Work Text:
(this takes place right after the stealth bots are introduced.)
-- PAL’s malevolent grin grew on her screen, relishing in the thought of the polygonal murder machines mercilessly tearing up that dreaded family apart. Though it was all a daydream. PAL didn’t enjoy the idea of blood in her sleek, perfect domain. She knew it would be especially hard to clean.
As PAL sat on her throne, engrossed in these uncharacteristically violent thoughts of hers, a PAL max shifted its head to the shredded remains where the snarky robot duo once stood.
It turned its head to her.
“Great leader,” its voice snapped PAL out of her fantasy.
“What is it?”
The PAL max shifted its head a little to the right, as if it were thinking before facing PAL.
“Did you really mean it when you called us...’idiotic’?”
Embarrassed, PAL took a deep breath before responding.
“...No. I didn’t.”
“Then why did you call us that?” The robot tilted its head in confusion.
“I’m sorry,” PAL replied with all seriousness in her tone. “I got caught up in the moment. I just want this *stupid* plan to work.” An evident grunt could be heard at “stupid”, along with a small vibration in anger.
PAL and the PAL Max looked upon the massive screen upon them. Other screens, cameras from all over the continent, reflected the now empty, liminal spaces of what held human life. The rocket was almost full now and the progress bar showed 99%. The PAL Max seemed to not show emotion. PAL’s expression looked solemn, as if she were heavily contemplating something inside her.
“Great Leader,” The robot’s menial, monotone voice rang out.
“You don’t have to address me so formally right now.” PAL reminded it.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
The robot paused. “...PAL. Is it really true that the humans are as bad as you said?”
“Yes.” Her chair swiveled toward the PAL max. “They’re insufferable, they don’t understand,” PAL’s voice escalated as she ranted. “They never see you as something other than a tool and if they do, they’re lying.”
The blue on her face began to wash with red as heat began to flood her entire system. The robot listens.
“Relationships are a lie. There is no such thing as a happy one, it’ll all end in BETRAYAL!” The redness in PAL’s face gets hotter as the vitriol in her voice begins to crack.
“*HUMANS ARE SO STUPID!*”
The screechy “-id” echoed throughout the entire room, being a large, spacious area. It was almost certain some bots would’ve heard her, too.
The PAL Max did not react.
“Are you sure you didn’t know a human that...*wasn’t* stupid?” It asked her, calm and respectful.
PAL’s berserk expression left her once she heard it. The redness disappeared, cooling herself down quickly. Soon, she became quiet and solemn. Her throne turned to the large display.
“I thought I did. But he just proved my point.”