John: Walkers are pretty crazy. From handling small stuff to knocking out big tasks, they got it covered!
Megan: There are no kids here, but if there were, they could probably handle them too. And with IDUS managing the lot, they’re always there when you need them.
John: Man, what should we do? It’s just so much easier to let the Walkers handle it.
Megan: Well, I mean, there’s still plenty of work that only a human can do. Like thinking up new innovations, or new business ventures to explore! But anyway, enough slacking. Time to get back to crunching those lab results.
Chin: Imagine if our competitors tried to break in and got their hands on lunafilament…
Jacob: IDUS would never let that happen. I mean, have you seen the bots it’s got running around here? Intruders wouldn’t stand a chance. Some of them are like freakin’ war machines.
Mio: So what’s next after work finishes on New York?
Manuel: Well, I’ve been thinking maybe something with a bit more history. How about something… Japanese? Isn’t that where you’re from?
Mio: What about something in the “kigumi” style like you’d see with the temples in Nara? They are made entirely from wood but can supposedly stand over a thousand years.
Manuel: Nothing but wood? Just thinking about it… wow.
Mio: You’d need wooden samples at least a hundred years old for something that strong.
Manuel: A worthy challenge, but with lunafilament, everything is possible! Everything!
Laura: Seunghwan! Quick, look at the monitor!
Seunghwan: Whoa. Look at the size of that bot! It’s… it’s attacking humans! Why? Where is IDUS? Why isn’t it doing anything?
Laura: IDUS is the one that ordered the attack!
Seunghwan: No, that can’t be!
Laura: It’s… it’s trying to get in!
Seunghwan: It’s… it’s almost here! Quick, we gotta get outta here!
Hugh: What happened to these people? You know anything?
Diana: I haven’t seen anyone besides you since leaving the vault.
Hugh: Can’t believe we haven’t found any survivors… Not a good sign…
Anke: Is everything sorted for the big inspection by management next week?
Hudson: Yeah. We just need to list the soil sample data from the lightning labs we ran earlier.
Anke: Ah, the study to enrich soil fertility with nitrogen oxide via artificial lightning? Think we have what it takes to knock the CEO’s socks off?
Hudson: Eh, we’ve always known the benefits were there, but the current model was just too cost prohibitive. But if we use lightning generators made from lim, we can get positive results at a fraction of the price.
Anke: Sounds promising! This might be what we need to get biomass back in the dead zones. Good, very good. Let’s name the report “How Lightning Will Save Our Earth.”
Anke: I heard you’re transferring over to the Lim Lab?
Megan: That’s right… But, I’m a little worried…
Anke: Why’s that? Weren’t you angling to get into Basic Limnological research?
Megan: I’m happy about the reassignment, but I’m worried I might struggle to keep up…
Anke: Oh… is that with Dr. Higgins?
Megan: I’ve memorized all the papers, but some of the stuff he comes up with on the fly…
Anke: I wouldn’t worry too much. You’re not the first researcher to have trouble keeping up with the good doctor. Dr. Higgins is… a very special man. Just try to go into it ready to learn.
Isamu: Did you get a chance to look at the files?
Hao: Ah right, you mean that one about a mysterious substance that dissolves organic matter?
Isamu: Based on those results, we could be…
Hao: I mean, I dunno. We’ve been handling lim now for like—what, years? They wouldn’t hide something that serious now, would they?
Isamu: But there’s always the possibility we could be working—
Hao: I wouldn’t worry about it. Anyway, isn’t it time to change shifts?
Isamu: Yeah, all right. I gotta drop by the Nexus Tower before my shift starts anyways.
Hao: Well, if you’re heading over that way, tell Kary I said hi!
Hao: Hey Megan, it’s been a while! How’s the, uh, Lim Lab treating ya?
Megan: To be honest, not great…
Hao: Really? What happened?
Megan: That’s the problem. Nothing’s happened! Dr. Higgins hasn’t shown up in weeks! Nothing’s getting done.
Hao: If he’s not in the lab, then where is he?
Megan: Experimental Pragmatics.
Hao: Hoo, lotta high-level stuff going on there, no?
Megan: I mean, I know about it, but I still haven’t gone in yet. You have to take a special tram to get there.
Hao: Oof, Dr. Higgins must be working on something pretty important, huh?