Dee blinked far too much, jaw still dropped and in bewilderment. She sat up, looking for her pants and almost falling back over. Gizzy stared at the wall with a strange look on her face.
“So THAT happened.” Dee chuckled. “You look less than overwhelmed, can we use some words here?”
“How the hell did we end up here?” Gizzy sighed.
“Well, I made a suggestion and you went for it… rather shockingly. I was prepared to pull a laugh and SIKE! if it didn’t work, but then you just… didn’t get offended. You regret this, don’t you?” Dee cringed.
“I don’t regret it. I just don’t understand what series of events lead my life in this direction.” She said, cracking open a beer and contemplating life.
“Mkay, so feeling very vulnerable here, uncomfortable things happening, no pants, insanely good sex but you don’t seem to agree with that. You hated it didn’t you? Now for the record, you did most of the work yourself, and you BUILT my body, so if there was a failure here, it almost can't be my fault. You took charge of that whole thing, I pretty much just hung on and went with it.”
“No, you did nothing wrong. And the sex was surprisingly satisfying. That’s what troubles me.” Gizzy said.
“You are one weird bitch, you know. You’re upset because the sex was TOO good, and yet you expected bad sex and still went for the sex. You predicted failure, attempted anyway, succeeded, and now you’re upset. Help me here.” She said while scooting closer.
“I’m partially ashamed of myself for cheating on my wife that isn’t my wife anymore, and also slightly hesitant to admit I find you attractive despite looking like the bitch I hate… which means if she wasn’t a gross human who made my life an annoying hell, I could have potentially fucked her and enjoyed it. That’s what troubles me. My vampire sex drive made me miss the entire concept until afterwards and that leads me to doubt my self control and forethought.”
“Holy shit, you are not okay up there in that head of yours. You’re depressed because you’re alone but being not alone is a problem too. Was there ever a solution or do you just exist to suffer?” Dee asked.
“Hardly calling this suffering. I just tend to fight change, even if it’s good, because good things end and are usually just a trap. Either it will diminish with time, or it WILL be a trap and I’ll be ready for it.”
“Mkay, so it was good then? We’re admitting I’m not a disappointing fuck.”
“No… I had a great time, I’m just so unfamiliar with that feeling that I’m still processing it, and it doesn’t feel real yet.”
“Oh YEEEhehesss. Ugh, I thought it was me. I didn’t wanna go on and on about how insane that was if you hated it, and look like a dumbshit. Can you take a compliment without over-thinking it?”
“Probably not, but shoot.” Gizzy sighed.
“I don’t wanna shit on Zhoren’s performance but my god, what thousands of years of experience can do is astonishing. I’m still in shock here. I have hundreds of data files built in to know every sex position and fetish legally allowed where I’m sold, and yet, you showed up and… HHHHWhat even just happened?”
“Dee, I’m a biomech overlord who has built her own bodies for so long it’s stupid. Humans understand human shit, they don’t understand how our systems work. Any of what just happened would probably be considered a war crime if done on an organic lifeform. I absolutely violated your warrantee.” She smirked.
“Well if you break anything… you’re the one who fixes me anyway. I’m almost afraid to ask but… you don’t seem like a person who cuddles.” She squinted, waiting for a response and squinting harder.
“Yeah, I think we’re past that barrier at this point. Fuck it, hop on up.”
“Oh this is uncharted space for sure. Am I the first living entity to cuddle with this particular rogue Gizzy?”
“Please stop pointing out things.”
...
Jack, lifted his welding helmet while Vinn sat down the repair bar.
“See, told you it was easy enough to fix, we don’t need Gizzy for everything.” Vinn yawned. “So have you noticed Dee moping around lately?"
“Not exactly, but nobody would be the same after that experience. She remembers all of it, like a bad dream. Vicki had to fight for her life the first time, which traumatized her, and took weeks to get better. They may not have been that close, but Dee lost her first boyfriend. Zhoren used her and screwed us all over, and then she got abducted by a stalker fan. It’s natural for her to be acting off.”
