Core Drive: A Westworld Story

Reverie 2015-K: Joy

The construction teams occupying half of the Animal Behavioural department had finally moved on to work on the administrative office spaces in the upper levels. Joy's temporary office in the Host Behavioural levels was now officially someone else's.

Joy boxed several of her effects while Aedan, Westworld's virtual assistance bot, worked on creating a requisition form of possible decommissioned hosts she could use in her new project.

"Dr Esperanza," Aedan intoned in his less than human cadence, "as per the parameters you gave me, I have searched the archives for any decommissioned hosts you can utilise in your new project."

"Any plausible candidates?" she huffed as she set the box next to the growing pile.

"Regrettably, none of the current mark of hosts are available."

Joy scratched her brow, thinking about the possibility Robert may have been behind the stonewalling, "Aedan, was it an executive order, specifically tied to my request form?"

"Entering query...there was no such executive order given. It seems the beta test of the Klondike narrative requires more resources. Narrative put in a request to utilise all decommissioned hosts."

"Puta!" Joy sighed. "Okay, what about the preconfigured hosts without a narrative?"

A few seconds ticked by before Aedan replied, "All preconfigured hosts have been rolled back from questline status due to the new update."

Left with few alternatives, Joy had one last thread to pull, precarious as it might be, "Send a requisition form to Robert Ford's offices directly, mention that it is regarding the Argos Initiative."

Two raps sounded out behind her, the technician announced his presence and wheeled a trolley into Joy's office.

"Mute," Joy spoke to the A.I system before she turned to face the technician. "Perfect timing, Stuart. Those large boxes on the end over there should be stacked last, they have fragile items in them. Smaller ones go at the base; books and such."

Stuart nodded as he started loading up the boxes. "Leaving us for greener pastures?" he asked, smiling at his pun.

"I wouldn't call them greener, but definitely different," Joy kept up with the pleasantries as she scanned and logged the last box for the department inventory.

"Everyone in the department is buzzing about the renovations, can't believe how fast things are changing. It's incredible really. You moving down with the rest of the department? I hear they've rebranded. No more Host Behavioural and Animal Behavioural, it's the Behaviour Lab and Diagnostics department now. I like the intention, getting Host Behaviour and Animal Host Behaviour to work on equal title. Dissolves that prestige shit between the departments. They changed Restoration and Repair to Livestock Management now."

"Yeah, I read the memo last night. Livestock Management," she gave a lazy smile. "Sounds like animal husbandry, don't you think?"

Stuart scrunched his face in a way that revealed nothing of his opinion, "I never put two and two together, if I'm being honest. Ironic, since I actually have a cousin in agriculture. I'm still trying to get used to Behaviour Lab and Diagnostics."

"Agriculture, huh? That is quite impressive. Tough to get into. I hear it's more competitive than tech. Is she in organic or genetic?"

"Oh, genetic agriculture for sure! Organic is almost impossible to get into if you don't know the right people. You know how it is," Stuart groaned as he placed the final box on the trolley. "That's the last of them, where do I send it?"

"Four levels below Livestock."

"Ah, the Dead Zone. Didn't think those levels were in use."

"Power's a little shoddy and it could probably use a good dusting, but it's still operational." That's what happens when you ruffle too many feathers, Joy thought.