51 Boudoir Glamour Inc. #51

Humans were afforded a lifetime of learning and growth. With the longer lives, there was a greater demand for population control.

Schools packed with children were obsolete. Young people were not nearby each other.

The reduced nutrition diets would keep someone growing to 'adult' size until age sixty.

Education was no longer a 'cram school' experience. Decades of trying to fill developing brains with knowledge. Hoping to have that knowledge for a career, maybe thrice as long.

There were specialized rooms for education. For non-adults, it was not a system to achieve knowledge retention. It was a place to confirm brain competence. Laying out well-organized neural pathways. A reliable process since there were decades to grow into it. The low nutrition diets kept erratic brain growth to a minimum.

Glasses were very uncommon. Video screens found the right distance for each person. Gone were the days when studious children would change their eye shape (to nearsighted) by squinting at text close to the face.

There were many old rumors about androids. Whispers and adult teasing of young people.

So when three androids walked into his study room; it worried Hiro.

There was a long afternoon of instruction on an odd choice of topics. Sometimes rapid fire from all three androids.

They gave him some fast instructional videos on sorting for archeological purposes. Then gave him a bucket of dry items for him to sort.

Geologic things in one pile. Rocks, sand and the like.

Organic things in one pile. Shells, tree wood, coral chunks and the like.

Human 'discardia' in the third pile. Plastic, ceramic, and twisted metal.

After he completed that test, the androids circled him.

"Congratulations. You have moved from project candidate, to project testee, to project participant in one day. You are the first to be tested, and first to be selected."

They displayed a statement of participation on the screen. The androids would be staying with him. Staying close and often.

Hiro was excused for a break, and he at once sought his parents.

His parents were semi-reclined in a controlled transparent love seat for two. With low-calorie diets, it was important to limit baseline exertions. As parents, it was important to be available to each other to talk. The special love seat afforded private work zones, but also gave time for face-to-face moments.

Hiro knew his entrance conveyed exasperation and angst. Walking solidly and have quick urgent tone of his words.

"I was chosen for a project.. by androids.. It might involve androids being with me one hundred percent of the time! Can you stop it for me? You have a parent's authority!"

Hiro left confused. His parents had always instructed obedience to androids. But more, they accepted the project. I would get devoted training. Something that would be a benefit to me for centuries. Even today, Hiro's knowledge ranking had been improved.

He took solace as he walked to his room. Solace in the kind words of his parents "So very proud of you."

His room flashed a surround scene of blowing hillsides (one of his favorites, usually)

Hiro was in bed, when the three androids entered the room and stood at far wall edges.

"Is this what the project details suggested? You would be with me all the time? Are you going to touch me and test my body while I sleep?"

The reply was not comforting. They would be with him nearly all the time. They had sensors, so they did not need to touch him for tests. In time, they would be in bed with him while he slept.

That was part of the project. A crucial part of the project.