Derek hadn't been all that surprised when Katniss showed up to his room again after the Charity Ball. She'd told him before that she had nightmares often and he liked to think that they'd left the ball on good terms with the understanding that whatever this thing was between them, rather than stifle it or fanning the flames, they were just going to let it burn and see what happened. So if she'd had a nightmare, she would've felt comfortable coming to him again, because it had worked the night before to help her back to sleep. He's in a considerably better mood today because he's chosen his top five fitness performers and he means to get them started on this fitness track. At the end of the week, he'll reward them as permitted by The Computer with a piece of fruit apiece. He isn't above subtly bribing them to continue to excel over the following week so that they'll continue to earn their fruit and Derek can show positive results after adding actual food to their diets.
Today, he wants to check in with Katniss and see if she has any especially low performers against whom he can compare his top performers. Those people won't be rewarded with fruit and if they're low performing Alphas as it is, he can show the contrast between those who were rewarded with fruit and those who weren't. The Computer doesn't have to know that Derek's stacking the deck in his favor and he's sure there's no way to trace it anyhow. It's not like they've been keeping records. At least, Derek hasn't been. Maybe Katniss has, but he doubts it. He's going to start keeping records now, though. If he can prove, however intentionally weighted his results are, that Alphas with proper food perform better in fitness tests than those without, then maybe he can actually get The Computer to integrate real food for all of the lower clearance levels.
So when he sees Katniss come in, Derek makes a mental note that as soon as both of them seem to have a moment, he'll approach and see what she can help him out with. For now, he's trying to put This Thing on the backburner while they're at work because he doesn't want to make things weird.
"Morning," he greets her a couple of hours later when both of their lines seem to have emptied out and they're waiting for the next wave of Alphas to come through. "I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you. If all goes according to plan, I might be able to score us REDs some actual food," he explains, lowering his voice.
Late morning
Today, he wants to check in with Katniss and see if she has any especially low performers against whom he can compare his top performers. Those people won't be rewarded with fruit and if they're low performing Alphas as it is, he can show the contrast between those who were rewarded with fruit and those who weren't. The Computer doesn't have to know that Derek's stacking the deck in his favor and he's sure there's no way to trace it anyhow. It's not like they've been keeping records. At least, Derek hasn't been. Maybe Katniss has, but he doubts it. He's going to start keeping records now, though. If he can prove, however intentionally weighted his results are, that Alphas with proper food perform better in fitness tests than those without, then maybe he can actually get The Computer to integrate real food for all of the lower clearance levels.
So when he sees Katniss come in, Derek makes a mental note that as soon as both of them seem to have a moment, he'll approach and see what she can help him out with. For now, he's trying to put This Thing on the backburner while they're at work because he doesn't want to make things weird.
"Morning," he greets her a couple of hours later when both of their lines seem to have emptied out and they're waiting for the next wave of Alphas to come through. "I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you. If all goes according to plan, I might be able to score us REDs some actual food," he explains, lowering his voice.