The Glass façade

Chapter 10

Altruism: Part two

A toy, it seemed, had been Reeve's newest project, his latest... inovation. Upon being turned on it put on quite the show, prancing, juggling, and pulling off a fluid cartwheel. Despite his best efforts Tseng's lip curled in one corner at the toy played on.

"It's increadably mobile." Tseng admitted, arms clasped behind his back. To his words the play stopped, and he was considered by thin slit eyes. He returned stare for stare, though there were only two creases of thick white fur for the creature's eyes as they were locked in a pose of... a happy scrunch? The eyes seemed styled off of that odd Contentnal-Wutia hybrid cartoon. What had Rufus called it? Anime? Something like that. Reno would have known but Reno was on assignment at the moment, and Tseng didn't bother his people that were on the job unless it was a matter of life or death.

Curiousity just didn't make the cut.

"'Lo there laddie buck!" A gloved paw was extended to top the odd salutation with a shake.

He stiffened at the cratures thick accent, winced back from the volume, and refused even look at -so much as touch- the extended... paw.

"Cait." Reeve's voice had a faint edge to it. "He's a Turk, you don't talk to Turks like that."

"Well 'scuse me!" Crossing his paws over his chest without even a hiss of steel against steal or a creak... or any other stereotypical sign to warn that this creature was a robot... the feline robot looked to Tseng then to Reeve. Shuffling from paw to paw the robot tilted his head, considered Reeve from the corner of its' eye. "How'm I suppose to talk to the big wigs 'gain Reevie?"

Face turning the same color as Scarlet's dress Reeve put a hand over his eyes. To that Tseng broke protocal, at least around the edges, he smiled. Too many times Rufus had done something like that. A quick dance on the razor edge of incivility only to backtrack with a facade of false innocence.

"I am Tseng of the Turks." Tseng informed the... thing. To his words there came a whisper of a whirls and a click from under the feline's skull.

"Oooh, I know you, yer that head Turk, the laddie atop." The paw was extended again, Tseng again, ignored the silent prompt to shake.

"It has a quick load time." Tseng congradulated Reeve.

"Oy, I've got more ram in an inch o' m' head than you people got in your whole bloody heads!"

If it wasn't a computer Tseng would have called that a insult, as it was he turned to Reeve his eyes thining into unamused slits.

"Reeve, if you could stop giving it comands to back talk."

"I left Cait's master remote at home." Reeve speared the device with a glare. To that black look the robot pulled off a passable snicker. "Or rather, he hid it. He hates the master control and I didn't have time to look for it since the car keys went missing as well."

"Ya found yer ID real quick though!" The robot's smile became wide smirk. Light caught the edges of glass that were almost covered by the fur folds. They caught the mako lights and twinkled.

"He's playful." Reeve continued with a wry smile. "A bit of a smart aleck, and he has a very... physical... sense of humor, but he might be able to work for you."

"Reeve was tellin' me about the 'splosion. An' like 'im I wanna help. We talked bout it a long long time, 'bout me working away from home an' all an' I said, "if ye can do it, so can I". Just tell me what ya wanna do an' where to go an' what to snoop on and I'll do it."

Speach concluded the creature puffed out it's small steel chest and looked up at the Turk, a world of optimism in it's voice. A fitting match, Tseng thought keeping his face expressionless, that voice to Reeve's eyes.

"We want to help." Reeve picked up the thread of conversation to counter Tseng's silence. "Both of us."

"All artificial intellegence projects were to be put in Hojo's jusitiction when he took comand of the science department." The Turk pointed out.

To that Reeve flinched and the robot's ears slicked back. The thing's long tail drooped and coiled into a ball without a hint of a hiss or a tell tale creak of a metalic joint.

"I..."

"Your praticipation would have to be subtle. There could be ramifications within the company if this leaks out." The half Wutia continued. "If I say yes, I'm trusting you to keep your mouth shut Tuesti, both mouths."

To Tseng's half rebuke half aceptance Reeve nodded, the picture of quiet obidiance. Cait Sith's wild whoop was topped off with a leaping summersault, and both move and cheer did much to dispell what comfort the Turk took from Reeve's expression.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Little paw pumping the air Caith skipped and jumped around the confines of Reeve's office making more noise than a stadium full of spectators. "I get to work awaaay frooom hoome!" The robot sang.

"He's... he has a very deep work ethic." Reeve mumbled into his beard. The executive's face once more turning red, one hand raised to cover his eyes and stanch a budding headache.

"I noticed," Tseng sighed, today was going to be very long, it wasn't even noon yet. "Almost imediatly."