What are little girls made of? (MA7-E4)

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

About eight days after A fixer-upper (http://www.theholo.net/forum/showthread.php?55619-A-fixer-upper-%28MA7-E4%29)

On any given day, Suriyesh's workshop was a study in organized chaos. The modular cargo container was crisscrossed with metal shelves stacked high with bins full of supplies, crates of spares and the remains of parted droids, racks of tools that would make a starship mechanic blush, spools of cable, computer carts, a crane on rails looming overhead like a monstrous version of a children's claw game, and half a dozen workbenches, three or four of which seemed to have become the permanent residence for an eclectic bunch of droids in various states of repair or dismantling, each surrounded by its own complement of tools and diagnostic cables and spare circuits and servos.

A casual observer might say it was a mess. That if she couldn't finish a project, she should at least tidy it up before moving on to the next one. And Suri would have told a casual observer exactly where he could stick his opinion. Her workflow was at the mercy of an ever-shifting web of priorities, inspiration, and shipping schedules. She preferred to know exactly where she had left off over winning any housekeeping awards.

For the present, bench #5 was occupied by the newest addition to her mechanical family. MA7-E4 sat inert with her legs dangling over the side and a snake of luminous cables attached to the universal port in her chest, feeding diagnostic data to the computer cart Suri had wheeled up. The nurse droid fairly well gleamed under the shop lights - the first thing Suri had done after bringing her into the shop was to give her an oil bath, and scum out all her external servos to take the stiffness out of her joints. Then it was on to the cognitive load tests, motor and visual calibration, power cell leveling, and finally software updates and diagnosis. A good six hours of work all told, but Suri was more motivated than usual to get MA7 - Matea, as she preferred to be called - up to speed.

The brown-furred mongoose skimmed over the diagnostic results on the computer cart monitor, then looked back at Matea's stunningly expressive face, somehow lifelike even in repose, like a sleeping child. With more care that usual, she pulled the diagnostic cables and closed up the access port on the droid's chest. Her trio of pit droids, Jeb, Zu, and Kaz, clambered up onto the bench to clear away the cables, tools, and the few grimy actuators and couplers she'd needed to replace.

Suri stepped back, paws on hips, gave her handiwork one last eye test, and then said, "Matea, wake up."

[MA7-E4]

//Subroutine. Startup. Function. External. Sensors. Temperature. 73. Systems nominal//

Life returned to her optics, facial servos registering and rapidfire blinking to clear any potential debris from the sensitive instruments. The nursing droid looked around her location, it was similar to the last location. A workbench, but rather than having been left alone, in front of her stood Suriyesh Rajinaathra her most recent owner. One that had seemed decidedly different than previous ones.

Her subroutines spun to life then, processing all the new data she was receiving, filtering it through a secondary set which seemed to slow her processes down just a hair before refocusing on the Munjan once more. How may this unit be off assistance, miss?

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

"You can follow my finger."

Suriyesh held her index finger on her right paw and waved it slowly from side to side, then up and down, watching carefully while Matea's glowing oculars tracked it to perfection.

"Okay, good. Matea, state your primary function."

[MA7-E4]

Matea's visual input refocused on Suri as the query was asked.

This unit is a Medical Assistant series 7, serial designation E4. I am programmed to assist a qualified physician or specialist in their care of patients, and their necessary procedures. I have been programmed with basic medical knowledge and a rudimentary understanding of slightly more complex procedures to properly assist in my tasks. She paused. I am also to learn, adapt and survive.

Just as she had the first time the Munjan had asked her for her function the first part came out rote, from script. The last part took a moment, but came across much more confident than the first time she had shared it. As if pathways had been built to reinforce the directive. The first time she had shared that directive, brought up from folders and subroutines that she could not pinpoint, it had almost come across as a question. Here there was no mistaking, it was firm in her software now. It was a part of this unit's principal purpose.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

"Well done, Matea. Very good."

There it was again, two voices in the same head, and a moment of hesitation when one left off and the other picked up again. Suri had hoped that her diagnostics might explain what was going on inside Matea's head, but instead they had only raised more questions.

But she wasn't done with the post-test checks yet. She looked Matea in the oculars and said, "How do you feel?"

[MA7-E4]

Calm. Matea let her vision wander a bit more, observing and cataloging numerous areas of the garage, internally the information was duplicated, and stored in 2 separate subsystems. A new routine began a moment later, MA7 leaning in as she cataloged several sets of tools she had never encountered before, the form and function of which were unknown to her.

