Kluster and Shad Croly's Journal

[[The Doctor]]

Shad calls from Japan

Shad Croly

*Beep*

Hey, Doc. Shad here calling from Japan. I really wish I would have called sooner, seing as how I only have a few days left here, but work has been hectic and I've had to learn some Japanese just to get around.

Lots of trains and busses here since pretty much no one drives and you've got to get the train names and types just right or you might end up in Tokyo.

Anyway, I'm just calling to make sure Kluster has been good since I've been gone. He hasn't been too much trouble, has he? I expect a good report when I get back. Otherwise I have no idea what I'm going to do with all these Manga...

I'm not exactly sure what kind of Manga Kluster might be interested in so I brought a whole bunch. No big deal for me, finantialy, since they only cost 105 yen a piece. A really good deal, in my opinion.

In any case, you guys probably aren't awake right now so I hope you all get this message in good health and I can't wait to see you all when I arive.

*Beep*

 

[[The Doctor]]

Date: July 11, 2006

Location: Japan. Seta Station to be exact. ENCOM's branch is near here so I was stuck in this little hotel for the duration of my stay.

Work has been nothing short of a nightmare as al of the computer AIs and programs have, somehow, been hacked and messed with. Turning them on now only produces and endless feedback loop of Utada Hikaru songs. Catchy music, but there are CD and MP3 players for that kind of thing.

All is fixed now, but the recovery scans are still in progress, so I'm stuch here until the 17th...6 more days...


6 days until I can get home and see Kluster again. I've been thinking about him since I left. He's probably extreamly lonely with me being gone, and the message I left yesterday didn't help to ease my worry.

I wonder how much he's grown? Probably not much, since I think the Doc needs to build him a new body...but would his body really grow when the time came? It seems like something out of a SciFi, but I've learned that nothing is really impossible in this world.

Anyway, I feel like calling the lab again, just to see if Doc, or Kluster, or even Sophie is there. Just someone familliar I can talk to.

さよなら,
Shad Croly.

 

[[The Doctor]]

Date: August 11, 2006

It seems in the foray of unpacking and becoming aclimated back into my Gaian life, I misplaced my journal. But, as it is, I have found it again...obviously...

Anyway, I think Kluster would have really loved going to Japan with me. I had a blast and I'm sure I could have asked the hotel to get an extra bed in the room. There was enough room.

That and he's been, pretty much, in love with all the things I brought back for him. He wears the Yukata I got him every night and uses the fan like it was a lifeline. That isn't very far off, considering it's been increasingly hot here in Durem.

I guess I shouldn't complain much. The appartment was leagues cheaper then the others. But I digress.

I'm glad I found my journal. Now I can work on one some of my more secret plans. I'm sure Kluster will up his lurking once he reads this in the next oh...five minutes? I'll give him a good run for his money.

Goodnight,
Shad Croly.

 

[[The Doctor]]

Date: August 16, 2006

The past few days have been a bit odd. Kluster has been spending so much time sleeping, nearly all day, and I think I have as well. I guess it's just the "lazy summer" feeling is finally starting to set it.

Again, odd since summer is on it's last legs and school will be starting again soon. Which reminds me, I need to figure out if I'm going to have Kluster homeschooled or am I going to send him to school. I am leaning towards the first once since I think all of the other kids might feel a bit awkward with a Kybernetik in their class.

I mean, I probably would feel awkward if there was another kid with bits of metal all over his body in the same class as me...not that I do now, far from it. Too many science fiction books and the attrocities of the Durem Univercity Dormatories have pretty much prepared me for anything.

I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens next. Doc sent me a message today and he sounded like he had just invented time travel or something. He always has been a bit...how should I say it...overly essentric? He probably just got his hands on some new espresso and needs myself and Kluster to hold him down.

Which raises a thought, where have Sophie and Alia been? I haven't seem them around as much and their absence from our visits is seeming a bit unnerving...though I'm probably overthinking this. For all I know, Sophie could be off somewhere building a new emotions CPU or whatever it was that Alia needed.

I swear, if Alia grows up without it, it will be imposible for people to tell the difference between her and a heavy gothic. Although the black and red does look good on here.

Anyway, I'm rambling and I need to go put away all the clothes my mom just bought Kluster. I'll write some more later.

Your faithful owner,
Shad Croly

 

[[The Doctor]]

Date: August 16, 2006

Grandma is starting to scare me now. Not as much as Grandpa, but kinda close to it.

