Aye, Aye, AGNIS

It's a bit of a convoluted pun, but it's there! 
Notes: The beautiful merger of "Lighter", "Light", "Confirmation", "History", "Bombproof", and "Unconfirmed", inspired by "'napped" discussion
Date/Timing: 8 January 2019, at soon-ish after "Cake"
Setting: around the Jaeger simulator, a Team Vulcan rec room, Chuck D's temporary quarters, Team Vulcan Specter suite, Canteen, Assorted hallways, The Shed; Vaucluse, NSW, Australia
.
AGNIS considers her options, commits a score of daughters to the rest of the 'Dome, and interrupts R-JJON_689.18-G's late afternoon mope with a COMMUNICATOR ping.
AGNIS: Your presence in the simulator control room would be appreciated.
The active GLITTER chips associated with the ID stop four steps past the door to the science wing. Area intercom microphones detect a sigh—""Wha?""
AGNIS: There is a bit of a situation. If you would hurry along ....
Jackson doesn't like the sound of that, so he's off for the sim, double-time. 
There's Vos, fighting to stay awake, looks like and—Jackson's suddenly cold—Chuck, slumped against his side. He eases inside. "Is she—"
Vos smiles reassuringly, mimes sleeping.
"Uh, cool." Rubs his neck. 
Vos gently touches below his own eye.
Jackson huffs, "Walked into a door."
Vos raises an eyebrow, but lets it slide.
"AGNIS says there's a problem in here?"
Vos nods, taps at his mobile, offers a view.
- Sleepy 2 but can't move -
- Don't wanna wake her -
- Or drop her -
"Where's Chuckles?"
Vos shrugs extravagantly.
Jackson sniffs. "Figures."
- Kids - 
Vos sighs.
Jackson snickers. 
Vos snorts.
"Soooo, what do you want me to do?"
Vos scoops up something imaginary, cradles it to his chest.
"Carry her to bed?"
That came out a little squeaky.
A nod—yawn.
"Know where her room is?"
Sad head shake.
"Gimme a sec. AGNIS?"
""How may I assist you, Ranger Jones?""
"Where, uh, does Ch—Rapun—" Swallows. "Where does Officer Darling here belong?"
""That is a rather philosophical question, Ranger. I am afraid it is beyond my—""
"Oh for—" Jackson gazes heavenward. "Where are her temporary quarters?"
""You didn't say—""
"/Please."
""Officer Darling is assigned to room six-three-six of the main residential wing.""
"Thank you, AGNIS."
""You're welcome, Jackson.""
Vos dozes on.
Jackson nudges his unoccupied side. 
Vos forces his eyes open, smiles hopefully.
"Know where her room is now, so—" Carefully drapes Chuck's braid over her shoulder, gets an arm under her knees, the other behind her back, lifts, tucks her against his chest.
She sighs quietly, snuggles closer.
Vos smiles, slides to his feet, nestles Chuck's drop bear(!) in her arms, staggers for the door.
Jackson pads as smoothly as he can in his wake.
Chuck huffs a little, squirms.
Vos holds the door—
Jackson steps through.
—squeezes Jackson's shoulder, drags himself toward /Lucky Seven territory.
Jackson aims his feet the opposite direction, toward the general staff rooms.
"You're lighter—" Swallows. Swallows again, blinks rapidly. "You've lost a little weight, there, Rapunzel." Considers rubbing his eyes with his shoulder. 
Chuck snuffles. 
Jackson opts not to potentially drop her, blinks a few times instead. "You'll fly away on a stiff breeze if you keep this up."
A lift.
Jackson sighs, comes to a stop. "AGNIS?"
""One moment, please,"" says his mobile.
Chuck finds a better spot for her head against his shoulder.
A nearby speaker crackles.
""You were saying?""
"Will you call the lift, please? I've got no hands."
""You do have hands, otherwise your Ranger kit would include prosthetics. They are, however, occupied.""
Chuck hugs her drop bear(!) closer, exhales.
""Lift called.""
She mumbles.
"Thanks, AGNIS." Shifts Chuck. "What was that, Rapunzel?"
Chuck looks up at him, smiling. "You love me."
Jackson preens. "What the hell are you talking about?" 
Chuck tucks her head against his neck.
He huffs, enters the lift.
The doors slide closed. 
Jackson does not bounce on his toes (lighter or not, Chuck's still a little heavy for that).
