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QUINN
Despite the addition of Alec, Quinn still turned up for dinner. His warring emotions almost made him turn away at the door when he saw Alec present as well.
Taking his place, he stated gruffly, “Ship is done. Watson will have control of its systems tomorrow morning and his body is in the drone bay, ready to go. It matches his specifications exactly.”
The program for building a body was pretty foolproof, even if it wasn’t in the hands of a digitized consciousness.
“I am sure he is eager to try it out.” Kira seemed pleased for Watson. A step in the right direction, and it gave him autonomy while they were on this mission, at least.
Alec perked up at their discussion. “You made the bastard a body?”
“Mr. O’Malley!” Max intervened this time with a sharp reprimand.
“He knows it’s all in good fun,” Alec said pointedly, turning his attention to his plate.
Kira smiled wryly at the exchange.
Watson spoke from a speaker overhead, Mr. O’Malley. You will have more trouble telling me where I can stick my voice with a physical presence, as will the Captain.
That got Kira laughing and Alec saying some choice words in return.
Max hid his own laughter, attempting to be appropriate, but his shoulders shifting forward told Quinn he found it funny.
Quinn was the only one that knew Watson’s statement was more than idle boasting. The body he would be in was being made with technology patented by Paradigm and designed by Quinn. The organically grown, synthetic androids that it produced were rated for deep space work. Which meant it could withstand an impact from free floating debris in space while in orbit, which basically meant it was damn near indestructible with how fast such things could be moving. That was just one of its many perks.
The rest of dinner went about the same. Light banter around the table, none of it directed at the outfitter of the ship, but all of it lighthearted. It was clear they had missed one another by the way they interacted. Kira seemed more lively than usual, as if she’d been toning down some of herself around Quinn unknowingly, since he reacted so poorly to her full personality at first.
Quinn listened to the conversation, finding it enlightening. What she had told him about teasing came to light as she interacted with Alec, and he with her and Max. Admittedly, Max followed his rule about not insulting people whom he liked, but he wasn’t getting upset at being teased. Which shed some understanding on how one could tease without offending.
Alec, by the end, finally tried to involve Quinn again with a gruff, “Your manual was very thorough. I managed to get through it, but I’m the kind of man that has to get his hands truly dirty to understand everything.”
“It shouldn’t take long for you to figure it out. Most of what it will need is regular maintenance that will be familiar to you.”
Alec nodded. It appeared the manual had already won him over. According to his personality outline in his file, he liked instructions, regularity, things that required the sort of taming that only hands could do. “Looks a right bit prettier than what was there to.”
Kira was the only one thus far to be offended by the changes and she beamed now at the two speaking openly.
Max finished his last bite of pie and got up to collect the dishes, even reaching over to take Quinn’s.
“Time and shortcuts happen. People rush and don’t make things neat and tidy. They don’t coordinate or have to figure out how to make things work. I worked alone, and I don’t take shortcuts.” Quinn looked squarely at the table as he explained this to Alec. His voice a barely understandable mumble. Maintaining the ship was something he was, apparently, willing to talk about. Though without the fire of the faux Irish temper to bolster him, he was just awkward.
“Well then, seeing if I got questions, I’ll coordinate with you so I don’t rush or fail to make it neat and tidy like ya say.”
Quinn fidgeted uncomfortably, not enjoying the thought of Alec seeking him out in the slightest. The manual had a search feature, after all. Still, he couldn’t rightly refuse the man, since maintaining the ship was something he had a vested interest in as well.
Max addressed Kira while returning for more dishes. “Are we having a party for Watson, or should we be there when he’s able to emerge, so to speak?”
“It might take him a moment to get things working correctly.” Kira didn’t miss a beat. “Perhaps a get together would be best when he’s accustomed to moving.”
I’d like you there, Captain.
Kira’s gaze flicked up to the speaker with a tight nod.
“Why would there be any awkwardness?” Quinn asked. The body was purpose-built for the Android. It would be as natural for Watson as it was for the Artificial Geckos in their own bodies.
Max filled in the answer, being ever helpful in matters concerning personal well being. “I am sure it is not the ability to move that is concerning, but the ability to move from an emotional standpoint.”
Kira quieted.