She bought me a lot of clothes yesterday and I don't think I 'm going to wear them all. Especially the yellow ones. I don't like the yellow onces because they make me look funny. Daddy says it's because of my skin tone and my red hair that it makes me look kinda like a negative.

I still don't get what clothes have to do with math...I guess I'll find out when I grow up.

Oh! Doc called today while daddy and I were out at the arcade. Daddy thinks he had too much coffee, but I think Doc figure out how to help me grow up. If it is, daddy owes me 5 gold. I just hope I get to look cool when I grow up.

I hope we get to go soon. I'm so bored around the house and there is nothing to do.

Off to take apart the dishwasher again,
Kluster

 

[[The Doctor]]

Kluster grows...

Shad Croly

Shad panted as he dashed into the Lab, Kluster on his back piggy-back style. "Doc! I'm here!" He caught his breath for a moment, letting Kluster slide to the floor, as he regained his composture. "You said you wanted to see us?"

"Daddy's friends at work are betting that you made me a plasma cannon." Kluster pipped in with a smile.

Shad just sighed.

Doc Albert

"No, I did not build a plasma canon. It's a little better for you than that." Smiling, he turned to Kluster. "How would you feel about growing up a little?" he asked the boy.

Shad Croly

Kluster turned to Shad for a moment. "Can I, dad? Can I?" He asked with a child-like flair to his words.

Shadric simply grinned and gave a nod to Kluster who burst into a bright smile.

The Kybernetic turned back to the Doc and smiled again. "Yay! I get to grow up!"

Doc Albert

Doc grins and motions for Shad and Kluster to follow him into the lab. "Kluster, in order for you to grow I'll have to shut your body down for a minute. You'll be fine, but it might be a little scary. You have to promise me you won't panic. It'll be like going to sleep."

Shad Croly

Kluster's eagerness to grow up seemed dampened for a moment as he digested Doc's words. He didn't know the process would involve him being shut-down. He looked at his dad with a cautious face, hoping for some reassurance.

Shad placed a hand on Kluster's head and ruffled his head a bit. "It'll be okay, kiddo. I'll be right here the whole time and don't worry. I doubt Doc would do this if he wasn't sure of the outcome."

Kluster gulped, but felt a bit better on the inside. He willed his legs to keep walking as the two of them followed the Doctor.

Doc Albert

Doc's lab seems to have grown. Not only is there more computer equipment, but there are more alcoves with what look to be kybernetiks in various stages of construction. (All are tastefully covered with sheets, so you can not tell if there are any you recognize.) He weaves expertly through the narrow alleys between sever clusters and desks, finally showing Shad and Kluster into a small cleared area. It is split into two by an asian-style room divider that looks like it's spent a few years in storage.

"From my college dorm," Doc remarks with a laugh, motioning to it. He then motions to a raised cot next to him. "Come on, Kluster. Over here. Lie down on your back."

Shad Croly

Kluster nodded as Shad picked him up under the arms and set the Kybernetic down onto the cot. He gave a quick look around once more, exhaling slowly as he lied back. His eyes stared at the ceiling for a moment before he closed them, ready for whatever odd sensations might come from being briefly shut down. "Okay, I'm ready."

Shad watched the whole scene silently as the odd phrase: "Drama Llama" crept into his mind. He kept an eye out as to what was going on, though his thoughts wondered if all of Kluster's growth phases were going to be this dramatic.

DocAlbert

Doc dug around in one of the desks and returned holding what looked like an electronic baton. "This is an energy drainer. It will remove almost all the electricity from your body. You'll pass out for a while, but it's necessary. The feeling is similar to what you'd experience if your glucose levels were to drop too low. We'll see you again in a few minutes."

That said and done, Doc wavedthe stick in front of Kluster's eyes. It glowedbriefly and the lights went out behind the boy's irises. Doc turned to Shad.

"I'm working on some nanotech that I hope will make growths more natural in the future, but right now I have to build new bodies. This one's got some experimental muscular nanotech in it, so he'll get stronger if he works at it."

He walked around the table and propped Kluster up, flipping the acces hatch open and removing the chip. "He's in memory preservation mode. He'll barely remember what's going on right now."
Doc walked around the room divider and motioned for Shad to follow. On the other side is a cot similar to the one that Kluster's previous body occupies, and on it is a new body. It can only be assumed this is what Kluster would look like aged about five years. Doc propped the body up, opened the access panel, and inserted the chip. The boy remained motionless.