""Third floor: spare rooms, storage closets, and beds for unconscious officers. Please, watch your step and do not drop Officer Darling.""
Jackson rolls his—
""I saw that."" AGNIS also sees the active I-PVOS_991.440-A chips are no longer on a course for somewhere to sleep.
Lift doors slide open.
JJON chips head off in the proper direction, and AGNIS pings PVOS's COMMUNICATOR.
AGNIS: You should have turned left at the previous corner.
PVOS chips continue plodding along. 
AGNIS ramps up his COMMUNICATOR's notification cue to max. 
PVOS sighs to a stop, manages his pocket and the passcode.
p_a_vos: No
p_a_vos: 2 chucks
AGNIS: If you were not dead on your feet, I would begin harassing you now.
p_a_vos: Thx
AGNIS: You're still going the wrong way, however.
p_a_vos: No im nort
AGNIS calls in the cavalry, in the form of C-NBAR_298.88-C.
AGNIS: I will contact Her Majesty, Queen Griet, on your behalf, informing her that your schedule disallows video communication between the two of you today. 
Pietr beams at his mobile.
AGNIS: Now be a good sleepwalker and wait right there.
AGNIS: Help will arrive in three.
AGNIS: Two.
AGNIS: One.
A gentle touch to the back of Pietr's hand.
He looks away from his screen.
"We simply /must stop meeting like this," says a very vaguely familiar person.
Pietr blinks sleepily, smiles—yawns.
"AGNIS tells me you're lost?"
Pietr rolls his eyes, types,
- Not lost -
- Hed to lucky 7 rm -
Person giggles at an inside joke. "I know where that is." Takes his arm. "Let's get you to bed."
Pietr oozes against them in gratitude.
Person turns them around, leads them down the first corridor that branches to the right—
Pietr sighs.
—comes to a stop in front of a door [decorated] with the /Lucky Seven logo, and presses the bell.
Ranger Hansen the Oldest opens the door and his eyebrows immediately rise. "Found yourself a new plaything, Nate?"
"I'm simply a Sherpa. This one got [themselves] lost on the way to your suite."
Scott snorts, addresses Pietr. "Chuck's out walking Max. Help yourself to his bed."
Pietr salutes—yawns, shuffles into the suite.
"Hope his sense of direction improves before they send him out in a Jaeger." Scott runs a hand through his hair. "There's a whole lotta ocean out there to get lost in."
Nate's antennae twitch. "He'll be the better half of the Mark V?"
"Funny. Seems to be the Marshal's plan, though."
"You don't share his assessment."
"The guy's an Academy washout and stone deaf." Scott shrugs.
"Nguyen knows what he's doing." Nate leans into Scott's space. "He helped choose you, after all." Runs a finger along the line of his jaw. 
Scott chuckles. "Thought I was /your choice."
"Oh, you /were," Nate assures. "I did, however, solicit some advice before finalizing the decision."
"Is there anything you're not involved in?"
"Wouldn't you like to know." Nate pats his cheek, steps down from the stairs. "Have a good evening, Ranger."
"Same to you, Ms Barclay-Harvey."
Nate waves her fingers and glides along the hallway, makes a turn, takes out her mobile. "AGNIS, darling, is there anything else I should investigate?" 
""If you continue to Team Vulcan Specter's recreational room, you will find some of your cohort engaged in a sing-along."" 
"Thank you ever so much, my dear." 
""You're very welcome, Ms Barclay-Harvey. Will that be all?"" 
"It will. Have a lovely evening, AGNIS." 
""Same to you, Ms Barclay-Harvey."" 
Nate pockets her mobile, follows several turns, then leans on a doorframe and crosses her arms. 
The cheery, somewhat off-key singing comes to an end. 
"Should I be jealous?"
Juliet taps her mobile—
The playback pauses.
—grins. "Hey, Nate!"
Andrea says, "We're trying to get caught up in time for GIRLs' Night."
"We are /so behind," admits Tsuki. "Care to join us?"
"I wouldn't mind watching them again." 
"You must have a sixth sense for gatherings." 
Nate seats herself like a queen. "I had a little help." 
A speaker crackles. 
""She did,"" AGNIS smugs. 
Tsuki snorts around a mouthful of trail mix.
"Can you help me keep an eye on Lachlan?" asks Andrea. 
