All together, it only took them another hour to sort and label and clean up the lab and Eisner thanked them and sent them on their way. There were more potatoes in the totes than was probably necessary, but he’d eaten as well. They’d all hoped to spend some time in there, playing with the new toys, but there was no way they’d be allowed that so early. All of the more complete bodies would be for classes and whatever wasn’t would be used for them to build and study and use for testing VI of their own.
“So, which one do you want to mess with first?” Melody hopped in front of them as they made their way to the dorms. “I want to play with that RVI-186 CG-C, myself.”
“You want to take apart a Roomba?” Trevor snorted, “that’s pretty low level, you sure about that?”
Melody just blushed a little bit. The RVI was a Care Giving unit, made for housework and child care and nothing much more than that. Some of them were given enough programming to be nurses and the like, but the one they had was probably made to clean toilets and the like. Its design was simple and sleek but it was the one that had enough of a rack to get the other voyeurs hollering. It had a pretty cute face as well.
“I don’t understand the designers of these things,” Trevor crossed his arms, the same way that he did whenever he got into this stream of conversation. “It’s creepy, making them look like people. People get attached too, it’s wrong. They should just make them look like objects.”
“People get attached to objects too,” Eric pointed out.
St Eremides School of Robotic Engineering was a small building on a hill, just outside of the city limits. It had to be, because every few months there would be a major power failure or an explosion of some kind. It was the kind of school that prided itself of successes and not so much on the amount of damage it dealt to the surrounding area. And it was a good place for the city to dump its old VI, all of the failures, all of the broken, all of the androids that were outdated or damaged or defected. It was cheaper than recycling all of the old bodies and it was a way to teach a new generation, to make the future brighter.
Eric sighed, looking out the window. It was sunny out and there was a whole day ahead of him, once he was done with his studies. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with it all, aside from rest and pretend that the day was over. A nap seemed like a good idea. A hand was on his shoulder though, the white haired Melody grinning at him, even though it was the middle of class and they weren’t supposed to be interacting. There was only so much that Eric could listen to the history of artificial law in one sitting though and he was far past his limit.
Melody directed his attention outside, where it already was, but towards a large truck, hardly more than a glorified garbage truck, that was pulling up to the school. A new shipment it seemed, some new toys, something new to make. Eric smiled along with her. The last shipment of old tech was mostly computers and lame electronics. He’d been waiting to get his hands on a new deadhead for a while.
Some of the other students must have noticed as well, because soon there was a murmuring going around the seats and whatever attention Ms Bellgroves still had was lost.
She tried to get their attention back but by that point it was impossible, especially when one of the deadheads climbed out of the back of the truck, it’s false skin and even muscular plating removed, just a skeleton and a pile of wires. Dr. Masters was out there, talking with the driver, when it pulled itself to its feet and the rest of the class was pressed against the windows to watch. The thing wasn’t doing well, even if it had its skin on it wouldn’t have been acting as a working entity, and it only made a few steps before the principle grabbed it, pulling on some of the wires and making it freeze in place, a right proper shut down. A few of the students cheered and Dr. Masters waved to them, before finishing off whatever paperwork there was left.
Eric sat back, feeling his excitement buzz through him. He knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his day, at least.
“Something I had to have when I found it at the Goodwill Outlet. I would like some context here.
Makes me think of Belushi’s sweater in Animal House that merely said “College”. Except this one is almost as fake as the one I actually attended.” - @vintage-tech
Right?! Pseudo University is so prestigious there is NO way that one of their students has even SEEN a Goodwill, let alone donated to one. This had to be stolen or a part of an estate sale or something...
This week I asked where you readers were from, and it turns out the answer was very far away. More on that later though, because it’s Donation Bin time!
Taking first this week, admittedly I don’t have much to remark on because the golden Band-Angels are covering the focal point of the icon, it’s @queentyrunt
Taking second, either very excited, confused, surprised, upset, enraged, or some other more complex emotion I cannot understand by this honor, it’s @mrbgs101
Taking third, coincidentally with the star of the third cinematic lego film, it’s @killua-zoomyck
And finally, a super special awesome honorable mention to @ruby-glooms
Readers, next week could very well be theme week. The theme: Snake-oil week! Everything item will be written as if it were being sold to you by an arm monster on the side of the road! Now, let’s get to those shout outs!
-Management
Coming in first this week, with a single eye and what could very well be cursed jewelry, it’s @tumblingwinds
Coming in second this week, recovering from a grave injury, it’s @piefanart
Coming in third, feeling... closer, than last week... Are we moving forward? What happens when we get to the swing, is that a child? Is it you as a child? Oh god what is happening, how are we moving forward? Please I can’t pull my gaze away from @moongsiesart
And the honorable mention for the week is, you. Yes, you. Why? Because this is the internet, and apparently nothing can stay for all audiences when this website is 30% advertising robots.
