The Core sat there in the Gallery, unable to move, and with only the unending halls of the Gallery to be seen. The lights from its own display shone on it, showcasing its curved armor that would make observers remember a beetle. What they didn’t show however, was just how confused the Core was after everything that had just happened.
It had shut down in the middle of an asteroid field due to critical damage, and instead of reviving in the middle of its safe asteroids, it had instead awoken here. It now sat as one of thousands of displays in this freakish museum it had found itself in, and that’s not the craziest thing that had happened. As it had been attempting to escape, it found itself no longer alone, as a tour group of two hulking brutes, a grim older gentleman complete with suitcoat and cane, and a weaselly man wearing a large fur coat, had all come wandering past.
They weren’t looking at the Probe, thankfully, or else it would have been discovered and likely destroyed. Instead, they were looking for a display next to the Core, one containing something the Core couldn’t even begin to describe. After debating and arguing, the weaselly art director sold the Artifact and finally noticed the Core. He freaked out, enough that the Gentleman “Fled” with as much grace as his age gave him, leaving the Director alone. That didn’t last for long, as the Director summoned his aid, a short plump man in dirty coveralls, who appeared so fast the Core didn’t even see him arriving.
The Director began berating his minion, accusing him of mislabeling artifacts, using the Core as a Prime example. One could imagine the Director must be obsessive over his gallery, as the point he was attempting to make, was that the sign stated “Damaged Probe” when the Core was clearly completely intact and even a bit shiny. The Director, furious, stormed off, leaving his Minion looking as confused as the core was until he to vanished into the Darkness of the Gallery.
This left the Core, finally alone with its own thoughts, finally able to plan its escape.
Well, this appears to be a bit of a predicament for you? Its great for views though
The Core shook, startled by the sudden blast of Window that filled its view.
”Gah-hah, You startled me”
Oh, you thought I would be gone forever did you? Too bad, you still belong to me
“Well, I won’t lie, I was hoping you would never bother me again. But it seems that right now, I belong to these people here, not you.”
Yeah, they sure think you do, even got a display case and everything
Though, it looks like they mislabeled you, for now at least
“Yeah? What’s that supposed to mean, ‘For Now’”
Well, I didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but that short fellow, he’s sharpening an axe right now
Guess what he is going to do with it?
The Core froze, its eye glowing white with terror, before resuming its normal blue glow.
“Ah, I suppose that is one way to correct that particular mistake… You wouldn’t happen to have any way to get me out of here, would you?”
Oh sure, I got lots of ways I could get you out of their clutches
Am I going to help you? …. .. … .. . . . .
“I’m guessing that is a no?”
Why would I help you? This is making me so much right now, it would be a shame to let you escape so easily.
“Great, once again, you are no help. I though you God guys were supposed to help their followers?”
Yeah, sure, most “Gods” as you call them help out their followers, but could you call yourself a follower?
“I suppose not, how would I even do that anyways? I mean its not like I could worship you or anything. I don’t have any arms to pray or anything like that.”
For now, I suppose I could figure out something for you later, but you have to escape here first.
Here, how’s this work for you?
Task Assigned – An Prisoners Honor
An Prisoners Honor – Escape your Prison to gain a Patron
“Well, I suppose I have to now, to defend my Honor~. Got any hints?”
I suppose I could give you that much, how’s this for a Hint, Your Ball is coming back
“What is that supposed to mean…. Oh, wait”
Hahahaha, you forgot about him didn’t you Hahahaha
If you escape I’ll be talking to you again Hahaha
The Window closed itself, giving the Core its view back again. It really needed to figure out how to minimize or shrink the windows, or else it would die as something attacked when it couldn’t see it. But that was an Issue for another time, it had a Scout Drone to Recall.
Stolen story; please report.
Recall Order Sent….
The Core sat there, waiting for the Scout Drone to come back. After its clock ticked past a minute, it checked the window again.
Awaiting Reply…
Annoyed, the Core sat there, watching both the clock and the distant shadows while it waited for a response. Every few minutes it would check the Message again, waiting for it to change. Fifteen minutes later, it did.
Response Received
“Recall Acknowledged, Attempting Pathing to Core, Hostile Presence Diverting Route, ETA Unknown”
The Core was surprised, it wasn’t expecting a response like that. When it ordered the Drone last, it couldn’t respond with anything more than Beeping. Now it was giving actual responses, even if they weren’t very intelligent. The Core sent another message on the Channel it was communicating with the Drone on.
“I understand there are Hostiles between us, just get here. Ignore the Evasion Protocols if that is what it takes, I want you here now.”
The Core hoped that the Drone would understand and get here as soon as possible. Because it had just caught movement in the distance of its view, and as it watched it could see the short Minion slowly trudging closer, pushing a cart of tools before him. It took a few minutes however, the Minion was walking so slowly, but within a few minutes he had parked the Cart in front of the Core and was slowly examining its frame with dull tired eyes. Despite how tired the Gallery Directors Minion looked, its wits weren’t dulled enough to miss the Cores “Eye” being lit, and the fact that the Core was looking directly at him, a small spot in the middle of the light showing where it was looking.
“Uhhh, wat da fuq”
The Minion Jumped back as the Core Sprang Forward, attempting to knock the Minion over. At least it tried, forgetting the Movement Dampeners holding it in place.
“Gshahfhashf, AH! IDS AWLIVE!!”