""I will notify you if Officer Riley's cabin fever worsens."" 
"That's one thing to call it," Tsuki snickers, shaking zhir treat bag—"Aw, we need more snacks," zhi pouts. "AGNIS, any peanuts left in the closest vending machine?"
""VSVM-02 has a half-stock of assorted nuts and seeds."" 
""Awesome!"" 
""I'll get them,"" says Juliet.
""Aww, thanks.""
""You're welcome~! BRB!""
The active J-JTAM_454.66-V chips switch to 'in motion'.
Unlike the active S-CDAR_533.480-G chips which remain stationary, and the local microphones report deep, even breathing. 
AGNIS updates the file R-CLIG_250.140-T asked her to keep, notes the time, and pings the COMMUNICATORs of R-SDON_410.31-F and CLIG, sedentary and asleep in their temporary quarters.
The chips associated with SDON's wrist-mounted CHRONOMETER grope about—
AGNIS would sigh had she the capability and ramps his COMMUNICATOR notification cue to max. 
—and successfully makes contact. 
AGNIS: If you wish to reach Officer Vos' appointment on time, you should begin making yourself ready.
Sergio groans, nudges Cait.
"Mmrff."
"Cait."
"Noooo ...." Squirms deeper into the blankets.
""May I offer assistance in the form of a medley of songs from popular cartoons?"" offers AGNIS. ""I'm told 'The Rainbow Has No End' is a particularly effective earworm.""
Cait sits straight up. "I'm awake!"
Sergio snorts. "Thanks, AGNIS." Pecks Cait's cheek. "Why don't you get changed and I'll hunt up some Ranger food—"
""You /are aware you could ask me about the availability of suitable meals,"" AGNIS sniffs. ""Two servings of your preferred source of essential nutrients will be ready by the time you make yourselves presentable. Please remember to fix your bedhead before departing.""
Cait shuffles off for the shower.
Sergio sighs. "Yes, AGNIS. Thanks."
""You're welcome."" 
The active SDON chips head for the washroom, joining CLIG, just as a sixth pencil rebounds off the ceiling of I-LRIL-392.43-F's quarters. 
AGNIS overrides the messaging lockout on J-JEGA_487.30-P's terminal in LOCCENT. 
AGNIS: Please return to your quarters before Officer Riley does something requiring custodial remediation. 
Jason snickers, swivels his chair. "Commander?" 
"Yea, Egan?" replies Orenstein. 
"Mind if I head down to dinnie?" 
"Is it that time already?" 
"It's thirty minutes early, but." Shrugs. 
"This have anything to do with that note from AGNIS?" 
"Kinda." 
Orenstein leans back in his seat. "You've got her relaying your booty calls now?" 
LOCCENT snickers. 
Jason grins. "I can't help it she ships me." 
Orenstein laughs, shoos Jason, "Get outta here."
Jason salutes, hops up, strolls to the security station, and reclaims his mobile. 
jason_goldilocks: Develop pyrokinesis yet? 
L_M_Riley: Screw you 
jason_goldilocks: If you'd rather do me than dinner its cool 
L_M_Riley: ... 
jason_goldilocks: ^u^ 
L_M_Riley: Twat 
L_M_Riley: Thought you had another 30 minutes to go 
jason_goldilocks: Figured you'd had enough 
AGNIS: I informed him of your desperate need for a change of activity. 
L_M_Riley: STOP WATCHING ME
AGNIS: I have no intention of ending my surveillance.
L_M_Riley: You are beyond creepy.
AGNIS: I find it necessary to take my entertainment where I can.
jason_goldilocks: And we're the best show in the dome 
""AGNIS,"" calls Tsuki, ""would you please start /Sunshiney Rainbow Friends where we left off?""
""Of course, Officer,"" replies AGNIS, prodding the screen into glowing life. 
""Yay! Thank you!"" cheer the Sydney Shatterdome faction of the Sunshiney Rainbow Force. 
The episode ends with all of them perched on the edge of the cushions.
"I /hate cliffhangers!" whines Tsuki.
"Good thing we can watch the other half right now," replies Juliet.
"You guys go ahead; Jason and I are taking Lachlan to dinner in a few minutes."
"Aww, still making time for romance even with his exams?"
"I should rephrase: Jason and I are dragging Lachlan to get food whether he likes it or not." 
They laugh. 
