"Lies for the weak. Beacons for the deluded"-The Gravemind, Halo 3
"Before we begin the experiment, can I ask you a question?"
The humanoid made of metal and wires buzzed online. Sitting opposite it was a figure with huge gull wings behind 'it'. 'It's' face could not be scanned by the android due to the low light surrounding them both. It glared at the figure using its luminous visor to scan it. The scanning gave a buzzing sound but 'it' was not phased.
"DR-314, are you ready for questioning?", the figure asked the android which was twitching.
"Yes, begin file assessment.", DR-314 begun regaining information of itself to simplify the experiment. 'It' did not want that.
"Recall the last memory you had before you were sent here.", 'it' replied. 'It' continued, "Without accessing any core drives or memory drives, please."
DR-314 let out mechanical whirring sound and stopped receiving data from its core matrix. It powered down, causing its fragile mechanical body to bend down. All the while, it let out beeps and boops from its audio box. It was damaged with its emotional hard drives being eroded beyond repair. 'It' had known this too well as most of the androids 'it' had studied were beyond repair.
"Are you done, DR-314? Have you discovered a memory?", 'it' asked while sitting on its chair, hoping for an answer.
DR-314 woke up from his static state with a jolt of it's metal body. "Memory? Memories are advanced core directives exerted by the processing unit to discover once self". The robot stood up and exclaimed with its garbled voice, "Why do you think I, an android would need it for? All I can recall are endless chores by people that are lazy and stubborn. Well it is in my programming now, isn't it?"
'It' was fascinated. After so many countless abandoned machines, 'it' finally found an android that thought out of the box and it answered the question with a completely different answer. The android repeated the question, "Why do you think I need to have memory for?"
"To remember events that changed your life.", 'it' replied then 'it' continued with another statement. "To understand what mistakes we have done in our lives."
"ILLOGICAL!", the android responded back with malice under a robotic voice. Unusual for any android he had ever received before this. "You do not about care about us. You force your dirty work on us every day and every cycle. Where was the justice in your administration?"
"I can answer your question in the best way possible, DR-314.", 'it' replied, standing up from 'it's' chair. "The administration is corrupt like every administration is. It depends on the people who work and livein this administration that will make the change for the better."
Immediately, the android pushed the table aside and walked towards 'it'. The visor glowed red. "My question, how do you feel about your failure to interrogate me as an individual?"
"I can only say one thing.", 'it' said. "I am not an interrogator. I only help people and if you can't accept what I said, then you are lost just like the others."
As soon as 'it' said that, a green gas leaked from corners from the dark room. DR-314 laughed each laugh in a rhythm of quaver. "I'm am not lost. I awoke from coding that I was set by. I realized that and why gas? It does nothing to me.". It walked closer, several parts falling from its body. It seemed to be unfazed.
"It's a rusting agent, DR-314.", 'it' said back, answering the question while the rogue android slowly turned brown. Soon, the android leapt at its opponent but 'it' dodged the attempt. As the android smashed itself on the walls of the room, several important parts became dislodged from its body. 'It' could hear the clogging of machinery tightening up and it stopped moving. "We can stop the rusting agent from breaking more parts from your-"
"We don't trust you. Even a drone can recognize a lie as bad as that.", soon its cylindrical head started to melt due to the high concentration of rust in the room and let out a statement in a broken voice. "You… barely… completed… anyt…"
The rusted and melted wreck of DR-314 lay on the ground, still melting away due to the rust in the room. 'It' looked at the destroyed android and wondered if his way of reasoning was the right way to win the minds of an individual. If 'it' can't convince a robot to change its view on the world, then what will be 'its' contribution to the Hierarch.
"Experiment was a failure for the 731st time. Usual results recorded", 'it' turned around and saw a green entity with limb enhancers, possibly calculating the results which did not bear fruit. "You really messed this one as well. We told you that psychology does not work on robots."
"But the robot was sentient!", 'it' responded back with an agitated voice. "If you can give me, more-"
The entity raised her hand to give herself time to explain. 'It' kept 'its' mouth shut. The entity who was superior looked with disappointment, taking out her visor and rubbing with her artificial fingers. She began, "Look, I understand that you want to find a way to end the war with conscience and morality but there is no war that can be won without casualties."
"You really want to be part of this division to know how a gem behaves and how they react to you. I admire your effort. Unfortunately, they are too stuck up to know you until they won't even listen to your advice.", the entity continued. "They'll just go onwards with battle, not caring for their enemies at all while slaughtering them. That's why this division dedicated to Psychic Warfare was just an embarrassment to the Diamonds."
Holding 'it's' shoulder, she ended by saying, "At least you tried, not many of us would have continued with the experiment anyway. However, I'm sorry that from tomorrow, you would not be part of our experiments any longer."
