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 Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:07 pm
Pacing steadily around his computer desk, Fiach pulled absently at the cuffs of his long sleeved shirt, a nervous habit that displayed itself most prominently when he was both agitated and feeling hurt. Feelings that he had been feeling almost constantly since the discussion with Sionce, the fight with Adalia that still continued on, and the debacle with Brad. After having a breakdown around a man he hardly knew, Fiach had been left feeling weak and foolish - and desiring a way to remedy, at least in part, how he felt. And so it was that out of spite for his sister and a desire to take a stand and do something to make himself feel better that he had published an advertisement in the paper for another employee at the shop.
He still hadn't told Adalia he was intending on hiring anyone new, and had actually only the one interview scheduled so far, still a fair bit unsure if he even really wanted to hire anyone new. It had been nice just the three of them working together, but now he didn't really want to face anyone. The simplest way to avoid that being hiring on new staff.
Sighing softly to himself as one hand reached up to fiddle with his penny whistle, he finally flounced into his office chair before beginning an obsessive ritual of constantly checking the clock, and the door, his nerves finally beginning to grow frazzled as he realized he'd have to actually conduct and interview...with someone he'd never met before. The fears he had of having to deal with people and the possibility of conflict beginning to weigh on him as he nervously sipped on his tea, eyes continuing their dance between computer and door.
I just hope I can pull myself together by the time that man gets here...
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:22 pm
Luca hurried down the cracked sidewalk hissing under his breath. How he did abhor buses. If his bicycle brakes hadn't decided to break this morning he wouldn't have had to take the damn public transit. Filthy, filled with derelicts and no good people who would rob you just as easily as look at you. And the wait! He had sat at the bus stop for a good twenty minutes waiting for that one bus. Without pausing, the honey haired man glanced at his watch. He hoped it was fast because he should have been at the .Net Hackers shop five minutes ago. Great way to get a job, be late for the interview.
From his pocket, his PDA buzzed. He knew it was his Hacker, Au'ret. Her message would be cheery and trying to get him to lighten up. Something he really didn't need right this moment. All Luca wanted was to get to this interview, get it over with, and go home to his apartment where he could berate buses and their idiot drivers in peace.
Another vibration from his pocket. He ignored it. Finally he could see the shop. The man stopped just short of the front windows and checked himself. Luca wasn't rich, he barely made enough to pay his rent at his current job, but he tried his best to put on a good, cleanly appearance. His hands found their way to his breast and he dusted the city grime off his gray jacket front. Disgusting. A car parked on his left made a good mirror and he checked what he could see of his person in it. OK, good enough. Not perfect, but who is?
A deep breath rose in his chest and Luca briskly walked by one of the windows and to the door. He paused. His mind flashed the words 'make a good impression'. He nodded to himself as his PDA vibrated again. With another breath, Luca raised his hand and knocked.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:50 pm
Startled from his nervous musings as a loud knock occurred at the door, Fiach half jumped, half fell out of his chair before righting himself and taking a couple of deep, calming breaths. Straightening his clothes and ensuring the shop was in order as he took his long strides towards the door, he paused with his hand hovering at the door knob, giving his hair a once over with the other hand, before grasping the knob and giving it a slow twist. Even as he pulled the door open, Fiach was hoping for someone well dressed, a good front for the business, and even as he caught his first glimpse of the man before him, his hopes for a new front for .NET came crashing down around him.
His keen blue eyes took in the sight of the dusty gray jacket and the light beads of sweat that shone on the man's face. Had he walked the distance to the shop? Perhaps that was why he was late...it would explain his appearance, as well. But, then...why hadn't he just been very careful not to get dusty? barely resisting the urge to brush off his own shirt front at the sight of the newcomer, Fiach gave a small sigh before forcing his face into a smile. Maybe the man's personality would make up for his disheveled appearance?
Stepping to one side slightly, he raised a hand to gesture towards the inside of the shop, not really sure if he wanted the dusty man stepping on his clean white floor. "Welcome to .NET Hackers, my name is Fiach, please come in." Wincing mentally at how robotic he sounded, he gave himself a good mental shake before fully stepping aside to allow the man entry. It couldn't be as bad as he was expecting, it just couldn't.
