Mat is frowning at the back of a cake mix box when he walks in. It's one of those vanilla-with-confetti-speck cakes. And chocolate frosting in the other hand.
He stops when he notices Gene. Looks at the donut.
"Yeah," Gene says, eyeing the cake mix. "Same idea you've got, from the looks of things, but until someone gives me a bloody job or the ability to use the oven without something catching fire, it's the best I can do. If you're planning on doing better, by all means, spare me the humiliation."
Yes, he's a bit growly about that, but it's not like he's given Torchwood much reason to take him on lately.
Mat makes a bit of a face. "Uh... yeah. I asked Marshall for some money and a ride to the store."
He pauses, scratching the back of his neck. "Um... I think I can manage this if you know how to grease a pan? Otherwise, I'll have to go grab my laptop..."
It's not at all clear what the hell Torchwood's new robot has been doing, exactly, or if it's just been wandering aimlessly around the Tower, but it seems to have wandered into the kitchen.
Not far into the kitchen, granted. It's hanging back by the wall, watching Mat and Gene attempt baking but offering no input either way.
Mat, at some point when the cake's finally made it to the oven, notices the new robot. And gapes for a moment.
Because... dude. It's a FUCKING ROBOT.
He walks over, wide-eyed. The robot is a tiny bit shorter than him, but most humanoids (other than Charlie) are. "Uh... hey. Do you come in peace and all?"
The robot looks up - not a lot, as Mat is only an inch or two taller than it, but considering that it's somewhere in the vicinity of 6'3", that's still a feat - and scans him quickly, widening the box-scan to include Gene as well. Then it loads the preprogrammed response it's so very good at.
{Identified: Torchwood temporary adjunct, Wallace, Matthew. This unit identifies as Chula Antipersonnel Armour completion ID D1747ч. File access: Dossier:Causal/programmed:008 Response loaded: MISSION ORDERS: This unit has arrived to provide support and assistance in general Torchwood operations ; PASSIVE MISSION ORDERS: This unit will obey to the best of its ability instructions posed by Torchwood personnel and entities indicated to be in command or adjunct posture by Torchwood personnel ; SUPPLEMENTAL PARADOX WARNING: This unit has been requisitioned after review of immediate timeline and cannot impact controlling timeline events ; Additional information request YES/NO ?}
Sam was just coming down to the kitchen to grab some sort of food before going back to his office and... to be honest, obsess over things he probably won't be able to fix or change.
However, when upon reaching the kitchen, he finds a gathering consisting of Gene, Mat, and the local robot (no, the other one), as well as the smell of smoke in the air... a quick trip downstairs does not actually seem likely. "...I hesitate to ask just what's happening here."
"Happy birthday," Gene says, with just a faint hint of irony. "Don't expect me to bleedin' sing, though. He," and he points at Mat, "made cake. I, ah... Saved you a donut, since, contrary to what the robot used to think, no one's actually hired me, so it's not like I've got any money to do this proper." He indicates the donut with the candle in.
While Gene is speaking, the robot's started clicking. It might be processing something. It might be the audio equivalent of elipsing, just to let anyone who cares know that there's a message coming when it gets over its infernal lag time. It might be neither of those things.
After a second, though, it manages a simple {Custom message activate: Happy birthday, Sam.}
Then it stands there, like it's not so sure what it's supposed to do in this situation. How it gets that across is anyone's guess, as it's not moving and its posture is the same as always when it's just standing there.
Then it turns and walks out the door before anyone has any real opportunity to react.
Mat blinks at the robot a little. "Oooookay." Then he turns back to Sam and smiles hopefully. "Um. I made a cake. It kinda got burnt and I haven't had a chance to put the frosting on and we had to use olive oil 'cause we couldn't find vegetable oil, but..."
He just looks so hopeful. Like maybe this'll cheer Sam up a bit, even if the cake didn't turn out well.
Mat has a bit of a crusade to make sure people he cares about don't have crappy birthdays. It's a neurosis, don't question it.
Comments 41
He stops when he notices Gene. Looks at the donut.
"Um... Sam's birthday?"
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Yes, he's a bit growly about that, but it's not like he's given Torchwood much reason to take him on lately.
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He pauses, scratching the back of his neck. "Um... I think I can manage this if you know how to grease a pan? Otherwise, I'll have to go grab my laptop..."
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"...Grease it with what?"
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Not far into the kitchen, granted. It's hanging back by the wall, watching Mat and Gene attempt baking but offering no input either way.
Hey, it's a robot. What do you want from it?
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Because... dude. It's a FUCKING ROBOT.
He walks over, wide-eyed. The robot is a tiny bit shorter than him, but most humanoids (other than Charlie) are. "Uh... hey. Do you come in peace and all?"
Reply
{Identified: Torchwood temporary adjunct, Wallace, Matthew. This unit identifies as Chula Antipersonnel Armour completion ID D1747ч. File access: Dossier:Causal/programmed:008 Response loaded: MISSION ORDERS: This unit has arrived to provide support and assistance in general Torchwood operations ; PASSIVE MISSION ORDERS: This unit will obey to the best of its ability instructions posed by Torchwood personnel and entities indicated to be in command or adjunct posture by Torchwood personnel ; SUPPLEMENTAL PARADOX WARNING: This unit has been requisitioned after review of immediate timeline and cannot impact controlling timeline events ; Additional information request YES/NO ?}
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Beat.
"Wait, whaddaya mean 'temporary'?" he asks, a bit insulted. "I'm Sam Tyler's guardian angel. It's sort of a lifetime commitment!"
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However, when upon reaching the kitchen, he finds a gathering consisting of Gene, Mat, and the local robot (no, the other one), as well as the smell of smoke in the air... a quick trip downstairs does not actually seem likely. "...I hesitate to ask just what's happening here."
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After a second, though, it manages a simple {Custom message activate: Happy birthday, Sam.}
Then it stands there, like it's not so sure what it's supposed to do in this situation. How it gets that across is anyone's guess, as it's not moving and its posture is the same as always when it's just standing there.
Then it turns and walks out the door before anyone has any real opportunity to react.
Reply
He just looks so hopeful. Like maybe this'll cheer Sam up a bit, even if the cake didn't turn out well.
Mat has a bit of a crusade to make sure people he cares about don't have crappy birthdays. It's a neurosis, don't question it.
Reply
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