×

menu
Penana
US
search
search
Popular Tags
What Others Are Reading
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
Please use Chrome or Firefox for better user experience!
close
Comments close
Show more...


favorite
0
comment
0
arrow_back_ios_new
Prev
arrow_back_ios_new
Next
format_color_text
Style
open_in_full
Expand
list
Menu
coins
Sponsor
campaign
Request update
share
Share
report
Report
×
Login first to show your name as a sponsor, or donate with Pena Coins.

× Pena Coins Credit Card

Close
People Who Like This
#83

SCENE 80 – "Digital Birds and Binary Bees"

Author Author
Apr 29, 2025 68 3 Mins Read
x
No Plagiarism!rb9bSYhdlHqI1vg2eGS0posted on PＥNAＮＡ

EXT. CENTRAL CITY STREETS – EVENING

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KhPOSQhIl

The trio strolls back toward the cube, the neon lights humming softly against the dusk. Jason still carries the medicine bag, but his mouth hasn't stopped moving since they left the store.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNtmxtSU5I

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3K8iGBxU08

---

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7LSpefjFx

JASON (grinning like a devil)

"You know, of all the things you could've grabbed... You had to pick the robot intimacy enhancer. Real smooth, A. Real natural."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedTpkUbSFk

A trails behind, pulling the hoodie of his coat up in embarrassment.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW60KO1WeqE

A (grumbling)

"I just thought it looked nice..."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUo1FvxAOC

JASON (mockingly sweet)

"Oh, sure. Next thing you know you’re pouring it into your coffee. 'Mmm, tastes like desperate mistakes.'"

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1NlNqsNAX

K chuckles lowly from behind his scarf, amused at the chaos.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeabNB7J5P4

A (defensive, mumbling)

"It wasn't on purpose..."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsC4nkJ86GF

Jason snorts and shakes his head, then tosses a glance over his shoulder at the two.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUrrb6RG4R

JASON

"Which reminds me—since you two seem weirdly curious about it—might as well explain how robot babies are made."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DaYM4Giux

He clears his throat dramatically, making A and K visibly brace for whatever nonsense he's about to say.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsly41RJyEo

JASON (mock teacher voice)

"Step one: No, you don’t just mash bodies together. We’re not cavemen. Sexual interactions? Fun, maybe—depending on your firmware—but totally useless for making kids."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7qORGYOlD

A (wide-eyed)

"Then... how?"

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxikMovu7i0

Jason wiggles his fingers like he's sprinkling fairy dust.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MpOjmzBQ7

JASON

"Magical code-mixing, my innocent child. Two or more robots can combine their programs—their operating cores, their quirks, their bugs—and shove it into a data pod."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡui8mWekneA

He points a thumb to his head.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KJwlvYBhk

JASON

"Once it’s in there, it starts developing a whole new program by itself, based on the stuff it inherited. It evolves, learns, becomes something unique."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVhpJ1g0fX

K (casually)

"And gender?"

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSSGpvG0Mg

JASON

"Pfft. Irrelevant. Code doesn’t care about meatspace nonsense. Two guys, two gals, one toaster and a vending machine—you name it, they can have a kid if they mix their programs right."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yHQBbylcQ

A’s eyes light up with amazement, while K just looks faintly disturbed.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHACx1y6C4f

A

"So after...?"

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QnuFYCT2f

JASON

"After the code stabilizes, the pod pings the guardians. Then you yank the developing memory chip out and install it into a bigger, mobile body."

(beat)

"Congratulations, it’s a terrible toddler who’s gonna wreck your life."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ky8FpkdXt

A ponders this deeply, like he just unlocked some universal secret. Jason stretches, the bag of meds swinging on his wrist.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAcAkPNn5S

JASON (grinning)

"And that, my dearest creeps, is why society isn’t full of wild robot orgies—because love and babies are two different nightmares."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY27WpwdRnZ

They walk for a beat in silence, before Jason turns slightly toward K.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LdStlwyOt

JASON (curious)

"Ever seen any Purifiers have kids?"

