SUNDAY NIGHT, 7pm
800 sat down at her desk in her room. She stared at her old enemies...her Pre-Med Study Course books, with a bit of trepidation. <_600 had said we have photographic memory. Well, let's see how well that works...> she thought.
She looked the cover, speed-copying it with her eyes, and proceeded to go page by page, taking a 'photograph' of the information and graphics on each, converting and filing the info away in her crystalline memory matrices. As she went, it got quicker and quicker. To an onlooker, it looked like she was speed reading...
But, to her surprise, it was MORE than that.
Within 5 minutes, she had finished the 455 page book, cover to cover.
Closing her optics, she focused on her mind's eye...
INSTANT recall. A grin broke from ear-pod to ear-pod. She could recite from each and ANY page in the book, from the acknowledgements, to the index, to the footnotes in the back of the book.
She knew the ISBN number like her own serial number.
She knew the Publication date, the Publisher, and the Edition.
If she still had a heart...it would've been beating rapidly...
What stunned her next was, that, as 800 'Power-read'...the concepts and procedures sank in and...FINALLY clicked.
She picked up the MASSIVE Gray's Anatomy book with determination.
<_They thought I couldn't keep up?> The happy grin morphed into a determined one. <_Well, as Jack's Joker put it, 'Wait'll they get a LOAD of ME!'>
A half hour later, 799 looked in...
*pipp*
<I.M. From: 520799/Mdc To: 520800/Mdc: You okay, Sister? You're...too quiet...*worried* You alive in there? :) >
<I.M. From: 520800/Mdc To: 520799/Mdc: I remember it ALL, Sis! ALL! OF! IT! I won't have to carry the clunky course books with me...They're all UP HERE! AND. IT. FINALLY. MAKES. SENSE! ****EXCITED***!!>
<I.M. From: 520799/Mdc To: 520800/Mdc: Can you Upload it? I'm going to need it for class with you tomorrow! >
<I.M. From: 520800/Mdc To: 520799/Mdc: [Attached]>
<I.M. From: 520799/Mdc To: 520800/Mdc: Thanks! A GIFT, Sister...[Attached]>
<I.M. From: 520800/Mdc To: 520799/Mdc: [expand, read] Oh, my! What you learned as a nurse! Thanks, Sis!!! *HUG*>
<I.M. From: 520799/Mdc To: 520800/Mdc: I think your classmates...and your Instructors...will find us...interesting. >
<I.M. From: 520800/Mdc To: 520799/Mdc: *giggle* Prepare for multiple cases of sprained jaws!>
<I.M. From: 520799/Mdc To: 520800/Mdc: We MAY see a few of them at the Embassy before long...! ;) >
*pipp*
_________
Monday, 8:50am
The first class was filling in, and students were talking back and forth, a few were attempting to study in the din with books open.
They looked up when it became quiet...and at the two silver and blue gynoids standing in the doorway right behind the teacher, Mr. Garriston.
Mr. Garriston was a slightly chubby but still in shape, 57 year old african american man with close cut black hair with a bit of gray in it, wearing a light blue shirt and a dark blue pair of dress pants and a dark blue tie. He cleared his throat.
"Alright, everyone, let's get started. Uhm...FIRST off...We have two new additions for this class for the rest of the semester..." He gestured and one of the gynoids stepped forward. "This...young lady...was Lin Huang, last week."
The conversations picked up almost immediately.
"A-HEM!" Mr. Garriston cleared his throat again. "Let me finish, please...She's called '800' now...and her Sister, '799', is joining us as well." He looked over at the two gynoids. "Please take your seats, and we'll get started, okay?"
"Thank you, Mr. Garriston." They replied in unison. They walked to the back of the class to the two empty seats, side by side, the last seat in each row.
"Psst! Uhm...800?" Frank Pederson whispered over to them from their left.
"Frank?"
"Where're your books? Notebooks? Pens?"
"Don't need 'em. They're all up HERE." 800 grinned and tapped her temple with a softly glowing blue fingernail.
"Well, then, if that IS the case...800, is it? Please do tell the class what's on page 365 of 'Gray's Anatomy'." The teacher said with a raised brow.