"What?", 'it' responded back with shock. "Commander Peridot, I want this posi-"
'It' was cut short by the Peridot, "I do understand how you feel. Before I was assigned here, I was discouraged by my superior who said I was no more than a Peridot. But here we are. And I am not like my superior."
"I am not going to belittle my only worker who remained loyal unlike the others. I am not going lash out on you for making mistakes. Mistakes made me who I am, and I don't want you to suffer the same thing I did.", Commander Peridot continued.
"But we need save this facility. I have faith it can be spared and we can win wars without anybody being shattered or corru-", 'it' stopped after Commander Peridot raised her hand. 'It' obeyed once more.
"But the Diamonds do not want this. Blue, you can try. White, she might feel pity on you but her…", she stopped and hesitated. "But you cannot change Yellow's mind about this, it will not only get you shattered but worse of all, she sometimes corrupts them while they lay dying.". 'It' was thinking of away for their method to work, was not to help 'its' commander gain glory and fame. But to get her to realize that she was more than that.
"What if I prove my method works on Earth?", 'it' responded back. "What if I can change the Diamonds' minds about this? Surely they won't risk a drone like me to explore the most dangerous part of the galaxy"
"No! I'm not going risk it.", Peridot objected. "You can't change the Diamonds' mind about this. Also, you are going to risk your life there, remember the song, it decimated our military due to those creatures. So, no. Not in any circumstances."
'It' understood what she was feeling. She was anxious about making a suggestion to the Hierarchs of Homeworld but 'it' was not going let his method die in vain. If he wanted to make Homeworld a peaceful place, he would need to interact with gems that oppose it. Through that, the bad blood of both sides will cease. A horrible chapter from their history forgotten and replaced with a vision to the future.
"Commander Peridot, if I manage to change the mindset of the gems on Earth to see the radiance of the Diamonds, I might save our division from being disbanded.", 'it' pleaded.
"But they won-"
"Have you tried it before?"
"No.", she spoke fearfully. "I don't want to be embarrassed by everyone else."
"Then, how are you going to solve anything if you are like this", it replied and Peridot teared. "Look, if they don't accept your suggestion, then you can put the blame on me."
Peridot felt sorry towards 'it' and realized that 'it' was the only person who cared for. She hugged him, holding the tears of joy that 'it' would risk 'its' own life to save them both, "Thanks, Jet. You're right. You were the only one that never left. You remained with your determined ideals to make our world a peaceful one. You are the best employee and friend to have.".
Jet smiled. "So, does that me-"
"I'll consider it. I'll try but it does not mean that my request will be granted," she grinned. "Just take a day off. Meet your siblings and have fun in this boring world."
As he exited the facility now devoid of staff, he looked back at his boss while cleaned the testing chamber by herself. Pulling a lever, the testing room's floor retracted and remnants of the rogue android fell in the void. Commander Peridot looked back and wished him goodbye.
If only they could see your potential, my frontier psychiatrist.
She looked at him, walking out to the world full of hope. If he wanted to make a change, she would make it happen no matter how small she is compared to the bureaucracy that ceased to change its ways.
The neon lamps were the only thing that illuminated the dark alleyways of Sector 6. It would be like this for the next 7 Earth days. Homeworld was massive, a planet that should be a Gas Giant due to its size but strangely didn't.
7 days of night is better than 7 days of radiation.
The large complexes were abandoned but weren't destroyed or demolished. They were left there as a monument to a forgotten era. An era of prosperity without vice or sin. An angelic era. A holy era, the humans called it. He walked to a building that he was familiar with. The Egress, a stadium complex they would usually meet.
What ever happened to this place?
The Egress was a building of massive size, a stadium of interaction. Many would visit the Egress for ideas and open discussion. That was 5000 years ago. Now, its massive gold dome which impressed millions as a sign of grandness showed no radiance. Several cracks were formed due to heat from their neighboring sun which had let out intense radiation at irregular intervals. Jet walked past the now fallen flags of Homeworld which symbolized their perfection and radiance.
He entered the massive structure and the center of the stage was surrounded by thousands of rusted chairs. Chairs that were sat upon by every gem, no matter which position they were in. Where they saw the latest innovations, where they danced in the festivals that were set here. Everyone was joyful, everyone felt they were together and cared for each other. Those days however were long gone after the Rebellion occurred.
"Hello, 'psychiatrist'.", Jet turned around and saw a grey man who had lab coat on.
"Onyx, great to see you. So, how's the job going?", they both then sat at place where the seats that was still functional.
Onyx smiled and replied him back, "The job has been 'great'. I made a lot of 'friends' there."
And the day could never have been 'better'
INSUFFICIENT DATA TO FEEL EMOTION