Common Advice

[Kay-Larr]

Kay hadn't had a personal advisor for a while. Although she still had Veiere, he was busy with his Praxeum and she knew that he would carry the mantle of King with reluctance. So rather than press him or trouble him, she decided to seek out someone to fulfill the position. As of late she had been getting a fair bit of trouble from some people and she needed to be able to delegate her tasks better and without worry.

A recent assault on her person during a diplomatic meeting was also a cause for concern. And now that Commenor has expanded it's reach to six other worlds in their sector, she needed more help. The threat of war was ever encroaching, hostile forces expanding their reach across the Galaxy. Although the Commenori and it's forces stay home, Kay needed to be certain that her choices were the best ones. She couldn't always rely on her gut instinct.

Through some talks among others, it was suggested that she gave an AI a try. So why not? Through word of mouth Kay set forth a message, suggesting a meeting for possible employment.

There was much that she was planning and preparing for, celebrations, coronations, promotions and the like. So most of her time was spent in her office, stuck at her desk with her Sapir tea and paperwork. Hopefully the AI would reach her Palace in Chasin City without much trouble. But one never knows.

[member="Harvey"]

 

[Harvey]

"Right this way, sir."

Unit HV-3YA, known as Harvey by all except a few, strode into Kay's office in smooth, perfect steps that seemed somewhat stiff. He was dressed in his usual suit and tie, a blood-red silk thing that reflected the light of the room. His face was calm and composed, showing no emotion whatsoever, and his ice-blue eyes stared straight into the leader of Commenor's soul for a second before he made a crisp bow, then returned to his full height.

"Good afternoon, my lady. I am Harvey. I am answering your summons for an advisor."

With that said, the android briefly examined his surroundings. It was a fine office, fit for labor. His olfactory detectors sensed a whiff of tea. Sapir.

"Ah, Sapir tea. Aromatic. Fragrant, almost. It does smell lovely."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay's assistant Olivia had let [member="Harvey"] inside. Afterwards she closed the door behind her to give the two privacy.

Harvey was not quite what she expected. He looked real enough, and Kay just had to look to see if he was breathing, or if he blinked. His gaze bore into her own, which were coloured by contacts to hide the remaining hints of corruption inside them. Whether or not he could see that was beyond her. As always her Force signature was shrunk to that of a small tree nut. She had a habit of doing that as her secret of being a Force User wasn't publicly known just yet. And she wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.

She raised a brow as Harvey commented on her tea. He was able to smell it? How interesting. She wondered what else he could do, if he was capable of drinking and eating as well. Kay folded her hands on top of her desk and smiled at him. "Thank you for coming so quickly Harvey. And yes, Sapir tea is my favourite, though I'm sure that that's common knowledge. Would you care to sit down and tell me of your past experiences as an advisor? Keep in mind that we are a neutral world, so it doesn't matter to me which side you've worked for. All that matters is that you're on my side here."

 

[Harvey]

"Very well."

Harvey briskly moved to the chair opposite of Lady Kay. With pinpoint precision, he pulled it out and took a seat, all done in a fluid, robotic manner. He sat straight, hands clasped on his knees, still looking into Kay's eyes. The android spoke in a polite, monotone voice, void of emotion.

"I served Senator Dawnset in my previous commission. We were located in the Core of the galaxy. I advised him on various political, tactical, and cultural issues. I also served as a security element for the senator and his family. I was installed with several combative programs. This, coupled with the advantages given by my durasteel exoskeleton, brings the probability of myself successfully engaging and terminating an opponent to 92.9 percent. I am proficient in the use of most weapons, excluding lightsabers. Is there anything else you would like to know?"

HV-3YA continued looking into the queen's eyes, face a blank mask. His photoreceptors picked up an anomaly around Kay's eyes. Contact lenses, designed to alter the color of the wearer's eyes. Interesting.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay watched as [member="Harvey"] sat down. The fluidity of his movements is what gave it all away that he was a highly advanced machine. That and his unwavering stare. She just couldn't maintain his gaze. It was a little unnerving.

She nodded as Harvey layed out his experiences. Working for a Senator was close enough to what she needed. Kay used to be a Senator for the Republic, afterall. "Sounds good so far. What about negotiations? Had your previous employers ever left you to handle certain political or security matters on your own?" People in her employ were given some level of independence. Only the very important issues were brought her way. It was all part of the delegation of her tasks to ease her stress and maintain her sanity. Post traumatic stress was quite unpredictable in it's side effects. Although she was getting better, there were times when she didn't quite have it all together.

