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Chapter Text

Since the discovery of mermaid-like creatures in 2035, Kamski had taken a singular interest in learning more about these types of creatures. They were a symbol of the unknown wonders of the world, an evolutionary marvel, and they would be the key to gaining Kamski the kind of recognition he had always aspired for in the scientific community. Since learning of the small pod of unidentified creatures swimming a few miles from the mainland, picked up on sonar from a passing commercial liner, Kamski had made it his singular goal to capture one such creature and to act as a trailblazer in the research of this hitherto unseen species. He aspired to be the one responsible for the first mermaid ever brought to land for experimentation, and it would be made possible by the deployment of one of Kamski's world-famous androids.

The technical engineer considered this as he walked through the laboratory, making his way towards the tank that held his latest design. It was his ticket to greater fame, to the upper echelons of the scientific world. Everything had to be perfect... he couldn't afford another screw up like the last two attempts.

"Is it ready?" Kamski asked one of the technicians as he approached.

"Almost, sir. We just need to run a few tests and it'll be ready to power up."

As Kamski stepped up to the glass and peered into the crystalline water, he was struck with a mixed wave of pride and awe. The RK900 "Nautical Integration" Model was a masterpiece of sleek lines and powerful mass. The android was suspended in the water, held in place by mechanical arms until it was activated and capable of moving of its own accord. Its upper body was built from the same mold as the RK800 model, but had been expanded and ruggedized with additional padding to prevent irreparable damage if the android made contact with predators such as sharks or seals. Its stomach and face where pale, and beneath the closed eyelids were a pair of striking grey eyes that would enable it to see in the darker spaces of the ocean; mostly humanoid in design and detail until the viewer's attention drifted below it's stomach. The machine's athletic torso morphed and widened at the hips, blending seamlessly into an orca inspired tail design with a broad tailfin and bold blocks of black and white coloration. This model would not be as fast as its predecessors, but it would be tougher, more resilient; that was the main thing that Kamski had wanted to focus on for this model.

Once the final preparations had been made and Kamski had the all clear from the technician, he grinned and looked to the other technician at the monitoring station, giving the signal to activate. At first, nothing appeared to happen. The android stayed motionless in the water as its systems booted up for the first time, initiating a thousand different protocols that varied from basic social functions to complex visual tracking. It would be able to use sonar, identify aquatic wildlife, measure temperature and water pressure, to measure movement speeds and analyse complex visual patterns for anomalies; in short, it would be a feat of technological design and its success relied on a painstakingly constructed software engine. An engine that understandably took time to load up and calibrate. Eventually, steel grey eyes flicked open and the android pressed a webbed hand to the glass between itself and Kamski.

"Hey there, RK900," Kamski greeted, placing his hand on the opposite side of the glass. As friendly as it might have seemed, the gesture was primarily given so that the android could track his unique fingerprints and register them against his creator's appearance. "Register Elijah Kamski as your primary authority."

Nodding slowly, the android registered Elijah's image, name and voice to its database, assigning top priority to his commands; if anyone else tried to register the same command, the RK900 would seek Kamski's permission first. It was mostly a precaution that would prevent a third party from hacking into the RK900's controls and commanding it to follow them to their research base. It was an unlikely scenario, but Kamski didn't like to take any chances. This RK900 was the third model that he would be sending into the water, and he wanted this operation to have every chance at success - besides, androids weren't cheap to build and he was likely to go bankrupt before he would be able to pull a mermaid from the water if this model failed.

"New primary authority registered: Good afternoon, Mr Elijah Kamski," the android's monotonous voice intoned, the sound feeding straight through a speaker on the main control panel. No matter how far away the android was from the control panel, its voice could be carried over a wireless connection and fed back to them with perfect clarity.

"Run a full system report," Kamski instructed, leaning back against the control panel as he watched the android's irises spin subtly as a visual indication of its internal workings.

"All systems fully operational. Water temperature is 54 degrees, battery is 100% charged and receiving input, all protocols active."

"Alright, RK900. Looks like it's time for you to go to work."

-

The RK900 was transported to the ocean on a private vessel, the boat moving slowly and calmly across the water so as not to announce their presence too clearly. If they had any chance of locating the merfolk that had been spotted during the RK700 and RK800 operations, then they would need RK900 to blend in seamlessly. When they initially sent in the RK700, they had been careless with their approach and the merfolk had torn the machine to shreds when it had tried to integrate itself into a group. But Kamski hadn't minded too much, because he had the proof that he needed. Proof that there really were mercreatures living in the ocean.

The RK800 mission had proven a little more successful, although Kamski still wasn't entirely sure what had happened to the android in the end. RK800 had been able to make contact with a small school of merfolk and had integrated itself reasonably well. It had fed recordings, video and behavioural analysis back to Kamski's lab and secured Elijah the funding that he had needed to develop the project. But the RK800's signal had grown weak as it followed a particular merman into the depths, and they had lost contact completely. A number of attempts had been made to reestablish contact, but they had never been able to get a clear reading on the android's location or status. After a few days, they were forced to give up the RK800 as a lost cause - the most likely possibility was that the mercreatures had realised RK800 was not a biological organism and had guided it into a dangerous terrain, or perhaps intentionally taken it to a place where the signal would be too faint to trace, before ultimately destroying the unit. Still, there had been no point in sending out a retrieval unit - the RK800 had served its purpose and any attempts to find it would only cause problems during their ongoing research.

Now, with improved funding, stricter protocol perimeters and a more robust design, Kamski was confident that they would be able to achieve sustained contact with the merfolk and would be able to monitor their behaviour over a series of months. He had even commissioned the engineers to build dual power generators into the android's hardware - one that transformed kinetic energy from the water against its gills into electricity, and micro solar-panels layered into the skin of the back and tail. With these in place, the RK900 should be able to survive in the water for a series of months before it was required to surface for a maintenance check and recharge, which meant that it wouldn't have to raise the suspicions of the other creatures by leaving for a pit stop. All in all, it was a clever design and one that would hopefully prevent a similar fate to the previous two designs.

As the vessel came to a near stop at the desired location, Kamski checked over the notes one final time before giving the go ahead for the RK900 model to be moved into position. They had left it activated and 'awake' for the journey so that there would be no dead time in the water where a predator could attack the stationary unit, or any chance that they might miss some crucial footage while the android initiated its software. And the whole journey, it had watched the crew with a cold and calculating eye; a few members of the team had made a point of avoiding it, muttering superstitious complaints about the android expressing hatred or contempt towards them by way of its expressions. It was all nonsense, of course; Kamski had tried to reassure them that the android was as incapable of emotions as a potted plant, but there was no accounting for sensibility.

Finally, prepped and ready, the android was placed into an airlock located along the base of the vessel. It turned its steely eyes upward at the technicians as the airlock closed above it, as though conveying nervousness. It was impossible, or merely coincidence, but even Kamski would admit that the expression had been uncanny.

Chapter Text

The RK900 waited in the dark as the sounds of the ocean roared in muffled stereo around him, his sensors unable to penetrate the hold, leaving him essentially blind to his surroundings and the world that he was about to be released into. His databases alerted him to the threat of aquatic predators in the area, particularly those that might mistake the boat for a seal and surge up to meet him as he was deployed. He weighed up the risk of reefs and rock formations, whether he would be released too close to an outcrop and might injure himself. He considered the effect of the salt water on his components and whether he had been designed to last indefinitely in the harsh water. All of these thoughts collected in his mind, making him alert and uneasy. But he closed his eyes and recalculated.

The humans had sonar scanners, so they would not drop him into a dangerous location. They would not benefit by allowing him to become damaged or dysfunctional. They would take great care to place him in a safe location... He repeated this calculation a number of times, attempting to minimize his concerns about the world beyond the airlock.

Without warning, the lower doors of the container started to open and water pooled up around the RK900's body. He braced his hands on the receding floor, trying to adjust to the current of the water, the temperature, the salt level, the level of toxicity, the unmeasured expanse of space beneath him, before him, behind him, around him. But the doors clicked into place against the walls and the android was pulled unceremoniously into the depths of the ocean by the water's momentum.

For a long moment, he could only let his body go still as he was carried amidst the uncertain currents, until he came to a gradual stop in an unknown area. He scanned the surrounding waters for endemic life, trying to rule out the largest threats before he got the rest of his bearings. He was in an open expanse of water, only a few meters from the surface, and he could sense the boat drifting away somewhere ahead of him. The water was cold, but not unpleasant on his skin, the water currents washing over him and feeding through his mechanical gills to generate surplus energy. The worry faded by slow degrees and he regarded the expanse of water that he would be living in for the next few months with something close to wonder, getting a better look at what it had to offer.

And he was amazed by what he found.

Engaging his powerful tail, the RK900 drifted forward and watched sunlight filter through the surface in beams of luminescence. To his left, a few lone fish darted through the water; at a glance, their scales seemed grey and lifeless, but as the RK900's enhanced vision closed in on the details, he was able to detect entire rainbows of greens, blues and reds glittering subtly along their skin. All around him, the planet offered up bouquets of sea rock, coral and flora; an aquatic garden that stretched as far as the eye could see. He could identify anemone, pink coral, seaweed, and as his visual enhancements kicked in, he was able to pinpoint plankton and krill darting between the large fronds.

