The N. P. R. A.

By William Malic

Human engineering prompted Will to apply for a position at the N.P.R.A where he first refrained from paying too much attention to Sarah. She sent off a warning alarm in Will’s skull.
A robotic manikin, blue-eyed, blond, and buxom convinced him the Agency had solved the problem of unwanted sexual harassment by offering alternative distractions. The advanced prototype was equipped with amazing physical attributes as well as the latest programming capabilities. So real, Will had to remind himself she was a machine.
An assignment pairs him with Sarah. After a rough beginning the seemingly incompatible couple discover a conspiracy within the agency. Joining forces they engage in espionage at great peril.
A tale of two people caught in the web of lust for power and erotic interactions while contending with a technological enhanced world spiraling out of control. Futuristic fantasy or glimpse of reality?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312250208

Book preview

The N. P. R. A.

N.P.R.A.

N. P. R. A.

by William Malic

Chapter 1-Orientation

Rethinking Traditional

Will Robertson was completely captivated as the orientation program progressed with a visit to the robotics laboratory.  It reminded him of his days at M.I.T., when he had dabbled in the science before continuing on to a career path in administration.  Will had always been a visionary; better adept at directing than actually performing.  He was an academic.  Fully embracing the concept that humans evolved beyond mundane roles as manual laborers to their rightful vocation as facilitators, Will was most interested in the battery of operators directing the next generation of androids.  They were not constructing the machines that modern society had come to rely on or training the inert hunks of metal and plastic but were engaged in directing the mechanisms to design and construct the next generation of humanoids with capabilities of acquiring advanced intellectual aptitudes.

Their tour chaperon was a robot.  Highly specialized in function, SALLY, as she had been named by some technician, spoke with remarkably human voice characteristics and had extremely fined tuned vocal recognition sensors which allowed her to answer questions on demand with near perfect accurate responses.  SALLY was capable of projecting a feeling of pride as she explained the procedures that were being tested while exposing an underlying footnote of condescension when referring to the obviously inferior apparatuses, compared to her, undergoing procedural analysis.

Will wondered why she had been named SALLY.  It was probably some obscure acronym, but it might have been a technician’s more personal reference to a sister, mother, or perhaps a lover.  SALLY had the characteristics of a highly sophisticated human female with obvious self-assurance and command, yet exhibited an unnerving allure.  If real she could have been equally effective in a board room as in the bedroom.  The sensual aspects of her voice reminded Will of some of his former lovers, however SALLY would have been more suited as a Dominatrix rather than the submissive types Will preferred.  He was sure somewhere in her arsenal there was an amble supply of whips and chains.

Catching himself, Will pondered over the thought that the inventor of SALLY may have been a female technician rather than his first thought of male counterpart.  It was a continuous demon Will struggled with.  He was not sexist, or at least tried not to be.  He accepted the fact that females were equal in almost all ways; a concept that needed constant reminding.  Any other deduction revealing his suppressed inherent feeling of superiority would lead to unnecessary complications not the least being possible sanctions and re-education seminars he did not want to have to endure.  To date his official record was spotless and he vowed to continue the streak.

If indeed the creator of SALLY had been a female, was the robot an extension of her personality or an alter ego manifestation from a timid introvert ensnared by her own insecurities?  He had met many of that type in his rise to prominence.  His endearing charisma defrauded them into offering exactly what his base nature demanded, though his intellectual side was quick to mitigate the impulse.  He kept secure from harassment charges because he was endowed with the capacity to instill in his quarry a sense that they had voluntarily submitted, not recognizing they were the ones being coerced.  Some were driven to the extent to actually beg not to be turned in for pressuring him into inappropriate interactions. Of course, he was too much of a gentleman to embarrass co-workers at the least or worse have them expelled from his department.

The thought of SALLY being the manifestation of a model of the ideal love interest prompted his mind again to wonder.  If the robotic progeny had indeed arisen from the mind of a woman, was SALLY the ultimate lesbian lover?  Alternate life styles were not abhorrent to Will.  He held no prejudice to same-sex alliances though he could not envision himself in such a union.  When it came to sexual matters he labeled himself a traditionalist.  Still the possibilities of a woman on woman encounter titillated his libido; from the perspective of an observer.

SALLY directed a comment directly to Will, bringing him back from his momentary daydream that if revealed was not only inappropriate but destructive to his chances of acceptance into the position he had set his aspirations on.  Had she sensed his inattention?  Worse yet, maybe she read his mind?  Will had studied reports of breakthroughs in interrogation methods where the subject had been exposed to invasive techniques to unlock their hidden thoughts.  Behavioral modification had made giant leaps forward in rehabilitating dissidents.  However to date he had not uncovered any research where there had been consistent success in mind reading.  His security clearance was still limited so there may have been research on the subject he was not authorized to access.

SALLY directed another comment to another participant in the tour when Will had failed to respond without the appearance of annoyance or concern for Will’s lack of response.  Apparently she had been programed to routinely interact with her audience in an attempt to keep all subjects engaged.  Will reminded himself that SALLY was only a machine.

