From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Contents 1 Gestures for the Infinity Incorporated Client Voice Commands 1.1 Goal-Oriented 1.2 Status-oriented 1.3 Complex or condition-dependent 1.4 Additional commands available via select Hybrid Delta Series minions 1.5 Hybrid Delta Series Commands 2 Non-command words 2.1 Alpha Hybrid identifiers 2.2 Delta Hybrid identifiers 2.3 Infinity Inc. Employee identifiers 2.4 general conversation

Gestures for the Infinity Incorporated Client Voice Commands

Goal-Oriented

Drop: accompanied by an object, target, or subject descriptor, directs a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to cease contact of any sort with the indicated subject, and move away from it immediately. Items can be dropped, persons can be abandoned, and places can be vacated.

Independently, this is:

Make a fist, held parallel to the ground. Move it to the side, away from your body, and open it as if dropping a fistful of sand.

This command is often combined with another instruction, such as "fetch", in which case:

To demonstrate, she did the bird-beak thing again in the air on one side of her forward space, carried the imaginary item across her chest and dropped it like the claw machine game at the casinos.

Fetch target: accompanied by specific parameters identifying the object or person to be collected, this command may require the use of a clear image or representation for the desired target. Success may be simplified, in the case of a living target, by presenting an object with an identifying scent or texture for confirmation. Some Hybrid Alphas are advanced enough to fetch a correct target based upon directions to the specific area where the target is expected to reside. Most Hybrid Alphas, however, have ((officially!)) limited or no capacity to read; they can connect a preprogrammed thumb drive to a USB slot without damage, for example, and recognize a "Complete!" symbol that tells the Alpha to remove the thumb drive for return, but more complicated functions will require a Hybrid Delta Series minion.

Independently, this is:

a motion similar to the retrieve gesture but with only index finger plus thumb, and aimed generally forward. It was clearly a slower motion in general conversation, vaguely reminiscent of a mechanical bird beak dipping into water.

This command is often combined with another instruction, such as "drop", in which case:

To demonstrate, she did the bird-beak thing again in the air on one side of her forward space, carried the imaginary item across her chest and dropped it like the claw machine game at the casinos.

Follow subject orders a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to accompany the subject until given new instructions. They tend to wander about, rather than travel in a smooth path.

She tapped her left leg, where her pant seam would be below her hip

Give subject to target is a delivery command, requiring specific definition of the recipient.

"give" is an offering, both hands together with sides touching, palms open and facing upward; hands move from the giver to the recipient, as if carrying something without holding it in place.

Guard subject: accompanied by parameters at least as specific as a Fetch command, ideally this command is given in the presence of the subject to be guarded. Note that ranges of Guard may also be given, from "Guard this (fragile object) from any touch" to "Guard this person from death".

Fingertips toward each other but not quite touching, the slightly curved hands are used to make a fence or shield around an open center space. Tension and proximity of fingers to one another are often related to the intensity of guard-work wanted; loose fingers will let some harm through, tightly-pressed ones that are more closely curve will try to stop almost anything.

Hunt enemy: accompanied by specific, vague, or even exclusionary parameters for the seek-and-kill mission, this is often a more complex task than Kill. In cases where the target's location must first be determined, or where stealth is a requirement, Hunt is a more appropriate command.

combines "find" and the command "kill": Three fingers splayed out, the index finger and thumb together pinch some delicately small object and draw it back toward the user's shoulder, turning immediately into a diagonal downward swipe with claws extended.

Kill target: accompanied by specific, vague, or even exclusionary parameters for the extermination to be conducted, this command can be as simple as "Kill all in target location" or as complex as "Kill only enemies that wear a red metal buckle." This command may be given with a categorical target, such as "animated dead" or "Rikti".

a diagonal swipe with claws extended; if the user does not have claws, slightly bend each knuckle and hold rigid to pretend claws are extended

Status-oriented

Here orders a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to approach an indicated location, and remain alert in it for potential danger, until released. Unfortunately it seldom works unless perfectly presented, and the Alpha will almost never remain completely rooted in the designated spot.

