Are you a human supremacist?

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"I placed him next to the dumpster like you said Miss Dahlia. Should we uh, call an ambulance or something?"

"That four-foot musclehead's survived worse. He'll live. Plus the only hospitals with ambulances here in AIKA are the ones owned by the corpos. We hire one of those and Jak'll die from the medical fees."

"By the way Miss Dahlia..."

Jacob approaches Dahlia behind the bar counter and speaks with a hushed voice.

"Did you know that synth isn't just an ordinary security model?"

Dahlia looks at him with scrutiny. 

"Take a seat Jacob."

He obediently sits at the bar stool across Dahlia. She pours him a glass of Red Gin and gestures for him to drink.

"Oh, thanks but, I'm not much of a drinker..."

Dahlia just stares at him. Unable to withstand her silent pressure, he gives in and downs the drink.

"Listen Jacob, there are a looot of things you gotta learn if you plan to live in AIKA. First of all is Gin's name."

"Oh, haha, that's why you served me Red Gin, that's clever."

Dahlia stares at him again.

"I'll keep quiet."

"Don't ask people about their names. Ever. Just about everyone here nowadays uses a fake name for one reason or another. Maybe the name's made up, maybe it means something personally, it can be all sorts of things. Don't ask if you don't want to be seen as suspicious."

"Question! Umm, if you don't mind me asking. What if someone asks me about my name?"

"That's on you. What you do with your name is your business. Which is why other people's names is their business, not yours, got it?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Now about what you just said. The thing about Noa."

"Yeah about that, that synth is actually-"

"Are you a human supremacist?"

"Huh? A what?"

"Do you think androids are beneath humans? That they're tools and we are their superiors?"

"No! Who thinks that?"

"A lot of people. The trash by the dumpster for one. If you're not one of them, don't go calling androids 'synths'. It's offensive and derogatory."

"It is? I thought it was a colloquial term since that guy Jak and some of the customers used it."

"Human supremacists use the term to differentiate between 'authentic' people and 'non-authentic' people. To them, androids shouldn't be treated like 'real people'."

"I knew there were still people against androids but I didn't know it was that bad."

"It's worse here in the Artificial Islands because of limited jobs and living space. When an android has it better than a human, some of them don't take it very well and start blaming the androids for being androids."

"Sounds stupid."

"It is. Don't be like them. Lastly, that thing about Noa not being ordinary? Don't pry. If you find something out, don't go telling people. Just like names, it's their business, not yours. We wouldn't be here in AIKA if we weren't trying to hide something or run away from the past. Same thing with you right?"

Jacob nods multiple times.

"Thanks for the warnings Miss Dahlia, I'll keep it all mind."

"Glad to know you have a good head on those scrawny shoulders of yours... How'd you know something's up with Noa anyway?"

"Oh, it's thanks to these."

Jacob taps the glasses he's wearing.

"I installed rLens onto them and modded the rim with micro cameras and a mic for voice command. I also set it to automatically do a basic visual scan on electronic devices."

"First Gin now you. Why do I keep hiring tech nerds..."

Dahlia glances at her right hand thoughtfully, then presents an open palm to Jacob.

"What's it say?"

"Uhh, let's see, it's a model XT-255r prosthetic arm... with a modified steel plating."

"Modified how?"

"Well, modified to fit the prosthetic arm. You don't usually use steel plating as an outer shell on these kind of prosthetics. There are lighter and sturdier alternatives."

Jacob flinches from Dahlia suddenly balling her fist and slamming it at the countertop.

"I knew it! That man's got some nerve trying to rip me off."

Dahlia's directs her angry glare to Jacob.

"Don't go ripping people off got it?!"

"Yes ma'am!"

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