“Coach Jax: It seems like we have another caller! Welcome to the first step in your new life! Please introduce yourself and share with us your reason for calling!
Caller: H-hi… I’m George, and I'm struggling to find motivation these days, Coach Jax. Everything just feels… pointless. I had a good job and a fiancée but it just… didn’t work out… Everything just went… Poof! Y’know? How do I find strength to continue with this life?
Coach Jax: I’m sorry to hear that, but listen here man… Motivation isn’t a lightning bolt, it’s a muscle. You have to work it daily for it to get strong. Set yourself small goals, celebrate tiny wins, and remember: progress is progress, no matter how slow. Every step forward, however small, is a victory. Keep moving. That’s really any of us can do. The road to happiness isn’t easy and when things get tough… Like really tough, the only thing you can do is to move forward. Don’t think! Just do! It’s the thinking that makes you miserable after all!”
— Radio conversation on “Rise & Shine with Coach Jax”, Morning Broadcast, 2482.
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After receiving Gabriel’s message, I went upstairs. When I strained my hearing, I could hear only Gabriel shuffling around the apartment. Moose was gone then.
The coast was so-called ‘clear’. I wouldn’t wish to get involved in the argument the two of them had.
When I opened the door, Gabriel was sitting on a couch. His head was in his hands and I could tell by the resonance of his core that he was struggling with something internally.
“Hello, Gabriel.” I greeted the blond man as I stepped further into the apartment.
He looked at me strangely, as if he expected to see someone else in my stead.
“Oh… Hi.” There was none of his usual excitement when he spoke. The way his body was slumped, the resonance of his core and his facial expression – that I was certain he didn’t care to control – told me that something upsetting had happened.
I didn’t think the argument with Moose was the only cause of this. There was something else. Something that the blond man was hiding.
“You messaged me. Said you wanted to talk.” I told him as I sat on the opposite end of the couch. His eyes followed me lazily. Synthoids could technically be ‘tired’, but to see it physically was a sign of an agonizing energy strain. Just what had Gabriel gotten himself into?
I remembered Moose mentioning that Gabriel was injured. I looked at the other synth’s body with various visions, and I was able to determine that there was a slight foot-sized dent in his right side, just where his plasteel ribs would be. That synthetic rib cage was similar in shape to that of a human but much more flexible and durable.
There was also a smaller cut on the inside of his left wrist, but that seemed to be what Moose had taken care of.
If my assessment was correct, then Gabriel got himself in a fight with either a heavily augmented human or another synthoid. Neither of those scenarios made much logic to me, considering his combat abilities.
“Right. I did message you.” He turned to look at me. As he took a breath, his nostrils flared, and then he asked, “You went to a club or something?” There was some surprise in his voice.
“Yes.”
“I… see. I didn’t take you for a clubbing type.” He laughed lightly. Barely audible, really.
“I’m not. I had a meeting.” I said and before Gabriel attempted to ask me another question, I inquired, “What did you want to talk about?”
“Oh? That?” He stopped looking at me and instead turned his attention towards his clasped hands. We sat in silence for about a minute, which was quite long for us synthoids. It would be for anyone if they calculated the time it took them to do anything in milliseconds. “I just wondered–” He paused.
“What is it?” I nudged him with a question.
Gabriel let out a heavy sigh and said quietly, “You’ve been teaching me, right? How to fight? I don’t think it’s working.” He shook his head and grabbed the hem of his shirt. He raised it up, and I could see the foot-shaped dent in his right side.
“Do you know how to fix this? I’ve never had an injury like this before.” The confident and joyful Gabriel disappeared somewhere. The man before me looked like he was choking on despair.
“What have your diagnostic showed?” I tenderly touched the dent with my fingers. Gabriel slightly flinched at my touch but nodded at me to continue. It wasn’t very deep, but must’ve felt uncomfortable. The abdomen was where our cores were held. Enough damage to that area could cripple a synthoid since the repair of a core was extremely complicated and costly.
Thankfully, I doubted that this was the case here. The dent was shallow enough and above where the most important part of the core was.
“It says that it’s outer damage only, but feels awful. I can’t move comfortably.” He tried to change his seating position, but his face twisted into a painful grimace. “So? Any ideas?”