 

[Harvey]

"I was responsible for about 88.3 percent of the planet's defense force. We were not invaded during my time as advisor, but there were several pirate raids and attacks that we managed to crush with ease. Furthermore, I would often represent the Senator on his behalf when he was not available for negotiations and other diplomatic meetings. It is all part of my programming. It's what I was created for."

Harvey watched as Kay's glance shifted. The dilation in her pupils and the sudden raise of her skin's temperature gave away the fact that she was unnerved.

"Do I make you nervous? I apologize."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded. Pirate raids, most especially by the Jackals were the most that they had to worry about. She could never think of why [member="Thraxis"] hated her so much to build such a rivalry. Maybe it was because she had escaped him during their first encounter? But she had help by one of his own. There were times when she had needed him and his skills, but those times were rare. He really knew how to get under her skin.

[member="Harvey"] seemed to be exactly what she was looking for. Perhaps she would give him a try. His sudden apology made after he pointed out that he made her a bit nervous was surprising. Yet maybe it shouldn't be. He was staring so much that there was no doubt that he was studying her. He would have to get to know her habits, afterall.

She picked up her tea, cradling the cup in both of her hands. It was her bringer of comfort. "It's okay...It's just that people don't often stare so much." And of course she had things to hide. What politician or head of state was without secrets? Kay sipped her tea. "Is there anything that you would require for this position? You'll have your own room of course, your own office, and of course a salary. But is there anything else that you would request?"

 

[Harvey]

"I would ask that the primary holder of the room would be my companion, Elsa Dawnset. Furthermore, the salary may go to her as well. I have no need for money. In addition, I would require a maintenance station, one that can produce and repair synthskin and maintain my exoskeleton. Other than that, I have no further requests."

Harvey blinked once. He was pleased that this job would be able to support Elsa and her rather lavish lifestyle she was used to.

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement."

A thin smile crossed his face. It didn't go up to his eyes. It was fake enough to make people wary, but real enough to pass off as just being an insincere smile. The android wasn't made to articulate human emotions. He was made to analyze and advise. Anything else was secondary to his primary focus. In fact, HV-3YA had thought several times of just removing the synthskin that ran on top of his true body, but Elsa argued against it. Him appearing human made it a lot easier for people to relate and listen to the droid. So he kept the skin.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow slightly at the mention of a companion. Though it shouldn't be too surprising. Afterall, she had been told that people had favoured herself and [member="Ultimatum"] getting together. Although the memories of her past friendship with the droid were torn from her mind, she knew enough.

"Elsa Dawnset...She'll have to meet with Security and be given the right credentials to grant her access. Your maintenance station can be set up easily enough."

She got to her feet, setting down her tea as she held out her hand for him to shake."Welcome aboard. Have you heard anything about the way we run Commenor with regards to outside governments and superpowers?" It was best to find out what [member="Harvey"] knew first, and then fill him in on the rest.

 

[Harvey]

Harvey put a cold hand in Kay's and gave a firm handshake. A little too firm, actually.

"Of course. Commenor is not a military power, nor does she seek to expand physical borders. Rather, under your rule, the planet's influence and political clout has expanded to the local system, earning connections and valuable trade routes. It's a political and diplomatic expansion rather than an armed one. I can appreciate the subtlety of such a method. Most impressive...for an organic, that is."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

The first thing that she noticed was how cold his hand was. Then there was the grip. Kay winced a little from it, but the handshake didn't last long.

When [member="Harvey"] let go, she sat back down and rubbed her hand, massaging the knuckles and the tendons while he spoke of how he viewed the way that Commenor worked with other governments. She smirked a little as he called her an organic. He certainly wasn't the first to do so, nor would he be the last. "That's right. There's no reason to go to war but to protect ourselves in case we are attacked. We also treat all outside governments equally, even with trade agreements. We can't favour one side over the other lest we lose our neutrality. But if they are to break our laws while in our territory, they will get the boot, so to speak, and lose all their access rights."

 

[Harvey]

Harvey nodded knowingly, agreeing with the Queen of Commenor.

"Of course. The planetary law must be upheld, especially in a neutral world. Otherwise, other galactic powers and organizations may see Commenor as a recourse to be exploited. I will ensure that your planet will remain a place of refuge."