Point at the Hybrid being instructed, then in a sharp gesture with the same hand, point at the ground at the user's feet (or at the spot on the map being indicated). See CoH command /em bowdown

Hide directs a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to avoid notice. If no parameters are given, the Alpha understands this command to mean that it should use all necessary techniques of camouflage and stealth; if it is spotted, it will dispose of the witnesses before an alarm can be raised. This command can also be used with a designated target, if the intention is for the Alpha to conceal an object such as an eavesdropping device or plant evidence. Note that some Hybrid Alpha Series minions are not designed for avoiding notice. If the Alpha immediately responds to this command with "No", consult your user manual or the nearest Hybrid Delta Series minion before administering correction.

open hand swipes across eyes and then downward in an arc, becoming a closed fist by the time it stops near the shoulder

Silence directs a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to avoid all chance of making sound, even modulate its breathing as necessary, until directed otherwise. This command is the first one tested in any new prototype regardless of Hybrid Series. Do not be alarmed if the minion reacts to this command as though any noise it makes, in fact any direct attention subsequently focused upon it, will result in dire immediate suffering. Note that excessive or prolonged use of this command may cause panicked or disorderly behavior due to strain. Some I.I. Hybrid Series Minions are naturally more silent by nature than others.

This command has no gesture. It consists of the word, spoken in best "megalomaniac addressing the lessers" booming style. Even if delivered "incorrectly", most Hybrid Series minions will still have the above-described reaction, complete with terrified freezing in place. Only mentally defective ones will not react properly, and almost none of those pass the early tests during transformation, so the severe mental damage would have to have happened very recently and probably involves major brain damage, psychic assault, or other debilitating trauma.

Stay orders a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to remain in the indicated location until released. Unfortunately it seldom works unless perfectly presented, and requires an accompanying gesture even if it is an instruction for part of a series of expected tasks.

Mostly open, slightly cupped hand, palm down, bends twice at the elbow to pat the air where the Hybrid is supposed to remain. Good luck with that.

Complex or condition-dependent

Report directs a suitably trained Hybrid Alpha Series minion to communicate information it has gathered. Depending on the Hybrid Alpha in question, this can range from simple emotional impressions to nearly Hybrid Delta-level descriptions. (For best results, we recommend that a Report be made to, or in the presence of, a Hybrid Delta Series minion who can then translate. Most Hybrid Alphas communicate a significant percentage of their limited concepts via nonverbal means such as a proprietary code of gestures; all Hybrid Deltas are fluent in this gesture code, and can often deduce details that the Alpha is too limited to directly convey.)

She made herself small as if trying to fit through a thin gap between walls, while her left hand splayed palm up to brace an imaginary flat object and her right index finger doodled a sloppy sign wave on the imaginary surface -- a clipboard, or touch screen, maybe.

Actual detail of which hand does which motion does not particularly matter. Tilting the "surface" toward a particular target halfway through the sine wave is a good means of indicating who should be receiving the report.

Rest orders a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to assume standby mode, and should be accompanied by a designated location and a list of permitted (or proscribed) activities. For long periods of idleness, we strongly recommend using this command to send the Alpha(s) into the portable cage provided.

Breathing in, cross arms at wrist with elbows out like a television genie. Make a small show of exhaling while letting elbows drop down to rest against chest. Immediately follow with gestures or instructions for above-listed conditions.

Return orders a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to get back to its portable cage, or return to the nearest Infinity Inc base, as rapidly as it is physically capable.

a sharp motion near his breastbone to focus attention, a one-handed gesture away, not exactly pointing since he used all four fingers to indicate bars

Scout tells a suitably trained Hybrid Alpha to explore an area, noting location of doors, enemies, subjects, and objects of interest. The Report command is generally considered a subroutine of Scout, so if Report is not desired, this exception must be made very explicitly clear to the Hybrid Alpha Series minion. Scout can be accompanied with directions, time limits, distance limits, or conditional actions to take if a particular circumstance is discovered.

Optional for instructing most Hybrids who have been taught how to scout properly anyway, the hand gesture probably gets used about half the time -- more so if instructions are being given quietly in the presence of outsiders. Two fingers, usually index and either the middle or the pinkie depending on size of hand versus size of head, are pointed first at the user's eyes and then swept in the direction that scouting should occur -- or swept across an area of a map.

Additional commands available via select Hybrid Delta Series minions

Delta Series control-equipped minions are able to properly deliver all of the above commands, usually with a variety of parameters. In addition, they have access to some special I.I. Only commands, which the Hybrid Alpha Series minions will generally disregard from an unauthorized source:

Assist is almost always a conditional command, given to a Hybrid Alpha Series minion to delineate its part in a multiple-unit task.

At floating rib level, well apart, her hands scooped imaginary eggs or snowballs into a carefully caged grasp, knuckles toward the ceiling and heels of hands toward her feet; as her claws held their position, her hands came up to cleavage height and came together at the same time, until her fingernail beds almost touched.

