From Your Wires to Your Core

A Favour Owed

The two weeks passed. Reed continued his nightly ritual of listening to lecture recordings, looking over Power Points, and writing up assignments. His mornings would then consist of sending those to Connor, waiting an hour or so to get them back, and then spending another thirty minutes to an hour correcting them for him to grade. Thankfully, Connor spared him any more embarrassing compliments. Until the final reports. He'd originally expected to just get an email back to confirm if he'd passed the training, and therefore whether he'd keep his job. What he didn't expect was to be called into Fowler's office.

"Reed! My office!" he hollered from the open door. Reed's head snapped up from his files, green eyes creased with apprehension. He couldn't think of anything he'd done wrong recently. He'd been keeping his head down over the past couple of weeks, focusing on his work and Connor's modules. They'd had a third smashed android turn up, in another new location. Am I taking too long to get results? He got to his feet and dragged himself up the steps. It was hard to tell whether Fowler was angry or just tired. Either way, it rarely bode well for him. "Have a seat," Fowler ordered as he entered and shut the door.

Reed did as he was told and strode across the small office. It was quite intimidating in some ways. There was a huge holographic screen showing different news feeds and station information on cruiser locations, on duty officers, and various emergency call outs. The office was like a glass box with a clear view out into the bustling bullpen. The only warmth in the room came from the small spider plant on the edge of the desk and a taller plant in the corner. The desk was made of dark grey metal with a glass top. That would drive Reed mad. He couldn't stand fingerprint smudges. His own desk had a matte grey coating.

"I've been talking to Connor about your recent work," Fowler began as he sat back and steepled his fingers. Reed sat a little straighter in his chair. Did I not do the assignments right? But Connor would have told me...He was barely able to stop his eyes drifting over towards Hank's desk, where he and Connor were clearly visible. They were deep in discussion about something, Hank waving one arm across at Connor as he leaned forward on his elbows. "It's damn fine work, Reed. Connor is thinking of using some of your pieces in future presentations and class examples," Fowler praised with a gruff undertone of pride. Reed's head snapped back to him in surprise.

"Captain?" His disbelieving tone suggested he needed to be told again. Fowler leaned back in his chair with a small chuckle as he waved a hand at the glass. At his wave, Reed turned to watch Connor heading up towards the office with a small black folder tucked under his arm. Connor smiled pleasantly as he entered, noting Reed's already uncomfortable and awkward state as he sat in the stiff leather chair.

"Captain, Detective," he greeted politely as he approached the desk smartly and handed the folder to Fowler. Fowler took it and opened it up. There was a pile of stiff, smart certificates inside. Enough for all the officers who'd completed the training. The one at the top had Reed's name and rank neatly printed in elegant cursive script. At the bottom, the certificate had been signed by both Fowler and Connor, whose signature was far more elegant and flourished than Reed had expected from a machine. He'd thought all androids just used Cyberlife Sans.

"It is my pleasure to present to you this certification to prove that you have passed the new Android Sensitivity and Integration Training Program for the Detroit Police Department to the highest standard. Your work has been exemplary, Detective. Keep it up," Fowler encouraged as he stood and held out the thick card to him. Reed gingerly accepted it with one hand and received a firm handshake with the other. Once he had the paper, he just sat back for a few moments and stared at it. The elegant black script. The embossed golden seal. The short red ribbons. It was the finest certificate he'd ever gotten. Sure, he had a degree and other papers from the academy, but none of them were this classy. So this is how it feels to be Head Boy...