I Need to Know (D10 EA Expecting)

[John Slaktare]

"Why just water? You could put a coffee pot in there... or a teapot. Then you can check to see how much stronger you are getting by competing with the robot before sitting down and having a nice cup of tea," John says.

"You could dress it up in overalls and make it look like a mechanic. Then folks might think its you and your busy while you are off building interesting stuff."

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"Why just water indeed. That's usually what I think about drinkin' so it's the first thing that came to mind. But we can get a heating element in there to have hot coffee or tea. Wait a minute now. Choices. Either havin' a drawer with different tea bags or different coffee beans to grind up. Still could heat up just the water on a cold day. This is good. This is good. This is comin' together now." Gone was the drill she had been looking over. Now her notebook came out of her chest pocket.

"I could have it out here testing' stuff or looking over tools and junk and there I go to build another one. Soon this place is filled with automatons just goin' about their business. This I like."

[John Slaktare]

"Sounds like a lot of fun to me. Get a whole army marching around here, robots everywhere."

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"Parts, parts, parts. That's the problem. Gonna have to slowly start pulling stuff together. There gotta be a big tough lookin' one of course. But I stead of beatin' on you it hands out chocolate and pats your head when you're blue. Leeeeet's see now, who would be the insp...inspa...insporainshun for that one? Sure does sound like someone I know. A real cool guy who I think is really cool." She scribbled a few more lines in her notebook.

[John Slaktare]

"Oh? So you're gonna make it look like Lieutenant Kenna? Cause he's probably the coolest guy around here," Butcher replies lightheartely.

"And handing out chocolate? Are you trying to put some weight on everyone or something?"

To which he gives a hint of a smile.

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"L T Kenna is pretty cool, this is true. But nah, I'm talkin' about you. Ice cold, you're so cool. Just gotta get the proportions right. Yup, gotta see how to make sure to get the muscles to come through on that robot. And it would be handin' out chocolates and head pats because it would look all tough but be a big stuffed bear when you get to know it. Oh, look at that. Also like you. Interestin' how that is workin' out." She stopped writing and lowered the notebook.

"And don't think I didn't see that I got you smilin'. I take each one of those as a win."

[John Slaktare]

"I ain't got no chocolates on me. But I can always hand these out. Specially for a friend.". Butcher pats her head gently.

"Let me know when you need me to model for your robot then."

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

Hrafna beams at the head pat. Normally the small engineer would be up in arms over someone other than her family doing that, but John had earned the right a while ago.

"Modelin' would be good, but I m sure I could get a good product out just by usin' my memory.". With that she held out the thumb and index finger on both hands as if to put a frame around John. "Yup, real good lookin' robot we got in the works."

[John Slaktare]

"Not too bad lookin. But could make it even better as a Hrafnbot. Maybe a cheerbot to cheer everyone up when it ain't busy helpin you out."

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

True to the fact that any compliment would cause Hrafna's cheek to go red, they indeed go red. "This ain't about me, Big J. This about creatin' a robot to capture your essence. Thooooough, a cheerbot is a good idea. And a good idea is a good idea. But maybe if we make a Hrafnbot I could use it to get to know how people think. You know, like what they think is cool and if they're sweet on me...or anyone else. Or anyone else. Or anyone else mostly, yup."

[John Slaktare]

"You can just ask a friend to find out, or ask them yourself if they are. But if that's something you're wonderin though, there must be someone you're curious about. Who's the lucky person that's got your attention?"

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"Trust me J Man, this way is easier. This is why we make these robots, to make life easier. Then we can talk about other things like how much chewing gum you can get into your mouth or the idea of ridable cats, not spendin' time on finding out who is sweet on who. Thooooough, it's not terrible I will say. Hmmm...yeah, why not find out by cheerin' the fat." Hrafna seemed to have convinced herself just by talking it out.

"Lucky person? Me? Nah, nah. I think people around here see me as a wrench that goes about turnin' bolts and stuff. Well, you and a few people excluded of course. Why? Do you know somethin' about someone who's somewhere doing somethin'?"

[John Slaktare]

"If you want to ride a cat, just gotta get yourself a panther unit right?" Butcher jokes.

"But seriously, you ain't just a wrench or only a mechanic. You're with all of us, you're an Angel. I think more people like havin you around and don't think the way you believe. And yeah, I know something about someone who's somewhere doing something. I know all about that, what'd you wanna know about someone somewhere?"

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"I was thinkin' more like if cats were big enough to ride, but that makes more sense. We already got big cats out there, might as well us one of them. Or like a lion. I've never seen one in person but the pictures make them seem pretty big. And fuzzy." Already the thought of riding a lion came to her mind. She almost started to daydream about it. Almost.

"Wait a minute. You really know about somethin' about someone who's somewhere doing somethin'? Really? You gotta tell me. You gotta tell me. You gotta tell me. Please."

[John Slaktare]

"If you really wanna know, then you gotta take a guess first. Cause I'm curious about what you think about something bein done by someone somewhere. Gimme one good guess and I'll tell ya," he replies.

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"Hmm..." Hrafna was deep in thought. So much so that she started pacing as the gears of her mind turned. Finally she stopped and clasped her hands together.

"I know Gunnar was sweet on me, even though he thought a date buildin' scarecrows was a good idea. Thooooough it was pretty fun. Wait, is Gunnar here? Is he in that Mech of yours and he's been waitin' to jump out when you give him the signal? Oh gosh. Oh gosh."

[John Slaktare]

"Nope. Ain't Gunnar. Still never met him so I don't know anything about how he feels other than what you can tell me. But I wouldn't be surprised if he likes you, since I'd know how he feels if that was the case," Butcher replies. "Cause he ain't the only farm boy you know that likes farm girls."

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"That Gunnar is a silly person. Very silly. He's still back home making scarecrows I bet...dang, I haven't made a scarecrow in a long time. Wouldn't mind makin' a couple to get that feelin' back again. I used to make mine look like famous people sometimes. Like the one I made of Johann Olafsson. He once pulled a tractor out of a ditch with his bare hands. Anyway, we should make some scarecrows sometime. Wait, what were we talkin' about? Oh. Oh. Oh. So hit me with that answer, Big J."

[John Slaktare]

"I'm talkin about myself. Which ain't something I usually talk about when it comes to this stuff. I got a thing for you. Have for a while. Just ain't good at talking about that kinda stuff."

He pauses and looks at her for a reaction.

[Hrafnhildur Ylfasdottir]

"Oooooooh." The right gear caught the right cog in Hrafna's brain as everything fell into place and understanding washed over her. "Wait a minute right there, aren't you with Mei Mei? Wait a minute right there, you're sweet on me? Wait a minute right there, me?"