The Modified (The Biotics Trilogy, #1) by C.A. Kunz

completely dry and silky smooth.
    There’s a robe hanging just outside of the shower and I grab for it. It feels like it’s made of the same material our uniforms are, and fits a little snug on me. I make my way to the closet and my bangle activates it to slide open. Inside is a row of uniforms, all my size, hanging up on the rack, and also several pairs of black boots on the floor. A little dresser off to the side has two drawers, one contains a bunch of black sports bras and the other contains many pairs of black underwear and socks.
    Dressed in my uniform, I look at myself in the full-length mirror. I notice that my hair isn’t still in a braid, and I panic. “This is definitely not a military approved hairstyle,” I state while combing my hand through it.
    I sigh after trying to fix my hair up into several different styles, but nothing works out.
    “Is something wrong, Kenley?” Galileo echoes within the casing.
    I apologize for forgetting to remove it and then reply, “I can’t seem to get my hair like that android had it.”
    “You have ten minutes to get to the mess hall. Would you like some assistance?” he asks.
    “Well, I think I’d be hopeless without any,” I answer.
    “Is that a yes?”
    I laugh. “Yes.”
    I hear a soothing electronic sound come from the bangle several times. A couple seconds later there’s a knock at my door. I approach the door and it rolls open. A red-haired android is standing there with an awkward smile plastered across her face.
    “Greetings, I am Ada 18. I was summoned to braid your hair. Would you like me to braid your hair now?”
    “Uh, yes, that would be perfect,” I reply. Really? A beauty android?
    It only takes Ada 18 a minute to perfectly braid my hair exactly the way the other Ada did. I sit there in front of the vanity mirror admiring her work.
    “Thanks, Ada 18,” I say with a smile.
    “My pleasure, Grayson, Kenley,” she says and then leaves abruptly.
    “You now have only seven minutes to get to the mess hall,” Galileo chimes in.
    “Okay, okay, you don’t have to be so pushy,” I reply. “Oh, and thanks for the hair.”
    “My pleasure,” he answers.
    “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask why you and all of the androids say my pleasure , if you can’t actually feel pleasure?” I ask staring at Galileo’s hologram.
    “We are preprogrammed with common phrases used by humans, but not all. My pleasure is a common kind saying, and seems appropriate anytime someone shows gratitude. Why do you ask?”
    “Just curious is all,” I reply. “Crap, I forgot to brush my teeth. Wait, I didn’t see a toothbrush in the bathroom. Galileo, how am I supposed to brush my teeth if there’s no toothbrush?”
    “There are dissolvable tablets in the bathroom that will assist you with your dental hygiene,” he answers. “Check in the mirror cabinet above the sink.”
    I run into the bathroom and pull open the mirror cabinet. There’s a small circular blue tin that’s sitting there all alone on the second shelf. Taking it in hand, I open the tin and find several flat round tablets. I pick one out and hold it right in front of my face, studying it. “This is it?”
    “Yes. Place the tablet in your mouth and it will do the rest,” Galileo explains.
    Once I pop in the tablet, I immediately feel this strange sensation sweeping across my tongue and throughout my mouth. It feels like I just ate the entire contents of a bag of Pop Rocks and then drank a soda. I open my mouth and see that it’s full of a white frothy substance, like I had just brushed my teeth.
    “I would suggest you dispose of the excess tablet residue, and then rinse your mouth,” Galileo states.  
    Another knock comes from my door the moment I finish taking a swish of water. As I approach it, the door rolls open and Joey’s standing there smiling.
    “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Joey states as his smile turns to an impish grin.
    “You’re not too shabby yourself,” I say