From Petra's diary
Nacho: Hmm...
I'd love to say that things are going smoothly at home, but that would probably be like asking for too much.
Techna: What were you up to? You know it's dangerous to try to access the Great Network from here!
Atlas: Who told you that? That cyborg cat? Don't tell me you asked him to keep an eye on me!
Techna: Don't change the subject!
Atlas: All right, all right... What did you expect me to do, though? Stay here, babysitting the humans until they die of old age like you're doing?
Techna: That's not my goal at all!
Atlas: Oh, it's not? You mean to tell me that when you ran away to Sixam the first time you didn't do it for this, to get out of this useless endless cycle? We're not like them, you know it too!
Techna: …
I sort of understand what those two are talking about, but I can't say it all makes sense to me. Maybe it's because I don't know much about programming, probably someone else with a better understanding on the subject could understand their software better than I or Emy could.
Emma: The beginning of the clinical trials is planned for the next week, and the organizers all seem to consider you a good candidate, Mike. If you changed your mind, you still have time to back out, but—
Michael: There’s no way I’m backing out, I can’t wait to get started!
Haruka : He also had me automate a sensor to track the main vital parameters during the study. He’s so serious about it that he’s already started with the measurements to “start collecting the baseline”.
Michael: I don’t want to be unprepared, when the doctors will ask me “how are you?” This way, I'll know exactly what to answer!
I, Emy, Haruka and even Nacho shook our heads, amused. Mike has always been very meticulous, but this initiative of his really shows all his impatience.
Haruka: Rather, I see that your cat seems particularly attentive to the discussion... Is it true what people say?
Petra: Do you mean the story about him being a cyborg capable of hacking the robots on Sixam? Apparently yes, all true.
Haruka: Crazy...
Michael: This cat would actually be another quite interesting case to study, don't you agree?
Nacho: (annoyed) Meow!
Petra: I think he doesn't agree... But, on the other hand, there is some other cybernetic device in the house that would need to be checked...
Michael: Which one, exactly?
Petra: I'm talking about Atlas, the robot that recently arrived here from Sixam. They seem to be really struggling here on Earth, but we can't let them go back, there's a risk that they'll say something that will make the robots realize they've been hacked!
Michael: Can't Techna handle them?
Emma: They seem to argue quite often, unfortunately.
Michael: I see…
Mike thought about it for a few more moments, before saying:
Michael: All right, I'll try to find a solution.
So those two started spending some time together.
I don't know exactly what they talked about, the last time it took them all afternoon. But Atlas at least seems a little less unhappy than before, whatever Mike is telling him seems to be working.
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The Winterfest vacations were just over, and a few days later it was time to celebrate again, this time it was about New Year. So we invited our family and friends over to watch the end-of-year countdown together on the little television we finally managed to assemble.
Everyone: Happy New Year!
Hope: Wow, do they have real fireworks over there?
Techna: I think that's a stock footage.
Hope: What a shame…
Techna: Wait, I might have managed to assemble something useful in this regard...
Hope: Wow, that's cool!
Atlas: What a waste of time, you mean…
Techna: Wait over there, at a safe distance!
Techna: (to themselves) The chances of an accidental detonation should be less than 0.5%… Let's see if I still remember how to do this, then.
Techna: Happy New Year, everyone…
Yes, we know that fireworks are polluting… But we have an air filter right here nearby, and it's been decades since we've seen any in person!
For a moment it almost felt like we were back to our old everyday life. I miss these little things a lot, actually...
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From Hope's diary
Hope : This house is so boring!
Emma: C'mon, there are so many fun things to do!
Hope: If you say so...
What can I do? The electricity is always out at this time of the day, so no PC games. In any case, the laptop is always taken by Atlas, I've only managed to use it a few times. The same goes for the TV, the few programs that are broadcasted are depressing news or very old TV series where the main characters always talk about how beautiful and easy life used to be.
I could do my homework, read a book, or… Well, or do more homework.
Not that I don't like doing homework, but after a while it's such a bore!
Hope: There's nothing to do!
