"Yes, that's right." I affirm as I watch P13 work quickly through an evaluation. He stops to look at a step and looks at me unsurely. "You got it. But watch this part, it's a little tricky." I point to where he's stuck. "Take another look."
He thinks for a moment then like a light went off in his head, he took off again and rapidly wrote the correct solution down on the board. "Yes! Good job, P13!" I cheer him on proudly.
"That was hard." He confesses as he wipes his brow.
"But you did it. Just like I knew you could and with very little help this time." I say as I scratch behind his ears, earning a happy smile.
"Try again?" he asks hopefully.
Surprise, I shrug and nod. "Sure. I'll set up another." I set up another equation on the board and take a step back. "All yours."
He approaches the board more confidently this time and I watch with excitement and joy as he breezes through the equation. There was one part I feared he wouldn't catch but he did it with ease. As he finishes it and I check to make sure it's correct, I throw my chart down with joy. I jump up and pick up him while cheering. "You did it! You did it!"
He looks at me half surprised and half scared. "You like it?" he asks confused.
I laugh loudly. "I love it!" I reply proudly then put him down. "Wait here."
Unable to help myself, I bound over excitedly to Vim at her station and tap on her shoulder. "Recorder Vim, please come with me!"
"214, if there is trouble-"
"No trouble at all!" I interrupt a little excited. I pause and give an apologetic look. "Sorry. I wanted you to see P13's progress."
"I am limited on time. Why don't you ask Theel to observe?" she ask a bit annoyed.
"Because Theel's a jackass." I blurt out then instantly cover my mouth in shock at my own bluntness, looking around quickly to see if Theel was around.
Vim looked up in utter shock and surprise as well.
"Sorry." I apologize nervously.
Vim gives me a look as she completes her paper work quietly and I begin to worry. But then she sets her pin roughly. "Do not waste my time, 214." She says shortly.
"Of course not." I breathe a sigh of relief and light laugh. "Come."
I quickly return with Vim and I see P13 look at me nervously. I grab the thick book Sire had given to me and showed Vim. "This is one of the subjects Sire wanted me to work with P13 on." I explain and show her my observations and progress. "This is where he started and this is where he is now but I wanted you to observe."
Vim quickly reads through and nods ever so slightly here and there then closes the book. "Very well. I will assist and give test him myself now."
"Sure." I reply, thankful for her attention then lean down to P13, who I can tell is uneasy. "P13, recorder Vim is going to evaluate your progress. Would you kindly demonstrate what we've been working on?"
He replies with a nervous look but then nods 'yes'.
Vim steps forward and gives an equation that is fairly simple. P13 looks at it for a second before completing it in record time. I smile brightly as Vim gives me an unimpressed look as he tells us that he was correct. She begins giving him harder problems to solve but every time he solves them with ease each time.
Huffing, Vim thinks for a moment before giving him an equation that was terribly difficult even for myself. I was not going to be surprised if he didn't fully understand or complete it. He approaches it with a deep crease in his brow. He looks unsurely at me but I give him a reassuring smile. "You can do it, P13." I say encouragingly.
He looks back to the board slowly then begins working out the problem. It was slow at first but then he begins to solving it faster as it begins to make sense to him. I couldn't contain my excitement as I tapped excitedly on Vim's arm. "Look, look!" I point as he untangles the equation and goes beyond it.
She gives me an annoyed glance but pays attention. Out of her and Theel, Vim was the lesser of evils. I didn't trust or care for her one bit but when it came to sharing the moment, I'd choose her any day.
As P13 completes his work, we both look at her nervously. She's reluctant as she checks his work and I can tell she's trying to hide it but she eventually straightens up and says, "Very impressive. Well done, P13."
P13 instantly perks up and looks at me expectantly. I give him a bright smile and thumbs up but then quickly tone it down when Vim gives me a look. "Its progress is promising. Proceed, 214."
That was the closest thing I was going to get for a compliment, so I nod with a smile. "Thank you." I reply shortly.
With a slight nod, she turns on her heel then walks away quickly.
Once out of sight, both P13 and I let out a huge sigh of relief and I run over to him, dropping to my knees. "You amaze me!" I say excitedly as I cup his face in my hands. "I'm so proud of you!" I pull him into a hug.
I could tell he was surprised but he returned my hug nonetheless. "We do more?" he asks curiously.
I think for a moment and look over the materials that I have. Satisfied that we'd met today's expectations, I decided to go for something else. "You know what? I think we're done book wise and I'd like to try something else if you're up to it. I think you'll enjoy it a lot more. What do say?"
Looking relieved and curious, he nods. "Okay. We go." He replies happily.
P13 eagerly takes my hand and instead I lift him up onto my shoulder, earning a joyful giggle in return. I walk down the hall to an open room where I've set up several broken down prosthetic parts on one station, parts to a few weapons on another, and an engine to an old space craft on the last one. I set him down and explain to him what we're about to do. "You've already proven to me how book smart you are and how well you did with repairing L06's leg. So I have a few projects that I thought we could work on together."
Immediately I see him light up as his ears perk up and his tail twitch. He runs over to the first station and starts examining the parts. "What's it supposed to be?" he asks curiously.
"Anything you like." I answer as I sit down across from him. "These pieces are special because they are designed to be prosthetic body parts such as an arm or leg and when you complete them, they take on the appearance of that body part. Like mine." I hold out my hand and let him examine and feel it.
"It not real?" he asks confused and amazed all the same.
"Nope. But this one is." I show him my left hand that is deeply scarred and indented.
Concern and sadness covers his face as he traces the scars and looks back at me. "It hurts?" he asks.
I offer a sad smile and shake my head. "No. Not anymore." I assure him softly.
"What happen?"
I'm quiet for a moment before answering. "A very bad accident. A long time ago." I answer quietly but clear my throat. "I lost this arm and almost this one, but thanks to Sire and technology, I get along just fine."
P13 smiles a little then asks. "We do for Q12?" he asks hopefully.
My heart constricts painfully. "How I wish we could, my friend. But I am afraid that at this point in time, we are not able or allowed to do so." He looks disappointed and so was I. The truth is that it'd be easy to replace and advance all our friend's features but Sire would never allow it, deeming it a waste of resources. I lift up his chin and offer a small smile. "Perhaps one day we can. But for right now, we can practice."
He smiles a bit and nods. "Okay." He answers softly.
With a smile and scratch behind ear, we begin working on building an arm out of the pieces in front of us. I direct him here and there as he naturally takes to it just as he did with L06's leg. We practice his speech as we work and have lighthearted conversation. As we work, he looks up and focuses on the other station with bigger parts.
"What's that?" he asks curiously.
"That is to be an engine for a rocket." I reply as I screw in another piece.
He looks at me intrigued. "What's a rocket?"
I smirk and give him a knowing look. "You'll find out soon."
A/N: A little short chapter due to a busy week but I'm really enjoying these upcoming chapters. Disclaimer: All is make believe. No scientist or doctor here haha!