Serix watched Cassie work on the robot for a few minutes. Her hands moved with nimble dexterity as she manipulated the internal parts. As he had no experience with technology like this, Serix could only sit by and wait for her to finish. It didn’t take long. After a few last tweaks to the machine, she sealed it back up and turned to him.

**“Hand me that remote off of the table so I can test its functions so far,”** Cassie instructed, gesturing at a table that was pushed up against a nearby wall. Serix got to his feet and stepped over to the table, grabbing the remote she had indicated and bringing it back to her. Cassie stood up and turned it on. A number of flashing lights blinked to life on the robot. Serix watched it in fascination. Its durability was impressive. It was still able to function with only a few minor adjustments after so many years of sitting in a storage room. Cassie’s father had done an amazing job in creating this machine.

**“Yes! It works! It actually works!”** Cassie exclaimed joyously when she got the robot to hover over the ground. In the next instant she flung her arms around Serix’s neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. He tensed up in surprise, his mind reeling. He wasn’t sure how to respond. Should he return the gesture or let his arms hang by his sides? Why was she even doing this? Cassie didn’t give him time to react. She let him go again and returned her attention to the hovering machine. Serix just blinked at her, still shaken from her spontaneous embrace.

Silence dragged on between them for a short while before Cassie spoke again. **“Do... you want to try and drive it?”** She sounded oddly subdued compared to her bubbling excitement just moments before. Serix covered up his discomfort with a wry grin and a sarcastic roll of his eyes, “Do you even have to ask?”

He stepped over to her and held out a hand for the control, “Just show me what to do, Captain.”