[Once focus of the party turns to his work, Viktor seems much more comfortable at the gathering--he's able to answer questions, demonstrate what one device or another does, and, of course, has the added bonus of taking the attention off him as a person. The automaton is the thing he's most proud of, obviously, and to watch his friends interact with it is surprisingly fulfilling.]

They can't talk. Not yet.

[Yet, of course, indicating that Viktor has further plans for this. There's also the added layer that speech from such a thing might be strange and unusual to those he wants to work alongside the machine--they can't be afraid of it, so he has to take things increments.]

My first priority was the articulation system, and binding Hilda's spell to the chassis. It's not sentient, not really.

[In case Kaz was worried.]