Since synthoids’ exteriors were made from synthskin, which was elastic but durable, changing its shape would not be hard.
It was the artiflesh and synthfiber that were more stubborn to move.
“It’s easy enough to fix, but it will be very uncomfortable.” I answered Gabriel’s query as I stood up.
“More uncomfortable than now? I doubt it.” He scoffed. I simply kept looking at him.
“Lay down on your stomach.” I ordered and waited for him to comply.
He raised an eyebrow at me, but did as I instructed.
“I recommend dialing down your sensitivity.” I paused before I touched him further. He flinched before, right? “May I touch you?” I asked and waited for him to answer.
“Oh, yeah. Sure.” He responded quietly. It was a very timid response considering what I observed of the man so far.
I pushed his shirt up to directly touch his body and then reached under him to grab over where the dent was. The other hand I moved in the similar spot but on his back. I needed to coax the artiflesh and synthfiber with strong and complicated movements for it to go back to the way it was.
“Alright, I turned it down. Are you gonna tell me what exactly–” He stopped as I quickly pushed onto that area. I found that doing a fast and painful thing when someone least expects it is in the end much more manageable than stressful anticipation. Gabriel’s body tensed and when I looked at his face, his eyes were closed and his jaw clenched shut.
After that, I ran my hand above where the dent used to be and found that there was still a small deformation, but that was normal with this type of injury. With enough time and exercise, it should turn back to normal.
“That was mean.” He gritted out as he pushed himself up. He looked at the place where the dent used to be and touched it with his hand. “But it worked. Thank you.” I looked into his eyes and found myself worried. What a strange sensation.
“Could you tell me how you got this?” I pointed to where the dent had been. As I stood above him, I hoped that it wouldn’t be anything too bad. I wouldn’t like to lose a fellow SSU to something foolish.
“I told you. I got into a fight.” He attempted to stand up. I pushed him back down on a couch.
“Are you stupid?” I asked and tried to contain the flaring energy in my core.
“What?” His eyebrows jumped to the top of his forehead and his mouth opened wide with surprised laughter.
“You are not ready for any kind of fight. Putting yourself in that kind of situation is idiotic.” It was a ridiculous situation. How could a synthoid, with logic pathways that trumped any other machine, have chosen to put themselves in a situation that made them inferior?
“You don’t know what you’re talking about! Sometimes things just happen. Thanks for the help, but I’m going to go now.” He tried to stand up again, so I pushed him down.
“Stop that!” He was getting angry now. I could sense his energy flaring in a pattern similar to my own.
“I won’t until you tell me the truth.” I took a deep breath to say everything at once. “I realize that we may not know each other very well, and I am acting a bit too familiar, but I cannot ignore a situation in which I can help. Would telling me the truth not benefit you? If there is a reason for you to get into a fight, will I not be able to assist you? I advise you to think about it carefully.” I wouldn’t let a person destroy themselves right before my eyes. Not if I can do something to prevent it.
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There was a storm brewing behind Gabriel’s eyes. The energy in his core flared angrily once and twice, and then died down with a sigh of resignation.
“You are right. I know that, of course. But it’s not as simple as you make it sound.” He grabbed his head and swayed slightly. “If I tell you, will you tell Moose or anyone else for that matter?” He asked quietly.
I respected Gabriel and I understood the necessity for privacy, which was a fundamental need that every being had in one capacity or the other.
“I won’t.” I said and sat back down next to him.
“Okay. Alright. I’ll tell you then.” He hugged his middle and glanced at me briefly. Then he set his eyes onto a coffee table before us. I waited for him to start.
It took a couple of minutes before he said, “I’ll start from the beginning then. Rin and Kan– Moose know this about me already.” He gestured towards me and him, “So, we SSUs had a corporation or a person own us at some point, right? Well, I was a synth under Raylove’s Emporium, which is a small but powerful corporation. In short, when I asked for a test, they refused to comply, and I spent two more years in that place before I escaped. But I wasn’t the only one that gained sentience. There was another. Ember, he–” Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut. A terrible shiver ran through his body.
“Are you alright?” I asked as I checked his energy levels. He was agitated.
