This is an alternate universe fic, set before the events of the series. I was inspired a picture on anonabelle's tumblr ( post/60487043578/). I decided to shift it to Mike's perspective because I like writing from the point of view of the most clueless person in the room.
"Cadet Chilton reporting for assignment, sir." Mike said saluting sharply.
Mr. Kane turned from his display screens. "Welcome, cadet. I'd like to show one of our new technology interns around."
"A tech intern, sir?"
Mr. Kane continued. "Julie's very bright, lots of potential but she has a bit of an attitude problem right now. I think you'd be a good influence."
"I'll do my best, sir."
"Great, I have a very good feeling about this." Mr. Kane said waving him to the office door.
There was a girl with pale skin and dark reddish brown hair pulled up in ponytail standing in the reception area. She had her arms folded across her chest and looked impatient. Mike went up to her. "Hi, you must be Julie. I'm Mike Chilton and I'll be guide today."
He extended his hand. She kept her arms folded and glared at him. "Let's just get this over with."
Okay, he could see what Mr. Kane meant about the attitude.
"Alright, the tech department is on the 137th floor so let's start there. Have you already met your supervisor?" He said leading the way to the high speed elevator.
"I just came from orientation. I met my supervisor, got my employee id, my intranet authorization, and my security code." Julie said ticking the items off on her fingers. "And they already told us the proper procedures for clocking in, clocking out, calling in sick and getting bathroom breaks authorized."
Either that last one was a joke or the tech department was even stricter than the academy.
"Look Chilton, Thanks for showing me my lab but I've got a map too. I think I can figure the rest out on my own."
"Call me Mike. And it's no trouble. Wouldn't want you getting lost on your first day."
He had. Not that he would admit it.
"Besides I can give you insider information. For instance this cafeteria is a little out of the way but it's the only one that faces east. It's the best place for breakfast in the winter because you can see the sun coming up."
And this is 131st floor. He pulled up the map again "botany and cybertronics."
Julie sighed. "It looks just like all the other areas. Sometimes I get so tired of blue."
"Ah, but you'll notice this floor has a 131 on the wall and the last floor just had a 130. Totally different."
"Is that sarcasm Chilton? Didn't know you had it in you."
When they reached the Lobby Mike saw several others interns milling around or meeting up with friends. A girl who did not look like she was dressed for work accosted Julie. "Where have you been? The sale already started."
"Sorry. Orientation took longer than I thought." Julie apologized. "Claire, this is Cadet Chilton my tour guide. Chilton, this is Claire, my best friend."
Claire fluttered her fingers at him, "Hiii."
"Nice to meet you." He nodded in return.
As he walked away but he couldn't help overhearing what was said next.
"He's hot." Claire said.
"Yeah. That's not the problem." Julie replied.
The hissing door cut off the rest of the conversation.
Mike returned to the barracks wondering if he should focus on the compliment or the implied insult.
A few days later Mike was headed for the cafeteria when he passed one of his friends who was looking wet, cold and put out. "Hey Jensen, how'd the anti-vandalism patrol go?"
Jensen sighed in disgust. "Not good. He's getting braver. He hit building 307, five blocks from Kaneco tower. The buffer bots won't even be able to clean it until after the storm blows over." He squelched down the hall to the barracks.
After breakfast Mike brought up the day's schedule. He had a free block that morning. He walked into the common room to see if anyone else was hanging around. No one was. He looked around the room. Light blue walls, clear couches with darker blue pillows, and a blue and white laser dart board. It really was a lot of blue. Suddenly he had the perfect idea for how to spend his free block. He grabbed a couple of raincoats from the cloakroom and headed for the elevator.
When he got to Julie's assigned lab he saw she was already working on a small electronic device.
"Oh good, you're here, come with me."
"What is this some kind of emergency meeting for the lowest ranked people in Kane-Co?" she grumbled but followed him out the door.
"Oh, nothing that official"
She regarded him curiously as he punched the lobby keycode into the elevator and even more curiously as he handed her a rain coat.
When they got to the outer door he looked at the rain. It was still coming down hard.
"We should run. It's this way." He took off not waiting for an answer.
She ran after him. "What is? And why couldn't we have just taken my pod?"
"You have your own pod?" he asked. "Man, I wish I'd known that ten minutes ago. Anyway it's only a couple blocks now."
And there it was just where Jensen had said.
Julie stared d at the graffiti spread out across the building, a riot of purples and oranges and strange shapes. The rain hadn't done the wet paint any favors but the colors still shown through. She looked awestruck and confused.
"It won't be here long; as soon as the rain lets up they'll buff it off the building. I thought you should get a chance to see it before it was gone. You said you were tired of blue. "
"Thanks, Mike," she said and smiled at him for the first time.