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People Who Like This
#57

SCENE 54 – “Questions & Quirks”

Author Author
Apr 24, 2025 5 2 Mins Read
x
No Plagiarism!fq3PjmqF016qQwhSCgarposted on PＥNAＮＡ

INT. JASON’S CUBE – EVENING (CONTINUOUS)

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubyRK63OCo

Jason sprawls on the edge of the bed, rubbing his visor as the last of the headache lingers. SD‑K sits at the desk, silently sorting poker chips into perfect color gradients—therapy by precision. SD‑A, holding his new texter like a toy, scoots closer to Jason with trademark curiosity.

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjoxdyvF2E

SD‑A

“Jason, can I ask something?”

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JASON (groans good‑naturedly)

“ —If it’s how babies are made, ask K.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGgTfAhP36

SD‑A

“No, not that. First problem: The texter’s menu says ‘Contact Slots: 02.’ That’s… only you and K?”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuelE1qLXc

JASON

“Pretty much. Limited memory. Cheap model. If you need more friends, borrow mine—oh wait, I have none.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4roJ3YWxg

SD‑A

“I’ll survive.”

(thinks)

“Second problem: Why do Operator bots hate Security bots so much? On the Maglev I saw some glare at you.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiV68Xjeqi

Jason exhales, eyes the ceiling cables.

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg13SOD3sQr

JASON

“Because we remind them the world’s still dangerous. Operators like tidy code. We’re messy—scratched armor, weird decisions, lotta improvised violence. Makes them nervous.”

(shrugs)

“They prefer their safety sanitized. We’re the bleach that stings.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmCvFXhxiN

SD‑A

“…Bleach is important though.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAFrssmMhJ

JASON

“Tell them that.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBldZRqGt4B

Across the room, K flicks a poker chip into the air, catches it without looking.

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfgpHheetA

SD‑K (flat)

“Operator prejudice is statistical cowardice. Ignore them.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt24LzmZfS7

SD‑A

“Third problem: I saw your paperwork—Form ‘Emotional Containment’ or something. You lied, right?”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9Sb1ZqvhU

Jason’s visor flicks to A, surprised.

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JASON

“Excuse me?”

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SD‑A

“It asked if you ‘experienced unauthorized emotional fluctuation.’ You checked ‘No.’ But… you laugh, you worry, you got mad at cigarettes. Isn’t that fluctuation?”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmP65ZIr2s

Jason opens his mouth, closes it, then gives a soft laugh.

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9d475uWFUa

JASON

“You’re sharp, Fort King. Truth is HQ wants bots who follow code, not feelings. If I tick ‘Yes,’ HR slaps me with mandatory de‑frag therapy. I prefer my sanity un‑therapy‑ized, thanks.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9up6ll0Tkk

SD‑A (quiet)

“Isn’t that dishonest?”

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JASON

“It’s survival. Big difference.”

(softer)

“And I trust my alert system more than theirs.”

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A processes this, nods slowly.

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SD‑A

“Okay… Last problem… What’s for dinner?”

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SD‑K

“Heavy‑grade oil stew. He already planned it.”

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JASON

“Look at Bat‑Chef reading my mind. Yeah, stew and heat‑cubes. Luxury dining.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC0PzCaAuo

SD‑A beams, hops up to help.

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SD‑A

“I’ll set the table!”

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SD‑K

“And I’ll keep counting chips until the universe makes sense.”

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JASON (smirks, heading for the kitchenette)

“Good luck with that.”

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtr1fGp9QPA

The camera drifts back: Jason rummages for stew packs, A hums while lining up mismatched cups, K continues his meticulous chip architecture—three utterly different bots sharing one cramped cube, making it work.

9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHDImtFZDj

FADE OUT.

3.14.134.62

ns3.14.134.62da2
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Table of Contents
#0 Intro
#1 Welcome to Central City
#2 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt1
#3 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt2
#4 SCENE 2 – “Quiet Doesn’t Last”
#5 SCENE 3 – “Unwelcome Footprints”
#6 SCENE 4 – “Break the Silence”
#7 SCENE 5 – “The Parts We Don’t Talk About”
#8 SCENE 6 – “Still Breathing”
#9 SCENE 7 – “The Smiling Knife”
#10 SCENE 8 – “Ghost in the Pipes”
#11 SCENE 9 – “Right-Hand Problems”
#12 SCENE 10 – “Drag Marks and Doubt”
#13 SCENE 11 – “Below the Skin of the City”
#14 SCENE 12 – “What Shouldn’t Be There”
#15 SCENE 13 – “Echoes of Vision”
#16 SCENE 14 – “Fragments of a Dying Empire”
#17 SCENE 15 – “Shadows Don’t Bargain”
#18 SCENE 16 – “Rust Between Circuits”
#19 SCENE 17 – “The Breach”
#20 SCENE 18 – “Three Bots & a Parasite”
#21 SCENE 19 – “Paperwork and Parasites”
#22 SCENE 20 – “Smuggle Me Softly”
#23 SCENE 21 – “Oil, Info, and Idiots”
#24 SCENE 21 – EXTENDED: “Sleepover Protocols & Other Malfunctions”
#25 SCENE 22 – “Robot Makeover: Low Budget Edition”
#26 SCENE 23 – “Caffeine, Cloaks, and Casual Paranoia”
#27 SCENE 24 – “Rustfields”
#28 SCENE 25 – “Buzz and Circuits”
#29 SCENE 26 – “Tune-Ups and Tightropes”
#30 SCENE 27 – “Errands and Egos”
#31 SCENE 28 – “Groceries and Good Lies”
#32 SCENE 29 – “Dinner and Disclosures”
#33 SCENE 30 – “Steam, Suffering, and Swords”
#34 SCENE 31 – “Dicey Decisions”
#35 SCENE 32 – “Good Night, You Weirdos”
#36 SCENE 33 – “Dreamscapes”
#37 SCENE 34 – “Office and Off-Duty”
#38 SCENE 35 – “A Pleasant Stroll… with Minor Homicidal Undertones”
#39 SCENE 36 – “Wings and Wires”
#40 SCENE 37 – “After-Hours”
#41 SCENE 38 – “Alcohol & Stuff”
#42 SCENE 39 – “Shutdown.exe”
#43 SCENE 40 – “The Weight of Peace”
#44 SCENE 41 – “Midnight, Glitches, and Blankets”
#45 SCENE 42 – “Dawn of the Mildly Functional”
#46 SCENE 43 – “Commute to Doom”
#47 SCENE 44 – “An Office Full of Violence and Vending Machines”
#48 SCENE 45 – “Lunch Break and Clickbait Nightmares”
#49 SCENE 46 – “Rise and Resist (Routine)”
#50 SCENE 47 – “Unauthorized Research”
#51 SCENE 48 – “Wardrobe Upgrades”
#52 SCENE 49 – “Field‑Trip From Hell”
#53 SCENE 50 – “Afternoon Idleness”
#54 SCENE 51 – “Uno and Other Emergencies”
#55 SCENE 52 – “Tech on a Budget”
#56 SCENE 53 – “Delivery, Disobedience & Discoveries”
#57 SCENE 54 – “Questions & Quirks”
#58 SCENE 55 – “Privacy Settings”
#59 SCENE 56 – “Entertainment Planning”
#60 SCENE 57 – "Loyalty Reinforcement Seminar"
#61 SCENE 58 – “Friday‑Night Free Play”
#62 SCENE 59 – “Spire of Panic”
#63 SCENE 60 – “Lines, Orders, and Vines”
#64 SCENE 61 – “Infiltration”
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