wickedchouette | (no subject)

[ A pause. ]

What do you mean I've done it before?

You brought in the cat.

[He gestures to Gwen, who's winding her way around the bot's legs.]

You named the cat.

Part of my programming. [ It says stubbornly. ]

Really? As a chore bot?

Edited 2019-03-10 18:17 (UTC)

Yes. Taking care of household animals is a task I am to do.

[Alfie grunts.]

All right. Use your programming to decide what the best way to fix yourself is. The way that will help you best in the future, with doing your tasks and such.

[ Yeah, but -- well. When it's phrased that way. It shifts uncomfortably. ]

Replacing the part would be the best way. I need your permission to spend the money.

Yeah. Tell me how much you need, and we'll do it.

[ Its eyes go distant for a moment as it searches for the part, comparing prices and deals in a matter of moments. The LED goes yellow for a moment, and then bright blue as the android looks at Alfie again.

It lists off a few quotes for prices, and then: ] I can order one now, easily enough.

Go on, then. Shall we patch you up a bit in the meantime? I suppose it doesn't hurt, does it.

No, it won't hurt. It's a temporary solution for a temporary problem.

If you have a blowtorch, I can use that. Or I can use superglue, whichever is more immediately available.

I haven't got a blowtorch, no.

[A blowtorch in the living room sounds like a bad idea, anyway.]

If you glue it up, will it make it harder to change the part out when it comes?

It shouldn't. [ The bot turns to go root through Alfie's kitchen, then, to see if it can find glue somewhere. ]

[It's in one of the kitchen drawers, and shouldn't be hard to find. Everybody has a junk drawer; Alfie has about ten of them.]

Shall I do it, or will you--?

[ That's what the droid figured. When it finds it, it actually peeks back out into the living room. Gwen is settled on its shoulder, back in her proper place. ]

If you want to, you can. I'm capable of doing it on my own.

Mm. You can do it on your own, then.

[He turns back to his papers.]

Tomorrow I'll be going into the office. You can come with me, if you like. if the part comes in overnight, we can stop at the shipping office on the way.

[ Huh. That works. It goes ahead and orders the part overnight, then. It's a bit of an extra cost, but it doesn't seem like Alfie cares very much. Carefully, the bot sits down and starts to glue the crack back together. ]

It will be here tomorrow at noon. I will accompany you.

What will you do until then?

Clean your apartment. Research recipes for dinner.

Let's try some meat. Eh? I'd like to see what you think of meat.

Okay. [ It doesn't bother arguing, this time. Easier just to do it.

It'll make rice with beef strips that it sears on the stovetop, a while later - plus some assorted veggies, in an attempt to get Alfie to eat better. ]

[And he eats it all! More meat than veggies, but even so.

The next morning, he gets up early - a little after six - and gets ready for work. When he's at the front door, putting on his coat to get ready to leave, he hesitates.]

You don't need a coat and scarf, do you?

[ The bot has changed into fresh clothes, and is waiting for Alfie when he gets to the front door. ]

No, I don't get cold. [ It says pleasantly. It's ready to go, having tucked Gwen in on the couch and set up everything for dinner later. ] I'm ready when you are.

[He goes for the door, opening it, and then hesitates again.]

Don't treat me like I'm a master and you're a servant in public, eh?

[It's already bad enough in private.]

[ A beat. ]

Noted. [ It says, lifting an eyebrow. ] How would you like me to act?