Dubai
The Middle East is the polar opposite of the United States. In most countries, syncs are still officially classified as property. Harassment, assault, kidnapping, and murder are the norm, but are tried as theft, misdemeanor vandalism, or destruction of private property at worst. Those that are owned by humans usually live in the home or business where their services are required. They are usually segregated from human employees or the rest of the family, though some owners are more permissive than others. Syncs that have no master have no legal protection whatsoever, and any that harm a human or damage a human’s property in self defense are often destroyed on sight. Syncs are assigned a gender befitting their job, often forcibly modded to match it, and held to the country’s gender laws. Some countries do not allow syncs to be in public, operate vehicles or machinery, or make purchases unless accompanied by their master. Repairs are made only at the whim of their masters, and no one may administer them without the master’s permission. All legally obtained syncs must be registered, to prevent theft and false ownership to avoid punishment.
The famous city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is an extreme example of segregation and social divide. The wealth inequality in Dubai has always been enormous, and the addition of artificial life forms did nothing to ease the tensions. The upper class see syncs as nothing more than tools or beasts of burden, while the lower class see them as competition for jobs, housing, and resources. The animosity toward syncs became so prevalent that any unregistered syncs were herded into a high-walled ghetto on the outskirts of the city. Any who resisted or tried to hide were killed. The ghetto became known as the Muzawara District (muzawara being an Arabic word meaning “forged” or “counterfeit”).
Conditions in the district are abysmal. There are so many robots in such close quarters that the temperature on the streets can be ten or more degrees hotter than the desert outside its walls. It is so overcrowded that robots without heat syncs or cooling systems frequently suffer “brain” damage or die due to overheating. Many have been disassembled to reveal motherboards and other components that melted far beyond repair. Homes are tiny, stacked haphazardly on top of one another, and often shelter multiple syncs. Some buildings are abandoned, dilapidated human buildings, and collapses are not uncommon. There are on occasion pop-up “hospitals” set up by international sync rights groups, since it is not illegal to repair a robot with no owner. However, only the most desperate take the risk; less philanthropic humans have learned how to make them a convincing front for mobile “chop shops” that dismantle still-living robots for parts.
Though separate from human society, the district is not free from human control. There is only one way in and out of the district: a heavily guarded gate manned by police or military at all times. Syncs may enter freely, but may not leave without a human escort. Humans are free to come and go as they please, and many do as a type of slum tourism. Groups of locals, men especially, entering the district with the express intent of harassing, abducting, or harming the syncs within are a daily occurrence. The high stone walls are lined with motion sensor EMPs at the top to prevent would-be escapees from climbing over. Inhabitants are held to a strict nightly curfew, enforced by human patrols. Unaccompanied syncs discovered on the street past curfew or outside the walls at any time are shot on sight.
Despite the hellish environment, Muzawara has a vibrant culture. Shared trauma has created an unwaveringly strong sense of community. Most inhabitants are at least passingly familiar with each other, and do what they can to help each other. Festivals and celebrations are common when temperatures allow. They have their own unofficial judicial system and marriage ceremonies. Since masterless syncs are not allowed to make purchases, there is no official currency in the district. The society operates on a barter system instead; replacement parts and repair services are the most valuable commodity.