Talking to Machines

[Eli Weyland]

Eli walked through the common room holding a rather clearly broken phone. In fact it looked like somebody had run it over with something heavy. At a glance it looked rather beyond repair, but Eli was examining it anyways while mumbling. His backpack was strapped to his back, and he wore an oversized hoodie and XU branded sweat pants. His clothes hid the myriad of electronic components that made up his being quite well, so he looked a bit like... well, like the stereotype of a college student who no longer cared about their appearance.

"It will all be fine soon," Eli muttered soothingly the electronic amplification of his voice making it sound a tad... odd.

[Shane Marsh]

Shane, lounging on the couch in his faux-jacket, raised a brow at the figure muttering to a broken phone.

"Your phone's looking a bit dodgy there, mate."

[Eli Weyland]

"It's not quite a terminal patient, motive force willing," Eli said looking up from the phone towards Shane his three 'eyes' focusing on his peer with the faint sound of moving parts.

[Shane Marsh]

Shane was not expecting what appeared to be a three-eyed robot to look back at him caused him to sit up with a slight start. Trying to pass off his reaction as a mere shift of position, he said, "Well, maybe if you show it to the boffins at the point it'll make it."

[Eli Weyland]

"They would discard it," Eli said sadly. "Most people would."

[Shane Marsh]

"Really liked that phone, huh?"

[Eli Weyland]

"No more than any other," Eli said, "It simply told me it didnt want to die."

[Shane Marsh]

"It... talked to you?" he asked skeptically. Sure, he occasionally talked to plants, but he never thought they talked back.

[Eli Weyland]

Eli nodded.

"The machines speak," Eli said, "Most lack the ability to listen."

"This phone was speaking it's state and desire for repair. That television speaks their desire for rest."

[Shane Marsh]

"Entertaining bored college students must be exhausting," he agreed, playing along.

"Eh, this show is garbage anyway," he added before turning the TV off.

[Eli Weyland]

Several tentacle-like appendages came out of Eli's hoodie to take the phone while he talked to Shane. One took the phone from his, while the others began the process of disassembling the phone for repair.

"Apologies, I did not mean to say you needed to desist," Eli said, "The television does appreciate your generosity."

[Shane Marsh]

"Okay. Are you a mutant or a robot?" he asked tactlessly.

[Eli Weyland]

Eli cocked his head for a moment as he considered his response.

"A mutant robot," Eli said evenly, "This body houses my mind, but my powers control the body."

[Shane Marsh]

"Ah. No bloody stranger than becoming plant-based I suppose," he smirked, "Welcome to Meatless Club. First rule: Don't talk about Meatless Club."

[Eli Weyland]

Eli chuckled or at least there was laughter but it sounded more like a laugh track. Meanwhile his lenses clicked several times cycling through various colors while looking at Shane.

"Interesting, but are two people enough to be considered a club?" Eli asked, "I have several other questions, but I suppose introductions first. My name is Eli."

[Shane Marsh]

"Shane AKA Bramble. And there are at least four others. Five if you count the headmistress."

[Eli Weyland]

"Nice to meet you Shane AKA Bramble," Eli said, so the robot does have jokes it seems. "The code name I have chosen is Cog if you prefer those to given names."

Eli paused for a moment.

"Five others? So this is an official school club then? What are the names of the other members?"

[Shane Marsh]

"Not remotely official," he said with a single bark of laughter, "There's the two Wills, Robin, Colette, and Miss Minamida... but she's never been meat."

[Eli Weyland]

"Interesting," Eli said, "Physical mutations or bodily destruction?"

Eli could also ask insensitive questions.

[Shane Marsh]

"The former. Three polymorphs, a body like an amoeba, and what the headmistress is isn't mine to tell."

"As for me, a secondary mutation after an accident."

[Eli Weyland]

"Mine was an accident as well," Eli said, "Though I have few complaints."

[Shane Marsh]

"It took me a while to get used to my new body, but it does have its advantages," he said, changing his skin to hardened bark. "I have a killer healing factor too."

[Eli Weyland]

"Impressive," Eli said, "It is interesting to have losing limbs be a minor inconvenience. The first time a detached a malfunctioning limb from my frame my mother fainted."

[Shane Marsh]

He chuckled. "That would probably freak out any mother."

[Eli Weyland]

Eli shrugged stiffly.

"You'd think the accident would have made her more numb to... strangeness," Eli said.

[Shane Marsh]

"At least your family tries," he said with faint bitterness, "Mine don't."

[Eli Weyland]

Eli didn't really have facial expressions, but he did feel bad for Shane.

"Now you have your new meatless family," Eli said awkwardly. "I'm... not very good with platitudes. Machines don't generally respond well to them."

[Shane Marsh]

"Are they all logic or do they feel?" he asked curiously.

[Eli Weyland]

Eli tilted his head.

"Before my accident I would have said they are all logic," Eli said, "But the first time you speak to one that's broken, or rusting away your opinion begins to change."

[Shane Marsh]

"If I could hear plants, then I'd imagine much the same for a wilting flower."