“Alexia Hale, incoming arrival due in five minutes," AIDE the less than helpful AI informed me.
“Yes AIDE, I was on my way," I said. Kyper was out exploring again. I made my way to the arrival area, something that I had worked hard on turning into an actual platform—not just a spot in the hall—and waited on the arrival of one, Alistair Graves, unwanted and unnecessary deputy. Ordered because one Marvin Marshen nearly blew up the lab. He was my punishment for not stopping it. Nevermind that I’d been put in charge of herding geniuses who acted like feral housecats that refused to be housebroken the moment someone tried to impose rules… No offence Kyper.
To be fair the Suits didn’t say he was my punishment, they wrapped it up in pretty words like "assistance in garnering the trust of the scientists” and "more help enforcing protocols.” Yeah. I was being punished.
The portal opened and a young man with dark hair cut in a standard military style cut, a stiff suit—black—and a suitcase.
“Deputy Alistair Graves reporting ma’am," he said immediately on spotting me.
“Alex Hale," I said, offering my hand. He looked almost offended and for a moment I thought he was going to salute. Eventually he shook my hand though.
Kyper streaked by then, something silver in his mouth. I rolled my eyes.
“Let me show you to your quarters?" I said, ignoring the cat’s dramatics.
"What was that?”
"Kyper. My cat.”
"Kepler?”
"Kyper. He gets offended if you call him Kepler,” I said.
"Ah,” he responded as though he couldn’t imagine a cat being offended.
I handed him a tablet and turned to lead him toward his quarters.
"We have a resident AI in the facility named AIDE, who is…incomplete. AIDE has been informed that you will have similar authority to mine, including the call to shut down anything dangerous. Quite frankly, that covers the whole facility but we aren’t really allowed to shut down anything that isn’t actively harming anyone. The tablet should get you up to speed,” I said as we walked. I led him near lab 005 and stopped outside a door.
"AIDE,” I said calmly and the door slid open. The apartment inside was just as sparse as mine, functional but nothing to write home about. The panel for AIDE lit up as we stepped into the kitchen where he put his suitcase down.
“Welcome Alistair Graves, I am AIDE, however my preferred designation is Aida."
“Yes and that lapse is part of what causes problems," I muttered.
"Understood,” he said to me.
"The protocols aren’t quite filled in completely. It’s a work in progress. AIDE can help you. Any questions?”
"None so far Ms. Hale.”
"You can call me Alex if you want, since you will likely be here for a while. I will leave you to settle in,” I said. He nodded and I headed back to my own quarters.
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