Prologue

The scratchy draw of the pencil on paper was the only thing that is heard in the well lit lab. 

Bent over a table was a man who looked older than he was, dishevelled hair and opened white shirt that had somehow become rumpled. He muttered to himself, focused on the calculations he kept drawing up. He glanced at the board on which he had written chemical properties. 

"Of course!" He jumped, elated at his breakthrough. The missing piece had been staring at his face all this time. "Alpha," He called out for his AI. 

A male toneless voice replied, "Hello, Doctor." 

"My daughter's files, please."

Holograms flickered across the room as he examined the algorithms and cellular components of the matter. He glanced at the other room, separated by a wall and a glass frame where the cold, robotic humanoid and a frail human body laid on raised beds. Lights shone on the two female figures of the same likeness. The transference room was ready for the swapping process. 

Doubt flickered in his eyes. What if it doesn't work? He shrugged with doubt and thought to himself, a thousand errors to get one success. 

Proceed?

Yes or No 

He paused and prayed it worked. He lifted his hand and tapped on Yes. The transference room glowed as Alpha called out, "Transference has begun. Soul matter has been identified. Soul matter has been identified." 

At the long pause that followed, the doctor is fingers together, eyes closed in silent prayer. 

"Complete. Complete...," Alpha quieted. 

He could only hope for the best now. He walked out of the room and into the transference room, looking down at the bodies. Neither body moved, still asleep. 

Watching the human body, a small shaky sigh escaped him. He caressed her pale face. He had failed. Again. 

"Soon, my dear. Soon."

As he walked out of the quiet room, the pinky finger on the left hand of the robotic body twitched.