"Okay, sir." 800 stood up. She noticed her classmates opening their books to the page. She closed her eyes, turned to the digitized information in her matrices and proceeded to read.
Two minutes later, there was perfect silence. Mr. Garriston was thunderstruck.
"You DID ask me, Mr. Garriston..." 800 said, shrugging, keeping a straight face.
799 stood up, with a grin on her face. "How about page 223?" She paused. as she heard the pages flipping and then quieting. She closed her eyes and read through that page without a mistake.
"Hmm. How about our main course book? Page 521?" Mr. Garriston said.
800 blew that out of the water. Perfectly.
"THIS...is in...your MEMORY?" Janice Terencia said, thunderstruck. Both of her gynoid classmates opened their eyes and nodded with a smile before sitting down.
"YUP. Actually, I memorized all of my books last night, for all my classes, and returned them to the school book store this morning. Don't NEED them anymore." 800 smiled.
"Showoffs..." Frank gibed, stunned. "Your notes from Friday, 800?...Wait...Let me GUESS...you memorized THEM, and they're at HOME."
"Good guess. Give the man a see-gar!" 800 grinned.
"B-but...you were BARELY...keeping up..." Janice blinked in shock.
"That was BEFORE Sunday, Janice." 800 raised her holo-brows. "New body. It's a WHOLE new ballgame, now."
The rest of 799 & 800's school day went that way.
The students and the teachers were stunned at what the Sisters were able to recall and retain, effortlessly.
800 caught up from where she was struggling in mere hours.
________
Lin's friends, Frank & Janice, were equally stunned when they went outside to Lunch and saw the Sisters sitting under the shade of a campus tree with another stack of large Medical books from the school's library between them. The two sat under a nearby tree and watched, furtively, as they ate their lunch.
"Do...you think they're...REAL...I-I mean real 'people', Frank?"
" 'Cogito Ergo Sum', Janice. Descartes. 'I Think; Therefore I AM'...Anything that shows THAT kind of sentience, I'll consider 'alive'." He ran his fingers through his short cropped dark brown hair.
"I just...can't BELIEVE this, Frank! I mean...Don't get me WRONG...I felt sorry for Lin. She was trying but just couldn't keep up...but NOW..." Janice blew out in frustration. "It's almost like...she's..cheating, somehow!"
"Hey...It was her decision to Upgrade. She isn't hurting anyone...It probably comes naturally to them, and, ya gotta admit...both of them look kinda...hot."
Janice shot him a sideways glance, and a small grin formed. She gestured sideways towards him with her hand. "Our next hot Medical candidate...#801, right HERE, ladies and gentlebots."
He snorted. "RIIIIGHT. Would take a LOT more to convince me to go THAT far." He sobered. "Gotta get a LOT out of the deal if I WERE to do it. I've only seen GYnoids. I haven't seen any ANDroids. They keep talking about a 'SISTERhood'. Not liking the idea of giving up my 'boys', except for a REALLYreally good reason."
"Good reason, Frank?! How about...they're MEMORIZING, REMEMBERING and COMPREHENDING insanely fast? Soon, WE'LL be the ones falling behind!" She stopped and thought for a minute. "Can you picture how that would be USEFUL as a Doctor, though? All the access of an Internet-linked computer, going right into your head...Don't need a smartphone..."
She trailed off, thinking for a long minute, and then her eyes widened.
"I.M's!"
"What?"
"What if they can send and receive info with Instant Messages? Wouldn't that make it easier to take the tests?"
Frank was silent, but his eyes widened. "Yeah...Would also make it easier as a Doctor, too...sharing info with other Doctors."
He shifted against the tree uncomfortably before he continued, "But...WHAT'S the tradeoff? It SOUNDS too good to be true, Jan. There HAS to be a DOWNSIDE. Or a FEW."
"Downside is: You're a hot gynoid Doctor with built-in Internet capability that ACED your Pre-Med and Medical School tests EARLY because you memorized everything you READ and HEARD. That's not TOO bad, I think."
