Loud blasts shook the earth releasing a thick ball of black smoke followed by a series of agonising screams. A beautiful village until a few moments ago had now turned to dust. The helpless soldiers watched in horror from a distance as the terrible scene unfolded in front of their eyes. The Company Commander, Major Jaivik Singhania, distraught at the late intelligence input, punched hard in the air. This could’ve been avoided had the disrupted transmission not delayed them. They couldn’t linger there though, people including the soldiers stationed there were waiting to be rescued. Hurriedly, they marched forward looking for survivors. Visibility was limited. Destroyed homes, burnt vehicles, charred bodies, and people with missing limbs were scattered everywhere amidst pitiful cries for help. The dutiful major reached under a pile of rubble and carefully grabbed an arm to pull him out. He was appalled as the hand came right off. Suddenly a voice came from beneath the debris, “My death is on you. You didn’t save me.” Heartbroken, he stared blankly at the arm with the Indian Army tattoo. He knew who it was. The voice kept getting louder until he could bear it no more. He desperately shut his ears tight but it wouldn’t stop.

“NO! NO! NO!” Jaivik wailed and woke up with a jolt. He was sweating profusely and his heart was thudding loudly against his chest. Involuntarily, he looked at the time: 3:30 am. Another nightmare and they seemed to get more frequent. He took the glass of water from his bedside and downed it all in one big noisy gulp. He carelessly put it back and replaced the cover. Soaked through, it felt like he had stepped out of a shower. The dead still of the night usually lulled him to sleep but of late it seemed to cloy at him. Why? He had chosen this life, this solitude.

There was a reason why Major Jaivik Singhania had settled in a far-off village in the hills after an early retirement. He had seen enough carnage and unthinkable hate for human life for a lifetime. The painful limp in his leg due to severe splinter injuries from that mission was a nagging reminder of his incompetence and loss. Waking up at that military hospital surrounded by soldiers at different stages of disfigurement wasn’t an easy sight to forget.

Jaivik was in his mid-30s, hailed from Jaipur, and was the eldest of three brothers. Serving in the Indian Army seemed far more alluring to him than their thriving family garment business. After a deserving enrolment, his great physique, sharp intellect, good communication skills, and discipline ensured that he quickly got accepted by all ranks. He was a staunch nationalist and believed in securing his country from every enemy at all costs. His dedication to his motherland and responsibility towards his brothers after the sudden demise of his parents left him no time for love or marriage. He didn’t miss it either seeing how much hurt people could inflict on others. His heart-wrenching experience led him to evade human interaction with the terse ‘KEEP AWAY’ sign on his gate and getting essentials delivered weekly with online payments. He could live and leave in peace.

Sitting at his close Army friend’s luxurious New Delhi home Jaivik was amusingly uncomfortable. Accustomed to bare minimal furniture and simple food, the classy interiors and sumptuous feast made his head spin. How did he get pulled into this ‘get-together‘ of Army veterans that conveniently coincided with his friend’s 40th extended birthday celebrations? It was unofficial and he could’ve refused. However, they had served together on his last mission and shared more scars on their souls than they cared to admit. The evening’s lively conversations were sprinkled with brave war stories, dreadful politics, personal struggles, changes in public perception, etc. Thanks to the heady combination of tipple and nostalgia soon the mood turned somber as they talked about lost friends, deception, and apathy. That’s when it happened.

Jaivik opened his eyes to find everyone huddled around him, fear and concern writ large on their faces. He had passed out while his friend was sharing gory details of the village bombing. The intelligence failure, the lives lost, and the aftermath of that day still made him palpitate but this was new. Incidentally, Dr. Sandhya Rajan, a senior psychologist and researcher at the Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR) was among them that day. After working with veterans for years, she could understand a patient’s issues from a glance. Observing him throughout the evening had given her a fair idea about his problems. He had an undiagnosed textbook case of PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) leading to clear signs of ASPD (Antisocial Personality Disorder).

She had personally counselled many veterans to understand their mental health issues and was trained well to handle them. However, Jaivik was different. He wasn’t inclined to talk or take any medication. Counselling was tricky since he lived far away and refused the online option. Her attempts at getting answers from him meant going on a wild goose chase. She wasn’t one to give up though.

This was the perfect opportunity to test IRA, the semi-humanoid bot that she had been working on for the last two years. Dr. Sandhya Rajan set an appointment for Jaivik at her office the next day and insisted that he keep it. He wanted to laugh it off but the Army man in him wouldn’t allow defying orders so he went to see her, albeit skeptically.

