The Novel Business

Chapter 2-Robotic Quack

and they were very formulatic. To say the least, it was not only unlikely, but impossible for one of them to be like Vac as he buzzed along in the pod with us. However they made a decent business seeking out their psychological problems. “Did you just tell the pod Robot Quack, Dess?” Vik asked his face turned to me. I simply nodded, mulling over as I stared at VAC on his seat, his images shifting randomly at the moment across the five screens.

“Why do you show so many images when you are idle VAC?” I had to ask finally, flicking a corner. It was made of a rigid plastic substance on the outside. Then it hit me, that’s why it was so heavy. It was made of HDP.

However before I could go ask the next question, my first one received an answer, “I’m thinking. I find it easier if I project some of my thoughts out on the screens.” Distracted, I focused my eyes on the images.
“Some?”
“Yes.”
“You must have a lot of thoughts. So what’s the HDP about?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m made of. Why is it a matter?”
“It’s expensive, heavy, and a little more heavy duty than the average computer needs.”

“I hardly feel as if I’m a stunning example of the average computer. I am a cube and ten times the size of a normal computer,” VAC finished. I guffawed as I nodded to the computer. It seemed legit to me. The Pod however seemed a tad slow as I looked out again. Before long we found ourselves on the ground, including the surprised VAC. A red screen flashed as it silently hit the ground, himself hovering up quickly off the ground. It bobbed a bit wider this time, almost seeming angry as the red screen kept flashing on the top.
“The Viroc building. Korshin,” Vik noted as he walked along, coming to the entry doors. Like most things Korshin, it was made of a thin sheen of metal or rock, in this case an extremely thin piece of obsidian glass door. He pushed it open gently, leaving it open for us to push on through. Once we were in though, he sprinted off to the receptionist’s desk. “Hey,” He said to the idle Korshin, the humanoid body of the robot staring up at him from a magazine. She finally shifted her gaze firmly on him, putting her magazine now ; her eyes shifting to glare up at him. “We need a psychiatrist. We have a… unique case,” Viktor went on, looking back as VAC floated up.

“You invented a floating, pet computer?” She said, her tone venomous as she looked at VAC. VAC replied simply by using the human “Flip off” finger at the lady behind the counter. “Perhaps not. Testing for sentience?” She asked, her tone much more official now.

“Yes.”

“Well, I suppose you know then how much our psych likes to crack such theories. It’s free, the sixtieth floor. Dr. Korlia Uli,” She said before physically shooing us off. I decided to take her rudeness as something hilarious, laughing softly as we went to the grav lift. Viktor smiled to me as he queued in the floor and we stepped on. VAC went up last, letting us time to get out of the way before he got pushed into the hallway.

“That is quite a rude elevator. I must see the building manager after that,” VAC stated plainly as we walked across the hallway. Thankfully we did not need to know more than the name; it was the third door to the right down this hallway. Viktor walked in first, walking straight up to the male receptionist for the psychiatrist.

“Sentient machine,” Vik said, his hands placed down on the desk for effect. Not knowing Vik, the Korshin started back as he stared up at the dark Terran. A golden figure burst from the door to the interior of the room.

She stared at Vik, then at me, before finally fixing on VAC and speaking, “Come in here, thing.”

“Do your worst.” VAC stated before chuckling in a reserved way, a determined Terran face on hsi screen. The Korshin robot smirked as it came inside, the doctor closing the door behind them. Viktor chuckled as he pulled back to take a seat, patting one near him for me to sit in. I gave him a smirk before shaking my head, heading back into the hallway. A Korshin would make an interesting statement for the company, which I would take advantage of. I was almost positive I could find a disgruntled worker somewhere in this building, probably even this floor. A Korshin was naturally a warrior and their lives in the businesses of today often made them feel very out of place.

I walked with a light step, my webbed toes splaying out in my mesh shoes. I looked down the hallways as I walked, seeming to enjoy the idea that I could barge in on almost anything now, no need to keep up appearances. I did need to file my slip to quit before they sued me, but I could handle that after the weekend. I hummed softly, my gills playing out against my collar as I walked. The hallways were mostly silent other than my humming however, the Korshin are sticklers for the rules that were present in this setting.

As I turned the corner, I saw a Korshin leaning her head against a wall, her black armor plating across her body. She was a security officer obviously, wearing a traditional armor of the Elite castes of the Korshin. I walked slowly to her direction as she pulled away from the wall, turning to stare at me. Her faux irises were black, the golden optic threads staring at me. I offered a hand to her, “Dessera Nubifia.” Her eyes shifted down as her silver hand batted my aside.

“Solicitor are not allowed,” she said, reaching down to her side. I checked, seeing no weapon and simply a threat from her mouth. I decided she was trying to reclaim as much dignity she could, but she could find that in combat. I suddenly put my hands against her shoulders, slamming her forcefully against the wall. Korshin’s were light-weight machines and most did not train grappling. She slipped into the wall, surprised but quickly went for my wrists. I pulled my hands back, flipping my hands around before gaining wrist control over her. Quickly I jerked her out before suddenly spinning her and grabbing her hands, pushing her back against the wall. Struggling to push away, she finally relented, “Okay, so maybe you aren’t a Solicitor. Now let me go before I really DO decide to hurt you.”

I pulled away, speaking quickly, “I am looking to hire one of your kind. We need a security expert and I can deduce you need such a job.”

“Oh…” She sighs the best her body affords as she turns around. “I’m Kili Opiti’Po. Now why would you hire a Korshin if you can defeat their best so easily?” She watches me as I start to pace a little, my gait seeming to be the main thing monitored.