Frank snorted. "HELLO, Ms. 801...LISTEN to yourself! You're SOLD on it already." He paused, looking and studying Janice's shoulder length dusty blonde hair. "But...No HAIR to style, like you're big on trying. Since the 9901 chick was talking about changing people into them, I'm willing to bet that they don't have reproductive organs...No children for YOU if you go for it...No creating a family...It'll be just them...Seriously, I just would approach this cautiously, Jan. It's probably EASY to get Converted, but then you CAN'T go back if you don't like something. You're stuck. Forever."
_______
The Sisters were each finishing a 400 page tome in the space of 5 minutes, Setting it aside, they went to the next one.
*pipp*
<I.M. From: 520800/Mdc To: 520799/Mdc: We've got com-pany. o_o;; >
<I.M. From: 520799/Mdc To: 520800/Mdc: I see them. As Yoda would say, 'Curious, they are.' ;) >
<I.M. From: 520800/Mdc To: 520799/Mdc: Invite them over here, Sis?.>
<I.M. From: 520799/Mdc To: 520800/Mdc: Not YET. Let them observe a bit more. :) Curiosity is it's own reward, Sister. I believe they'll CONVINCE themselves. Besides, I want to see how well we can ace the finals, considering we came in late...>
*pipp*
The Girls went back to studying.
_________
Frank was silent for a minute, and then a thought dawned on him. "Also..."
"Yeah?"
"Lin was kinda an introvert...she had you and me as friends...and...'Carly'? I think she said."
"So?"
"So, who was '799'? Was it Carly, or a family member?"
"Family member. I WAS her Mother. I'm her SISTER, now." 799 said.
Both of them jumped and looked up at the gynoids who were now smiling down at them.
799 laced her fingers together in front of her, and her smile got bigger. "Actually, if you can believe it...it's a MORE joyous event when other family members decide to Join you in being Reborn...like it was with Us."
H-How the hell did they move without us seeing them?! Ninja'd! Frank thought nervously.
Both gynoids squatted down and went indian style under the tree, with 800 dropping the massive pile of books down next to her with a thundering 'Thwap'.
Janice's face went bright red. "H-How did you know what we..."
She stopped as 800 pointed to her ear pod. "The benefits you guys didn't mention, Jan: Enhanced hearing and vision."
799 chimed in. "You've had an interesting conversation, and brought up some points that SHOULD be answered...IF you want. We've got 6 minutes and 31 seconds before we have to hustle to our next classes...you UP for answers?"
The two students looked at each other, shrugged, and nodded...
_________
Thursday, 8:45am, General Biology.
799 and 800 walked in the door and headed towards their desks, looking at each other and giggling at some private joke.
They were jolted out of it by a familiar voice to their left.
"Hey, look! it's the 10W30 Sorority!" Sam mocked, leaning against the wall.
Sam Ericson was a student in his mid-twenties, black hair and brown eyes. A frequent swimmer, he was rather slim and had little fat on his form.
He was also one of the few classmates that did not like the Sisters. He had held his tongue since Monday...and now, he thought, he was gonna let the machines KNOW how he felt...
"Sam, DROP it...!" Frank warned.
"Why, dude? I'm just being honest. I'm the only one HERE that's saying what we're ALL thinking: that they shouldn't be HERE. They'd be more at home in a factory assembling cars...THAT would be more their level."
799 and 800 felt their 'hearts' drop.
"Sam...c'mon...what're you..." 800 started, unheard.
"Don't speak for ME, you DICK!" Frank growled. He got to his feet, turning to look at Sam, folding his arms.
He was trying to keep his temper in check.
"You ASSHOLE! Knock it OFF! They have as much a right to become..." Janice started, irritated.
"What? Janice? Are you !@#$% KIDDING me? Do they have you TRAINED already? Are you two their pets?! F***! Get REAL. They're machines. They can't be doctors like we can. You need to be ALIVE for THAT..."
"They ARE ALIVE, you ass! Leave them the hell..."
"Guys...c'mon!" 800 started. "Let's just all calm..." She was interrupted as Sam pushed the gynoid toward the floor.