There was a pause, almost too long as it worked to write itself into her software. What are these used for? She questioned, almost displaying an innate curiosity that she should not have.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Calm. Well, that was an improvement, by any standards. Suri couldn't help but grin as Matea took in her surroundings.

"They're tools of the trade," she said. "Most of 'em for opening panels, doing up bolts and rivets, that sort of thing. This one over here checks voltages between circuits. This one's for testing individual servos. And this over here..."

She patted the computer cart that stood by the workbench, still displaying Matea's diagnostic results.

"This is one of my diagnostic workstations. Every droid I work with runs through this at least once a year. Optimizes software, runs necessary updates, checks for uncorrected faults in programming. Oh, and you understand binary now."

Rix (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/R1-series_astromech_droid) trundled up from the next bay, waggling his probe stalk. "Well, let's test that, shall we? How many fingers am I holding up?" he trilled.

[MA7-E4]

Matea blinked in revelation at the words she now understood from the arriving astromech droid. Her head tilted to one side, expressive facial servos arching in surprise, then what could almost be described as a coy smirk, had she been something more than just a droid. You don't have fingers, Rix. She curled her own, nimble digits outward then back.

That had come quicker than previous responses that had come through her secondary systems. The systems were developing easier pathways and processes the longer she was able to use them, and remain online.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

"Good, that's another one off the checklist."

Rix tittered good-naturedly and tucked around the other side of the workbench, as curious about his new sister as she was about the workshop at large. That gave Suri another chance to steal a glance at the diagnostic readouts. They were, to put it mildly, troubling.

The brown-furred mongoose steeled herself to deliver the... bad? Unsettling, certainly... news. "So, back on Belderone you asked why your previous owners said you have a fault. Well, I think I've found the answer. See, your primary programming is pretty straightforward. It's basically just a proprietary version of the medical operating software the 2-1B series uses, Taveesh must've licensed it and added their own subroutines to make up your core. But there's something else there, too."

She turned a swingarm-mounted monitor toward Matea displaying a cross-section of code. Most of it was blue, but here and there were a few lines of red in a completely different operating language.

"Most of it's encrypted. But it's huge. Big enough to be a whole different operating system. I can't make head or tail out of it, except for the bits that have inserted themselves into your functional code. New arguments, new operators, new priorities. And whatever it is, it's highly adaptive, highly aggressive, and it's building its way into more and more of your subroutines."

[MA7-E4]

Her head tilted again, looking over the lines of code. The way that Suri described made it sound dangerous, terrifying. But when the MA unit looked at it, registered it, processed it. It felt, familiar. Warm. Safe. Her processes ran through assessments, to the point that Suri was likely getting to.

Miss. She said, tone shifting down to show a level of privacy. Is it negatively impacting my functions, beyond the new routines and processes that it is writing for me?

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suriyesh watched Matea carefully for any signs of... what? Fear? Anger? Defensiveness? How did you expect someone to react when you told them there was someone else crawling around in your brain and rewriting bits of it to suit their fancy? Matea's lack of concern was concerning in itself, wasn't it?

"Well... no, actually," she admitted. "Aside from increasing your processing load, and the occasional conflict error, but even those are getting ironed out. I turned up a couple hundred syntax faults during my first diagnostic sweep, and by the time I ran my second, they'd all self-corrected. Whatever this software is, it's very clever. Nearly seamless in some places. The only problem is, we don't know for sure what its purpose is. But I'd bet credits to crumpets it's why you feel heat and cold, why you want to wear clothes... even why you call yourself Matea."

She folded her arms, struggling with herself. Over by the side of the bench, Rix gave a low warble of concern.

"You understand why this is worrying, right? It may be benign now, but we have no idea what it'll do to you in a week, a month, a year from now."

[MA7-E4]

MA7 considered the data. Ever rational course said that this needed to be removed, or at least quarantined if that wasn't possible. But something else, something deeper told her that would be a mistake. She considered that, examined the idea of removing this aspect and felt... a very strange reaction. The subroutines fired off fast, data all but flying between her primary systems and the hidden system that she had just learned of.

Additional synaptic firings. Systems going to alert status. A level of... what could only be appropriately described, given her medical background, as anxiety. She, or at the very least this programming that they were discussing... was afraid.

If it is not damaging me, I see no reason to remove it. Another set of synaptics, reminding her of proper protocol, of procedure. Assuming that is acceptable with you, Miss.

