MSMF Prompt #25: Crash Test

"Are you ready for the next run?" Anna asked over the speakers. She got a hoot in response. "Buckled in? Helmet on? Oh yeah, I forgot, it's always on. Okay, launching in ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three...two...one..."

She hit a button and the car, with its one occupant, launched forward. It slammed into a solid wall and the airbags deployed. When the dust settled, she saw a little hint of green among the airbags. A moment, then a silver hand popped out from the mass of fabric and gave her a thumbs up.

"All right Otto, Jim's on his way to help you out." She sat back and shook her head. Three crashes in one day and her simian friend was still as cheerful as ever. She couldn't believe how he could survive all this crash testing, even though she knew he was part-cyborg.

She watched the action on the floor as Jim helped detangle the little monkey from all the airbags that had deployed. When he was finally freed, Otto stood up, wobbled a little, then hooted excitedly. He waved to her and she laughed. "Come on up here and give me your report Otto," she called over the intercom. He nodded and headed for the stairway to the observation deck.

Anna turned and pulled out the computer keyboard that was mounted at a low workstation especially for their little monkey worker. When he reached the observation deck moments later, Otto sat right down at his workstation and started typing.

Leonard came in while Otto was still typing. "Hello Anna," he said.

"Oh hi Leonard. What brings you here?"

"I've got someone anxious to transfer to your team. He didn't quite work out pounding the pavement with me." Leonard stepped aside to reveal a little red monkey, almost Otto's twin except for the color. "This is SPRX-77," Leonard said. "SPRX-77, this is Anna, and Otto. They work on gathering the crash test data we base our rates on."

Otto turned from his keyboard and jumped up when he noticed Sparx. They hugged and started chattering excitedly.

Anna chuckled. "I think he'll fit right in. Thanks Leonard."

"Anytime. See you at the company Christmas party!" Leonard saluted her as he left.

Anna let the monkeys talk a little longer, then said, "Otto, please finish your report and then we'll show SPRX-77 how we work over here."

Otto nodded and sat back down at his keyboard, chattering to Sparx as he typed. Sparx nodded in agreement at whatever Otto was saying. Anna sat back and inwardly chuckled at the cute picture they made.

THE END