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>PENNY LOG INITIALIZED
>MANUAL INITIALIZATION REQUESTED BY: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Start log.”
(CR) You sure about that, Adrian?
(AD) I need to hear exactly what she wants, to the letter.
(AD) I’m not risking any mistakes here.
(CR) Well, I can’t blame you for that.
(CR) She’s pretty excited about this whole thing, you know.
(CR) Says you show promise.
(CR) She called you the best craftsman in town, Adrian!
(AD) That’s not much of a title anymore, Cricket.
(CR) That’s not the point!
(CR) The point is that she’s excited about you!
(CR) You can carry that momentum all the way to the bank.
>
(CR) Oh, looks like that’s your cue.
(CR) Knock ‘em dead, Adrian!
(AD) Thanks.
>
>
? Adrian Smith.
(AD) At your service, your majesty.
? What progress have you made on my commission?
(AD) Progress has been slow, your majesty.
(AD) This is a new field of study, and there are a great many design issues that I simply don’t have answers for at this time.
? That is unacceptable.
? My understanding was that you were the best our kingdom had to offer.
>
(AD) I’m sorry if this disappoints you, your majesty.
(AD) As it stands, there are many points of failure in the machine that require more time to develop.
? How much time?
(AD) It is difficult to say without further study, your majesty.
(AD) It’s only been a week.
? I would have expected that a week would be more than enough time for someone who claims to be the best at his craft.
(AD) I never claimed that.
? Are you contradicting me?
>
(AD) Of course not, your majesty.
? You will devote your full time, attention, and energy toward addressing these critical points of failure.
? You will treat my commission with the utmost importance.
(AD) I understand, your majesty.
? I am, of course, willing to grant you the time you need.
? If you are insufficiently skilled to complete the commission in a week, then so be it.
? We will speak again in a month.
? I hope you won’t disappoint me again.
>
(AD)Thank you, your majesty.
? Dismissed.
>
>
>
>
(AD) Gone already?
(AD) He just can’t sit still, can he…
>
>
>
(ZH) You feeling ok?
(AD) How much did you hear?
(ZH) The entire thing.
(ZH) She really dug into you.
>
(AD) Aren’t you nervous?
(ZH) Yeah, but there’s nobody here now and I had to check.
(AD) Thanks.
(ZH) You’d better keep walking.
(ZH) We can talk next time.
(AD) See you then.
>
>
(AD) Shutdown.
>SHUTDOWN REQUESTED BY USER: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Shutdown.”
>SHUTDOWN SUCCESSFUL!
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LOGS OMITTED FOR BREVITY
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>PENNY LOG INITIALIZED
>AUTO INITIALIZATION: TRIGGERED BY USER: “” BY: “Shop door entry”
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
? Hey Adrian, just here to check on that wheelbarrow.
(AD) Oh, Ted.
>
(AD) I’m sorry, but I still don’t have that ready for you.
? That’s just too bad, Adrian.
? Still backed up on commissions?
(AD) Yeah, this one I’m working on now has been giving me all sorts of trouble, and I’m on a really tight timeline for it.
(AD) I haven’t been able to put much time into anything else.
? Must be tight if you can’t get your other stuff done.
? It wouldn’t happen to be something for the queen, would it?
>
? Well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed, but I won’t press you any further on it.
? Just remember that this town needs its blacksmith, whether you’re helping the revolution or not.
(AD) That’s why this commission takes top priority.
(AD) This town needs its blacksmith, after all.
>
? Do what you need to do.
? Hope it works out for you.
? Bye, Adrian.
(AD) I’ll get your wheelbarrow done as soon as I-
>AUTO SHUTDOWN: TRIGGERED BY USER: “” BY: “shop door exit and no customers in shop”
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>PENNY LOG INITIALIZED
>MANUAL INITIALIZATION REQUESTED BY: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Start log, force.”
>FORCED LOG REQUESTED BY: “ADRIAN”
>LOG WILL ONLY TERMINATE MANUALLY
>
>LINK ESTABLISHED TO: “MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE”
>BEGINNING TEST BATTERY 1:
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>”MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE” CORE TEMPERATURE REACHED SAFE LIMIT
>TEST BATTERY 1 TERMINATED; CODE: FC-8
(AD) Figures.
>INITIATING COOLDOWN SEQUENCE FOR: “MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE”
>
>
>
>
>
>”MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE“ CORE TEMPERATURE RETURNED TO BASELINE (ELAPSED TIME: 62 SECONDS)
(AD) Alright, let’s get you opened up.
>”MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE” OFFLINE
>
>
>
(AD) Reduced the power of the shots to test the cooling system under reduced strain.
>
>LINK ESTABLISHED TO: “MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE”
>BEGINNING TEST BATTERY 1:
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>SHOT FIRED SUCCESSFULLY
>TEST BATTERY 1 COMPLETE!
