milliways_bar | (no subject)

Entry tags:

bumi,
sikozu shanu

(no subject)

There's a table in the bar that is covered in paper designs. Some small, some as big as the table itself, all appear to be parts of a whole.

Seated at the table, furiously working on another design, is a short redhead. Sikozu isn't just going to let herself rot in this place and if Plan A is to go off without a hitch, this needs to work.

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In his younger days it would have been the woman that'd caught his attention before the schematics, but...well age changes a man. Makes him prioritize things a bit differently. And in the here and now, Bumi's far more interested in what's on the paper, than he is with the woman drawing on them.

...

Well, at least until he sees her, and her bright-red hair.
That's very different where he's from.

SO he saunters over, mug in hand.
Don't mind him, he's just looming.

"No, that's not right," she mumbles to herself, scratching out part of a small drawing.

She starts it over again, seemingly focussed on nothing else.

"If you're interested, take a seat."

He shrugs and does just that.
It doesn't matter that the writings are upside down, since he can't read them anyway.

Bumi scans the table, looking for a piece of paper that looks interesting, but isn't part of her hyperfocus at the moment. Just to see if he can make any sense of it.

Though it should be noted: he keeps the paper oriented as it would be on the table.

All the writing are in a language he isn't likely to recognize.

"It's a drone." Because she knows he's curious.

"A drone?" Now he tilts the paper, eyes squinting as he turns it this way and that.

"Like...bees?"

Is she making bees?

She tilts her head.

"Similar in that they all answer to a single 'queen' of sorts. This one, if I can make it, will answer to me."

So no, not bees. But kind of.

"Huh."

Bumi tries to parse this.

"A mechanical bee," he says finally, shaking his head in the what will they think of next sort of way.

"And what sorts of things will you ask of this...mechanical bee?"

It's an apt enough analogy, so she'll go with it.

"It will be given a scouting mission."

Okay, now we're talking.
Scouting?
Mission?

Those are words Bumi understands.

"Really?" Okay now that's interesting.
"I bet that'd work way better than trained lemur...."

"Lemurs are strepsirrhine primates and prone to distraction." She states matter-of-factly.

"A drone responds merely to its program and has a single purpose."

In other words, yes.

"Oh trust me, I'm all too well aware."

It might have been Bumi's idea to try and strap a camera to a lemur for the purposes of scout missions. What resulted was a series of truly unfortunate pictures that did a way better job of boosting morale than they ever did at finding that enemy encampment.

So by Bumi's calculations, not a total loss.

"Don't they all? Drones, I mean. Have a single purpose...nevermind.
What's yours scouting for?"

"These could be programmed for more than one mission."

She frowns at the paper in front of her and finally looks up at him.

"I'm going to send it out my door to see what's on the other side."

He turns, looking at the front door.

"Is just...going out not an option?"

She shakes her head, curls flying everywhere.

"It might not be safe."

"When is it ever?"

Beat.
Then a slow, yet no less manic, smile begins to smile.

"Want me to look for you?"

"No." It's said with little emotion.

"I will not be responsible for anything that happens to you."

"Who said anything about you being responsible. C'mon, it'll be fun!"

"I don't even know you, therefore you are not trustworthy."

This should be logical.

"Ah, but since you don't know me, I'm not untrustworthy either."

Bumi has stood up to logic, and made it blink.
At least once.

Usually it just sighs and facepalms.

"It still behooves me to err on the side of caution."

For once.

"Okay, fine I can respect caution."
The face he pulls? Shows exactly how much disrespect he has for caution, which is apparently a lot.

"How about you stand behind the door, and I'll just poke my head out. If I'm untrustworthy you can just close the door on me."

"If it was something to be that easily done, I'd do it myself."

Bumi raises a single bushy eyebrow.

"Have you tried?"

"These are places that will kill me on sight," she explains, exasperated.

Doesn't he understand.

"I'm not stupid enough to try."

People have been trying to kill Bumi on sight since he was born.
The novelty wears off eventually.

"Well then let me be stupid enough for the both of us."

"Why? Why would you make such a sacrifice for someone you don't know?"

Please have a logical answer. Please don't be another stupid human-looking being.

"I find if I think the best of people, more often than not they'll rise to the occasion," he says with a simple shrug.

"And if not, I've got cat-like reflexes and a wicked left hook."

Sentiment. She's disappointed, Bumi.

"I can handle this myself."

Sentiment is what makes life worth living, and what makes living worth dying for.

"Okay, suit yourself. But," he starts, picking up a schematic again. "Should you change your mind, just give me the word."

He tilts the paper again.

"Is this just pure recon? Or does it have weapons on it too?"

"I will."

Don't count on it.

"It's a diagnostic repair drone, so no, it does not have weapons."

"Any particular reason why you're not adding any?"

Because it's something Crichton would do.

"They're not necessary."

"If you don't know what's on the other side of the door, then how do you know they're not necessary?"

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