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[Humans had the most baffling strength in attaching whatever meaning they wanted to things, didn't they? Ethan, of course, is no different. He sees things in his way, and acts in whatever way suits him.

Connor's response is no more or less than expected, though he suspects, perhaps, that there's a little more behind the scenes by now. It's almost impossible that anything worth calling itself an android or artificial intelligence wouldn't have some thoughts in the face of human unpredictability.]

{I did say so, yes.

Strictly speaking, we probably don't need much at this point. But if you have limitations, then that's that.

It goes without saying that we should avoid actions that could inconvenience the work, but I don't really have any strict requirements anyway. I just want progress.}

[Same as before. And like before, he has some other things he'd like, but half of them are covered with the new ownership anyway. Besides, he's expecting he's burned bridges more now than ever.]

[The furrow in Connor's expression... lingers. He'd expected new requirements, or at least a refutation of the old ones. Even if attachment had been the motivation for the human's help, he knew he'd gone above and beyond what they'd agreed on. Was 'progress' really all he wanted in return?]

That's it?

[Ethan's head tilts at the question, mild confusion similarly evident in his face.]

{I mean, we can define an entire list of parameters of you want, but basically, yeah? We're not all that different in this front, I think. I want to succeed in something.

What's bothering you about it?}

[either he's lying, or it really is that simple. At least there's the option of clarification?]

[...To succeed. That would be nice.]

...I'll have to prioritize my assignments from Zolta. This limits the time I'll be available to work.

[And, consequently, the progress they'll make.

It's not what was bothering him, of course. But it's a reasonable reply.]

[His expression shifts a little, gaze turning back to Connor. Unconvinced, really.

Well... not convinced that it's the only issue, that is.]

{That's acceptable. I can fill in the spare time with other things, and with making sure I'm caught up to everything. It isn't like we didn't have other things we were doing before, either.}

[He tosses around the idea of letting it lie, for a moment. But, in the end, he at least says one thing.]

{... You can ask questions if you have them. About the partnership or otherwise. If I don't want to talk about it, I'll say so. And that doesn't just extend to this conversation.}

[He might also just blow past the question, but hey.]

[They hadn't met constantly before. And it wasn't like Ethan had nothing else to do in his spare time. It's a reasonable response for someone interested in maintaining their collaboration, and Connor nods in return. He doesn't have any other warnings to give.

It's a good thing that Ethan hadn't lost interest. Objectively, strictly—their partnership had been invaluable. But human interest is a fleeting thing to depend on, especially with such a loose grasp of what Ethan hoped to gain.

The offer doesn't really change this. RK800s are designed to adapt to human needs, and advertising his own uncertainty would be a failure in and of itself.

Still.]

...I'll keep that in mind.

[In the future.]

Edited 2020-11-15 14:01 (UTC)

[Ethan's gaze, mild in its scrutiny though it is, finally relents from it wholesale. Lips purse in thought and he eventually just... mentally shrugs it off.

He's not about to try and push when their previous conversations have ended so... well, badly. The temptation is there, though.]

{That works for me.

Then... we'll be keeping the base of the deal the same, it sounds like? The intent hasn't changed, even if one of the caveats isn't possible anymore.}

[Ultimately, that caveat being lifted will hurt Ethan more than it hurts Connor. He's not in the biggest hurry to have the conversation.]

{Oh, right. I've been thinking of creating some rotating rooms for the space, for... something to do. Figured I should probably mention that before it happens.}

Edited 2020-11-15 14:44 (UTC)

[The base of the deal. The working relationship. Connor calls it up and, after a moment, nods. His own productivity will be more limited than before, but he's already mentioned that. If Ethan considers it a violation of their terms, he didn't say so.

The room modification makes him a little curious, but it doesn't sound like anything to object to. Connor's attention is still lagging slightly: on that impossible part of their old deal.]

Understood.

...How much are you planning to share?

[With the deviant goes unspoken. No one else would stiffen Connor's spine with quite the same loathing.]

[At that, Ethan's expression morphs into a grimace. How much... Well. That's a complicated question, isn't it?]

{I hadn't made any hard plans. I suppose it'll depend on whether he continues talking with me or not. It's not exactly a small transgression, working with you.}

[he doesn't sound regretful, though. If he hadn't, Connor would still be there, buried in the ground, losing what stability he had...]

{But even if he does, probably not much more than that it's something we're working on. Before... Maybe I'd have asked him to help me troubleshoot if I was struggling with something.

The room was also a thought, eventually, if things had ever settled down.

But right now... I can't imagine he'll be thinking much past the betrayal.}

[...Before what? Before Ethan had helped him? Before they'd worked together at all? But no—the plans Ethan is so casually musing over aren't ones he could have made back then. He's talking about what he would have done if the deviant had learned about this earlier.

Its disapproval was the only thing holding him back.

Connor doesn't move (doesn't twitch), at the confirmation that Ethan would have betrayed the secrecy they had agreed on. That he'd rather solve these problems with the other RK800. It's nothing Connor hasn't been aware of since the start, and he listens impassively, taking steady, mechanical breaths with the lungs he still has in his chest. (Not dirt. Not burning, aching absences.)

...The room, too. If Ethan had gotten that far in his own plans—if he had given the deviant all the access he'd meant to... it would have known how Connor could make contact. It would have clipped more wires, stripped more parts—trapped him completely in his failed, hollowed carcass—]

I see.

