Elven Roses

"So you do odd jobs?" Aldrec concluded.

Mericlou nodded. "I work in a business run by androids. My brothers, Skori and Sedriil, my sister Alaema, and I, rent out our services for just about anything needed: mechanics, house repair, construction, babysitting, you name it. But we tend to specialize in our individual talents."

"Specialize?" Aldrec echoed, not quite understanding.

"We're all different model androids, so we specialize in the work we're sent to do," Mericlou explained. "For example, I'm an Alerian model, and aside from child-rearing, my primary functions are like those of your common maid. I can cook, clean, do laundry and groceries, and I can do accounting and secretarial work as well. Also, because of our strength, I sometimes help my brothers in light construction work, though they're much better at it than I am. You understand now?"

Aldrec nodded. "I think I do. So … is business very bad?"

"Not at all!" Mericlou replied, almost incredulous. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, you did say that you don't make much money," Aldrec said, unable to keep uncertainty out of his voice. "And I would imagine that a service-for-hire pays very well … or at least, it should."

"You really don't know how it is for androids, do you?" Mericlou said, her expression and tone of voice more sympathetic than accusatory.

"I guess not," Aldrec admitted, now thoroughly embarrassed.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious," Mericlou said. "Even though the law says that we have equal rights, most of us still live in the Republic, and that means having to put up with discrimination. A lot of humans still hate us here. They'd sooner think of us as walking appliances than people."

Aldrec noticed her voice taking on an ever-increasing edge of bitterness as she continued. "So when any of us go into business for ourselves without a master, most humans feel that paying us equal human wages when they could just as easily have bought a lower-class android to do the work is, well … beneath them. And then, the laws that supposedly protect our equality aren't enforced like they should be, so that gives most humans free reign to treat us however they want."

"But even though Lusea's a Republic city, there are few humans at all here," Aldrec said defensively. "Surely, you wouldn't have the same problems here with elves."

Mericlou shook her head. "We don't, not with elves or dragons. But both their kind and yours have magic, and rarely ever need us. Because of that, we end up dealing mostly with humans. And sometimes it takes our work out-of-town. We work a lot in Tylat, to the south."