“Her dude died, and she took it expectedly bad. Like it sucks for Dee, that’s awful luck. I feel so bad for her, but that’s nobody’s fault. Shit just happened. Some day, not soon or today, but some day she will move on too and find happiness again.”
“Morning, clowns.” Dee said while walking by with a sashay to her step.
“Or maybe it will be today.” Vinn said blankly. “I guess robots, like, get over things faster or something? Maybe she has sexbot powers. You can’t be a sexbot without the ability to get over people. That’s my best theory.”
“Or she’s faking it. Defense mechanism, or part of the original Dee that allows her to just stop giving a shit about boyfriend… She was really good at that. Maybe it’s programmed in.”
“Nah, she’s just tough and self reliant. She don’t need no man, no offense, but you didn’t save the day this time, she saved herself from an abduction. Think of the week long bullshit escapade that took all of the gang and funding to get Dee back when it was the other Dee, just a helpless damsel in distress. Same thing ironically happens to this one, and before anybody can even form a plan or start looking, she just kicks ass and saves herself. That’s some baller shit, dude. She’s tough as hell. I think she’ll survive.”
“With Vicki still on, seeing us together, the same Vicki who fed off her for sustenance, you and Nicole just the perfect couple and her getting screwed over left and right. What if she holds a grudge, or just feels alone?”
“I mean, dude, we get over shit. It’s space. It’s weird, shit happens. She’ll be fine. I don’t think she takes that feeding thing personal. I mean I don’tSsorry.” Vinn shrugged. "Anyway they’re scheduled for some training stuff together so they’ll probably bond. We always leave training stuff feeling like a team."
...
Dee glared at Vicki, loading a fresh magazine and pointing down the new gun range they set up in the basement. She fired a few shots, admiring the Double D logo and adjusting her stock length a little. Vicki fired a rapid burst at the target and stopped to reload.
“So you seem to be over your funk all the sudden.” Vicki said coldly.
“I don’t know what funk you thought I was in, but I’m not. Maybe I seem like I’m in a funk around you because I just don’t like you.”
“Some of the reasons are understandable. Some of them should be let go.”
“Oh really. Do proceed to tell me how to let go.”
“I needed to survive, you weren’t even a person at the time.”
“Thanks. Love your vampire themed gun by the way. Really just laying into that whole thing after the sucking my blood every day for a month. But letting go is good, we don’t wanna dwell on anything, right? Moving on is healthy, like painting your gun the color of murder and hemaglobin.”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“You’ve killed now, you know what it’s like to have to and not regret it. I love that you chose the mini rifle, it’s adorable.”
“Oh, and what is your chamber for, because I see very similar ammo on the table, it’s almost like I just have a lighter and more efficient gun with the same lethality. Weird, because supposedly, lighter guns in the same caliber kick more and you got your foregrip and your big heavy murder themed machine and don’t seem to be handling it quite as well as my little mini gun.”
“Actually, the 7mm Brut is 800 foot-pounds more muzzle energy. It’s what Gizzy carries, you are about 60 pounds heavier than me despite being shorter and I’m sure the lower center of gravity and the weight helps with recoil. Does it help with speed?” Vicki asked snidely.
“Well, for someone just naturally built for killing you seem to be about as accurate as the new girl, and I’m built for fucking. So I guess I’ll just pass you up on both with a little experience. How’s that scope working out? I hear they’re helpful, I never really bothered to add one since I have digital eyes. Obviously an upgrade from vampire vision.”
“Accuracy… the literal machine with zoom built into her eyes is guilting me for using a zoom optic. Okay. How fast can you acquire a target?” Vicki snipped.
Dee smiled. Vicki set the target mode to multiple enemies, rapid swarm. She switched to semi-auto and with almost mechanical accuracy, hit every one almost before they appeared. Dee switched to full auto and turned off the laser only she could see with the infrared. She waited for the first target and wildly sprayed the entire magazine, accomplishing the same kill count at nearly the same speed.
“Seemed about as fast.”
