If it can feel, it should feel.

[locum_tenens]

WHO: Niska Elster
WHERE: Hospital | Police Station
WHEN: February 18
OPEN TO: All!
WARNINGS: A kind, gentle Niska (aka, Off Colour shenanigans)

---

Hospital

She's in the middle of one of her shifts at the hospital when things go awry.

Niska's cynicism immediately tells her that something is being done to punish her for her continued attempts to mine the code in the bunker and expose whatever they've been doing. The video messages had only been a small bit of it. Watching her device reset itself after a blue screen that she knows far too much about, she's on her sharpest watch as it begins to reboot.

Only, something is different.

The orange is gone. In its place, white. She hasn't spent much time on the colours on the devices, exactly. She's reviewed names and people who have been with them and then gone, but she never spends that much time on the actual colours. Perhaps she should have, because then she'd understand why she instantly begins to wonder why she's been spending so much time on research in the hospital and the lab.

She should be treating patients, she should be helping people. That's why she was made, isn't it? David Elster built her to be useful and warm, kind and caring, and she'd fought it for so long, but that's her initial purpose. Setting down her microscope slides and forgetting that, she goes back to the vitamins, only this time, it's not to feel useful for herself or superior. She's doing it because she genuinely cares if the people around her get sick or not.

Glancing up when she sees someone new, she smiles warmer than she ever has here in the settlement. "Do you need help? I'd be happy to assist," she says, pushing off her chair to head over before anyone can beat her to it.

Police Station

Instead of going home immediately after her shift, Niska does something she never has before.

She's never needed to eat, but it now occurs to her that the animals within the cells will certainly need their meal. Honestly she's not sure why she never thought of it, but after a quick stop at the inn, she heads into the adapted barn with a bucket of grains, greens, and other little treats that she'd picked up. Her device white instead of orange, she pays little mind to it. The animals are clearly more of a concern now, and she approaches them to tend to their needs.

Soothing them, feeding them, patting them. In this moment, she's far more caring and maternal than she has been in years. Seven years, if she's honest. She had never been created to be a mother to Leo, but she'd possessed the necessary traits, ones that simply got buried too deep.

"Easy now," she soothes one of the animals when it seems to panic, at the sound of new footsteps. "It's just a new friend with us. That shouldn't be cause for worry at all," she says, turning to give her new visitor a warm smile. "Come in, I was just going to see if could get any milk from the goats today."

If Mia could see her now, she'd laugh until her battery died. As it happens, Niska isn't even aware that there's something to laugh at, so she keeps on, helpful and smiling and warm -- all the things she hasn't been since the first time she was used for something so very apart from her intended purpose.

Comments

Police Station

[duel_wielding]

The building is an interesting place, one that North and Theta go out of their way to see once every few days. Theta loves the animals, and the time he spent visiting Vanille's wasn't always enough for North's young charge. He does catch sight of someone actually moving around inside for once, so for the first time he pushes open the door and steps in.

"You can milk goats?" he asks as he closes the door behind him.

Think we can help? Theta asks softly.

Well, we'll have to see if the lady is okay with it.

[locum_tenens]

Niska's pushed her hair into a braid to keep it out of the way, knowing that she must look like one of the Swiss Maid synths they love so much in certain parts of the world, but she catches sight of the man and offers an inviting smile.

She doesn't have to do this alone, after all. It'd be silly to insist that no one help her. "You can," she agrees. "I bet it's even easier than you ever thought. Come here," she says, patting the stool. "I'll help you through it."

[duel_wielding]

Well that was easy.

North does in fact move closer, considering the stool. It's probably not going to be comfortable given how long his legs are, but he sits as directed, reaching up to pat the nanny goat briefly.

"You're sure she's not going to bite me or something like that?"

[locum_tenens]

Niska's responding laugh has none of the sarcasm or disgust associated with it that she might normally have, instead simply open and warm. "Only if you do something terribly mean and she's trying to defend herself," she guarantees. "We'll do our best not to give her a reason to fight back, though."

She extends a hand to him, before he starts milking. "I'm Niska," she says, sweet as anything with her smile.

[duel_wielding]

"North Dakota," he smiles, taking her hand and shaking it firmly. "You have no idea how excited Theta is that you're letting us do this."

So maybe the word choice is weird, could easily be read as insanity, or some odd quirk, multiple personalities even? Actually, North feels really bad about the fact that it could taken wrong. So he smiles briefly, an awkward sort of smile as he turns his attention back to the goat.

"I should explain I guess. I've got an AI in my head. And he, Theta, really likes animals."

