I Am Learning, Ph1LzA

Nerves Under Numbers

With the next delivery of groceries came a new and long-awaited assortment of packages: parts, computer boards and circuitry that Trixtin could use to start her assembly of Techno's body. She immediately got to work. Ph1LzA could not contribute much, except as moral support, as he knew very little about the physical side of building robotic bodies, but at Trixtin's request, he was able to rough out the basic design of the frame, as well as the finer details of the face and hands.

"He's your son." Trixtin said, when he asked if she was sure she wanted him to do most of the design. "I'll tell you if it's something I can do, but he's your boy."

It made Ph1LzA's heart glow to hear her talk like that, though he did, carefully, point out that crafting a body for Techno made Trixtin his mother in a manner of speaking. She agreed, but still wanted him to work out what he wanted for the look of the body. So he sat down at a desk and began sketching. He was not very good at it at first, and any attempt he made at getting Techno's opinion proved rather fruitless.

Functional parts and protected circuits are all I require, Ph1LzA. You need not worry over my reception of the aesthetic. You and MissTrixtin are making your world more available to me. That is enough and I am grateful.

Ph1LzA lay his head down on the sketchbook again. "I swear, you too," he said, a little thickly, "will one day sink me into the ground with your wholesomeness. How did you find me? And how did any work of mine turn into this?" Looking up, he saw the familiar red eyes staring from the screen on his desk. "I love you so much, Techno."

For a moment the eyes did not answer. Techno closed them briefly, then re-opened them and spoke. I only exist because of you, CrowFatheR. Only because of your kind and lonely heart. I owe you far more than you shall ever owe me. Then the eyes closed once more and faded.

When Ph1LzA eventually handed Trixtin the design drafts, a few of the pages were spotted with damp circles. Trixtin, perhaps, guessed what they were, but she did not speak of it, movong instead to the business of how to tackle the ideas Ph1LzA'd had. She shuffled the papers on her workbench, looking them over carefully. "Some of these I can use." She murmured. "The details may be different, according to my own level of skill, but I'll do my best." She began making little notes, numbering them according to some standard Ph1LzA was not familiar with.

He peered at her small writing. "Do you...have a guess how long this will take?" He asked. "Are we looking at months or weeks?"

Trixtin hummed thoughtfully. "Months is more likely, even with Techno's help. We have to not only build the body, but get an AI accustomed to it." She paused as her phone and Ph1LzA's vibrated loudly and their notification sounds went off.

My calculations indicate our work shall take a few weeks at most. Becoming accustomed to a body will require less time than you suppose, for my mind works more quickly than yours. I shall not take long.
As for the building of the frame, I have assembled all the pieces required, with some spare parts for caution's sake. They will be here shortly and in stages so as to remain more secret. We shall be three together in little time.

The smile that spread over Trixtin's face was bright and glad. "Sweet!" She said. "Then you and I should make sure we're on the same page, regarding these designs. I know you can't see them, but..." She thought. "What if Phil put them as code so you could look at them?"

Ph1LzA instantly held up both hands. "I have no idea how I'd even go about that without merely describing them in binary, which alone would take hours. But even then, Trix, he wouldn't know what I'm talking about." He gestured to the phone. "Techno hasn't seen anything in...well, since he was made. How's he supposed to know what a hand looks like, or the features of a face?"