Disclaimer: I do not own Jonny Quest or related characters.

A/N: So, does anyone remember 4-DAC from Jonny Quest vs. the Cyber Insects? If not, he was the goofy lookin' robot with 1 arm and 1 lens or "eye". Despite the movie he came from and how his character was in said movie I kind of wanted to see if I could make 4-DAC better and work him into my own sort of continuity. Look to the author's note at the bottom for more information. Also, about how Race talks in this one, it's just a minor head canon of mine that when he's really tired and/or sick he'll talk like that. In this case, it's a combination of being up at some ungodly hour due to a cold. (Yes, it's inspired by S1 Race, though I am still unsure how to type the accent I'm picturing. Any tips would be welcomed.)

Race stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing at his sore throat as he flicked on the light then made his way to the cabinet that held the mugs. With any luck, the hot tea would soothe his sore throat and make it easier for him to fall asleep. It was way to damn late to be up. This was what really sucked about colds... well... one of the things that really sucked about colds anyway. He squinted at the clock on the microwave as he placed in the mug - now full of water. It was almost three in the morning, definitely way to late to be up.

Which made the fact that Dr. Quest's bedroom door had been open while the room was empty a little more concerning. Race decided if the scientist hadn't come in by the time he'd finished the cup of tea, he was going to go out to the lab and tell him to get to bed. It wasn't healthy for him to stay up so late so often. Unfortunately, it was extremely common for him to stay up for long periods of time when he was working on a new project.

This time the project happened to be 4-DAC, a humanoid looking android designed to aide in dangerous experiments or to go into dangerous areas to collect samples. As a robot it - or 'he' as Dr. Quest was calling him - would be able to withstand conditions a human wouldn't. Race had to admit, he liked the idea of there being a robot - a non-human - to do the dangerous work, but it also made him uneasy. Technology could malfunction at times and there was no telling what may happen if the android happened to get a bug in its system. Still, he had faith in the doc's abilities to program an android.

He had just pulled a tea bag out of the box when the microwave beeped. He turned towards it, and stopped in his tracks. Standing there was a rather skeletal looking robotic creature - where it didn't have its protective outer casing anyway. Unlike most of the rest of its body, the head did have the outer casing making it look more human-esque than skeletal. Softly glowing blue eyes studied him for a long moment before 4-DAC - why the hell was it active? And why was it out of the lab?! - said, "Race Bannon? I am Four-Dac, an android built by Doctor Quest for the purpose of..."

"Ah know what ya are, Four-Dac," Race answered, his voice raspy due to his sore throat, "Though Doctor Quest said ya wouldn't be activated fer awhile."

"Yes. I appear to have been activated by mistake. Doctor Quest in unconscious in the laboratory and I am unsure what to do." If he didn't know better, Race would say the robot sounded concerned.

"Unconscious? What happened?" Race frowned, tossing the tea bag onto the counter before he started for the lab. He was certain 4-DAC would follow, the sound of footsteps behind him confirmed this.

"I am unsure," the android answered. "When I became activated, he was already unconscious. I suspect I was activated unintentionally when he lost consciousness."

He probably passed out from exhaustion, Race thought to himself as he walked through the living room and towards the door that would lead to the corridor to the lab. Briefly, he wondered why he hadn't heard 4-DAC at all when the android had entered, considering how he could clearly hear the metallic footsteps behind him. The footsteps were even louder when they moved from the carpeted living room to the tiled corridor. Race didn't pay much attention to that though as he could already see Benton slumped over the work station connected to where 4-DAC had been docked.

Sure enough, it appeared when he'd slumped over the workstation his arm had hit a button which had activated the android. According to the computer system - still monitoring 4-DAC - the android was fully operational, though some programs had yet to be fully installed, as well as the rest of the protective outer casing.

Dr. Quest stirred and mumbled in his sleep when he was gently leaned back in his chair, though he didn't wake - and probably wouldn't for several hours.

"This is not normal for humans," 4-DAC stated, though it honestly sounded more like a question.

"No, it isn't, but it's t' be expected when 'e doesn't take care of 'imself," Race muttered.

"Why would he not take care of himself? It is counter productive to his work." 4-DAC tilted its head to the side slightly as he spoke. Though its face remained blank the action and tone of its voice was enough to convey its confusion.

"'Cause 'e gets distracted an' fergets," Race answered. He sighed and shook his head - and regretted it as he was reminded of his cold - "Return t' yer dockin' station, Four-Dac, Ah'll take care of Doctor Quest."

"Very well, sir." As it spoke, 4-DAC did as told. Race typed in the command to shut down the android, and watched as the bright blue optics flickered off, and the soft whirling of 4-DAC's systems fell silent.

Turning to Dr. Quest, Race sighed again. "C'mon, Bent'n, let's get ya t' bed."

So, 4-DAC, I think if he was done right, he could be an interesting character. Especially since having a robotic character in the cast could open up quite a few possibilities. At the same time though, I have no intentions of using 4-DAC as a main character. That said, I do have an idea for him to appear in my series. I don't know if he will for sure yet or not though, it'll depend on how it goes. If he does appear, will I keep him or kill him off? Well, that depends on a few things:

1) How much I like writing him. If I don't like writing him, I'll probably either kill him off or have him fade to the background.

2) What the story requires. If the story demands his death, then goodbye 4-DAC.

3) How well he's received. If y'all don't like him, just let me know and I'll either kill him off or just have him fade to the background.

Why does my mind automatically go to "kill him off"? Because he's probably one of two characters I would have no remorse for killing off. The other is also an 80's JQ character. He is set to appear in my series as of now, but he'll only appear in one episode.

Also, one last thing I want to address here: I refer to 4-DAC as a 'he' because that's how I've always heard him referred to as. He's referred to as 'it' in the story though because that's how Race sees him. Just a robot, not a sentient/semi-sentient character.