It was getting late in the millicycle when he walked into the refresh site; Bit floating contentedly at his shoulder, occasionally zipping off to investigate something or someone new before returning with a happy 'yes' or disgruntled 'no', depending on the reception Bit had received. The refresh site was already fairly crowded with programs, although not as many as there would have been a few cycles ago. The newest overseer program—Master Control Program—had been instituting curfews and access restrictions in various areas of the system, leading to fewer programs going out simply to mingle when not needed for active functions.
All of which mad CLU's job more that he wasn't up to the challenge.
He just needed to find the right leverage…there. Smiling broadly, CLU headed toward his goal.
She was about to take the first sip of her drink when the tall blonde program thumped his elbows on the bar and leaned closer to her with a wide grin on his face.
"Hi!" he said, as a bit twirled around him. "What's your name?"
She blinked in surprise. Was he talking to her? Programs didn't just come up to someone like her and ask what their name was…they asked more glamorous programs; entertainment programs, or sirens from the game grid. Not her.
"Sorry, did I startle you? Or are you just being mysterious and enigmatic?"
"Oh," she said. "Um, AMMI. My name is Ammi."
"Ammi, huh?" he nodded as though any other name would have been unthinkable. "So, Ammi, do you visit this refresh site often?"
"Sometimes?" she ventured hesitantly. "I come here every few millicycles."
The program with the bit sighed as if slightly disappointed. "Just my luck," he said. "You probably spend the rest of your time with another program. I should have guessed you would be part of a dedicated pairing."
Ammi looked at him in shock. Dedicated pairing? Her? "No!" she blurted. "No, I spend the rest of my time at my quarters alone. I just come here to meet people…" her voice trailed off a little as she looked down, blushing madly.
"Really?" he asked, his face brightening again. "Man, this IS my lucky millicycle. My name's CLU, by the way." CLU continued breezily talking, "I'm a search program," he told her. "My User installed me here on the Encom system for 'real world applications testing'. If I do well, I'll be the template for other iterations…" He leaned back against the bar counter, waving to get the server program's attention as he did so.
Turning back to face Ammi, he flashed a quick smile again. "So, Ammi, what do you do; and how is an obviously complex program like yourself still available for pairing?" He lifted a finger and said, "Wait…let me guess… You are a second-gen instar AI program, and the other programs around here are too intimidated to approach you. Did I get it right?"
Ammi blushed, feeling her circuits heat up as she shook her head 'no'. He really was charming, and that smile…
"No, I'm just a secretarial program, really," she demurred. "Applied Management Maintenance Iteration," she said.
"Wow," CLU said, looking impressed. "That sounds like more than just secretarial to me. Do you end up traveling a lot with your job? Maybe I will run into you while working…" his voice broke off as the server program approached them.
"Just a basic energy run for me…and your best refined for the lady," CLU told the server, ordering drinks for them.
"Oh, that's not…you shouldn't…" she spluttered. "I mean, I don't really need it…I'm sure that there are other things you could spend…"
"I will not," he told her, interrupting her attempt to dissuade him from buying the drink. "My User allots me full energy consumption, whether I'm running active functions or not. I have a surplus, and I choose to use it on a very attractive and interesting program."
"So," CLU said with a cheeky smile on his face, "tell me more about you…"
Somehow, against the part of herself that said this was corrupted data, that clever and charming programs simply didn't talk to her and find her interesting—much less attractive—Ammi found herself sipping high-end refined energy and chatting animatedly with a handsome and attentive companion for a large portion of the remaining millicycle.
"Hey, are you okay?" CLU's concerned face swam into focus above her, his bit twirling near his shoulder and blinking 'no' in agitation as Ammi blinked her eyes. What exactly had happened?
"I think that last drink might not have been my best idea," he said sheepishly. "You went into a soft re-boot." He held out a hand to help pull her up to her feet and then guided her into the seat of a small booth.
"Oh," she said, feeling shaky. "That's embarrassing to do…"
"Weellll," CLU scratched the blonde hair that peeked out of the back of his helmet. "It's really my fault. I encouraged you…are you okay, really?"
"No, no…I think I'm fine." I just need to have my User transfer my code, so I don't have to stand here looking foolish, she thought ruefully to herself.
"That's good to hear," he said, looking relieved. "I was worried that I might have caused you to have thrown an exception. I don't know what my User will do when he learns of this."
CLU looked at her, his face determined. "I'm going to have a security monitor escort you back to your place," he told her. "I've obviously demonstrated that I can't be trusted to be responsible enough to keep you safe." He looked around the refresh station, apparently trying to find a security program right then.
Ammi leaned back into the soft cushions of the booth that she remembered them moving to earlier, and tried to catch his arm. Finally, she managed to reach out and snag his wrist, getting his attention.
"CLU…" she said softly, trying to keep her voice down to avoid being overheard by the other programs walking around. "That's really not necessary. I'll get a data transport back. You should probably get back to your functions. Maybe your User will let this go, if you do…" she sounded uncertain of the last, even to her own ears.
CLU looked at her. "If you're certain…" his voice sounded doubtful.
Ammi smiled. "I'm certain. Go, and try to stay out of trouble."
He gave her a lop-sided smile. "Alright, then. And Ammi, if I get transferred…it was lovely meeting you…" "
Go," she said, waving him away with a smile. She was never going to forget this night; not with this wonderful program having been in it, showing her how much FUN she could have simply talking with an interesting companion program.
CLU stepped from the refresh site. That had been fun…and he had managed to copy the permissions that he needed to access the next two memory sectors.
Maybe later he would be able to run into Ammi again, he mused. She said that she spent a lot of time being ported in and out of another system to help deal with an architectural file management process…
A/N- so, any one out there got any ideas on where they would like to see CLU take this? 'Cuz the little yellow guy's driving the tank, not me.