Is it right to love a TDoll?

Submitted to Girls Frontline writing contest on: 10, 27, 2019

"...Hey Kalina?" The commander said suddenly, breaking the silence in the room as she glanced over to the woman in question.

"Yes, commander?"

Another brief period of silence before the commander asked her question. "Is it right to love a TDoll?"

Kalina blinked at the question before giving her usual cheery smile, "Of course it's right to love your TDolls commander! They work so hard and they're really reliable, especially under your capable hands! What kind of-..."

The commander shook her head. "Not that type of love Kalina. The other type. The type that's more familiar to type of love that makes us want to spend time with someone, the one that makes us all lovey dovey, the one that-..."

Kalina put a hand up to stop the commander, "I get it commander. It's a different type of love than the one I initially thought of." the commander nodded as Kalina put a hand to her chin in thought, "But... why though? They're androids ma'am. They're also treated a lot differently than humans, let alone the fact that they have different laws surrounding them as well..."

The commander sighed and smiled calmly, "I understand that, and I know that their personalities are programmed into them but..." she put a hand to her chest and clenched it gently, "I love RFB, and yes, that is weird. Out of every TDoll why RFB?" she giggled, "I couldn't tell you. I just... I love her. Really, I do."

"It's so quirky, like Persica programmed, but at the same time I find it so fascinating and... endearing?" The commander shrugged. She tried to think of a better word to use, but quickly gave up and continued taking, "The rivalry with KSG I think is really funny to watch, and her quirky way of speaking with all that video game lingo. It's just... can I really put it into words on how much I love RFB? Is this enough for me to get my point across to you Kalina?"

Kalina nodded, "I get it, but relationships like those have never been heard of before." she explained, "Of course there's gay marriage between either sex, and some... really odd marriages documented in the past, but the point is. It isn't socially accepted, and the way the laws work with TDolls, or even ADolls forbids that sort of relationship."

"But there's Oath-..."

"You know that the other commanders use Oath rings like it's nothing commander." Kalina rebuked, "They buy lots of Oath rings from their adjutants and give it to their TDolls like hotcakes to increase their performance that much more. It's not a mutual thing. Not in the same way as an actual marriage is."

The commander sighed, "So then it's impossible for me to be able to love a TDoll?"

Kalina shook her head, "No, but you're going to face a lot of scrutiny. If not from your TDolls at the sudden boost in affection towards one in particular, then definitely from the higher ups. Even the civilians would be critical of you if you ever decided to enter town." she added, "I wouldn't say you would encounter prejudice, but no one is going to support you in your endeavors."

The commander had a troubled look on her face as she looked at Kalina, "...Not even you?"

"Not even me." Kalina confirmed with a nod of her head.

"I may be your adjutant, but I am just that. Your adjutant." Kalina finally put down her tablet to give the commander a serious answer, "I'm not a family member, or a close friend, and there are a lot of things I will support you with commander, but this isn't one of them."

Kalina moved to sit on the chair on the other side of her of the commander's desk, "If it's anything like the history books have told us in the past, then advocating for something like this won't be easy." she warned, "It took years for gay marriage to become legal, even longer to identify yourself as something other than male or female. There has long been history even earlier that shows how issues like these take upwards of 5 years to even make a single development for their cause."

The commander rested her head against her desk and sighed, "That does sound like quite the impossible task. Having to become an activist on top of leading an elite group of TDolls in one of the world's largest PMCs..."

"I never said you had to become an activist."

"But you said-..."

"I'm just asking you if you would be willing to support your cause long term." Kalina clarified, "Because, in those history books, there's also mentions of people starting causes about small things, but quickly giving up when their cause was going nowhere."

Kalina gave a serious stare at her commander, "So let me ask again. This time more clearly: advocating for your cause won't be easy, but will you stick with it through the very end? Even if you aren't vocal about it publicly, will you try to do your best to send requests to the higher ups to get something like this approved?"

The commander smiled and raised her head from her desk, "And here I thought you wouldn't support me in my endeavors."

Kalina giggled and picked up her tablet, "I'm not. I'm just giving you advice and encouraging you. I'm providing you my thoughts on the matter is all. I'm saying to follow whatever your heart desires."

The commander smirked, "But then that's a convoluted way of saying you support me, and my issue."

Kalina shrugged as she stood up to leave the commander's office, "Okay so maybe I am supporting you then. I still don't want to be caught up in any of it. As long as I get paid, Sangvis is exterminated, and you're happy, then I don't care what you're doing. "

The commander waved Kalina goodbye, a satisfied smile in her face as she mumbled to herself, "So it isn't right to love a TDoll, but if its what I believe in then... it doesn't matter if I'm wrong or I'm right. As long as I'm confident in my beliefs until they're proven wrong or rejected, I can try my hardest to make them a reality."

The commander leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, "That Kalina... she really does deserve a bonus after this." she chuckled quietly, "Who would've thought that greedy lady would provide me with so much insight?"

As the day dragged on, the commander couldn't help but keep the conversation she had with Kalina in the back of her mind. She was seriously considering sending a letter to the higher ups about this, but that was something that she could do at another time. She was perfectly happy with how things were in her life right now