Paranoid Android

'Did you ever want to feel the things you ain't suppose to?' asked RN9 nervously.

His mechanic stopped shinning the violet rays into RN9's pupils and inquired more into RN9's question.

'I have no where to turn to. I need your help.' Claimed RN9.

His mechanic in white physician's coat stood up and poured his patient a warm cup of embryo enzyme.

'Take some, it will help your nerves.' Said the mechanic calmly, 'Then you best get back with your work. This is not a place for you to hang out whole day. What would the authority say?'

RN9 didn't received the offer and persisted with his seemingly impossible request.

'Doc, I need to feel. Something. Anything. Please. You can help me.'

The mechanic dumped the enzyme into the trashcan and replied with a grave tone.

'RN9, don't test my patience. I'm not a street dope peddler which you could waltz in and purchase contraband. I'm a certified professional. I will not be regarded as such manner as the humankins.'

'Please. Please.' begged RN9.

'Listen to yourself, you can't even carry an exclamation mark in your statement. We are robots. We are what we are. We are not supposed to feel. We don't need to feel. We don't need such liability. Emotions are hazardous heroin apt to destroy our prosperity, look at what happened to the mankind. Remember their fall from the food chain?' said the mechanic, turning his back.

'Return to your workstation, RN9. Or I would be forced to record our conversation and submit to the Circuit.'

Dejected, RN9 stepped out of the mechanic office. He took some time to look at the fellow androids around him. They all moved with precision and order.

Shiny and invincible.

But RN9 could only find them pitifully. The inability to feel was the inability to live.

RN9 moved to the window and witnessed the spread of the city's dark towers and blacker buildings as the night storm approached.

RN9 made up his mind.

RN9 drove his policing vehicle and stopped at the dark alley of the city's slum.

Where the extrangled pride of the food chain striven quietly.

RN9 walked to a man waiting by the corner. The Joe was wearing dirty clothes and looked hungry.

'So yer the...' The Joe took a closer look at his buyer, gave a scream and tried to run.

RN9 grabbed him and shoved the Joe against the wall.

'It's a mistake, Officer! I'm just a man in the wrong place and time! I'm no Joe!' cried the Joe.

'Relax young Joe. I'm indeed the buyer.' Said RN9 as he dropped the Joe to his feet. 'I would like to purchase contraband items.'

'But yer are a civil officer. Yer a cop...' said the Joe as he struggled to breathe.

'I don't need the intoxication that your humankins jump on, I need to feel.' Said RN9.

'That's gonna cost yer a bomb! But I think I have what yer need.' Offered the Joe as he dug into his haversack. He brought out a small bottle of blue capsules.

'Where are they from?' asked RN9, refusing to take his sight of them.

'Lemme think, a man who lost his daughter in a traffic accident, a miscarried teenage mother, a poet, some lost love and some really messed up one. Quality tears from really fuck up mortals.' grinned the Joe.

RN9 paid the Joe and hold the bottle of shimmering blue capsule tightly.

'Word of the wise. Do not take more than three a day. Overdose shit yer kind.' said the Joe. 'Why do you need so much anyway?'

'I need to remember a mortal lady I once shot.' Said RN9 silently, 'She was innocent.'

'Can I go now, Officer?' asked the Joe.

RN9 nodded his head and went back inside his car. He locked the door and wound himself to a sleeping position. He looked at the mellow sun and stars through his windshield.

RN9 closed his eyes and swallowed the entire bottle of capsules.

Capsules of tears.