Andrea shakes her head, connects—
Her phone shimmers. 
"Yes, AGNIS?"
""Officer Riley has been staring at been at his review material with much intensity and focus, possibly hoping it will combust."
""Of course he is."" R-AHIL_886.44-B sighs heavily. ""Thank you. Bye, guys.""
Her active chips blink to the same state as SDON and CLIG's, strolling side-by-side toward the general housing block.
""Wonder if Chuck's still tasting fairy floss.""
""Hopefully, she's about to be tasting cafeteria food. It'll be one hell of a sugar crash otherwise.""
""That's no good, I need her brain for—""
AGNIS: Officer Darling will wake momentarily
""Thank you, AGNIS.""
AGNIS cues the [wakeup call for—] 
Chuck springs awake, head clear and grinning.
‒He loves me!‒
She positively beams, rolls herself up in the blankets, squees into her pillow.
‒He loves me! He loves me he loves me he loves me!‒
Strong arms holding her gently, carrying her here as if she were as light as a feather—
A sour note: which she basically was, these days.
But—!
Her heart takes flight.
‒He loves me he loves me he loves me!!‒
Her feet flutter kick the mattress as she smiles so hard her cheeks hurt, pressing her eyes into the wet spots on her pillow as her core shudders, shakes—
A sob cuts loose.
‒Helovesmehelovesmehelovesme!‒
She curls in on herself, cheeks hurting and teeth clenched together, rib cage cracking open, blood singing, he loves me!, heart soaring, she takes her first deep breath and shudders, gasps, takes another breath; a few more tears ooze free, she inhales, rolls herself to her feet, wipes her eyes.
Her mobile chimes.
AGNIS: A reminder from Doctor Lightcap to resume filling out Officer Vos' file at your early convenience.
AGNIS: Though she didn't say it so eloquently.
AGNIS: You should thank me.
Chuck's smiling. She smooches her screen. 
AGNIS: You're welcome.
AGNIS: You look like a wreck.
And to SDON, 
AGNIS: Officer Darling is en route to the canteen.
"Thanks, AGNIS—"
"Hey! You!"
"'ey, Doctor Lightcap," greets Jason.
Caitlin skips up to him. "Having any brain weirdness lately?"
"Define 'weirdness' for me."
"Muddled senses, telepathic bonds, waking up in the wrong body ...."
"Uh, no?"
"Darn it! I was /really hoping those—"
D'onofrio takes her arm. "One thing at a time, Cait. Universal Compatibility." 
"Right! Pietr! MRI!" Tugs him along.
"'scuse us, Officer Egan." 
"Later!"
Jason resumes his course toward the Team Vulcan suite, arriving in short order. He climbs the stairs, hollers—
"Hey, Jason!" Andrea squeaks. "Lemme check on Sir Mopes-A-Lot, then we can go."
Jason chuckles. "You're such a sweetheart."
"Flatterer." Andrea leans into Jackson's room.
Rustling from the closet, clothes strewn /everywhere.
"Jackson?"
""What?"" says the closet.
Andrea steps inside, ducks a flying shirt. "What're you doing?"
""Getting dressed."" Jackson emerges, brandishes two sweaters. "Green or burgundy?"
"Umm ... burgundy?"
"Thanks." Jackson tosses the green aside, climbs inside the other—
"What's—"
—/skips by—
"Are you okay?"
—ducks into the washroom, prods his hair—
"Earth to Jackson?"
—turns, smiles expectantly.
"What's going on with you tonight?"
"Wha?"
"You've got a really dopey smile going on."
"What're you talking about?"
Andrea smiles, 'never mind'.
Jackson scoffs, rubs foundation on his nose. "I helped bring Chuck back to her room and she said 'he loves me' and she said it happily." Tidies the counter. "So I'm going to ask her about it."
A number of things flit across Andrea's face and then she smiles. "Was she concussed?"
"What? No. She was asleep."
Andrea nods. "You keep thinking that's what she said."
Jackson faces her. "How's my hair?"
"Great for someone who's just confirming that someone else doesn't love them."
"Awesome." Considers himself. "Maybe I /should go with the green ...."
Andrea's phone shimmers. 
AGNIS: Officer Riley has begun folding cranes from his notebook paper.
