obeir | WTL Inbox

[Alfie doesn't say anything in response to that - Royce's enhanced senses are his to explain (or not explain) as he sees fit. The stew is pretty much ready by this point, so instead, he'll busy himself with sorting that out, taking it off the heat and starting to portion it into the bowls. K's goodies will finally get some attention here, too - he picks up the bottle of wine, examining it, and then lifts the cover on the cake box to peek in.]

I can hear and see much better than humans can. [ Royce explains. A beat. ] Was that gnome comment a height joke?

[ u callin him short, bucko - no, he knows K isn't, he just likes teasing back. ]

... Oh. Of course. [ It was just hyperbole then. He feels a bit dumb. But to be fair, he just hadn't been assuming Royce was necessarily like the elven fantasy tropes in that respect. He raises his eyebrows, trying not to smile. ] It wasn't, but now that you mention it. He could just as easily carry you around as you are now, huh.

[ To Alfie, when he notices him checking out the cake: ] I asked Phil to make it kosher. In case.

[ Royce had mentioned House harassing Alfie over being Jewish. K remembers details like that. ]

Did you?

[Alfie turns to look at him over his shoulder, surprise - a pleased sort of surprise - naked on his face.]

Thank you, mate; how did you know? Royce told you, I suppose. Or you saw the--

[He gestures to the top of his own head. He's not actually wearing his yarmulke now, and he hadn't worn it in the game world, but he wears it around town often enough.]

[ Royce makes a face at K, playful. It's really almost amazing how much more comfortable he is in Alfie's presence - and how loose he is in his own home. ]

I mentioned you're Jewish, off-hand. I shouldn't be surprised he remembered. [ Royce says, wandering to the table. He scritches at Lady, who purrs like a motorboat. ]

Came up when we were talking about what House did to you both. At least something good can come of it. [ Because the apple cake is definitely good. He got to try the practise-run that Phil baked first.

He'll follow Royce to the table, but wait to either be told where to sit or take whichever place is left after the hosts are seated. The number of times he's been invited to dinner can be counted on one hand with fingers left over, and never with more than one person before, so this is very, very new to him. ]

[Alfie, for one, doesn't direct him to sit anywhere in particular - and it's a pretty big table, with bench seats, so he'll have options. Once all three bowls have been brought over, Alfie slides in next to Royce.]

This, if you were wondering--

[He gestures to his bowl of stew.]

-- is not entirely kosher.

[ Royce also doesn't tell him to sit anywhere. K is free to make his own decisions, as far as Royce is concerned. Lady jumps off Royce's shoulder to go entertain Bear - the three of them will likely hear her mrrrrowl out into the living room, trying to figure out where he went. ]

I'm not a kosher butcher. [ Royce adds, settling in his seat. He has to have room to eat, obviously, so he doesn't get in Alfie's space. ]

[ Sitting across from them seems the best place, so that's where he goes, taking one of the bowls of stew for himself. ]

I read about that — shechita. [ Because he's become increasingly curious about these religious practises. It's something that never really came up in his homeworld, where it's strictly illegal for androids to practise any religion. ] It seems a kind practise, minimising any suffering.

Yeah. Royce is quick and humane about it, mind, but he's not a shochet.

[But now he's curious.]

Did you look this stuff up on my account, or did you read about shechita earlier?

[ Royce is quiet for the moment, waiting for the answer to that question. ]

Because of you. [ He confirms between spoonfuls of the stew. Might as well be honest, even if it may make him seem a bit overinvested to have researched it for only that reason. ]

Didn't occur to me to learn about these things before. If I even could have. Androids aren't permitted to practise religion where I'm from.

You're an android?

[That throws Alfie for a loop, enough that he lets the other subject lie for now. He's met enough extremely advanced AIs to not be completely shocked, but not quite enough to take it completely in stride, either.]

Huh. Suppose I should be more used to this now, shouldn't I.

[ Oops. Royce glances off to the side. ]

Doesn't really change much about him. I didn't think it was relevant.

[ Alfie's surprise has K shifting an uneasy glance toward Royce. You didn't tell him?

He's had the nagging impression Norfinbury refugees aren't very fond of androids. House's line of questioning had only reinforced it. Maybe that was just House, or maybe he should be making his excuses to leave now. The indecision is written on his face as he looks between the pair. ]

I thought you knew. [ Would he have still been invited if Alfie'd known beforehand? ] I don't hide it. Kind of hard to when I don't even have a name, just a serial number.

[He shakes his head at I thought you knew, but lets him go on without interruption.]

Did you name yourself K, then?

No. That's his serial number, shortened.

[ Oh. Maybe Alfie hadn't seen his mailbox, then. ]

KD6-3.7. My handler calls me K. [ And so he calls himself K, since he can't name himself. Then, tentatively: ] I've gotten the impression people from Norfinbury don't like us.

[ Royce has been different, though. ]

[Alfie shrugs, noncommittally.]

We had bad experiences with AIs, but we had one trapped there with us, as well. And myself-- well. I didn't understand how something that was created by man could truly be a living and thinking creature like the rest of us.

[Didn't understand, past tense - and he still doesn't really understand it, honestly, but despite the bluntness he's at least more open to the idea.]

Why not give yourself a proper name, then?

[ It's more that Royce doesn't care what K is. He'd care just about as much if K were an orc or something, which is to say not at all. ]

Still trying to find a good one?

Doesn't really work like that. [ A lack of personhood and free will make it difficult. ] And my handler never cared to name me. [ Alfie's explanation only makes him increasingly concerned about the recent goings-on in Zephyr's world. ]

There's more Norfinbury people being brought in every day... [ But it isn't his own safety he worries about. He isn't the only android in the Meadous. ]

I don't think you're gonna have to worry about attacks on the street, mate. Just a bit of wariness sometimes, that's all. What did House say, exactly?

[ He scowls down into his stew, a bit. ]

Nobody is going to harass you. [ He says, firmly, glancing at K before looking back down at his food. ]

[ There's been a stream of armed newcomers showing up at his door and lurking in his yard. It's sort of hard to assume they all have neutral intentions, but he isn't going to argue the point. Fortunately none have caused any trouble for Connor yet, as far as he's aware, and that's what matters. ]

If he's the worst that shows up, then I'll be glad. [ As for Alfie's question. It requires a little more context for his answer to make sense. ] He knew about the Three Laws of Robotics...

Were they common knowledge in Norfinbury? [ Do Alfie and Royce know what they are, in other words. ]

[Alfie's brow wrinkles.]

They're nothing I've ever heard of, no.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject