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>PENNY LOG INITIALIZED
>MANUAL INITIALIZATION REQUESTED BY: “CRICKET” WITH: “You said its name was Penny, right?”
(AD) Yeah that’s right.
>
>
(CR) Has it helped much with your tests?
(AD) As much as it can.
(AD) Tells me what’s going wrong, but I’m no closer to knowing how to fix it.
(AD) The specs just ask for too much power.
(CR) Sounds like the tests aren’t going too well, then.
>
(CR) Think your little prototype will be done by next week?
(AD) I’m doomed.
(CR) Chin up, Adrian.
(CR) The queen can be harsh, but I think she’ll be willing to give you more time.
(AD) Did you hear her last time I was there?
(CR) I know, she got a bit upset with you, but-
(AD) A bit upset?
(AD) Cricket, she wanted this done in a week. Do you think she’s going to be any kinder after a month?
>
(CR) Listen, I know as well as anyone else how hard she works people.
(CR) At the same time, she’s not going to set an impossible task.
(CR) It’s hard in the meantime, but the results are hard to argue with.
(AD) She’s completely lost touch with reality, Cricket!
(AD) She has no clue about any of what I’m doing here, and no clue about how long it takes or how hard any of it is.
(CR) It’s a lot to get used to.
(CR) I don’t deny that.
(CR) At the same time, working for her has made me a whole lot better at my job.
(AD) Every time I see you, you look years closer to your death, Cricket.
>
>
(CR) Maybe I get a bit tired out, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
(CR) I’m working my way up, one step at a time, and I really think it’s going to turn out for the best in the end.
(CR) Look how far I’ve already come, Adrian!
(AD) I don’t know how far you’ve come, Cricket.
(AD) Every time I’ve seen you you’re running errands, and you never have time to tell me how far you’ve come.
(AD) Do you want me to be happy for you, that you’re working yourself into the ground?
(CR) I’ll have you know that I do a lot more than run errands, Adrian.
(AD) Do you?
(AD) I haven’t seen.
(CR) I’m so much closer with the queen than I used to be.
(CR) I think she’s really starting to trust me.
(AD) Do you think she’ll trust you enough to let you take a break soon?
(CR) She’s counting on me.
(CR) I can’t abandon her just when she’s starting to count on me!
>
(AD) It’s been so long since we’ve talked.
(CR) We talked earlier this month, didn’t we?
(AD) Since we’ve really talked.
(AD) I just wish it could have been on better terms.
>
(CR) I’ll put in a good word for you with the queen.
(CR) See if I can get you some more time.
(AD) Thanks, Cricket.
>
>
(CR) Sorry, but I need to get going.
(AD) Thanks for checking up, Cricket.
(AD) Sorry I didn’t have better news for you.
(CR) Just keep at it.
(CR) I’m sure you’ll have your breakthrough before too long.
>
>
>
>
(AD) Start log, force.
>LOG START REQUESTED WHILE LOG ACTIVE
>TERMINATING CURRENT LOG AND STARTING NEW LOG WITH “Start log, force.”
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
>SHUTDOWN SUCCESSFUL!
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>PENNY LOG INITIALIZED
>MANUAL INITIALIZATION REQUESTED BY: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Penny.”
(AD) Oh, she’ll just love that.
>
(AD) Well, uh, hi, Penny.
(AD) Maybe just save this for her, huh?
(AD) Shutdown.
>SHUTDOWN REQUESTED BY USER: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Shutdown.”
>SHUTDOWN SUCCESSFUL!
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LOG OMITTED FOR BREVITY
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>PENNY LOG INITIALIZED
>MANUAL INITIALIZATION REQUESTED BY: “ZHULI” WITH: “Hi, Penny!”
(ZH) Ah!
(ZH) She woke up all by herself!
(AD) I thought it might be a good idea to make her respond to her name.
(ZH) How come?
(AD) I just thought it would be a nice little touch.
(ZH) I like it!
(AD) I’m glad.
(ZH) Didn’t that take time away from your work?
(AD) It was a pretty easy thing to add. Took me maybe thirty minutes.
(ZH) I think it’s a nice touch, Adrian!
(ZH) I’m sure Penny is grateful, too!
(AD) I sure hope so.
>
(ZH) Adrian, what do you think is going to happen?
(AD) What do you mean?
