(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

 

Flash: You look pretty nice all dressed up. *will lead him down the hall.*

Connor: *that gets a proud little grin from him* Thank you, Flashpoint.

Flash: *smiles at his bit of preening. She steps into a large room. She motions at where some Thirium has been set out for him.* Go ahead and get yourself some fuel. I need to go back to wait for the next person.

*The room isn't full, but it's not empty either. Those there are those bought from Oil.*

Data: *Connor will likely spot him huddled in a corner.*

Connor: *does indeed spot him. Not sure when he'll be allowed to fuel again, he'll pick up enough to top himself off, then head over to the poor guy*

Data: *already looking at Connor, and gives him a smile when the android approaches.* Connor…

Connor: *will settle next to him* How are you doing?

Data: I'm... I'm /really/ good actually. He... he repaired me, Master did. Completely…

Connor: *nods* I'm glad. I think you're going to be okay now. This mech is working with another, Shai's friend and "master," who intends to expose Oilslick for the criminal he is and have him taken down. They seem like good people.

Data: *looks at him, baffled* ...She was a spy?

Comments

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: *nods - he's already established that Zero is working with Iron, so suspects they're of the same mindset on things, including slavery, so it's okay to finally tell Data* Oilslick wants her friend Ironshade to financially back him. Ironshade loaned him his supposed "slave," but he only owns her legally for her own protection, so no one else can try to claim her. Her job was to find the evidence of Oilslick's illegal activities. When she found out that Darnell and I are detectives, she enlisted our help. Ironshade should have enough evidence now to take down Oilslick for good. He's actually really opposed to slavery, thinking it's a terrible thing. I can only guess Subzero feels the same. *speaking softly so that only Data can hear him*

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: *kind of leans into Connor, he’s become more physically expressive with them over the last few weeks.* He said that. Master said he hates slavery and plans to free any of us he can, give safe homes to those he can’t, and find a way to get those with homes safely back to them.

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: *wraps an arm around Data's shoulders* That's great news. I look forward to seeing you have a far better life than you've had till now.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: *leans into Connor a bit more and drops his face into his hands, sobbing.* I-I hope it’s true. I-I’m tired o-of being h-hurt all the t-time.

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: *wraps his arms around the mech and will hum something soothing*

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: *will cling for a bit before calming.* S-sorry. How are you doing?

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: Don't be sorry. Traumatic experiences are exceptionally difficult to cope with. I am well, though admittedly I will be better once Darnell has rejoined us.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: *has a half consumed cube of energon before him.* Bet it feels good for you to finally be able to to get enough fuel. I know Ma— ah... Oilslick didn’t let you have more than necessary.

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: Rationing for me only made sense. What I run on is highly specialized. He had to somehow recreate something that is rare and strictly controlled even at home.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: *doubts it was that, but won’t argue.* You really think Master’s friend will be able to stop O-Oilslick. *Primus it feels so wrong to say the mech’s name!!*

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: I cannot say for sure, as I do not have any knowledge of the local laws. However, we gathered enough of a preponderance of evidence to ensure conviction on all counts under the laws back home. I trust that it will be enough to do the same here.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: ...What’s your home like?

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: Nothing at all like here. Have you ever seen an organic-dominated world before?

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: Not up close. But... but... I mean, I know your word is different, but what is your /home/ like?

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: *headtilts* My home as in the personal physical space I return to at night after the day's activities?

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: *nods, looking over at Connor. His home has only been full of humiliation and pain, he’s never known anything different, but he knows there has to be differences out there...*

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: For me, home is wherever Darnell is. As a prototype android detective, I was originally assigned to him, being a well-known investigative specialist, to field-test me. When the testing phase was completed and the commercial model based on the data from me was ready for the market, Darnell was given the opportunity to purchase me, and he did. Most of the year, we live in a flat in London, England, though we're often away for extended periods for cases. Part of the year, we go back to his hometown in the United States so he can be near his family. We don't have a permanent home there because we're only there for short periods, so a rental apartment is arranged for us to stay in. *doesn't quite get what Data's asking, so he's answering the best he knows how*

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: What do you usually do at home?

