Chapter 16: Your sarcasm has been noted and catalogued
Theron grabbed a tool from his desk, twirling it absentmindedly as his mind whirred with possibilities. "Rex, run a diagnostic simulation for spiritual resonance detection. If we're going to pinpoint a mate bond, we need baseline data. Maybe—"
Kael's voice cut through the air. "Theron, focus. Class. Socializing. You know, things normal people do?"
Theron waved dismissively without looking up. "Go ahead. I'll catch up later."
Kael raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "You're not skipping again, are you?"
Theron didn't even glance at him. "Of course not," he said, his voice distant. But his eyes never left the tool in his hand, already preoccupied with Rex's next move.
Kael sighed, clearly exasperated. "You're hopeless, you know that?" He gave a final shake of his head before stepping out of the room. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Theron alone with his thoughts—and Rex.
The AI beeped softly, its voice clipped. "Theron, you have precisely fourteen minutes and fifty-three seconds to make it to class."
Theron rubbed his temples, frustration mixing with excitement. "I know, Rex. But this idea... it's groundbreaking. Imagine what we could learn about mate bonds. Think about the possibilities."
Rex's optical lenses glowed brighter, a small hologram flickering to life. The image of Professor Feln appeared, frozen mid-scowl. The professor's thick eyebrows seemed to bristle with authority, his sharp, calculating eyes piercing through the projection. His dark hair was swept back, giving him the air of someone who never allowed himself to be caught off guard—an impression reinforced by his black coat, which was adorned with an array of tools, metallic devices, and what appeared to be blueprints that he likely altered on a whim.
Rex's tone shifted, almost as if it were trying to be cautious. "Let me remind you, Theron, that Professor Feln does not take kindly to tardiness. Remember the last time you missed his class?"
Theron grimaced at the thought. "Don't remind me."
Rex's voice dropped to a mockingly serious tone. "He punished me by making me sing the Gnomish Ode to Calculus—in front of the entire class. I was off-key, Theron. Off-key. I am an advanced AI, not a bard!"
Theron tried to stifle a laugh, but it escaped anyway. "Yeah, well, I didn't have it much easier. He made me write a ten-page essay on why punctuality is crucial to a gnome's success... in binary."
"Precisely," Rex continued. "And may I point out that your binary handwriting is atrocious? We cannot afford another mishap."
Theron chuckled as he grabbed his bag, still amused by the memory. "Fine, fine. Let's get moving before Feln comes up with something worse—like turning you into a clock."
Rex hummed, its voice slightly sarcastic. "Indeed. Let us proceed before I am forced to compose another humiliating ballad."
Theron laughed, shaking his head as he quickened his pace. "Come on, Rex. We can't have that."
When Theron stepped into the gnome workshop, the familiar hum of machinery greeted him like an old friend. The classroom was alive with activity—gnomes hunched over workbenches, tinkering with mechanical limbs, sparking welding torches, and debating the merits of their latest designs. The air was thick with the scent of oil and metal, mixed with the electric buzz of holographic projections illuminating the room.
Theron's eyes scanned the room, and he spotted Nella deep in an animated discussion with two other gnomes. Her spider-like AI, which was currently skittering along the walls with precision, seemed to be the subject of her argument.
"I'm telling you, Elric," Nella said, hands flailing dramatically. "A six-legged configuration is far superior for balance and speed!"
Elric, a wiry gnome with perpetually raised eyebrows, shook his head in disagreement. His AI, a floating cube with sleek edges and an almost glowing presence, hummed beside him, its voice cool and collected. "Balance, sure. But speed? You're compensating for inefficiencies in your central processor. A four-legged design would optimize the motion."
Theron couldn't help but chuckle as he approached the table. "Still bickering over design philosophy, I see."
"Theron!" Nella shot him an accusatory look, pointing a finger in his direction. "Back me up here. Legs or hover tech?"
Theron leaned back in his chair, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Depends on the terrain. Hover tech is versatile, but it's useless on unstable surfaces. You need traction for that."
Elric grinned triumphantly. "Ha! Told you!"
Nella rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in mock defeat. "Fine. Let's see how your floating toaster performs in the simulation."
"Floating toaster?" Elric's AI interjected, its voice clipped and indignant. "I am Arcus-9, a highly advanced navigation and support unit, not a—"
"Relax, Arcus," Theron said with a grin. "She's just jealous of your smooth lines."
Arcus-9 hummed in satisfaction, clearly pleased by the compliment, while Nella's spider AI clicked its mandibles in irritation.
Before Theron could unpack his tools, another voice broke through the banter.
"Yo, Theron."
Theron turned to see Torvin, a tall, broad-shouldered gnome with an easygoing swagger. His AI, a quadrupedal construct with glowing blue eyes, padded silently beside him, its sleek, muscular frame moving with an air of quiet strength.
"Theron," Torvin said, grinning. "Ready to lose your top spot today?"
Theron smirked. "You're welcome to try, Torvin. But Rex and I have a flawless track record."
Torvin's AI, Bolt, growled in response, its voice deep and gravelly. "Flawless? Last week's timing discrepancy suggests otherwise."
"Timing discrepancy?" Rex replied, its tone measured and logical. "We completed the course with a margin of 0.3 seconds to spare. Hardly a flaw."
The two AIs locked eyes, their optics narrowing in a silent challenge.
"Easy, Bolt," Torvin said, giving his AI a reassuring pat. "Save it for the simulation."
The tension in the air was palpable, but it faded quickly as another voice called out.
"Good morning, Theron!"
Theron turned to see Jade, a sharp-eyed gnome with a sleek, bird-like AI perched casually on her shoulder. The AI's metallic feathers shimmered with an iridescent sheen as it cocked its head, its sharp optics scanning the room with clinical precision.
Jade's AI, Aeris, chirped softly. "Fashionably unprepared, it seems. Shall I assist with organizing your tools?"
Theron laughed. "Thanks, Aeris, but Rex has it under control."
"Indeed," Rex replied, its voice cool and efficient, already beginning to arrange Theron's workspace.
Jade smirked, crossing her arms. "Good morning, Rex. Still running on Theron's outdated programming, I see."
Rex's voice remained neutral. "Good morning, Jade. Your sarcasm has been noted and catalogued."
Jade snorted, clearly amused by Rex's dry response. "Always so literal. I should update you one of these days, Rex. You might actually get a sense of humor."
Rex hummed in response, the faintest hint of sass in its tone. "Thank you for the suggestion, Jade. I'll be sure to process that."
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