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:15 pm
As the door opened Luca stood at attention. No soldier was he, but slouching isn't a good thing. At the other side a man stood and judging by his expression Luca could tell this man wasn't expecting a dust ball like him. He gave a small, apologetic, and automatic smile as the man's eyes scoured his being. A small shiver shot up Luca's spine and from inside his dusty coat he shivered a bit. He nodded politely as the man gestured him in. Luca stepped lightly, noticing the extremely cleanliness of the place and becoming more and more aware of his own filth. A soft groan escaped him as he turned to face the man.
"A pleasure to meet you sir and thank you. My name is Luca, Luca Creste and firstly I would like to pardon myself for my appearance. You see I live a ways away and my normal mode of transport broke so I had to take a bus and then walk from a great deal away..." The man broke off, faintly turning red around the face because of his appearance. Silently he clenched his jaw, feeling the muscle firm itself beneath the skin. From inside his pocket, his PDA buzzed. "Oh...Umm...I apologize...She won't stop messaging me you see, and I can't turn it off or else I don't know what would happen."
Luca let a nervous chuckle go. He hoped this man, and possibly, hopefully his future employer, would know about the little being inside his PDA. Au'ret had said she was a 'Hacker' and this shop seemed to revolve around this concept. Lucky he saw the want ad in the paper. He could interview for a job and maybe ask to learn more about the pink thing in his electronics. That's if this man before him didn't have a nervous fit. He looked like he was under a lot of strain already.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 5:39 pm
Tired eyes took on a quick glint of amusement when he saw the man before him stand at attention, and he allowed a tiny smile to form on his lips. Perhaps, even through the dust, this person wasn't quite as bad as they seemed. As he introduced himself as Luca, and started to explain away his appearance, Fiach found himself relaxing and his smile became a bit more genuine. With a glance towards the kitchen, he was about to break in and offer Luca a glass of water, when the man broke off on his own.
With a small tilt of his head at the embarrassed look the man had, and his apologies about someone messaging him constantly, a single dark eyebrow rose as an inquiring look formed on his face. A hand lifted to tap lightly against his chin as he frowned in thought. Was the man being constantly messaged by a girlfriend, or a previous lover? If so...the constant distraction would not do for his shop. Shrugging his large shoulders, he bolstered himself up before finally voicing his concerns, in a slightly gruff manner, "Who won't stop messaging you? If its a girl...I don't think she'd get too upset if you shut it off for the interview."
Rubbing a hand through his hair, he gestured towards the kitchen with the other, "Would you like a drink of water? If you had a long walk...I'm sure you must be parched?" Fiach was desperate for a way to put them both at ease, and hoped offering this man something to drink might be a start. If nothing else, it would give them both something to do besides stand around like lumps on a log.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:54 pm
Upon noticing the smile dawning on the face of the man before him, Luca relaxed; but only just. Once Fiach spoke his question and statement, Luca nearly jumped to explain himself once again.
"No no! Nothing of the sort! She...Well...I think she's a girl at least..." At that the PDA buzzed again. "Oh my...She heard me. She takes offense to the slightest things..." Another round of buzzing. "B-But you see....Uh..." Luca looked down and shuffled his feet a bit. "It's so strange, to me at least." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "She first appeared about three...No...Four months ago in my old laptop. She calls herself a 'Hacker'..."
With that Luca raised his head. His expression was a cocktail of embarrassment, anxiety, and some hope that the man before him knew what he was talking about and didn't brand him for a lunatic. At the offer of water, he nodded.
"Please, and thank you."
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:13 pm
The tall man had a quizzical look on his face as the dusty person before him began to explain himself. Fiach was surprised at how...well, confused the man sounded about what was bothering him so frequently, and that fact both amused and confused Fiach even more so. Attempting to look as though he thoroughly believed Luca as the PDA buzzed again and he went on about her hearing him, Fiach began to debate if perhaps he shouldn't put a bit of distance between himself and the one standing in front of him. As Luca finally took a pause and steadied himself, Fiach's eyebrow rose once again, until Luca finally mentioned the word 'Hacker'.
