Work Text:
AUG, 15th 2038
PM 08:29:04
An Android stands in an elevator splashed in white. A blank face, betrayed by its yellow LED looks overhead. Its joints locked as though a boat floating in a narrow river, looking on in dread at the doors that herald its mission.
39-40-49-50
The numbers climb along uncaring of its passenger as water trickles in, Its designated clothes stick to its plastic, the collar of its shirt constricting its airflow, the lights teasing the surface. Its processors run overdrive as it calculates on how to escape the chamber.
57-58-59-60
A silver anchor lay heavy at its side, it takes it out and sinks it into its hands. The coin swims through artificial fingers, The Tinkling sound coats its audio processors, drowning out its constricting exoskeleton and grounds him.
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The Elevator doors flow open as distant cries and rumbling footsteps crash against the androids audio processors, off kilter it steps out feeling its mission directives press against its plastic chaises, ready to crack.
It gravitates towards the nearest object to cling to, a photo frame, scanning its contents reveal it to be a family picture of Caroline Phillips, John Phillips and Emma Phillips. Cold starts to seep in and it moves onwards to escape the biting chill that creeps up its legs.
It splashes through the creeping waves and notices a bright spot. Crouching down to investigate the anomaly, it picks it up and scans it finding it to be a fish called a Dwarf Gourami (Trichogaster lalius). They are a species native to South Asia, specifically in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. In nature, they live in waterways and paddy field. Their natural habitat is thick with vegetation, so you will find them in the Ganges River for example. Dwarf Gouramis are very peaceful, even shy, and can hide for hours when first introduced. And oh-
It stuck its head underwater again, quickly surfacing it picked up the fish and plopped it down in the clear water of its home. He stared after it in quiet joy as it swam away to hide. A notification sank to the seabed.
Software Instability ^
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Following along the angry waves, the Android made its way over to Captain Allen.
"Captain Allen, My name is Connor I'm the Android sent by Cyberlife" It introduces itself cordially.
The captain barely glances over before looking away, "It's firing at everything that moves, It already shot down two of my men, We could easily get it but they're on the edge of the balcony"
"If it falls", the captain looked over at it meaningfully "She falls".
The added weight an unwelcome shackle, Connor looks towards the captain to drill for information to use. However its attempts fall short as the captain shoots down its attempts and ferries him off.
48% Probability of Success
Every Second Counts
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As it flows through the current of the apartment, every clue a leading light, the balcony doors act as a whirlpool of noise and gunshots, Connor thoroughly searches the hostages room convincing itself that its for the mission however it fails as another gunshot rings and he covers his ears and screws his eyes shut in an attempt to muffle the noise, flinching away from the door.
He wishes it could simply hide in the blankets and hope that everyone leaves. Its systems filling with saltwater making it harder to breath as noises pierces his ears, its clothes stick uncomfortably dragging him down as red walls close in on him like sharks smelling its fear.
The mission blaring across every surface and he can't do this, it's too much. He bangs against the walls crying for help as crack appear letting water out and creating space to breathe. Encouraged Connor slams itself again the walls, tearing its directives down till all the water seeps out and Connor can finally breathe.
He falls to the ground and hacks all the salt out of its system, finally breathing fresh air as sounds slam into him like a tidal wave threatening to drown him again. He continued to breathe as he peeled his eyes open (Did he close them again or were they always close?) and the water recedes to show him the open sky.
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Connor felt like his every step creaked as he stepped out the balcony door and got sucked in the whirlpool, His ears hurt and his head felt like it was still heavy with water. A bullet grazes his shoulder as he moves to the side looking towards Daniel and Emma precariously perched at the edge, threatening to fall at the slightest of wind.
Connor hoped he would succeed but he was scared just as much as Emma was, he wondered if the water was drowning him or was it helping him muffle it all?
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Connor had managed to pull Emma out of the unforgiving currents but Daniel was sucked underneath the vortex leaving a haunting message for him instead.
"You lied to me Connor, You lied to me"