“Look at where you eyes wander? You watch your enemy’s movements, watching for that sudden move. You mistook me for the business man… you got lax. But when you are tense, you know what to look for…” I said, trailing off as I simply paced off down the hallway. She thought about it for a few before following me, watching me more closely as I drifted to a slower pace. “You are the first to be met though. I really need to know how your net security skills stack up,” I mentioned, still walking as I glanced back to her with a smirk. She glared back as I looked back forwards, walking ever onwards to the other end of the hallway.

“I was only fired because they felt I wasn’t enforcing company rules enough. A Korshin will die in such a stifling environment. I am both an expert hacker and counter-hacker, I’ve never met a virus I’ve never stopped before. Which is rather essential since they can infect you from computers,” She added, tilting her head as I kept walking. I stopped finally at the end of the hallway, turning round to look at her with a genuine smile. Then it turned to a frown as my smart side got in the way.

I spoke as she got close, my tone low, “Then why not the ultimate test. I download a virus that’s been dormant on my computer onto you. You defeat it, you’re hired. If not, well…”

“Are you crazy, Sur'a?”

“Yeah, I’m just joking. I mean, seriously?”

“Yes. Even if I can do it doesn’t mean it’s a smart idea. I’m not that desperate for a job.”

“How about you make the virus on my computer dormant? I haven’t been able to use the thing in ages.”

“Sounds like a proper test. Just bring it up to the surface first.”

“I have a shore home.”

“Understood. So any reason you here other than to waylay Korshins?”

“Friend made a sentient machine. We need a hacker proof system to keep our stuff safe.”

“Simple enough, unconnected hard drive for starters.”

“See, I would of not thought of that. Then again, nothing’s ever that simple either.”

"Never. Trust me, that’s just the start. Thus the whole starters thing. So what can YOU do?”

“Program and market. Mostly market. I’ve always made my sale,” I said, suddenly shifting and walking away. She followed, her gait seeming more loose as she came along. She didn’t make any comments, just knowing from herself it was true. I had the knack for recognizing what a client needed fast and feeding upon it. I’m a Piranha I guess. I chuckled suddenly at the thought, considering the Terran fish and I was a fish-woman to them.

She gave me a strange look before asking, “What’s funny?”

“Oh, just thinking about the way Terrans think about Valeen,” I mentioned quietly, rounding the corner to head back to the psychatrist’s office. She didn’t quite understand at the moment where we were going, but I kept myself going without keeping her aware. It was not very essential and it was clear she was fine with being in the dark, as long as she knew she had an objective. Though she could never been kept truly in the dark, she was far too shiny with her silver skin.

I opened the door into the officer, Viktor’s voice hitting my ears, “Sur always knows her people.” I wandered over to Vik, who was talking to a Korshin man who had come with an appointment. He nodded a little before looking at me.

“Would this be the sur you speak of?” He asked, giving a noting smile to Viktor.

“Yes. This is my friend Dessera.”

“She is a beauty even by our standards. Though it takes a mind to win over minds, the body can only win the heart.”

“You think she has beauty? Nothing compared to her brilliance,” he said, his face not showing a hint of exaggeration or flattery. I could not be sure, but it did give me a smile. Kili shook her head and came over to look at them all.

“So the Terran is your friend. This other guy important?” She asked, pointing at the man.

I took a moment before mentioning, “No. I mean no offense to you, though, I’m just saying I don’t know you.” He nods, giving me a smile and a hand. I shook it, letting my hand move back. It was actually kind of frustrating when I was automatically given handshakes, when I did know all the major species greetings. Handshakes were just usual thing between old Empire races like Valeen and Terrans. I pull back a little from the two, the Korshin obviously waiting on the quack.

A new arrival on the scene gave us all a big grin; VAC came out of the office with a smirking face on one of its screens. As I came closer, I noticed its top screen had a break dancer showing off his moves. I laughed a little at the site of the computer so happy. “Imagine it went well?” I asked, patting it on the top. Its top screen shifted to a Terran giving me a look. I pulled my hand away, starting to like this computer.

“Yes, she’s still a bit shocked by her results,” It says, floating on by slowly. Viktor nodded to it. A nodding head appeared towards Vik, myself smiling. They seemed to share an odd little friendship as creator and, I suppose the word creation works fine here. I followed along with them as Kili followed me. We came back to the grav lift, letting VAC go first, slowly stepping down.

Kili stopped me before I stepped on, however, questioning me for a moment, “Sur’a, what are you going to be making and marketing anyways?”

I give her a wistful smile before responding, “Hopefully, we don’t know exactly.” She gives me a curious look, but her curiosity is drives her to walk into the lift behind me. I come out, her in toe as I feel the burning of the curiosity behind me. I’d take her home and give her some training. I’d see what she knew and then start finding us an office space. I knew we still had a lot a work ahead, but I knew at least I had the basics. I was the market and human resources, we had security, and Viktor would be our key worker.

I just hoped to hell VAC hadn’t been a random fluke and Viktor actually knew how to duplicate, in a way, his success. I watched him walk out, his key to our success floating beside him. I realized VAC would have to be kept safer then he was, he had no natural defenses other than he was heavy as hell. Then I realized why he was made of HDP, he couldn’t be carried without mechanical assistance and he’d be next to impossible to break into. Viktor wasn’t as clueless as I first thought, a smirk coming onto my face as his pod sped away. I formed the next one with Kili and headed home. Time for Serious Business.