(ZH) You’re under all this pressure, and I’m worried about what the queen is going to do.
(ZH) It seems like she’s already starting to get suspicious of our new time, and I’m worried she’s got people watching me.
>
(ZH) What’s going to happen to us?
(AD) Whatever happens, we’re going to make it out of this.
(AD) We have to.
(AD) If she decides to come after you, or lock you up, we may have no choice but to run.
>
(ZH) That’s…
(ZH) Won’t she catch us?
(AD) She might.
(AD) But we won’t just let her.
(ZH) I’m scared, Adrian.
(AD) Me too, Zhuli.
(AD) If things don’t go well in tomorrow’s meeting, I. (?)
(ZH) That won’t happen.
(ZH) Things will go well, I promise.
>
(ZH) You’ll get more time to finish your project, and everything will turn out ok.
(ZH) You’ll be safe, at least.
>
(AD) Think about what we could do with that kind of money, Zhuli.
(AD) We could find people, they could help us disappear.
(AD) We could escape.
>
(ZH) Where would we find them?
>
(AD) I don’t know.
(AD) But at least if we have that kind of resource, we can start trying to find a way out.
(AD) We wouldn’t just be stuck here anymore.
>
(ZH) I’d like that a lot.
(AD) We could find somewhere quiet, away from all this.
(AD) Maybe start up a new shop somewhere better.
(AD) If you could do anything you wanted, what would you do?
>
(ZH) I don’t know.
(AD) You don’t know?
(ZH) I. (?)
(ZH) I haven’t really thought about it that much.
>
(AD) No?
(ZH) I…
(ZH) I used to, but after a while I just didn’t want to anymore.
>
(AD) Would you like to start again?
(ZH) I’m scared.
(AD) Scared?
(ZH) I don’t want to think about it, because then I start waiting for it to happen.
(ZH) And then something bad happens, and I just. (?)
(ZH) I just feel like it won’t. (?)
(ZH) It won’t get better.
(AD) Zhuli, I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to help you do what you want.
(AD) After this job, I’ll be able to start looking for ways out.
(AD) Finding ways to get us both out.
(ZH) What about the town?
>
(ZH) Don’t they need you?
>
(AD) If I have to stay, I will.
(AD) If you can get out and do what you want, it’s enough for me.
(ZH) But what if what I want is to be with you?
>
(AD) I don’t know, Zhuli.
(AD) But I want to figure it out.
(AD) I want us to figure it out together.
(ZH) I just want to be happy, together, with you.
(AD) Me too.
(AD) It might take years, but I promise you we will make it happen.
(AD) However long we have to wait.
(AD) Whatever it takes.
>
>
>
(ZH) I love you, Adrian.
>
(AD) I love you too.
>
>
>
>
(AD) Shutdown.
>SHUTDOWN REQUESTED BY USER: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Shutdown.”
>SHUTDOWN SUCCESSFUL!
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>PENNY LOG INITIALIZED
>MANUAL INITIALIZATION REQUESTED BY: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Start log.”
>
>
>
>
(CR) She’s ready for you, Adrian.
(AD) Thanks, Cricket.
(CR) Knock ‘em dead!
>
>
? Adrian Smith.
(AD) At your service, your majesty.
? What progress have you made on my commission?
(AD) Your majesty, I have made measurable progress towards the completion of a viable prototype with reduced power.
(AD) There are still many obstacles between us and the final product as you requested it, but the prototype should be ready for demonstration within the month.
? I am utterly appalled by your slothful treatment of my commission.
? Did we not agree last time we spoke that you would have the commission ready for me today?
>
(AD) I. (?)
(AD) I thank you for your patience in this matter, your majesty.
? My patience runs thin.
? Do not make light of what little patience remains.
(AD) Understood. (?)
? Your majesty!
>
? Can you not see that I am in the middle of an audience?
? This is rather an urgent matter, your majesty.
? If it’s as urgent as you say, then cease your delay.
? I caught this one snooping just outside.
? Seems like she was listening in on your private audience.
>
>
? Smith, you are dismissed.
? I have a more pressing concern.
>
(AD) Of course, your majesty.
>
>
>
>
>
>
(AD) Shutdown.
>SHUTDOWN REQUESTED BY USER: “ADRIAN” WITH: “Shutdown.”
>SHUTDOWN SUCCESSFUL!
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