"I bought her contract from an old cyber brothel in Sakar, and then upgraded her so that she could do more than just what she was originally programmed to do," Mericlou explained, and then let out an annoyed sigh. "Unfortunately, that upgrade had no effect on her original programming, so you can imagine her personality."
"By the Divine …" Aldrec murmured, understanding Mericlou's innuendo. "So why go so far just to rescue one Setru model if she's such a problem?"
"Sometimes I ask myself the same question," Mericlou replied, a rueful tone in her voice. "And the answer is always the same. It's what love drives you to do. I can't explain it, but the day I first saw her, it just hit me. It was like … love at first sight; there's no other way that I can explain it. Something in my heart just broke to pieces, and I knew that I had to have her. But now, I sometimes find myself wondering, 'Meri, what the hell were you thinking?'"
"Because of her personality," Aldrec concluded.
"To say she's a handful would be an understatement," Mericlou said. She stood and began a nervous pace. "I mean, she's a real piece of work; my telling it to you wouldn't do it justice. She's got a sex drive the size of this garden, and if it weren't for those buffer units that Sedriil makes, she'd be completely incorrigible. Did you know that once, Skori and I caught her and the assistant manager of the Korensis firm … Wait a minute, where is she, anyway?"
"I didn't see anyone else when I came in," Aldrec said, casting his gaze across the garden with Mericlou. "But this place is pretty big."
"You're right," Mericlou said, moving on to another nearby patch of shrubs. "She's probably gone to start on the Peruba trees on the other side. All things considered, she's been behaving herself, and that's unusual of itself. But still, I really am glad for the help; I never knew how big this garden was until I actually started working in it."
"Well," Aldrec said, taking up another pair of pruning clips, and starting on the shrub beside the one she was pruning, "it's now three who are working, isn't there?"
"I can handle it," Mericlou assured him. "It's no trouble at all, you know."
"It's my garden," Aldrec reminded her. "Besides, working here always gives me a sense of peace. And don't worry; your pay won't be any less for my help."