First Day

Orion stood before the glass doors a look of trepidation on his face. That was the correct emotion wasn’t it? No that wasn’t it. Trepidation, implied fear and agitation and that wasn’t quite right. There was some fear of course but also excitement, apprehension maybe? No, it wasn’t that either. Anticipation? Yes, that seemed closer but excited anticipation seemed better. Was there even a word for what he felt? He began to think back through various definitions and feelings he’d learned trying to find the right one.

“In or out buddy you’re blocking the door,” a tired disinterested voice broke his thoughts. Orion turned to the source, a dower looking man in a gray wool suit. Even though it was barely eight in the morning he was already sporting a five o’clock shadow and dark circles under his eyes.

Orion smiled a polite smile, “Sorry about that sir just felt a little overwhelmed for a moment.”

The man didn’t return Orions smile in fact he barely stopped to acknowledge him. He only turned his head to regard him with disinterested up and down before dismissing him with a shrug and grunt. Orion watched the man as he entered the grayscale building. That had been his first interaction with a real human aside from the professor. It had happened so quickly that even he had trouble processing it. How had he done he wondered? The man didn’t act as though he suspected anything in fact, he seemed apathetic to Orion which in a way was a good thing. This was his next test after all to see if he could interact with humans in a natural way without them realizing he was a machine. Even so the interaction had still felt off. He’d learned and processed many greeting scenarios and even though the professor had told him to be prepared for things to be different than his research the mans demeanor had not been something he’d anticipated. Was this normal for human interactions? He’d need further examples to be sure but even so it demonstrated Orion would need to be ready to adapt.

He closed his eyes took a deep breath, it wasn’t a real breath of course but he had seen this was how humans prepared themselves for uncomfortable situations in the films and books he’d consumed. Even though he got nothing out of it physically it made him feel better and he entered the glass doors with confidence.

The doors opened to a small empty reception area and Orion made his way to the small desk at the far side of the room. The young woman behind the desk looked up from her computer for a moment before she returned to scrolling through the pictures on her screen.

“Name and appointment time,” she said in a disinterested tone as she clicked like on a picture of a woman on beach.

Orion processed the question for a moment. “Well I don’t have an appointment exactly.”

He’d barely gotten out the last word when the woman launched off into a prepared speech, she had clearly given many times. As if through rote she stated in the same apathetic tone, “All visitors and clients must have an appointment booked to see staff. You must have your appointment time and name of who you are seeing ready when you come in. All visitors are asked to arrive at least five minutes early. Anyone without an appointment can not be seen but you may leave your name and number here.” As she spoke she handed him a binder with a list of names written by hand.

“Or if you’d like appointments can be made at….” She continued giving a number and name of another staff person as well as a few more points of guidance before ending her speech with “thank you and “have a nice day.”

Through it all Orion stood listening patiently a polite smile on his face. The young woman went back to scrolling before looking back at Orion when he didn’t move. “Something else I can help you with?” she asked fully looking at him for the first time her tone no longer apathetic.

“It’s just I don’t an appointment because I’m a new hire I was just told to come to the desk and tell whoever was here I start work today.”

“Why didn’t say something before.” She said shaking her head and narrowing her eyes at him.

Orion thought about the question sincerely, “Well I imagine it took a lot of time and work to memorize that and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

The womans eyes narrowed further and a flush of red showed in her cheeks as she picked up the desk phone. She punched in a few numbers angrily and told the person on the other end he was there. She then slammed the phone down and went back to her scrolling. The red still in her cheeks as she did.

That had been an interesting reaction as well. The way the womans tone of voice had shifted at his compliment of her work and the way her face had flustered was not something that was in his research. He was contemplating his next course of action when a tall woman in a maroon suit stepped around the corner and walked up to him.

“You must be the new hire.” The tall woman said with a smile extending her hand. Orion returned the smile and took her hand. Making sure to calibrate his grip as he had practiced back at the lab.

“I’m Ms. Jones with HR,” she said pleasantly. “Very nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you as well,” Orion returned with a similar pleasant tone.

This was the type of interaction he had prepared for the polite greeting, handshake , a return of the greeting and the start of the conversation. It was almost the perfect mirror of the simulations he’d completed in his preparations.