[locum_tenens]

"Theta?" She's not so sure what a Theta is, because he'd just said that his name is North Dakota. Is it an animal that she hasn't seen yet in hiding? Perhaps a dog or a smaller pet?

He goes on, though, and Niska is taken aback. It's not the concept of AI, after all (she is one), but the fact that they could somehow be together. Perhaps it's like Mia and Anita, though she doesn't see the similarity. "You mean to say that you have a fully fledged AI in your head? How do you share the space? The brainpower?"

[duel_wielding]

"It would be inaccurate to say fully fledged. Theta is only an AI fragment. But he's definitely in my head, and his chip is missing so he can't even withdraw any. But my neural lattice must be intact for him to be here still," North smiles as he strokes the goat. "And he loves animals."

Not that North is going to care too much if she judges him for having an AI. At the very least, they can get to be this close to a goat. Even if this place is a bit sharp on his sense of smell, he's content for it anyway.

[locum_tenens]

"It must be an incredibly complex lattice to allow for that to happen without you going mad," Niska remarks, though the implication there is that he hasn't. She doesn't know him, but she trusts him that he isn't. Which is odd. Isn't it?

Doesn't she usually reserve judgment in situations like this? It feels like she should, and yet, she lets it slide away. "We're going to work the milk out slowly, we don't want to scare her."

[duel_wielding]

"Very complex, and experimental," North agrees. "But a lot of his processing power comes from currently unused portions of my brain. But there you go."

Still, he's a bit intrigued by her comment there. How would she know?

Can we talk to her about it?

Maybe after we help with the goat, T.

"Okay, that sounds right. I just don't know how to do it. At all. Never seen anything like a goat or cow in person."

hospital

[whipshots]

"Oh, Niska -- hi!" Brigitte's only relatively recently started putting time into the infirmary, and hasn't crossed paths with the blonde much yet, since Niska normally haunts the research in the back, nose buried in her work. But Brigitte recognises her from the party anyway, and brightens at the sight of her. (Light grey is only the slightest shade off from white, after all.)

"And... yes, actually. I've been collecting some cloth scraps for bandages," she explains, lifting her armful of fabric and gesturing to it with her chin. "I was going to boil them here to clean them up, then dry and pack them away for future use. Want in?" Her smile's a little rueful. "I know it's just the most fun ever."

It isn't, really; it's tedious busywork, but at least it keeps one occupied.

[locum_tenens]

If Niska were herself, she'd have thought that it's good to see Brigitte here, when she's one of the people she gets along best with. With her device glitching, that doesn't occur to her, and all that she actually thinks is that she's glad to see someone else here that she could potentially help.

That's her purpose, and even if it's not what she's exactly doing, she needs to make sure she works with the humans, make friends with them. She laughs at the joke, her eyes firmly on Brigitte. "I can't say that it's the most entertaining thing I've ever done, but it's better than other hobbies. Let's boil."

[whipshots]

There aren't too many patients in the infirmary today (thankfully), so it's easy enough for them to head towards the little kitchenette, the stove and slowly heating up a pot of water to boiling. "Like what other hobbies?" Brigitte asks out of curiosity, shooting Niska a sidelong look. "I've started knitting with people sometimes, mostly to try to make some winter clothes. The rest of the time, though..."

She's busied herself with the infirmary, the forge, the dojo. Working out and hauling wood and swinging hammers and even going down to the southern farm. Pour enough work into the hours of the day, and that does a decent job of keeping you perpetually busy and distracted.

(She probably needs some damn hobbies.)

[locum_tenens]

"Spending your days sifting around through scrap metal for parts, like some people I used to know,' she suggests. "Those that waste their whole day with no result, doing things like pining," she adds, even though there is something romantic about that, she assumes. "I've never knit. I'm not really much with my two hands in that sense."

She could be, but she chooses not to be. Should she rethink that? It feels like something that she shouldn't be so firm about.

"I spend most of my days running tests and making vitamins, so I'm not sure how loudly I can speak about other people and their strange hobbies," Niska admits.

[whipshots]

The water on the stove is slowly heating up, and so there's nothing else to do but watch as it sluggishly heats to a simmer, and chat to each other. Brigitte's leaning against the counter, arms crossed as she grins at the other woman.

"Pining's useless. I would much rather keep busy," she announces cheerily. Of course, there can be too much of a good thing, even for consummate workaholic like her, and so-- "Most of your days running tests and making vitamins. Do you ever do anything for fun? You should do things for fun, Niska."

[locum_tenens]

"There's no reason a person can't do both," is Niska's opinion, though pining and useless has never been her MO and she's not about to start but for some reason today, her heart seems to be guiding her more than her head.