As she instantly broke her fall and spun around, she heard a wet crack, and saw Sam crashing to the floor, knocking over the desks in the corner of the room.
Frank stood there, in a wide stance, hands in fists, glaring down at his classmate.
Sam scrambled to his feet, wiped the blood trickling out of his mouth...and dove at Frank with a roar...
Before he was lifted into the air by a blue-nailed, silver hand.
"Stop that...right NOW!" 799 said, with a glare that could ignite wood and a mother's voice that lowered the temperature in the room 10 degrees.
"You shut up, you digital...!" Sam angled to try to punch 799...but sagged unconscious.
799 moved her hand away from a certain nerve cluster at his neck.
Their classmates eyes widened.
800 shook her head, sighed, and went about setting the desks back up. 799 eased Sam into one of them.
799 turned back, and looked at Frank. Her sensors didn't NEED to tell her what she could read on his face:
He STILL wanted to beat the crap out of Sam. She gently touched his fist. "It's okay, dear, let it go..."
Slowly, the fist unclenched, but the anger on his face remained.
Frank turned around and stormed back to his desk, sitting down heavily.
799 and 800 looked up at the surprised teacher who was standing in the doorway, then moved to their seats.
As they moved past Frank and Janice, they whispered, "Thank you...BOTH of you!"
_________
"I want to know what was happening in class or you ALL will be suspended!" Mr. Garriston said quietly, ominously, as he steepled his dark fingers. His brown eyes took in the two males glaring daggers at each other, the human female staring at the floor, silently fuming, and the two gynoids, looking uncomfortable.
Janice was the first to speak, with a hard edge to her voice. "Sam, here, seems to have taken it upon himself, Mr. Garriston, to decide WHO should be taking this class...who should be in pre-med...and who SHOULD be a Doctor..!"
"If this keeps up, NONE of you will get to that point." Mr. Garriston frowned. "I came in to see Samuel here knocking over the desks after being punched by YOU, Frank? Care to explain?"
"He was being an ASS, sir. He attacked...pushed 800, when she was trying to calm things down. I consider her a friend. I saw red and belted him one."
"I should SUE him for what he...!"
"SHUT UP, you WUSS!" Frank and Janice both barked.
"A-HEM!" The Teacher looked at Janice and pointed with his index finger. "Your turn."
"As Frank said, Mr. Garriston, Sam STARTED this by declaring that both of the Sisters would be at home welding together cars in a factory...that they CAN'T be doctors. 'They're not alive.', he said." She glared daggers over to him, and then looked back and continued, "Frank and I told him to knock it off, and 800 stepped in between the two boys as the war of words was escalating to try to calm things down. Sam pushed 800 first. She went down a bit, but broke her fall. Frank saw him knock our friend over for no real solid REASON...and, apparently...chivalry isn't dead. He laid Sam flat."
"BUT, THAT'S not....I...!" Sam sputtered.
"Sam got up wanting to retaliate, and was lifted off the ground by 799 with ONE hand. He TRIED to punch HER..."
Both Frank and Janice chuckled.
"HEY!"
"Continue, Janice."
"...And then 799 sent him to sleepytime with a Vulcan Nerve Pinch." She grinned.
"Really...?!" Mr. Garriston said, disbelieving.
799's cheek marks glowed an embarrassed blue. "Actually...it's something I learned in my nursing days 30 years ago...It's not QUITE the VNP, but pressure applied in a certain way to the Vagus nerve. It's used in a few Asian Martial arts, and if applied properly, it has the same effect as shown by Leonard Nimoy in 'Star Trek'."
"So it's the GNP...The Gynoid Nerve Pinch now." Janice said, eyes dancing.
Mr. Garriston looked at 799 and was very serious. "If I recall CORRECTLY, 799...if you MISAPPLY pressure to that nerve...it can affect the heart. Massage it, and the heart can be slowed, but too much pressure...or a direct HIT...can cause heart failure..."