“Well I’m sure you’re eager to get started so come with me and we’ll get the paperwork out of the way first.”

“Yes Ms. Jones I am very eager,” Orion said. As he did so he noticed the receptionist shook her head with a grin. It wasn’t like any grin he’d ever seen before though. His material had said smiles and grins were to convey happiness but this one seemed different somehow. Even so Orion nodded to the woman as he followed Ms. Jones not noticing how she rolled her eyes as he passed. The works “Fucking smartass,” whispered under her breath.

Orion followed Ms. Jones to a small conference room, taking a seat across the table from her. She did the same and opened a large folder. She began pulling out various papers and explaining each one. Like the receptionist, she did this as if by rote explaining each paper with a few lines then quickly marking the places for Orion to sign with a  slash of a pen flipping it almost as soon as  he finished and sliding another into frame.

There were a few she asked Orion to read and this was where Orion was grateful for his preparation. He could scan the sheets and process the information almost instantly. It would be suspicious though to flip through the pages so quickly, so he pretended to look over the page aiming for a speed of about 250 words per minute that seeming average according to his research. He moved his eyes across the pages reciting stanzas of poetry in his head as he pretended to read hoping the whole time he was convincing.  

For her part Ms. Jones kept a positive tone despite giving a speech she had clearly done thousand times before. Orion was impressed by not just her memory and dedication but her personability. A few times he asked for clarification though the didn’t really need it, it just seemed like a good way to show his investment. He did ask to take the health insurance information to bring back later. Not needing to see a doctor himself he would ask the professor how he wanted to proceed.  

The pile slowly dwindled until they reached the last two pages. Ms. Jones advised they were just about finished and handed him the final forms. “Just some standard paperwork regarding privacy,” she said marking where he needed to sign. Orion processed the page instantly and noted something near the bottom. After a few stanzas of The Raven he looked back at Ms. Jones with a smile.

“I’m sorry to be difficult ma’am but I think there is a mistake in the form.”

“Oh, and what mistake might that be?” Her voice was still polite but there something about it that Orion found different.

“Right here section 15, ‘Employee discussion of compensation will be considered a violation of this company’s privacy policy and any employee in violation is subject to reprimand.” He had looked down at the page pretending to read the section and when he looked up he was surprised to see that her expression appeared distant as if she hadn’t heard him.

“That’s no mistake we here take the privacy of our employees very seriously and do what we can to protect it.” Her tone had shifted even more now and Orion was beginning to understand what was off about it.

“Well ma’am I may be mistaken but I think that section may be a violation of labor codes, I just don’t want any of my fellow employees to get into trouble for a misunderstanding.” Orion stated his concern with the utmost sincerity. Surely it had to be a mistake, he thought, no one would deliberately make their fellow employees agree to something that violated the law and went against their interests.

Mrs. Jones had begun to smile but only with her mouth. It was a somewhat off-putting site invoking images of a feral dog baring its teeth more than a friendly gesture to put someone at ease.

“That a common misunderstanding I assure you everything we do is completely above board and for the benefit of our clients and employees alike. If you were to read the code you’d find that we are well within the law.” Orion could understand now what had changed in her voice. The tone was polite but there was an artifice that even Orion with his limited experience could hear. He wondered if it had been there the whole time and more importantly, he wondered what it meant.

“Well ma’am we can check the code and see if I’m wrong,” He began reaching for his phone to search for the code to use as an example despite knowing it word for word.

“So am I to take it you won’t sign the agreement,” The polite tone was gone now, as was the rictus smile. Ms. Jones looked across the table at Orion with an expression of distance and cold calculation. It reminded him of his expression from early in his development before he perfected his own artifice.

“I, well, I will but,” Orion was at a loss the sudden shift in the conversation was not something he had prepared for.

“Sign it and initial by the section in question and will put a note in your file documenting your concern.” Ms. Jones leaned forward as she said this her voice putting an inflection on the last part of the sentence implying a subtext to the words. It was a subtext Orion could not understand so he signed the page and slid it back to Ms. Jones.

She collected it quickly and stuck the folder under her arm.

“Let’s get you to your desk,” she said, all politeness now gone from her voice. Orion followed her out the conference room and down a hall to a small office. There were two desks inside one empty and the other occupied by a young man with round glasses in a polo shirt. He stood quickly like a soldier snapping to attention when he saw Ms. Jones.