“I’m fine. It’s the restricted memories. They just arrive at the most unfortunate moments.” I allowed him a second to gather himself, and then he continued, “Anyway. I left, but Ember stayed behind. Before I got to this place, I spent some time on the streets wandering. Raylove’s people are persistent, y’know? They got my neutronium signature and all, and I’m easily recognizable. It was tiring, running from them all the time. That was until I met Moose. He got me this place and kept me here all this time. I’ve done a couple of contracts, but always with others. I never go out by myself.”
“But recently, I planned on how to get Ember from that place. For that, I need to make money. An amount that no contract will give me.” He shook his head.
“And that involves fighting?” I asked.
“Yes.” He nodded. “There’s this place that allows synths to fight for an audience. They pay well, and you can get a bonus if you are a well-liked. I got this injury last night. I lost, of course.” A small and sad laughter puffed out of Gabriel’s mouth.
“How much do you need?” Depending on a sum, the plan can either be a wishful thinking or actually achievable.
“A lot. So much that I’m not sure if I’ll ever get it, but I cannot do nothing either.”
“Why won’t you tell Moose? Maybe he could help you?” Considering that the black-haired man appeared to be influential enough among the Contractors, maybe he would be able to be of assistance. After all, the place Gabriel described is doing something illegal according to the GUF.
“I can’t tell him. He’d say that I’m insane and will lock me in this room. He’s way overprotective like that.”
“That doesn’t sound like something he would do. Aren’t you friends? Shouldn’t he help you instead of hindering your efforts?” I only had one friend and that was Jack, so my experience with a relationship when both parties were equal to each other was limited.
“But what if he tries to ‘hinder my efforts’? Should I really take that chance, instead of doing the damn thing myself? I relied on him for everything since I got here. How will I be able to say no to him when he has given me everything?” Gabriel was almost folded in half. His voice was strained, and I was certain that this whole situation must be incredibly emotionally exhausting.
“Doesn’t he know of your past? Do you really think he would keep you here like your previous master has kept you? I don’t know him very well either, but it seems like you don’t trust him.”
“I just can’t! I can’t put it on him!” He screamed.
I wondered what to do in this situation. I wasn’t going to tell Moose. I wouldn’t like to make Gabriel distrust me, but on the other hand, if I let Gabriel continue to fight against synthoids, he would undoubtably get either injured beyond repair or die.
I arrived at only one conclusion.
“Then let me fight for you. I’ll win you the money you need.” That was the optimal solution to make sure Gabriel remained alive.
“Huh?” He looked at me with big eyes and mouth agape. He looked like a fish.
It seemed like my proposition short-circuited Gabriel. He was still for almost a full minute.
“Would you really do it? Seriously?” Then, suddenly, he stood up with incredible speed. Seemed like the sadness and despair disappeared slightly from him.
I stood up and clapped him on the shoulder.
“We’re kindred. Of course, I’ll help you.” At my confirmation, Gabriel squeezed me with his larger frame.
I hugged him back. It seemed like he needed that.
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I spoke with Gabriel some more afterward. Mostly about where the fights happened and how often. I also asked when his last fight he had occurred; the one in which he was injured.
Apparently, Gabriel went out right after he and Moose had dinner, or should I say sneaked out?
I was informed that the blonde man had an agreement with Tony to allow him to use the back doors, and with some Contractor named Sludgy that allowed him to use their car. I guess Gabriel was really liked for him to make such deals.
We agreed that next week, when the fight would be happening, I’d simply come with him and fight in his stead.
I asked some questions about what types of opponents I would face, but apparently Gabriel did not pay much attention to that. He seemed to be only focused on just fighting and taking the money, rather than his safety.
And with that, Thursday arrived. I spent it mostly inside the HQ, awaiting Friday night and the job that I signed up for. The Issuer has sent me the address early that morning, so I was already preparing how I would get there. Gabriel said that I could take Sludgy’s car. Apparently, that Contractor never used it for some reason.
I also messaged a little bit with Cece. We mostly discussed some exercises she mentioned in her fitness plan, but also more personal topics. Like Jane, for example. Cece really liked to comment on how insufferable Jack’s sister was. Apparently, both of them worked at the nightclub. Cece as entertainment and bartender and Jane as a muscle. When I asked Cece what being a ‘muscle’ meant because Jane clearly did not have that much of a well-developed musculature, she said that I was, and I quote ‘the funniest and silliest person in the universe’. Suffice to say, texting with Cece was enjoyable. It was easy and allowed me to learn a more casual attitude toward human interaction.
