Beta par excellence from Purpleyin, thanks.
Chapter Three
Leo wondered what it would be like to feel his hands scanned, and now he reckoned he knew. It was as if beams of light had passed in waves through his tissue. When the glow had dissipated, he figured it was safe to remove his hands from the crystals, but doing so caused the strangest thing to happen. He couldn't see it exactly, but he could sense the crystals near his fingers kind of… well, he supposed they were coming online, you might describe it, as if the console could tell where his hands were, and they were preparing in advance for his commands.
It was a little spooky, and a lot exciting. He couldn't resist waving his hands slowly across the crystals, not touching, just hovering here and there, and sensing the vibration of the energy beneath. He didn't do it for too long, in case someone came by and saw his peculiar behaviour.
On screen, a fresh prompt appeared. Again, there was something new and strange about it. Though he couldn't quite pinpoint what. Maybe it was the screen colour, maybe it was a subtle change in the font. It just seemed… more familiar.
>Leo>Wow. He'd expected "welcome" or "at your command", or something. But this… it was just… nice.
AsimaThis was weird. And yet it felt good.
>Are you ready?>Leo grinned, appreciative of the eagerness he felt from the crystals under his hands.
Sure. Why not?
>We have many tasks to achieve today>Over the next couple of hours, Asima took Leo through all the command functions, asking for his requirements and plans. As other team members came and went from the Control Room, carrying out their daily tasks, Leo worked with Asima to complete their "adaptations". He didn't deviate too much from what Peter had already set, apart from some additional security measures in the outer reaches of the city. With repairs well under way, and a shield possible, many distant sectors were being brought into use even as he worked.
What next, Asima - waste disposal?>No, Leo. You are tired. We will continue tomorrow. Adapting uses much energy>
Well, OK, that was odd, but a welcome halt to proceedings. If he had to make one more decision he thought his brain would explode. Asima must have sensed his reaction time slowing down or something.
Fine. Tomorrow. Back to normal now?Again, a long response time.
>You wish to revert to manual?>Aw, great. He had no idea you could hurt the feelings of a console. Peter had thought it was sentient, though.
No. I wish to remain on automatic, if that's OK. I just meant, back to the usual business of running the city
If his Gran could see him now, placating a console…
>Yes, of course Leo. I apologise. Peter was absent for some time. I calculated there was a high probability of being without an adapter. The probability was not acceptable>
If that means she was scared, then fair enough.
I don't plan to be absent any time soon
He didn't know if she would understand, and in some ways, he wasn't just saying it to her. She wasn't the only one who was afraid. 'She'? Since when was Asima a 'she'? That name sounds a bit 'she'.
>That is acceptable>
I'm glad, Asima
>Then I am glad, also, Leo>
0o0o0
As the days passed, Leo became comfortable communicating with Asima. He ran the city on automatic most of the time now, and he and Asima had adjusted the display layout so that all the technicians could work easily in the automatic mode. Asima did not interact with anyone else, and Leo told no one how he was managing the city. He was beginning to enjoy the sensation of the crystals anticipating his actions, and found himself working with Asima in new and yet seemingly natural ways.
0o0o0
The senior staff had returned on the Daedalus in the late hours of the evening before and Leo was looking forward to seeing what McKay made of the power fluctuations that had occurred in his absence.
As Leo arrived for first shift, he reviewed the diagnostic with the technician that had run it during the night. Satisfied, he dismissed the man, and settled in front of Asima. In his mind, she was never 'the console' anymore.
Asima
>Leo>
Any problems this morning?
>The city is well, Leo>
And you?
>I am well also>
Leo was pulled from his morning small talk by Elizabeth Weir addressing him.
"Sergeant? Good to see you. How were things while I was away?"
"Fine, Ma'am, no problems."
She nodded. "And you? Any problems… adapting?"
He smiled, thinking how Peter would have enjoyed the irony of her question. She couldn't…? No, Peter would never have told her, just as he wouldn't tell her. Well, it was Sergeant Leo Dalhousie P.Eng in charge now, and it looked like he was adapting just fine.
"No, Ma'am. No problems adapting… so far."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this taster. I would dearly love to write more, get them a little closer ;) but a plot just never materialised. (What do you mean, have you never heard of PWP?) Perhaps even a little console whumpage. Please, please offer up your suggestions and ideas. Hope you liked it, and thanks for reading!