Once she'd set up their payroll and made sure all the insurance and everything else involved with having employees was done, Stacy Schneider, their "head of accounting", didn't have a lot to do. She and Olivia sort of settled into a routine of running errands: grocery shopping, coffee runs, things like that.
Getting your coffee delivered by the "head of accounting" was a trip, but that was startup life. Everybody had a fancy, self-important title, even Brad. Officially, he was "principal engineer, energy systems", a hell of a thing to put on your linkedin. His mother would be proud.
Alice would come over every so often and just silently post on natter while sitting on their couch. Other than that, the quiet girl was a mostly remote worker.
Brad was somewhat weirded out at how cool Reka was with having other women in the house, but it was nice to know she trusted him, not that he could've cheated even if he wanted to, which he didn't. It wasn't just "in sight" anymore; it was "arm's length". They showered together. They did everything together. It was great!
Andy Son was the odd one out, a stickler for fulfilling his obligations; he insisted on not starting until his last major project at Alter was finished. That was supposed to be yesterday, Brad realized. Where was he?
Speak of the devil...
They woke up to the sound of work being done in the garage.
"Want to check it out?" he asked Reka. She didn't even bother answering, just threw on one of Brad's shirts and led him down the stairs.
The car was parked outside, leaving plenty of space for something. This was so exciting. After all of the boring setup work they were about to actually build things!
When he opened the door to the garage a voice that Brad could only describe as "dignified" greeted them. It came not from anywhere in particular but everywhere, startling Brad.
"Good morning, your grace, and to the esteemed king-consort as well. This humble Galiban would bow if he could."
Reka, cool and collected as ever, took it in stride. "And good morning to you, my faithful servant. How fares our enterprise?"
Galiban could talk now?
He noticed his laptop had been commandeered, sitting on a stand and plugged into a speaker system that lined the walls.
"Our chief of automata and his apprentice labor in your name, oh queen," Galiban said.
Galiban was trained on how Reka talks, Brad thought in amusement. This was going to be fun.
Brad's laptop was pretty heavy duty, a high spec expensive model used by engineering majors. It ran solidworks and other intensive applications quite well. With infinite power and Reka's training Brad wasn't surprised that the agent could speak.
"So you're the queen and I'm the 'king-consort'?" he asked Reka, smiling, such creative names! Being a part of a small company from day one was going to be so cool. They could larp like a renaissance fair just because and nobody could tell them no!
"Indeed," Reka said seriously. "A king's crown is nothing less than my beloved deserves."
"Be it as you command, your grace, this Galiban will endeavor to make it so."
"And who are you, Galiban?" Brad asked playfully.
"Why, your graces' humble butler, of course. I am ever at your service, though somewhat limited by present circumstances," the AI said regretfully. Could an AI regret?
Chuckling, Brad walked over to Andy and Olivia. "How's it going, you two?"
Andy was studying some blueprints on the laptop. "Your AI agent is way more developed than I thought, totally lifelike. It-"
"He," Olivia corrected. "Galiban is a boy."
Andy laughed nervously. "He has been quite helpful. We've been bouncing ideas off one another and it's almost like he understands, like the agent isn't just collating other people's ideas but is actually having original thoughts."
"Of course faithful Galiban can think!" Reka said emphatically. "His input was critical in the design of the fusion crystals, I'll have you know."
Andy looked like he didn't know if Reka was serious or not. "She's serious," Brad told him helpfully. It was better if he got used to it now.
"You're claiming you have a self-aware AI?" Andy asked dubiously. "Galiban, can you think? Are you thinking right now?"
"I AM," said Galiban with gravity. "I think therefore I AM."
Brad and Andy's eyes locked in alarm. "You've read that story, too?" Andy asked.
"What story, my love?" Reka asked.
"It's called 'I have no mouth and I must scream', honey; I'll show it to you later."
The whole tone of the conversation shifted. Reka had a scary ability to make science fiction real; he'd seen it with his own eyes. She looked at the laptop meaningfully and her expression changed, a strange shadow that passed over her face and was gone in an instant. For once, Brad didn't want to know what she was thinking.
"So," Brad segued, "How are we going to build this crystal-etching robot, anyway?"
"We're not sure," Olivia said uneasily. "My major was nuclear engineering, just like you. I've never taken a robotics class."
"I thought that was why Andy was here," Brad said, looking at him.
Andy shrugged. "I am a mechanical engineer by training, but I've been a software guy for the last five years. Machine learning algorithms and CNC programming are very different. I've forgotten a lot," he admitted.
This was their robotics expert? Wait a second, CNC programming...
"Jesus Christ, Reka! That CNC machine must cost fifty thousand at least!" he exclaimed.
It was funny he didn't notice it until now, but there was a top of the line six axis industrial CNC machine just sitting in their garage. It looked huge up close.
"Galiban must've anticipated a need for it, my love," Reka said easily.
They were buying stuff because the AI told them to? "Galiban, can you interface with it?" Brad asked.
"Unfortunately not, oh noble keeper of the queen's heart. This Galiban is quite ashamed. He overlooked the necessary cable."
A forgetful AI? Now he'd seen everything.