Testing out the full capacity of his body, the RK900 surged forward and swam as hard as he could with the current, exhilarated by the rush of water over his mechanical gills. He tested the range of his fins, calibrating his turn speed and angle, logging the information for future use. His body felt powerful, strong. It felt good... or, as much like 'good' as he was capable of feeling. Kamski had designed him well, and he predicted that he would be able to outswim a vast number of the regional predators, provided that he kept his senses sharp. Calibrating his vocal processors, the RK900 unleashed a wave of sonar, testing the distance it could reach and scanning the area for any interesting signs of life. No threats currently detected. That was good, the android noted, allowing himself to relax a little.

"Once you're done calibrating, we need you to seek out the subjects," Kamski's voice echoed through his systems, the transmission coming through loud and clear.

It jarred the RK900 from his moment of self-exploration, pulling him back into focus as he tried to close off all of the distractions that had taken him away from his task. He had a job to do, and he was determined to do well for his creator and master. Diving deeper, Nines counted up the gradual increase in pressure against his chassis, but it was well within acceptable levels. He was capable of diving to around 2000m below the surface before he would start to suffer damage. Besides, according to the data gathered by his predecessors, the merfolk colony that he was looking for should be somewhere in the 600-700m range, so he wasn't likely to reach those limits any time soon.

Following the coordinates left by the last RK800 reading, the android did his best to scan the surrounding waters for any sign of aquatic humanoids. The difficulty with an underwater discovery mission was that there was very little data to go by: there were no footprints, no scents to follow, and a lot of the physical byproducts left by the mercreatures would be swept away on the current and would dissipate in the open waters. He would be relying almost solely on visual evidence and the hope that the creatures inhabited one region for an extended period of time. However, it looked as though he would not be so lucky. As the RK900 neared the last known location of the merfolk, the android began to suspect that they had since moved on. It was not uncommon for Piscean species to roam over vast distances to ensure a regular supply of food, so it was highly likely that a collection of merfolk would have done the same.

Still, wanting to be thorough, the RK900 explored the area and tried to find any sign of their existence, hoping that he might be able to pick up a trail somehow. He spent a number of hours combing the area, searching through the natural reefs and outcrops, looking for any trinkets or tools that they might have left behind. An unwelcome part of his programming reminded him that he might well find parts of the RK700 and RK800 scatted against the rocks, but he pushed the thought back and focused on his search. It was difficult work and would have been frustrating if he had been capable of it - hours of his first day in the field spent picking through the coral reef with no new data to present to his creator.

As the sun was beginning to set, the RK900 started to close up his investigation, planning on finding a safe shelter to hide out in during the night, so that he could continue his search in the morning. But as he was turning to head back towards the shore, he caught sight of a large creature swimming a few yards away, heading out into the open water from its hiding place beneath a rocky outcrop. The RK900 fixed his sights on the figure and carefully swam closer, focusing his vision on the figure until he could get a clear view.
It was a merman.

The humanoid had a dusty, grey tone to his skin that made him difficult to see clearly from a distance. He had dark brown hair that blended into the deepening tones of the nocturnal ocean, but as a fractal of light rippled over his hips and tail, the android realised that this specimen's main colouration was a deep, rich blue. Hiding himself behind an outcropping of rocks, the android watched the other figure and tried to gather as much information as possible. The subject was around six foot from the top of his head to the tip of his tail, and he had no visible dorsal fin along his back. Instead, he seemed to have large, fan-like pectoral fins and a matching splay of fins at the end of his tail. His fins were marked with beautiful white lines and dark blue stripes that the RK900 was able to cross-reference with that of the Glaucus Atlanticus, otherwise known as a Blue Angel. If he was correct, then this opened up a whole new avenue for Kamski's research, as it would prove that merfolk had evolved to include non-fish variations, such as nudibranch and mollusks.

As the RK900 watched, the mercreature approached a jellyfish that was gliding through the reef and reached for it casually. For most humans and presumably for most humanoids, the sting of the Portuguese Man o' War would be a powerful and potentially deadly threat, but this creature reached for it with the casual air of someone reaching for an apple in a tree and grabbed hold of its bulbous top. As the merman brought the meal to his mouth, the RK900 was able to see the creature's rows of pointed teeth before they sank into the flesh of the jellyfish.

The RK900 recorded this information, logging every scrap of data that he could for his creator. They had already collected significant data about these creatures eating smaller fish and certain types of aquatic flora, but they had yet to witness a specimen devouring a venomous species. Once finished with the flesh of the jellyfish, the creature gathered up the tendrils and started to eat those too, seemingly unbothered by the venom. Curious, the RK900 ran a cross-reference and learned that the Blue Angel was capable of eating jellyfish and concentrating the toxins into their own fins so that they could protect themselves against larger predators. It was a fascinating mechanic, and one that posed significant risk to any human researchers that might want to examine this creature. Which was probably why they had sent an android in... amongst other reasons. If the RK900 was going to be responsible for bringing a mercreature to the surface, it would be best if he brought a less dangerous example for the human researchers to handle, but in the meantime, this specimen would be able to lead the RK900 to others of its kind and would provide plenty of passive data in the process.

When the creature turned to swim deeper into the reef, the android made a movement to follow but disrupted a few rocks in the process; the merman turned sharply, dark eyes fixing on the RK900. Immediately, the merman flared his fins and bared his teeth in an intimidating display, a low hissing sound emanating from his throat. The RK900 had no option but to make himself known, slowly emerging from the outcrop and keeping his distance. The Blue Angel regarded him carefully, hands moving in a slow motion across the space in front of his chest; hands crossing with the left behind the right, parting again, then crossing with the left in front. This motion repeated a number of times, the creature's gaze fixed on the RK900 all the while. But the android didn't understand the gesture, so he approached a few feet.

Immediately, the merman darted back a few yards, broadening the gap between them and repeating the gesture more frantically. The RK900 frowned and analysed the gesture, trying to extrapolate any kind of meaning based on human sign language, universal gestures and aquatic creature body language, but he couldn't seem to find anything useful. He raised a hand in a greeting and the Blue Angel hissed loudly, turning tail and darting for a built up area of rock and sand.

Determined not to lose his only lead, the RK900 followed at a pace just fast enough to keep sights of the creature, but not so fast that it would look as though he was giving chase. He just hoped that he would be able to make successful contact with the merman and convince him that it was safe. If not... well, he preferred not to think about that possibility if he could help it.

Chapter Text

The RK900 followed in the wake of the Blue Angel for almost a mile, weaving between tall caverns of rock, squeezing into tunnels formed by the reef and eventually drawing to a stop when the mercreature disappeared into a hole in the rock face. Cautious, the android drew up next to the hole and ran a scan into the space; he didn't want to risk following the creature into an enclosed area and risk a fight in close quarters. But his scanners confirmed that the tunnel was only narrow for a short distance before opening into a wide space. The high oxygen content of the water near the top of the space implied that there may be an open-air section to the cave, and more interestingly, the scan didn't show any sign of the merman in the enclosed area, meaning that he must have surfaced... which posed a lot of questions about the Blue Angels respiratory needs.

The RK900 considered his options carefully. There was a real risk that the tunnel led to a connected collection of caverns and caves, and the RK900 could risk losing the creature if he didn't follow. But there was an equal chance that the mercreature could have returned to a larger group of merfolk, and that they were waiting to ambush the android as soon as he emerged from the water. Whichever way he considered it, there was a considerable risk. He ran a number of probability calculations and came to the conclusion that, based on known topography of aquatic spaces, this cavern was most likely either small enough to fit maybe three specimens at most, or that it connected with a series of deeper tunnels. If the creature was hunting alone, then it was unlikely to be returning empty handed to a group. So, it stood to reason that the most productive and rewarding action would be to follow the creature into the unknown space in the hopes of keeping it within range.

Taking a moment to brace himself and readying his combat protocols in preparation for a fight, the android worked his way into the narrow opening of the tunnel. As he broke the surface, the RK900 was greeted with an astounding view.

None of his databases suggested that mercreatures took up permanent residence in once place, let alone taking the time to decorate that space so that it became something that could only be described as a 'bedroom'. The high damp walls of the cavern had been decorated with strings of shells and fish bone, almost like a crude form of bunting; the rock closest to the water had been smoothed out over time and the merman had apparently etched complex patterns and shapes into the ground to form a rudimentary mosaic around the pool; beyond the decorative border, the RK900 was able to see a variety of trophies and trinkets that the creature had collected over time - a pile of shark's teeth, pearls, jewelry and the large, rusted rear rudder of a boat that had been propped up against the wall as a centerpiece. It was beautiful, and it spoke of so many cultural habits, such human-like intelligence, that the RK900's curiosity was sparked anew.

Before he was able to note any more information about the creature's domestic practices, the Blue Angel turned from where he was reclined near the back wall and screeched loudly - the sound echoed off the walls in a hellish reverberation, but the android dampened his auditory input and tried his best to placate the creature. He raised his hands slightly and demonstrated the strange arm signal that the Blue Angel had done previously. For a long moment, the creature only stared at him, and the RK900 began to worry that the gesture wasn't entirely appropriate for the situation; he tipped his head slightly in a universal gesture of confusion, and tried to show the merman that he wasn't armed and meant no harm. After a few moments had passed, the creature relaxed and moved closer, looking the RK900 over with a critical eye. Moving slowly, the android pulled himself up onto the smooth rock and got himself comfortable so that the Blue Angel could get a better look at him.

