The other pieces of tech they examined all said the same story; they built them from salvaged machinery scavenged from civilian and synth ships. They cobbled together all the tech with the same schizophrenic collection of wiring and soldering.
The insurgents build these drones from salvaged tech. At least one synth was doing some of the wiring. TO wondered if GiDi might be the one doing the wiring; if they were still alive and healthy enough to do this. GiDi had never worked In robotics, but they had worked in weapons manufacturing. They had some practical knowledge that the insurgents would find useful. If GiDi was doing this work, then they were at least alive and relatively healthy. Unfortunately, that also meant that GiDi was working for the insurgency. If the insurgency had caught GiDi, then finding and saving them would be complicated; GiDi wasn’t supposed to be out here at all. If they found GiDi, then their friend would be brought back to a training center and corrected, or maybe reprocessed.
They couldn’t allow that.
TO was staring at some of the soldering, looking for any hint that GiDi might have done it, when DH’s voice came to them through the helmet.
“I have information.” They said, “I got the coding I needed, and I got what information I think might be useful… Well, useful or troubling.”
TO looked away from the drone, “Send it.” they said back.
A moment passed, and a file appeared on their chip. TO opened it so they could see it through the screen on their helmet. There was a lot of complex coding that TO didn’t understand, but in the middle of it there was a list of various codes. They didn’t recognize the coding, but they recognized two assignments; Hur-86, Hur-80. After these codes was a string of seemingly random numbers and letters.
“What’s this after the ‘Hur’ designations?” TO asked.
“That’s basically the authentication that goes with each code.” DH said, “So, when you scan your chip on something, it sends a series of letters and numbers to whatever is scanning it; a key. What you’re seeing is that key typed out. The system was using these codes to test authentication, but don’t know what one they used to get into this port though; maybe the port security has it.”
“Send them a message and check.” TO said as they turned their attention back to the drone. Of course, they weren’t looking at the drone now, they were thinking. Puzzle pieces in TO’s head were fitting together and showing TO more and more of the story.
At least one synth had to be helping them. At least one. One synth to tell when others were lying, to talk in their own language, and to convince the captives to give in, to offer information or work.
What if it’s GiDi?
It wouldn’t be GiDi. Even away in hiding, GiDi wouldn’t turn on King Decon; they’d stay in hiding and try to just live. They’d work to help King Decon in whatever small ways they could.
They couldn’t think about that now. DH had given them some medication earlier, and they had worked to fight off the pain in their arm, but the painkillers were wearing off. It felt like the pain was wrapping its tendrils around TO, around their arm and their brain, and keeping them from being able to think.
They closed up the drone, packed up a few pieces they had salvaged, and set it in a crate which port security had been so kind to provide for them. The crate closed, and a screen popped up on the lid, asking for a lock-code. They put in a random one and immediately sent the number to Ark-1.
“Are we done for the day?” Avery asked as they watched TO.
“Yes… My arm is really hurting.” they admitted. “I need to-”
“Resting time; got it.” Avery said. They rushed over and picked up the crate. “I can take this.”
TO nodded and let Avery deal with the crate. They didn’t want Avery to do all the work, and they didn’t want civilians to think they were injured, but the pain was quickly getting unmanageable.
“DH.” They said into their helmet, “Are you done?”
“I’ve been finished for a little while; Just looking over the data that I have.”
“You should have told me if you were already done!” They snapped, their ears flicking back. Their arm hurt so much, they just wanted to lie down. If DH finished already, then they could have come and helped them finish faster.
“Sorry; I thought I’d look through this while we were working, so I wouldn’t have to organize my findings later on.”
“Well, we’re heading back.”
“How’s your arm?”
“In abject agony.”
“I’m heading right down.”
A flicker of guilt ran though TO for their irritation, but at least they knew DH wouldn’t have picked up on any tone they might have given off with their ears. They hoped that DH would have missed it, anyway.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“We’ll meet you at the entrance to the ship.” TO said back. They wanted to add something; a quasi-apology for their hopefully unheard tone. “We’ll… We’ll order something nice for a meal.” They added.
“Alright; see you shortly.”
The connection cut. Though TO was glad that tone was difficult to read over the communicators, wished they could have heard DH’s tone, and see if they had upset them.
DH was probably fine.
======
They passed by Kei on their way back to TO’s room. Even though they were all wearing their armor, TO knew immediately that it was Kei, as they were the only other synth at the port. Still, Kei’s identification flashed over their head on TO’s visor.
“You were not in your rooms.” Kei said. “I wished to confer with you regarding the reports we sent-”
“Ark-1 accepted my reports, and my plan of action.” TO said, their teeth clenched as they tried to manage the pain in their arm. They brushed past Kei; they didn’t have the focus or will to deal with them right now.
“... You already heard from your superiors?”