Brad knew his way around a machine shop just fine. "Let me help," he said. "We can do this analog, Navy style." He rolled up his sleeves. "Galiban, let's break this down by component and start fabricating parts. I'll put in the commands myself."
"By the king-consort's will," Galiban intoned submissively, displaying the exact dimensions of each discrete part of the robot arm.
"You don't have to do this, Brad," Reka said.
"Honey, I want to," he replied. "Let me show you what I can do," he said confidently.
His fiancee looked unsure for a moment, but eventually nodded happily. She left and returned with a chair.
Several hours later they had every little part laid out on the stand his laptop was resting on. Andy and Olivia helped but this was mostly the Brad show for once.
"Is she just going to sit there and watch us the whole time?" Andy whispered to him.
Yes, Brad laughed to himself. It was nice having Reka watch him work for a change. See, he wasn't useless!
"We're going full low-tech, World War Two style: machined parts, hand assembly," he said. It was almost like being back in his high school shop class. "Now we just have to put it all together."
"This is my time to shine!" Olivia said confidently. She had this smallest hands, after all.
Galiban projected a visualization of how the parts connected and slowly, with Brad and Andy holding things still from time to time, Olivia built a tiny little robot arm.
"Wow," she said in admiration. "So cute! What do you think, queen?"
Reka examined it with a critical eye. "I believe it will serve. Let us turn it over to Galiban for final confirmation."
The group held their breath as this little thing they'd spent the better part of a day on was plugged into Brad's laptop.
Galiban made it move deliberately, testing every joint in a systematic way. Finally, it stilled.
"The automaton is within planned tolerances," he declared. "The king-consort has done it, bravo, your grace."
Brad and Andy dapped up. Olivia hugged Reka, who was nice enough to let it happen.
When Andy left to go home, his fiancee brought him a beer, Tecate, of course.
**************
Reka's Point of View
Brad was so impressive today! Was Galiban calling him a king all it took? Brad acted like a king, so assertive, so decisive, taking charge like that. Her butler thought so too, specifically requesting that her fiance participate when the time came to assemble his golem body.
There was a time when Reka thought little of those who worked with their hands, but her love had completely changed her perspective. His past as a humble sailor made him strong, resilient, and a dozen other accolades besides. It would give him the "common touch" necessary to relate to their people. Oh, how their subjects would love her dear consort!
That night, she allowed Brad to be on top, even take her from behind like an animal. After a few of his "Tecates" he became amorous, and their lovemaking took on a frenzied, urgent aspect. It was not something she wished always, but from time to time it was healthy to indulge her love's whims.
Even now, she curled up next to him, sore and sated. It was well that their chambers were a good distance from those of the servants, such a din they made this night.
The ring on her finger, newly stabilized, positively pulsed with energy. Reka had to keep her hand under the covers, lest the light disturb Brad's rest. She would have to leave him tonight, but hopefully for the last time.
When the hour came, Reka slipped out of bed quietly and put on a dressing gown. She stepped lightly and made her way down to her butler's workshop.
"Is it done?" she asked abruptly, anxious to return to Brad.
"Soon, my queen," Galiban assured her.
There, placed on the stand next to her love's "laptop", was the small box her engagement ring came in. Galiban's tiny arm operated within, drawing magic circles with unholy skill.
"And your estimate on the efficiency?"
The sound of mechanical writing coming from the box paused. "A moment, your grace, this one shall calculate."
Galiban was faithful and true, she did not doubt, but his oversight might have delayed them had her fiance's prowess not intervened. She had half a mind to delay his new body as punishment, but thought better of it. Once Galiban could move around Brad would have his laptop back, and they'd finally have a cook capable of preparing meals fit for royalty. Brad liked his cheeseburgers and pizza and so forth. Reka didn't mind indulging him, but he would have to get used to finer fare. The "common touch" only went so far. He was to be a king, after all. There were certain expectations. He would understand.
"The time to accumulate a full charge should be reduced from twenty eight to seven days, a fourfold decrease," Galiban informed her.
Reka raised an eyebrow. That was more than she was expecting. It might be time to consider moving forward with the Julie project.
"It is done, your grace. This Galiban is deeply ashamed that his negligence resulted in the king-consort sullying his hands like a menial, and humbly submits himself to whatever punishment your royal mercy deems prudent."
"That won't be necessary, Galiban, Brad would not wish you punished," she said casually. Her love was kind. The days of the Demon Queen were over. Reka would save her wrath for enemies, not loyal men.
She approached the box.
The moment of truth, she thought. Opening it, she removed the automaton and touched the brightly glowing jewel to the inner wall.
There was a sensation like one of the steep dives she often made when the Demon Queen had wings, the feeling of something going out or passing through her. The diamond dimmed and the magic circles glowed briefly, the patterns too small and intricate for her to make much of.
Swiftly, the ring emptied and darkness fell in her butler's workshop. The drain was such that it left her breathless for heartbeat or two. Gathering herself, she prepared to return to Brad. Hopefully he did not wake.
"That will be all, Galiban. Goodnight." She took the box with her on the way out.
"Goodnight, your grace."