[He does. His LED is flickering red now, and he turns his head, tilting out of sight. (Preconstructing the fastest exit from this conversation.) The deviant will feel betrayed. Connor certainly hopes so.

That's the only thing keeping him functioning.]

....

[It's out of place. Just enough, and the reaction is just enough that Ethan's attention is brought back. He's notoriously bad at explaining things in proper detail, so now-- it was something he said, he reckons.

His lips purse a little more, then release.]

{... Do you?}

[There is... Earnest concern, there. He needs a moment, backing through it to find the disconnect.

After all, the issue with him is usually something lost in translation. Here, where he's struggling with keeping his own head straight? He's lucky he didn't say something even worse, somehow. Once he pins it down... Well, he's just batting a thousand for explaining himself today, isn't he.

It might help but at all, but... At this point, he may as well explain. And make a plea.]

{Look. If you want to make assumptions, I can't stop you, but I don't-- I need you to let me clarify right now if something seems off.

It's never been a question of who I was working with, Connor. You're not the issue here, and I wouldn't change the decisions I made. My regrets are unrelated and personal.

Anything I was thinking of would and will stay an idle thought unless it's agreed to by you, because that's how a partnership works with me. If this partnership wasn't so goddamn important, I wouldn't be out here having this conversation.

So don't get caught on the fanciful thinking when I can barely keep past from present. I didn't choose to work on the network with him. I chose to work on the network with you.}

[Ethan is a little irritated, but it's mostly in himself and his communication skills. Sokie suggested he just needed practice, but... Maybe -60 is just the worst practice. In any case, there's not even the slightest inkling of untruth to the words, from tone to facial expressions.]

['Keep me informed.' It's at the edge of Connor's vocalizer. A tactful extraction. (A chance, maybe, of being warned if things go 'well'.) And then he can retreat from the conversation. Retreat from here, bury himself in his new orders until he can ignore the suffocating pressure in his core.

It's at the edge of his vocalizer, but the human interjects. It's at the edge of his vocalizer, but he doesn't want the words to skip when they come out. So he waits, LED bathing the wall in intermittent crimson.

He listens.

RK800s are designed to be ideal partners. To encourage productivity. To adapt to the humans they work with and accommodate for any flaws. It's the purpose of their social modules (and Connor doesn't know why his predecessor always seems to have so much more success). They're designed to listen and support. They're designed to be replaced. To be destroyed at need and exchanged seamlessly, one for the next without disruption.

Partnership doesn't mean longevity. It certainly doesn't mean control. Connor's eyes are fixed on Ethan, mouth uneven, LED still swirling red as he checks and rechecks the human's face for lies.]

...

I don't want it to know about the room.

Edited 2020-11-15 17:50 (UTC)

[What he'll see, when he finally speaks again, is relief. No disappointment, no frustration, not shock.

It's not perfect, he knows that. They'll doubtless have plenty more of these little problems, where everything sits just askew enough to grate on one or both sides. But it's progress.]

{Then he won't. Consider it added as a parameter of the agreement.}

[Zero hesitation, not the slightest shift of posture or gaze.]

[Connor sees it. And Ethan will see, too, as Connor's LED spins down to gold. The android nods. Breathes—a little less steadily, but somehow the choking pressure still lets up.]

Good.

[Should he say more? There's plenty Connor doesn't want, but... 'Anything I was thinking of will stay an idle thought unless it's agreed to by you'. If Ethan meant that, if he does check before disclosing secrets... maybe it will work.

And if it doesn't, Connor will at least have somewhere to run to.]

Did you have other questions?

[There's probably a fair bit that sits on the implication of the first boundary, where it's up to Connor whether he wants to make them solid or not. Or, well, that would be the norm, between them.]

{Not many. For clarity's sake: I hadn't intended on keeping entirely quiet when we've finished the work fully. Do you have any stipulations for that point?

Likely, the shared information would just be things to watch out for, for the sake of safety. I'm not in any hurry to give up an advantage.}

[it's... Weird. How easily he settles into it now. He'll blame the experiences of the last week, markedly humbling as they've been, along with just... Actually taking a moment to think.]

[When they'd... finished the work? Connor hadn't considered a specific endpoint, no. He blinks, head tilting the slightest fraction to the side, but ultimately shakes his head.]

Nothing particular.

[He thinks another moment.]

Safety warnings would be fine.

[He's warned more than one person himself about the phones' proclivity to eavesdrop. Even if he'd come to regret one of those warnings in short order.

Anything past that... well. Connor would certainly prefer to avoid advantaging someone.]

[Honestly, it's sensible enough. The network is a nebulous aspect of their lives and it's been there the whole time, so thinking beyond it can be strange at best.]

{Alright. Beyond that, I can't think of anything else, really.}

[They both probably have plenty of questions, but they're not the kind of questions good for this particular conversation, or... probably aren't things the other want to talk about, right now.]

{... It's good to have you back, Connor.}

[His feelings surrounding both androids might be somewhat complicated, but he does enjoy having them both around in their own ways.]

[Connor nods, filing away the key points of the discussion. It's plenty to think about, certainly. He'll need to get back to his mission, but he spares a glance for Ethan's comment. He's been 'back' for a full week. But maybe Ethan just means it as a pleasantry?]

...It's good to be back.

[Polite echo or genuine assessment... the words don't seem out of place.]

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