>>5746667“Thanks. Nothing special though, cover’s shit around here.”
“It is, that’s why the groxes hit us as they did. Anyways, who are you ?”
“Me ? Well, just a friendly passer-by, looking for food, water, shelter.”
“That’s why you helped ?”
“Well, you’ve got a huge feth-off miner here, don’t ya ?”
The defenders nearby laugh. “That we fething do. I think we can feed ya for what you did, if you follow us.”
“See no reason why I shouldn’t.” You say shrugging and that earns you a pat on the shoulder. “Damn fine shooting there as well, how’d ya do it ?”
“Well, I’ve got a steady hand.” You say with a chuckle raising the metallic limb. This earns you another chuckle from the defenders.
“Name’s Emil, you ?” He says extending his hand.
“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Bellerophon, nice to meet you.” You take his hand with your organic one and shake.
-
(POV shift: You are a human federation android codename: Master.)
You stumble atop the slippery steps, just enough to attract attention and sympathy, but not enough to actually fall.
“Whoa, you okay old man ?” A young man, named Jerartus calls out.
“I am, I am, I apologise for my lack of balance, my knees are not what they used to be.” You reply with a chuckle.
You gaze upon the man, a youngster with a firebrand streak, the perfect target. Young, naïve, foolish perhaps, but strongly believing in his ideals. As far as anyone is concerned, he looks like any other person, paler skin due to having to live in the lower hive, scars caused by working in the various manufactorums across the hive, a stubble showcasing at least an attempt at maintaining one’s proper looks. Though you do notice upon him thinning head hair, caused by malnutrition, another one of his idealistic believes. The man, foolishly, was splitting his rations with an orphan he had decided to take in, he would have most likely perished were it not for your intervention, more specifically, the intervention of your thrones.
“Well, what you lack in body’s strength, you make up in your sharp mind.” He returns your chuckle.
You smile, having told him the very basics of basics of metal working had seemed to elevate you in a position of reverence. Surprisingly enough, shortly after you had shared your knowledge, other youngsters, the man’s friends, had come to consult with you about how they should work, at what heat should they treat the metal, how fast should they treat it, the various mixture ratios of various alloys and the like. Such simple knowledge, yet so impressive. You cannot feel but wonder just how far had your masters fallen.
“Are we going to get there soon ? I can’t walk as far as I used to, or I’d like.”
“Don’t worry, teacher. We will get there soon enough.”
“And this there, you haven’t told me yet ?”
“Somewhere where other wish to help, uh, others.”
“Wise words.”
