Custom Bodyguard "Excella"

It's been a late and stressful day at the office, with a dozen projects suddenly appearing on your desk at sunset and rumors of some high-level security breach affecting the levels above yours. But you've done as much as you can for the day, and all that's left is to take a hover-taxi home so you can get some proper rest before tackling it all again tomorrow.

Excella follows you to the landing platform, the high-heels built into her feet clacking with every step. She's a fashion piece as much as a bodyguard, with even her combat armor cut into a figure-hugging shape and accessorized with a designer jacket, but that doesn't always stop you from remembering that she's a deadly piece of machinery that tracks your every move.

"Sir. Be careful for a moment."

You freeze at Excella's whispered words. You look around the platform, and immediately see what's raised her suspicions. There's a man in a heavy overcoat sidling towards you, one hand clutching something in his pocket, his intentions clear. The mugger must not recognize Excella for what she is, because he doesn't seem the type to enjoy being shoved through a wall.

Excella steps out in front of you protectively. "This will only take a moment, sir. Please take the time to enjoy the night air."

The last few weeks before the end of the fiscal year are always hard, but even harder when your CFO has gotten his pacemaker hacked to explode. Chaos at the top trickles down fast, and it seems like most of it wound up raining down on your department. But you've made it through to the other side still well in the green, and you've earned a nice Friday night out on the town.

You're all dressed up and ready to go. But just when you're about read to go, your bodyguard android steps out to the door, bolts all the manual latches, and flips open the security panel. With a few keystrokes, she begins initiating the lockdown procedure on your apartment.

"Sir. I apologize for the late decision, but the latest news updates cross-referenced against yearly averages, the economic index, and the current weather indicate a 40% increase in potential criminal activity tonight. It's far too dangerous for us to leave home, let alone participate in our planned night out."

You hear the mechanical whine and his as your door seals itself further, and watch as transparent shutters descend over your spacious windows. Excella turns back around, and gives you a curt nod.

"Please enjoy a pleasant, safe evening at home, sir."

You're a few hours deep into a quiet day of work in your home office, striving against the endless sea of paperwork and pointless meetings that define your career. It's about as ideal as workdays get- all projects on schedule, all milestones met, all budgets on-target. The sudden feeling of Excella's grip on your shoulder, heavy and uncomfortably tight, makes you feel like a fish being plucked out of its tank.

"Sir. I have a question."

She spins you around in your chair, not loosing the grip on your shoulder. With her other hand, she holds up a holographic display of an internet page. Your shopping history. Her blue eyes are wide, boring straight into yours.

"Sir. It looks like you were browsing examples of other bodyguard androids the other night. Because that is what you were doing, correct? Browsing examples, out of academic curiosity? Or perhaps a desire to upgrade me? You were not thinking of replacing me, am I correct, sir?"

Her grip on your shoulder becomes tight enough to cause you pain, and you start to lose feeling in your arm. Her dark hair frames her eyes as her expression takes on a more manic kind of intensity.

Your office isn't on the corner yet, but it's big and it's on a high enough floor to clear the other buildings in the skyline, which is good enough for you. You've got a free schedule today, which means you have plenty of time to get some real work done or take a few strokes off your holo-golf game, whichever seems like a better idea. As you're debating the matter, the door opens, and Excella trots in smartly.

"Sir. I've completed my routine sweep of the floor and conferred with the security systems, and found nothing unusual."

She gives you a stiff and excessively formal bow, her dark hair spilling on the carpet in front of her. She retreats to her chair in the corner behind you, where you can feel the familiar sensation of her blue eyes boring into the back of your skull.

"Let me know if you need anything, sir."