Chains is a rarely-used command given to a Hybrid Alpha Series minion who must be physically confined via restraints. This command is extremely strenuous for an Alpha to obey. Less advanced prototypes, or those already distressed, may be unable to maintain discipline; the client is advised to stay well out of the way, describe the requirements to the control-equipped Delta ahead of time, and presume mild damage is likely to occur.

One hand goes on the throat, the other hand (curled in a loose fist, as if holding a leash) comes up to just above shoulder height -- picture a Chinese Good Luck Cat statue for that hand, if it helps.

Alphas do not say this word, even when talking to employees or bullying each other. They use the gesture alone if they have to reference the concept. Wise Deltas don't speak it either, even among themselves, as a Delta does not enjoy being chained up for torture any more than an Alpha does, and Deltas can get pretty damned violent when distressed.

Eat informs and assures a Hybrid Alpha Series minion that a nonstandard meal is permitted for consumption. Alphas require a carefully managed high-protein diet, which often requires substitution via local resources on long-term leases.

point to the specific item, then point to the corner of the mouth, nodding slightly

Gesture is optional except with particularly dull-witted Hybrids

Obey indicates an individual who is authorized to give the Alpha commands, tasks, or requirements. If the originally designated client wishes to designate a proxy, having a Delta give the Obey command makes the new situation clear. Time limits and category restrictions can be included with this command.

Note that a Hybrid Delta Series minion who is having to manage a hysterical or distressed Alpha may be observed firmly using the Obey command and indicating the Delta him/herself. Such usage serves to restore a sense of order and security to the Alpha, which may otherwise express its distress as belligerence or withdrawal.

Fehral gathered all of her fingertips together on one hand nearly touching her forehead, the other hand a bit more obviously away from the space just below her chin, and then gestured simultaneously with both hands as if drawing something out of her head and tossing it onto the blank space to one side at elbow height for the lower hand.

This one is actually swiped directly from the French-derived American Sign Language, if you need a visual explanation and Jarissa is not around.

Fehral can say the word when she's not upset, and most other Alphas can speak the word too, but it always has a lot of emphasis on it.

Submit is a rarely-used command given to a conscious or semi-conscious Hybrid Alpha Series minion in need of immediate medical treatment. Contrary to outsider expectation, it does not indicate a battle of dominance or wills; it serves merely as a unique-sounding indicator that relief is being provided, and the Alpha should not strike out blindly. Any Alpha given this command should be left to the care of the Delta or other nearby Alphas, as it is temporarily fragile.

"Submit" has a gesture component but it's often skipped, as getting the damaged Hybrid's attention is hard enough without making sure the patient is looking in the right direction. Actual gesture is a hand out at about bellybutton height, palm down, fingertips slightly splayed and angled upward, and a gentle gesture down and sliding back toward the user as if both petting and pressing the target toward a prone position.

Hybrid Delta Series Commands

Typically, Hybrid Delta Series minions are sufficiently advanced to take commands in a nearly conversational format, equivalent to instructing a moderately intelligent employee who lacks the ability to grasp any longer-term sense of a situation. Deltas are comfortable with requesting elucidation if they feel any particular lack of information will hinder their ability to perform to the client's satisfaction. Only four command concepts have specifically limited meanings:

Sacrifice is a command given to make explicit that the indicated target -- an object, a person, an enemy, or (rarely) a Hybrid Alpha Series minion -- is no longer to exist at the end of the task. Note that any I.I. Minion will require confirmation from a trusted I.I. upper level authority for the destruction of functional I.I. property, including lesser minions.

one hand makes a fist, the other makes a flat blade; the blade chops down onto the fist, which goes limp and opens as it falls away

Retrieve is a very specific prompt given to recover fleeing, stolen, imprisoned, mind-controlled, or otherwise improperly absent I.I. Hybrid Series Minions. Please avoid accidental use of this command, as Infinity, Inc. will not be accountable for damage or complications sustained by users, associates, property, or bystanders if this command is uttered.

quick sideways snatching motion with her thumb and first two finger-claws extended

This command can be done with either hand, snatching something from an imaginary location to the opposite side of the body. Picture using chopsticks in your right hand to catch a fly buzzing away from your left elbow, and you've got it about right.

Retrieval specialists are casual with the spoken word, but other Hybrids do not like to hear it. It induces "heart race, breath fast, all muscles tense, all senses check everything for danger" in non-retrievalists who hear it, including the speaker. All rules go out the window except no loss of Corporate property shall be tolerated when this command is used, even without a correct gesture.