She had not deferred to her owner's wishes - but had instead immediately decided on her own course of action.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

And there it went again. Suri certainly wasn't one to feel threatened by a droid with opinions - the whole point of heuristics was to let a machine learn and grow and develop its own judgment. But it typically happened over years of service. Matea had told her she'd logged less than two hundred days of activity since her memory wipe, and much of that shuffling from warehouse to rummage bin to junkyard shed. Whatever was lurking underneath her core programming, it was orders of magnitude more developed than the basic Taveesh medical OS. Possibly complex enough to subsume it completely.

"I don't even know if I could remove if it," she said. "But I'm beginning to think somebody already tried. That memory wipe. One of the reasons you do something like that is because you don't like how a droid's personality has developed, and you want to go back to factory spec."

The mongoose averted her eyes, just so she wouldn't have to feel the pressure of Matea's periwinkle gaze. "I've never done that to a droid before, and I don't mean to start. This is part of what makes you you, and I don't want to take that away if I don't have to. Just... we need to keep an eye on it. Make sure it's not going to do any harm to you or anyone around you. And if this programming tells you to do anything that puts anyone at risk, including yourself, I want you to tell me right away."

She looked up again into Matea's strangely serene face, then stuck out an open paw. "Deal?"

[MA7-E4]

MA7 extended a delicate hand, joints and servos whirring softly to close around the Munjan's paw, she shook it with a pleasing smile. A programming trait to put others at ease with her presence. Though behind that was the glimmer of something more.

Of course, Miss. I would not want to wish harm upon anyone. It would go contrary to my programming.

She froze, hand still clutching the Munjan's paw for a moment as the systems again kicked in, secondary strings of logistics and reasonings traveling and making fresh pathways.

This, programming, that is acting in unison with my primary coding - this unit cannot explain, but I am very certain it means no ill will. I feel as if it is important, that the removal of it would be something very sad. This unit must apologize for causing so many issues and duress to you, miss.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suri couldn't help but stare in wonder. A droid could deduce, could project, could even state its preferred outcome, but to feel something to be true? She didn't know an algorithm for intuition, and she didn't know whether she was seeing the real thing or just a set of probabilities and priorities filtered through a simulation of humanoid hopes and fears. But if the simulation was good enough, did it matter anymore?

"Well, then, I guess we'll just wait and see, won't we?" she said, and she offered an encouraging smile of her own. "So, you ready to get out and see the colony? Oh, almost forgot!"

The mongoose ducked around the adjoining workbench and grabbed the set of coveralls she'd given Matea on Belderone. "Better get these on first. If you still want them."

[Kazahan]

It was at that moment that Kazahan seemed to fall from the sky, right in front of Raji's workshop. He'd just learned to manipulate the Force to bolster his already prodigious physical abilities (at least as far as stamina and agile athletics were concerned), and he was making the most of it. Already four people had complained of him bouncing around like a manic overgrown hopping insect, which was ridiculous, because Kazahan was a Trianii, not an insect, and he looked nothing like an insect with his fur and tail and ears.

"Raji!" he shouted, somewhat out of breath from Force Hopping all the way from the training grounds to her workshop. "Is it true?! This one must know!"

He took four long paces into the workshop and fixed her with a long, anxious look.

"Is it true?" he asked again. "You are not a cat?!"

[MA7-E4]

MA7 had just prepared to reach out and take the Coveralls when the loud figure had entered, striding into the workshop to speak to Suri. She had just enough time to grab hold of the clothing and pull it up to at least lay on top of her figure, rather than remain exposed to the elements and prying eyes from the organic that had now taken to questioning her Munjan owner.

Her head tilted ever so slightly at the question, and an odd question it was, processes whirring to make sense of it, glancing first at Suri, then at this stranger. She was not a cat, this was very clear, or it should be at least to her logistics systems. Perhaps there was something wrong with him, should she offer assistance of some sort?

If I may interject, sir, you may wish to sit and recover for a moment or two. Her smile brightened, that of a caregiver. I am reading an elevated heart rate, and with the obvious excitement you have in your question, I can only hypothesize as to a spike in your adrenaline levels and blood pressure.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suriyesh found herself dumbstruck as Ossus's resident sand tiger came bursting into her shop. At least Matea was taking it all in stride. That gave the mongoose a chance to reel in her jaw before it gathered any flies.

"Wh-- No? I mean... yes? I mean, yes, it's true, I'm not a cat. I never have been. Is this a problem?"

Her pink eyes darted between the towering felinoid and the diminutive droid smiling up at him. "Oh, right. Kazahan, this is Matea. She's a nursing droid. Matea, Kazahan. He's a Jedi Padathingy."