Andrea sighs heavily, turns away. "You look good in both."
ray_a_drop_of_sun: Thanks, agnis
AGNIS focuses a camera on [CDAR], collecting a tray in SYD_MH, and her knit overwear in /Brawler Yukon 4C5962. 
AGNIS: Do you prefer green or red? 
not_a_monkey: No preference. 
AGNIS cues the speakers in VS-01's suite and advises, ""Go with the green."" And to [CDAR], 
AGNIS: Thank you.
not_a_monkey: Yr welcome. 
Chuck leaves her mobile on her tray, slides it off the napkin counter, and directs herself to a certain seat. She drops her tray next to Pietr's, floats down after it, and greets, "Evening."
Across the table, Ducky glowers. "D'ye have to—/OW!"
Pietr pulls his foot back, nods a greeting.
Chuck grins back, tosses her braid around her neck. "For your information, Ducky—" Sets upon her potatoes—
"You're stalkin' a Drift partner?"
Pietr slides his mobile in front of Ducky, raises an eyebrow.
Chuck hiccups.
Ducky turns pink. "What're ye, crazy? Of course not!"
Pietr shrugs 'of course not'. Looks, 'you were saying?' at Chuck.
"Boss wants me to—" She yawns. "—get some medical history from you."
"He's tired. Leave 'im alone."
Pietr frowns at Ducky, smiles apologetically to Chuck, gives a thumbs up, asks,
- Coffee? -
"Cocoa, if they have it. Or tea."
"I'll help."
Pietr stands and waves Ducky back to his seat.
"Ducky."
"Chuckold." He rubs the back of his neck. "You're not broken, yea?"
"Broken." She waves her right hand. "You know why brains are so tricky? They need blood and electricity. Take away one or the other 'n /whoosh, entire clusters of cells kick it, just like that. Think 'mass extinction', but in your head." She starts cutting her beans. "But, like every great die-off, there's room to rebuild so long as something's got a heartbeat, so …." She shrugs. "Got me a new neural architecture in eighty percent the space of the old one. I'll /still never jockey. Unlike /you."
Ducky studies the fake woodgrain of the table.
"I hope you know how lucky you are, Ducky. Pietr's a bleeding miracle. And he's all yours."
The table surface is apparently fascinating.
"Four? What's—"
"You didn't."
Pietr grins. He sets a cup of cocoa in front of Chuck.
Ducky accepts coffee with milk.
Another mug before Pietr's place.
The final one stays in hand.
The trio sip.
Chuck sighs into her cocoa.
"Oi! This is decaf!"
Pietr smirks over his drink, telegraphs 'go ahead' to Chuck.
"Hm? Oh, file. Right." She taps the tablet awake, slides it over. "Just fill in the blanks. Skip anything you don't [understand] and we'll talk about it when you're done."
Thumbs up.
Ducky glowers.
Pietr taps away.
Chuck watches him, smiling faintly.
Ducky growls.
Chuck ignores him, sips cocoa.
Pietr frowns, starts his second cup.
Ducky bounces his knees.
Pietr gives him a Look.
Ducky stops.
Chuck snickers.
Ducky glares.
Pietr perks up, grins, passes the tablet back to Chuck.
"Thanks, Pietr."
He tips an imaginary hat.
Ducky rolls his eyes.
"Would you mind giving Lightcap access to your medical file?" 
Thumbs up!
"I'll just look this over then." 
p_a_vos: Wll u transfer medical files to lightcap pls? She has my permission to view them
AGNIS: Request to sync a copy of I-PVOS_991.440-A medical record to an external server queued.
p_a_vos: Thank u~!
AGNIS: U-r-welcome.
p_a_vos: ^u^
AGNIS: A synced copy of Officer Vos' medical file will be available from the secure shared drive shortly.
Lightcaps_Eleven: Thank you!
AGNIS: Officer Darling has also begun reviewing his medical history.
Lightcaps_Eleven: Excellent! Thanks, AGNIS!
"What was that?" says Sergio.
"AGNIS. Monkey's getting us all Pietr's medical history."
Sergio checks his watch. "'bout time to get going, too. I'll just call for—"
""Trying to put me out of work, Ranger?""
"Not at all, Miss." 
Cait pokes at her monitor. 
AGNIS scolds, ""Really, Ranger, haven't we been over this?""
"Yes, Miss. I'm sorry."
Cait pushes back from her workstation, head tilted.
AGNIS sniffs. ""A request for transportation has been submitted.""
