Fembots

A small Scottish knitwear firm begins to introduce Fembots; advanced humanoid robot women to the production line. Attractive, skilful and very lifelike, will these Fembots be accepted by the women workers in the workplace? What happens when the women are encouraged to take them home and what affect do they have on their men?

Is this the real challenge of the future?

The boardroom was large and spacious. The CEO Nicol Maxwell sat opposite Lena Scott the Union rep.

“How are things Lena?”

“Well, very well in fact.”

Lena was non plussed; why this meeting, here, now?

“The board is looking ahead. Ahead at automation.

We plan a phased introduction of automation.”

Lena became alert.

“Are you threatening redundancy?”

She said in a low tone.

“Well, I cannot hide it. Our costs are high. We resisted moving production abroad. That way we kept a lot of local jobs, but if we are going to stay here in the Borders we must automate.

“Robots,” said Lena curtly.

“Actually, Fembots,” said Nicol, but as he said it he realised he had made a mistake.

“What, the robotic tarts who work for you now are not submissive enough? You want robot women?”

“It’s just the name their company gives them,” said Maxwell.

“Don’t kid me, I’ve seen them on YouTube, tits an all.”

“At first,” continued Nicol, “it will be natural wastage, retirals, moving on; no redundancies.”

“And then?”

You must understand Lena it’s experimental, and it may not work out.”

“When do they arrive?” said Lena knowing this was already decided.

“Next week; five to start with, on the cardigan line.”

“The cardigan line? But that’s skilled hand work - how can they do that stuff.”

“That’s what I want to be convinced of.”

But he was already convinced. He had seen them at work in Japan.

The NP 205, Miku, was lifelike, with silicone skin, young features, nimble hands, worked flawlessly on the demo and twice as fast as his own mill workers. The Fembots didn’t speak back and were all smiles and curves.

Lena reported what he had said in the canteen.

The women were muted at the news. Was it a threat? They had seen new machines before but they were large clunky things. Gradually, it was true, new machinery became smaller, quieter, sleeker; the work place was pleasanter.

“Will they spik English,” Said Wilma.

“Yes,” said Lena, “at least that’s whit Ah hiv been telt.”

“But will they understan us?” Said

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: alastair macleod
Bildmaterialien: alastair macleod: futuristic pic of asian woman purchased fron Dreamstime royalty free photos, pic credit Dimabi.
Lektorat: alastair macleod
Übersetzung: cover typeset in Timelike
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 22.05.2017
ISBN: 978-3-7438-1364-9

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Widmung:
to the girls; HSN8, H5N1, H7N9, HRP-4C, and Erica. disclaimer: The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual robots, actoids, humanoids, persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, companies and products is intended, or should be inferred.