“Hey Ms. J what brings you down here? Trouble with your computer?” Orion watched the man and took note of his tone. Unlike with Ms. Jones Orion could immediately tell his tone was a façade. He was attempting to seem polite and eager but Orion could see there were signs of a fear response with his dilated eyes and the sheen of sweat that developed on his forehead.

“No Brandon I was just showing our new employee to his workspace. You share a space here with Brandon our other IT technician. He will walk you through the day to day duties of your job and show you how we do things around here.” She put the same inflection on the few words before adding. “Wont you Brandon?”

Brandon began to nod, “Yes ma’am don’t you worry we’ll get him all set up.” He stuck out a hand. “Names Brandon resident IT guy or well one is guess one of them now,” Orion took the mans hand and introduced himself. Brandon shook it vigorously as Ms. Jones nodded and made her way back down the hall but not before giving Orion a final cold stare.

Brandon craned his neck to watch as she walked away and rounded the corner. He had continued to shake Orions hand the whole time before dropping it limply once Ms. Jones was out of site. He narrowed his eyes at Orion looking him up and as he wiped beads of sweat off his lip.

“So you’re the new guy huh?”

Orion found the rhetorical question a little silly but even so he just smiled politely. “Yes I am and I’m eager to get started and learn the ropes.” He smiled again in pride at his use of one of the idioms he had learned.

Brandon didn’t return the smile, “Uh huh,” he replied. “Your desk is there.” He said with a short tone.

Orion took a seat and began to inventory the supplies at his work station. It took a moment for him to realize that Brandon had continued to stare from the door.

“Is something wrong?” Orion asked unsure what to make of this behavior.

Brandon let a breathy “Ha” as if Orion had made a joke. “Yeah, I’d say there’s something wrong, the man said as he stepped forward and leaned on Orions desk.

“Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on. You coming in here, no interview, no references aside from some guy who knows the CEO and being the only new hire in IT for the last four years.”

Orion listened and tried to process what the man was saying. Was it some kind of riddle, a problem solving test?

Brandon continued, “But let me tell you something I’m not going out without a fight. This place would fall apart without me. I helped build this network and I know all the issues and quirks and I have kept it going, on my own, for the better part of half a decade.  I’m dug in here like a tick so don’t you think you can come and do what I do.” He had leaned forward further and was almost staring down at Orion.

This interaction was confusing him more than any of the others. He tried to come up with a response. “I know I can’t do all you do that’s why I’m eager to learn.”

Brandon stared back at him and Orion could see a slight bit of the same fear response from before but also what he recognized as anger.  

“Well may the best man win,” Brandon said then returning to his own desk across from the bewildered Orion.

They sat in mostly silence for the rest of the day aside from when Orion had asked about their daily duties.

“Wait for a call then go fix what’s broke,” was all Brandon said. Not that Orion got to do much of that. For the rest of the day Brandon would answer every call and rush out to address whatever issue. Orion watched as the man would come back red faced from his haste only to immediately leave as new call came in.

Eventually an issue did arise while Brandon was out, and Orion answered it eagerly. He had been quick to determine the workers problem and tried to make conversation while he addressed it but found that the man had left the room mid-conversation as Orion had been looking away. He made note of this as he had all the other interactions before returning to his office where he spent the rest of the day mostly in solitude. He didn’t speak to any of his coworkers as he left the building at five o’clock, but he hung his head hung low in solidarity.

The professor was at the door to greet him when he returned.

“How did it go Orion?” He asked in a pleasant tone like a father asking a child about school.

“It was illuminating,” he answered as he took a seat the chair that acted as a charging station for the android.

“Learned more about human interaction I’m sure,” The professor said as he took a seat across from Orion.

“Yes, and like you said it was more, complex than I had anticipated.” The professor nodded in response and Orion tried to phrase his next question. “Professor, is it normal as a human to feel empty at the end of the day.”

The professor paused for a long moment staring into the androids earnest eyes. He felt a mix of pride and sorrow. It seemed that Orion wasn’t as confused as he made out. “Normal? No, it is not normal. It is, however, typical.”

Orion processed the answer for a moment before nodding in understanding. He then leaned back and shut his eyes.