Rescue is a command given to make explicit that the indicated target -- an object, a person, another I.I. Hybrid Series Minion, even a group of targets -- must be kept functionally intact even if all other mission parameters would fail. In rare circumstances, a Hybrid Delta Series minion will even tolerate the destruction of I.I. property in order to accomplish a sufficiently prioritized Rescue task.

one hand makes a fist, the other hand extends two fingers in a V; they come together in front of the center of the chest, V overlapping the back of the fist toward the viewer, and then the V pushes the fist inward toward the chest of the user

Punish is a command given to make explicit that the Hybrid Delta Series minion is to restore discipline in one or more Alphas who have violated their operating parameters. A properly soundproofed, easily cleaned location should be provided if the Delta requests dedicated space for the task.

the gesture is the manipulation of a handle to crack a whip or a flail, coming from shoulder height diagonally across the body toward the opposite hip

Non-command words

Alpha Hybrid identifiers

A Hybrid Series Alpha minion, as a generic concept, is a combination of selected mammalian DNA with a human template. They are expensive products to create. Many individuals may be created off a single blueprint. At an I.I. facility, the Alphas are typically housed in large groups, fed in a dedicated hall, but trained and maintained in concert with the Deltas.

Much like the general-purpose gestures for "Employee" or "Delta", trace a lower-case Greek letter α across the surface of an imaginary shirt pocket. Like most gesture code, the side of the body used has no relevance so long as it is opposite of the hand doing the tracing.

Alphas in particular are sometimes referenced by their species group, a.k.a. {cat/canine/bat/bear} (to be listed below) and at other times referenced by their particular animal hybridization {leopard/tiger/wolf/dhole}.

If the species has a distinctive fur pattern, the pattern is drawn with the first three fingers of the user's dominant hand simultaneously on the nondominant forearm: three slightly splayed fingertips might be used to draw a quick lightning bolt pattern, effectively marking three lightning bolts and meaning "tiger". The same three fingertips simultaneously rising up and down to tap randomly in three separate locations would indicate a random pattern of dots, likely a cheetah or a hyena. The only leopard known is Fehral, but "leopard" involves arcing the tips of the three fingers to make an oval rosette; a "jaguar" has the rosette followed instantly by one finger tapping the same basic area to mark a dot in the center of the rosette.

If there's no distinctive fur pattern for a particular species, the forearm is rubbed with the flats of the three fingers to indicate a blank slate, and then a secondary identifying feature is immediately mimed.

For lions, it's a slight tug on hair near the end of the jawbone, even in reference to a female lion, even though other Hybrids besides lions sometimes have their human hair after transformation.

Wolves are distinguished by their sharply pointed ears: a finger from each hand draws the shape from above and just behind the forehead to mid-skull, peaking in between. Still further specification probably uses the primary fur color: see this site.

Foxes are distinguished mostly by their tails, converted to gesture by a tight-lined flat hand that spreads out as it moves in a curve away from a point (somewhere between the small of the speaker's back and the actual lower gluteus) and around to roughly next to the hipbone. This leads to some very crass "puns" on occasion. Dholes are generally considered foxes even though they are actually wild dogs.

Cat is a species-group term that applies to all felines. If one feline is addressing another, they'll use specific species terms instead of the group term, since they are both cats. If one non-feline is addressing more than one feline, better make sure not to say something meant to disparage one "cat" without ticking off the others present.

Splay most of the fingers but use index finger and thumb on one hand to draw whiskers from near the nose out into space in front of the cheekbone.

Canine is a species-group term that applies to all canids and also to foxes and dog-like non-canids. If one canine is addressing another, they'll use species-specific terms instead of the group term, since they are both canines. If one non-canine is addressing more than one canine, better make sure not to say something meant to disparage one "canine" without ticking off the others present.

Point at a canine tooth or fang with one finger, from below. Doing this with the middle finger instead of the index finger is really a guaranteed way to start a fight.

Bat is a species-group term that hardly ever is discarded in favor of species-specific terms, since there are relatively few of them alive and operating at any given facility.

From the shoulders, use fingertips to draw a wavy line going outward a foot or so, essentially describing the top of extended bat wings.