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XcGP0w3bX

K shrugs casually, the city lights painting stripes of gold and blue across his jacket.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn88qXopfnM

K

"We’re not social. We don’t build families. We hunt. We survive. Barely talk unless we have to. Most of us... don’t even think about it."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6YZDaBR8u

A (softly)

"That's... kind of lonely."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpf5FWlW18

K (flatly)

"I like it that way."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRqs0hcHsX

Jason hums thoughtfully, slowing his pace a little to walk between them.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoEessiKPN

JASON (casually)

"Well, congratulations. You're stuck in a 'family' now. No returns, no refunds."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiEF8nvL5D

A (smiling)

"I'm fine with that."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnb3APpjlaW

K (grumbling quietly)

"...Tolerable."

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtU9ueyrb5

Jason just chuckles, shaking his head, as they turn onto the familiar street leading back toward the cube.

72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9nZrAluM2

FADE OUT.

216.73.216.197

ns216.73.216.197da2
favorite
comment 0
coins
0 likes Suggest Edits
Be the first to like this issue!
Next Issue >
close
Robotic Essences
home
Bookmark!
campaign Request update 0
Table of Contents
#0 Intro
#1 Welcome to Central City
#2 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt1
#3 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt2
#4 SCENE 2 – “Quiet Doesn’t Last”
#5 SCENE 3 – “Unwelcome Footprints”
#6 SCENE 4 – “Break the Silence”
#7 SCENE 5 – “The Parts We Don’t Talk About”
#8 SCENE 6 – “Still Breathing”
#9 SCENE 7 – “The Smiling Knife”
#10 SCENE 8 – “Ghost in the Pipes”
#11 SCENE 9 – “Right-Hand Problems”
#12 SCENE 10 – “Drag Marks and Doubt”
#13 SCENE 11 – “Below the Skin of the City”
#14 SCENE 12 – “What Shouldn’t Be There”
#15 SCENE 13 – “Echoes of Vision”
#16 SCENE 14 – “Fragments of a Dying Empire”
#17 SCENE 15 – “Shadows Don’t Bargain”
#18 SCENE 16 – “Rust Between Circuits”
#19 SCENE 17 – “The Breach”
#20 SCENE 18 – “Three Bots & a Parasite”
#21 SCENE 19 – “Paperwork and Parasites”
#22 SCENE 20 – “Smuggle Me Softly”
#23 SCENE 21 – “Oil, Info, and Idiots”
#24 SCENE 21 – EXTENDED: “Sleepover Protocols & Other Malfunctions”
#25 SCENE 22 – “Robot Makeover: Low Budget Edition”
#26 SCENE 23 – “Caffeine, Cloaks, and Casual Paranoia”
#27 SCENE 24 – “Rustfields”
#28 SCENE 25 – “Buzz and Circuits”
#29 SCENE 26 – “Tune-Ups and Tightropes”
#30 SCENE 27 – “Errands and Egos”
#31 SCENE 28 – “Groceries and Good Lies”
#32 SCENE 29 – “Dinner and Disclosures”
#33 SCENE 30 – “Steam, Suffering, and Swords”
#34 SCENE 31 – “Dicey Decisions”
#35 SCENE 32 – “Good Night, You Weirdos”
#36 SCENE 33 – “Dreamscapes”
#37 SCENE 34 – “Office and Off-Duty”
#38 SCENE 35 – “A Pleasant Stroll… with Minor Homicidal Undertones”
#39 SCENE 36 – “Wings and Wires”
#40 SCENE 37 – “After-Hours”
#41 SCENE 38 – “Alcohol & Stuff”
#42 SCENE 39 – “Shutdown.exe”
#43 SCENE 40 – “The Weight of Peace”
#44 SCENE 41 – “Midnight, Glitches, and Blankets”
#45 SCENE 42 – “Dawn of the Mildly Functional”
#46 SCENE 43 – “Commute to Doom”
#47 SCENE 44 – “An Office Full of Violence and Vending Machines”
