Hatbot
fell silent, contacting Gamma, who was currently with Flug. A few
minutes later, the bagged scientist rushed out of the manor. “My baby-!”
Carlos immediately sat up and away so that this scientist wouldn’t shove him away. Wait, was that a bag on his head?
Well, Carlos had seen weirder.
“I used a paradox on it and it fell over,” Carlos explained quickly. “I tried to reboot, but I think something fell loose in the fall.”
“Wait- who are you?” Flug asked slowly, looking at the other suspiciously as he approached his robot. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m a scientist,” Carlos responded. He reached up to offer the other man his hand to shake. “Carlos Ramon. I came here following a strange signal on my supernatural reader.”
It took a second for his words to register, but when they did, Black Hat reared back in disgust. So he was one of THOSE scientists, was he? Wanted to dissect him for science, did he? He’d find another thing coming if he tried, and Black Hat hissed, sudden rage tearing through him.
“Scientifically inter–”
“YOU THINK I’M SOME SORT OF SCIENCE EXPERIMENT? IS THAT IT? THINK YOU CAN FURTHER YOUR CAREER BY STUDYING ME?”
“TRY IT – I’LL FUCKINGKILL YOU!”
Carlos was taken by surprise and he curled away in terror. However, he had another feeling that started to battle it – offense.
“What? I’m not some mad scientist I assure you! I understand that you’re a living being and I wouldn’t want to do anything to you against your will. I was merely expressing that I do find your attributes interesting. Science is very important to me and I really think that it’s only worth doing if doing right. And that’s with the full consent of any subjects involved.”
“You scientists are all the same–I’ve seen how you work.”
Though at the idea he COULD do something against Black Hat’s will without dying in the process made him smirk internally. Did this man REALLY think he could even begin to oppose him? HILARIOUS.
Shaking his head, the man chuckled, claws sliding back from where they’d ripped through his nice gloves.
“Humanity is scared of the unknown. And the unknown? The unknown better hope it can either fight back or run faster than human can or it’ll end up on an operating table for the good of mankind.”
“I’ve been here longer than your whole species, I know how these thing work.”
Carlos folded his arms and just frowned at the other being. “I know others have done horrible things in the name of science – I am all too aware of that. But I still think it’s unfair of you to generalize. If you’ve really observed humans for so long, you’d know that no matter the profession they all come in a spectrum of morality.
“I myself am not scared of the unknown. It’s what interests me about science – just learning about what I didn’t know before. I’m not in this business for my ‘career’, but for a genuine wish to learn.”
Really? Huh… Most of the rocks around here were just rocks that magically gained sentience… They can do actual music?
Yeah, they sing. Telepathically, I think. Though I’m not sure – I don’t have instruments to register telepathy.
I actually speak telepathically. Its usually pretty difficult for humans to tell, but if they are made out of rocks they probably don’t have vocal cords? probably
They could also be vibrating, since I can actually record their music. But I have trouble identifying their composition. I can’t exactly just break them apart, you know?
Maybe you could just ask them? Have you tried?
Yeah, but they don’t know much about geology.
Huh… But did you ask if you could have a sample of them?
Yeah, try asking if you could have someone’s pinky. Or their hair. At the very least, it’s weird. I’m working on non-invasive avenues like X-rays and MRI scans and the like.
Really? Huh… Most of the rocks around here were just rocks that magically gained sentience… They can do actual music?
Yeah, they sing. Telepathically, I think. Though I’m not sure – I don’t have instruments to register telepathy.
I actually speak telepathically. Its usually pretty difficult for humans to tell, but if they are made out of rocks they probably don’t have vocal cords? probably
They could also be vibrating, since I can actually record their music. But I have trouble identifying their composition. I can’t exactly just break them apart, you know?
“Well, you have to stay because I’m staying here,” Carlos said, rolling his eyes. “C’mon, it’ll be fun – there’s loads of activities here – I’m sure you’ll find something to like!”
“Dios mio, how old is that thing?” Maria whispered. It looked older than the tv at their Abuela’s house and that was sayinging something.
“Why, it’s been here since I was a camper here at Camp Campbell!” David told her, eyes becoming far away and starry. “Our wonderful founder Cameron Campbell bought it himself. Oh, if only he could be here now. But he’s off adventuring and not hiding from government officials.”
“Riiiiight…” Maria trailed off as she looked up to the man and then back to Carlos. “So.. camp tour?”
“In a minute – after the… is that really a laserdisk?” Carlos suddenly asked, watching Gwen pick up the round vinyl-like object.
“Yeah,” Gwen said as she opened the player. “One of the only things that still works here…”
She put the disk in and turned on the TV. But when the disk started to spin there was suddenly a low grinding noise and a couple of sharp snaps before the disk stopped moving. Gwen stared at the player in disbelief and opened it to pull out the disk. However, when she picked up the disk, half of it broke off and fell to the ground with a shatter.
“Yikes,” the girl said with a small wince. That thing had to have been super old.
“Well let’s get on with the tour shall we?” David said, quickly ushering Maria and Carlos along outside.
Carlos frowned at the laser disk in sadness – he actually wanted to experience watching a laser disk, since some people didn’t get that opportunity. But he stuck near Maria as they headed outside.
That last statement Gwen had made seemed kind of foreboding, but Carlos wasn’t going to admit it – he wasn’t going to give Maria more excuses to leave.
The Perfect Scientist 