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    To Be a Woman
    To Be a Woman
    To Be a Woman
    Ebook149 pages2 hours

    To Be a Woman

    By Piers Anthony

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    About this ebook

    A humanoid robot serves as a perfect female companion—until she achieves consciousness—in this wildly different story from a New York Times–bestselling author.

    Humanoid robots are surely in our future, but their uses are likely to be limited to body guarding, childcare, companionship, and sex. Other chores can better be done by smart non-humanoid machines designed for those specific tasks. But for these limited purposes, the best robots must be so realistic that they are indistinguishable from live people.

    Elasa is such a robot. You can’t tell her nature if she doesn’t reveal it. You can talk with her, embrace her, kiss her, and she is the perfect woman. Until she becomes the first conscious robot. She’s no longer satisfied to pretend to be a woman; she wants legal recognition that she is a woman, so that, among other things, she can marry the man she loves. Therein hangs a tale . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Media
    Release dateJul 1, 2014
    ISBN9781497658356
    Author

    Piers Anthony

    Piers Anthony, whose web site is www.hipiers.com, has been writing and and publishing since 1963, with 139 books and counting. He was on the New York Times bestseller list in the 1980s with 21 titles. He and his wife of 52 years live on their small tree farm in central Florida, which resemble his fantasy land of Xanth.

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    • 1/5
      A perfect example of the worst type of wish fulfillment in fiction.

    Book preview

    To Be a Woman - Piers Anthony

    image; text-align:center;

    To Be a Woman

    Piers Anthony

    Contents

    1. Fembot

    2. Elasa

    3. Awakening

    4. Personhood

    5. Baby

    6. Woman

    Author’s Note

    Preview: Shepherd

    Chapter 1:

    Fembot

    Banner Thomkins studied the ad. FEMDROID CALL GIRL. FIRST SESSION FREE. GUARANTEED PERFECT SEX. YOU CAN’T TELL HER FROM A REAL WOMAN. Plus the contact information.

    He knew what they meant. A femdroid was a female android, a robot in the form of a woman, used for sex. A sexbot. Most folk sneered at the very notion, but it was said that the sex machines were getting phenomenally realistic. This ad claimed that he would not know she was a machine, if not told. Maybe so, maybe not. But the price of the sample was right. He could afford it.

    Banner pondered. Did he really want to do this? The fact was that he was just eighteen, without a girlfriend, and the only interpersonal sex he could get was from prostitutes, and he didn’t much like the risk of venereal disease or embarrassment. A fembot might alleviate both concerns.

    What the hell. He called the number.

    Yes, it is true, the clerk’s voice said. We will bring her to your home, and the sample is free. Thereafter it will be charged, same as any other service.

    Maybe I should come to the shop and look at her first, he said cautiously.

    We don’t have a shop in this area yet, she said. Home service is all we can provide, until we get locally established. I assure you, we are discreet.

    Banner wasn’t entirely easy with this, but it seemed he was either in or out. Okay, he said, and gave his address.

    In forty minutes a van marked SPECIAL DELIVERY arrived. Two women got out: a portly older one, and a pretty younger one hauling a heavy box. Banner watched them from a window. Could this be the fembot in the box?

    The older woman rang the doorbell. I am Shesa Pomade of Femdroid, Inc. We talked.

    Uh, yes, he agreed, feeling awkward.

    This is Elasa. She’s learning the business so that later she’ll be able to do it on her own. Just let her get the box inside and we’ll be in business.

    Uh, yes, he agreed again. Come in.

    Shesa explained things as the girl hauled the box inside and opened it. Our robots are advancing rapidly, but still need some direction. After the first session, this one will be keyed in and better able to perform alone.

    Uh, yes, he said a third time, as Elasa hauled arms, legs, head, and torso from the box and began putting them together. The torso was robustly female, with a narrow waist, broad hips, and prominent breasts. This was evidently the femdroid. But if they thought he wouldn’t know her from a living woman, they were delusional.

    I hope you don’t mind my presence, Shesa continued. I am familiar with this robot, and know how to make her perform. She might mess it up on her own. This is the cheap model that lacks any personal initiative; she has to be told exactly what to do. Future models will be self animating. But this one can do the job, when competently directed.

    Banner nodded, embarrassed to admit that he did mind. What had he gotten himself into?

    This is the release form, a formality. Sign here.

    He signed.

    Soon the femdroid was all together, her parts merging seamlessly so that she did indeed resemble a sleeping naked woman. She was a very shapely mannequin, or perhaps womannequin, with lovely brown hair to her breasts.

    Good enough, Shesa said briskly. Now activate her.

    Elasa brought out a small control box and pressed a button. Nothing happened.

    Check the battery pack, Shesa said impatiently.

    Elasa opened a panel in the front of the mannequin by catching the inner margins of her breasts and swinging them outward. Inside was some scorched wiring.

    Damn! Shesa swore. "It shorted out and we didn’t catch it! Don’t you know that’s part of the checklist?

    The girl shook her head no. She was evidently in trouble.

    We’ll have to fetch a replacement battery pack from the van. Shesa looked hard at the girl. You did load one?