Approaching with obvious caution, the creature gave off a series of low growls and punctuated sounds that might have been a language, but the android only had a minimal codex for this kind of communication. Despite the RK800's extended time with the mercreatures, he had not been able to complete a useable dictionary, and so the RK900 was flying blind when it came to communication. The android knew that the screech had been a warning, he knew that a hiss was a sign of displeasure. But aside from that, these sounds were lost on him. The best he could do was to cross reference a few aquatic mammal sounds such as those from the whale and dolphin species, and to try using those. But he realised that this was about as likely to work as playing domestic cat sounds for a tiger. His only option was to listen carefully and to try building his own codex from the small snippets the Blue Angel gave him.

After a few moments, when the RK900 had failed to answer the onslaught of noises, the creature frowned and brought a hand to his own throat, demonstrating an 'ah' sound then gesturing to the android. The RK900 mimicked it, apparently surprising the creature, who then tried to speak more fluently with him once he had confirmed that the stranger wasn't mute. But it was no good. In the end, the RK900 shook his head and tried to speak English instead, hoping that the creature would have a basic understanding from his close contact with the human-filled beaches. If nothing else, it would convey to the Blue Angel that the RK900 spoke a different language.

"I don't understand you, I'm sorry. Do you speak English like the humans?" he tried, and the creature sat back on the mass of his tail with a sound that was remarkably similar to a sigh.

He gestured to himself and uttered, "Ga'vin... Ga'vin."

The creature gestured for the android to do the same and it took him a moment to realise that Ga'vin was a name and that the creature was asking for the RK900's name. Which.. he didn't really have.

"RK900..." he answered uncertainly, hoping it would please the creature.

"Ark... Ark Ay Nine..." Ga'vin tried to repeat, but he grew frustrated with the human nonsense in the name and seemed to try a shorter form. "Nines?"

Nines. It was silly, really. Nonsensical and linked to his true identity in only the most fleeting of ways... and yet. It felt nice to have a name, especially one that was so easy to pronounce. And if 'Nines' existed in the language of these people, then Nines wondered what it meant, whether it held the same connotations as it did in the English vocabulary.

"Nines," he agreed.

This seemed to please the creature and he smiled broadly, his serrated teeth on display as he gave a knowing kind of nod. Ga'vin moved closer to Nines, but he hesitated and drew himself back again with a sound of uncertainty. Confused, Nines followed his movement and pulled himself closer, but Ga'vin reached a hand out to stop him. Making sure that he was watching, Ga'vin fanned his pectoral fins and touched one, miming a nasty shock before uttering a word that sounded like 'plap'. Nines stored the words away, linking potential meanings to it: hurt, danger, sting, venom, warning, owch.

Shaking his head, Nines slowly reached for him and touched a fingertip to one of the appendages. Ga'vin winced, though it appeared to be more for Nines' sake than his own, because he instantly relaxed when the android remained unhurt. Ga'vin frowned and took his hand, checking his skin for any sign of injury.

"Plap?" he asked, his tone difficult to read.

"No," Nines tried to answer, but he knew it would be no good.

To demonstrate further, Nines ran his palm flatly along Ga'vin's fin and showed him the undamaged skin of his hand. One of the many perks of being an android was that biological threats such as toxins, venom or disease could not harm him.

Ga'vin seemed pleased with this revelation and he allowed Nines to lay reasonably close at his side, resting in comfortable silence together for a while. Without any sunlight or movement against his gills, Nines was forced to settle into a low power mode that would help him to conserve energy. As they rested, Ga'vin set about some kind of grooming behaviour, massaging his fins and using the oily substance that was produced from them to rub over the rest of his skin. Nines watched him, trying to categorise the behaviour and to compare it to other animal behaviours; in the end, he realised that Ga'vin was either distributing some of the toxins from his fins to the rest of his skin as a form of defense mechanism, or he was hydrating his skin with some kind of oil that would keep him streamlined in the water.

"Ga'vin," Nines started, trying to get the other merman's attention.

When he was sure the creature was watching him, Nines pointed to himself and held up one finger, then did the same to indicate Ga'vin; he brought the two index fingers together and 'transferred' one finger over so that he was holding up two fingers on one hand. Using his free hand, he extended his index finger again and gestured around them. He hoped that Ga'vin would understand.

You plus me plus... anyone?

For a while, Ga'vin only stared at his hands, seeming to gradually work out what the android was asking and giving a small shake of his head. A part of Nines hoped that it was just a miscommunication, that Ga'vin thought he was asking about other mercreatures in this cavern specifically. But he suspected that a wider truth was being answered here - no other mercreatures nearby.

Ga'vin made a swimming gesture with one hand before gesturing somewhere to the north. Nines had suspected that the mercreatures would migrate between seasons, so he wasn't particularly surprised. But the thing that really confused him was the fact that Ga'vin was still here. If the group had migrated, was he left here to watch over their territory? Or was he left behind? Nines pointed to Ga'vin, then mimicked his motions for 'swam north', hoping that the answer would be easy enough to understand.

The only answer was a derisive huff of laughter and a marked change in body language. Ga'vin drew himself inwards slightly, drawing his arms around himself as he made an effort to shrug. Ah, so he hadn't been left here willingly. Nines frowned a little and leaned his weight into Ga'vin, trying to find a way to comfort him without being too forward. He smiled softly when Ga'vin returned the gesture, leaning his own weight into Nines for support, and made a note that this was apparently an appropriate comforting gesture that could be used in the future.

After a few minutes, Gavin gestured to his fins and shook his head, repeating that word; 'plap'. Nines nodded to show that he understood, though most of it was guess-work. He guessed that Ga'vin had been exiled from the group due to the danger he posed to other merfolk, forced to live by himself in this cavern - which was why he had decorated it, because it was his permanent home. It couldn't have been an easy life for the Blue Angel - the whole purpose of migration was to find a suitably safe breeding ground and to ensure that there was an ample supply of food at all times. If Ga'vin was forced to hunt in the same area over an extended period of time, his access to food would be constantly depleting, reliant on the migration of fresh prey or perhaps even some kind of rudimentary efforts to store food long-term.

A small part of him felt pity for the creature... which shouldn't have been something he was capable of... Nines analysed the feeling and tried to reason it away as some kind of social protocol, but it unnerved him a little to feel something so unorthodox.

"Nines," Ga'vin started, then he spoke a stream of sounds that Nines tried to memorise - if nothing else, as he developed an understanding of the language, he could use this information as a reference point and work out clues about the grammar structure and phrases used. But until then, it was just a string of meaningless sound.

Realising that Nines couldn't understand him, Ga'vin repeated the same gestures that Nines had given him, asking why Nines hadn't migrated. Ah... he had not been programmed with an answer to this question, and lying was exceptionally difficult for an android, if not impossible. He could say that the humans dropped him off nearby, but it was likely to raise Ga'vin's suspicions and could damage the connection that he was starting to form with the mercreature. Perhaps he could twist the truth a little bit, miss out some key details. It would not be lying, as such. But a careful presentation of the truth that would optimise his chances of developing a connection with his subject. Yes, that sounded like an appropriate action.

"New here," Nines explained, trying to think of the best way to explain with gestures. He gestured to the south and then mimed swimming before pointing to Ga'vin's cavern. He was trying to convey something along the lines of 'I travelled from the south to this area', but this was the best he could do. Thankfully, Ga'vin seemed to have understood and nodded slightly.

After a moment's deliberation, Ga'vin gestured to Nines, then at the cavern and uttered a sound like 'brom'. Nines tried to apply some meaning to the word, watching as Ga'vin repeated the demonstration. But it was a little vague. Realising that Nines was confused, Gavin pointed to Nines, then mimed swimming outwards, then swimming back towards him and gestured to the cavern. He was offering Nines a place to stay after his expeditions into the open waters.

Brom: home, safe, return, welcome. Any of those meanings might have been true, but Nines liked the idea of it meaning 'home' the best.

"Thank you," Nines smiled, touching his chest above where a human would have a heart, trying to show gratitude.

"Than kyu," Ga'vin repeated clumsily. "Than kyu... At-at."

"At-at?" Nines replied, realising that this must be this language's form of 'thank you'. He logged the meaning in his codex and laughed softly. It was a pitifully poor vocabulary so far, but it was all new data that he could feed to Kamski. "At-at, Ga'vin."

Even if Nines wasn't able to find a whole community of merfolk to interact with, maybe this kind of intensive communication would be more beneficial in the long run. With Ga'vin's help, he might be able to learn a lot about their language, private habits and culture. Perhaps, if he was very lucky and played his cards right, the Blue Angel would grow attached to the RK900, and the android would be able to lure him back towards the surface without the need for a costly retrieval operation... and maybe, he would be able to see how these creatures showed affection. He just hoped that being so close to one merman wouldn't put him at higher risk of being found out.