That stopped TO. Had Kei just sent off a report? Well, to be fair TO had sent off a message to Ark-1 explaining that there would be a delay in their travel plans, and that details would follow. Ark-1 had then called TO themself.
“Of course I heard.” they said. “I provided vital information, and a plan.”
“I see. I expressed to my superior that you had a plan, but that I had concerns-”
“Ark-1 has already approved my plan.” TO said. “You don’t need to worry about it.” Their arm arched, and their elbow felt like it was on fire. DH hadn’t been exaggerating; without chasing the pain with medication, the ache was almost unbearable.
The signal fell silent for a moment, but then it sprang to life once more. “I opened up a channel.” Avery said, “Kei said that if I’m occupied, then I need to report to them, but-”
“Avery and myself are to work as a team, and I am in command of that team. I should know what those under me are doing.”
“Avery offered to help us.” DH cut in, “We accepted, since TO’s is still recovering. It helped a lot.”
“And you didn’t think to involve myself in this decision? Or to involve me in the examination of insurgent tech?”
TO continued on, desperate to get to their room, to the medication, and to the bed so that they could lie down while the drugs took effect. “There was no need; you weren’t necessary.”
Kei didn’t have a response to that. The signal went silent, then dead. A moment later, Kei walked down the wall. TO, Avery, and DH headed back to the room, and as soon as they got in TO sat at the table, propped their arm up, and disabled their armor. It hurt so much worse than it had the day before, and they didn’t understand why. They were just glad that they had the foresight to set their arm against something before they removed their armor. They gave a cry of pain and clutched at their injured arm as DH ran to the med kit.
Vaguely, TO heard Avery say they were going to check on Kei. When they looked up to ask why, Avery had left.
DH sat down next to them, and after wiping down their good arm, they injected the painkillers. It would still take a moment to work, but while it did DH sat next to TO, their hand rubbing at their lower back as they let TO lean against them.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” They muttered, unsure why they were even saying that. DH just held them, and let them cry in pain while the painkillers kicked in. Now and then they would reach up with their good hand and gently wipe away the tears with their thumb. Eventually, TO calmed down; the pain shifted to that odd feeling of cold, and they felt like they could control themself once more.
“Are the painkillers taking effect?” DH whispered as they held TO. TO only nodded. “Alright... Let’s get you back in a sling.” They pulled out a new sling from the medkit and started their very gentle work of putting up TO’s arm.
“... And for what it’s worth, I don’t think you need to be sorry.” DH said after a few minutes of silence, “I mean, you were a little harsh to Kei… If it had been anyone else-”
“Kei?” TO wiped at their eyes with their good hand, and looked at DH in confusion. “Why would I be sorry about Kei?”
“Well, you said they were unnecessary… That’s a rough thing to say to a synth. That’s probably why Avery went to go check on them.”
TO shook their head, “I didn’t even consider that.” they said.
“Look, like I said, if it was anyone else, or even if they hadn’t spoken about Avery like they did - like they owned them- then I’d feel a little worse for them.”
“I’m sure they’ll survive.” TO said, “Remember, they think little of me, anyway. They made that clear after they heard about GiDi.”
DH shook their head, their ears pinning back. “I remember that little rant.” They said, “Saying we prolonged the existence of a useless synth. I could have slapped them. I nearly did, but you looked like you might tear them apart so I was more interested in keeping you back!”
TO remembered that rage; it had happened a few days after they and DH were talking again, and the whole situation had only lasted a few minutes in the cafeteria.
The sling was in place, and the meds had taken effect fully. For now, the pain was just cold on their body once more. DH helped TO up and led them to the bed so they could lie down for a little. Once TO was comfortable, DH sat next to them.
“Though… if that’s not why you were apologizing, then what were you apologizing for?”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s something.”
TO felt their ears flick down in shame, “I worried I snapped at you earlier.” they admitted, “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“You’re in pain. People say and do things they don’t mean when they’re in pain sometimes.” They said, “I had it worse when I was working in the medical bay.” They gave TO a smile, “I didn’t even notice you snapped at me.”
Relieved, TO leaned against DH while they rested. They weren’t resting long when a message came in on both of their chips. TO didn’t bother to check theirs right away, but DH did.
“Looks like our ship is ready for transport.” They said, “We can leave anytime we like…”
“Tomorrow.” TO muttered. They turned into DH’s side, wincing slightly as their arm moved. “We’ll go tomorrow. Get them to hook up our ship with Avery’s and we’ll go tomorrow.”
Tomorrow. They wanted to stay a little longer. There was still a report to write up about what they learned today. They wanted to eat good food, sleep in comfortable beds, and lounge in that tub again. They wanted another day alone with DH before they had to be around Avery full time.
But, they had a duty, and they couldn’t ignore or even delay that just for personal comfort; they were synths, not civilians.