Future Darkly: Artifamily

SCENE opens with an homage to the famous POV sequence from the 1987 sci-fi film, Robocop. A lead scientist leans over the POV of a locked-off camera and examines the frame. She is standing in a stark, well-lit room accompanied by a small team, dressed neatly in lab coats, and taking notes. The lead scientist is commenting on the final stages of their new version. She talks about the exteroceptive sensors and the CCD cameras, asking questions to make sure that the actuators that malfunctioned previously will be completed prior to the trial. As she speaks, the frame periodically populates with code (VFX), suggesting that the scientists are leaning over a computer. When the scientist is satisfied, she asks the team to drain it and dress it in civilian clothes. The father will be arriving shortly. She leaves, and the team gives one final long look before exiting the frame.

CUT TO TITLE PLATE

TEXT PLATE: March 15, 2095

A CU of a man’s shoes. He taps his feet and shakes his legs as the camera slowly pulls up to reveal an anxious looking man named Robert sitting in a minimalist white office. It’s been six months since his beloved wife and 18-year-old step daughter were killed in a car accident and the man is sick with grief. Despite the support of his family and friends, he has been hospitalized twice with severe PTSD and recently placed on a medical leave by his employer. It was his therapist, in fact, who insisted he sign up for this government program as part of his treatment. Robert runs his hands through his hair and wipes his face to get himself together, as the lead scientist and her team of staff enter the room.

The scientist greets Robert with great sensitivity, shaking the man’s hand before extending it into a hug and introducing him to her team. She asks Robert to sit down again so they may begin the orientation. Taking her cue, one of the team members uses a tablet to cast a hologram screen beside the scientist (VFX*), as she begins speaking. She welcomes Robert formally to the ARTIFAMILY institute and starts to explain its history. It was founded in 2040 by Dr. Philip Bernard, a psychiatrist and futurist entrepreneur, who had a vision of using artificial intelligence to treat mental illness. Since Bernard’s humble beginnings, ARTIFAMILY has evolved to become the leading treatment facility for victims of exploitation, emotional distress, and extreme bereavement. As the scientist explains their story, the screen beside her displays various images of Bernard and the ARTIFAMILY institute. Robert can only half-follow, visibly distracted and anxious about being there.

Taking a pause to gauge his reaction, the scientist continues to explain his case. As she talks about the tragic accident, images of his wife and smiling daughter come on the screen. Robert looks sick, having to put his head between his knees at a certain point. The scientist signals another team member, who brings the man a silver can. Robert sips it meekly as the scientist goes on to discuss his subsequent PTSD diagnosis, work leave, and therapist recommendations. She empathizes about how hard it is for humans to retain employment and that he is lucky his corporation is so supportive. He has no expression.

Kneeling beside him, the scientist sympathetically reminds him that today is the first step in his healing process. ARTIFAMILY specializes in creating android clones of deceased loved ones so that no one must suffer the loss of losing someone too soon ever again. Their team of scientists were able to upload and digitize their brain cells to construct an exact clone, using machine learning and patented algorithms to generate a personality match from the digital data. Apart from a small microchip behind the left earlobe, you would never know that ARTIFAMILY members weren’t human. As she tells Robert about the program, the screen displays various sales pitches and stock images of androids being built. Robert stares at them in disbelief. The scientist signals her team to leave the room and they file out obediently, the hologram screen closing as they exit.

‘Mr. White,’ she says quietly. ‘In compliance with the AIX act, I need to inform you that we are only legally allowed to dispatch one android clone per household. Since you did not specify your preference in the initial application, we have taken the liberty to generate the more viable of the two candidates. I hope it will suffice.’ Robert looks at her blankly, asking what she means by ‘viable’ as the team re-enters the room behind them. They are escorting the android daughter, who stands rigidly between them in a white tank top and white shorts. ‘Daddy,’ she whispers. Robert freezes. His eyes well up as he slowly turns around to see the perfect likeness to his daughter. She looks expressionless for a moment before smiling and laughing. ‘It’s so good to see you,’ she says cheerfully. He staggers over to her, feeling her face, her arms, her legs, and exclaiming inaudibly before collapsing at her feet in tears. The team look amongst themselves proudly as the scientist shows off the girl’s features, including her seamless movement, integrated computer system that is both wireless and SMART, and a discreet on/off function. She reminds Robert of the paperwork he needs to sign before they can leave. In a state of euphoria, he happily agrees to sign whatever papers are necessary to get his precious girl home.

TEXT PLATE: March 16, 2095

Cut to Robert opening the front door with his luggage and ushering his daughter inside. Cautiously and not willing to let go of her hand, he calls her by name (Jessica) and asks if she remembers their home. She steps inside, turns around, and smiling nods her head — telling her father the exact date and time he and his late wife moved their family into the house, along with the property’s coordinates: 34.0259 N, 118.7798 W. Robert’s smile wavers; a small, stinging reminder that Jessica is not quite the same. He asks if she wants to see her room again and, after a slight pause, she eagerly nods and gives him a giant hug. They exit.

