Looking at the screen again Geppetto frowned and turned back to the table where the small mass of wires and dust circuits lay. Picking up a small screwdriver he leaned forwards and carefully picked at a small piece of the intricate construction trying to determine where the problem was.
The screens flashed red and an alarm blared for a half moment before he jerked away and it died.
"Problems?" asked General Ironwood.
Geppetto glanced up, "General! I wasn't aware you would be stopping by here today," the man looked around the mess that was his workshop somewhat sheepishly.
"I apologize for the mess, had I known…"
He trailed off as the General held up his mechanical hand not covered by his usual glove.
"No apologizes needed, I'm the one intruding. Could you look at the hand; I would go to the normal fitters but even the best there seem to lack your finesse."
Geppetto glanced back at the screens and with a sigh threw the screwdriver down.
"Sit." He pointed at the seat across the table holding the mass of circuitry.
Ironwood raised an eyebrow but quickly removing his jacket and shirt sat holding his arm out across the table.
"Anything specifically out of alignment?" asked Geppetto as he turned back to the General a small toolkit in his hand. With practiced ease the older man began to quickly disassemble the arm in front of him.
"The effort needed to signal the index finger to move is varying somewhat, at times I am barely pulling the trigger of my weapon, and the next minute I crack the grip."
Reaching into his jacket on the chair the General extracted his gun and keeping the muzzle pointed up and away from the scientist showed him the pommel.
Geppetto glanced at it seeing the cracks in the metal-plastic.
"Perhaps a stronger gun?" he asked.
The General chuckled, "Perhaps. It would be annoying if I crush everything else I try to pick up though."
"I suppose so."
The two were silent for a moment as Geppetto finished disassembling the arm, glancing up at the General the old scientist reached for the release at the shoulder.
Ironwood beat him to it, and winching quickly detached the appendage. Rolling his shoulder causing the socket to shift slightly he sighed.
"You really should get a lighter arm, half of your body weighing different like that has got to be murdering your spine."
"Half of my spine is mechanical though."
Geppetto grunted in agreement and looked at the arm saw what could be the problem. The dust reservoirs looked as if they had a small amount of residue build up, nothing large and in most other applications not something to worry about. With mechanical limbs however the thresholds of tolerance were widely variable.
He had seen men and woman with dust residue buildup so large that it has simply flaked and fallen off in chunks, while others like the General were sensitive to even the smallest difference in performance.
"You making any progress?" asked Ironwood after a moment.
Geppetto paused, "I am working General."
"I wasn't saying you weren't. I am asking what you for something that would have been impossible ten years ago. I'm not expecting miracles overnight."
"I have a very personal stake in this as well, you don't think that's more than enough encouragement?"
Ironwood raised his remaining arm, "I was simply asking."
Geppetto sighed and glanced over at the clock, "I apologize. I think I've been up for three days straight. I finished the body though."
"Oh?"
Geppetto nodded and turning around in his chair to grab a cleaning solution activated the release on the stasis chamber.
A small metal tube in the center of the room slowly opened, lights inside of it flickering on.
General Ironwood winced and looked away, "I would say you got it finished alright, want to consider putting some clothes on it?"
Geppetto blinked and glanced over at his creation, "I knew I was forgetting something."
Standing up the scientist moved over to his creation and picking up a smock from next to the chamber draped it over the body. Leaning forwards he checked the neck looking at the connections there. Frowning Geppetto tried to sort out what might have caused the left axial cable cluster to have fallen out of its harness.
Picking up a set of pliers and leaning in over the machine he carefully put the small bundle of wires back in place and stepped back to check it again.
"Geppetto."
He turned, "Oh."
"You really do need some sleep if you're going to be that easily distracted. Could you finish with my arm?"
"Yes. Sorry."
Sitting back down in his chair and sealing the stasis chamber again Geppetto began to quickly rebuild the arm, spraying and cleaning away the residue as he went.
Finished he held the arm up, Ironwood took it and keep his face impassive snapped it back into place.
The arm rebooted and standing Ironwood raised it, making a fist and testing the fingers individually he nodded, "Thank you."
Geppetto nodded, "My pleasure."
Turning back to his computer Geppetto once again stared at the information trying to figure out where the issue might be.
"Geppetto."
"Yes."
"Go home, you know how Cerulean gets when you're here for days on end. The last thing I need is her showing up here again."
Geppetto looked up at the General and slowly nodded, "That sounds like a good idea."
####
Stepping out of the automated transport and wrapping the dust infused cloak more closely to his frame Geppetto slowly walked up the small path to his home. It was dark outside, and he honestly wasn't sure if it was closer to dawn or dusk.
Stepping up to his door waving his scroll to unlock it the man stepped inside and quickly shed his coat, hanging it on its designated hook.
"Jon?"
"Ceru?
His wife stepped out of the kitchen a mug of tea in her hands.
"You look like death."
Geppetto weakly smiled, "I feel like it."
"You've made progress then?" she asked.
"I have. A lot of it. Finished the body."
Cerulean's eyes widened, "Really?"
"I'm working on the head, still having issues with the dust conduits."
Cerulean shook her head, "I have no idea what that means."
Geppetto sighed, "I know. Sorry. It's another issue I'm going to have to work out is all."
"Well you need to sleep."
"I will, is she awake?"
Cerulean smiled, "She woke up twenty minutes ago. I was getting her breakfast ready."
"I'll go say good morning to her then, before I sleep."
Cerulean stepped forwards and quickly pecked at his cheek, "That sounds like a good idea."
Returning the kiss Geppetto made his way up the stairs of his home and turning walked into his daughter's room.
IT was dim and warn, feeling like a comfortable den given the snowstorm that was beginning outside the window.
She looked up as he entered.
"Father!" whispered his daughter.
Geppetto smiled and moving over to her quickly sat down on the side of her bed.
"Good morning!"
She matched her smile, and raising her skinny arms quickly wrapped them around him careful of the small leads that were connected to her veins and went up to the IV bags pinned above her bed.
"Good morning Father, you've been at work for a long time!"
"I know, I know. I've been working, Ironwood needs the next set of robots soon. He wants to introduce them before the Vytal festival in a year. I'm having to rush to get them done."
His daughter frowned, "New ones? You just made the Knights!" she gestured at the robot in the corner of the room, "You're not going to replace Jim are you?" she asked suddenly concerned.
Geppetto shook his head, "No I'm not going to replace Jim. I know you like him, I like him too."
His daughter nodded, and releasing him leaned back into her bed face suddenly pale.
"You alright?" asked Geppetto.
"Head rush." whispered his daughter.
"I'll leave you to rest then, do you need anything?" asked Geppetto as he stood.
"No, I'm alright. You going to bed Father?"
"I am I've been up all night working."
"Then goodnight Father!" she said cheerily a smiled on her face.
"You have a good day Penny," said Geppetto as he smiled back at the most important thing in the world.