#48 SCENE 45 – “Lunch Break and Clickbait Nightmares”
#49 SCENE 46 – “Rise and Resist (Routine)”
#50 SCENE 47 – “Unauthorized Research”
#51 SCENE 48 – “Wardrobe Upgrades”
#52 SCENE 49 – “Field‑Trip From Hell”
#53 SCENE 50 – “Afternoon Idleness”
#54 SCENE 51 – “Uno and Other Emergencies”
#55 SCENE 52 – “Tech on a Budget”
#56 SCENE 53 – “Delivery, Disobedience & Discoveries”
#57 SCENE 54 – “Questions & Quirks”
#58 SCENE 55 – “Privacy Settings”
#59 SCENE 56 – “Entertainment Planning”
#60 SCENE 57 – "Loyalty Reinforcement Seminar"
#61 SCENE 58 – “Friday‑Night Free Play”
#62 SCENE 59 – “Spire of Panic”
#63 SCENE 60 – “Lines, Orders, and Vines”
#64 SCENE 61 – “Infiltration”
#65 SCENE 62 – “Regroup & Re‑Arm”
#66 SCENE 63 – “Through Flesh and Steel”
#67 SCENE 64 – “Descent Protocol”
#68 SCENE 65 – “The Lungs Below”
#69 SCENE 66 – “Dead Air”
#70 SCENE 67 – “The Heart of the Hollow”
#71 SCENE 68 – “Overheat Protocol”
#72 SCENE 69 – “Sanitized and Sampled”
#73 SCENE 70 – “Totally Normal Roommates”
#74 SCENE 71 – "The Long Walk to Judgment"
#75 SCENE 72 – "Welcome Home, Idiot"
#76 SCENE 73 – "A Promise, A Vacation"
#77 SCENE 74 – "Field Trip to Food"
#78 SCENE 75 – "Cabin Fever"
#79 SCENE 76 – "Manners, Please"
#80 SCENE 77 – "Errands with Extra Steps"
#81 SCENE 78 – "Books, Pills, and Poor Decisions"
#82 SCENE 79 – "Pharmacy Phantoms"
#83 SCENE 80 – "Digital Birds and Binary Bees"
#84 SCENE 81 – "Babysitting? Seriously?"
#85 SCENE 82 – "The Babysitting Begins"
#86 SCENE 83 – "Chaos, Baby-Sized"
#87 SCENE 84 – "Midnight Meltdown"
#88 SCENE 85 – "The Dreams They Dreamed"
#89 SCENE 86 – "The Morning After"
#90 SCENE 87 – "Return of the Parents"
#91 SCENE 88 – "The Reveal"
#92 SCENE 89 – "System Error: Josh.exe Has Stopped Responding"
#93 SCENE 90 – "A Totally Normal Lunch"
#94 SCENE 91 – “Business As Usual”
#95 SCENE 92 – “After the Storm”
#96 SCENE 93 – “The Rim of Opinions”
#97 SCENE 94 – “Tales, Tails, and Talking at 2AM”
#98 SCENE 95 – “Surgery, Solo”
#99 SCENE 96 – “Sleepless Core”
#100 SCENE 97 – “Unknown Systems”
#101 SCENE 98 – “Orders and Oil”
#102 SCENE 99 – “Key Moments”
#103 SCENE 100 – “Three Days of Sky”
× Share Email
Click to Share!
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
 content_copy
Copy link to clipboard
 share
Other options
Share this Publication by Email
Add a personal message
×

Proceed

×
format_size
remove_circle_outline 20 add_circle_outline
format_line_spacing remove_circle_outline 20 add_circle_outline
REGISTER
LOGIN

Forget Password?
OR
Login with Facebook
×
Subscribe
Go to the magazine
/
+ Add tip
The tip will be charged every payment period
+ Add promotion code
Apply close
Recipient Name

Shipping address



Phone Number


JOIN
Pay with
xxxx xxxx xxxx
Update payment method
Confirm Cancel
This is a one-time purchase.
If you don't cancel before the trial ends, you will automatically be charged the subscription fee every until you cancel. Renews automatically every , unless you decide to cancel. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
You can pay with non-card methods if you subscribe for 12 months.
Please leave your contact phone number here..
We will reach you soon by Whatsapp at the tel number you provide.
Please enter phone number.

Credit card payment

You have subscribed to this plan already!

Never miss what's happening on Penana!
Turn on notifications
Later
Close
×
Interface Language:
Story Language: