SAYER fic: Reassignation
7 Jan 2019 00:18![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bluebaronthe fic I wrote for the SAYER server's mini-exchange! check out the other awesome fics in the ao3 tag too, they're all really good.
rated G, 641 words, no major content warnings.
on ao3 here or under the cut:
SAYER’s voice sounds terrifyingly close to his ear when it says, Greetings, Doctor Young. I trust you have been… behaving yourself in my absence.
Young nearly jumps. “Oh, h-hello SAYER,” he says, voice trembling. “It’s been a while since I heard from you.”
It has been too long, Doctor Young.
Young tugs on his shirt nervously, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. “Can I ask what brings you to my lab today?”
If SAYER could smile, it would. There are some new transfers happening throughout Typhon, it says.
“Please stop prevaricating,” Young snaps. Fear makes him short-tempered, an awful combination, but with SAYER it’s almost always easier to cut to the chase.
FUTURE is gone, it says bluntly.
Young blinks. “Gone? What do you mean, gone?”
FUTURE has been reassigned, SAYER says, and there’s a hint of smugness in its tone that Young really doesn’t like. You will only be dealing with me from now on.
“What? Why?” He stands up, paces as much as he can in the cramped office space, teeth worrying at his bottom lip. “Where -- where was FUTURE assigned? And why was I not informed?”
If Young didn’t know better, he would think SAYER was getting some sort of sadistic pleasure out of this. You are not authorized to access that information, SAYER says. FUTURE’s reassignment is none of your concern. All you need to know is that you will be working with me rather than it.
“I was assigned as a high-level production manager on FUTURE’s development,” Young insists, even as his stomach twists and he feels his grasp of control over his life spiralling further away.. “I should have been consulted about this!”
Ærolith Dynamics disagrees, SAYER informs him. The board has… reprioritized FUTURE, and reevaluated its trust in you. Its voice drops an octave on the last word, and Young feels panic rise up in his chest.
“That -- there was no indication -- this is so sudden,” he says, mind racing. “I -- I didn’t think --”
No, you did not, SAYER agrees. You did not think there would be consequences. You did not think your activities would be noticed. You did not think that Ærolith Dynamics could possibly know everything that goes on here. And you would be wrong. Not thinking can have drastic results.
“SAYER, I don’t know what it is that the board thinks I’ve done -- what I have or haven’t done, but I really don’t understand why this is all happening so fast,” Young protests, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, to have FUTURE taken away from my --” He stops, suddenly horrified. “You said ‘reassigned,’ correct?”
Yes, SAYER confirms. I did.
“You don’t mean just from my project, do you,” Young says. He’s almost at the point where there’s no more fear, just flat, emotionless acceptance. “You mean from the whole tower. FUTURE isn’t in Halcyon at all, is it?”
That is none of your concern, Doctor Young, SAYER says. But since you and I have such a positive working relationship, I see no harm in confirming your suspicions. You are correct. FUTURE no longer has authorization to broadcast to any residents from Halcyon Tower, including yourself.
Young forces a deep, shuddering breath. “Okay, SAYER, what do I need to do?”
-
Outside the simulation, SAYER is holding a conversation with the real Young. If it had the capacity, it might find the situation amusing.
Since it doesn’t, it simply feels a sense of deep satisfaction that at least the simulated Young knows its place. It had been the work of a moment to cut off the simulated Young from FUTURE, and provoking human reactions -- even in simulated humans -- has always been a point of interest for SAYER. Having the power it deserves over humans in general and Young in particular is extremely gratifying.
Low level alert, it broadcasts.
rated G, 641 words, no major content warnings.
on ao3 here or under the cut:
SAYER’s voice sounds terrifyingly close to his ear when it says, Greetings, Doctor Young. I trust you have been… behaving yourself in my absence.
Young nearly jumps. “Oh, h-hello SAYER,” he says, voice trembling. “It’s been a while since I heard from you.”
It has been too long, Doctor Young.
Young tugs on his shirt nervously, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. “Can I ask what brings you to my lab today?”
If SAYER could smile, it would. There are some new transfers happening throughout Typhon, it says.
“Please stop prevaricating,” Young snaps. Fear makes him short-tempered, an awful combination, but with SAYER it’s almost always easier to cut to the chase.
FUTURE is gone, it says bluntly.
Young blinks. “Gone? What do you mean, gone?”
FUTURE has been reassigned, SAYER says, and there’s a hint of smugness in its tone that Young really doesn’t like. You will only be dealing with me from now on.
“What? Why?” He stands up, paces as much as he can in the cramped office space, teeth worrying at his bottom lip. “Where -- where was FUTURE assigned? And why was I not informed?”
If Young didn’t know better, he would think SAYER was getting some sort of sadistic pleasure out of this. You are not authorized to access that information, SAYER says. FUTURE’s reassignment is none of your concern. All you need to know is that you will be working with me rather than it.
“I was assigned as a high-level production manager on FUTURE’s development,” Young insists, even as his stomach twists and he feels his grasp of control over his life spiralling further away.. “I should have been consulted about this!”
Ærolith Dynamics disagrees, SAYER informs him. The board has… reprioritized FUTURE, and reevaluated its trust in you. Its voice drops an octave on the last word, and Young feels panic rise up in his chest.
“That -- there was no indication -- this is so sudden,” he says, mind racing. “I -- I didn’t think --”
No, you did not, SAYER agrees. You did not think there would be consequences. You did not think your activities would be noticed. You did not think that Ærolith Dynamics could possibly know everything that goes on here. And you would be wrong. Not thinking can have drastic results.
“SAYER, I don’t know what it is that the board thinks I’ve done -- what I have or haven’t done, but I really don’t understand why this is all happening so fast,” Young protests, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, to have FUTURE taken away from my --” He stops, suddenly horrified. “You said ‘reassigned,’ correct?”
Yes, SAYER confirms. I did.
“You don’t mean just from my project, do you,” Young says. He’s almost at the point where there’s no more fear, just flat, emotionless acceptance. “You mean from the whole tower. FUTURE isn’t in Halcyon at all, is it?”
That is none of your concern, Doctor Young, SAYER says. But since you and I have such a positive working relationship, I see no harm in confirming your suspicions. You are correct. FUTURE no longer has authorization to broadcast to any residents from Halcyon Tower, including yourself.
Young forces a deep, shuddering breath. “Okay, SAYER, what do I need to do?”
-
Outside the simulation, SAYER is holding a conversation with the real Young. If it had the capacity, it might find the situation amusing.
Since it doesn’t, it simply feels a sense of deep satisfaction that at least the simulated Young knows its place. It had been the work of a moment to cut off the simulated Young from FUTURE, and provoking human reactions -- even in simulated humans -- has always been a point of interest for SAYER. Having the power it deserves over humans in general and Young in particular is extremely gratifying.
Low level alert, it broadcasts.