Sp.I.C.E: Special Interspecies Cohabitation Experiment
#6 of Story Ideas
C.L.A.I.R is based on S.A.R.A.H from A Town called Eureka, I also watched the movie: Dream House, so yes that is a possible influence.
I stepped through the opening into a lounge like area, whilst looking around the opening clicked shut.
The room was a pale white, kinda offensive to the eye, knowing asking for a change might prove useless, it would be best to survey the area, turning right I saw a kitchen area; fridge-freezer, oven, microwave, sink, dishwasher, toaster, cupboards etc.
Feeling thirsty I searched the cupboards found a glass and filled it with water and took a sip then set it down on the counter.
There was a hallway ahead of me so I decided to investigate, blank featureless walls except further along were 3 doors, 2 on opposite sides of the corridor and the third at the end, trying the door on my right I found a quaint bedroom with a chest of drawers, wardrobe, a little trash bin by the door and most obvious, the bed.
"Guess this is my room" I muttered to myself
I shut the door and tried the opposite one, only to find it locked... "Odd..." I began, then.
"You have already selected your room, so this one is now locked to you" a computer voice piped in
I balked "Who..." I managed to utter
"Computerized Living Artificial Intelligence Residence or CLAIR for short, I am the interface."
"Great, a robotic house, why didn't you say anything earlier?" I managed to ask the voice did have a slightly feminine sound.
"It is not in my programming to greet the test subjects, only to monitor and advise." was the reply
Test subjects, the phrase made my skin crawl, however I had signed up for this programme so I was hardly in a position to raise any objections... Still.
"Moniter, what exactly?" a fair question I thought.
"Your health, well being, interactions" CLAIR mechanically answered
Great, I thought a robotic voyeur
"Are you just a voice or do you have a form too?" I wondered aloud
"The possibility of a holographic interface is available, my designers are also in the process of designing a physical facsimile of my form too, I have no data on its current state of development however." the female voice slowly becoming less mechanical
"Can you activate the hologram, it would make me feel more comfortable, plus talking a house feels weird." I asked
"One moment..."
There was a hum then a transparent grey cat appeared next to me.
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"Are you injured?" it inquired
I clutched my chest "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
The Holocat tilted it's head "Do you require medical aid?"
I straighten my back and breathed slowly to calm myself. "No, I should be fine, just don't appear so close"
The pellucid cat blinked and nodded "Understood"
Looking at CLAIR I couldn't help be fascinated by the way her form shimmered every now and again, it wasn't often and if you weren't expecting it, you would assume she was real.
Glancing at her from head to toe...