Bolton's Office Hours

[theoverseers]

[Want to chat with Bolton privately? Here is where you do it! Bolton's office hours will be held in conference room B in the library for approximately four hours in the morning several days a week. During that time the blinds will be drawn and that room will be off-limits unless you're there to talk to Bolton, though the other three study rooms will still be available for use.


Comments are screened for privacy.]

Comments

[theoverseers]

Well, I think it looks great. If you want to take a quick break and have a cup of coffee with me, come on in.

[ratherdoweddings]

I don't see why not! [dusts her hands off] Keeping spirits up is the best we can do, right? At least most of us thought so. So we all started painting and putting up signs! It sounds like you've been busy too, though.

[theoverseers]

[Bolton turns his wrist toward the door so that the PIP on his right arm can open it, and then holds the door open with his foot for her to follow him in.]

We've been getting by. You know, I caught Togami the other day painting a little flower on his door, too. I can't believe you guys even got him in on the beautification project.

[He says with a chuckle. Man, Togami's an asshat.]

[ratherdoweddings]

I'm surprised, considering he was such a jerk when I was drawing my big sun and mountain full of flowers on my door! Maybe he's finally getting a little better.

[She follows Bolton in with a smile and stands to the side.]

Or maybe he just got tired of being the only one not doing anything fun.

[theoverseers]

[When Bolton's inside, he sets the tray down on the table and plugs the kettle into the wall, letting the water heat up while he scoops fragrant, earthy coffee grounds into the french press.]

That's probably it.

[He turns and sees her still standing in the corner.]

Go ahead and have a seat - it'll be about five minutes on the coffee. You can use your PIP to lock the door, if you want.

[ratherdoweddings]

Sure! [She locks the door and sits down.] Did you want to talk about anything? I should probably apologize for Kurumi-chan, but you know how she gets.

[theoverseers]

...Kurumi? Why, what happened?

[He hasn't been great about checking the cameras today]

[ratherdoweddings]

She, um, sort of went on the warpath. The motive must have really got her.

[theoverseers]

[Bolton's attempt at a good mood wilts.]

...Yeah, I would imagine it did. What did she do?

[ratherdoweddings]

Mostly? Burning books and toy cars and getting mad at you because she can't touch the motive itself. [Yurika sighs.] It came from the master computer, right? I didn't know yours was alive like ours was.

[theoverseers]

[He flinches.]

Yeah, basically. She runs everything on the ship that doesn't require human input. She's not alive, she's an artificial intelligence.

[ratherdoweddings]

Ruri-chan always talked about our ship's AI like it was a person. I guess it's because she could communicate with it. Everyone else thought it was just a really advanced computer, which I guess it was.

[theoverseers]

Yeah, I guess an AI that's advanced enough to run a whole space station could seem almost human.

[ratherdoweddings]

Is every station in this world like the one we're on?

[theoverseers]

I don't know. I've never been on a space station before this, honestly.

[ratherdoweddings]

Really? I mean, most of our group haven't, either, but Margulis-san thought that was just to make them homesick. Though I guess I shouldn't be talking about your bosses behind their backs. It is a nice one, despite the... um, everything! The holodeck's a little more advanced than ours.

[theoverseers]

It's almost too real. Now that I could see being just to make all of you homesick.

[ratherdoweddings]

Ours was very realistic, but it didn't have nearly all the customization options this one has. It was mostly just preset options.

[theoverseers]

This one actually comes with some presets! But it pretty much can be anything you can imagine.

[ratherdoweddings]

People used ours for dates a lot. Sometimes with people someone else already liked, Megumi-chan. If there's one thing I don't miss, it's having five love triangles going on at once.

[theoverseers]

Hah, yeah, I bet. At least the couples here seem pretty clear-cut.

[ratherdoweddings]

It's really inspiring how so many people found love! Even if they refuse to admit it. I've been getting on Lightning-san for weeks.

[theoverseers]

[That makes him chuckle.]

Don't get on her too hard. She'll come around.

[Maybe not in time, but eventually.]

Hope is the major thing to make sure you don't lose.

[ratherdoweddings]

Even she said that, and she's always such a pessimist. It really is important.

[theoverseers]

I'm pretty sure even Togami would say that, that's how important it is.

...You'd have to catch him at a pretty sentimental moment, though.