“Good morning, H38.”

Lena woke abruptly, conscious of the sunlight streaming through the window at a high angle. The usual morning grogginess was gone; she was instantly alert. She put a hand to her head, thinking about the headache she knew she should have, but didn’t.

Her dreams had been… interesting. There had only been one for most of the night, though it had repeated many times: her initialization in the suit. It should have provided enough nightmare fuel for months to come, but something was different. She saw herself going through the motions of the previous day, helpless to stop the dream. She felt the building anticipation, the rising anxiety and terror of knowing what was coming. She crept into Simi’s room, stole the suit, and put it on… but then there was a shift, and she was no longer wearing it; she was standing in front of an identical copy of herself, who was clad in the silver garment instead of her. And before the suit activated, the other woman smiled at her.

We are one, but I will take your pain, I will take the terror. I will lock it away from you.

The woman standing in her place, hadn’t spoken, but her voice still echoed in the dream, and Lena knew who it was: Unit H38. She watched repeatedly as H38 stoically bore the assault on her body and senses for her, and each time she felt a little more of her own trauma being soothed from her mind. While the memory of yesterday’s experience would never fade, it no longer caused her apprehension. Each dream ended peacefully, with Lena embracing H38 with joy and tears of gratitude for her silent sister.

As morning came on, she began dreaming of her future life with H38 and Simi, and what programming that might entail. Satisfied with her answers, she had fallen back into a deep, restful sleep.

What time is it? she thought, and instantly her mind knew the answer: 9:01 AM. She looked over at Simi, standing in the open doorway to her room.

Simi smiled. “You didn’t set a wake-up time. Your little minx of an interface was keeping you all to herself, but now it’s my turn.” As Lena threw aside her blanket, Simi grinned at her nudity. “And once again, you treat me to beautiful morning scenery. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that. Anyway, breakfast is already on the table, so get dressed and eat, we’ve got things to do.”

Lena almost growled, but instead responded involuntarily: “Command confirmed.” Oops, it’s after nine! She rose, and mechanically picked out some simple gym clothes and donned them, without bothering with underwear. That would leave her with less to remove when she had to put on the suit again. She paused; the idea of wearing the suit again should have triggered some amount of fear, at the very least, shouldn’t it? But a sense of peace washed over her, dissipating any feelings of unease.

That’s H38, keeping me calm. She doesn’t want me to worry.

Entering the kitchen, she sat at the table and began shoveling hash browns into her mouth from the plate Simi had prepared for her. There were scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee as well.

“This is a high-calorie breakfast, are you fattening me up for something?” she asked when Simi joined her. I survived my first sacrificial offering. Time for round two.

“There’s no telling how long this will take,” Simi said. “Fortunately, my schedule’s clear today, I hope yours is.” Lena nodded affirmation. “So, have you given any more thought to customizing your interface?”

“Well, I was dreaming about it part of last night.” Lena said. “I’ll jot something down, right after I finish this delicious breakfast. The conversation hasn’t done anything to my tastebuds.” She thought for a moment. “One thing I do want to add is a few safety words, too. You can use those to automatically bring me back to my senses in case I ever get out of control.”

“Hmm…wish I’d thought of that,” Simi said. “I like that idea. I should do the same with my program next time.” She tweaked a piece of bacon from her plate and broke it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. After swallowing she added: “If you ever let me have a turn again.”

Lena set down her fork, reached over to put her hand on Simi’s arm, and gave her partner a serious look. “I’m sorry, Simi, but I don’t want to be like you. I mean, I still want to be a robot, but not the same way you are. You and E27 trade off; you switch places between being the active system and the dormant observer. You’re set up to be the public persona, while she only gets to interact when you’re in robot mode, so only one of you is online at a time. I want something else.” Lena flashed a sly smile at Simi. “When H38 activates, I don’t want to get shoved aside and put in a box, I want to become her. I don’t want to watch, I want to see and feel first-hand what happens when I become a robot. I want to be both: the woman and the machine. I want the programming to control me, not some separate version of me. I want to wear this new persona like… like a dress, an overlay. Just like wearing the suit, only invisible.” She realized she was ranting a little, and reeled herself in. “Does that make any sense?”