Chapter Text

For the rest of the evening, Ga'vin mostly rested and Nines made a point of mirroring his behaviours as closely as possible. He rested when Gavin rested, occasionally dipped himself in the water after Gavin had done the same, and made a display of finger-brushing his own hair after he'd seen Gavin do the same. He tried not to be too obvious about his mimicry, and the mercreature seemed to relax when Nines exhibited the same behaviours. The only difference was that Gavin occasionally moved to the water and cupped a little in his webbed hands, holding the moisture to the gills on his neck... and it raised a question in Nines' mind.

"Ga'vin, how do you breathe out of the water?" Nines asked, gesturing to Ga'vin's gills, then at his own ability to (performatively) breathe. He was based on a whale, which was an aquatic mammal, so it was easy enough to believe that a whale-merman would have the ability to breathe the air. But Blue Angels had gills, and other nudibranch species survived on photosynthesis.

Figuring out the question, Ga'vin gestured to his gills and demonstrated his little ritual of washing them with water, but then also opened his mouth and gave a number of deep breaths. Fascinated, Nines watched him and made a note of his dual-purpose respiratory system. The next question was harder; Nines gestured to Ga'vin's chest and gave a signal for breathing, then mimed his water ritual with a look of questioning. He wanted to know why Ga'vin needed to apply water to his gills if he could breathe air.

After a few moments of trying to work out a way to answer, Ga'vin made a gesture that looked like 'small'. He took a few breaths and repeated 'small', then at his gills and mimed 'big'. Nines nodded his understanding, amazed by the complex biological design. If he had understood correctly, Ga'vin was able to survive by breathing air, but it didn't provide as much oxygenation as his gills could manage in water. So, he rested above water in his cavern, but occasionally breathed the water when he was starting to feel starved for oxygen. But then... why not stay in the water permanently? Nines supposed a cavern like this provided safety and privacy, and it was easier to sleep on a flat surface than to drift around and risk being ambushed. Still, the way his body had adapted to the world was incredible.

Apparently rested and groomed, Ga'vin took to slightly more complex occupations; checking a number of tools, gathering up supplies and eventually setting a primitive form of harpoon down on the ground in front of him. Searching in his pile of bric-a-brac, he pulled out a bundle of dried seaweed that had been woven into a rudimentary string. Quietly, he set about the task of replacing the string that held the barbed sea-glass spike to the shaft of the tool, working with an intense kind of focus. Nines watched closely, surprised by the dexterity of Ga'vin's webbed fingers as he worked the string. He wondered what kind of creature the harpoon would be used on, given that the Blue Angel had already demonstrated a similar dietary habit to its nudibranch cousins. If it wasn't for use with jellyfish, did Ga'vin eat other types of fish too? Or was the harpoon a defensive tool against large predators?

Curious about the other kinds of tool that the mercreatures might use, Nines pulled himself over to the pile and gave Ga'vin a questioning look, wanting to make sure that the other mercreature didn't mind him snooping. The Blue Angel nodded and uttered a low 'ah' sound that Nines logged in his notes as an affirmative noise, such a 'yes' or 'sure'. If he kept building vocabulary at this pace, he may be able to develop a basic form of communication with the Blue Angel before the end of the week, which was an exciting concept. Until then, he would content himself with an analysis of the tools contained in the mercreature's lair.

A quick scan through the items revealed a surprising amount of complex tools. There was a heavy stone with a hook and a hole carved into the tip so that it loosely resembled a teardrop, a kind of pestle and mortar made out of rock, and countless small tools made from driftwood and sea-glass. Nines logged a number of needles, knives and carving tools, along with something that looked like a brush that had been constructed from driftwood and some kind of sea sponge. It was fascinating. Taking the teardrop shaped tool to Ga'vin, Nines gave him an inquisitive look and offered it over, wanting Ga'vin to show him what it was for.

The Blue Angel took the tool and looked to Nines, apparently surprised that he didn't know what it was. A different language was one thing, but if this was a very common tool for mercreatures, then Nines would be casting suspicion upon himself; if he wasn't careful, he could risk outing himself as an inorganic creature. He would need to be less obvious in his future inquiries if he wished to remain undercover... Thankfully, Ga'vin didn't seem to push the point too directly, only adjusted his posture in a gesture not too dissimilar to a shrug. After a moment, the Blue Angel gestured for Nines to wait before he ducked into the water; he was gone for a minute or two, coming back up to the cavern with a collection of seaweed clutched in his hand. He handed it to Nines and reached for the pestle and mortar, leaving him to pulp the flora down to a paste while he finished securing his harpoon.

Nines worked carefully, not wanting to out himself further by over-working the seaweed for whatever it was that Ga'vin wanted to show him. At last, Ga'vin took the bowl from him and plucked some of the stringy, mushy substance between his fingers. Hooking it onto the tip of the tool to keep it secure, Ga'vin grasped the main body of the stone tool and he began twisting it. Once the pulp was twisted into a tight line, he took some more pulp from the bowl and worked it into the weave, repeating this until a thin strand of seaweed string began to form. When the string grew too long to work with the tool at the end, Ga'vin secured the weave with a small knot and shifted the tool up the line so that he could continue.

It was hypnotising to watch, and Nines logged the information carefully for Kamski to review. If these creatures were capable of complex processes like spinning seaweed into string, they would potentially be able to perform a whole host of other human-adjacent actions such as engaging in crafts or the tailoring of clothing.

After a while, Ga'vin offered the tool to Nines with an expectant look. The android took it, worried that he would make a fool of himself if he tried to mimic the practiced gestures that Ga'vin had shown him, but he reminded himself that he had the distinct advantage of real-time visual playback to guide him through each step as he worked. His hands moved clumsily at first, unaccustomed to such intricate work. But Ga'vin made a sound of encouragement and moved so that he was pressed close at Nines' side, adjusting the position of his hands to reduce the tension in his wrists. Nines found himself distracted from his task - too focused on the gentle way Ga'vin guided his hand, one pectoral fin laid flat over Nines' hip to steady himself as he helped the mechanical mercreature to learn a basic skill.

Nines was suddenly all too aware of every piece of data that was emanating from Ga'vin. The android took a reading of the toxicity levels present in Ga'vin's fin, calculating the full motion range of his hands based on his movements and the humanoid shape of his fingers, registering body temperature, skin PH levels, approximated oxygen intake with each breath based on the concentration in the immediate area... all useful data for Kamski. Yes, for Kamski. Nines needed to gather as much data as possible so that his creator would be able to-

"Nines?" Ga'vin prompted, giving him a strange look.

The RK900 realised too late that he had stopped spinning the yarn and was looking intently at the other mercreature. He must have looked strange, staring for so long at the Blue Angel... but rather than perceiving the attention as a threat or a question, the merman gave a tight laugh and Nines was sure that he could see colour rising in his cheeks. He was blushing. A humanoid response triggered by embarrassment, anger or arousal. The laugh meant that he could not have been angry, but it was hard to say which of the other two options it could have been. Perhaps he was embarrassed by Nines' careful analysis of his body. Or perhaps Nines had inadvertently done something that constituted a courtship gesture.

Curious, but not wanting to risk overplaying his hand, Nines mimicked the embarrassed little chuckle and offered the tool back to Ga'vin.

He watched as the Blue Angel accepted the tool and tied off the string, putting the supplies aside for another time. For the rest of the evening, while Nines feigned sleep and tried to preserve his energy, he occasionally caught glimpses of the mercreature looking his way. His gaze soft and lingering, before the Blue Angel returned to his task and muttered something to himself in the confusing and beautiful tongue of his people. Whether those glances and lost words related to Nines' odd behaviour, or whether there was a more sentimental basis... Nines had no way of knowing.

Chapter Text

The following morning, Nines rose from a short hibernation to find Ga'vin laid out across the stone floor of the cavern. It took Nines a moment to figure out which way he was laying - the Blue Angel's body a mass of fanned fins and powerful muscle. Despite Nines' initial assumption, the mercreature's lower half was stretch out over the rock while his shoulders and head floated on the surface of the water. Nines smiled and watched him sleep for a moment, cataloging the way he used this position to breathe deeply while he rested. Like humans, the merman slept with his eyes closed, but Nines sensed that he probably had a way to detect potential threats, even as he slept. Testing the theory, Nines slipped into the water as smoothly as he could, floating over to Ga'vin before driving his tail forcibly through the water and darting forward.

Alerted by the sound, or perhaps by the movement of water, Ga'vin seemed to move by instinct rather than thought. He wasted no time in an attempt to pull himself up, but instead tipped his weight back and downwards, his toxic fins forming a protective barrier between Nines and the Blue Angel until he realised who had distrurbed him. His expression passed between surprise, confusion, worry and then eventually settled on a sharp kind of smile. He rose to the surface and waited for Nines to do the same before splashing him. Nines laughed and swept his arm over the surface of the water to return the gesture, but Ga'vin had already dipped below the surface and surged towards the android, wrapping his arms around Nines' waist and pulling him into the water. They tussled for a short while, Nines hesitating slightly for fear of accidentally hurting the Blue Angel, and not being entirely sure about the rules of the game. But Ga'vin made every effort to keep pushing Nines downwards, not satisfied until the android's back was pressed to the rocky floor of the pool that led into the open water.

