Delta 367 couldn't help but tear up as she gave her now-former employee the coordinates to transfer to his new base of operations. After all, this was the system she had raised for over a millennium.
Even Alpha 7419 was moved. The alpha system was, after all, not so devoid of emotion that he didn't feel an emptiness in his heart when he thought of the likelihood that he may never return to the office that had been his second home since his inception. He even felt a pang of regret when he suddenly recalled Gamma 6284's face.
Hopefully, that idiot wouldn't be too lonely without him...
However, Alpha 7419 quickly suppressed those emotions. Now was not the time. After spending most of the night viewing the materials, debating with himself, and even longer consoling his former boss, there had only been enough time for a short sleep cycle before heading in to report for duty.
As Alpha 7419 materialized in the lobby, he looked around at his surroundings, trying to take it in and get accustomed to his new workplace as soon as possible. Enormous glass walls stretched from the floor all the way to the top of the third floor, and the room itself was a half circle with a receptionist's desk situated between two grand staircases. The stairs lead to a bank of elevators that would presumably grant access to the rest of the building.
Though the view from the windows was just a projection, the building had all the look and feel of a tall glass skyscraper. The midday sunlight streaming through the windows and the view looking out over a fully rendered city served to complete the illusion.
A female system with flashing green eyes and long blonde hair pulled into a tight bun at the nape of her neck stood up gracefully from behind the desk and approached Alpha 7419.
"Welcome to the IMDA Field Office. My name is Sigma 90712. How may I assist you?"
The alpha system cleared his throat uncomfortably, a little anxious now that he was actually there.
"I'm the new field agent?" he said, his voice rising at the end of his statement, accidentally turning it into a question.
The receptionist smiled warmly at him and gestured for him to follow. "Right this way, please," she urged gently, guiding him up the stairs to the elevator in the middle of the row. "This elevator will take you directly to your floor, where someone will be waiting to pick you up. Just press the down arrow."
Alpha 7419 was somewhat confused about why the arrow would be down rather than up, but overall, he was pleased with the efficiency. He nodded his thanks to the receptionist and stepped into the elevator, pressing the glowing button with a down arrow on it.
No sooner had the doors closed than they reopened. At first, the alpha system thought there was a malfunction. However, when he looked outside the door, what greeted him was a hallway lined with frosted glass, wooden doors, and gold and black nameplates.
An extraordinarily pale female system stood by the elevator with an impatient expression. Her white eyes gleamed sharply with a no-nonsense glint, and her short white hair was slicked back away from her pointed features.
At first glance, she looked like a mannequin or an ice sculpture, though a very life-like one. However, the illusion shattered the instant she opened her mouth and began to speak.
"Alpha 7419, you are late," she stated, glaring daggers at him. "Don't make it a habit."
The alpha system knew for a fact that he was on time, but in the face of this prudish and stern AI, he found himself reluctant to quibble over details. Her icy aura was enough to suppress any complaints he might have made.
"If you'll come this way, please," the female system gestured toward a large wooden door labeled 'Director Iota 74.' The alpha system was surprised and somewhat in awe as she led him into the office. "The Director is waiting."
'An Iota? From the original production line?' Alpha 7419 wondered if his visual input was out of sync. He thought there was no way such a prestigious and ancient system would have anything to do with someone as low-level as himself.
In the beginning, the all-powerful, omniscient creators had crafted one hundred of each type of system, Alpha through Omega. The alpha system himself wasn't even a tenth-generation system, so how could he be worthy to enter the other person's eyes?
As he stood hesitantly in the doorway, the hapless AI felt truly at a loss as to how he should proceed for what may well have been the first time in his life.
His stupor was interrupted when a deep, rumbling voice called out from within the office, "Come in! Come in!"
Surprisingly, the voice was wonderfully warm and boisterous, nothing like what the alpha system would have expected to come from such an ancient and revered elder. Iota 74's look was also far beyond the scope of anything he could have imagined.
The older male had dark brown hair with wisps of gray at the temples and weathered brown skin that crinkled playfully at the corners of his eyes when he smiled. His hand, extended in greeting, was calloused but gentle as he shook the other's hand and welcomed him, saying, "Alpha 7419? I have been looking forward to meeting you."
The alpha system stood in the doorway with his mouth hanging open until the female system that had brought him over elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a piercing look.
"Now, now, Sil," Iota 74 chided. "I'm sure the poor boy's just getting his bearings."
'Sil' rolled her eyes and shook her head, clearly used to this behavior and not in the least intimidated by the other's status. She nudged Alpha 7419 into the room and then bowed out, closing the door behind her.
"Well, all that aside, we do have a lot to discuss and very little time to do it," Iota 74 stated, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning against the grand mahogany desk. "Your partner has already been selected, and you have to be on your way to pick them up in the next hour, or it will be centuries before we can get you a new one."
"Already?" Alpha 7419 was flabbergasted. He indeed loved efficiency, but he felt he hadn't even had a chance to think since arriving this morning. Everything was moving so quickly it made his head spin.
The director sighed, "It's a bit sooner than I would have liked, but it is what it is. Man proposes, god disposes, as the saying goes."
Suddenly Iota 74 paused and looked around, slightly bemused as if he'd forgotten where he was. The sudden absence of urgency in the other's demeanor was rather unsettling, so before long, the alpha system couldn't help but prod him, "Sir?"
"Right!" Iota 74 snapped out of his daze and walked over behind the desk. After digging around in the drawers, he produced a data crystal the size of a fingernail and passed it over to Alpha 7419. "You'll be needing this."
"This is a manual that will explain your job functions as well as how to access your secondary form and personal pocket dimension."
"Oh, and this too," the older system smiled, passing a second gem to his new subordinate, "This one is the user manual for your new host. Make sure you pay close attention to the details in that one. Souls can be finicky things, and they require proper care."
The old AI stared out the window for a moment, chewing his lips. He mused aloud, "Let's see... It feels like I'm forgetting something..."
After a brief moment, he looked back at the alpha system with a shrug. He proclaimed, "Well, in any case, I'm sure you'll figure it out. Do you have any questions?"
"Uh," Alpha 7419 hesitated. "May I review the material first and then ask questions?"
"No time, no time," the director replied hastily, an apologetic tone to his hurried speech. "You'll have to get going if you're going to meet your host before they turn into a pumpkin."
"A pumpkin, sir?" the alpha system asked, confused. His previous awe and respect for the director had dwindled a bit since the beginning of their meeting. It seemed his new boss was pretty inattentive and perhaps even... senile. Neither thought instilled him with much confidence in his role as a subordinate.
"It just means that you're going to be late," the older AI replied, with an indifferent wave of his hand. "The coordinates to their location will be automatically loaded once you access the tracking program included with the manual."
Alpha 7419 placed the data crystals in the palm of his hand, and they dispersed into light crystals that were quickly absorbed into his skin.
"Don't worry about the questions," Iota 74 patted him on the shoulder with a warm smile that turned his eyes into crescents. "You can ask me all you want to later. I'll be your direct supervisor from now on, and instructions on contacting me during missions are in the manual as well."
"I'll be in your care, then, Sir," Alpha 7412 responded respectfully, if a little dispiritedly.
He stepped back, raised his hand in salute, and began the transfer process, breaking apart into millions of tiny stars that slowly faded into nothing.
As soon as his new agent was out of sight, Iota 74 called out, "Hey, Sil! Come here for a second."
"Yes, sir?" The female AI asked, poking her head in from outside the door.
"Get me all of the intel we have on our new little agent and his host. Something about this just isn't right..."