Paradigm City - Fan Fiction

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Sentience

Part 6

The weeks flew by, at least for Roger. Dorothy became his regular companion at the matches, working with him whenever Alex didn't require her. While his brother was on another business trip, Roger taught her the rudiments of controlling the Megadeus. He had already adopted some of the suggestions she had made for fine-tuning the Big O, and they had worked out very well. He stood behind the command chair as she hesitantly moved the Megadeus back and forth across the field at his direction.

"You're getting a lot better at this," he approved. "See if you can make that turn a little smoother this time around. It wouldn't do to be knocked out of the chair at a crucial moment."

Dorothy was silent, concentrating on his instructions. When that turn was even rougher than the last, she shook her head. "Let me try something." At his nod, she suddenly made a series of strange sounds. In response, the screen lit up, flashing through a series of diagrams so quickly that Roger couldn't tell what they were. After they finished, Dorothy nodded and moved the Megadeus through a rapid series of figure eight patterns that were so smooth that Roger could barely tell they were moving.

His jaw dropped. "How did you do that?" he asked, astonished.

"I asked Big O to show me," she told him.

Roger shook his head in disbelief. Obviously, the Megadeus had shown her something because the change was obvious, but the idea that the giant robot understood its own workings was a little too much for him. He was too interested in figuring out how she had done it to argue, though. "Show me," he said.

She rose from the chair and stood behind it. He took her place, a little startled when her hands came around to cover his on the controls. "Like this," she guided him through the series very slowly. After a few tries, he got the hang of it, although it was clear that he would require practice to execute the maneuver as smoothly as she had. "This is great! Thanks!" He froze when he felt her hands on his shoulders.

"You need to relax a bit more, then it will go easier." Her hands started kneading kinks out of his neck that he hadn't realized were there. After a few moments she stopped. "Try it now."

The run-through was better this time. "I see what you mean," he told her. "The lighter the touch, the smoother it goes."

"Yes. I think I was gripping the controls too hard before and that's why my turns were so bad," she said. "We're starting to run low on fuel again."

"The bane of the pilot," he sighed. "I suppose this is enough for one night." They returned to the bays to find Norman waiting there for them.

"Something new!" the older man was delighted at what he had seen. "Good evening, Dorothy." The household had accepted the name Roger had given the android, to Alex's annoyance. The trio discussed strategy on the way home, debating the merits of varying attacks and ambushes.

When Dorothy started to go up the stairs towards Alex's room, Roger halted her. "Why don't you join us for dinner?" he invited her. "Unless you have something else to do?"

She shook her head. "No, I usually just wait in the chair in the sitting room when Alex is away," she said.

Roger grimaced at the image of her sitting alone there like a forgotten toy. "There's no reason for that," he said. "You don't need to dress up tonight, this is going to be a working dinner. The final rounds are this weekend!"

The three of them remained at the table much longer than usual, working out a plan for each possible opponent Roger might face. The door suddenly flew open. "Alex!" Dorothy gave a little cry of delight and ran to him.

"What are you doing to my poor android?" he said, only half joking. "She looks like part of your crew!"

Roger smiled. "We're getting the battle plan ready for Saturday," he told his brother. "I'm glad to see you. I wanted to ask you to let Dorothy join Grandfather and me at the match. You're welcome as well, naturally."

Alex looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think I have some meetings planned for the day," he said, pulling an electronic planner from his coat pocket. "Yes, I'm booked all day. There's no reason she can't go with you, though."

"Thanks!" Roger looked at the clock. "I didn't realize it was so late! I need to get some sleep if I'm going to get any work done!"

"Likewise," Alex said, turning towards the stairs. "Come along, Dorothy." Roger winced at his peremptory tone, but said nothing.

Alex ushered Dorothy into his rooms, closing the door behind him. "That was a cozy little scene," he commented. She stood very still, reading the warning in his tone. Her silence seemed to annoy him even more. "I thought he was avoiding you?" he demanded.

"He has not avoided me since the night he talked to me," she answered. "I followed your instructions. If I am not with you, I am with him," she paused. "I think he likes me better now."

"I see," Alex frowned. "What do you do together other than work on his silly Megadeus?"

"Not much more," she said. "We have played chess on occasion, but we talk about the matches and the Megadeus while we do so. Sometimes I visit with your grandfather Norman. He gets lonely, I think."

Alex positively sneered at the thought. "You can't think," he said.

Her eyes dropped to the ground. "I have displeased you."

"Well, I'll let you make it up to me. Put something lacy on and go into the bedroom," he ordered. "I'll join you after I clean up." She obediently took something black and frothy-looking out of the bottom drawer and went into his room. As he got his towels and robe, he noticed that the stack of newspapers he had been meaning to read had fallen over. As he picked them up to put them back in the pile, a picture caught his eye. It was his brother looking quite surprised as Dorothy kissed his cheek. He laughed out loud and went to the bedroom door.

She was waiting silently on the bed, dressed according to his wishes. "Alex?" she looked at him questioningly.

"Tell me something," he said. "Does it bother Roger if you touch him?" At her slow nod, he laughed out loud. "Excellent. Dorothy, I want you to hug and kiss my brother at every opportunity. Hell, seduce him if he'll let you. Do you understand?"

Instead of immediately replying, she froze for a moment. "Conflict," she said suddenly. "Roger does not like to be touched. If he does not like it, I should not do it."

"No conflict, do you understand?" Alex was firm. "File under humor, practical jokes. Actions that apparently make another person uncomfortable are acceptable when they are harmless and will cause laughter when the joke is revealed. Do you understand?" To his relief, she nodded.

"I understand. I am to hug and kiss Roger at every opportunity," she said, a little mechanically. Alex was too busy laughing at his own cleverness to notice.

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