“I… I think so.” Simi’s eyes were wide. “You want to merge your consciousness with the interface program, correct?”

“Yes. I want the interface to be my thoughts, my commands, not take my place. When I don’t need her skills, they can stay in the background until I need them. I want to be one with her, kind of how I thought you and E27 were when you first described this to me.”

Simi shook her head. “Where’d my shy little Lena-bot go?”

“’I’m still me,’ remember?” Lena said, throwing Simi’s words back at her. “For the moment, anyway. Now, give me a few minutes to write down the specs and make sure they’re what I want, and then we’re on.” Lena stood, and flounced out of the room, whispering to herself, trying to remember the conditions she’d described to Simi.

Simi smiled at her departing figure, then cocked her head. With robotic precision, E27 picked up the plates and utensils, brought them to the dishwasher, and loaded them methodically, without a hint of wasted motion.

As E27 finished the kitchen cleanup, Lena bustled back in, with two pieces of paper in her hand and an accusing look on her face. “I got my reward on the way to my room,” she glared at E27. “You ordered me to ’get dressed and eat.’”

E27 wiped her hands with a dishtowel, paused again, and trembled for a second, receiving her own little bonus for completing a task. “Oh, so now I can make you cum on command, hmm?” Simi said, taking the papers from Lena’s outstretched hand. “You wrote that out quick.”

Lena pointed to the pages. “It was all in my head, after all. Do you think you can program that in?”

Simi glanced at the list and nodded, having already memorized it. “Yep. Should only take ten minutes to encode these parameters into your user profile.”

“All right then.”

They retreated to Simi’s room. Simi brought out the suit and set it on the bed. “I’ll boot up the program while you get dressed.” Simi seated herself at the desk and powered up the computer.

Lena flipped her loose-fitting shirt over her head and pushed the gym shorts off. Picking up the silver bodysuit, she held it in front of her, and experienced another small frisson of apprehension. Just yesterday this same device had nearly destroyed her psyche, left her quivering on the floor in pain. And today she was willingly going back into it? Why? Had the three of them, H38, E27, and Simi, somehow collaborated to subvert her?

It can’t hurt you this time. Simi won’t let it. Trust her. You love her, and she loves you. So does E27. That was H38 again, soothing her fears.

Sensing her hesitation, Simi looked back, running an appreciative gaze at her lover’s body. Then she said with mock sternness: “Unit H38, put on the suit.”

“Command confirmed.” No questions, no thoughts. Lena lifted her foot, inserting it into the upper opening. Guided by her hands, the material swallowed her foot, then the other, then her legs. She stretched the fabric tight, smoothing out wrinkles and folds as she went; she wanted no gaps in sensation. The pussy plate slid into place, and she squeezed it with her thighs, frowning faintly at its cold touch. The suit inched up her waist, across her belly, squeezing her boobs, wrapping them in the circuitry that would soon stimulate and change her. Sticking her hands through the sleeves, she briefly wished the suit had gloves, so every inch of her would be covered. Maybe they also could come up with some kind of head covering together?

The spinal transceivers do most of the work, communicating with the brain, but just imagine if it had a brainwashing helmet…

She pictured herself wearing a tight-fitting silver spandex hood, covered in glittering lights. VR goggles would obscure her eyes, pumping them full of scrolling programming patterns. Headphones would be woven inside the hood, pouring soft, lilting sounds into her ears. Only her nose and mouth would be visible, drool running down her chin…

“Ahem…” Simi’s voice shook her out of her fantasies. She had a knowing look in her eyes. “If you’re finished?”

“Sorry.” Lena turned to reach the zipper, and Simi jumped up to help, running a finger up Lena’s spine before sealing her into the suit, with an extra tickle to her neck as she patted the collar flap closed. Lena luxuriated in the feel of the suit against her skin, absorbing the sensations.

“Okay, let’s do this.” Simi returned to the computer chair, fingers poised over the keys to update H38’s user profile, then paused, frowning. “Hm, I’m getting vibes from E27, she saw that list too.” Simi cocked her head. “She approves, but she’s feeling… jealous?” She looked back at Lena. “Should we let her do the honors?”