Once pinned, Ga'vin moved off of him and gave a triumphant little woop before heading back to the cavern and pulling himself up onto the ledge. Nines tucked that information away for later, wanting to initiate that kind of play with Ga'vin more often... it had been fun to engage in a game for the first time in his life, and it was rewarding to see Ga'vin smile so brightly. A part of him had also enjoyed having Ga'vin so close, his arms around Nines in a way that felt unfamiliar but not unpleasant...

As he emerged, Nines pulled himself up and settled beside Ga'vin, making a display of stretching out and warming up his muscles in the same way that he had seen Ga'vin doing. While he did, Ga'vin gathered up some fishing net that had been adjusted and tailored to form a bag, then picked up a handmade harpoon and offered it to Nines. The android took it, curious about what the Blue Angel had in mind, but all became clear when Ga'vin made a gesture to indicate food or eating. They were going on a hunt... and Nines was suddenly a little concerned that Ga'vin would expect him to eat. Still, maybe he would be able to mime the action or claim that he ate while Ga'vin wasn't looking... what was more important, was that he would be able to get an up close and personal view of the Blue Angel's hunting habits, when he wasn't just snagging Man o' War Jellyfish from the current.

Without another word, Ga'vin slung his own harpoon around his shoulder, and did the same with the net-bag, then guided Nines out on his first ever hunting expedition. The android just hoped that he would be able to aid Ga'vin in his mission, rather than being a hindrance. In theory, his combat protocols would allow him to hunt, but he was starting to wonder whether there was a specific practice that the merfolk followed, and whether Nines' hunting protocols would seem odd. There were so many uncertainties... so many risks. Perhaps Nines would send a recommendation back to the lab, instructing them that an infant-styled model would be better suited to this assignment, so that it would be natural for the mercreatures to raise it and teach it the ways of their people without question. But then... that would mean that Nines would be decommissioned...

A cold thread of fear wormed its way through Nines' system as he considered this. He knew that he was just a tool, and that his life would only last for as long as this mission did. But he had never really thought about what that meant for him. He hadn't really considered the fact that he would cease to exist and would not longer be able to learn about the world around him. And that frightened him... And yet, to withold suggestions from the lab and to pursue his own selfish needs would go against everything that he had been built to do. The conflict crowded his processors, refusing to dissipate until he fixed on an answer that satisfied his internal workings. In the end, he rationalised his own uncertainty by reminding himself that none of the previous models had ever seen a child mercreature and it was therefore impossible to know what they looked like - and to try to replicate something that they had never seen would inevitably end in failure. Yes, that was reasonable and rational. Nines would continue to hold the wheel on this particular mission... because it was the most logical option.

As these thoughts spiraled through Nines' mind, Ga'vin had started to lead him out towards the open waters. The Blue Angel seemed to be keeping a constant watch for any predators, or perhaps he was looking for a target. The Nines still wasn't entirely sure what they were looking for, but he stuck close to Ga'vin's side and tried to keep an eye out for anything that might be significant. Eventually, Ga'vin came to a stop near an outcrop of rock and gestured for Nines to come close. Nines frowned by agreed, following Ga'vin's lead as he looked over the top of the outcrop. A little distance away, Nines could see a school of tuna swimming in an orb of intercrossing bodies and fins. They were beautiful. Nines tried to track each individual fish in the group, mapping out the movements of as many fish as he could, but the processing power was too great, and the rewards were unsatisfying for the effort. Instead, Nines contended himself with simply watching the group and marveling at the natural co-ordination that they had.

Ga'vin gestured for Nines' harpoon and then towards the school, making a gesture as though instructing Nines to swim off to the right. The android looked in the direction that Ga'vin was pointing, then looked back to find the Blue Angel already swimming off to the left. A pincer maneuver, now that was clever. Nines hurried in the direction he'd been shown, making sure to match his pace to Ga'vin's so that they would reach the school of fish at the same time. Ga'vin hesitated, waiting for Nines to be in position, and then charged at full speed towards the fish. Nines did the same, though his attention was only half on the fish. He would do his part by causing an obstacle on the one side, but his real goal was to analyse the way Ga'vin moved as he hunted the large, powerful fish.

The Blue Angel's body moved in smooth, determined strokes as he chased after stray fish, his arms powerful and dangerous as he plunged the harpoon into the bodies of retreating tuna. His expression was one of focus, his dark eyes constantly tracking as many of the moving targets as possible. More incredible still, Nines watched the way that Ga'vin fanned his fins out as broad as possible, swimming into the center of clusters so that his prey would be stung by the finger-like fins on his hips. He even used his tail as a weapon, letting the broad fan at the base strike the fish as he swam amongst them. It was incredible... and Nines found himself floating motionless amongst the chaos as he watched, all thoughts of joining the hunt were lost. It wasn't until Ga'vin looked to him with an amused and incredulous expression, that Nines realised how incompetent he must have looked.

Ga'vin spoke a stream of words that Nines didn't understand, but he got the impression that it was a reassurance. Something like 'better luck next time' or 'not to worry'. Whatever it was, Ga'vin didn't appear to be mad at him. Maybe he had come to expect a certain level of incompetence from Nines at this point. Still, Nines decided to make himself at least moderately useful by collecting up the tuna that Ga'vin had managed to kill, and gathered them all up into the net. Ga'vin was doing the same, singing some kind of victory song in his native tongue as he worked to catch the sinking fish before they drifted too far away. Nines smiled and tried to record the audio so that he could examine it more closely at a later date, when his vocabulary was more extensive.

He was so focused on the task and his analysis of Ga'vin, that he failed to spot the large shadow cutting through the water to their left.

Nines was in the process of gathering a particularly large fish into the bag when the mako shark tore into the space just ahead of him.

Immediately, Nines' defensive protocols were activated and he unleashed a loud blast of sound intended to disorient the creature so that they could make a get-away, not realising until too late that it would disorient Ga'vin too. The shark drifted for a moment, its thick tail thrashing through the water as it fixed its gaze on the stunned Blue Angel and drove forward at full speed. Nines tried to call out to Ga'vin, his own body pulsing through the water as quickly as possible so that he could grab hold of the predator, trying to throw it off course. But as soon as his arms secured themselves around the powerful beast's body, Nines realised that he was gotten himself trapped. If he released the shark, it would turn on him and cause extreme damage to his external components, which would either leave him floating motionless in the water, or may even cause enough damage to expose his inner workings to the water. The shock that his system would unleash into the nearby area might be enough to kill the shark, but it would likely harm Ga'vin too... and would certainly mean the death of Nines. He clung to the beast for as long as he could, fear and panic strengthening his grip.

The shark was moving so quickly and erratically that Nines couldn't get a clear view of Ga'vin. They were twisting and turning, tails clashing as both creatures fought for control. All of a sudden, the shark thrashed with renewed and panicked urgency... and then stilled. Nines frowned, trying to figure out whether he had done something to kill the animal... maybe crushed a vital part of it, or driven it to some kind of heart attack by exposing it to too much stress...

"Nines?" Ga'vin's voice pulled the android back to attention, and Nines realised that the Blue Angel was holding onto the shark from the other side; his fins laid flat against the shark wherever they could touch so that the concentrated toxins could work their way into the shark's system. "Harav.... OK."

OK... Ga'vin knew OK. Nines wasn't sure where he had picked up such a phrase, or whether maybe he had used it himself at some point, but he was mostly just relieved that the ordeal was over and that he hadn't lost his research subject in the process. Slowly releasing his hold, Nines let the shark's body drift absently through the water. His pump was pulsing hard, running hardware and status reports, checking himself over for injury. He had been lucky... but it looked like Ga'vin hadn't come out of the fight completely unscathed.

Nines watched as a thin, pale stream of pinkish blood seeped into the water around Ga'vin's shoulder. A broad line had been cut into the meat of his shoulder, looking oddly clean and bloodless due to the movement of the water that pulled away all evidence of his injury as soon as it could bloom.

"Ga'vin, you're hurt," Nines uttered, swimming up to him and carefully applying pressure to the wound.

The Blue Angel flinched as the contact, but didn't pull away. Instead, he spoke in a low voice and offered the android a forced smile. Despite his efforts, Nines could see that it hurt him more than he was willing to admit. They would have a better chance at tending the wound from the safety of the cavern, and maybe Ga'vin would have some tools or medicinal supplies that they could use to sterilise the wound.

Taking the bag of fish from Ga'vin, Nines hooked it over his own shoulder before slipping an arm around his companion and guiding him back towards the cavern. Ga'vin didn't bother to put up any resistance, allowing Nines to all but carry his weight back towards the cavern so that the continual motion of his own tail wouldn't create more damage in his upper body. All the while, he kept repeating similar words, that Nines logged as potentially being reassurances, or potentially words of thanks... but it was difficult to say without more vocabulary to build some context. He just wished that Connor had been able to report more of the mercreature's language before he went missing...

By the time they got back to the cavern, Ga'vin was looking a little pale and Nines made a point of propping him up against the edge of the cavern wall. He did his best to follow the gestures and directions that Ga'vin was giving him as he looked for some kind of medical kit. In the end, all he could find was a sharpened fishbone that had been crafted into a rudimentary needle, and a spool of unraveled fishnet nylon that Ga'vin presumably used as thread. Nines looked at the pair of tools in hand with marked uncertainty, but Ga'vin seemed entirely unperturbed by the idea of sewing nylon thread into his wound. The android supposed that this was the best the mercreatures could manage down here, without access to antiseptic materials or sedatives, they would be forced to use whatever was available to survive.