“Oh bravo. You killed the enemies and every innocent bystander within a city block. We shouldn’t just carry bigger clips I guess.” Vicki said sarcastically.
“I do. The micro uses top loading mags so I got like 5 on me. How many big drum mags you got on your belt, little miss suckpire? You could just suck all the bad guys I guess.”
“You don’t understand what I’ve been through, don’t act like you comprehend what it’s like to have to kill to survive and live with the human guilt. You’ve never been human, or even organic. You’ve never had to eat to live, and face that temptation.”
“Really, wow. Isn’t Vinn organic and had to fight to the death to save himself, but he only seems to kill the villains somehow. And Nicole isn’t fully human either, she’s faced monsters ten times her size and never killed anyone. They both need to eat and defend themselves and they just never end up eating me. Oh, now Gizzy on the other hand is a killing machine like you’ll never dream of being, body count that puts yours to shame, she trained you, and several weeks now as a fellow bloodsucker and she hasn’t turned on anyone or even had to drain off the Captain’s husband or the fucking robot in order to cope. I distinctly remember your form of self control and from personal experience… she’s got it so much more finely at her will than you ever did. It’s almost like everyone except you has to control their emotions and she shares her technology to keep you from accidentally killing Jack, and you don’t even say thank you. You ungrateful slut. After everything she did to save your marriage and your life, you still act like it pisses you off that she went vampy to save her own life.”
“Why are you suddenly defending her more then yourself?” Vicki asked suspiciously “You’ve been acting very upbeat since your last surgical procedure. You’re fucking Gizzy aren’t you?”
“Wha… that is none of your… okay yes. So what?”
“Typical Dee move. Find the strongest alpha rebound and sleep with it.” Vicki sighed, shaking her head. Dee crossed her arms.
“Right, I’m such a weak willed person for having needs, I’m just a mindless fuckbot, but back when I WAS just a mindless fuckbot, the only one getting their carnal kicks off me was you. Oh, don’t act like it’s better when you do it somehow. Like wanting someone’s touch is so disgusting but mauling a sex bot for a pretend kill to seductively suck its blood isn’t weird. I was there. It was violent, it was predatory and on some level it was almost sexual. Face it bitch, I’m tasty, but unlike Gizzy, you’re the only one who had to take what you wanted by force and kept crawling back, out of control and slave to the cravings, so don’t pretend to be better than me, or Jack, or Gizzy, or anyone else on this ship. You have the willpower of a crack addict suckin dick for rocks in an alley. You’ve sucked some people in alleys, haven’t you, little miss succubus?” Dee smiled. Vicki smiled back, looking borderline impressed.
“I was wrong about you. I thought you were a cheap knockoff of some cheating pornstar, but you’re actually just like her, and surpassing her with every day. God, it’s so uncanny I almost have to remind myself you’re not just her. Keep Deevolving into her at this rate, and sucking dick for crack might not be your worst concern. I’m far from perfect but I’m evolving, no longer all emotion and passion but all the same power, and you’re just becoming more human and more Dee. We’re never going to be friends, but we don’t have to be enemies unless you insist on it. Part of being human is knowing when you lost and when to stop fighting.”
“Good thing I’m not human, and I’m already designed to take a pounding. I’m evolving too, I’m more bulletproof than you are, without that suckpyre magic you really do have nothing to work with.”
“Keep it up, toaster. We may end up locked in a room together like old times.” She said while slapping a fresh magazine in and aggressively firing as Dee made her own discreet leave.
...
“Creepy.” Nicole said while watching the video.
“I guess she forgot I literally am recording 24/7 and have realtime play back.” Dee said, her neck port plugged into a wire leading to a screen.
“I mean…” Nicole squinted. “She’s been through some shit too, you don’t come out of that the same person. Just try and remember that Vicki was a victim too once. I know Vicki. She’ll warm up to you. Which brings me to the awkward conversation… How are you doing lately? You seem depressed. I just know that the best way to move forward is to find someone new and we’re stuck on a ship so the only other people are Gizzy and the old man. So that has to be rough on you.”