Will’s passion was people.  He enjoyed observing and studying the human population.  As such he had only dabbled in mechanical engineering at M.I.T.  Human engineering was much more intriguing to him.  Wherever he went he was absorbed in analyzing persons not objects.  In his own amateur way he sought to read the minds of those around him, not directly of course, but through observation of how they reacted to their environment.  He had been quite successful at his non-professional mind reading skills, often giving him the edge as he sought further advancement in government management.  Unlike most of his contemporaries who were encumbered with an obsession for rules and procedures generalized for the masses he was able to adapt to individual circumstances.  These bureaucrats, as he referred to them, where no more than mindless human robots, barely more advanced than SALLY.  He’d seen the same behavior in human tour guides.  They adhered to a strict scripted scenario and only engaged in predetermined interactions that had limited parameters.  Will thought about challenging SALLY and trying to take her off subject as an experiment, however he already knew what results would be found.  Will was much more interested in the humans in the group.

As far as he could tell everyone here was applying for a position at the N.P.R.A., the National Population Regulatory Agency.  The N.P.R.A. was an obscure agency within the N.S.A., National Security Agency, which received little if any public scrutiny; by design.  Its funding was a state secret.  The small group of applicants most assuredly had been extensively screened and received security clearance to explore the possibility of joining an elite team of experts that functioned behind closed doors.  As such, each of the applicants had certain characteristic in common, including integrity, loyalty and national pride.  Will’s attention now turned to not what they had in common, but how they differed.  He was studying the competition.

A mousy man about Will’s age seemed to be intent on absorbing every detail of SALLY’s narrative while taking extensive notes on an electronic device.  Will habitually let his mind wander, but he did hear everything SALLY said, making his notes in his own permanent ledger; his mind.  Possessing an eidetic memory, he had the ability to recall images, sounds or objects in memory with great precision.  He wondered if the device the man used was able to record images.  Will did not hold back a slight chuckle, guessing if the man knew that the device he was so intent on stabbing relentlessly with his stylus would be eventually confiscated, whether he advanced on in his quest or was eliminated from consideration.  If rejected whatever it was he thought he learned would be of little use in the future.  Failure to be accepted as a member of the N.P.R.A. beyond this stage was a literally a dead-end to anyone’s career aspirations.   The man was of no concern to Will.  It was the first time they had met, and it was more than likely it would be the last.

A geeky girl with the broad brim glasses was a little more interesting.  She was obviously a nerd, hardly attractive, yet suspiciously alluring in a perverse way.  She would be an easy target for someone with sinister intentions.  She probably had limited experience socially, yet seemed to exhibit a desire for human contact.  Though timid, she was primed to explode if the right detonator was applied by a skilled practitioner.  Will allowed himself to inadvertently brush against her occasionally during the tour, each time meeting her startled gaze with projected glimmers of sensual interest radiating from his bright blue eyes.  Will was sure he could have the woman screaming in ecstasy in short order if he was really interested.  She certainly would attract someone with pedophilic tendencies due to her slight frame and almost prepubescent qualities, though she had to be in her mid to late twenties.  Hovering nearby was her counterpart, an equally demure man with almost the same type of glasses and ferret like face.  The two would have made a cute couple but neither appeared capable of initiating an affair and the likelihood of them joining in a relationship would be remote unless a third party intervened to facilitate the connection.  If they made it through the screening, Will might consider matchmaking as a side career.

It had been obvious to Will from the beginning that he was a shoo-in for a position with the N.P.R.A., otherwise he would not have subjected himself to the necessary but totally, in his case at least, waste of his valuable time.  Perhaps that was why he allowed his mind to continue to stray.  It settled on the one person in the group that he felt, if only slightly, intimidated by.  The man, about two inches taller than Will, had an impressive physique, was manly in appearance and somewhat more robust but not overweight.  In a fight he would be a worth adversary.  His steel like facial features denied an expression of his thoughts as he stared forward continually concentrating on some unknown object in the distance.  When addressed, he answered in short succinct phrases with a hint of a slight speech impediment.  Will noticed that he refused to make direct eye contact.  The behavior could be an indication of latent insecurity or perhaps he was also bored.

Certainly not boring was the last member of the group.  Will had first refrained from paying too much attention to the woman dressed in an appropriately socially defined business suit.  He had noticed her immediately however and consciously deciding she would too much of a distraction.  It wasn’t that she was absolutely gorgeous and oozed with female sexuality.  That he could handle.  If not for the circumstance Will might have been all over her.  She sent off a warning alarm in Will’s skull.  This was forbidden territory. Thread lightly or suffer the consequences.   He noticed she had eyed him as well and the vibes had been good if somewhat reserved.  The real interest was what was behind the beautiful face, long dark hair, amble bosom, slight waist, alluring rump and legs that would not quit.  What was inside her intrigued Will.  There had indeed been a connection and it wasn’t entirely physical.  It was all consuming.

Chapter 2-Interview

It’s how they say it.

