Now that Clu was no longer lit like an I/O tower on the admin band, the hospital suite resolved in uniform curves that cast soothing blues and a gentle throb of mint, nearly subliminal signals of safe, steady energy and clean power.
He squinted for Gana's wry tone, seasoned with experience--the value ranges were right, and her clearance level was high enough. He pondered that, and thought. She just might have met Flynn herself. Certainly that would've been a--dynamic introduction. As for never again jumping out of windows, or off cliffs into the energy springs, or, oh, from moving bikes--especially if a wager were involved--?
Clu blinked. Twice. Cleared his throat.
"Yeah, uh--" he spread his hands, too narrow and decorous for a shrug, and grinned sheepishly at her in a somewhat chagrined echo of his code-brother's charm. "I'm afraid the best we can offer is to follow your recovery instructions very," he glanced at his code-brother, "very precisely."
Though--for the binary under his counterpart's breath, Clu snickered. That, more than anything, was a good sign: his code-brother's spirits were undimmed by anything so ordinary as a mere brush with deresolution.
He listened intently for Gana's instructions, the bluster and worry of moments before fading into complete attention, and total respect for both her authority and her evident expertise. The damage, while extensive, indicated recovery possible and even likely, so long as they followed her advice.
And he fully intended to see that they did. With or without her personal number.
"Yes," nodding, abrupt and total agreement. "Absolutely no high-grade. I'll add some time for free roaming--walking only--to his duty schedule, and we'll figure out the rest."
And on a tight, tight band he flashed his code-brother the radiant image of them leaning together over the same data pad, working an urgent data allocation, busy minds and questing fingers after the same, mutual problem set...And, perhaps, an incidental packet suggesting that sometimes, just sometimes, that extra energy ration might be gently hand-fed to him on occasion by a solicitous admin.
"Don't worry," he hummed, turning that grin on his code-brother. "I'm sure we can find something interesting for you to do."
And after a moment, Clu turned a somewhat more wholesome variation of that same smile on her.
"Thank you," quiet, sincere, "Head Compiler Gana, for your diligence and hard work. You, and your team, have my gratitude."
no subject
He squinted for Gana's wry tone, seasoned with experience--the value ranges were right, and her clearance level was high enough. He pondered that, and thought. She just might have met Flynn herself. Certainly that would've been a--dynamic introduction. As for never again jumping out of windows, or off cliffs into the energy springs, or, oh, from moving bikes--especially if a wager were involved--?
Clu blinked. Twice. Cleared his throat.
"Yeah, uh--" he spread his hands, too narrow and decorous for a shrug, and grinned sheepishly at her in a somewhat chagrined echo of his code-brother's charm. "I'm afraid the best we can offer is to follow your recovery instructions very," he glanced at his code-brother, "very precisely."
Though--for the binary under his counterpart's breath, Clu snickered. That, more than anything, was a good sign: his code-brother's spirits were undimmed by anything so ordinary as a mere brush with deresolution.
He listened intently for Gana's instructions, the bluster and worry of moments before fading into complete attention, and total respect for both her authority and her evident expertise. The damage, while extensive, indicated recovery possible and even likely, so long as they followed her advice.
And he fully intended to see that they did. With or without her personal number.
"Yes," nodding, abrupt and total agreement. "Absolutely no high-grade. I'll add some time for free roaming--walking only--to his duty schedule, and we'll figure out the rest."
And on a tight, tight band he flashed his code-brother the radiant image of them leaning together over the same data pad, working an urgent data allocation, busy minds and questing fingers after the same, mutual problem set...And, perhaps, an incidental packet suggesting that sometimes, just sometimes, that extra energy ration might be gently hand-fed to him on occasion by a solicitous admin.
"Don't worry," he hummed, turning that grin on his code-brother. "I'm sure we can find something interesting for you to do."
And after a moment, Clu turned a somewhat more wholesome variation of that same smile on her.
"Thank you," quiet, sincere, "Head Compiler Gana, for your diligence and hard work. You, and your team, have my gratitude."