The Core sat there, fuming as it tried to figure out how to get out of this situation. It was unable to move as the Minion picked himself up from where he had fallen, and cautiously approached the Probe.
“Uh, I guess you ‘ad some kinda self wepair gibbuns. Huh, da boss is gonna be pleased ta bits”
The Minion scratched his head, then seemed to remember why it was there in the first place.
“Uh, no, he ain’t gonna be pweased, da boss wants this gibbun krumped, not shiny.”
The Minion sighed and turned around, he had a full selection of tools he was planning on using to “Krump” the Core. At least he was, until he saw hovering above his cart, a small grey ball, with a small red light looking down on him.
*Pew*
With a mildly pathetic sound, the Drone fired a small charge at the Minion, shocking him again and again until he fell over unconscious on his Cart. The Drone hovered lower, examining the prone figure, before firing again just to make sure that he was actually unconscious. Seeing that he was, the Drones light turned Blue, and it flew over to the Core, beeping happily now that it had successfully reunited with it.
The Core meanwhile, was just sitting there stunned at what had just happened. It had been about to try some drastic measures in order to escape, but the timely arrival of the Drone had been just in time. Shaking itself, it tried to order the happily Beeping Drone to turn off the Display it was stuck in.
“Hey, *BEEP* I need yo- *BEEP* HEY!”
Hearing the Core yell made the Drone stop finally beeping and it sat there hovering as the Core told it what to do. After a minute of trying to get the rather simple AI of the Drone to understand what exactly the Core wanted to do, the Core gave up and gave the Order.
“Just shoot the damn control Box.”
The Drone happily responded, it could understand this order at least.
*PEW*
*CRASH*
The Core stared at the Drone, at this absolute Idiot of a machine the Core had somehow been saddled with. It ignored the chaos, as the Display next to the Core, which had been suspending a complicated series of Gears and Mechanisms, crashed to the ground in an absolutely ruined jumble of broken parts. The Drone just sat there, seeming pleased with itself, and it’s display of absolute stupidity.
“YOU IDIOT, THE CONTROLS ON MY DISPLAY!”
*PEW*
The Drone got it right this time, and the Core felt itself floating freely as the Movement Limiting systems of the Display shut down, and its own maneuvering thrusters took over. It floated around, did a little flip, and then glared at the little Drone. Its anger didn’t last long, as it heard a door crash open nearby, and angry voices ranting about a “Flying Bouncy Ball” and “Demon Basketball” came closer, along with the frantic cries from the Gallery Manager trying to repulse these invaders.
“What did you do?”
“Order “All Haste Regroup” Acknowledged, Encountered 3x Hostile Parties on route, Minimal Collateral Damage during encounters”
“MINIMAL COLLATERAL DAMAGE? I swear to the Almighty Bob, you are going to get me killed.”
The Core was looking around as it said this, and spotting an Red arrow on the floor with the words “Fire Escape” it knew where to go. Ordering the Drone to follow, which it did, beeping Smugly the whole time, it quickly made its escape. It didn’t however, miss the chance to loot the Gallery on its way out, picking up a few Artifacts, including the strange Crystal that was unable to be analyzed by the Core, not yet at least.
Following the Red Arrows, they soon found the edge of the Gallery, raised voices behind them showing it was in the nick of time too. The Anguished scream of the Gallery Manager as he discovered his Artifacts missing showing that their escape had been noticed. The Escape hatch wasn’t to difficult to breach, without being restrained by the Displays machinery, the Core was able to leverage its Crude Harvesting System to cut their way through the Door. On the other side they found darkness, the Fire escape leading to the edge of a sheer cliff.
A crash behind them startled the Core, turning around it saw a party of angry looking Pirates stumbling their way through the displays. One fellow with an absurdly large feather in his hat had knocked over a suit of Armor, and the rest weren’t having an easier time with the Displays either. But they weren’t the Only group chasing the Core, and as he watched, he saw the Display Manager leading a group of grey figures down the lane leading to the Fire Escape, a straight shot directly for the Probe.
The Core looked at the displays, a near maze of dark passages and strange artifacts. It looked at its pursuers, a group of bumbling pirates wielding glowing swords and axes. It looked at the Gallery Manager, leading his group of hulking grey figures. It looked at the Drone, which happily floated next to him, acting innocent despite being the cause of this entire situation. It looked at the cliff, its bottom out of sight, hidden by clouds. The Core flew out the Door, cackling madly in glee at it’s escape.
“Hahaha, you think I can’t escape?!? I CAN FLY BIT-~”
Maneuvering System Insufficient in Planetary Gravity
“OH SHI-~”
The Core had managed to make it a few meters out of the Escape Hatch, giving it enough forward momentum to avoid the cliff. But it still fell out of sight, its screams of terror growing faint to the Drone as it still hovered at the Escape Hatch’s edge. It watched as the Gallery Manager came trotting, and wheezing, up to the cliffs edge.
“Gasp That Gasp Artifact Gasp Can’t Gasp Escape WHEEEZE”
Recovering himself, the Gallery Manager called its grey hulking minions to the cliff’s edge.
“Your Orders are to recover that Artifact at all Costs!”
The Drone started to stealthily edge itself away as the Gallery Manager started Ranting. Its caution rewarded as he kicked his Grey Minions over the Edge, their hulking forms uttering not a peep as they fell into the Distant Clouds. With them went the Drone, caught underneath a particularly muscled one, its frantic attempts to escape useless as it went beeping into the darkness.