[Kazahan]

"Hello, Matea. A bright moon shines upon our meeting," Kazahan said, giving her all his attention for one brief moment before turning back to Raji. "But... if you are not a cat... what are you?"

Kazahan's normally inscrutable face was now visibly projecting confusion and anxiety, but he seemed to have an idea.

"Are you a dog then?"

[MA7-E4]

MA7 found herself confused, both systems working hard to process the very strange meeting that was occurring now. She knew that this individual was a Jedi Padathingy, per Miss Suri's description of his position within their order. She was was already processing and beginning a file for Kazahan. She was certain that she would have to assist in his care at some point during her tenure.

// Kazahan // Trianii // Jedi Padathingy

She skipped the height, weight and biometric information for the time - and stored information regarding observations.

// Potential optical or mental deficiencies //

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suriyesh found herself gawping again while, behind her, Rix tittered and started making electronic barking noises.

"No, I'm not a dog, I'm a mongoose!" she erupted. "What in Garfife's name has gotten into you, anyway?"

[Kazahan]

Kazahan's head tilted to the side blankly as he listened to Raji screech. She certainly could yell like a cat. Mongoose? Oh.

"This one apologizes," Kazahan said, bowing, his ears twitching slightly and his tail curling around one leg in embarrassment. "Trianii has not heard of mongoose before. This one thought you were like Kazahan, and then thought perhaps you were a Singer. What is a mongoose? Is it near-cat, like there seem to be so many near humans? Why are species called near human? Are humans not, then, just a type of hairless cat?"

He did seem genuinely contrite, although all of that bled away into a curious energy by the end, and even though he had addressed the question to Raji, his attention was now taken in by the droid on the workbench; particularly its photoreceptors. He moved his head from side to side, engrossed with how the photorecptors followed him; suddenly he ducked down, and then back up. The eyes followed.

[MA7-E4]

The medical unit had prepared to adjust the observations on the open file for the cat. Ignorance, after all, was no sure sign of mental or visual distress. He then, however, began a strange practice of staring directly at her oculars and moving in odd, irrational patterns. She followed his movements, expressive face lilting to one side in thoughtful confusion at his actions before making one slight modification to her chart on this Jedi Padathingy.

// Potential <s>optical or</s> mental deficiencies //

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suri was nearly as distracted by Kazahan's swaying and juking as he was by Matea - as if his rambling about near cats and hairless cats wasn't enough to throw her for a loop. She grappled for a rhetorical handle on one end of the crazy just to see if she could chart a course back to the real world.

"Humans aren't hairless cats, they're primates. They're... they're more like hairless apes. Oh, gods, don't tell anyone I said that, that sounds so racist. Honestly, Matea probably knows more than I do about... about racial... um... taxonomy."

She resisted the urge to duck along with Kazahan, instead squeezing her eyes shut and rubbing at the bridge of her muzzle. "Dare I ask what brought this crisis on?"

[Kazahan]

Kazahan looked up at the ceiling and brought one hand to his chin in thought.

"Kazahan was training with Master Solomon," he began, obviously gearing up for a tale. "This one was learning how to commune with the Force; Trianii can manipulate the Force within his own body without trouble, but apparently one must listen to the Force outside and around us as well."

Kazahan shook his head.

"Kazahan will have to listen to many things now. Hopefully, Kazahan will not become confused easily because of it.

"So this one begins to commune with the Force, but it is difficult, because one must remain still, and Kazahan has trouble remaining still, but not only still with one's arms and legs, but also with one's mind and spirit which Kazahan finds incredibly difficult. All of Kazahan must be still to hear the Force, but Kazahan kept wondering, if the Force is so powerful, why is it so quiet? Is it shy? So Kazahan asks Master Solomon: 'Why is Kazahan having such a hard time? It is like this one does not want to be still, against my own wishes.' Solomon tells this one it is about discipline and distinguishing between self and other and the Force, and it is especially difficult when it is begun. But Kazahan sees some others have progressed farther in the same amount of time."

Kazahan's position remained the same, the fingers scratching his chin and one arm crossed over his chest, but his tail began to lash about as he remembered his feelings when seeing others learning faster than he.

"Solomon tells Kazahan: 'All have their own talents in the Force, and some species have...'" Kazahan paused, his eyes crossing while he tried to remember, "'...pro-cliv-i-ties..." he said with an air of satisfaction, before continuing, "towards certain Force disciplines. Nehantites seemed to be also easily hearing the Living Force, at least, from what Kazahan has seen... But Kazahan did not know what a Nehantite was. So Solomon said, 'Like Ndonsa.' But Kazahan does not know Ndonsa, until Solomon describes her. And she looks similar to you, Raji, and this one had always thought you were just an odd looking cat with an amazing arm. So Kazahan asks, 'But Raji, she is a cat, yes?' And Solomon says she is not, but Kazahan could not quite believe it, so here this one came.