“I’m actually working on a… thing. Let’s call it a coping mechanism.”
“Well, as long as it’s not dangerous or self destructive, that’s great.” She smiled. Dee bit her lip and deeply pondered the technicality of the situation.
“You know, destructive may be… more of a, relevant thing, uh, like what may be harmful for someone organic may be easier to deal with as a biomech. So let’s just give me a mulligan pass on the definition of destructive.” She winced.
“Look, you don’t have to tell me details, just promise me if you do anything that might be risky, that you talk to Gizzy first, because she knows more about mechanical limitations and weather or not she can fix something.”
“Oh, I 100 percent assure you, Gizzy will be fully aware of any risks or problems. That, that’s a guarantee; She’s definitely been… informed.” Dee smirked.
“God, you’re really making me wanna ask but I also don’t wanna ask, so just nod and do your hobby, don’t get seriously hurt and try to have fun. Maybe if you get comfortable with it, it might be something we can do as a group, like game night. Or maybe you can share your new hobby with Vicki.”
“No…”
“Okay, then that’s settled.” Nicole sighed.
...
Nicole stepped into the lab as Gizzy was moving vials of blood from machine to machine.
“Hey, you’re a robot that does a lot of drugs… Are there any robot drugs that are dangerous for robots to take?” she asked abruptly.
“…What?” Gizzy asked, annoyed and baffled.
“Dee has been acting weird and like, really chipper all the sudden, and she's kinda being cryptic about it. I just wanna make sure she’s not, like, licking magnets or something you people do to get a buzz that can fry her brain. Are robot drugs a thing, and if so, are they harmful?”
“Oh, no she’s fine.” She diverted. “You like morbid shit, check out what I’m doing with all this blood. Wanna see a hamster abomination?”
“Oh I get it.” Nicole nodded.
“Please don’t get it.” Gizzy sighed.
“You’re supplying her. It’s like some thumb drive dopamine thing, probably something I wouldn’t understand.”
“You would absolutely not understand it. That’s for sure. Just keep it discreet, please. I don’t need rumors and extra worry. I have work to focus on, and a mission to prep for. IF the damn ship ever finds one” Gizzy said before returning to her work.
“Yeah, that has me concerned as well. You don’t think we… wish-fucked something up? Like Vicki and Dee have some kind of destined hatred brewing even thought they’re both good now?”
“I hope not. We have one wish left we can’t waste. Every scan shows Vicki being 100 percent the way she was when we backed the clone up. No memory issues, nothing.”
“Have you examined Dee?”
“Uh, yes. Thoroughly. One might even say more than Vicki. Trust me, she has no memory either. It’s just a rivalry between two stressed out people, who had awkward history even before the pitch incident. You’d be a little annoyed with someone if you remember them attacking you to feed. At least Vinn got high off the venom and consented to it, and even he got sick of it. Imagine waking up alive and with free will after someone did that to you, just hunted you day after day for food, and then acted like it never happened. Did she ever even say she was sorry?”
“I’ll talk to her. She’s been a best friend for years, I know her. I think she’s using guilt as a defense mechanism. You work with Dee, get some feelings out and see if she’ll open up to you.” Nicole nodded.
“That won’t take much effort. Trust me.” Gizzy said as their coms went off. “Oh thank fuck, a mission location. The ship finally rebooted or whatever it did. Hopefully something we can all do together and get everyone to warm up to one another again.” Gizzy huffed. “And the old man can get the hell out. He’s done nothing but fail to cooperate and make Jack distracted and conflicted.”
“He’s provided a lot of help too.”
“No, he’s provided a lot of weaponry and I already stole and copied all his notes and tools. The only question really, is do the cloned synthetic soul bullets work, and we can test that ourselves and do it the hard way if they don’t.”
“I just wish there was a way this crew could become closer and less guarded.”
“Don’t say that out loud too close to the computer. I know our last wish is protected by a 2 party identification verification process but just saying that near it makes me nervous about manifesting plot. We’re close enough already, maybe too close in some combinations. Let’s not tempt fate here.” Gizzy said nervously.