King of All I Survey
Chapter 95: The Android Bodies are Ready

Chapter 95: The Android Bodies are Ready

In the adjacent procedure room, our stab victim was about to receive a new heart and lung. He had progressed well, as expected, though he was kept fully sedated. Joe judged he was in good enough shape to undergo the transplant procedure. The fabricated heart and lung would match his tissue type and even his DNA exactly, so there would be no issues with his body rejecting the new organs. Joe had made slight modifications to the heart, just making it a little more efficient and a little more durable.

In the third medical suite, we had stashed the bodies. That sounds more sinister than it is really. By bodies, I mean that we had put the new android bodies in there for now. After Joe had requested a body for himself, I learned that he could, if we purchased the very expensive licenses for the technologies involved, actually create artificial bodies for ourselves. As any eight-year-old kid knows, the first thing I wanted was an adult body for myself. With that, I could move around without being treated like a little kid. Secondly, as the secret Ruler of the World, I could go places and do things without risking being identified and putting my family or myself at risk.

If the worst case happened and I was discovered and detained while in the android body, we could just sever the connection that allowed me to use the android’s senses as if they were my own and act through that body remotely. It would be a very expensive and technologically revealing empty husk, but I would be free and back in my own body.

So, while Joe performed the phase one blood work on Dr Wagner’s dog, I stepped into the room next door to have a look. There were five bodies in addition to the one Joe was already using. There was one that looked exactly like me. Seeing myself standing there, lifeless, was a little scary. As I looked closer though, I noticed it was breathing, the chest rising and falling slowly. Its eyes were closed as if asleep. I reached out a hand and poked my simulacrum in the arm. It felt like an ordinary arm. I looked at the hands, then took one in my hand. It was warm like a real human hand. I could not tell by touch that it was a fabricated thing. The hair and skin were exactly, I mean, exactly like mine.

There were four adult bodies, as well. One looked a little bit like Dad, but not quite. A little taller, a little more muscular maybe. The face had similar characteristics, but not identical.

In my head, I heard Joe explaining silently, I extrapolated your adult appearance for that one. Using my best prediction for how you will look at 24 years old. I thought if you used this one for any public interaction where you wanted to use your real identity but hide the fact that you are a child this might be the best choice. As you grow up physically, you will look more and more like this and we could easily maintain your identity while switching between the two bodies at that time.

"That’s what I’m going to look like when I grow up?" I asked, staring at the adult version of myself. It was also breathing. "So how does this work?"

I built-in the necessary interdimensional communication link to enable data transfer without a drone being nearby to act as a relay, so they can be operated without any ancillary support, other than myself acting to establish and maintain the link. For you, I can route the sensory and motor controls to and from the simulacrum. Simultaneously, I will suppress the inputs and conscious control of your original body. This will give you the illusion of existing within the simulacrum as if it were your true self. While you’ll find it awkward until you get used to the disparity in size and strength, the transition should be smooth and easy. For myself, my central processing unit can operate in multiple host bodies at once, if needed, since I have much higher parallel processing power than you do.

"What about the original body, will it keep breathing and stuff?"

Yes, autonomous functions will continue, breathing, digestion, heartbeat and so forth. It will actually react to your emotional state in some regards. So, if you are under a lot of pressure, the heart-rate and blood-pressure might rise in response to your body’s hormonal response. For extended absences, I will relay the original bodies need for... bathroom activities. I suggest you heed them. Then, while your simulacrum is in a private location for such activities, You can transfer back quickly to... take care of this body’s needs. I’d also suggest perhaps fasting before any planned extended transfers to minimize this necessity. It is possible for me to suppress this function for a time while you’re occupied elsewhere, but that’s not a long-term option as the human body is not built for that. Hmmm.... I supposed a very, very small LITV could be transported into your bladder or colon and be used to transport material out, though. Shall I construct one?

"Yuck," I said, "Let’s not do that. I mean unless I’m stuck somewhere else, and my body here is about to explode or something. I really don’t want to come back and find I pooped my pants eight hours ago... but only in emergencies!"

Acknowledged.

"Hey, I noticed that Wagner’s dog seemed to treat your artificial body like a regular person. Does it smell like a person?"

Very astute observation, King Tim. Yes, The skin tissue will exude compounds that are chemically identical to those produced by a real body. In my case, because of my extra processing power and detailed knowledge, I can tailor those at will. For example, in the room with Millie and Dr. Wagner, my body was exuding a little extra oxytocin.

"A little what?" I asked, confused.

Oxytocin. It is a hormone that is produced in the human body when one is relaxed and comfortable, especially in close interactions with others. When you hug your mother, for example, you both feel... extra comfortable. That’s oxytocin being released in your system. It can be detected by smell, though subliminally for humans. It sends a message that I am very comfortable around you, and it can help cause similar tendencies in the person who smells it. Not always, but often. For dogs, their sense of smell is much stronger, so Millie can tell from my elevated oxytocin level that I like her and Dr. Wagner. That comforts her and lets her relax, knowing I am not a threat to either of them, but a trusted ally or companion.

"Really? So, like our android bodies can walk by guard dogs and they’ll think we’re friends?" Then, my eyes got huge as another idea occurred to me, "Or I could be a lion-tamer! The lions would think I’m a trusted friend and I could walk right into the cage with no whip or anything!"

Joe actually laughed in my head. Not quite. A lion tamer! That’s a good one. Clever idea, but no, it’s a subtle effect and won’t over-ride strong training like in guard dogs, or natural instincts in a lion... Although, lions in particular can be intimidated by certain human behavioral cues... Tigers, not so much. But maybe I shouldn’t reveal that, because you’re likely to ask me to send you to Africa to try it out..."

"Who? Me?" I asked smiling. "But speaking of trying things out, how about I take one of these for a test spin? The others are for you, right?"