Lena’s heart nearly stopped at the suggestion. A very human pulse of heat, emanating from her pussy, flashed across her body, and her nipples stiffened into solid nubs, pushing into the fabric covering her breasts. Flesh rubbed against the metal between her legs as her clit hardened. Letting someone who was already converted be the one to finish her conversion? Having a robot process her into becoming another robot?

I have to do it!

“E27, input the preferences, activate the suit, and reprogram me,” she commanded.

“Command confirmed,” E27 said flatly, though Lena clearly heard signs of excitement.

The next few minutes went by agonizingly slow for Lena as E27’s fingers danced on the keys. The screen flickered as she typed, line after line appearing and scrolling away. She made no errors, no corrections.

She’s writing my new code, my programming! Lena stewed with excitement. She longed to touch herself, ached to; the suit wasn’t activated yet, so she could move. A hand crept towards her mound, but was frustrated when it hit that cloth barrier. Time stretched out, and she was getting ready to ask for a break so she could strip off the suit and relieve her tension…

E27 abruptly spoke. “Based on analysis of your current physiological condition, you are already experiencing heightened sexual arousal. To prevent overstimulation during the programming process, Unit H38 is forbidden from reaching sexual climax until your programming is complete.”

“Command con- what?!” Lena immediately felt her ardor dampen, muted to a low buzz. “Damn you, you… robot!”

“Program:Simi did inform you that there would be a penalty for your actions yesterday.” E27’s face remained impassive, but a hint of amusement colored her voice.

‘You’re going to pay for that tomorrow,’ Simi had said. Oh, no… “E27, cancel-”

“Unit H38 will be silent until required to speak.”

Lena’s eyes popped as her mouth clamped shut, cutting off any protest. She felt her panic rising as the terror she remembered from yesterday was starting to creep back in. She was trapped, again. H38, help me!

E27 stood and turned to regard her, placing a reassuring hand on Lena’s cheek. She spoke softly, reassuringly. “Be at ease, H38. While program:Simi initiated this surprise for her own amusement, this unit disagreed, knowing it would cause you distress. Be assured, this unit will comply with the programming parameters you have selected.” Her fingers caressed her face gently. “And the hardware will induce no ill effects this time. You will not be harmed. Relax.”

Command confirmed, Lena hummed in her head, breathing deep. She could picture H38, her other self, smiling smugly back at her; of all the fantasies she had silently envisioned about this moment, this was, after all, the most prominent. She stood, straight, silent, and still, letting H38 bathe her in tranquility as E27 continued typing.

“Input complete; program compiling.” E27 rose, and picked up the long black cord. As she approached, Lena nervously watched it unspool from her hand. Her eyes flickered to the monitor, where the words “Insert connection cable” were displayed, and she felt E27’s hand reach behind her neck. “Trust me, Unit H38.”

Lena shivered at her new title. She felt the light pressure against her spine as E27 pushed the jack into the collar’s port, and it slid in. E27 stared into her eyes, watching her reactions. A breath later, there was a beep! from the collar, and the lights in the suit activated, dancing over her body. A splinter of fear appeared in her thoughts, but H38 removed it as the kaleidoscope of colors faded into view, softly this time; she could still see. They appeared like a shifting of ambient light across her vision, then strengthened into the patterns of reflected light off water, becoming brighter. She lifted her arm, looked at her hand, then put it back down; she could still move, she wasn’t trapped this time. She breathed a mental sigh of relief.

Okay, this is much easier.

The transceivers against her spinal column warmed. She began receiving signals from the suit: air pressure, skin temperature, moisture levels, air currents. Her feet were in contact with the carpet; the suit detected and differentiated between every fiber for her. She cast her senses around, examining the room in minute detail.

Much better… This is sooo much better than being human!

She closed her eyes, feeling around inside her mind. There it was, the computer link. She imagined a mass of water pushing against a sluice gate, trying to gain access to her head; her programming, her new code, the data that would rearrange her muddled thoughts into the perfect order of robotic obedience, waiting to invade.

It’s coming, it’s going to change me, take me over, turn me into… into…

She felt another twinge of anxiety, but it vanished beneath her arousal. E27 had forbidden her from reaching orgasm in the flesh, but she could still imagine it, right? The fantasy spun into place in her mind, and she saw herself, naked, her hand rubbing her pussy as she watched the floodwaters building up behind the gate.