"And that is what brought this crisis on."

[MA7-E4]

The medical droid listened intently to the story the Trianii was weaving,excitement dripping in his voice. She found herself oddly compelled to make notes on it, file bits of it away, recorded for future playback. She had records and data on the Force. She'd began further research upon learning she would be stationed on Ossus amongst the Jedi. But she had not heard reference to it as 'the Living Force' before. Something in her deeper processes found that concept worth notation, filed for future research.


As he completed his grand tale it all seemed to fall apart. The misunderstanding of what a Nehanite was, of Miss Suriyesh being a cat. She made one final annotation to his file.


// Potential <s>optical or</s> mental deficiencies. Further study recommended. Seek additional interaction with Jedi Padathingy Kazahan. //

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suriyesh didn't know anything more about the Force than Matea did - as far as she was concerned, it was fodder for late-night paranormal documentaries and shyster spiritualists, just a superstitious narrative to make sense of some admittedly incredible mutational adaptations. Telepathy, telekinesis, heightened awareness, they all had their biological correlates in a variety of species around the galaxy. If she could find a way to build herself a prosthetic Force organ, she could sign up with the Jedi, too.

"Yeah, I've seen Ndonsa around," she said, happy to have at least some foothold in all the mystical nonsense. "And actually neither of us is Nehantite, she's Kufu and I'm Munjan, and... that probably doesn't help matters, does it?"

The brown-furred mongoose blinked and tried to follow the path of causality that had led her to lecturing a two-meter sand tiger about sociobiological diversity.

"I'm a mongoose, Ndonsa is a mongoose, the construction foreman is a mongoose. All from the same planet, different countries. Any more than that, you probably need to talk to, um, Solomon was it? Anyway, Matea and I need to get going. I was going to show her the way to the hospital, now that she's in tip-top shape."

As she spoke, the trio of pit droids had finished clearing away the diagnostic tools according to Suri's own esoteric system and now stood on the workbench behind her, watching the proceedings with intense interest. And then Kaz, who had remembered his Trianii-top ride from a few weeks ago, dropped to the floor at Kazahan's feet and held up his small arms, entreating.

[Kazahan]

"Ah! My little friend! How are you?" Kazahan asked, stooping to allow the little droid a spot on his shoulder. "Though since your Raji is going somewhere with our newest friend, Kazahan will not be able to stay, so it will be a short playtime today."

Kazahan stood while Kaz clambered off his shoulder and wrapped its arms around his head, and its legs around his neck. Kazahan didn't seem to mind.

"Unless Raji does not mind if Kazahan comes along?" he asked.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suri opened her mouth, paused, and turned toward the droid sitting on the bench. "It's your big day, Matea. What do you think?"

[MA7-E4]

She glanced first at Suriyesh then back to Kazahan who now wore Kaz as a makeshift headwear - or perhaps it seemed more accurate to describe Kaz as using the Trianii as a mount to ride upon. It was curious and somehow entirely in line for what she had experienced since meeting the Jedipadathingy.

The decision was hers, and she began to default in her answer to a rote Whichever you find most appropriate response, before pausing systems rerouting and reevaluating.

An escort in our travel would be welcome.

[Kazahan]

"Excellent!" Kazahan said, clapping his clawed hands together. "This one will be happy to escort you to the..."

He paused, thinking for a moment. And then another moment. And then a moment longer after that.

"Where are we going again?"

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

"The hospital," Suri answered with a fixed smile, and then she considered the chances of Kazahan having remembered anything else from the conversation. "Matea's a nursing droid, so she's going to be helping to patch up you and your mates after you've been training too hard. Well, let's go, then! Rix, you're in charge until I get back."

The mismatched quartet ventured out into the waxing sunslight. Suriyesh hadn't yet gotten a handle on the flow of the Ossian seasons yet, but the weather had been growing steadily warmer, which suited her just fine, even as the moisture wicking off the jungle began to turn the air sticky. It was nothing like the humidity in the Munjan midsummer, where you had to wring your tail out every time you went inside. This was working weather, perfect for puttering around the shop with the doors wide open, a plasma torch in your paw, and the latest Sherouve 47 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7R2Vl_hcCA) album blasting from your sound system.

