[OOC][PLOT] The Seventh Thread of Planning for Arc 1 - Arrivals

[robkelk]

Anyhow, I think we can make those suppositions ring true.  It just depends on how we write the damn thing. 

For your consideration:


"Let's see what you've got."

Gil Graham opened his laptop to reveal an already-running CAD program displaying specifications for something called a "unison device". As he passed the laptop to his hosts, he commented, "Ms. Hanyu said that you were probably the only people here short of Washuu-chan who could do anything with this."

The first thing that Chitose Hibiya noticed was the sheer amount of hardware required - there was easily enough listed to fill a full-sized persocom shell, leaving no room for a processor. "It can't be done. There's no way that this will fit into a palmtop."

"Only if you confine yourself to three dimensions," replied Gil's companion, Aria Lieze. "We have proof that there are more. We can connect three-dimensional items in a seven-dimensional sheaf. This" - she pointed at one device schematic - "is the only hardware that needs to be in the same three-space as the interface."

"If it wasn't for what Ms. Uiharu's friend Skuld showed me back in January, I'd think that either you were insane or you thought that I was." Chitose turned to her own palmtop. "Kotoko, what do you think?"

"Considering what Kobayashi-san showed us yesterday, I think the only way we're going to find out is to try it."

Gil and Aria smiled. "Thank you, ladies. Hayate will be happy to hear that."

Chitose looked straight at Gil. "We didn't say that we were going to do this, Mr. Graham. It takes time and money to develop a persocom personality matrix and a matching shell."

"Money is not an issue, Ms. Hibiya." Aria opened her own briefcase to reveal a half-dozen gold bars (making the staff of Piffle wonder just how strong this young woman was). "I trust one of these will be sufficient."

"I'd say two of those, if they're pure gold," Kotoko countered. "But I'm just a persocom, so what do I know."

"Oh, don't be like that, Kotoko. You're a valuable member of the team." Chitose turned back to Gil and Aria. "She's right - assuming that those are what they look like, we'd need two to cover our costs. And while that covers the financial issue, there's stil the matter of time. We couldn't have a new persocom design ready for you within the time you need it."

Both of the visitors to Piffle looked dismayed. Then Aria had an idea. "Father, does the new unison device need to look like Reinforce Zwei?"

Gil thought for a moment, then replied, "It would probably be better if it didn't."

"Father..."

"I'm sorry. It would probably be better if he or she didn't."

Minoru Kokubunji raised his hand. "In that case, we do have a new persocom design that I was working on to keep my skills from going stale."

"The Aisaka personality matrix?" Kotoko shook her head, "That's nowhere near ready for general release."

"But it is ready for beta-testing."

Gil laughed. "Hayate did say she wanted to give Mr. Rhodes something that would give him a challenge."

"Beta-testing a persocom is definitely a challenge," Kotoko replied.