3. Love and Hate and Sparkles

"I hate you."

The simple statement was honestly meant and came straight from the heart. Dexter looked supremely satisfied with this response while Blossom fought to keep from busting out laughing as Mandy gazed at the Nano. Pixel was prancing about on her desk and getting into everything, making happy squeaks at the joy of exploration and discovery of office supplies.

"What. Is. That?" demanded Mandy. Her overwhelming desire to either fall in love with the gushingly cute robot or strangle its creator on the spot manifested in a slight tic in her jaw. This was Mandy. She didn't do cute. Cute was for the weak, at least until this moment. Plainly the struggle was real as she grit her teeth. Pixel, meanwhile, who had already brought her a collection of paper clips and post-it notes, was half-in, half-out of the pen holder on the desk, kicking his short legs and well on his way to getting stuck.

Dexter enjoyed the show, sitting on a corner of the desk. "You wanted access to Computress' basic functions. This is it. This is Pixel, the first of what I've dubbed a Nano."

"How does it work?" she wondered, trying to resist those tiny charms.

"The same way Computress did for you in July. For example, Pixel," he said to the Nano, plucking him out of the pen holder by his lab coat and flicking him into the air over the desk, "comm cube."

With a quick flip before hovering in place, Pixel reached in his pocket and with an over-the-top flourish and a burst of sparkles, whipped out a comm cube bigger than himself. He stood beneath the rotating cube, pretending to balance it on one finger and smiling proudly.

Dexter began rattling off orders. "Get me a schematic of elevator 4. Turn off the lights in this room. Show me the image being recorded on camera 233A. Remind my father via text he has a dentist appointment tomorrow. Schedule Einstein for his regular grooming. Get me last month's fuel consumption logs for all the aeroships in hangar 2. Locate Numbah 414. Raise Sgt. Morton. Display my DexCorp email. Cancel all insurance policies on DexLabs holdings."

Pixel had been happily dancing about, waving his arms and sending holographic sparkles flying as if magically fulfilling each request until the last item on the list. Images were projected all around the desk until Pixel stumbled over the insurance problem. Unable to comply with such an order at his level, he floated up to eye level, put a hand on his hip and squeaked energetically, shaking a finger at Dexter as if he'd done something naughty and deserved a lecture.

"You called, sir?" asked Sgt. Morton from his office. The chief of security spoke in what had to be the blandest tone of voice known to man.

Dexter smiled faintly at his infinitely patient bodyguard. "An object lesson, Sergeant. My apologies for disturbing you. Pixel, close all images."

The holograms and all the data vanished and the lights came back on. Blossom held her hand out and Pixel flew over and sat on her palm, dangling his legs over the edge of Blossom's fingers. Dexter watched, then carried on with the lesson.

"He cannot leave this building, but that includes the quad and the gardens. That restriction is inherent in his programming and he will resist if you try to remove him. He's designed to learn, so be careful what you teach him. He'll respond to you primarily, but also to senior officers of the company and command-level ECF and KND in emergency situations when the alarms have been activated. My father, Mr. Green, Sgt. Morton, Computress, and I can override him when we choose. If you have any questions, save them for Pixel."

Mandy had been silent through the demonstration, watching the little sprite with interest. "Can it talk?"

"Ask him," snapped Dexter, gesturing at his micro twin.

Mandy made a face and addressed the Nano. "Can you talk?"

Pixel shook his head and hugged himself, kicking his feet and smiling as if he'd done something wonderful.

The Supreme Commander of Earth's Combined Forces blinked. The struggle was very real. "Well, I guess that's a good thing."

"Pixel," said Dexter, "transfer level 2 command to Mandy. Mandy, have fun staring at me all day."

Pixel flew off of Blossom's hand and zoomed around Mandy's chair before pausing to gush and flirt and play in front of her. The tic was back in her jaw and the kawainess was being laid on with a trowel.

"Shall we, Blossom?"

His job done, Dexter moved to open the door for his adopted sister. Blossom smiled a final time at Mandy's plight and joined him.

"Hey, Brainiac!" snapped Mandy.

Both Blossom and Dexter paused, then looked back. Mandy glowered murderously as Pixel, who seemed ecstatic over being in Mandy's service now, danced in the air beside her.

I hate you, she mouthed.

Dexter smiled and saluted with his free hand, but had the decency to wait until the door closed before he let himself laugh.