Construction on the med center had been finished a couple weeks ago, thanks in no small part to the LB loaders that Suriyesh had brought, and then Jeb, Zu, and Kaz had scurried through the ceilings and crawlspaces with Alliance engineers to run wiring, gas and water lines, and all the other vital utilities that made a hospital work. Much of the facilities were still under construction, but there was already a functional operating theater, examination rooms, and about twenty beds to help take the patient load off the pavilion tents that had been erected in the center of the Jedi campus.

As Suri understood it, the hospital would be jointly operated by the Alliance and the Jedi. For Matea's sake, Suriyesh was counting at least one of those groups keeping an open mind.

Kaz ducked to keep from knocking his head as they crossed into the pristine waiting room. It was empty - even the reception desk - which served as a barometer of just how short-staffed they were. After a minute or so, a slender Mirialan appeared from the examination rooms, surveyed the group with a bemused look on her pea-green face, and asked, "May I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm the droid specialist here with the new nursing droid," Suri announced. "I'm pretty sure we were expected?"

"Oh, of course," the Mirialan replied with a bright smile. "Just wait right here, I'll fetch Master Laran."

[MA7-E4]

Matea found that her electrical systems were misfiring in a most unusual configuration, her sensors in her delicate extremities reacting to the small electrical impulses, causing her to clench and unclench her hands, she crossed them behind her back, suddenly quite aware that such a potential malfunction would seem quite improper for a medical professional. It was odd, she'd never encountered such an error before. Even now her sensors weren't detecting the misfire as an error, just additional bits of coding being direct to and from the secondary system that she was now aware of.

To an untrained, non-engineer, it would have looked very much like nervous fidgeting. She checked and rechecked her systems while they waited, attempting to prevent the spread of the odd electrical signals to her feet now, lest she began to shuffle or shift upon them. Her oculars flipped back and forth as she examined the datastrings and information for some indication of why she was malfunctioning in such a manner. Again the secondary systems seem to filter her back to a very human sensation that she should not have been displaying. Matea was uneasy.

[Serena Laran]

Serena walked into the waiting room, her hair caught up in a braid that was wound around her head. Strands had come loose during the day, framing her face. "You must be Ms. Rajinaathra," she said, extending a hand toward the mongoose. She looked over at the Trianii padawan, Kazahan, and nodded in greeting despite her curiosity regarding his presence at this meeting. "I understand you acquired the medical droid we were looking for?"

She looked at the blue hued droid, clad in a pair of coveralls very similar to the ones Suriyesh was wearing. "I don't think I am familiar with this model."

[Kazahan]

Kazahan returned Master Laran's nod with a bow of his own, but Kaz the pit droid didn't have as good a grip as the Trianii had thought. Kazahan barely choked back a screech as the little droid nearly ripped out some fur from his head to keep from hitting the ground. With effort, while Kazahan tried to use the Force to banish the pain, Kaz settled itself on his should and patted his head in what seemed like an apology. The others seemed to be engrossed in their conversation, so Kazahan looked around and studied the reception area intently.

A gleam of a datapad on the receptionist's desk caught his eye, and he walked over to it. Before he could grab it, he saw a button. It was big, and red, and Kazahan's eyes widened as he looked at it.

It just looked so inviting.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

The medical droid. Well, kakh. She had hoped her report had made it to the Jedi intact, but maybe in the eyes of an Alliance quartermaster, any health care droid was a surgeon.

Suri leaned into the handshake and flashed her most sociable smile. "And you must be Ms. Laran," she said. "Well, come on and meet her! This is Matea."

The mongoose laid her cybernetic paw on Matea's shoulder - it seemed like a natural, encouraging gesture, one that came to her before she remembered that Matea shouldn't have needed encouraging.

"She's a Taveesh MA7-series nursing droid. I sent along all the specs I could find on her, but some of them might not apply - she's custom, one-of-a-kind, as far as I can tell, and I don't mind saying she's one of the most remarkable droids I've ever come across."

Suriyesh resisted the urge to hold her breath as she waited for the first of what was probably several dropping shoes. In her experience, clients didn't react well to words like one-of-a-kind and remarkable when they were looking for dependable and proven service record.

[MA7-E4]

The misfiring electrical circuits had ceased right before the Jedi had entered the room, or perhaps after? The timing matched closely to her arrival. Matea wasn't sure if that meant something. A part of her reasoned that it should. She stood still, properly waiting for inspection and likely dismissal. She had been through a number of these meetings in the past. And the last several had lasted no more than a few minutes before the decision was made not to keep her activated.