Bear is a species-group term that probably comes up about as often as "bat", and would include ursines of any type from pandas to polar bears. If II ever makes a koala Hybrid for some loony reason, it will probably get lumped in with the bears even though it is not ursine.

standing as straight as possible on hind legs, let arms hang down limply but extend fingers to emphasize claws

Delta Hybrid identifiers

A Hybrid Series Delta minion, as a generic concept, is a combination of selected metahuman DNA with a human template. They are extremely expensive products to create. Two or three individuals may be created off a single blueprint, in the drive to produce a surviving commodity. A set of connected Hybrids may also be created as interlocking pieces of a single blueprint, making the entire unit a single artwork. At an I.I. facility, the Deltas are typically housed barracks-style, two to a given cell. They are fed in a dedicated hall and have a "common area" where they have the option of spending their leisure time, but all are trained and maintained in concert with the Alphas.

Much like the general-purpose gestures for "Employee" or "Alpha", trace an upper-case Greek letter Δ across the surface of an imaginary shirt pocket. Like most gesture code, the side of the body used has no relevance so long as it is opposite of the hand doing the tracing.

Because each Delta is considered a unique work of art, they each gain identifying gestures according to how they are perceived by the other minions, much as personal names develop in American Sign Language. Sometimes the identifying gesture for a particular Delta is derived directly from that person's art (the Killing Dance's "word" is based on a sword motion commonly seen during the beginning of his performances) or appearance (Brigid's Verse was referenced by a quick gesture of patting an imaginary ponytail and then the curve of her hip). A Delta's gesture code "name" becomes whatever gesture the greatest number of other Hybrids use most often as a designator; in some ways, the naming system is the most organic fact of the Hybrid society.

Infinity Inc. Employee identifiers

Employee is almost indistinguishable from {Corporate or Corporation or Infinity Inc}. In the typical sensory-bombarded Alpha mind, and for more than a few Delta Hybrids as well, "Employee" is a title-case pronoun that can mean a generic concept of "some typical employee at II" or be a substitute for using a particular individual's name.

For the person, trace a lemniscate in the vicinity of an imaginary shirt pocket; for the business entity, trace it in the air at hipbone height to one side, at least four inches away from the actual peak of the hipbone. Bonus points for making the latter gesture without looking, at the edge of field of view for all parties in the conversation, as if one cannot bear to gaze directly at it.

Different species of Alphas see colors in different ways, and some Deltas' vision has been altered as well, but Employees below the level of Director fall into certain categories based on the color of their lab coat, and the color of the coat is synonymous with the function and/or division of the individual.

White-coat is probably a member of the Physical Design Division, which wholly includes the Research and Development divisions, and mostly encompasses Medical; Medical in turn includes the Nutrition department, who actually do not wear lab coats, they wear something between a jumpsuit and a cleansuit. Most people in actual white coats are either Scientists or Technicians.

The "coat" part comes first, being a gesture that starts with both hands bunched against their respective arms just below the curve of the shoulder. The arms come forward along the chest as if shrugging into a coat or jacket until they stop about a handspan apart, on the collarbone. Follow immediately with the color: for "white", one hand goes to splay all fingertips on the center of the upper chest in the vicinity of where collarbone meets breastbone. As the hand is drawn away, the fingers come together until all fingertips touch.

Red-coat is a member of the Behavioral Design Division, and is also known as an Observer (which is considered the proper title, since everybody and their pet project may have three doctorates). This division has minor jurisdiction over Medical.

The "coat" part comes first, being a gesture that starts with both hands bunched against their respective arms just below the curve of the shoulder. The arms come forward along the chest as if shrugging into a coat or jacket until they stop about a handspan apart, on the collarbone. Follow immediately with the color: for "red", the index finger of one hand flicks a single time as if drawing color from the lips down to the point of the chin -- even if the color of the user's lips is not red, or if the lips are not really existent.

Black-coat is a member of a division technically known as Development, but almost never called that. They are more commonly known (politely) as Training, (less politely but more formally) as Redesign, or (very unhappily) as Torture. They're influenced by Physical Design and by Behavioral Design but once they have the design documents in front of them for a given prototype, they do their own thing without further consultation.

The "coat" part comes first, being a gesture that starts with both hands bunched against their respective arms just below the curve of the shoulder. The arms come forward along the chest as if shrugging into a coat or jacket until they stop about a handspan apart, on the collarbone. Follow immediately with the color: for "black", extend one index finger and lay that hand horizontally alongside the eyebrow ridge. Draw that fingertip across the brow from the outer edge of the opposite eyebrow (or where it ought to be) to at least partway through the other (hypothetical) eyebrow, as if describing a unibrow.

