Visits:
I was up late that night, running ideas for this test through my mind. My door was open and I would glance up occasionally from my desk into the hall -- it somehow helped me get ideas, made me think about the building. At about 2:00 in the morning I glanced out my door -- and almost jumped out skin. X5-452 was standing there, not five feet from me.
'How'd she get there!? I didn't hear a thing!' I thought to myself. She registered my surprise. I looked at her for a second -- large dark eyes, hair that looked like it would've been dark had it been allowed to grow.
"What are you doing here?" I asked a bit sharply. She tensed at the question.
"Sorry sir, I don't sleep." Then, with some hesitation, "I noticed you were in the aquatic center today." She looked cautiously at me, her dark eyes unblinking.
Damn, these kids don't miss a thing. I nodded, "Yes, I was there." I tried to soften my tone so she would be more comfortable.
"Permission to speak sir." She asked in her perfect soldier tone.
"You don't have to call me sir, and yes, you may speak." That seemed to make her uncomfortable, maybe I should've let her say 'sir.' After a moment of consideration, she continued.
"What's your number?" She asked.
"I don't have one." I replied, after having to register what she meant by number.
"You don't have a barcode?" A perplexed look formed on her face.
"No, I have a name." I explained.
I saw the question on her face 'What's a name?' but I knew she wouldn't ask, so I told her:
"A name is sort of like a number, only more personal." Oops, I'd forgotten she didn't know words like 'personal.' I could see from the look on her face that she was confused.
"More...individual, it gives you your own identity." Further explained, forgetting for the moment that she was taught about teamwork, not the individual. She raised her eyebrows ever so slightly.
"My name is Jones." I offered. Something seemed to make more sense to her. After a moment, she ventured at another question.
"Lydecker is a name then, isn't it?" She asked, putting two and two together.
"Why, yes, it is." I answered, impressed. She nodded in understanding, but remained silent.
"There are many names, more then anyone could count. Here, wait a minute." I logged online and pulled up a page with a couple hundred different names.
"And there are lots more besides these," I said, scrolling down the page. She carefully walked up behind me and scanned the list as it zipped by on the screen.
"I can give you this list, if you'd like." She just looked at me with her large, dark eyes, and shook her head slightly. Oh right, I'd forgotten about the X5 photographic memory. I looked back at the screen for a moment, wondering what it would be like to memorize everything instantly. When I turned to look back, she was gone.
I ran into X5-452 once more that week. I was up late again, designing my test. She was exploring the hallways. We bumped into each other in the hallway going towards Sector 9.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, a bit surprised, but try not to sound accusing. She jumped into her 'at attention' stance immediately.
"At easy," I said, trying to calm her, the thought of trying to gain her trust filtered through my mind.
"Maybe you could help me." I said, continuing. She raised her eyebrows ever so slightly at that. 'Ahh, the X5 independent attitude is ever-present in this one.' I thought with a smiled.
"See, I need to get a replacement switch for that box up there," I indicated to a switch box that was up near the ceiling, about 15 feet up. "I need the serial number -- it's on the side."
She glanced up, scanned it, and replied, "048 6910 2201"
"Thanks." I said. I hadn't really needed that number; I just wanted to know how far they could see -- to help me get the right level of difficulty for the test. I glanced back at her; she had a slight hint of suspicion on her face -- had she known I didn't really need that number? After a moment of contemplation, she ventured to talk, on her own, without asking permission. It wasn't much, just:
"I gotta get back to Block 12." With that, she turned and left.
I was up late that night, running ideas for this test through my mind. My door was open and I would glance up occasionally from my desk into the hall -- it somehow helped me get ideas, made me think about the building. At about 2:00 in the morning I glanced out my door -- and almost jumped out skin. X5-452 was standing there, not five feet from me.
'How'd she get there!? I didn't hear a thing!' I thought to myself. She registered my surprise. I looked at her for a second -- large dark eyes, hair that looked like it would've been dark had it been allowed to grow.
"What are you doing here?" I asked a bit sharply. She tensed at the question.
"Sorry sir, I don't sleep." Then, with some hesitation, "I noticed you were in the aquatic center today." She looked cautiously at me, her dark eyes unblinking.
Damn, these kids don't miss a thing. I nodded, "Yes, I was there." I tried to soften my tone so she would be more comfortable.
"Permission to speak sir." She asked in her perfect soldier tone.
"You don't have to call me sir, and yes, you may speak." That seemed to make her uncomfortable, maybe I should've let her say 'sir.' After a moment of consideration, she continued.
"What's your number?" She asked.
"I don't have one." I replied, after having to register what she meant by number.
"You don't have a barcode?" A perplexed look formed on her face.
"No, I have a name." I explained.
I saw the question on her face 'What's a name?' but I knew she wouldn't ask, so I told her:
"A name is sort of like a number, only more personal." Oops, I'd forgotten she didn't know words like 'personal.' I could see from the look on her face that she was confused.
"More...individual, it gives you your own identity." Further explained, forgetting for the moment that she was taught about teamwork, not the individual. She raised her eyebrows ever so slightly.
"My name is Jones." I offered. Something seemed to make more sense to her. After a moment, she ventured at another question.
"Lydecker is a name then, isn't it?" She asked, putting two and two together.
"Why, yes, it is." I answered, impressed. She nodded in understanding, but remained silent.
"There are many names, more then anyone could count. Here, wait a minute." I logged online and pulled up a page with a couple hundred different names.
"And there are lots more besides these," I said, scrolling down the page. She carefully walked up behind me and scanned the list as it zipped by on the screen.
"I can give you this list, if you'd like." She just looked at me with her large, dark eyes, and shook her head slightly. Oh right, I'd forgotten about the X5 photographic memory. I looked back at the screen for a moment, wondering what it would be like to memorize everything instantly. When I turned to look back, she was gone.
I ran into X5-452 once more that week. I was up late again, designing my test. She was exploring the hallways. We bumped into each other in the hallway going towards Sector 9.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, a bit surprised, but try not to sound accusing. She jumped into her 'at attention' stance immediately.
"At easy," I said, trying to calm her, the thought of trying to gain her trust filtered through my mind.
"Maybe you could help me." I said, continuing. She raised her eyebrows ever so slightly at that. 'Ahh, the X5 independent attitude is ever-present in this one.' I thought with a smiled.
"See, I need to get a replacement switch for that box up there," I indicated to a switch box that was up near the ceiling, about 15 feet up. "I need the serial number -- it's on the side."
She glanced up, scanned it, and replied, "048 6910 2201"
"Thanks." I said. I hadn't really needed that number; I just wanted to know how far they could see -- to help me get the right level of difficulty for the test. I glanced back at her; she had a slight hint of suspicion on her face -- had she known I didn't really need that number? After a moment of contemplation, she ventured to talk, on her own, without asking permission. It wasn't much, just:
"I gotta get back to Block 12." With that, she turned and left.