And that fact upset Nines more than he had expected.

All these emotions... they shouldn't have existed within him... and yet...

While Nines worked on cleaning and stitching up Ga'vin's wound, the Blue Angel did his best to hold still and suppress any signs of pain. Nines didn't have the vocabulary to tell him that it was ok to show pain, that the android wouldn't think of him as a 'weak' person for being hurt. So, instead, he placed a comforting hand on Ga'vin chest or uninjured shoulder whenever the pain grew unmanageable, waiting for the mercreature's breathing to go back to a steady rhythm before continuing. By the time they were done, Ga'vin was exhausted from the pain and tension that he'd been carrying, but at least he was a little safer than he would have been if he had been left to bleed out or if he'd tried to tend the wound himself.

As Nines sat back to give Ga'vin some room, the Blue Angel reached out for his upper arm and kept him close. Nines was suddenly all too aware of the narrow distance between them, the way that his own hand rested on Ga'vin's hip, the ocean scent of him that could only be detected at this close range.

"Tra hon," Ga'vin said quietly, his tone sounding almost embarrassed.

When Nines was unable to place the word, Ga'vin mimed a hug, then gestured down to the floor of the cavern. The android was still confused for a moment, but allowed Ga'vin to lead him into whatever it was that he needed. Nines had gotten him into this mess and he was willing to do whatever it took to make it up to the Blue Angel. Carefully, Ga'vin settled his weight in a lying position, and pulled Nines against him, cuddling into the pale expanse of the android's chest as he got comfortable. The all too familiar feeling of heat settled into Nines' cheeks, but he couldn't stop the smile that spread over his features all the same. He knew that it had not been easy for Ga'vin to ask for this... that the mercreature was trusting him with a very vulnerable side of himself. He was injured, exhausted, and maybe even a little shaken up after the events of that afternoon. But he was trusting Nines to see him this way, to protect him while he rested. Nines wondered whether he had ever been able to share this with anyone before... or whether his toxic fins had prevented him from getting the kind of physical comforts that he longed for in times like these.

He never has to go without cuddles ever again.

The thought rose unbidden from Nines' mind, but he found that he agreed with the sentiment all the same. As long as he was able, he would be here for Ga'vin. He would give the Blue Angel as much physical comfort as he could possible want, and then some.

Chapter Text

In the days that followed, Nines noticed something changing in the way he was processing information. While he had started his mission with a focus on data and quantitative information, he found that he was growing more and more fascinated with the social habits and language that Ga'vin was sharing with him. They would spend entire days hunting or exploring the open waters, sometimes spending days at the cavern while Ga'vin taught Nines how to use different tools and instruments. Nines learned how to live as one of the merfolk, even if his vocabulary was still limited. Yet, despite all of the data and information that Ga'vin was giving him, Nines found that he was just as curious about the evolution of his own internal systems and the feelings that had started to form amidst his logical programming.

He was starting to understand the different emotions that afflicted him whenever Ga'vin was near. Or, perhaps not to understand them, but to know when they would rise up and affect him. He understood that being close to Ga'vin made him feel still and content, but also that a bitter or maybe a guilty feeling opened up inside him whenever Ga'vin trusted him with some personal piece of information, or when Ga'vin trusted him enough to sleep at his side. He knew that he would have to hurt Ga'vin if he was going to be successful in his mission... the end point was inevitable. And yet, it seemed impossible. To harm Ga'vin felt like a conflicting order to his primary objective... even though it wasn't. It was as though he understood the logical steps of his mission and the importance of fulfilling his purpose as a machine, but also understanding that he would be unable to lead Ga'vin into danger. He had been careful, only feeding Kamski's lab as much information as he deemed essential, trying to keep back any information that might help the lab to find others of Ga'vin's kind... even though that was his primary objective.

He was a bad machine. He was broken. And yet, he never felt broken when he was with Ga'vin. He never felt ashamed for his lack of knowledge when it came to merfolk tools or habits, he was never made to feel bad for treating Ga'vin as a companion instead of a test subject. More than that, Ga'vin rewarded him for his affectionate actions by returning them, encouraging him to be less like a machine and more like one of the merfolk. Nines wondered whether he would have been so accepting if he knew the truth about Nines' origin or his purpose.

"Nines?"

The voice that brought the android out of his reverie was gentle and quiet, perhaps even concerned. When Nines turned to face his companion, he saw that Ga'vin was watching him from his place against the wall. There was no denying it. The Blue Angel was beautiful. All natural lines and the kind of organic coloration that even the most talented human artist could not replicate. He was powerful and elegant, deadly and kind. And Nines didn't want to take this incredible creature up to the surface to die.

He knew that it was his duty, that it was the sole reason that he had been created - but he didn't want to be responsible for leading Ga'vin to his inevitable death. And it would be death, Nines knew that. Either the scientists would kill him and cut him open to study his anatomy, or they would keep him in captivity for the rest of his life, showing him off at science fairs and conventions like he was some kind of pet. Along with that, Nines knew that he would personally be scrapped once he hit the surface too. They would no doubt have a more effective model in the works, paid for by the funding provided on Nines' evidence and data. They would dismantle him and send a new android into the water to hunt down more specimens... and Nines didn't want that to happen.

"Nines...

"He shouldn't feel this way. In fact, he shouldn't have been 'feeling' anything. He was a machine, built and designed to fulfil a task without emotions or the fickle uncertainty of humans. He was a tool, without desires or needs. And yet... he didn't want to hurt Ga'vin and he didn't want to die. He didn't want to allow his master and creator to gather the funding required to hunt down the whole mer-population until there were none remaining in the wild. Nines wanted to live amongst them, to become one of them, to learn their language and integrate himself into their world. He wanted to keep Ga'vin safe. But how could he possibly explain all of this to Ga'vin.

How would he be able to explain that he was an android, made of metal and silicon. How could he explain that he had ben sent by the humans as a trap? And if he did manage to explain the situation, would Ga'vin reject him? Would the Blue Angel cast him out for fear of his life? The worst part was that Nines wouldn't even blame him if he did. It would be what Nines deserved.

"Nines!"

The voice broke through sharper now and Nines started out of his thoughts, looking to Ga'vin with an apologetic wince. "Sorry... thinking."

Ga'vin sighed and made his way over to Nines' side, pressing his weight into the android and settling his humanoid torso against his side. Once settled, he held up a closed fist between them, slowly opening his grasp to reveal a small round disc. Nines frowned and looked more closely at it, realising with a mix of fear and an odd sense of relief that it was an LED disc - the same kind that Kamski used on his terrestrial models, and one that had been integrated into the RK800 design. In fact, as Nines looked at it, his HUD pulled up the associated serial number and matched it to that of the very same model. RK800...

"You?" Ga'vin asked, using the broken English that he had learned from Nines in the past few days. "You... Connor and Nines... this?"

Connor.

Ga'vin knew Connor's name, had his LED.

The fear in Nines' chest started to win out over the relief and he tensed, looking to Ga'vin with uncertainty. Had Ga'vin been one of the mercreatures that had led the RK800 into the depths? Had he killed Nines' predecessor? But then, it didn't make any sense. If he had killed Connor and intended to do the same to Nines, why would he bother showing him the LED? It would make more sense if the Blue Angel had just led him out into the open waters. So... what was he doing with the LED?

"Angry?" Nines asked, barely daring to meet the Blue Angel's eye. But Ga'vin smiled softly and pressed the LED disc into the android's hand.

"No. No angry," he clarified, seeming to search for the best way to communicate what he needed to tell Nines. The best way to bridge the communication barrier between them. "Connor... brom. Brom ma Ank."

Connor, home. Home --- Ank. With? Home with Ank? Nines started to speak but Ga'vin shook his head, tapping at the LED urgently and giving a 'hear' gesture. No... not hear. Listening. Whatever Ga'vin had to say, he didn't want Kamski listening in on this. Nines was stunned by this realisation, suddenly confronted with the fact that Ga'vin had known what he was for a while, or at least suspected, and he knew that there was someone else listening in on their conversations. Had Connor explained the situation to him? But then, Ga'vin didn't travel with any mer colonies. So how...

"Nines brom? Ni Nines brom ahn?" Ga'vin vocalised, pointing to the cavern for the first part, then gesturing up in the direction of the surface for the second.

Brom. Home. Was Nines at home here in the cavern, or did he want to return to the surface?

Ga'vin was giving him a choice, despite everything that he knew. Despite the fact that Nines' very existence was evidence of very real danger on the surface, a danger that the mercreatures had already seen in the RK700 ad RK800. Despite the fact that Ga'vin knew about Nines' purpose in the water and all of the deceit that had gone into convincing the mercreature to let the surveillance android into his home. Even after all of that, Ga'vin was offering him a real home. He was offering him a life here, with him.