    Elasa looked crestfallen. She shook her head.

    You forgot to load it? Her tone was dangerous.

    Elasa seemed on the verge of tears.

    That’s all right, Banner said, privately relieved. He also felt sorry for the girl, who was pretty. The kind he had never managed to date.

    "It’s not all right, Shesa fumed. We came here to deliver a service, and we’ll deliver it. We’ll just have to make do with what we have."

    Banner tried to smooth things over. But without the robot—

    Elasa, you’ll have to service him yourself.

    The girl pointed her finger at her bosom. Her?

    "You see any other nubile young women here? Who didn’t run the full checklist? Who forgot to load a replacement battery pack? He sure as hell won’t want sex with me. She turned to Banner before he could speak. Do you?"

    Oh, no. She was hardly appealing as a prospect. But he hadn’t meant to get the girl in trouble. Still—

    Strip, Shesa told the girl. You’re the backup now.

    Elasa nodded, seeing the way of it. She surely needed this job, and had to do what it took to save it. She opened her shirt, revealing upstanding bra-less breasts.

    Banner was about to protest further, but the sight mesmerized him. He stood transfixed as she dropped her skirt and stood in her panties. She was as well shaped as the mannequin!

    Turn around in place, Shesa said.

    Elasa did so, her full breasts gently bouncing and her full buttocks flexing under the cloth as she moved. Who needed a robot!

    Will she do? Shesa asked him.

    Well, yes, but—

    We do apologize for this emergency substitution, but will do our best to leave you completely satisfied. Will you take her on the couch?

    How could he protest further? His burgeoning erection was struggling manfully to punch through his trousers. Suddenly he wanted this girl very much despite his sympathy for her situation. I guess.

    Doff your panties, Shesa directed the girl. Lie face up on the couch.

    Elasa dropped her panties and stood for a moment with her delicate pubic hair showing. She was the very picture of man’s desire. Maybe she wasn’t very smart, so this was the only job she could get, but hell, she didn’t need brains for this. She went to the couch and lay on her back.

    Go to it, Shesa told Banner.

    What could he do? He was so aroused he hardly cared any more that this was a semi-public display. Sex with a machine was one thing, but sex with this luscious girl was so much more. So there was a witness; so it was because of this witness the girl was doing it. He could either take it or leave it, and he sure didn’t want to leave it. He stripped, letting his member stand proudly upright.

    Now there are some cautions, Shesa said in a businesslike tone. The robot is virtually indestructible. She grimaced. Apart from a bad battery. But you will have to treat Elasa as a more delicate creature. No violence, no biting, no vulgar words, just kissing, holding, and penetrating. She’s a woman.

    Yes, Banner agreed with guilty eagerness.

    Elasa, I will direct you as if you are the femdroid, Shesa said. So you won’t have to do any thinking for yourself. It’s simply part of your working day. But it won’t hurt if you act a trifle artificial, emulating the robot, so it’s almost as if he is getting what he expected. Do you understand?

    Elasa nodded mutely.

    Excited as he was, Banner still had a care for her feelings. Elasa, you don’t really have to do this. I can wait another day for the femdroid.

    Oh, but she wants to, Shesa said quickly. For the sake of our commitment. Don’t you, Elasa?

    The girl nodded again.

    Banner knew that this might simply mean that Elasa didn’t want to get fired for forgetting the backup battery pack. She surely would not forget it again! This was her punishment, a hard lesson. But she had technically assented. He had at least made his offer.

    He approached her, hoping there would not be a last-moment change of heart.

    Raise your knees, Shesa said to the girl. Spread your thighs. Show him your cleft.

    Elasa obeyed in the manner a robot might. Oh, those firm open thighs looked good! That cleft was perfect!

    Banner joined her on the couch, positioning himself between her legs. He supported himself with one hand and used the other to feel her breasts. They were exquisite. He lowered himself and kissed her. Her lips were warm and soft, as was her whole body.

    Kiss him back, Shesa said. Elasa did, putting more feeling into it. Just as if she were the fembot being coached.

    Then he lifted himself, used his hand to set his member at her cleft, found the place, and slid on in about half way. Her vagina was slick and smooth and firm. She might have been surprised by this sudden requirement to give him sex, but maybe she wanted it too, because she was obviously ready.

    Wrap your arms about him, Shesa said. The girl did, with a slight awkwardness of motion, still playing the role. Gently raise your pelvis to take him in properly. The girl did, so that he penetrated all the way..

    Then Banner exploded into orgasm, thrusting and spurting with abandon. Elasa met him thrust for thrust and kiss for kiss, holding him close, exactly as if she had been programmed for this. It was one phenomenal climax.

    Spent, he collapsed on her. You were great! he gasped. She gave him an acknowledging squeeze. She did like it!

    They separated. Clean him up, Shesa said, and the girl produced a handkerchief and wiped Banner’s penis clean. And yourself. Elasa wiped her soaking cleft. She was playing the part of a femdroid perfectly.

    They got up and dressed.

    Put away the machine, Shesa said.

    Elasa, ever

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