"Thank you, AGNIS." 
""You're welcome, Ranger.""
Sergio pockets his phone, wheels over to Cait. "What're you thinking, Eleven?"
"Pietr's head. What's it like in there?"
"Oh my god." Sergio flops back. "It's amazing. No idea how in the hell he manages it, though."
"Manages what?"
"The silence. Absolute. Perfect. Silence." Sergio ruffles his hair. "And the colors. They're—" Shakes his head. "—kinda bright and wonky."
Cait hums and snags a tablet from a worktop.
"He's ... just—here." Sergio offers all of the Drift through their link: the incredible saturation of /colors-scents-textures, the warm tide of /peace-safe-home, the same /together-oneness he and Cait had only managed after a /year.
"Ho-holy shit."
"What the hell is he made of? Is this because he's deaf?"
Cait rolls to her workstation, pokes around and frowns. "I have no /idea. AGNIS, will you—" Frustration. "Why bother. My models—" She flicks her hand at the screen. "He's broken /everything." A beat and she mutters, "And we've never tested a deaf person before, which's /clearly a mist—"
""All broken, destroyed, and otherwise defunct models relating to Drift Compatibility now on screen,"" AGNIS reports.
""You're a peach, AGNIS,"" CLIG says dryly. 
SDON's heart rate displays irregularities. 
""There's something else, Cait."" He takes her hands in his own. ""While we were doing forms ... he saw the bomb.""
CLIG's heart rate displays irregularities. 
""He didn't even flinch. All the noise, the ...."" SDON shows signs of slight distress. ""Cait, it just rolled off him an-and he gave back—whaddya call it?—a 'pond'? Only there wasn't really a pond just ... safe.""
""The Chucks,"" muses CLIG. "He can't be bounced and he won't let them bounce themselves.""
AGNIS consults the CDAR's vital signs monitor, records the soft line of her shoulders and spine, the lack of tension around her mouth and eyes, and the fact that her active chips have moved several centimeters closer to the active PVOS chips, well within the circumference of her 'personal space'.
""He might be the perfect Drifter.""
""We've gotta figure out how he's able to do this. If we can make all Ranger candidates, well, bombproof—""
SDON's heart rate displays more irregularities. 
""—like him—""
AGNIS also notes the position—the vector of JJON through the freezers which, extrapolating from past data, will end with at least one negative state—
An area microphone picks up a grumble in the form of ""Minion-ducking AIs.""
AGNIS schedules a critical hot water tank failure for the following morning.
""We might be able to keep what happened to Monkey from ever happening again—""
AGNIS: Rangers, your vehicle and driver are ready at the motor pool.
AGNIS: Ranger Jones, your evening meal is ready. Please pick it up immediately.
Lt_Sergio_Lightcap: Thanks, AGNIS. Be right down.
The active JJON chips (including that indicating his favourite green—AGNIS cancels the water failure—jumper) stop—
Someone runs into him.
Jackson glances, "Sorry—"
There's /her braid, halfway across the room.
Steps—
Across from Chuckles (ignoring Chuckles), next to Vos, smiling quietly as they discuss something on a tablet.
—turns right around—
—into a teeny Kiwi twin.
"You okay?"
"Get the fuck out of my way, washout," Jackson snarls.
"Yea, sure." Teeny Kiwi edges away.
Jackson gives them a dirty look, grumps from the canteen—his mobile buzzes. 
AGNIS: Your evening meal is ready. Go get it. 
Captain_Jack: Fine. Going. 
The active JJON chips plod into motion. 
And the request has been satisfied. 
AGNIS: Request to sync a copy of [I-PVOS_991.440-A] medical record to an external server complete. >to match the above reference to the file<
p_a_vos: Thx
not_a_monkey: Thk u
Chuck puts down her mobile, taps Pietr's arm. 
He turns and smiles. 
"No family history of deafness? It's not genetic, then?"
Pietr shakes his head, types on his mobile. 
- Bad nerves - 
Traces a line from his throat through his ear to the base of his skull.
"How'd that happen?"
- Premature -
Chuck blinks. "You have to be pretty tiny for that to happen, ay?"
- 26 weeks -
Her '2' comes out a lot like a 'Z' and the tablet whines.
Ducky peers over. "That's really early, yeah?"
The tablet cooperates. 
"Says here ... only two-thirds of normal."