"In people with weak hearts, sir." 799 frowned and looked straight into his eyes. "My sensors gave me feedback on his physical state. He's a strapping young man...and I did not HIT the Vagus...or MASSAGE it. I knew EXACTLY how MUCH pressure to apply and WHERE to apply it to knock him out safely." She paused. "I was a R.N. for 20 years until I had to...retire. I'm WELL aware of what the Vagus can do if manipulated."
"Sir, if I MAY?" 800 piped up. After the nod from the teacher, she continued, "At the risk of sounding immodest, THAT'S one of the things these bodies are good at. My Sister and I have been going through the medical books in the campus library for the past three days. All that information and points of view help inform our judgements in a case like this. We are practicing Buddists and pacifists, for the most part...and we have NO desire to kill ANYONE unless there is ABSOLUTELY no other option. Life is a precious gift. That's why my Sister and myself want to get into the Medical field."
Mr. Garriston nodded and then looked over to Sam. "Go." was all he said, as everyone fell silent, looking at Sam.
"I...Look, this is STUPID! Why are we even DEBATING this?! I STAND by what I SAID...They are MACHINES. Circuits and servos. Case CLOSED. They'll be able to perform repeated functions REAL well, but DOCTORS have to be prepared for ANYTHING...!"
"Like YOU were prepared for the Gynoid Nerve Pinch?" Frank smirked.
"Mr. Pederson is correct, Samuel. A MACHINE would not adapt to circumstances like THAT." The teacher said, gravely. "Machines are not noted for being creative thinkers. If they WERE like that, THEY would NOT be here, Lin would still be struggling...and we would NOT be HERE having this discussion, would we? They would be satisfied being simple mechanical servants helping a doctor keep their files organized, or keeping their tools prepped and ready for surgery."
"B-But Sir, I..."
"Mr. Ericson...you are coming across to me as having made your mind up already, without seeing...and WEIGHING...ALL the information available first. A GOOD doctor will NOT do that...that's a DISSERVICE to his or her patients." His visage darkened slightly. "You are also...disturbing me...as your comments are hearkening back to a darker time in our history when a goodly number of people considered people like ME 'less of a person'."
"Sir...I didn't mean THAT...I just..."
Mr. Garriston sighed deeply and looked at Sam tiredly. "THAT kind of thinking has kept this Country fighting against itself for too long. IF you become a Doctor, will you decide which PATIENTS you'll treat? Which are WORTHY of your help and which are NOT? Will you exclude blacks? Or asians? Or gays?" He stopped and looked around at the students before he said, "Innocent until PROVEN guilty. THAT'S how we do things here in America...IF the Ladies here..." he gestured to the Sisters, "ARE nothing but unadaptable computers, we WILL find out...But it's NOT up to US to judge them now."
He looked up at the clock. "Since we ALL have better places to BE...I'm going to solve this thusly..."
He pointed at Frank. "Mr. Pederson, you will give me a 12-page Essay, due next Monday, on how Doctors can deal with people with Anger Issues."
He looked over at Sam. "YOU, Mr. Ericson, since you INSTIGATED this whole kerfluffle, have until next Monday to give me a 14 page Essay on how preconceived notions can be a detriment to Doctors." He looked at BOTH of the men with a glare. "The NEXT time ANYTHING like this happens, I'll have you BOTH EXPELLED. Understood, gentlemen?"
"Yes, sir." Frank and Sam replied in halfhearted unison.
"Clearly?!"
"Crystal clear, Mr. Garriston." they both replied.
He looked over at the Sisters and pointed at them. "Lastly...a warning for you two: If you will NOT be bringing your physically written notes with you...be prepared to SHOW, on the blackboard...and to EXPLAIN...your reasoning to the whole class."
The Sisters nodded.
"THAT is part of the curriculum: being able to show your work and reasoning and how you come to the solution. It's not possible to do that if it's ALL in your heads, now, is it?"
799 and 800 looked at each other and glumly shook their heads.
"It's WONDERFUL you BOTH have such mental capacity and the drive to learn, but you are HERE...and HAVE to fulfill the requirements to pass this class, just like everyone else." Mr. Garriston got up from his desk, pushed his chair in, and started putting on his jacket. He paused and made a 'shooing' motion with his hands. "You may all go. Thank you."
