#and then like two hrs later my PI pulled me into his office and was like if you take care of these revision experiments u can be on paper

[unganseylike]

bad news: i have to work like every weekend this month

good news: i’ll be a coauthor on a paper and thus have a publication before i submit grad school applications

mediocre news: it wont be my project’s paper

[steadycoffeeflow]

Day 13. Guarded | CyberLife Office Party

“Why did you go and do such a thing?” The laughter was cruel, but let Steady know there was nothing behind it beyond superficial malice. There were no suspicions. Still, there was reason to be guarded.

Steady raised her voice in defense. “Carol, I made you a dairy-free dessert. It’s nice to be inclusive.”

“Yeah but I’m a human, Terra.”

And with that comment, Steady realized she’d done something mortally wrong. A fatal misstep. Any defense she had died and withered within her gut.

Steady’s life was a step-by-step guide on how to lose people and alienate friends, each mistake a stone she’d leap to, one to the next. This was shaping up to be another stone.

She pulled back the tinfoil from the dessert, exposing the deep indigo within. At the sight, she made tears spring to her eyes and she looked over to Marissa, who she shared a cubicle wall with. Thought about something dark - the dog she had in grade school and how her arms would never be full of that white fluff again - and the tears came easy then. “Is it...well. I thought it would be nice.”

“Oh Terra.” Marissa leaned forward, patting her shoulder. Steady hunched up over the bright indigo.

“It’s a waste of thirium,” Carol interrupted. “We’re fighting wars for that.”

“Carol, lay off. She was being kind.”

“Well I don’t think that’s an excuse to be thoughtless.”

“Pumpkin pie, anyone?” a new voice interjected, lofting a glass dish high in the air as a distraction.

The CyberLife break room was more or less three rooms adjoined into a central hub. It was the nicest break room Steady had ever been allowed to use in her life. And this was just the one on her floor. Sometimes she stole up to other break rooms - mostly so no one would notice one or two snack bags taken from different levels vs. the many taken from her own floor.

Given the size of the place, the decorations seemed small and out of place. Orange and black and purple didn’t really jive with CyberLife colors. But the decorations had been put up by HR just a few hours before the potluck and were likely used each year. It was the C-Suite who benefited from the fancy glass pumpkins, likely.

This was for the Marketing and on-site Sales team, people having brought chili, pies, finger foods and other various desserts. Steady was excited to get the free food at the price of exchanging desserts.

She just...had genuinely thought the office androids would have been invited.

Marissa squeezed Steady’s shoulder tighter. “It was nice. C’mon. I want whipped cream shot into my mouth before it’s all gone.”

“Thanks,” Steady said, laughing despite herself, wiping her eyes. She set the thirium dessert on the counter, apart from the rest of the food just in case someone was confused.

They’d settled in within ten minutes, idle chit chat as people loaded up their plates and social divisions were formed. Steady and Marissa stayed near each other, social politeness.

It was almost missed, in the bustle of it all.

Why he was there, Steady wasn’t sure. Maybe just to check in that everyone’s needs were met. He kept to the walls while Steady complained about new integration protocols upstairs was rolling out. Let someone else take the reins just as he walked past the bowl. Then he frozen, drawing close to backtrack and examine it. Steady moved.

Shoved to the edges of the room, no one else could eat it. It, therefore, had no worth.

“It’s android safe,” she said, voice low as she used the sink as an excuse to stand near him, filling a cup up of water. “Have some. It’ll go to waste otherwise.” He hesitated - designation 30. RK. He looked over his shoulder. She sensed it, the negative response, and headed it off. “Or, if you feel better, I’ll bring you some. To your office. After the party.”

His grip relaxed. Even blue. “Thank you.” Soft and quiet. Then, he offered a smile. “Would you like a fresh pot of coffee, for the events?”

Steady laughed, swished the water in her mug and then looked over the gathered humans. The only one who had glanced at her so far was Marissa. Everyone else were just people in suits. Steady could barely recall their names. “Yeah. I’d like that. And I’ll be over later.”

RK nodded, busying himself with filling the coffee pot with water, eyes on the blue dessert. Marissa ticked an eyebrow at RK’s back. Steady wiggled her fingers and didn’t say anything else, already pushing her luck. “He’s making us coffee,” Steady said, gesturing with her mug. “I think I need it if Samson wants us staying for that 8pm meeting.”

“Oh god. Thank him for me,” Marissa whispered as Steady joined them, and Steady hummed in agreement.