Zoe

Plot

In the not-too-distant future, the most cutting-edge technology has honed romantic relationships down to a science: A computerized test can determine the likelihood of successful partnership between two individuals, and androids—known as “synthetics”—have been designed as the ideal partners, ones who are completely understanding and will never leave. Zoe and Cole work in the research facility responsible for developing this technology. Zoe and Cole are friends but Zoe harbors a crush on him, and is disappointed when she takes the compatibility test and finds out they have a 0% compatibility. When she tells Cole this information, he gently tells her that she is a synthetic.

Synthetics had always been programmed to know they were synthetics, but Zoe was a new model and an experiment to see if a synthetic could pass as a human. Although Zoe has been implanted with false memories that she believed were her own, as in Blade Runner, it is clear that Zoe is special as she has developed her own feelings. Cole gently takes Zoe into the world with this new self-awareness, seeing her reactions, but also falling in love with her. He is wary of getting physical with her, but they eventually do. Zoe feels that Cole is holding back.