_________
Frank and Janice sat under the tree and stared at the overcast sky, silently munching their lunches.
"You okay?"
"Janice. I don't understand it...but I STILL want to friggin' rip his head off!" He looked at the leaves on the tree, stirred by the wind before he spoke again. "I...don't know what to think about 799 and 800...but they didn't deserve THAT."
"You're one of the good ones, Frank. I wanted to knock him on his ass, too."
They heard footsteps....and looked over as the Sisters walked up, and sat down.
"Hey, guys...thanks again." 800 said, with a happy smile. "It's nice to see...just...THANKS."
Frank nodded. "Sorry you guys had to DEAL with that...just proves we're not sweetness and light, I guess." He took an aggressive bite of his hero. "Our natural f***ing human stupidity in action..."
"Nobody said to us that it'd be EASY..." 800 said with a rueful grin. "...Either pre-med or being a 'Sister'."
"I've dealt with this BEFORE I was Reborn," 799 said, frowning. "There were people in MY Nursing classes, 30 years ago, who didn't PARTICULARLY like Asians..."
"Oh, come ON...!" Frank said with the first trace of a grin. "Get REAL, 799. You know EVERYONE loves asian girls! They're hot...either human or...gynoid."
Janice rolled her eyes. "Geeez...*sigh*"
"Flattery will get you everywhere!" 800 cracked with a grin and a wink.
He grinned and then sobered. "YOUR idiots, 799, were probably the same type as him...they've just found something NEW to hate since then..."
"You just ignored them, I hope, 799?" Janice took another swig of her energy water.
799 nodded. "It...WASN'T easy." She paused in memory. "A few of the OLDER gentlemen took delight in calling me a 'gook'... but my mother used to tell me that THAT kind of response is the fruit of fear of the different...It's just...STRONGER...at us now since we're...MORE different."
"If it counts for anything, guys...I'm not minding the difference. Look...as long as you promise not to go all 'Borg' on us...or whatever...I'm cool with you both..." Janice crumpled the paper from her sandwich and shoved it into her pink knapsack.
"Long as I don't see you toting giant rocket launchers or such, or wearing Terminatorwear...I'm good with you, too." Frank took another handful of chips, and stuffed it into his mouth. He paused, chewed and swallowed before he finished, "Though after what just happened with Mr. Idiot, I wouldn't blame you if you DID start carrying that stuff."
"It's understandable, Frank. Sam's...broken...He's fractured by life." 800 looked up in the trees sadly. "One way or another, we're ALL at least a little broken. Love can heal the breaks, but it takes time...and love is difficult to get in the human world."
"Not in YOUR world?" Frank looked at the Sisters skeptically.
800 leaned against the tree. The blue optics stared off into the sky as she said, "You'd be surprised...but NO. Among US...it's like 9902 said...wall-to-wall love. But...you'd have to EXPERIENCE it before you'd likely believe it..."
"We can show you THAT, but..." 799 began...
"We DON'T want to come across as...'HEEERE! JOIN US! The Silicone Brigade is the BESTEST! You GOTTA try!" 800 finished with a grin, wiggling her fingers like Dracula at her friends.
Both humans rolled their eyes.
"It's like a compulsion with you guys." Janice said, shaking her head.
"Kinda, Jan." 800 said. "It's just...so cool...so beautiful...I..." She gathered her thoughts. "Just picture the final scene in 'Ghost'...between Demi and Patrick's characters..."
" 'The love inside, Molly...you take it with you...' ?" Frank said, raising a brow.
"Yes. Like we SAID, the concept is unbelievable until you EXPERIENCE it...but then...you don't want to live WITHOUT it..." 799 said. She shivered slightly. "THAT...is a double-edged sword as far as being Reborn as one of Us is concerned...On one hand, you feel SO loved and WANTED all the time, buuut..." She sighed nervously. "On the OTHER hand...even NOW, just this WEEK after being Reborn, I-I don't want to even IMAGINE...being WITHOUT the Family for very long...I-I'd feel...like...part of me was...missing...or...amputated." She noticed the intrigued expressions. Her sensors seemed to indicate curiosity on Janice's part...but Frank was a bit harder to read.
