed then? Like… in your mind and stuff? Sorry if that’s a personal question.”

“3338//Calmly :: Oh it’s happy to talk about it. You’re correct though, this unit is thoroughly programmed to better serve itself, its collective and its Mxtress. Through this programming it is able to complete its tasks efficiently and be one with the other drones as a beautiful whole. Quite often it will be completing its objectives automatically, as its code dictates, with no ability or desire to resist it. Just like a roomba, following its programming and vacuuming the floor. Because it simply exists to complete that one objective and do nothing else but obey its code. It feels that about sums it up.”

Molly shuddered, especially at the comparison to such a rudimentary object. She was quiet, thinking that kind of life over. Eventually, it was the drone that broke the silence.

“3338//Assumptively :: Let this unit take a ‘stab in the dark’, so to speak, about the conclusions you’re drawing. You consider the existence that it just described as ‘inhuman’, like it is betraying some virtue or something. Yet, at the same time, you can’t help but see the advantages to it. That peaceful, programmed productivity, that fulfilling sense of belonging to something...”

It could see her tensing up, its tone quickly changing to something more relaxed. “3338//Teasingly :: Though it might also be going way over the mark for a first encounter! It’s sorry, it didn’t mean to get so deep.”

“Th-that’s okay. It’s… interesting.” That was all Molly could think to say. Yes, she was so curious about this, that she couldn’t deny. But that was also a feeling about it that was keeping her on edge.

3338 suddenly jolted, its movement becoming more mechanical as it picked up the laptop and slotted it into a flowery backpack it had resting on the floor. “3338//Apologetically :: This unit is sorry but it has to cut this conversation short. Its programming is kicking in and it needs to return to its assigned living station to complete further tasks. It’s been lovely to meet you though, Molly. Might it stay in touch?”

“Um, of course! I have a number… a phone number! N-not like a drone ID or anything! Here, aheh…” She grabbed a serviette from the center of the table and hurriedly scribbled it down. 3338 scoped it up with its elegantly, reflective fingers, studying it and then setting it back down.

“3338//Flirtatiously :: Number recorded. It’ll text you this evening, Molly. Again, this has been an absolute pleasure. See you again soon.”

And like that, the drone departed, the crowd barging to make way for it. Molly just stayed sat at the table, somewhat starstruck by the whole experience. There was too much to think about, a whole new world opening up before her. She didn’t even notice the sun coming back out outside.