4. Communication
"Dexter."
He didn't bother to look at the comm cube projected beside him. "What is it, Mandy?"
She glowered, but given that he directing a small army of Dexbots as they lowered armored shielding into place on the back of a newly-built Megabot, it was somewhat understandable that his attention would be focused on the task at hand.
"I need to talk to you."
Her words barely registered. "It could be argued that we are talking." In the back of his mind Dexter realized it had been at least two weeks since they'd last communicated. He hadn't missed her in the least.
"No, you're making noise while I'm trying to make a point. This is how my parents talk. It sucks and I'm not stooping to that level. I've been living in your corporate headquarters for almost three years and they still haven't noticed."
That got his attention, and he blinked in surprise. "You have?" Small wonder she always seemed to be around. He'd never given it a thought before.
She rolled her eyes. "I rest my case. My office as soon as you're done tinkering."
He huffed, indignant, and loftily corrected, "I'm constructing, not tinkering."
"Whatever," Mandy grunted right back. "At least you heard. Don't be long."
He didn't rush the task at hand, but he did stop work as soon as the armor plate was attached. He ordered the Dexbots to clean up and replenish all the supplies used, and for good measure had them scour the whole lab. As Dexter walked though his laboratory, he called on Computress to show him his email. The display was projected at eye level and moved along with him. Most of it was related to business or the ongoing war, but a few personal messages were included. He focused on those, feeling in need of something to lift his spirits. He had been working on the Megabot for the last ten hours and couldn't remember stopping once to rest. To his immense satisfaction, he saw an email from Ben. He had not seen his best friend in almost two months and this was only the third message he had received since Ben had rushed to Banff to save the RCKND.
Leaving Ben's for last, he opened an email from Nigel Uno.
Dexter,
The Nova Sticks you created for Numbah 4 are, to say the least and all puns are intended, brilliant. KND worldwide are clamoring to get some or to get Numbah 4 assigned to their sector since he has a steady supply. So, kudos on the invention and managing to make Wally wildly popular.
Speaking of popular, the hockey game that was staged in Downtown last fall was such a smashing success (again, pun intended) that we were hoping to stage a similar contest over the holidays. Something to bring everyone together for some friendly competition and to blow off steam. What would you say to a laser tag tournament?
-Numbah 1
Laser tag? he mused. An interesting concept. "Computress, research the necessary parameters for a laser tag tournament held either on this campus or in Downtown."
"Right away, Dexter," his super computer responded.
The Professor had messaged him, forwarding an invitation from the Mayor to be a judge at the Downtown High School science fair on the coming weekend. He considered. If the Professor had sent it, he thought it was a good idea. Dexter hadn't stepped foot outside this building since his forced removal in July, and he had to admit he was tempted. Besides, it would give DexLabs Security something to gripe about.
"Computress, accept this invitation and forward the information to Sgt. Morton to arrange an escort."
"Right away," she replied.
He tapped the next email. It was from DeeDee, and there was no stopping her nasally voice echoing through his head as he read:
Dexxxxterr! I saw what you made Mandy! Mini you! So cute!1! Almost as cute as you, little brother. Can I have one? Can you make one of a pony? XOXOXOXO
"No," he said aloud, annoyed at the request and not sure why. Possibly it was being called cute. Since his first encounter with Princess Morbucks, any female calling him cute gave him flashbacks of gold lamé and frizzy hair. He deliberately deleted her email and moved on to Ben's.
Hey, Dex,
Sorry I haven't written more, but, you know, war and hero stuff. We ran into/over/around Providence at Lake Cayuga pretty soon after the whole Banff blowout. Met a ninja and an EVO and came close to getting sucked dry by the mosquitoes there. They were only slightly smaller than Mr. Mosco, I think. Turns out the Fusions we were sent to fight were EVOs, hence Providence dropping in on me to help. They weren't so bad, once they stopped shooting at Humungousaur. Seriously, who can't tell a Vaxasaurian from an EVO? Anyway, I'll bore you with the details next time we get together, hopefully soon.
Hope you're okay. Your last email about the Megabot was pretty technical, so I know it was giving you grief. I can tell things are super frustrating when you use me as a sounding board for engineering problems.
Nigel said he was going to message you about a laser tag tournament this December or January, something like the KND against the rest of creation. I second the idea, especially if there's pizza involved and if you'll be on my team. Let me know. I'll try to call as soon as I'm not surrounded by noise and nosy KND. Julie asked me to take her to some sort of art show / science fair thing behind held this weekend in Downtown's high school that she wants to go to. Dunno if we'll be able to get passes to it, but we'll try. We'll swing by to see you if we can get an invitation to the show or even if we can't. It's high time you met Julie and I know she wants to meet you. If you don't hear from me by Friday, hunt me down.
Ben
Dexter considered the tone as he reread the message. It was a lengthy email for Ben, and rather restrained. Since the hideous events at Pittsburgh this past July, Ben had been very reserved in his humor. It was almost as if Ben was afraid to joke, as if Dexter would somehow break from a little horseplay. He didn't know how to take that, nor could he pinpoint how that made him feel since he'd never had a friend act this way before. Truth be told, he'd never really had so close a friend before outside of the Powerpuff Girls. His relationship with the girls was very different from his relationship with Ben.
"Computress, follow up on the science fair and request the Mayor issue an invitation to Miss Julie Yamamoto and Ben Tennyson. Include her address in Bellwood."
"Done," said the computer.
He paused, reading the second paragraph again and wondering if Ben knew him so well or if he was so completely obvious. Ben was intuitive and perceptive when he meant to be, but also remarkably dense at times. Dexter was left both perplexed and disquieted and something else he couldn't quite pinpoint. It was rare that Dexter didn't have a word for something, but this was beyond the scope of his experience. Perhaps he should raise the question with Professor Utonium . . . after he found out what Mandy wanted to say.