The Tinker and the Nandroid Chapter 3

"How's the new arm joint working for you, Lawrence?" Thomas asked the Outmode sitting in front of him, dusting off his hands as he did.

The Tennis Instructor Android flexed their arm before letting out an appreciative whistle. "Like brand new! what do I owe you, Thomas?"

Lawrence was an older model of Sports Instruction Android, body lithe and flexible with a simplistic face that gave the impression of a smiling face, bits and pieces of his body obviously scuffed or aged from his time living on the streets as an Outmode.

"Same as usual Lawrence, and make sure to take it easy on that arm for a few weeks, if you overextend that joint again I might need to replace the entire arm below it," Thomas warned, before accepting the offered money from the outmode. "and if anyone asks you who fixed you up be sure to send them my way!"

"I always do, and thank you again Thomas!" Lawrence replied, tipping his head as he got up from his seat, only to stop when he saw Ellery walk into the room.

"Oh, Thomas, I wasn't aware that you'd taken on a Nandroid!" Lawrence said as he adjusted his sweater vest. "But how could you afford one, they cost as much as a new car?"

"How poor do you think I am? Anyways, she's a trade in, owner decided to sell her to me at a markdown rather than resell to Sterling," Thomas explained, before nodding his head in Lawrence's direction. "Ellery, meet Lawrence, he used to be the personal trainer to Adriazia Bellanova prior to her retirement. Lawrence, this is Ellery, she's a peach."

"I was one of her trainers, yes, but please don't fluff up my importance," Lawrence deflected fondly "Madame Bellanova was a luminary, even without my training she would have been a superstar."

"It is a pleasure, when I had heard that Mr. West worked on Outmodes I had assumed they would be a more unruly or unseemly sort, My apologies for having such low expectations," Ellery said simply, only slightly rising an eyebrow when Lawrence laughed in response.

"I can see what you mean when you say that she's a peach Thomas, never have I been so politely insulted by a Nandroid!" Lawrence snickered. "You certainly do have a way of letting oddballs of all sorts into your life, has she met Rumpert yet?"

"Goodness no, and if I have any say in it they'll never meet at all," Thomas replied with a tired shake of his head. "I can barely tolerate Rumpert and his moods, and I'd scarcely wish to inflict his particular personality onto Ellery."

"If I may be so bold as to ask, who is Rumpert?" Ellery asked, a tinge of curiosity bleeding into her usual monotone.

"An old Curmudgeon of a Warbot who I have the displeasure of performing maintenance on," Thomas informed as he scratched at his beard. "He is remarkably unpleasant."

"Oh you love him," Lawrence said with a smirk in his voice that didn't carry over to his face. "You can claim that it's just because he's a living piece of history until you're blue in the face, he's like the old grumpy grandpa that you never had."

"More like the half blind old dog you keep around because he belonged to your grandfather," Thomas shot back with a roll of his eyes. "If I have to hear about how he saved my Father's life in the war one more time I'm going to scream."

"Your father was a military man, Mr. West?" Ellery asked flatly, somehow giving you an expectant look without changing her expression. "I would love to hear more."

"Not much to say really, Dad signed up young, went to war and when he came back he brought Rumpert with him and married my mom," Thomas replied flippantly. "Most of what I learned about robotics starting out was from keeping that overgrown toaster running."

"The two of them can bicker for hours about nothing, it's fascinating to see in person," Lawrence informed impishly.

"Bah, quiet you!" Thomas grumbles "Your joint is all fixed up and I have important work to do, so go on! Get!"

Lawrence easily dodges out of the way of you dope slap, and with the grace of a tennis master bounds out of the office, laughing all the way.

"No respect," the Tinker complains out loud. "No respect at all!"

"I have nothing but respect for you, Mr. West," Ellery says flatly, but there seems to be an undercurrent of playful mockery to it.

"If you respect me you'd call me Thomas instead of Mr. West," he replied flatly.

"Of course Mr. West, would you care to have your Lunch now?" Ellery asked, staying stone-faced as Thomas groaned.

"Fine, Fine, we can discuss what we'll be shopping for tomorrow as well," Thomas replied with a roll of his eyes. "Will we be needing anything outside of more food?"

Following behind as the two of them left the Lab, Ellery seemed to consider the question.

"We are running low on laundry detergent, but otherwise are not lacking in any necessities at the moment," Ellery replied evenly.

"Is there anything that you would want specifically?" Thomas inquired probingly. "As long as it isn't super expensive I don't mind getting you a couple of things, Ellery."

Ellery seemed to consider this as she walked next to him, and remained silent even as Thomas received his lunch from the fridge and began to eat.

"I'd like a new vacuum, if it isn't an issue," She finally said, a finger to her chin. "The model we have currently is somewhat ancient."

Doing some quick math in his head, Thomas smiled. "I think that is something that could easily be arranged," Thomas said. "though, if you'd prefer I can just make you one from scratch!"

"No, thank you," Ellery rejected flatly.

"Gah, like I said, no respect!" Thomas groused, missing the faint smile that ghosted across Ellery's face.