Tess Holt (fairplay) wrote,
@ 2011-09-11 01:40:00

It's been a couple of weeks. Tess has been impressed by how quickly Steven's adjusted. Still, idle hands...

Tess's came through the communication system to Steven. "Flash? Gym, please. Now."

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madeofgoesfast
2011-09-11 04:11 am UTC (link)

Tess has, unsurprisingly, figured things out even quicker in handling Steven. He does ok most of the time, while still having occasional issues with sequential events, remembering what happened when, and, while not harmful, countertops and other obstacles still get phased through, but he's remembering doors almost 80 percent of the time.

He also does very well responding when called - as long as there's a call, and not an expectation to show up at a particular time.

He appears in the gym about the time she's finishing saying "Now."

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	fairplay 2011-09-11 04:18 am UTC (link)
	Tess, standing in front of a ridiculously elaborate series of obstacles courses with a speed-chess clock beside it. She nods. "Good to see you. Everything okay?" There's something very perfunctory about the way she asks what should be pleasantries, but she's sincere. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	madeofgoesfast 2011-09-11 04:43 am UTC (link)
	"Everything's great, thanks. Everything good on your side?" he asks, while considering the obstacle course. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

fairplay
2011-09-11 04:48 am UTC (link)

"Yes, thank you. I wanted you to give something a shot for me. It never hurts to work on sequentialness, so I've got a bit of a Rube Goldburg thing going here. The course needs to be completed in a set order, as one moved thing affects another."

She lays it all out precisely in terms of what needs to be done when. "Before you start, hit the clock here. As soon as it's all completed, hit it again, just for the data -- and to keep up the practice of doing things in order. Okay?"

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	madeofgoesfast 2011-09-11 04:50 am UTC (link)
	He nods, aware enough of his difficulties in a fixed time environment to get why this is important. He repeats it internally a couple times, then hits the clock, heading for the events, in order, as fast as he can, trying not to get lost in what happened when. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

fairplay
2011-09-11 05:00 am UTC (link)

Tess looks like she's watching as he triggers the first few pieces of equipment in the appropriate order, but even when he has to do some work concentrating, he's faster than her human eyes can really follow.

Eleven out of thirteen components go perfectly, but he makes a slight mistake on the twelfth, and the makeshift gate at the thirteenth point is still blocking his way when he makes it there.

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madeofgoesfast
2011-09-11 05:05 am UTC (link)

Thankfully, problem solving and puzzles are easier for figuring out than remembering what he did or didn't do, or when he did them. Time delay triggers are a pain.

He goes back to undo everything to the point that he's sure he has right, and tries again - this time, instead of trying to count off his own seconds on the two second delay, he runs into the Brownstone's upper floor, finds one of the old guard's clocks, lets it tick off two seconds, and comes back to trigger the last item.

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	fairplay 2011-09-11 05:10 am UTC (link)
	Okay, that Tess saw. Well, not the act itself, precisely, but the reversal and Steven's sudden disappearance. This time it works perfectly, and when he hits the timer, she smiles a little. "Six seconds, and you weren't even in the room for two of them. Nice. I see you figured out waht went wrong." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	madeofgoesfast 2011-09-11 05:14 am UTC (link)
	He nods. "I love puzzles. As soon as it became an issue of reverse engineering the problem, it got easier. The second time through, it was also repetition... which helps. If I did it again, I could probably get it down to four and a half seconds or so, with the clock." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fairplay 2011-09-11 05:16 am UTC (link)
	Tess listens with interest. "Four and a half? Let's see it. For efficiency's sake, if you could reset it for me before you hit the clock?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

madeofgoesfast
2011-09-11 05:21 am UTC (link)

He nods, taking a split instant to play out the sequence in his mind, turn it into a puzzle again, looking at each step like an individual problem which must be solved correctly instead of purely like a sequence of events. He resets the course in order to help get the sequence down, then hits the clock after returning to the starting area and getting her confirmation that she's ready.

He has to run upstairs to check the clock again, but doesn't wait quite the full two seconds upstairs, instead moving back down to the gym as the clock is ticking off the second second to save himself time.

The last obstacle slides into place, and he hits the timer stop at 4.47 seconds.

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	fairplay 2011-09-11 05:26 am UTC (link)
	Tess notes it. "4.47. Well, as a great man once said... Satisfactory." She smiles at him. "Have you eaten lunch yet?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	madeofgoesfast 2011-09-11 05:28 am UTC (link)
	"I'll work on improving it... though I have a feeling you'll change it up next time. And... lunch? Is it that time already?" He tries to recall. "Breakfast, I think. And a couple snacks. I'm pretty sure my last lunch was yesterday. You?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fairplay 2011-09-11 07:39 am UTC (link)
	She has to keep reminding herself it's not taking advantage. She's given him every possible edge. She still can't believe she got herself into this. She'd meant the original comment as a joke, rarely though she made them. "Black," she says, watching him intently. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	madeofgoesfast 2011-09-11 07:41 am UTC (link)
	He nods, turning the black side to her, and making his first move, while making an effort to keep a strict poker face. Or, rather, vibrating his features fast enough that no cold reader would be able to pick out any distinctive reaction. To have a chance, he needs every edge he can fairly get, and he knows it. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fairplay 2011-09-11 07:45 am UTC (link)
	Tess, of course, has a pretty good poker face the old-fashioned way, although the nature of the wagers is making her bring the A- version instead of the A version to the board. Still, she's no squealing schoolgirl. She moves with both forethought and efficiency. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fairplay 2011-09-11 08:07 am UTC (link)
	Wait, that was a new defense. So what was the stratagem before about? She scrambles to regroup a new plan, but she's off now, and he's got his defenses going. Suddenly, it's not about when she wins anymore. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fairplay 2011-09-11 08:16 am UTC (link)
	The next four moves unfold in her minds eye. Unless he does something stupid, checkmate. She plays it out to the end, though, just in case. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	madeofgoesfast 2011-09-11 08:18 am UTC (link)
	He's careful both to not look or act cocky in the least... and to make sure he makes no errors once he has her on the ropes. "Checkmate." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fairplay 2011-09-11 08:20 am UTC (link)
	And so it is. But before ... oh. "You totally played me. You'll regret that, Mr. Garrick." And indeed, the shirt comes off. "Reset, please." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)