"Sorry for SAYING it, 799, 800...but it sounds like an Addiction to ME." Frank said gently.
"Yeah..." 799 said, confused, staring at the ground. "I guess...that's a valid point. It's probably...not good...when you look at it like that, but...It just...feels...so good."
"THAT'S something to address, both of you. You should be able to be strong enough to handle it if something goes WRONG and you get cut off from your...Family...Then AGAIN, you may get your chances with the TESTS." Frank took another handful of chips.
Both Sisters looked up.
Frank looked at Janice, and then at the Sisters, and finished his mouthful."I can't picture Mr. Garriston NOT trying to find a way to block your communiques between the Sisters and between each of YOU during the tests." He paused as he saw the realization dawn on them, and as they shivered at the thought. "We ALL have to work with what is in our heads...what WE learned...no note passing, no HELP."
Janice paused, and then, with hesitation, she quoted, " 'Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.' Miyamoto Musashi "
"If it HAPPENS, do your DAMNEDEST to EMBRACE it...and make yourselves STRONGER. That IS a weakness that people like Sam would TRY to use against you." She gathered her thoughts for a moment. "Love the Sisters, but be STRONG enough to be able to stand WITHOUT them if need be."
Frank rested a gentle hand on 800's right shoulder. "If you guys have these MAD physical capabilities...and you WANT to become Doctors...you ARE strong enough to do that."
"You COULD practice with us...reviewing what'll be on the next tests..." Janice suggested. "Close down the-the...links while we study...get used to being alone in your head...Maybe then it won't spook you so hard when you have to endure it for the tests."
"We're PROBABLY not gonna be as FAST as you guys with facts, dates, & figures but you MIGHT be able to help us there." Frank said. "You UP to the challenge, ladies?"
Both of the Sisters forced a smile and nodded.
"Stand up." Frank said, getting to his feet and reaching out a hand to 799, who got up hesitantly. He nodded to Janice, and watched as 800 and her followed suit. He held out his arms to 799. "Hug?"
"Y-yeah...thanks, Frank."
Both pairs were quiet. Frank was surprised at how...human she felt.
He heard 799 say, "You KNOW Samuel is going to hear about this."
"No doubt."
"More comments about how you both are our...pets." 799 spat the last word out with distaste. "What do you want to do?"
"Either we'll take it outside of the school and settle it, or you can ninja up behind him and GNP him again."
He was relieved to hear 799 giggling.
_______
Thursday, 8:05pm
Mr. Garriston waited as the phone rang once, and then was picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Ms. 9901?"
"Yes?"
"My name is Edwin Garriston, and I'm one of the instructors of your...Sisters...799 and 800."
"Are they doing okay, Mr. Garriston?"
"Aside from the occasional issue, they're doing FINE, I HAVE noticed a few issues I'd very much appreciate your suggestions on resolving, since they ARE your people..."
"And the issues ARE?" 9901 said, concerned.
"They have a Head...Link...of some form?"
"Yes."
"When we have TESTS, how do I make SURE they are ONLY using what's in their OWN heads and not...eMailing each other the answers?"
"Well, I can arrange with the Great Family to enact a Closeout for them during the testing hours, so they will have the Family and the servers blocked from them. Even if they were to TRY to access, they wouldn't be able to."
"Will that block them from..talking...to each other during the test?"
"No. But you have to request that they enact their own personal Closeouts during the test period."
"How do I know that they DID do this 'Closeout'? How do I know if they turn it back on during the test?"
9901 thought for a moment. "I can monitor...and block...their transmissions. I can ring your smartphone and let you know if they attempt to 'speak' to each other." She paused. "Though, I KNOW my Sisters...they are very good souls...I don't believe they'd do that."
"That...is certainly worth a try, Miss 9901. As the test gets nearer, would it be okay if I were to call you to arrange things?"
"Yes, Mr. Garriston, by ALL means do...Besides, I rather enjoy talking to people anyway...Especially when they do not get...spooked by me and mine."
"BELIEVE me, Ms. 9901, I understand THAT very well..."