A look of understanding came over his face, and a small laugh escaped from his mouth, as he gave a small nod. Extending one large hand, he gave a comforting smile to Luca before simply asking, "May I see your PDA? I can tell you if she's a Hacker with just a quick look..."
When the newcomer accepted his offer of water, he gestured towards the kitchen with his head before indicating the other man should follow him. "There are some glasses in the kitchen, if you'll follow me?" Slowly plodding towards the kitchen, Fiach wondered if hiring a new employee was really as good of an idea as he had thought it was.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:23 pm
Luca watched as a knowing look came over Fiach's face. The laugh greatly surprised him, and he felt better. Surely he does know! Luca dug into his jacket pocket for the PDA. As he handed it over he briefly glanced at it's screen. The message on it made him smile.
-You're a jerk. : ( -
After handing it over, Luca realized the AI program on his PDA must have been saying that over and over. He gave a short, nervous laugh.
"She always calls me that if I say something she doesn't like or ignore her for too long. Like I have been. But this is the first time I've seen a frown face tacked on at the end." He attempted to sound humorous; trying to lighten the tense, awkward mood. He cleared his throat and nodded before following the tall man who now had his PDA.
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:20 am
Bemused at both the smile and the short laugh Luca gave, Fiach readily accepted the PDA before a small chuckle of his own escaped from between his lips. The Hacker seemed to be young, childish, but most definitely it was a Hacker. With his back turned to Luca as he led him into the kitchen, a small frown of his own formed to match the emoticon the little one had placed on the screen. What did Luca know about Hackers - and, was he going to be a good employee if he didn't really know much of anything? But then, Fiach hadn't put "must be knowledge about Hackers" in the advertisement, so he couldn't really fault the man if he didn't. The irony of Luca having a Hacker in the first place was enough to make the tall Irishman twitch just a little.
Nodding softly as Luca spoke, he set the PDA down on the counter, and set about getting the cups down from the cupboard, he moved towards the faucet, before cocking his head to one side and turning a quizzical look to the man before him, "Did you want ice, or is plain cold water all right?" Filling his own cup with chilly water while he waited, Fiach began to ponder over just how to host this interview. Clearly, Luca would need some basic instruction in Hackers before they went any further, that much was noticeable by the way the two seemed to talk to one another.
Finished with his own cup, he deftly lifted Luca's as he finally returned to the important topic at hand, "What's on your PDA...is a Hacker. She's just a child it looks like, but a Hacker nonetheless." Pausing, he frowned a little before inquiring, "What do you know about the Hackers?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:34 am
"Plain cold water is fine."
Luca stood near the kitchen door, just gazing around the room he had just entered. Again, very very tidy. And again, he felt very scruffy. A flash of mild surprise came over his face as Fiach confirmed what Au'ret was. He shook his head at the man's question.
"All I know is that she came from some floating egg. I found it inside one of my folders. A short time later, it changed and Au'ret was there. That's what I called her." Luca paused, thinking. Then it dawned on him. "Oh! And I do know they have a taste for data. She ate through most of my files before I had realized what was going on. I really did think she was some sort of virus, because my anti-virus software had gone insane about malicious data or some sort when she was an egg. Even though I ran it thrice, the egg never vanished."
Again a pause, still thinking.
"The only other thing I know is by using a USB cable Au'ret can go from my laptop to the PDA quite easily."
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:05 am
With a slight nod, Fiach began filling Luca's cup, briefly aware that he probably should have simply offered the man the first one he had grabbed. Oh well, occasional slips as a host weren't always negligent or terrible, and having filled the glass, Fiach took both glasses over to the table, before setting one cup down on either side and gesturing towards Luca to join him. Sitting was easier to handle interviews with when you were as tall as Fiach was, and he always felt better when he was down lower, it was easier to shrink into himself, if nothing else.
Taking a seat of his own, he listened carefully to what Luca told him as he sipped his water, grateful for the smooth way it slid down his throat and calmed him just a little. Nodding with each statement Luca made, Fiach's mind wandered just a little to how perhaps it would have been better to make tea. Hot tea was always a better calming agent than cold water, but then...with how dusty Luca had looked, water had been the first thing that came to his mind, anyway.