Hesitating, Nines considered the offer and tried to work out whether it would even be possible. He was an android, connected digitally to the lab on the surface. If he was going to live a free life under the waves with Ga'vin, they would need to figure out a way for the connection to be cut. But Nines had no way of working that out - he knew his own systems as well as anyone could, but there was no clear way to disconnect himself from the servers at Kamski's base. Any attempts to go offline or disable the connection would need to be authorised by Kamski, which would no doubt raise suspicions and Nines would inevitably be called back to the surface so that he could be analysed. But the alternative was unthinkable.

Ga'vin knew that he was an android, which meant that Nines had failed his mission and would no longer be able to operate under the guise of being a fellow mercreature. He would not be able to convince Ga'vin to go to the surface with him, and Ga'vin would be able to warn every other mercreaturehe met about Nines' presence in the water if he tried to find a new subject to study. He would have no choice but to return to the lab and admit defeat... Either way, Nines would die. And that scared Nines more than he cared to admit.

He shouldn't have been capable of such a feeling, and yet it sat in his chest like an anchor. He would die. He would cease to exist or experience the world. He would no longer feel the refreshing ripples of the current against his skin, or see the strips of light diving through the water on a sunny day. He would have to leave Ga'vin; he would never be able to see his crinkle-nosed smile or the elegant fan of his fins in the water ever again. As he thought about all of the things that he had grown to love over the last few days, tears began to prickle at Nines' eyes.

"Nines..." Ga'vin's voice was soft and gentle, his hand moving to cup against Nines' cheek. "Ok... It's ok."

The words were clumsy on his tongue, but they made Nines smile all the same. He didn't deserve this kind treatment... after all of the danger that Nines had put him in, Ga'vin was still trying to comfort him.

"I'm scared..." Nines confessed, leaning into the touch and trying to meet Ga'vin's gaze. He had not been prepared for all of these feelings, he hadn't known how overwhelming and all-consuming they could be. But he wouldn't trade them for the world. "I want to stay here. Here brom."

A relieved smile crawled over Ga'vin's lips and he sighed gently as the tension left his body. He must have been scared too, and Nines couldn't blame him. It had been a big risk to confess to Nines that he knew about his true nature, and presumably the mission that he had been sent with. Nines could have attacked him or forced him up to the surface... but even the thought of it made Nines' chest ache. He never wanted Ga'vin to suffer any hurt, not if Nines could be there to prevent it. Ga'vin spoke with a hurried and hushed tone, gathering up a few items into a recycled fishing net as he did. It took Nines a moment to translate the phrases and he realised that Ga'vin was talking about some kind of trip... or journey. He wasn't entirely sure of the subtleties, but he could see from Ga'vin actions and from the few words that he was picking up, that Ga'vin intended to take Nines somewhere.

Worry started to grow roots in Nines' mind but he did his best to quieten them. Ga'vin was offering him a home here, and maybe he knew a way to disable the connection between Nines and the lab. Or maybe he was going to lure Nines somewhere... but no, that was just the fear talking. Fear... it was such a strange feeling. And yet, there was another feeling sitting alongside it... harder to make out in the flurry and chaos of worry. But as Ga'vin offered him a hand, Nines recognised it for what it was. Trust. If Ga'vin was going to take him somewhere, then Nines would trust him. He would have faith in his companion, would trust that his intentions were good, even Nines' original intentions had been so troublesome. He would trust that his fate would not be the same as the RK700's. He would trust that, whatever had happened to Connor, it had been something good and that Ga'vin was going to show him how to escape too.

Chapter Text

As Ga'vin led Nines out into the open water, the android couldn't help but cycle over a number of outcomes in his mind. As friendly as Ga'vin had been and as seemingly accepting as he had been about the fact that Nines was an android, that could easily have been a ploy to lure him into dangerous or high pressure waters without having to resort to a full-blown fight. After all, that was what Kamski believed had happened to Connor, and there was the LED to prove that something had definitely happened to the RK800 unit so... It was possible. But as they swam, Ga'vin looked back towards Nines with that soft smile that crinkled his nose and made the subtle markings around his eyes seem to shine out just a little more clearly. He kept hold of the android's hand, keeping a comfortable but determined pace as they swam deeper into the water. Nines wanted to trust Ga'vin... he wanted this to be a real possibility for them. He wanted to know whether it was possible for Nines to sever ties with Kamski's lab and live a peaceful existence under the waves with someone who valued him as an individual. More than that, he wanted to know whether it was possible to explore emotions more freely once he was disconnected from the lab... whether he would be able to explore the way that Ga'vin made him feel. He wanted that more than anything. And he got the impression that Ga'vin wanted to explore that possibility too.

They swam for hours, barely stopping to rest except when the pressure of the water made Ga'vin quicker to tire. After exactly 4 hours, 36 minutes and 27 seconds, the Blue Angel pulled Nines over to a large cliff-like rock face and took a moment to catch his breath. Anxious, Nines scanned the area and found that there was a modest opening in the rock, leading into a cavern that was presumably similar to Ga'vin's. Another hermit mercreature, perhaps... someone who either couldn't or wouldn't travel with the rest of their kind. But why had Ga'vin brought him to another creature? Any why travel such a long distance to get here. Nines didn't understand.

"Nines," Ga'vin spoke softly, offering him a reassuring hand squeeze. "Brom viet."

Brom viet. Home, friend. A friend's home. Maybe someone who could help... but help with what? Nines doubted that any mercreature would be able to help him digitally disconnect from the lab. Even if they had the intelligence, they couldn't exactly store electronic equipment underwater.

Before he could ask any questions, Ga'vin removed the trinket from around his next and peered into the opening of the cavern. He gave a shout to announce his presence, before pressing his toxic fins flat against his body and carefully making his way inside. When Nines hesitated, he looked back and nodded slightly, obviously trying to encourage him. Nines didn't have a lot of options. Either he trusted Ga'vin and followed him into a potential trap, or he swam off into the open waters and would no doubt be called back to the lab and deactivated for abandoning his mission. Reluctantly, Nines followed the Blue Angel inside.

At first, Nines thought that maybe he had been mistaken about this being a cavern, and that maybe it was part of some man-made underwater base. The walls were so far from the entrance pool, the floor smooth and intricately decorated the same way that Ga'vin's small cavern had been. But more than that, Nines was struck by the sudden light that was available in the cavern... at even intervals around the cavern, synthetic lights cast a dim glow, though Nines had difficulty pinpointing the source of power for such utilities.

Ga'vin pulled himself up onto the cavern flooring and called out a word that sounded like "Ank" or maybe "Anc" as in Anchor. Nines wasn't sure, but he didn't have a lot of time to ruminate on the sound before a shape began to move on the other side of the large room. Moving closer, Nines was able to see the mass of tentacles carrying a large, heavyset creature towards them. At first, the creature's features were distorted by shadow and distance, but as he shuffled into an orb of light thrown out by one of the torches, Nines was able to see that it was a merman. Unlike most of the species that had been reported by the RK700 before his destruction, this one was a genetic hybrid with a cephalopod rather than a Piscean creature - from the hips down, his body seemed to divide into thick, branch-like limbs that gripped at the floor and wall as he moved across the cavern.

His long, grey hair was lightly curled with the salt from the ocean, hanging about his shoulders and decorated at odd intervals with tight braids and small trinkets. His broad frame carried a little more weight than most mercreatures that Nines had seen throughout the archived material, but it seemed to suit him... as though a thinner body would have been disproportionate atop such a wide-reaching base. There was something familiar about him too, and it took Nines a moment to place him. But as the mercreature's features became visible, Nines suddenly realised where he'd seen this creature's face before.

Ga'vin hadn't been shouting 'ankh' but 'Hank'.

It was a name that was logged in the data Connor had collected before his disappearance, and the physical descriptions provided in the data seemed to match the individual that stood before them now. This was the subject that Connor had been staying with... this was the mercreature that had either liberated Connor from his connection to the laboratory, or had destroyed him completely. Nines squeezed Ga'vin's hand and tried to focus on his new-found sense of trust, rather than letting fear overwhelm him. Ga'vin greeted the man with a smile, talking too fast for Nines to pick apart the words and phrases. Something about Nines, something about the surface, something about Connor.

Connor. Of course.

Ga'vin had known Connor's name, despite Connor's documentation never mentioning a Blue Angel variant or a subject named Ga'vin... which meant that Ga'vin had met Connor after he went offline. Which meant-

"You must be the android they sent to replace me."

The words were spoken in fluent English, in a voice uncannily similar to his own. Nines looked up and saw his own face looking back at him from the shadows, only this figure rested on a body designed to look like a sturgeon's. Connor approached with the practiced motions of someone used to travelling on the smooth rock surface, and offered Nines a reassuring smile.

"I think you know who I am," Connor started, turning to say something to Hank when the cecaelia gave a low sound of curiosity.

"My name is Nines," the RK900 offered, and was surprised when Connor erupted into laughter that he couldn't quite manage to suppress. Nines frowned and looked between him and Ga'vin, wondering what kind of name the Blue Angel had given him. "Ga'vin named me... he asked to call me Nines, as my given name is RK900. Why is that funny?"

Connor settled himself by gradual degrees and took a slow breath to subdue his laughter before explaining, "Ni-yens is the aquatic word for machine. I don't think Ga'vin was naming you, he was asking if you were an android like me. He must have recognised your face and found it odd that I suddenly had a different tail."