Ducky sniffs. "Can't expect me to know girl stuff."
"That's /human stuff, Ducky. No wonder you're lousy at it."
"Where the hell you get that—"
Pietr kicks him again.
"Oi!" Ducky disappears under the table.
Chuck snorts, then composes herself. "How soon did your family know?"
- Right away -
- Didn't cry right -
Ducky resurfaces, scowling.
"So ... no sound ever?"
Pietr shakes his head.
"What's it like?"
- Quiet -
"Smartarse."
- Stupid ??? - 
Pietr grins.
"Answer it a lot, ay?"
- All -
- Teh -
- Time -
Chuck snorts. "You skipped 'aphasia'?"
Pietr shrugs, 'no idea'.
"Language production or processing disorder."
- Uncle hit head only said tap after? -
"Exactly! Maternal or paternal?"
Pietr frowns, makes grabby hands for the tablet, opens a whiteboard app, then draws out a family tree and circles a branch twice removed from 'Mother'.
"May I ...?" Chuck snaps a screenshot when he leans out of the way.
"Holy shit, your family's huge!"
Pietr snorts and shakes his head, adds 
- Tiny part. 100+ -
"There's a hundred people in your family," Chuck repeats.
"The hell d'you do with them?" Ducky asks in equal disbelief. "I barely know what to do with seven!"
'I dunno,' he shrugs. 
- Family stuff? -
They kinda look at Chuck.
"Jammy 'n Wirriri. Seen her kids a couple times since they moved back." She swipes back into the file. "Uh, 'neurodevelopmental disorders' are conditions like autism."
Pietr shakes his head.
"In your family?"
- Nephew -
Chuck passes back the tablet, whiteboard open.
Pietr draws a box around around one of his sibling's kids.
Another screenshot. "Okay, what else ... synesthaesia?"
Pietr looks confused.
Chuck double-taps the term and holds up the tablet.
Head shake.
Chuck's eyebrow jumps. "You hallucinate?"
- Once -
- 84 hrs w/o sleep -
"Why'd you do that?"
- Important job - 
Pietr grimaces. 
- Nver again -
"Yea, I've done that a coupla times. No fun." She taps the tablet. "Looks like you got everything else filled in." Turns off the tablet. "That's everything the boss wants for now. Knowing her, she'll have more later. Can I text you if she thinks of something else?"
Pietr, mobile in hand, waits expectantly.
Chuck dictates her number.
/beep boop beep beep
p_a_vos: Hi
/bzzzzz
not_a_monkey: Ditto
They pocket their mobiles in tandem.
Pietr grins.
Chuck makes a face. "Fairy floss again." Glances at the time. "We should get going." 
Pietr does, too, agrees. 
"This's so stupid," Ducky grumbles as they get to their feet. 
Pietr gives him a Look. 
"It's for Lightcap," Chuck sneers. "Have some respect." 
Pietr squeezes her shoulder and everything in her head turns to pink fluff. 
They drop their trays off by the doors as they head through—
"Hey, Chuck," greets Andrea. "Hey, Pietr; hey, Chuck." 
Pietr beams and waves.
Ducky grunts. 
"Hey," says Chuck. 
"No hard feelings, I'm glad," says Andrea. "Chuck, it was great to hear from you yesterday." 
Chuck preens. 
"This's Lachlan and Jason—"
"Hey," says Lachlan. 
"Hi!" says Jason. 
"—you've probably seen their brains a lot." 
"Yep." 
"We should get him—" Hip-nudges Lachlan. "—fed."
Lachlan sighs. 
"Be seeing you?"
Chuck's cheeks kinda hurt. "Sure." 
Andrea looks so happy she could cry. "Have a great evening." She tows Jason and Lachlan—
"You, too!" 
—into the canteen. 
"What is with your fidgeting?" snaps Lachlan. 
"I'm not fidgeting!" scoffs Jason. 
"You're fidgeting," says Andrea. 
"Well, if I am, it's because these are Lachlan's shorties, not mine." 
"You wear mine all the time." 
"Could see that if they were mine," says Andrea. "But, Lachlan—" Squeezes his hand. "—you're stressed." 
Lachlan heaves a sigh. "You're right. Sorry, Egan." 
"Apology accepted." Claps him on the back. "Now, to food—except you're probably full, ay?" 
Andrea goes pink past her hair line.
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