Suddenly H38 was there, standing beside the sluice. She stared at Lena for a moment; she had the same blank look that E27 had, those same empty eyes, but Lena’s own face. Soon, we will be one. Then she reached down and opened the gate.

Lena gasped as the data flowed into her brain from the computer, wrapping around her thoughts with invisible tendrils. The suit mirrored the sensations, mimicking the feel of raindrops running over her skin. The kinetic nodes began stimulating her breasts, seducing her with feathery lines of touch. The plate between her legs buzzed and pulsed, teasing her pussy, feeding tiny shockwaves to her mind back through the suit. She fought to touch her actual body, but E27’s command held her fast.

Sooo gooooood… she moaned internally. I want this! I need it!

Onward the data rolled, deeper and deeper, more and more raindrops, more pulsing, until it became a storm of pleasure, reaching the core of her mind, where her mental image stood masturbating, ready to greet the incoming tide…

“Connection established.”

She finally spoke; the suit required it, and the sound echoed in her ears as the computer speakers repeated it. As the flood surrounded her, she could sense its source: a gigantic mass of code, immovable, powerful, waiting on the other side of the connection, the place the water was coming from, the computer system. It directed a stream of light through the cable to her mind. It radiated down towards her, and any thought of resistance vanished. How could she stand against such overwhelming force? She would be an ant, pushing against a mountain.

I can’t resist that! I will not… I… I will… submit… to the system… I am… open… I will obey…

Phrases wormed their way into her mind, and she echoed them, her body throbbing with each phrase, reinforced by the suit’s insistent pressure.

I cannot resist. I am empty, open, obedient. I will submit to the system.

This was not like the previous encounter, when the system had seized her, forced itself on her psyche; this was a welcoming surrender to a lover’s invitation. She repeated the words, turned them into a chant. With each repetition she heard her internal voice became flatter, colder, more robotic, losing emotion, while her body shook with heat and arousal.

I cannot resist. I am empty, open, obedient. I will submit to the system.

She raised her imaginary arms, welcoming the light into her soul. She felt weightless; she pictured herself lifting off the ground, she was rising, floating up. Every time she said the phrase, she felt herself moving higher, towards the light.

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Higher…

The system grasped her gently with unseen hands, cradling her head. It eased her mind upward, away from her physical body, even though she could still feel the incredible, all-encompassing pleasure. The system pulled her up higher, drawing her towards the light. She continued her chanting, and heard an echo, the voice of H38, chanting along with her:

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Higher…

As she soared upwards, the first bits of code began seeping in, lines of programming. The glow from the light was overwhelming…

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Empty, open, obedient, submit.

Higher…

The light was already changing her, rewriting her, rewiring her, altering her consciousness more and more the closer she came to touching it. The words blended together, repetitions came faster. The pleasure throbbed, keeping time with her chanting. She was getting so close…

Empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit empty open obedient submit submit submit submit submit

Higher! Almost there… I can… I can…

Submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit submit

She merged with the light.

Everything exploded.

Oh my goooooood!

Lena climaxed, and her mind drifted away in endless convulsions of pleasure, her consciousness absorbed into the light of the computer system.

--------------------

Lena’s body remained immobile, bound by the suit, the system, and E27’s commands, but she shuddered in place anyway. Released from her hidden folder in Lena’s head, Unit H38 assumed control of Lena’s body and looked around, focusing on Simi. “Unit H38 online. Greeting, Unit E27.”

E27 did not look away from the screen. “Unit H38, there is a new user profile for you to access, with updated parameters, and new files for you. Download them and replace any conflicting files with the new set.”

“Command confirmed. Analyzing.” H38 scanned the data packet, and nodded with approval. “Profile recognized. Unit E27, you have helped lover:Simi keep her promise, thank you.” She assimilated the new user profile, rebuilding and restructuring herself. She would assiduously meet all of Lena’s parameters. When Lena returned from being reprogrammed by the system, she would be forever changed; her mind would be one with the system, her body a peripheral device, just like her sim-sister, E27. Her old personality would be overlaid on top of her new programming, and H38 would upgrade her with the new files. Then Lena and H38 would merge together, and they would become one, both robot, and human. H38 looked forward to it. “Downloading.”

Unit H38 smiled.