Companion (Short Trips: Christmas Around the World)

Prose
A cautionary tale about AI told with the voice of an eleven year old girl in Brazil. Set in 2672 (although it feels like it could be happening much sooner than that), Yarah's gifted a robot dog by her Dad at Christmas programmed to protect his little one.  Inevitably it goes on a rampage while it attempts to follow its instructions and it's up to the Doctor, who drops in towards the end, to fix the situation.  It is not a sophisticated story, but James Moran's writing is rich, amusing and poignant as the Brazilian teen navigates a situation just on the edge of her understanding.

Placement:  Another one for the pre-Dying Days slot. 

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