Chapter Text
Khan woke with a jolt, his eyes frantically looking around the room, hollowed with fear.
His shallow breathing settled down once he realized he was fine, in his room, on his bed. He was okay. He was alright. He was home.
He reached up to pull out his charger when he realized that it wasn’t plugged in. Khan felt around his neck and realized that it must’ve gotten unplugged and tangled around his throat while he was in sleep mode.
He grabbed the cord and untangled it from his neck, tossing it on the floor and groaned.
Khan checked his battery life.
57%. Should be enough to last him the day.
He got up from his bed, rubbing the screen that was his eyes and yawning.
As he got up from his bed, he stumbled slightly, before catching himself with the wall.
The Worker Drone walked over to his closet, grabbed his typical blue coat, put it on, and then grabbed his helmet and goggles from a hook.
He walked out of his room and made his way down the hallway, peeking into Uzi’s room to make sure she didn’t oversleep again.
No sign of her.
“Huh- she must’ve actually set her alarm today,” Khan chuckled to himself, continuing his way down the hallway.
He checked the time on the corner of his screen. Wincing slightly once he saw how late it was.
“9:46? Jeez- guess I’m the one that overslept”
The Worker Drone sighed, walking towards his front door and walking out into the hallways of the bunker. He enjoyed taking a certain route that wasn’t used by most Worker Drones, meaning he got a few extra minutes of silence before having to deal with his coworkers.
This time, he seemed to barely register that it was quiet. Because to him, it wasn’t.
He could somehow hear the talking and moving of Worker Drones who were still in their homes, or completely different hallways. That isn’t right, the walls were practically sound-proof. So why could he hear all of this?
Maybe he’s just come down with a virus. Yeah! That’s what it must be!
His train of thought was abruptly cut off by someone’s voice.
“Oi! Khan!”
Khan looked up from his gaze on the floor to see his coworkers, all at the table and playing cards. Like usual.
Until he noticed that there were only 4 people.
“Where’s everyone else?”, He asked, gesturing to the practically empty table.
“You don’t remember? They were killed by the Disassembly Drones last week…”, One of the other Worker Drones spoke up. Joe? Or was his name Jacob?
Oh well.
“O-oh, yeah. I remember now…”, Khan answered, confused about how he was able to forget something so depressing and recent at that.
Maybe this virus was worse he originally thought.
Khan sighed once more, finding his place at the table. One of his coworkers started to deal cards for a new game.
A few turns were played before Khan spaced out.
All Khan could hear was two people fighting.
“You can’t save him!”
“Yes, I can! It’s not impossible!”
“But sir, the operation is too dangerous! The amount of negative effects that could take place is too high!”
“I don’t care! I just want him to have a full life!”
“A full life?! He’s older than most of his breed can get!”
“I-I don’t care- just leave!”
“But sir-“
“JUST LEAVE!”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t just let you possibly create an abomination!”
“He won’t become an abomination!”
“You don’t know that!”
“Ju-Just leave me…”
“Fine…but don’t come crying to me when your little project becomes something you cannot control…”
“H-he won’t….I won’t let that happen…”
“Okay. Just make sure you prepare. Just in case it does hap-“
Khan?
Khan!
KHAN!
Khan was shot back in reality by someone shouting his name.
“W-what…?” He asked.
“Y- um….You just started coughing up oil-“ One of the others stated, pointing to the black mess all over the table and Khan.
Khan looked down at himself. Oil stains his blue jacket and the table in front of him. A few drops of oil poured from his mouth, causing him to cover his mouth to hopefully not lose anymore.
“W-what the…” Khan gulped, wiping some of still warm, black liquid off his face.
He stood up abruptly, causing his chair to fall and clatter against the floor. Khan took in a deep, shaky breath, his hands trembling slightly.
“I-…I’ll go clean up..” He stuttered out, nervously clasping his hands near his chest and walking away.
Was he got back to his home, he burst through the door and frantically searched for a cloth, an old shirt, anything to wipe the oil off his face.
The Worker Drone finally found an old rag. He wiped the oil off while looking in a mirror.
He sighed, grabbing the edge of the sink and leaning against it. Khan glanced at the reflection of his clothes, his hands still trembling.
“That’s not going to come out easily….” Khan grumbled, grabbing his coat and taking it off.
He then stared back at his reflection. Staring into his own white eyes. You rarely see Worker Drones with white eyes nowadays.
Something about his reflection didn’t feel….right. Like he knew it was him, but it didn’t feel like him. Like….he was supposed to look….different.
Khan merely sighed once more, clearing his throat and exiting the bathroom.
“Well- that was…..concerning…” He huffed, silently wondering what could’ve caused him to just start puking up oil.
He checked his internal clock once more.
10:19……Uzi wouldn’t be home for a while. And although he wanted to go back to work, he didn’t want to risk throwing up oil in front of his coworkers again.
He sighed for what seemed like the 100th time today, his white eyes flickering between his room and the kitchen, he then shrugged and went towards the kitchen.
He knelt down and pulled out a bottle of gasoline from under the counter, a bottle he was saving for a special occasion, what’s more special than puking up your own bodily fluids?
He opened the bottle with a corkscrew, taking a sip and smacking his lips. He hasn’t drunk in a long time, but back when he was a teenager it was all he drank.
He enjoyed the tangy flavour as it ran down his throat, gradually melting away all of his worries.
After a few sips, he sighs.
“That’s enough for tonight-…”
He then placed it back under the counter and stood up, checking his internal clock once again.
10:27…….why does time move so slowly?
Khan grumbled, then checked his battery life.
.
…
….
…..
……
…….
……
…..
….
…
..
.
4%?!
Where on Copper-9 did all his battery life go?!
He walked to his room, grabbed his charger and stuck it into the port. Khan then lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
His white eyes slowly flickered shut, and the only light on his optics was:
Sleep mode
“Mμo’ƨ ɑ მooq poλ?…….λon ɑʁԍ!”