IRA (Acronym for Intelligent Reliable Affectionate) was a project designed to help patients with different caregiving needs; physical, psychological, emotional, and more. Her human-like form made it almost impossible to differentiate her from a regular person. Children requiring physical support, senior citizens with memory and health issues, real-time monitoring of vitals, meals and medicine alarms, emergency response, etc were some areas for which it was being developed for assistance. Caregiving would never be the same with this sophisticated AI tool that could perform consistently without being overwhelmed or exhausted. IRA was still in the nascent stage but her experience with Jaivik would help fine-tune her for future use. She could learn on the job and develop the right responses from real human interaction. It was time to release and test her but could the doctor convince him?

Jaivik looked at the beautiful, fair-skinned robotic human IRA dressed in smart western wear with a chic bob and wondered if he was made. Who exactly was the guinea pig here? Dr. Sandhya Rajan’s noble intentions prompted him to give in to this ‘study’. Not to mention, she was assertive and presented a tight case after which they agreed to a trial period of ten days. Getting IRA out of the lab had taken a ton of paperwork though and she reached his humble abode a month later. Almost a recluse, her presence in the house made Jaivik stumble a couple of times. The doctor sure had a weird sense of humour. Why else would she teach a robot to say Good Morning and Good Night or enquire about his day? His life went by with perfect order and consistency. No deviations.

How long could he ignore her though? ”IRA, don’t you get bored standing in one place all day?” he asked after two days. “I don’t know how that’s done. I‘m programmed to stay alert and observe my surroundings. My task is to ensure that I provide any assistance I possibly can to you.” She replied in an even tone. “Oh, you observe me? Well then tell me something you learned about me, huh?” sarcasm dripped from his voice. IRA had her observations ready. “You like eggs for breakfast but dislike toast. You have anywhere between 4-6 cups of coffee every day. You’re fluent in five languages and like crime and horror movies. Your taste in music ranges from Indian classical to Jazz and sometimes Rock. You prefer listening to ghazals after consuming alcohol. You’re a bookworm and boast an impressive repertoire of Indian and foreign authors in your study. Tagore and Leo Tolstoy are your favourites. You feel safe in the confines of this house and step out only when necessary. You don’t seem to have an amicable relationship with your siblings and procrastinate replying to their emails. For others, you still rely on snail mail. As for a phone…”

“Alright, alright, that’s enough!” he snapped. How could IRA deduce all this about him within two days? She had access to his digital data which explained the music and book choices but the siblings and security issues involved derivation. Was she as perceptive as the doctor had conveyed to him? She didn’t have a human brain but her ability to correlate and infer was remarkable. All this without the human vices of bragging and judging. He had read that AI was the future and could be put to numerous uses in medical science, education, defense, and astrophysics too. Should he give her a chance and try to get to know her better? He had nothing to lose after all.

Jaivik’s life completely transformed after that. From forgotten recipes and technical jargon to lesser-known heroes of Indian history and exotic places, IRA knew everything. Army life had taken Jaivik to several remote locations and he fondly relived those days with her. He soon delegated kitchen duties too and enjoyed quiet moments on the patio while she fixed his home. This was a welcome break and rest from his limp. Their chats extended long into the night as he unburdened the guilt of being ‘left behind’ while his mates faced a warrior’s death. He pushed his siblings away, dismayed but not letting them see him wrecked. IRA listened patiently, offering help only when asked and committing everything to memory. She played his favourite music as he slept and let him be when he wanted to.

Time passed quickly and before Jaivik realised the promised ten days were over. Seeing Dr. Sandhya Rajan at his gate early one morning brought him back to reality. She was mildly surprised but glad when he invited her in. IRA immediately recognised her and asked if she could get her something. Both humans sat on the balcony basking in the morning sunlight and breathing in the cold and crisp mountain air. The empty coffee mugs seemed bored waiting for unsaid conversations. Jaivik spoke first.

“Ma’am, please let her stay with me. You know I don’t care for human contact but this is different. Spending time with her feels refreshing and rewarding. She’s smart and attends to my intellectual and emotional needs judiciously. I’ve never talked or shared my life with anyone as much as her. I’m ready to pay the charges for her services.” Dr. Sandhya smiled and replied, “Your acceptance of her proves that she has exceeded my expectations. You’re a veteran and hopefully, some concessions can be made. Can I ask for a favour though? Not just veterans but people who are indirectly affected by sudden unpleasant life-changing events like their family, friends, and other residents need counselling from time to time. Would you be willing to share your experience with others to encourage them to seek professional help? This would make my job easier and possibly pitch for additional funding too.”

Jaivik nodded understandingly. He had a long way to go before making peace with his demons but this wasn’t a bad idea. Although he was nothing more than a subject to IRA, she was a friend and companion he never had. He didn’t mind getting used to this interesting and novel human-AI co-existence.

P. S: Special thanks to my friend Lt. Colonel Amit Kudale for his inputs in making this post authentic and relatable.

This post is a part of Storytellers Bloghop hosted by MeenalSonal & Ujjwal Mishra

This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

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