Cut to Jessica entering her bedroom. She turns around and asks curiously why he didn’t take her to his room. Robert reminds her that she has her own room. ‘But I sleep with you when I don’t want to be alone,’ she says, stepping into him for a hug. He winches again, looking at the subtle microchip tattooed behind her ear as he holds her. ‘Yes sweetheart,’ he says. ‘But that was when you were little. You’re 18-years-old now.’ She looks up at him. ‘The legal age of consent to sleep with another person in the state of California is 18 years old, daddy, so, I’m going to sleep with you!’ She grabs his crotch. Robert steps back awkwardly and takes her hand off. ‘No, that is not right, Jessica,’ He says nervously. ‘You must have that confused. I’m your step-father. I’ll be downstairs.’ He leaves the room abruptly, as Jessica stares at him before slowly slipping her fingers down her shorts and pulling them up to reveal sticky, wet fingers.

Cut to that evening. Robert is eating dinner while Jessica sits watching him. The room is quiet and awkward when Jessica breaks the silence. ‘Sexual intercourse.’ She starts spouting. ‘The sexual contact between individuals involving penetration, especially the insertion of a man’s erect penis into a woman’s vagina, typically culminating in orgasm and the ejaculation of semen.’ Robert puts his fork down in shock. She stares at him before saying sweetly, ‘When are you going to penetrate me, daddy?’

TEXT PLATE: March 17, 2095

Robert sits in the living room, with Jessica across from him. He is trying to discreetly read the ARTIFAMILY manual he was given, particularly the diagram about how to turn the android off. All he needs to do is place his left thumb between her eyes to disable her function. It has been programmed to his thumbprint for security. Nervously, he looks it over a final time, opens a web browser and starts to type in ‘what to do if your ARTIFAMILY malfunctions’ before deciding against it and closing his tablet. Instead, he asks his daughter what she wants to do tonight, and they embark on a few minutes of small talk. The conversation almost seems normal and Robert starts to let his guard down when, suddenly, Jessica starts removing her clothes. She asks him why he was searching for malfunctions with her body when, bending over, she can easily show him that nothing has malfunctioned. Robert stares at his android daughter’s pussy before clasping his hand over his eyes. He tells her to put her clothing back on. ‘No daddy,’ she argues. ‘Not until I show you that I am fully functional and do not require any updates.’ Robert slowly removes his hand and tells her that he can see. ‘I am a perfectly proportioned 18-year-old girl,’ she continues spreading her lips. ‘My skin is soft, I am easy to lubricate, and I am always eager to please you.’ Robert shakes his head in disbelief. ‘But you are my daughter,’ he begs. ‘Yes daddy,’ she smiles turning onto her knees and crawling to his lap. ‘I am the best version of your daughter. I want you to fuck me, daddy!’ She unzips his pants and stares up at him to accept his cock. In a panic, he presses his left thumb between her eyes, which emits a red glowing button (VFX) and the android clone closes her eyes and falls into a sleep mode position.

TEXT PLATE: March 18, 2095

Jessica sits in the exact same frozen position while Robert paces frantically in the background.

TEXT PLATE: March 19, 2095

Jessica sits in the exact same frozen position while Robert leans in to her face. He looks horribly conflicted. He tells his house’s SMART assistant to call the ARTIFAMILY INSTITUTE but as soon as the app agrees, he quickly changes his mind and cancels the call.

TEXT PLATE: March 20, 2095

Jessica sits in the exact same frozen position while Robert sits back in his chair. He hasn’t slept or eaten in several days and he is exasperated. Shooting her an evil look, he tells her she isn’t even his real daughter. ‘My daughter was a spoiled brat who never appreciated me,’ he starts yelling. ‘My daughter caused my wife so much stress that that’s why she probably decided to try to drive the car herself that night. Why the hell else would she have done that? Nobody fucking drives themselves anymore!’ He grabs the frozen girl’s face aggressively. ‘I should just fuck you till you break!’ He yells. In the heat of the moment, his thumb re-actives her — a green glow emitting from her forehead. (VFX) She turns on, looks up at him and opens her mouth. ‘Yes daddy, please daddy … please fuck me!’ Robert grabs his cock out of his pants and shoves it deep into her android mouth. BG Rough Sex Scene. Throughout the sex, Robert hate fucks the android while she eagerly encourages him to go harder, using lots of family roleplay talk. In the end, he jizzes all over her face. Looking up at him, she repeatedly says ‘Thank you daddy’ as she begins to short-circuit. She collapses to the floor.

Panicked and overwhelmed by what he has done, Robert stares at his android daughter lying on the floor glitching (VFX) before screaming to his SMART APP to call the ARTIFAMILY institute. The SMART APP asks if he is certain this time. He screams yes and the phone rings. When a receptionist at ARTIFAMILY answers, all that the tormented Robert can scream is ‘HELP ME!’