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: When we get home from work, Darnell will fix himself his evening meal if he didn't buy something before getting home. I'll help him unless it's inconvenient, or if he's exhausted enough, I'll prepare it for him. Then we'll sit and watch the news or some other show or maybe a movie or even read while Darnell unwinds from the day – his job is typically quite demanding and stressful. He'll head to bed and I will have the night to myself. Sometimes I spend it cleaning the apartment or cleaning Darnell's laundry. I might work a jigsaw puzzle or play video games or read or just power down into a sleep mode myself. In the morning, I prepare Darnell's breakfast while he gets himself cleaned up and dressed for work. Once he's eaten, we'll leave for the office or the site of a case we're working. Humans in the countries that Darnell operates in recognize a seven-day week with five for working and two for personal time, generally speaking. The week-end days, we'll catch up on errands, shop for groceries . . . whatever Darnell wants to do. Due to the nature of his work, he doesn't always get both or either of his weekend days off, as we're away on a case. *part of him wants to ask Data what his home is like...but he has a feeling he can guess and wouldn't like the answer*

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: That sounds amazing. You must really love your home.

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: I am grateful for Darnell, for choosing and for being able to purchase me when offered the chance once the field-testing phase was completed. Also that he sees androids as people instead of machines.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: *looks at Connor.* He’s probably right you know...

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: *small, almost sad grin* How he chooses to see and treat me and others of my kind doesn't change what we are. I am a machine designed to accomplish a task. In my particular case, as a prototype, I was programmed with all the newest social protocols and engineered with a variety of cutting-edge forensic hardware and software and investigative initiatives, but ultimately the task I was built for was to field-test all of that for the commercial model that followed me. Had Darnell been unwilling or unable to purchase me from the company that manufactured me, I would have been recalled for deactivation, likely with my biocomponents specialized equipment recovered for use in future units.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: ...That doesn’t mean you’re not a person, Connor, it just means you’re from a world that doesn’t have the frame of reference for considering you as a person. If I went to your world I would not be thought of as a person, but some kind of alien built machine. I’m not just a machine, I’m a person, but I’m from a world that recognizes that. Your world doesn’t have any frame of reference for living machines, and so can’t fathom that they might have made some, you’re just not able to consider yourself a person because they made sure you couldn’t. *and Connor doesn’t have free will, not yet, but Data thinks he could develop it...*

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: *shakes his head* It's true that humans would not recognize you as a living person, Datashift, but that has nothing to do with me. *reaches up to press the spot within his LED, letting his synthetic skin bleed away, and then again to dissolve his shell, leaving the internal components of his torso visible through the flimsy wall his shell forms over. He removes one of his ocular components, opens up the clamps of his right knee joint to disconnect his lower leg, then does the same to one elbow, holding up his dismembered lower arm in his other hand* I am programmed to simulate life, to simulate human appearance, speech, and behavior, but I am really just a collection of manufactured parts and software protocols. Unlike you, I am not alive. I have no soul . . . and I have no spark.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: You can’t prove that you have no soul any more than Darnell could prove he /does/ have one, and just because I don’t know how to take myself apart doesn’t mean I couldn’t be dismantled while alive. You’re more than just your parts Connor. You can worry for your partner, fear for his safety... enjoy his company, or did your designers plan for you to have feelings too and not just simulate them?

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: …… *looks away, seeming to close off at that, his LED flickering red before settling to yellow as he reassembles and redresses himself* I'm just a machine, Datashift. Machines don't feel anything.

[socrowdedinhere]

Data: ...You’re lying to yourself if you really think that. I’ve seen otherwise in you. I think Darnell does too, it’s why he bought you, I bet, to keep your makers from destroying you.

[cyberlifeslastchance]

Connor: *voice flat, still not looking at him, LED shifting to red* Any android that is found to exhibit deviations from its programming, errors in its software, is destroyed for public safety reasons. *so yes...he clings to that, truth or lie*