Well, her software that guides empathy is, not the parts that guide logic, which should be a clear distinction. "I can have fun," she says defensively, but she's straining to think of what that is. "Maybe I like doing this sort of work."

[whipshots]

"Maybe. I do like my work at the forge, in a way -- you can turn off your brain and go on autopilot with the physical tasks, so it's kind of calming. Soothing. Maybe a bit like meditating. Just getting lost in the movements," Brigitte muses, thinking out loud. "But it's not really... fun in the same way. I still need a break from it sometimes."

An unfamiliar admission, that. But in peering at Niska -- who she hasn't seen much in the public spaces or at the few social events, the blonde seems more withdrawn than most, although Niska's oddly more open today -- she's found herself saying it. It's easier to recognise that streak in others than in yourself.

[locum_tenens]

Niska doesn't want to talk about the fact that when she wants to turn herself off or go on autopilot, she literally shuts down and charges in her home. She doubts that people around here want to hear that, truthfully.

She can't help the way she smiles and looks at Brigitte when she talks about needing fun. "I'm not really...fun," she goes on. "I can have fun, but I'm not the person who starts it. What would you suggest a person does to blow off steam?"

Police Station - I missed this :(

[killorder]

Jake is considering what of the animals might have things that will work for his plans, and so he heads to the barn that was a police station to check out things there, see what animals others have brought in so he can cross reference them with the notes at the inn.

Realizing he's not alone, he pauses to let his eyes adjust to the darkness... and realizes he knows the other person.

"Oh. Hey, Niska. I didn't realize you took care of the animals." Nor would he have thought she would but okay then.

it's all good! it's happening now!

[locum_tenens]

Niska's smile is a warm and inviting thing as she looks over her shoulder, pleased to see Jake there. He is one of the men she tolerates regularly, but today, that translates to an effusive joy that she's not sure that she can put into words.

"I was raised as a jack of all trades," she assures, getting a stool ready for the goat in order to milk it. "And you? I'm not sure I expected to run into you here, of all places. Is one of these a piece of technology?" Besides her, of course.

[killorder]

That smile is definitely new. It isn't that it doesn't suit her, but more that he's always assumed she is a lot like Roque when it came to expression. Well Roque as he remembers him, but still about the same. Much more staid in expression and reaction.

"Honestly, I was actually going to seek you out,' he admits, pausing and then waving his hand. "No, not about these guys, though you know. That's not a bad idea," he says, considering how that would work and the options of building a pet here. "I was wondering if you, or anyone you know, has had issues with their device lately."

[locum_tenens]

She wipes her hands and gets up to talk to Jake instead of focusing on the animals, seeing as he has an actual problem for them to fix. That's also promising, because Niska very much enjoys the idea of working on a project together with someone she's come to respect.

"When you say trouble, do you mean with the software?" she asks, glancing to her device for the first time since it began to glitch. "Mine lost colour, but it just went blank. Nothing came back, I presumed I did a reboot and I'll have to add something back in. Yours?"

[killorder]

He glances to hers, frowning because while his hasn't changed, he's definitely seen a chance to be curious about. "Not mine, but Cougar's," he admits. "He says it went blue screen of death, and made some noises and then the color was changed, and everything else seemed fine but..." But Niska's smile, Cougar's perfect voice being heard so much, they're all showing changes, and he's not sure what to think about it. "You noticed anything else changed since it faded?"

[locum_tenens]

She hasn't noticed it, but she should. Her programming has always made her one thing, and perhaps when she was newly awoken, she had been like this, but experience had worn her down. "I suppose I might have had a more productive day today," she admits, though, she's not sure that warrants an overreaction.

"Wait," she says. "The colour changed," she clarifies. "From what to what? And what did he begin doing?"

[killorder]

He nods at that. "It's definitely changed. It was Navy before, and now it's yellow. Which is mine, obviously. He's talkative," he says, sounding so confused by it. "I mean, I don't know if you've met Cougar, but I've heard him speak more in the least day than I have in the entire time I'm known him."

Another pause and then adding. "And that is not my typical exaggeration."

[locum_tenens]

She narrows her eyes, starting to feel a creeping awareness of the fact that maybe her device hasn't lost colour completely. She'd presumed that it had gone null, but there's one other option here. What if it's gone white?

She doesn't know anyone else with a white band to compare herself to, but this is odd. "The theory was, what, that the band colours were a representation of some part of ourselves?" She's not sure she believes that, but why else would he exhibit a behaviour change? "Nothing else happened? He didn't hit his head or anything?"