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[badlydisarmed]

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[badlydisarmed]

I signed up while begging loudly not to be picked.

[ He's stressed about it, though. It's a lose-lose situation for him, either he's picked and gets to go back and enjoy the PTSD, or he's not and he gets to stay behind and wonder how terribly things are going for whoever ends up chosen. ]

It's gonna be torture for me either way.

[ He walks over to a shelf to get the antibiotics. ]

Twice a day, twelve hours between doses, seven days. If you feel sick at any point, tell me immediately, especially if you think it's nothing and it'll wear off soon.

[hexcope]

I know. I keep telling myself we just have to have faith in them. I can't speak for everyone who signed up, but they ones I know, they've got strong wills, and the skills needed to get the job done. Worrying isn't solving any problems, but I've already had two nightmares about it.

[And he wasn't even someone who came from there, but it's in part the unknown that's making it more terrifying. That, combined with his stress from other aspects of his life just cumulatively adding up.]

Thanks.

And before I go, quick question: thoughts on nanomachines?

[badlydisarmed]

[ "That's because you're an empathetic person" he doesn't say. Robert isn't, really, he doesn't feel other people's pain, doesn't really think about how hard it must be for them. Altruistic people are simply a different species.

He'd offered to go because he figured he had to; he knows the place, he knows Alrys, he could, maybe, be useful. But as soon as the superheroes started raising their hands he figured he'd be on the clear. ]

I'm gonna need you to elaborate on that. Please, I'm barely out of the stone age when it comes to tech.

[ He knows what they are in theory, he has computers and chips and there's ideas about putting machines in people's brains so they can control things wirelessly, but that's still science fiction for him. ]

[hexcope]

Don't get me wrong, I had never heard of them either before coming here. But I've been looking into them- computer programming, nanotech, artificial intelligence- it makes sense to learn about it, given that there's so much information around on it here.

[No, this is definitely just a him thing. If there's something new around he doesn't understand, he's never shied away from trying to learn it.]

I'm thinking for your arm, the new one. If we want real, lifelike movements with as little input lag as possible...

[Jayce finishes buttoning up his shirt, and faces Robert directly, no longer looking over his shoulder for half the conversation.]

Nanotech's the way to go. We teach them how to read brain impulses, put them in the right parts of the brain to intercept and repeat those signals, which they send to the mechanical arm, and there we'd have it! It'd be like having your real arm again.

[Jayce is used to making concept pitches. He's used to making them for even stranger concepts, and selling it well.

But maybe it's because he's tired, maybe it's because his hair isn't perfectly coiffed, and his eyes are just a little wider than they'd be if he was feeling more comfortable in his own skin, but there's a string of anxiety running through him when he makes the argument. Like he knows Robert's going to shut it down. So before he does, Jayce interjects again before Robert can even respond:]

We'd do extensive testing of course, before it ever came to you.

[badlydisarmed]

[ Robert is going to shut it down. He wants to the second Jayce starts speaking, but he decides to hear him out, be open-minded about it. He really really would love a working arm. And if anyone's going to build one for him, it'll be Jayce.

Smartest guy he's ever met, if he were meaner Robert would probably have a crush on him. ]

Can you build-in a kill switch on any machines that go inside me?

[ If those things start malfunctioning he doesn't want them frying his brain. ]

[hexcope]

I'm sure we can do that. But that would mean making it so we can send that signal to them ourselves. I'll need to consider some failsafes that can't be touched by malicious intent. Maybe this is where AI can come in...

[That sounds more like train of thought than actual proposition, though.]

[badlydisarmed]

I don't understand any of the technology.

[ AI, nanomachines, hell, he hardly understands walkie-talkies. He's not tech illiterate, but being able to use a computer is very far from understanding how it works. ]

I hardly understand this.

[ He lifts his prosthetic arm, which is old and functions poorly. ]

But I trust you, so if you tell me the chances of things going shittily are low, I'll trust you.

[hexcope]

[It means a lot to hear those words. He's felt like he's disappointed a lot of people lately- nearly everyone he talks to if he's honest with the numbers. So hearing that notoriously sarcastic Robert is saying he trusts him and means it- well. It's a bigger responsibility to ensure there won't be failure, but the payoff when it all works and that a person's faith in him wasn't misguided- the endorphins make it worth the stress of it all in the end.

Jayce perks up, a shamefully genuine flash of determination in his eyes.]

I promise you, I'll make sure it's safe.

[badlydisarmed]

[ Somehow, Jayce is the most puppy-like human Robert's ever met. If the man has a tail, it'd be wagging.

He doesn't know what to do about it, it's obvious to him the man's got the kind of issues that'd need to be carefully addressed by someone who knows Jayce better, or who's licensed to help. Robert might not be the worst choice to provide any psychological help, but he's up the list along with the kid who makes bombs and Joss Sweden. ]

Promise me you won't strain those stitches before going into full workaholic mode.

[hexcope]

[Jayce barks a loud "Ha!" as if Robert just said a very funny, by-the-water-cooler style joke.]

You know I won't promise that one.

[With that, he puts his big coat back on, straightening up the collar.]

But I'll call you sooner if they open again.

[badlydisarmed]

You're not nearly as cute as you think you are.

[ He's not too bothered. This is exactly what he expected from Jayce. ]

Don't forget your meds.

[ Robert will let Jayce go despite feeling like he should make lock the man in a dark room and wait for him to fall asleep. ]

[hexcope]

[He thinks he's very cute, actually, but he won't argue with it even if he unintentionally gives something of a pout for at least a few seconds before bucking up. The pills are slipped into his pocket, which he did almost forget, embarrassingly.]

Thanks, Robert. I'll see you around.