>”MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE” TEMPERATURE AT 74% OF SAFE LIMIT FROM BASELINE
>
(AD) Crap.
>
(AD) How am I supposed to cool this thing?
>
(AD) Start test battery 2.
>BEGINNING TEST BATTERY 2 (RAPID FIRE STRESS TEST)
> COMMENCING RAPID FIRE
>
(AD) Gah!
>”MINI CANNON PROTOTYPE” UPPER CASING SHELL PIECE LOST
>TEST BATTERY 2 TERMINATED; CODE: FC-2
(AD) Well, fiddlesticks.
>
>
(AD) Can’t have gone too far…
>
>
>
(ZH) Adrian!
(ZH) Hi!
(AD) Hi, Zhuli.
(ZH) What’s wrong?
(AD) I. (?)
(AD) It’s been a tough day.
(ZH) Want to tell me about it?
(AD) This is supposed to be your time to relax.
(ZH) I don’t mind.
>
(AD) Are you sure?
>
(AD) This new machine is being impossible, one of the pieces went flying into the woods, the cooling system isn’t working, I just lost at least two hours of work, I haven’t eaten today, I never made that wheelbarrow for Ted, and it’s all just. (?)
(ZH) Here, take a deep breath, Adrian.
(ZH) Sit down, right here.
>
(ZH) That’s it, deep breaths.
(ZH) Did you say you were doing something with Ted?
(ZH) Is that more resistance stuff?
(AD) No, just a wheelbarrow.
(AD) I should have been able to get it done, but it’s just so busy right now.
>
(AD) I have to find that part.
(ZH) Don’t worry about the part, we can look for it together.
(ZH) For now, you need a break.
(AD) Thanks, Zhuli, but I. (?)
(ZH) No buts!
(ZH) I’ll help you find the part.
(ZH) Just relax.
>
(AD)Thanks, Zhuli.
(ZH) You’re very welcome.
>
(ZH) You know, I haven’t seen you this worked up about one of your projects in a long, long time.
(AD) I have to be.
(AD) She could drop the hammer at any second, and the slower my progress, the worse my odds get.
(AD) Can’t leave the town without a smith.
>
(ZH) Do you think she’d do it?
(AD) You know her better than me.
(AD) I’m not willing to risk it.
>
(ZH) What did she ask you to build?
(AD) It’s a weapon.
(AD) A cannon that can shoot without ammo.
(ZH) Of course.
(AD) The basic principle is pretty simple, but the amount of output she wants from the machine is just ridiculous.
(AD) When it’s not overheating it’s bursting at the seams, and when it’s not doing that something else is falling off or melting or causing problems.
(ZH) Do you want to build it?
(AD) Of course not!
(AD) Especially not for her.
(AD) But what choice do I have?
>
>
(ZH) You know, I’m sure if Penny had arms, she’d give you the biggest hug to try to make you feel better.
>
(AD) Why?
(ZH) Like I said, to make you feel better.
(AD) No, I mean, why do you act like Penny thinks all these things, when it clearly doesn’t?
>
(ZH) I think it helps.
(AD) Helps?
(ZH) Up at the castle, I have a lot of dolls.
(ZH) Each one has a name and a life, and they help me to feel less lonely.
(AD) Zhuli…
(ZH) And I know it’s not real, I know they don’t actually think anything, but when you’re in that place, you need all the help you can get.
>
(ZH) One day, I want to introduce them to you.
(ZH) All my friends.
>
(AD) I’ll be excited to meet them.
(ZH) Thank you.
>
>
(ZH) I’m sorry to say this now, but I’m worried if I wait any longer I’ll forget.
(AD) What’s the matter?
(ZH) We’re going to have to change our time again.
(AD) Is she catching on?
(ZH) She is.
(ZH) I was worried I wouldn’t be able to leave the castle today.
(AD) I’m glad you did.
(ZH) What time would work best for you?
(AD) I think I’m going to end up out here a lot more often for the foreseeable future.
(AD) Whatever time you can leave, I’ll make it work.
(ZH) I’ll aim for sundown.
(ZH) That way, when it’s getting too late to keep working, we can spend some time together before you go back home.
(AD) I’d like that.
>
(AD) Zhuli, I…
> Yes?
(AD) I’m so thankful for you.
(AD) You just find a way to make everything better.
(ZH) I’ll keep doing it, as many times as it takes.
>
>
(ZH) Well, should we get looking for your part?
(AD) We probably should.
(AD) Hopefully, we can find it faster with the two of us.
(ZH) We definitely can!
>
(AD) Oh, I forgot.
(AD) I set Penny to only shutdown by command for this one.
>SHUTDOWN REQUESTED BY USER: “ADRIAN” WITH: “I set Penny to only shutdown by command for this one.”
>SHUTDOWN SUCCESSFUL!
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LOGS OMITTED FOR BREVITY
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