A soft smile took his face when he heard Luca mention the anti-virus software, bemused that the man had run in three times without ever calling anywhere for assistance. Was the man down on his luck, to have tried to shoulder through what he had thought was malware, or was he just hard headed about doing things his own way, on his own time?
When Luca finished, Fiach gave him a nod, "You've about got it. Hackers grow from eggs into children, then adults, and after considerable data consumption they can become elders. A lot of Hacker owners like to have duplicate files of what their Hacker enjoys eating the most - and some let them play on MMORPGs to satisfy their social wants when they can't be around for them."
Pausing to sip his water, he pondered over what other pertinent information he might need to share, "Also, Hackers enjoy traveling through Cyberspace and talking to other Hackers. Or hacking into other people's computers, on occasions, if they feel you've been neglecting them too much. They're highly social creatures and are AI that seem like they're made to learn how to be, well, human." Tilting his head, he frowned slightly into his cup, before continuing, "They can access just about any hardware that has room for data. So, iPhones, cell phones with sims cards, Blackberrys, etc. But don't put them on anything you don't mind possibly losing some information off of."
"Did you have any other questions regarding the Hackers?"
He asked only because he felt it was best to give this man all the information before he even proceeded into the interview. That, and he was stalling. He really had no idea why he'd said he needed more help around the shop, other than the fact he felt awkward dealing with Sionce and Adalia was being a royal pain in the neck once again...
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:26 am
Luca strode across to the table and graciously took the seat he was offered. After his speech about all he knew about Au'ret, and the trek he had made to get here, cold water was godly.
"I'm amazed all of my observations are most of her habits," He said after placing his glass back on the table. "I figured there would be a lot more to her and others of her. She's both simple and complex at the same time. If that makes any sense."
As he brought the glass to his lips again, Luca thought about the files Au'ret had already eaten. Nothing he couldn't recreate of course; small, forced writings that he hated and felt didn't flow right. No big deal, Au'ret just helped clear his hard drive and get rid of some troublesome creations. At the mention of Cyberspace, he nodded.
"I have noticed she disappears on occasion for no more than an hour at a time. So I take it she goes into Cyberspace? She hasn't brought anything back with her; viruses, Hackers, or the like, so I don't really worry too much. But no, no other questions."
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:20 am
Fiach let the cup tip against his chin as he pondered over Luca's response to what he had said. It was true, at least in the sense that their basic functions were, well, just that - basic things you could easily observe. Just like a person's need to eat, drink, sleep, and socialize. On the inside; however, the AI and the humans were also very much similar, they were full of complex systems that had to work together just for them to do the 'simple' things. With a light shrug, Fiach gave the man across from him a nod, "It does make sense, and it is true. Just like us, many of the functions are the basic things that we would - they eat, they rest, they socialize. At the child stage she'll be extremely curious, just like a toddler would be - as she grows up, she'll learn how to emulate, or even actually have human emotion. So things will get much more interesting as time goes on wither her."
Of that, Fiach was almost completely certain. He still couldn't get the android Li'tae and Trisste out of his mind. Each time he thought of how they had grown, and where they had wound up, it made him want to shudder to think that the other Hackers may do just the same. How close to humanity did they need to come? How close were they programmed to come?
Raising the glass from his chin to his lips as he took a small sip of his own, he gave a nod, pleased again with the chill feel it had on his throat when the water went down. The closer it came to actually asking the questions that would have to be answered, and to explaining .NET to a stranger, the more it felt like his throat was growing hot and dry. What an annoying conundrum.
"Yes, it is highly likely that she voyages into Cyberpsace during her little escapades. The only thing I would worry about, would be her bringing another Hacker in with her, they're highly adept at handling viruses and things, so I don't think you need to worry about her bringing one onto your hard drive. She might, in fact, help keep your hard drive clear of them, if you let her. It gives her something to test her Hacker skills again, since they are AI programs, after all."
Allowing himself time to take a couple more sips of his cool drink, Fiach pondered over where, and how, to start the interview. Luca seemed to have grasped the fundamentals very quickly, a fact that pleased him, but Fiach was also still slightly unsure of whether or not he should hire anyone new at all. Things weren't that busy at .NET, and he did have Adalia and Sionce with him...