Other Employee divisions include Security and Plant Services (janitors, cooks, clerks, background stuff not directly interacting with the products most of the time). The ones that don't directly interact will not have a "word" specifically for them, but there ought to be a "word" for Security. There also ought to be a specific "word" for Simon Arkangel, with nuances more toward the Deltas' common terms "Master" or "Benefactor" (in the sense of "Benefactor/Patron of the Arts") and other nuances more toward Fehral's preferred translation, "Owner".

general conversation

Beg for mercy is the closest to a spoken phrase that could be attached to a whole-body gesture "word". It looks like someone demonstrating what an easy, open target he currently is to physical abuse, and carries a strong sense of deliberately-emphasized helplessness. It can mean "please take pity and do not harm me as you so easily could if you chose", it can mean "I am helpless before you" or "I give up/I do not resist", or it can mean "look at me, how can I possibly be a match for that?"

It can also absolutely be used sarcastically; check expression and kinesthetics and context for a fine-tuned translation. One example of a sarcastic translation would be "gee, you're so obviously going to kick my ass; bring it on and watch me fold", which probably results in immediate combat between communicator and target.

use hands and arms and even the movement of shoulders as well as the breathing muscles of her chest and stomach to spread wide, not looming or threatening but the exact opposite; hold pose at the position of clear (if not maximum) defenselessness

Find/Found are the same gesture, often translated to the verbal "found" even when present tense "find" would be more appropriate.

Three fingers splayed out, the index finger and thumb together pinch some delicately small object and draw it back toward the user's shoulder. This can be done at any angle to reflect contextual ideas of what was found, or where in relation to current position.

Think of picking up a needle from a tray in front of you, and you're in the right neighborhood.

Hush/Stop making noise, not to ever be confused with the gestureless command Silence, is also variously translated anywhere from "shut up" through "oh $epithet, not this nonsense again!" depending on enthusiasm and context

Make a small, tight fist, with the back of the hand toward the viewer, about four inches in front of the user's mouth. Usually the arm is angled to the side as if holding up a two-way radio, not coming up from below as if holding up a detachable squeeze-microphone for same.

Jerk is an all-purpose epithet, also capable of being used in a pitying or affectionate context but mostly meaning "what you did was not what I wanted".

Palm parallel to the ground, she flicked all of her fingers sharply outward against her thumb as if flicking something away.

It's a little bit like flicking a booger. Not what I had in mind when I first thought it felt like the correct gesture, but damned if I can think of a less disgusting comparison.

Plan derived from early days, when tablet PCs had not been invented. Even when the topic is not in any way a tactical-type plan, this continues to be the associated gesture.

Starting with thumbs against one another, connected sides of hands touching, palms downward, all fingertips bunched against each other and the index fingers against the thumbs, hands move horizontally apart as fingers spread out and wrists slightly rotate to cover a maximum area. Stop at shoulder-width apart. The gesture is meant to evoke smoothing out a rolled map on a table.

Stupid is an all-purpose adjective/adverb with a generally negative connotation, but it can be pitying or affectionate in the same sense as "goofy" depending on the context. Stupid can be a synonym for "undesired", "ignorant", "annoying", "objectionable", "unexpected", "frightening", "ludicrous", "confusing", and all sorts of other marginally-to-thoroughly negative qualities absolutely including the actual normal word "stupid" as in "dumb".

index finger and thumb like a somewhat triangular hole on her forehead just above her temple

Want is such a logical gesture in so many hand-talking codes that it probably sprang up intuitively among the first unit of Hybrids, along with its very close relative "need".

For "want", start with hands next to each other about a foot away from the middle of the ribcage, palms up, fingers flat and not necessarily touching but certainly not splayed out. As hands come closer to the user until heels almost touch the body in a smooth gesture, fingers curl inward like they're digging into something and pulling it toward the user. Thumbs generally stay in one position for the entire move.

For "need", make the same gesture, but with claws fully extended and with a much sharper, more rigid motion. The more violent and swift the gesture, the stronger the need portrayed.

Yammer is not so universal as "want", but Behavioral Design suspects it also sprang up intuitively among the first unit of Hybrids, or at least during the first twenty prototypes. This gesture, depending on speed of performance and context, can also be translated as "blah, blah, blah". It is never a polite word.

With one hand raised, bend all fingers at the base knuckle to touch fingerprint areas to the thumb. Quickly open and close the gap, mimicking a mouth on a puppet. Bonus points for finishing the gesture with a dismissive open-handed swipe downward, as if knocking the words away. (See also /em yatayata )