Petra: Why don't you explore the surroundings a bit? I've heard that there are often frogs near the stream.
Hope: Uh, okay…
Forget about frogs, if I have to go to the stream I might as well look for some fish for dinner. Luckily we still have an old fishing rod, how difficult can it be?
Well, apparently harder than expected. Too bad, I wouldn't have minded eating something a little more substantial tonight, we've been living on cabbage and potatoes for a week... But it's the end of winter, unfortunately this often happens during this part of the year.
Oh well, I'm afraid we'll have to settle for a few onions to add to the soup...
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Today, mom Petra and mom Emma went out with some old friends of theirs, they say they've been working so hard for a long time that they never managed to find a moment to meet up all together.
It's such a shame, don't you think so, my dear diary?
I was allowed to take the teleporter to visit my uncles in Henford instead. Today the device had a full battery thanks to the windy day and we took advantage of it.
Hope : Hi uncle Alec! How are you?
Alec: Not bad, not bad…
Alec: Do you want to say hello to Bessy? And don't forget to get some cheese and milk before you leave, we have quite a lot this time!
Hope : Wow, thanks!
Hope: Hi! Can I take you home?
I guess not, the moment I opened my mount it jumped away as fast as it could. Too bad, bunnies here are so cute!
Hope: Do you think I can stop by and say hello to George too?
Alec: Well... Actually, he only spends Friday afternoon with me. I don't know where he's today.
Hope: C'mon, can't I just stop by his house? We're good friends, aren't we?
Alec: I can't assure he'll be there, but I guess you can try, why not?
Uncle Alec is always so on edge when it comes to George, I just don't understand why adults insist on making the situation so complicated. Isn't it a great thing that George finally met his dad and his other relatives? Why is everyone making arguments like: "he's not with me today but with his mother" then? Bah, it's true that his situation is totally different from mine, but I really can't see how this can make any sense...
Hope: Hi George, you've grown up a lot!
George: Oh, is that you, Hope? I didn't expect to see you.
Hope: I was in the area to hang out with my uncles for a bit, and I thought I'd stop by and say hello to you too.
George: I see...
Hope: Do you want to go for a walk? We can also do our homework together, if you like.
George: (indifferent) Well, it's not like I have anything else to do, anyway.
Hope: Compared to Tech Sixam, it's quite cold here, if I knew in advance I'd taken a jacket!
George: They say it used to snow here, even though I haven't seen snow often.
Hope: Really? Seeing the snow would be so cool!
George: What, you're wondering why Alec can't be with me whenever he wants?
Hope: It seems really strange to me, yes.
George: Well, isn't it obvious? My parents aren't a couple, they each have their own lives. It wouldn't be practical if they kept popping in and bother each other, don't you think?
Hope: Okay, but… But it looks like you're often spending a lot of time alone this way.
George: (annoyed) That's not a problem, I'm totally capable of staying on my own.
George: What do you want to know, our families have absolutely nothing in common.
Hope: But—
George: (annoyed) I just remembered another commitment, see you.
I’m really trying to make friends with my cousin, really. But sometimes it feels like I’m talking to a brick wall, does he really think those things? I struggle to believe it, he doesn't seem that happy after all...
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From Petra's diary
I got home from work pretty late tonight and dead tired, just the kind of moment when you least want to run into an unexpected problem. Yet…
Petra: Sorry for the late hour, but we've been working for hours fixing a breakdown and—
Emma: Don't worry, I read the message!
Techna: …
Petra: Is everything okay, Techna?
Techna: (perplexed) I don't know, Nacho seems to have smelled something.
In fact, Nacho seemed to be testing the air, focused, and then jumped out of Techna's arms to run out the door.
We learnt not to underestimate that feline by now, and so we instinctively ran after him, repeating to ourselves: “Let it just be a squirrel, please…”
Techna: Ohi, ohi, this doesn't bode well…
But, obviously, it couldn't have been just a squirrel.
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§HermioneSims§ corner
I know, I know, the suspense... But this time I'm here to share an extra funny (and glitchy) Nacho picture: sbam!
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