For the next few minutes, our eyes were on Priscilla as she slowly began to crumble under the weight of her grief.
When we bots were created, a select number of us were given bot mates as an experiment. Bot mates were created to be a perfect match, complimenting each other in their thoughts, feelings and personalities.
Unlike humans who can meet someone else and remarry if they should divorce or their spouses should perish, we bots are given one bot mate for life.
Only our creator could possibly supply us with another, which is not possible now that transportation back and forth to the Earth has been destroyed.
Mia and I, both fortunate enough to have been joined to a mate, found it very hard to witness Priscilla’s emotional responses as she stood there realizing that she would be without her bot mate for as long as she exists, which could be indefinite.
This is something that none of us bots were prepared for. While we did lose a few bots a few years after we first arrived due to harsh working conditions within the Crystal Mines, loss is something that we have never had to face since then.
Priscilla stood going through the motions of wiping away nonexistent tears.
“Goodbye Aron,” she finally whispered.
She wiped her cheek one last time before backing away from what was left of her mate.
A cop from the police station arrived shortly after. She walked over and stood looking at President Aron in disbelief.
“How did this happened?” She asked somewhat rhetorically.
I answered anyway, “We were hoping you could tell us.” However, I realized that nothing like this had ever happened here on Lunar Lakes. Even the cops were at a loss for what they should do.
“I guess I should take pictures of the crime scene,” she said, sounding very unsure of how to proceed. I guessed that she was just mimicking something that she saw on one of the TV shows that streamed in from Earth.
Pedro, the other cop that I recognized from my visit with Frida at the police station came over to ask a few routine questions. I answered to the best of my ability.
“Do you have any idea who could have done this?”
“Yes, probably half of the bot community,” I answered honesty, thinking about the number of bots that may have been angered by the President’s announcement yesterday.
“Let us not jump to any conclusions,” the cop said. “This could have just as well been a human.”
“Well with the security portals in place, no human could get in. They would not have access, especially access to city hall,” I answered feeling like I was doing the cop’s job.
“Yes…well, I am sure there are ways,” he answered back, realizing that what I said made a lot of sense, but not quite ready to admit that a bot would do such a thing.
He continued, “Is there anyway a human could have access to the security portal controls?”
“Not unless they managed to get past security and all of the scientists within the science building. And still it would be impossible.”
“I am sure there are ways,” the cop insisted once again. “I have no more questions for now, but please be available in case I have further questions. We will find the human responsible for this!”
I found myself frustrated at the cop’s insistence that a human had done this, but I did not protest any further.
Both cops walked over to the president and stood looking helpless.
“What now?” the female cop asked in a voice that she did not intend for Priscilla and I to hear.
“They do not know what they are doing, do they?” Priscilla asked speaking for the first time in a while.
“It does not look like it,” I answered, watching the female cop take more pictures.
We both watched her continue to bumble around the President taking pictures of his desk, his feet, his computer…and anything else in an attempt to look as if she actually knew what she was doing. Priscilla and I sighed.
“Do you see anything that will help you find out who did this to my bot mate?” Priscilla asked, sounding irritated at the cop’s lack of real police work.
“Um, not really,” the cop answered more honestly than she probably intended.
“They will never find the killer. What if they come after me?” Priscilla said; worry present within her tone. I could say nothing to reassure her.
Then, a few things happened at once. The female cop snapped one last picture…
…the second cop stood idly by, trying to appear as if he actually knew how to investigate a crime…
…Priscilla continued to fret over the possibility that her bot mate’s killer would never be found…
…and a new realization hit me like a rocket. With President Aron dead, I was now the President of Lunar Lakes.
