Chapter Text
RK900.
That was who I was. As soon as I was brought to consciousness, that was what I was called. Amanda never named me anything different. I wasn't even Connor 2.
I understood quickly what was happening. Connor, the RK800 model, was failing a lot of missions. Nearly all of them. From what I was told, he even deviated.
I was created shortly after. I was made in direct opposition from Connor's mistakes and weaknesses. I was more precise, less chatty, more mission-focused. I was made with the idea of completing missions first, and saving human lives second, everything else, if anything else, third.
I arrived to the Detroit Police Department swiftly. The scene was rather quiet with officers working silently at their desks or chatting in the break room. I scanned the area briefly to double-check the location of my current objective, then stepped up the stairs to Captain Fowler's office.
Captain Fowler was in a horrid mood when I stepped inside his office. He was already yelling at one of his employees for what I determined to be a pointless reason I didn't need to hear about. Their argument lasted quite a bit of time, one yelling about how he didn't want to be "stuck with a clanker", though the word wasn't in my vocabulary at the time. The other would argue with a lot of "Well that's too damn bad"s.
In the middle of this pointless argument, Captain Fowler gestured to me, muttering, "Gavin, this android is here to help you with investigations. You have been slacking in your job, and Hank and Connor have been one-upping you for weeks now. This wasn't entirely my choice. I need you to know that."
Fowler's sudden, mildly calmed voice made Gavin shut up enough to listen. "Gavin, this is RK900. It doesn't have a name, so you'll have to call it by its model name." Gavin scoffed. "RK900, this is Detective Gavin Reed. Now, both of you, get out of my office."
"This is bullshit," Gavin muttered under his breath just before stomping out of the office. Fowler went back to his work, so I followed Gavin out. "Fuck," he sighed, laughing to himself a little bit before turning to me, grinning. "A tin can without a name. What, your creators never love you enough?" I stayed silent in my own confusion, expression still in that neutral, unbothered position I was programmed to keep. Gavin's grin faded to more hostility before pushing me lightly with one hand. "Stupid thing's broken. It doesn't even speak. 'S just soooo serious." And he turned and left for the break room.
I looked to Lieutenant Anderson's desk where both him and Connor sat. They were discussing something I couldn't quite hear, but they were looking at me. Connor pitied me. It was written all over his face. Hank didn't seem bothered. Based on this context I could quickly make the assumption that Hank was reassuring Connor that I would be fine. To not worry about me. I would expect nothing else.
I shifted my focus back to Gavin, who stood at a table with another officer, the two drinking coffee and telling jokes to each other. Spotting me, Gavin scowled at me before muttering something, turning back to the other officer.
"See? Not a word," Gavin grumbled to her, taking a sip of his coffee. "It's just a stupid, plastic prick."
"Give it a chance. Maybe it needs to adjust to talking to people." She pat his shoulder and left us alone together, suggesting: "Maybe you should ask it a genuine question instead of being mean."
Gavin huffed at the idea, shifting his stance slightly to glare at me. He was akin to a peacock, trying to make himself look bigger to intimidate me. His posture was straight, his chest puffed out, and his feet shoulder-length apart. There was one problem in his gesture: he was quite short. I looked down at him (head tilted so he understood how short he was) with a still-blank expression.
"Are you gonna say something, tin can?" Gavin challenged me. "Huh? Can you speak at all?"
"Of course I can, Detective," I stated flatly. "All CyberLife androids possess the ability to verbally communicate."
"Smartass," Gavin cursed at me, brows furrowing as his scowl deepened. "Don't get cocky, prick. I'm not working with you no matter what Fowler says, so get the hell outta here."
I processed his order for just a moment before tilting my head slightly. "That contradicts my other objective. I am assigned to the task of aiding you in your work-"
"Out." Gavin pointed to the break room's exit, looking at me as if I were an imbecile.
After a few moments, I stepped out of the break room, Gavin muttering "Fuckin' androids..." as I left. I stood there idly for just a few moments, replaying and processing the brief conversation. It felt useless to think about it too much, so I made my way to Connor and Hank's desk.
"How did it go?" Connor asked me nervously. "With Gavin?"
Hank looked up from his computer as I began to speak. "Gavin and I have surely gotten off on the wrong foot. He isn't pleased that he is partnered with an android."
"Yeah, that's how I was at the start," Hank nodded slowly, a faint, amused grin on his face. "I argued with Fowler a lot over Connor. After a few days, he kinda grew on me little by little." Connor was obviously proud of himself- he grinned a little and straightened his posture. "We're like family, in a way."
"But family is something only humans can have with each other. Its concept is alien to androids and animals." I stated coldly. To this, the pair's grins faded slightly.
Hank sighed. "You'll understand it when you're older, kid."