It's the Matrix. I don't own the Matrix.
"Do you always communicate with your sub-units in such a tone?"
Hargrave was referring to the manner in which Smith had just organised with subunit Agents Jones and Brown before they wandered off with Hargrave's subunits the time at which he expected to meet them for routine system scans and troubleshooting.
"Not always. My change in tone conveys other meanings - in this case, a suggestion."
"Your tone contradicts your words."
"Not at all. I told them when and where to meet, and at the same time suggested something... more."
"A humanistic trait."
"A part of my emotional coding that I have learnt to utilise to my advantage. I will admit that it can be a distraction at times to have more of an emotive capacity than most but I work with it."
Hargrave was silent for a moment, deciding that he did not need to ask for an explanation of Smith's distraction. Instead, he asked for a clarification of Smith's use of the word 'more'.
"Though we cannot perform more complex actions or actively follow our prime directive while running system scans we can do other activities for leisure, when there is time. My subunits have found themselves past-times to expand their thought processes whilst scanning."
Again, Hargrave stayed silent. Smith seemed to leave him thinking a lot. He continued,
"They are more efficient and show more initiative. They also deactivate all internal defences and firewalls in the process, thus ensuring for me full access throughout their software."
"That may be an option to consider..."
"You may find yourself further developing any personal interests you may have."
He turned towards Hargrave. His fellow command unit had stopped, and was staring at him. Then he realised that as a more conventional agent Hargrave probably had little awareness of such superficialities. He himself had been mildly surprised to find himself doing things that were not for his prime directive. His subunits had also found ways in which they preferred to spend their free time, when they had any, although that may have had something to do with the slight alterations he had made to their code during his own spare time.
"I was not aware that such behaviour was allowed by our behavioural parameters."
This time it was Smith who had nothing to say. Or rather, he decided not to explain to Hargrave the difference between an average agent and one that really excelled at their job.
Author's Notes:
-A short piece of writing? By me? Was that a flying pig?
-I don't know what this is.
-Well, actually, I do. It's the revised version of the first draft, which is chapter 2 and is... suggestive... ish...?