As I fly back to the station, I consider what I want to do with the underground work units. I'm going to need to make them intelligent so they'll be able to use the appropriate profession, knowledge, and Craft skills. They'll need human-like hands to use the existing tools… and with how I make them, may as well go all out. Very fine chainmail style adamantine "skin" over a human shaped frame, fully articulated with an essentially full human skeletal structure … they'll need to talk to people to coordinate with folks above ground, so better to give them expressive faces too. Base is a medium animated object with the Metal(Adamantine) feature… might as well give her a second Slam attack too. Buffs… Grant Intelligence from Spheres of Power, the six basic stat boosting spells so they can keep up with normal humans, superior resistance just in case, Greater Celestial Healing so I don't need to worry about maintenance, Energy Resistance (Acid), Augmented Mythic Fly, Earth Glide, Enable Function for the relevant skills and Skill Focus with them (Profession, Craft, Knowledge for Geography and Dungeneering, Survival, Sense Motive, Perception, Disable Device, Fly, and Diplomacy), and of course Profane Gift (so I can keep track of them, get reports and give orders remotely, let them blend in when needed, and so they can pick up any relevant abilities they need as needed - for example, if they get stuck at the bottom of a large body of water, and need to swim).

As I land, I cement the idea in my mind, and - as I beat the chief and the two detectives to the station - I go into my Keyhome and shut the door.

Oh, I never did anything with the stolen constructs. Eh, they're harmless.

I don't need anything outside myself to make the prototype. I use Fabricate for the body, Animate Construct to give it a semblance of life, and go through the buff list, using Attuned Mysticism and Fell Animate just because I can. The 37 spell effects used take just two minutes. Production models will take an hour more than that, as Animate Construct has a control limit. I'll be able to do the enchantments in small batches, though… but that's for later.

As I look into my creations' silvery eyes, I realize: I modeled her after me. Not as ridiculously proportioned, but a female type body with four metallic funbags, otherwise anatomically correct including milk taps and front and rear entrances. Huh. I wasn't thinking about it, but it makes a fine trademark appearance.

Of course, she's basically a tank, so… Callisto? Nah. Callie. And I'll have a lot of these eventually, so…

"Your full designation is Callie-0 of Enchanting Un Ltd. Your are to respond to Callie as your name, and also treat it as your model; 0 is your serial number, and Enchanting Un Ltd is the owning company."  Yeah, she's equipment.

"Thank you mistress."

… OK, I'll need to work on that. Fortunately, with completely obedient intelligent minions, that's easy: "My name is Chris Carlson, you may call me Chris when context is sufficient to differentiate me from other people named Chris. Please use masculine pronouns for me."

"Certainly Chris."

That's better. I make a uniform for her with Clothier's Closet, a simple worker outfit that's on the cheap end so I can make a hundred of them at a time. Just one for now, though.

I hand it to her, "Please put this on."

She does, covering up her pert, shiny rear and tasty metal melons. Maybe I should tone that down for production… nah. I like looking at the female form. It… probably won't hurt sales. And I can always give them Profession (Dancer) or Perform(Dance) if I need.

I also make some adamantine tools of the trade, and put them in a water-tight adamantine box (all masterwork, made via Fabricate). I can't have the tools getting hurt by the oozes either, after all. Maybe I should integrate the toolbox into the main body? Eh, this is fine.

I have her follow as I leave my Keyhome, and make the door vanish behind me as I close it.  Apparently, the 10 foot tall door to apparently nowhere garnered a small crowd in the couple of minutes I was inside. Eh, free advertising. Not that I need money.

The chief and the two detectives still haven't made it back, so I wait and watch for their car with my silvery metallic life-sized animated Barbie doll.

I get a larger crowd as I wait. Seems the shiny metal woman is attracting attention. More of them are looking my way though… ah. No disguse at the moment, just my illusory clothing. Eh, what's it matter? I'm a guy.  

The photo flashes are annoying, though. I recast my illusion to give myself a normal bustline to go with the illusory clothing. I am on record as a shape shifter, so it's not news that I can tweak my appearance. I avoid changing my face, though. So I still look like an adult film star, just not the cripplingly ridiculous surgery kind.

Eventually Jessica, James, and the chief show up. The first words out of the chief's mouth? "What’s up with the silver adult novelty toy?"

… OK, that's a fair dig, I did design her rather hormonally, "She's a prototype sanitation worker that should be essentially immune to the 'wildlife' we encountered down there."

"So why's it here and not cleaning pipes in Nevada or something?"

That's… umm… I scramble up a post-facto reason that sounds better than 'I just whipped her up while waiting': "Figured you'd be getting them over here, saves me scheduling an extra meeting. Even if it's just the fish and wildlife folks today, she'll make a good advance scout."

"She doesn't look that tough."

"If you want to pound her with your nightstick, feel free," wait… I didn't mean for it to sound like… oh well.

"Nah, I like flesh and blood. And the joke's on you - we're doing this by email. I hate talking to those hippies and tunnel rats."

Oh. Oh well, worth a shot, "Ah. Well, I guess that concludes my business here for now, then. Catch you later."

I open my Keyhome back up, and direct Callie back inside. The chief just kind of stares, looking into the living room of my apartment, and turns to Jessica and James:

"Did she give you two…"

James answers first, "Yeah, it's great. I never need to worry about finding a parking spot. I just open up my 'garage' wherever I am, and park in there. Also means I won't need a rental car when traveling, I suppose. Should maybe get a camper to put in there to avoid hotels…"

Jessica adds, "I'm mostly using mine for storage. But yes, HE is very nice to HIS friends."

The chief pauses, "... maybe I should be nicer to… him?"

I Teleport home before Jessica gives an answer. I have really sensitive ears, folks don't expect me to hear them. Is it eavesdropping when I hear someone speaking from over three hundred feet away?