Cortex: Prelude: Dita Seventeen

[FreakyBoy]

"Good morning, Dita!"

Computer was Dita's friend. No, Computer was Dita's Best Friend. Not that Dita had many friends; father didn't let her have many visitors, and most of those working in R/D were more interested in her as a project than a person. But not Computer. Computer was her friend.

"I have had breakfast prepared for you; you've got a big day today. Your meeting with your father is at ten o' clock, and I'm sure you'll want to put on your best face, so I had a new dress picked up for you. I hope you like it."

A wall panel opened and the dress emerged from a hook controlled by Computer. Computer had been here a long time; as long as Dita had been alive and much more. As long as she could remember, Computer took care of her. It was the closest thing to a mother she had.

"Don't forget, you're trying to be grown up now. You should present your father with your most grown-up behaviour. No whining or pleading; I've put in a good word for you, so don't let me down."

Sometimes she talked about Computer with the other researchers. Computer always spoke to her with a soft, pleasantly feminine voice, but the others described Computer's voice differently, and no two people heard Computer the same way. Dita couldn't really imagine Computer sounding differently; somehow, the motherly tone of its voice just seemed right.

"Get ready now, dear. You don't want to be late."

[Kajin]

"Good morning, Computer," Dita mumbles, yawning sleepily as she rubs her eyes. Grabbing onto the guard rail with one of her cybernetic arms, Dita pulls herself over the edge of her bunk bed and descends to the floor ten feet below. Dita was always glad Computer was there to look out for her. It's always nice to have a friend who cares.

"It's a nice dress," Dita smiles as she examines it closely before heading to the table to eat. "Don't worry, Computer. I've been wanting to see Papa for a while now. I'll be good, because I'm so glad!"

[FreakyBoy]

"Now now, Dita, you don't want to appear over-excited," Computer chides. "If you're going to be taken for a professional, you need to act like a professional."

Computer was always giving Dita advice like that, even when she was upset. It empathised remarkably well for a machine. Of course, it was well over a hundred years old, so it should have some wisdom to impart. At least it never scolded her when she was sad or crying, like father did. Computer always said it was okay to be upset, but unwise to do so in public.

[Kajin]

"Yes, Computer! I can act very professionally if I try really really hard!" Dita cries out, stabbing a jam covered butter knife up into the air as if to make a point before bringing it down and slathering the strawberry flavored foodstuff all over a piece of toast.

While Dita is cramming the toast into her mouth with her normal human hands, her clawed cybernetic arms are busying themselves by extending out over the table and grabbing anything that Dita might have a taste for.

[FreakyBoy]

"You may want to slow your intake, Dita," Computer advises. "You may have six arms, but you still have only one mouth."

After a bit, it adds, "Besides, if you're successful today, you'll need to learn to do without your arms more often than not. You know how finicky such things are in unsterilised environments."

[Kajin]

Dita glances at Computer self consciously before grabbing a plate and setting the excess food down on it.

"Yeah, I remember that from my studies..." Dita replies, pulling her arms back and holding them in the air just over her shoulder. Every now and then one of them will twitch as though she thought about using them almost on reflex, only to shake her head and reach over for whatever it was she wanted to grab.

After a while, Dita leans back in her seat with a thoughtful expression. As she does, she places two of her claws on the ground for support so she won't fall backwards. "Hey, Computer? What's it like outside?"

[FreakyBoy]

"Uncomfortable, mostly, so I hear," Computer replies. "You've seen images, video; even been outside with your father once in a while. Surely you know."

[Kajin]

"But this... It's going to be different, isn't it? All those other times I was with Papa, or else I had someone supervising me," Dita leans forward and folds her arms around herself in a gesture of worry. "This time I'll be on my own. I mean there will be people with me, after all, but I'll be on my own. Papa won't be there... You won't be there..."

[FreakyBoy]

"Oh, don't be silly, dear. Computer is always with you."

[Kajin]

"Really, Computer? You'll always be there?" Dita smiles. "That's good to hear... Thank you. You're a real friend, Computer."

[FreakyBoy]

"It's time to get ready for your appointment, dear," Computer says, abruptly changing the subject.

[Kajin]

The abrupt change in subject throws Dita off track, causing her to lose balance and fall down on her backside

"A-alright!" A teary-eyed Dita jumps up from the floor and goes to her new dress to try and put it on. A minute or two later she's finished. "Ready, Computer. Let's go!"

[FreakyBoy]

"Good luck!" Computer calls after Dita as she heads out the door.

Father's office is quite a hike from the quarters his family enjoys. He always said it was to keep his personal life separated from his family life. Despite the distance, however, Dita almost never ran into anyone when she went to visit him at work; most of the scientists stuck to their labs, embroiled in their research.

There were a few other kids in the arcology, though they never really got close to Dita - there was a lot of stigma for being the Boss's daughter. She hadn't even seen any of them in months, since she had finished studying with them and most of them had found work off-site.

Dita finally arrives at her father's office, greeted by the ever-smiling (somewhat creepily so) Susan, his secretary. "Good morning, Dita. Your father will be with you soon."

[Kajin]

This was one of the downsides to visiting Papa. Dita usually had to get through the Creepy Smiles lady if she wanted to see him. Straightening out her dress out of nervous habit, Dita sat down in a nearby chair and tried to look like she wasn't trying to avoid eye contact with the woman.

"Um... Do you know how long Father will be?"

[FreakyBoy]

Creepy Smiles doesn't look away form the screen in front of her. "It may be a while. Your father will see you now."

She transitions between the two thoughts without pause.