The android adjusted his tie, then pulled his jacket forward to straighten it.

"I trust that my nature as a human replica droid will remain a closely guarded secret in these halls? In my past experiences, those who know that I am a droid tend to act differently around myself and my companion. There seems to be a galactic bias that droids are tools and machinery, not capable of free thought or comprehending emotion."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

To his first comment, Kay nodded, glad that he fully understood how things worked here. "Thank you, [member="Harvey"] . I consider it very fortunate to have found you. I hope that your service here is both long and pleasant."

To his request, she picked up her tea and had a sip, resting her elbows on her desk and holding her cup within both hands. "Your secret is safe with me. We all have our secrets, and I respect everyone's rights to have them. One of our strongest supporters is [member="Ultimatum"] , a droid that is much more than what he seems. Him and I used to be quite close before I was abducted and lost many memories of those that I cared about. We are slowly progressing into getting that friendship back. Life takes many different forms, Harvey. In more ways than we can imagine."

 

[Harvey]

"Yes, I've heard of this Ultimatum. I am glad you are allied with him."

To Lady Kay's last sentence, a small semblance of a smile crossed the android's face.

"I thank you for your kind words. It is hard to find such understanding organics. I will serve you well, my lady."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smiled in return and bowed her head. "You're welcome. So when shall I meet this companion of yours? I like to know everyone that lives and works in my Palace."

That was true. She didn't feel comfortable with being surrounded by strangers in her own home. More than likely no one would.

[member="Harvey"]

 

[Harvey]

"I can summon her right now. Elsa, dear, come over to Lady Kay's office. I'm sure the staff will be more than happy to point you in the right way."

The last bit was relayed into a miniature comlink built into Harvey's wrist. Elsa would receive the message and begin making her way over to the two. Meanwhile, Harvey had statements and analyses to be made.

"My sensors detect that you wear colored contacts. If I may ask, what is the purpose of the lenses? On a similar note, may I inquire about the details of your abduction?"

The android gave a curious, almost scientific glance to Kay, wanting his questions to be answered.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Elsa would indeed be shown the way to Kay's office.

She sipped her tea and then slowly put the cup down onto her desk when [member="Harvey"] inquired about her contact lenses and her abduction. How much should she tell? Sure he entrusted her with a secret, but there were certain levels of trust to be earned. Kay decided just to tell some of the truth. No lying, just not all of the details. "I wear the contacts because I don't like the colour of my eyes. And as for my abduction...I was captured in the Twin Canyons. My guards were killed by my abductor and I was held for months, tortured and then returned. I suffer from some post traumatic stress because of it, yet I'm working on having it fixed." She was thankful that she hadn't really seen her abductor ever since. Would she stop others from wanting to kill him? No.

 

[Harvey]

"I understand. If at any time you require psychological counseling, I have several programs downloaded that can help-"

"Harv!"

Elsa Dawnset entered the office, skipping around happily. She came to the android's side and gave a curtsy to Lady Kay.

"Hello, Your Majesty. I'm Elsa Dawnset. Before you ask, I'm human. Harvey rescued me from one very nasty Senator who called himself my father."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay hated to talk about what had happened to her. The non-stop pain, the starvation, every torment that she could think of was set on her in those months and at times it still gave her nightmares. But she had to put those aside in order to keep the government going.

Elsa soon arrived. Whether or not she had meant to cut [member="Harvey"] off remained to be seen. Kay offered the lady a bow of her head. "Pleased to meet you. Harvey rescued you, did he? That sounds like quite the tale. Would you care for some Sapir tea?"

She loved stories, especially those of mystery and adventure. Her own life was growing more and more secluded. But maybe that was a good thing.

 

[Harvey]

"Oh, I love sapir tea! I'll take a cup."

Elsa sat down while Harvey stood behind the woman, hands clasped behind his back.

"My father was a very controlling man. He never seemed to have time to spend with his family, but he had no problem telling us what to do. Of course, he didn't seem to be too keen on the fact that Harvey was spending time with me. He had little regard for droids, even though Harv basically reduced his work load to zero. One night he started beating me! Harv stepped in and nearly broke the bastard's neck without even trying!"

"In actuality, I was meaning to incapacitate. I used controlled pressure on the windpipe to dissuade Senator Dawnset from attacking any further. I had failed to calculate the weakness of his spine. It was a slight error, but it nearly cost the senator his life."

[member="Lady Kay"]