Will Robertson was escorted into an interview room by another robotic manikin that was quiet extraordinary and natural in appearance.  Following this android, he was amused at the number of functional and realistic humanoid robots that frequented the research facility where he was being scrutinized for possible admittance to the highly secretive agency.  With each step in the process, he had been introduced to more advance technology apparently only privy to insiders.  "Whoever designed this latest invention definitely should be investigated," he thought.  Talk about sexist.  The manikin was blue-eyed, blond, and buxom with a distinct feminine sway to her hips as she sauntered before his appreciative glare.  Her tall stature suggested the frame of a runway model except for the exaggerated breasts straining the ‘skin’ tight material that looked more like it had been painted on than actual material.  Prominent nodes, anatomical correctly placed, further challenged the resilience of the jersey she wore.  Her skirt was equally tested when she moved and except for the dangerously high rear slit allowing relief, her sensuous legs would have been severely hoppled.  He was mesmerized by her perfectly formed buttocks that jiggled tantalizingly as she took her extended strides.  Apparently the Agency had solved the problem of unwanted sexual harassment of females by male co-workers by offering alternative distractions.  Will wondered how the women in the agency felt about being replaced.  He had not seen any android hunks so far.  The voluptuous android directed him to remain in place until the interviewer arrived.  She smiled.  The extreme accuracy of the facial expressions startled Will.  Her voice seemed to coo her vocal responses.  Will speculated, wondering if every part of her anatomy was as accurately rendered as the portions unprotected by stylish clothing.

The room was white; white walls, ceilings as well as the floor.  It was stark, not much larger than maybe ten feet by ten feet.  True dimensions were hard to ascertain since the glaring white seemed to both compress the space and at the same time fail to define definitive boundaries.  A glass table occupied the center of the room with white chairs placed at opposite sides from each other.  The only other feature was a white pitcher of ice water and two clear glasses centered on the perfectly clean optically pure glass top of the table.  Will felt light headed. He randomly chose one of the chairs to sit down in before he swooned: the room seemed to spin, disorientating him.  The door he had entered and through which the android had exited had no frame and when closed was nearly invisible.  Will had never felt claustrophobic before so the feeling was foreign to him.  He had to try to calm his nerves.

Without warning the door opened practically soundlessly and a figure entered.  For a brief moment the room seemed more habitable as some perspective was afforded with the door open.  However, once the door closed with a vacuum like seal the room again nearly suffocated him.  Perhaps you should take a glass of water, the figure spoke.  Some people find this room a bit unnerving, but you will get used to it soon enough.  We will be here for a time, so please relax, the figure moved in his direction.  Will did as he was directed, savoring the cool liquid.  He was beginning to feel better.  One thing though, the figure spoke, you are sitting in my chair.

Startled, Will tried to stand and move to the right chair.  How was he to know which chair to sit in, they both looked alike?  His knees buckled when he stood and the figure assisted him to the other chair.  Settling in he again took a swig of water hoping he had chosen the right glass.  The figure remained silent.  "Good, he thought, at least I got that right."  Slowly his senses were able to focus as he waited for the figure to speak again.  His eyes cleared and he was able to see who was standing on the other side of the table.  A female brunette dressed in an elegant sophisticated black sleeveless dress, with an extremely short hem line viewed him with detached interest.  At first, her flawless features made him consider if he was in the presence of another android, but he remembered when she assisted him he had felt her warmth and sensed her breathing.  Androids don’t breath, are cold machines and they certainly don’t smell as good as she did.

Sporting a tropical tan, perfect hourglass figure and enticing cleavage the woman punctuated the all-white surroundings in stark contrast to the rest of the environs.  As she turned slightly to present her profile, he admired her long silky hair which now appeared more ebony than he had first realized.  Taking a deep breath her bosom rose alluringly drawing the short skirt a little higher.  Will’s eyes slowly followed the contour of her buttocks lower to her well-proportioned legs and on to precariously high stiletto heels; also black.

Feeling better, the woman asked.  Will nodded his head in the affirmative.  Good then perhaps it is time to begin.  My name is Andrea, and I will be interviewing you today.  Andrea was a real human woman, unnervingly attractive, smelling heavenly, but was as cold as the machines he had first though she was one of.  She showed no emotion.  Adroitly she maneuvered the vacant chair and demurely seated herself across the table from Will.  He could not help but observe her as she sat and her dress slinked a few inches up her gorgeous legs.  When she crossed them he felt his pulse rate double.  The glass table hid nothing, and her skirt barely concealed what every man desired.  Catching himself, he quickly looked up to make eye contact with the sexy siren seated across from him.  Looking directly into her eyes he saw nothing but a dark void.  He was looking at a woman who had all the assets of a sensuous lady that could make his blood boil, yet her eyes were as dead as a cadaver’s.  Will’s vitals settled down.

I have a few questions that I would like you to answer as truthfully as you can.  I implore you to understand there are no correct answers.  Please be candid and take as long as you like before responding.  Andrea droned in a monotone.  First, why are you here?

Will hesitated than blurted out, Well one night my mother and father went to a party, got drunk, went home and continued the party.  Nine months later out popped little Will.  He stared into