"Don't worry," Doc stated. "All part of the plan."

He closed the access panel, readjusted the room divider so Kluster's old body wass hidden from view, and looked knowingly at Shad.

"This is our secret. Never tell Kluster about this. The parts will be recycled. Don't tell him."

Doc strode over to Kluster and waved the energy stick in front of his eyes again. It glowed briefly and the boy sat up, rubbing his head and looking around.

"I just had the strangest dream," Kluster said.

Shad Croly

Shad just stared at what Kluster's new framework. He was definatly expecting Kluster to look older, but this was definatly beyond what he was expecting. His Kybernetic was aboyt chest height now and, now that he thought about it, Kluster seemed to look a lot like he did when he was around that "age"; minue the ponytail in the hair and the metal bits covering parts of his body.

Shad just continued to stare, at a loss for words at the moment.

Kluster rubbed one of his eyes as if he'd just woken up from sleeping and turned over to his dad. "Oi, dad, your zoning out again." He scooted off the table and walked over to Shad, snapping a few times in front of his dad's face. He smiled a bit as his dad was shaken back into reality. "Welcome back to Gaia, dad."

"Oh," Shad slightly blushed. She smiled to Kluster befor turning to Doc and nodded. "I guess we'll be off, then. Come on, Kluster." He took the Kybernetik's hand and led him out of the building.

What with growing up, Kluster would be needed some new clothes.

Doc Albert

Doc chuckled to himself as he watched them go.

Yes, they'd do fine out there in the world.

 

[[The Doctor]]

Date: August 24, 2006

I have finally gotten some time alone this week. My dad had been taking me shoping this entire week for new clothes, since I "outgrew" my old ones, and redecorating my room. I needed a much bigger bed then my last one, so my dad decided on getting me a queen size. It's a bit big, but my dad say's it's better since now I won't need a new bed for a good, long while.

That's not really what's been bugging me. Unlike a human being, like my dad, my memory is all but perfect and there is one memory in particular that I am a bit...unnerved about. It was the day dad took me to the Doc's lab to get my new frame and during the time I was asleep, I had a dream. I didn't know Kybernetiks, or robots in general, could have dreams, but I'll save that for some other time.

Anyway, in my dream, I had this weird feeling like I was floating in water. Everything was black and I couldn't see anything except for myself. I was still in my previous frame and I was just lieing there for a long time. After a while, I could here someone talking to me. When I started hearing the voice, which sounded like a girl's voice, though I couldn't understand what she wa saying. I now felt like I was floating, like astronauts do when they aren't affected by gravity.

I spin around, and I see this girl smiling at me and she was floating just like I was. It wasn't any Kybernetik or human I remember seeing, but she kept talking and smiling like she's known me forever. The last thing I remember dreaming about was her scooting over to me and giving me a hug, and then telling me to wake up. And I did.

I told dad that I had that weird dream, but I didn't tell him what it was about. It's weird and I'm not sure what to think about it. I do feel a little bit better because I wrote it down, instead of just keeping it inside my head. Maybe she, whoever she is, will just go away in time. Got to stop now. Dad's home and I don't want him finding this.

Your...author?
Kluster

 

[[The Doctor]]

Date: October 01, 2006

Blast this computer coding!

Dad and I have been up to our ears in binary, hexidecimal and java coding that it's driving us both up the walls. Even with me having a computerized brain I still can't figure out all the codes and the proper ways of inputing them.

Dad's boss has been piling up the work for him ever since the start of the new school year. My guess is that his boss is finally free of the psychotic hurricane also known as his son and finally pushing out all the projects that were supposed to be released over the summer. My guess can't be that far off, Dad said I'm getting pretty good at logic and deductive reasoning.

That's right, Sherlock Holmes. Sweat, because there is a new master of Deductive Reasoning town and he's gonna blow you away!...I'm begining to see why Dad says I should get more sleep. Lack of a resting cycle is probably wearing down my processors.

Anyway, before I shut myself down for tonight, I should probably take a second to note that Dad and I are going to see if we can pop in on Doc sometime this week. I bet he'd be happy to see us after the time of not being able to say hello.

I'm off now before my eyes start seeing sensor ghosts again.

Good night,
Kluster