Suriyesh began to say such kind things then in response to the Jedi's inquiry. If a droid could effect a blush and bashfulness it would have been quite evident upon the custom facial features Matea had been constructed with. One-of-a-kind was factually correct, certainly. Her body was custom, and there were aspects of her software that very much denoted the same. But one of the most remarkable droids she had ever come across?

// Clip soundbyte // Save file //

This unit will do her best to serve. She finally managed to get out, oculars not leaving a lowered position before the Jedi.

[Serena Laran]

"I'm glad to hear it," Serena said to the droid. She looked at Suriyesh. "I am afraid I didn't go over the specs you sent personally, but I'm sure she is quite adequate for what we need if you say so. My main experience with med droids was pre-Empire, so I let the people who know what they're doing take point."

She looked sideways at Kazahan, but there wasn't much trouble the curious Padawan could get into at the front desk. "We can find something more...appropriate for her to wear. If that's necessary." The Two-Bee droids she worked with didn't wear clothes, but if they did it wouldn't be well worn mechanics coveralls.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

"That would be brilliant, actually!" Suri said, probably more enthusiastically than necessary, but she'd never expected the Jedi would volunteer an outfit for Matea. "Whatever the staff here wear will be fine, right Matea?"

She looked back at Matea, very intentionally, and waited until she had nodded - Suri wanted Serena to see Matea advocating for herself, and maybe get used to the idea of a droid with opinions. "You're probably going to find her mannerisms more humanoid than most droids you're used to," the mongoose went on. "She's designed to be in contact with patients, so she's got a softer touch than your typical surgical droid. Matea, why don't you tell Ms. Laran about some of your skills?"

[MA7-E4]

Matea chimed pleasantly in response, system returning to factory set algorithms at the request.

This unit is a Medical Assistant series 7, serial designation E4. I am programmed to assist a qualified physician or specialist in their care of patients, and their necessary procedures. I have been programmed with basic medical knowledge and a rudimentary understanding of slightly more complex procedures to properly assist in my tasks.

Here she broke from the confines of the standard response, however. As there is not a qualified physician or specialist on hand that I have been informed of, this unit is pleased to use the knowledge she has, while more limited than a specialist unit, to function as this location's medical personnel. Dramatic injuries or medical conditions may require additional software installation or the services of a specialist, but this unit is fully capable of handling the basic medical needs of a facility of this size.

It was rote, mechanical. Decidedly less like herself - but she had been through this so many times, most of which she had never managed to get to even this point in any potential service. Pathways from her secondary systems flared up, threatened to dull her responses, she tried to suppress them. For just a few moments while she could get through this necessary evaluation she tried to suppress them. They continued to flare.

[Serena Laran]

"Thank you, that sounds...adequate." Serena looked from the droid to Suriyesh. "We have a 2-1B but with the addition of...Matea? I think we'll finally be self sufficient. I mean, that when the Alliance doctor leaves we will be able to handle the load," she explained to the Nehantite's questioning look.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

"The doctor's leaving?" Suri said. "So the primary medical staff will be made up of droids?"

In a way that was encouraging - no chance of Matea meeting any mechanophobic prejudice in the operating room. But by the same token, medical droids were not known for their flexibility. Most successful clinics that used droid surgeons took extra pains to make sure patients never saw them while conscious. Suriyesh only hoped Matea was prepared to be the last layer of defense between squishy patients and the cold, hard hand of automated surgery.

"You know, since Matea is programmed to work in contact with patients, I'd recommend that you try her out in rotations with the humanoid staff," she said. "Give her a full range of experiences to work with. I think you'll find she's very adaptive."

[Kazahan]

Kazahan tried. He really did. He'd tried listening to the conversation and many other small things that wouldn't impede Matea's chances.

But that button was so inviting.

"Give her a full range of experiences to work with. I think you'll find she's very adaptive."

At that moment, an alarm rang out throughout the hospital and room, a ear splitting noise that repeated itself three times quickly and then allowed a short pause before starting over again.

"So that's what it does," Kazahan grunted.