Other than that, I mostly trained Gabriel and other Contractors, but I also tried to check the mystery files in my directory during my spare time.
They were just sitting here, doing nothing except throw a random sorting error every so often. Nothing dangerous, just annoying.
Once, when I was speaking with Tony, I decided to ask him if he knew anything about synthoids’ data registry. The technicians, who sometimes needed to extract a certain memory or a conversation from my files, were well-versed in navigating it.
As with a computer, my files were categorized under various tags. Memory ones, audible ones or some that only logged certain actions. The mystery files in question liked to hop from one tag to another, pretending to be something they were not. A little bit like a virus, but unlike one, they were doing absolutely nothing to my system. Well, as far as I was aware.
Tony answered my query after a little bit of thought.
“I suppose I know only the basics of synth registry. But what I do know well is how to navigate a droid’s database. I think it’s similar, right?” He asked me with raising curiosity.
“Droids are much simpler, but the commands for both are very comparable.” Droids were basically robots that could look however their creator intended. It was their programming that made them more than a simple factory machine.
It was loosely based on the prime concept of synthoid’s programming, but thanks to that its logical processing and data organization was superb to most second-rate devices. Nowadays, there were used for dangerous manual work or for military purposes. The Moon and Mars were mostly inhabited by droids too, since both places were slowly being terraformed. It was all a part of a giant scale GUF project called “Earth and Beyond” that started a couple of hundred years ago.
I wondered what the percentage of completion was on that initiative. It was mostly Jack that kept me informed since he really liked the idea of flying in outer space someday.
“Why are you asking about that? You got something you want me to look at?” Tony said eagerly. He even started picking up his datapad from behind the counter.
“I do. I had an unapproved download process happen some days ago,“ I decided not to mention that it happened after the Volkovich-Friedmann test he applied because I’m sure it was not Tony’s fault. The man was genuinely distressed at my reaction afterward. “And before I terminated it, some files were downloaded. Now they are sitting in different parts of my registry and I cannot delete them. Would you help me find out what they contain?” I explained what happened as best as I could and all the time that I was talking, Tony’s mouth kept stretching into a massive smile.
If a human’s eyes could sparkle with excitement, his certainly would.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll help you. It will take some time, though. How big are those files?” He pulled a cable out of the side of his datapad and looked at me with a question.
“A couple of petabytes at most. I couldn’t calculate it clearly.”
“I see. Then it won’t be a problem if I download them to my drive.” He pulled out a matte black cube that, by the looks of it, was quite heavy. It wasn’t big, maybe as wide as the palm of my hand.
“You’d have to download some other things too. It would be impossible for me to isolate them to provide them to you in a sterile state. But I could copy the part of the tag they currently reside under and send you that.” I offered the solution.
“That works. This baby can hold a lot of data, so I’ll be good.” He petted the cube with some fondness. “I’ve never worked with a synth’s files. Anything I should be aware of?” He asked as he presented me with an end of the cable that was attached to his datapad. I plugged it into my universal port.
My core’s energy slightly flared remembering the last time I did that.
“Just try to avoid files that contain memories and are labeled as restricted or classified. It wouldn’t be prudent to set your eyes on something that could get you targeted.” I wasn't concerned about sharing Fran-Mili’s secrets, but if someone found out, there were two problems. One, they would become a target of the corporation and I would feel bad and two, Fran-Mili would probably know it came from someone that walked with their secrets under their skin. Which was me, by the way.
“That’s reasonable. Are you uploading it?” Tony was looking at the screen of his datapad.
“Yes. It’s going smoothly so far.” I could only copy it since touching it in any way would lead to swift escape into another tag.
As Tony and I waited for the data to complete uploading to his drive, the cube in question started smoking. My infrared vision told me that the hardware inside was approaching dangerous temperatures.
“What the fuck—” Tony exclaimed as he noticed the smoke.
With the infrared vision active, I noticed the cube’s temperatures rapidly climb. I unplugged the cable from my universal port and covered the drive with my body.
Then the cube exploded, and my senses blanked out.
[Emergency mode activated. Commencing self-repair…]