Lifting his large shoulders in a small shrug, he returned his attention to the matter at hand, taking a deep breath and steeling himself for the troublesome matter of asking questions of a person he didn't know.
"So, if I may ask, what caused you to respond to the ad for this shop?"
Well, he was off to a great start.
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:42 am
Luca smiled at the inner thought of Au'ret becoming more human like as she develops. Certainly now she had the concepts of joy and insult fully understood but as time went on she could learn the full spectrum of emotions non AI creatures have and use. He nodded as Fiach talked about child Hackers being curious.
"She certainly is. I've sometimes gone into the various areas of my computer to find everything topsy-turvy." Luca sipped the water in his glass thoughtfully as Fiach went on. "It's good to know I won't have to worry about viruses. I trust her on that, but still, it's a nagging little thing at the back of my mind. I hope she doesn't bring home another Hacker, one seems to be a handful as is."
At that the PDA buzzed. Luca set his glass down with a faint smile.
"She seems to know if she's been insulted. I don't mean to of course, but she's a bit proud. I'll probably have her running virus checks for me. It seems like something she would enjoy, she might even treat it as a game."
As Fiach posed his first interview question, Luca sat more upright and steady. He had assumed that this would be a question asked by an employer, and he felt his answer would be good enough.
"Well, mostly an interest in the shop itself. Plus I wish to gain a better knowledge of computers. Then there was Au'ret, who was nagging at me to apply. She wanted to prove that she was what she is. And of course, there's the need for money. The job I am currently employed at has no value or incentive for their employees, I am payed very little though I work very hard, and I have the feeling of being trapped under a glass ceiling. I can see opportunity, but it seems I won't be able to get it where I am now."
With that the young man raised his glass off the table and took another sip, watching the other man before him. He sincerely hoped that was a good answer.
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:15 pm
Fiach's smile grew just a little sad behind the glass he had lifted to drink from as Luca voiced his thoughts on Au'ret, and how she behaved. It reminded him of what he had lost, and each time someone shared happy memories of a Hacker with him, it saddened him though he did his best to hide it. Instead, he merely nodded along with the reminiscing, smiling in amusement as the PDA buzzed at Luca once again. If nothing else, it seemed he'd found himself quite the vocal one.
With a small laugh, Fiach nodded, "She sounds like another Hacker that I know. That sounds like it would be a good idea, to let her treat scanning as a game. Keeps her out of mischief and takes care of some computer maintenance for you." Perhaps, if the man was able to think up solutions that pleased all parties involved, he wouldn't be such a bad addition, after all.
Noting that Luca sat more upright once the actual interview began, Fiach felt himself relax just a little, too. It couldn't be that bad to interview someone, could it? Nodding thoughtfully as Luca spoke, he took another sip of his drink, before setting the glass gently on the table. Fiach's head tilted slightly as he perused over the man's answer, before giving a consenting nod. It was a good answer and sounded like it had been thoughtfully prepared, or the man was just that good at handling people. Eying the man's dress, though, Fiach felt the former was more likely than the latter. Even if just in part.
"I'm not sure if this is the best place to gain basic computer knowledge, we focus more on coding, technical support, and dealing with Hackers..." Actually, part of what their job was, was to discover just where the Hackers originated from, but Fiach felt as though adding that in might be a bit...overwhelming for someone new to the Hackers universe. "But, if you have at least the basic knowledge and can handle people, I don't see there being too much of a problem. We've got a great tech wizard who does most of our major computer problem solving, and I can do a lot of the rest. "
Taking a pause as he mulled over what his next question would be, Fiach's hand wound its way up to tap thoughtfully on his chin. Reminding him that, yet again, he was in need of a minor shave.
"What personality traits do you have, that you think best entitle you for this job? Your job would entail mostly customer service work, and explaining about Hackers on a regular basis." At that, the thought of how Brad had reacted to discovering that he had a Hacker drummed up in his mind and he added, "And some of your customers may not be exactly...polite...about the Hackers being on their device..."
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