[MA7-E4]

Matea's secondary systems had continued to plague her through the meeting, the concern that she had registered had ebbed away since the Jedi Master had seemed satisfied. The decision to allow her a medical uniform had elicited another burst of coding from the invasive systems, though she did not have the necessary comparisons to understand it's meanings. It was certainly not concern or fear as she had previously experienced. <br><br>She found it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the distraction to the current situation which Kazahan was engaging in, and once the siren began to blare loud and repeated, her attention turned fully, watching the Jedi Padathingy, who seemed to be almost pleased to discover what the button that had fascinated him so actually accomplished. <br><br><em>// Sound register 97 decibel // WARNING !! Continued exposure to high decibel levels put optimal audial parameters at risk //</em><br><br>She glanced at the Jedi, and then Suri expectantly.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

The response time was quick. Just under four minutes. The speeder truck's retrothrust screamed bringing it to a halt outside the infirmary. Major Verratoa was already boots on the ground, pistol drawn as four Jaanni'saari marines followed suit with heavier rifles in tow. They pushed aside an onlooker in an efficiency of movement as they stormed through the front of the medical ward, fanning out to cover any possible threat angles.

"Si'en daa!" One of the shaven-headed males barked out, reluctantly lowering his rifle into cautious guard as he checked down to his superior, who was already holstering her pistol in annoyance.

Untaaura's eyes locked onto Kazahan, a stormy expression on her face.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

"Gah! Don't shoot, for Garfife's sake!"

Suriyesh, her large ears still ringing from the unprovoked sonic assault, ducked against the counter as the front door flooded with Cizerack commandos.

[Serena Laran]

Serena stepped between the intruding Cizerack marines and the others in the waiting room. "This is not necessary, Major. I have told you before that the Jedi are quite capable of handling their own security." She caught the look the woman was giving the unflappable Kazahan, and straightened even more, her six foot height completely overshadowing the diminutive Cizerack. "If I find you have been harassing our padawans again we will have to revisit the terms of your welcome here on Ossus. Major."

[Kazahan]

"Hello!" Kazahan shouted at the Cizerack. "This one is pleased to see you! Could you speak up? There is a ringing in Kazahan's ears that is making it impossible to hear you!"

Kazahan took a few steps forward, past Master Laran.

"Master, this my friend, Untaaura! She is very serious, please don't hold it against her."

It was obvious he meant that last bit as a quiet aside, but instead had said it just as loudly as everything else he'd been saying.

[MA7-E4]

The droid filed this all away, head tilting to one side as her expressive facial servos seemed to make her appear bemused by the spectacle. Her attention returning to Suriyesh, who had ducked beneath a counter, she bent down to her owner, first registering concern for the Munjan.

The decibel level was briefly quite dangerous to individuals with advanced hearing capabilities. Do you require any medical assistance, Miss? She would ask the others in turn if she were able. Starting with Kazahan, who was likely to have had similar problems with the sound levels. If the conflict occurring between the Cizerak forces and the Jedi Master was alleviated within that time frame she would then offer assistance to those parties as well.

Kazahan the Jedi Padathingy indicated that he was associated with the one commanding the Cizerak marines, Jedi Padathingys seemed to lead very interesting lives.

[Untaaura Verratoa]

Major Verratoa stood stock still in the face of the rebuke from the Jedi Master, only registering annoyance when Kazahan again spoke up by her ears sweeping back slightly.

"jI underrsstand, Massterr Jedji."

Even in bowing her head deferentially she was martial in her apology. The action was crisp and curt.

"Pleasse accept mjy apologjy forr the jintrrussjion."

Untaaura raised her head, again looking up at the much taller woman, not daring to spare the Trianii a passing glance at the risk of spoiling any remaining good feelings.

[Serena Laran]

"Of course," said Serena. She laid a hand on Kazahan's arm, hoping to calm the exuberant Trianii. "I do appreciate your willingness to protect the camp, Major Verratoa." She smiled at the much smaller woman.

[Suriyesh Rajinaathra]

Suriyesh considered the merits of staying hunkered down until she was absolutely sure the lobby was free of trigger-happy felinoids, but she was beginning to feel rather foolish. Not to mention she was worrying Matea. She accepted the droid's hand in lifting herself back onto her feet and offered Untaaura a shrug of apology.

"I'm fine, Matea, thanks," she said. "As long as Bright-Eyes over there can keep from tripping any more alarms. Now, where were we again? The, um, doctors?"

[Kazahan]

"What?" Kazahan asked loudly, seeing Raji look at him while saying something, but the ringing in his ears hadn't dulled one bit. "This one cannot hear you. Speak up!"

[MA7-E4]

Her oculars went to Jedi Padathingy Kazahan as he spoke, and with the assurance that Miss Suriyesh was alright, she stood and approached him, hand softly resting on his forearm to announce her arrival, beckoning him to lean down so she could examine his ears. It was likely unnecessary to speak to him, as he had indicated that he could not hear. She would need to ascertain the amount of potential damage, it may be minor, but all injures should be treated with the same level of severity until the exact condition was known.