"So this is it?" Reginald looked to Hazard Auto. It was one of those large buildings that were next to a mall, but not connected. Essentially it was a large rectangular box that in a prior life might have been one of many things. Now? The long wall facing away from the mall had a pair of rollup doors for bays deep and wide enough to house three cars each.

Though he had been here earlier, Reginald seemed as if he were only just now taking in the details. "Pretty sure your location is one of the reasons Knight is putting you on the shortlist for authorized repair places.

Will practically beamed as he gestured to the bay furthest from the customer entrance. As he adjusted the pack on his back KARR spoke up.

The voice, muffled by the pack itself, sounded displeased. "This is an undignified way of transport."

"Dude you, and more to the point your batteries, weigh about as much as a small child." Will shoot back. "You can thank RC here for having a better camera than what came out of the crate." There was a pause before he asked, "How's the video by the way?"

"Steady and clean." There was a pause before KARR added, "I suppose gratitude is appropriate Reginald. Presumably, you had these things as well as the power packs on hand for the sake of questioning and diagnostics if I had not yet been activated?"

As they walked into the bay Will waved to the crowd of people helping Luke then pointed to a black car sitting in the corner with both hood and trunk up. The crowd collectively shrugged and went back to work on the engine-less car that was the rush order Will despised.

"Is that... a Fiaro?" RC asked, incredulous.

"It looks like an off-brand ferrari, which puts it as a Mera, but the body panels do not exactly line up with the videos I have seen of such." KARR's voice was deadpan. "Please tell me that is not the vehicle I will be installed in."

"It's a custom body kit I managed to get made with some mix and match, reproduction of the Mera kit, some modification, and," Will gestured as he opened the driver door to gesture to the dash. "Customization doesn't stop with the exterior."

KARR made a small electronic noise, "Dash shape looks like the Ninty prototype. The instrument cluster has larger numbers. Unsurprising given your vision."

When Reginald was given the go-ahead he sat in the driver's seat. "Huh, Fuel gauge shows charge level."

He looked to the center console and nodded to himself. "Wha'd you do for the power train?"

"Swapped the whole drive train for a twenty-sixteen leaf's. Had to take the motor apart because it wouldn't work as is, which was a sort of blessing in disguise." Will elaborated. "This thing puts out twice the voltage the original did, only have enough battery for seventy miles," Will sounded as if that last bit offset anything the rest offered. "Considering it's a track car?"

KARR again made an electronic noise. "While my original shell used a turbojet powerplant it might be possible to interface with this to improve performance."

That caused RC to look to where KARR's camera was mounted to the shoulder strap of Will's backpack. "Should be pretty easy for you to do. This gutted a lot of the bling-y 'smart' features from the leaf for a fairly simple cockpit."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The Knight Engineer tapped the stereo unit. "This is going to have to come out. Not sure what KARR will do to your power drain without sitting down and mathing it-"

"Making several assumptions based on batteries needed for increase watt-hour usage engine modifications I saw tutorials for would introduce, minus the bevvy of light up powered controls and features..." There was a pause before KARR stated, "Add another two packs in. It should work."

Reginald grinned as he put his hands on the wheel and looked at the starter. "Huh went with the keyless system?"

A shrug from Will. "Only real problem is startup. Too much tire spin."

"Oh, we can fix that." Reginald quipped as he started the car and looked to the dash cluster. "I'm going to help you with KARR's installation and we're already here."

Bo looked to Will, "Hey man before you and your buddy here work on Mera we need more hands here."

"Right right," Will sat KARR's backpack down, ensuring the camera was pointed at the cluster of people. "Least you're getting out of the house?"

"Hmph," KARR grumbled, "I was looking forward to the prom episode of Murder Drones."

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

As Will assisted by getting tools and or generally moving things about as directed, Reginald patted the aluminum frame to the backpack KARR was mounted in. "If it really means that much to you, I can put word in so Will doesn't put you in this car."

"Oh?" KARR sounded curious, "And in return what would I have to give?"

"At this point, you're forty-year-old hardware that is an almost drop-in compatible with what we have on the KI Six Line. Seeing how you perform is interesting, especially since you're the first."

"I am," KARR confirmed. "Wilton said as such. Reviewing those memories with context gained later he seemed. Proud."

"So, we've got a nice sporty little number we can-" Reginald was cut off mid-offer.

"No." KARR's refusal held a finality to it. "I will not go into some production model body. The Fiero at least is something Will takes obvious personal pride in as opposed to just getting handed a set of keys and a, as far as the wider public understands, magic talking car."

"Huh," Reginald was taken aback by the refusal enough to look from the engine block being lowered to KARR's camera. "I figured you'd go for something less cobbled together, but if you're sure I'll do what i can to help with the install and diagnostics."

KARR's camera lacked the ability to pivot, so continued watching the engine as it was lowered. "I do not know why, but he seems fixated on my welfare to an illogical degree. Refusing what appears to be a gift on his part may impact future interactions. Thus jepordizing my continued welfare."

That caused Reginald to give an amused chuckle. "You tell yourself that man. You care."

"What is that noise?" KARR asked, suddenly curious. "I have heard it before. I have even had it come from my own modulator, but I do not understand it."

"Laughter?" RC paused, considering. "It's-"

Their musing stopped when one of the chains slipped. Before anyone really had any way to respond Will yanked Bo clear as several other people flinched back.

The Engine, as it turned out, hadn't come sailing down pancaking anyone or even harming the vehicle. Other chains held it up.

Bo, however, had blood coming from his face. Will scrambled to get a roll of paper towels. Several others yelled at him to stop spazzing. All while Bo was still processing what happened.

Eventually, he looked at Will, his head shaking slowly. "I mean they're kinda right you do need to relax."

As Will watched Bo toss a bloody paper towel away he sighed, shoulder slumped.

"They also need to stop giving you such a hard time about it. I'm OK. Car isn't harmed."

Both of them shrugged and after cleanup and looking the remaining chains over, work resumed.

KARR looked on, camera focusing, then refocusing. "Interesting how the others make light of this potentially fatal situation.

"Well, Will probably doesn't work back here that often so isn't as used to it as they are so is less at ease." Reginald gave the backpack an affectionate pat, even though KARR couldn't feel it. "Does go a way to show you the kind of person he is."

"Indeed." KARR's voice was low, almost as if he were thinking aloud. "It does."

Then the backpack-confined AI spoke up, "During this transfer, I do have one request. That you make every effort to transplant my current voice modulator. I dislike the notion of being reduced to an app on a screen that can be ignored or muted. Bad enough my capability of driving is limited to either closed courses or emergency situations."

"Fair," RC conceded. "It would also make you distinct from the KI Six units."

"Perfect."