Realisation dawned on Nines and he could feel his face growing hot with embarrassment. This whole time, he had been referring to himself as 'machine' and Ga'vin had been encouraging it... He turned to look at the Blue Angel, who was giving him a sheepish grin. Ga'vin had known right from the beginning... and he had not been able to communicate what he knew with Nines due to the language barrier. And when Nines had adopted the name as his own, in an effort to be accepted, Ga'vin hadn't corrected him. He had been naïve to think that Ga'vin was clueless about the androids that had been deployed into the water previously, especially since his permanent home was located just a few short miles from the drop-off site. Still, it was a relief to know that Ga'vin had accepted him anyway, and had tried to demonstrate his way of living so that Nines could make an informed decision about whether or not he wanted to stay.

Nines opened his mouth to speak, but Connor made a soft 'oh' sound as though he were just remembering something. Nines frowned and watched as the RK800 reached for his hand and requested a digital connection with the newer model. The RK900 hesitated, not knowing whether the lab would find out about Connor if they connected, whether it would put all of them in some kind of danger. As much as he had control over which information was passed back to the lab (for fear that a constant stream of data would be unmanageable and expensive to process), it would be hard to hide an access request from the lab. Seeming to understand his fears, Connor shook his head slightly.

"It's ok, they won't be able to tell," he promised, keeping hold of Nines' hand.

Hesitantly, Nines allowed the connection and was rewarded with an extensive data transfer from the older android model. He received everything that Connor had learned about Hank and the other mercreatures while he had been living under the waves; a comprehensive dictionary to the aquatic language that was almost complete, save for a few blanks where the rare and nuanced words had yet to be taught; and a collection of memories that Connor had shared with Hank since he had gone missing from the lab's database. The last part confused Nines and he looked to his predecessor with obvious confusion... but it dawned on him that Connor was trying to show him the cultural rituals and habits of the merfolk in their natural contexts.

"Connor... all of this information... you don't even know whether I'm going to feed it to Kamski..." Nines marvelled, surprised by the trusting nature of the other android.

Connor only grinned smugly and severed their connection, settling himself against Hank's side. "Call it a hunch, but I don't think you'd have followed Ga'vin all the way out here if you didn't trust him. And I don't think he would have brought you here if he thought you were still interested in taking any of us to the surface... right Ga'vin?"

"Yeah, nah, he's one of the good ones."

Nines blinked and turned to face Ga'vin, shocked to hear the words translated in real time by his processors, so that it sounded as though the Blue Angel were speaking fluent English. His voice was a little different behind all of the unfamiliar sounds of the aquatic language, or maybe it was simply the fact that Nines could finally focus on the way his voice sounded instead of trying to pick apart the words. But his voice was beautiful - deep and touched with the inflections of the merfolk.

"I can understand you," Nines announced, saying it for his own benefit as much as it was for Ga'vin's.

The Blue Angel looked to him, equally as shocked to hear Nines speaking the aquatic tongue in response. All of that time spent scrabbling for ways to communicate when, with a quick data transfer, that information could have been unlocked.

"You know, Aquatic sounds good coming out of your mouth, Mr Machine," Ga'vin laughed, and Hank joined him with a soft scoff.

"You can't keep calling him that," Hank added, slipping a strong arm around Connor's waist.

"Well, once he disconnects, he can pick a new one," Ga'vin reasoned.

"Oh, ok, and you just assume that I'm gonna help you with that?" Hank challenged, raising himself up to his full height in a playful display of dominance. Ga'vin rose up to his full height too, but was woefully lacking, so deflated with a sigh and reached into the netting that he had been using as a bag.

Nines watched as Ga'vin took out a number of small gifts and offerings, ranging from practical gifts such as food and tools to obscure items such as a small vial containing a clear fluid. Nines looked at it for a long moment, trying to figure out what it could be, but judging by the way Hank plucked it up tentatively with his fingertips, Nines could take a logical guess. It was the toxic oil that Ga'vin produced in his fins. Now that Nines thought about it, that kind of bioweapon would be pretty valuable.

"You can have these, and I'll owe you a favour," Ga'vin explained, the colour in his cheeks starting to rise now. "Besides, it's not for me... I just want him to have the same chance that Connor had..."

Nines looked to Ga'vin, warmth and something that might have been affection blossoming in his chest. Ga'vin was doing all of this for his sake. He had brought Nines out into open water and risked all of the threats that came with that, had given away his supplies, and was campaigning on the android's behalf for some kind of help. If there had been any doubt in Nines' mind that Ga'vin shared his feelings, they were instantly dispelled. Hank drew in a deep breath and considered the offering, then looked to Nines with a serious gaze.

"Is this what you want? To be disconnected from the lab?" Hank asked.

Nines nodded, then forced himself to speak so that Hank would be convinced, "Yes... I don't want to go back to the surface. If I go back empty handed, they'll kill me. But I don't want to take Ga'vin or anyone else back with me either. I've learned so much about the world in just a matter of days, and I've developed feelings that I didn't know that I was capable of. I..."

Looking sheepishly at Ga'vin, Nines reached for his hand and squeezed it gently, trying to find the right words for the things that he felt. He never wanted to leave Ga'vin's side... he wanted to explore the world and the depths of his personal emotions with the Blue Angel. He wanted to find a way to thank him for his trust and patience, to thank him for making all of these emotions possible. He wanted to share a long and love-filled life with him. But all of that felt too sudden, too overwhelming to just drop in Ga'vin's lap. So, instead, he smiled softly and leaned close so that their foreheads were pressed together.

"I want to stay, and to live as my own person. I want to be able to share my life with all of you, without ever having to worry about Kamski finding us."

Hank nodded and looked to Connor, the two of them seeming to have a conversation purely through looks and expressions, then the RK800 detached himself from Hank's side and gestured for Nines to follow him. Reluctantly, Nines let go of Ga'vin's hand and cast one last look back at him before following. The Blue Angel was blushing slightly, his expression soft with happiness and sentiment... a sentiment that Nines would be allowed to experience first hand when they were free to live a life together. A sentiment and affection that he planned to return as often and as strongly as possible. But first, there was the task of disconnecting himself from the lab.

Near the back of the chamber, a strange pressure began to build and Nines found himself getting oddly dizzy as they approached one particular corner. Connor stopped and looked to Nines, apparently hesitant to go any further himself. "This part of the cave is made up of lodestone, which is a form of magnetite. It should disrupt the connection between your systems and the lab for long enough that you can override Kamksi's permissions," Connor explained, giving him an encouraging shoulder squeeze. "It'll feel uncomfortable, but the natural magnetism isn't strong enough to cause you any lasting harm. I don't know how strong Kamski made your protocols after I left, but it's definitely something that you can achieve if you focus. We'll all be right here."

Nines nodded and looked at the shining walls of the lodestone section, warning alerts flickering over his visuals as he approached. Worry and fear fought for space in his chest as the dizzy feeling surged and his visual field started to distort as a result of the magnetism. A whimper must have made its way out of his throat, because Ga'vin hurried to his side and pressed close, holding his hand tightly and running his free hand over Nines' back in soothing motions.

"It's ok, I'm right here," Ga'vin encouraged, his voice low and soft. "You can do this. Just stay focused and get that protocol switched, then we can be together. You and me, our little cavern; I can teach you how to be a more convincing mercreature who actually knows how to use a spool. Whatever you want to learn, I can show you. But you have to do this one little thing first."

Concentrating on the buzz and hum of the cavern, Nines tried to shut down each of his warnings and defense protocols. He allowed the static crackle of the energy to disrupt the signal between himself and the surface, loosening the hold that the protocols and systems had over him. Line by line, Nines worked through the codes of his system, trying to unpick the security systems even as the letters and numbers grew fuzzy behind his eyes, or jittered wildly in the surge of the natural energy. It was painstaking work and grew frustrating whenever the energy disrupted his work, but it was the only way to pick it apart without Kamski being able to see.

All the while, Ga'vin nuzzled against Nines' shoulder and murmured soft words of encouragement, but they were a background noise of syllables and intonations compared to the overwhelming hum of the surrounding rocks as they distorted Nines' auditory sensors. The process took an incalculable amount of time, so long that Nines wasn't sure whether it had been a number of minutes, or a number of hours, but the hard work finally paid off when a final digit of data was put in its place and the trickle-down effect unlocked all of the holds that tied Nines to the surface. The connection was severed, all of the limitations on Nines' behaviours and actions were lifted. He was free.

Turning to look at Ga'vin, he was met with the concerned gaze of his partner. The Blue Angel hesitated, waiting to see whether the process had been successful, or whether Nines was still stuck. Worse yet, perhaps he was waiting to see whether Kamski's lab had retaliated and enforced stricter behaviours on the android. Sensing that actions spoke louder than words, Nines leaned in and kissed him sweetly, a hand reaching up to cup the Blue Angel's cheek when he kissed back. A soft laugh broke from Ga'vin's lips and he deepened the kiss slightly, enjoying the moment until they would have to part and acknowledge the presence of Hank and Connor. Whatever happened from here on out, Nines was free. There would be no more worrying about Kamski's lab using him as a means to hurt Ga'vin, no restrictions on the way that he could show his love.

There was just Ga'vin and all of the wonders that their future held.