Title: Quantum Core
Writer: Madame aZure
Characters: M-21, Tao, Takeo;
Genre: Sci-Fi;
Rating: K;
Warnings: this fanfiction contains mentions violence and butchering of the quantum mechanics. Read at your own risk.
Disclaimer: I do not own Noblesse or any of the characters. No trademark infringement or profit is meant from the writing of this fanfiction.
"Why are you," Tao huffed, struggling to push the android onto the examination table, "so heavy?" He was definitely not a standard android, the way he was so solidly built, most likely to be able to withstand a lot of damage.
With a final push, Tao managed to heave him onto the table.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I should've waited till you charged," he glanced at the other android in the corner of the room as if he had just said something, even though he was in standby mode, still charging, "but look at him! I couldn't just leave him there! He might have some parts I could use." Tao rubbed his hands enthusiastically, a wide grin on his face. Even though he was exhausted from digging him out of all that rubble and dragging him back to his workshop, he was too excited to rest. He just couldn't wait to find out what type of android he was, who manufactured him, and better yet, if he had parts he could use on Takeo.
He took the android's left arm and rubbed off the dirt on it – that's were usually they were branded with their series code.
"M-21? Heh, nice to meet you, M-21." Tao grinned at him.
M-21 was in a pretty good condition – compared to all the other junk Tao had dug out. The synthetic skin was overall intact, except a few spots where it was ripped, revealing the metal underneath. He still had all his limbs attached, and neither of them were broken or bent out of shape and functionality, which was definitely a plus. His chest was caved in, most likely from the blow that took him out altogether, as Tao couldn't spot any other sign of external damage.
After that quick check-up, Tao went and brought all his tools to the table – he'd need all of them if he wanted to see how this baby worked.
"Let's see what we have here, what do you say?" Tao asked, as if the android could somehow answer him. Lately, he was starting to develop a habit of talking to unresponsive machinery, but he didn't mind it that much. Once Takeo was finished, he would no longer be all alone in that workshop.
It took him quite a while to open the android's chest plate, given that the metal was all dented and deformed, and that it was secured with a lot of screws and locks – whoever built him definitely didn't want others fiddling with him. He eventually decided to remove the chest part altogether, revealing all the wiring underneath and a metal sphere in the center.
"A silver core?" Tao hummed to himself. "Whadya need that kind of power for? Unless you were a military android, you shouldn't have that. Were you part of the military, mister?" Tao poked the android on the cheek with a finger. As always, there was no answer – not that he expected one.
Still, the core was busted. The blow had triggered its defense system, causing it to shut down and seal itself in a lead encasing. On one hand, Tao was tempted to try his hand at repairing it, but on the other he was not too fond of the prospect of playing with a nuclear class power core that could possibly blow his face off. Its defense system wasn't designed with the purpose of protecting it or the android it powered, it was meant to stop it from blowing up and melting everything a mile around. So yeah, he'd take it and throw it far, far away were it couldn't melt him and what was left of the city around him.
It was a shame he had to throw it out, but Tao had salvaged some old, but still viable, power cores – though neither of them silver – so he was pretty sure he didn't necessarily need it for Takeo. Carefully, he unhooked all the wires around it and took out the core, setting it aside for now.
He pushed the android onto his side, so his back faced Tao. Once again fiddling with too many screws, he opened a hatch in the back of the android's head and –
Tao inhaled sharply, his eyes going wide. He could not believe it.
A quantum processor. Real, and in prime condition. Not a scratch, not a dent, not a single wire fried.
The reason why almost two thirds of the Earth's human population were now dead: quantum processors. When they were invented, they were considered the century's breakthrough invention, given how they surpassed binary processors in every possible way. However, they soon understood they could not predict how the androids who had such processors installed would think and act. Those processors were the closest thing to a human brain they have ever invented. It was no longer just 0 or 1, yes or no. They allowed androids to chose, to ignore their own programming and to write new programs for themselves.
Unfortunately for humanity, this simulacrum of free will was dangerous in ways they couldn't even imagine, as the androids soon realized their own hierarchical position as slaves of humanity and decided they have had enough.
Their rebellion was humankind's almost extinction.
After the war had ended, what was left of humanity decided that quantum processors had to be banned, reverting to binary ones, as they still needed androids to rebuild an entire world.
If he could get that processor into Takeo…
But first, he had to find out if it still worked. And even if it didn't, Tao could take the processor, reverse engineer it and maybe even build his own. That was quite the thought.
He connected his generator's plug into the socket the android had on his nape, turned him on his back, and set him on direct powering.
Tao suddenly found himself slammed onto the table, pain exploding in his back, all air leaving his lungs, and a loud screeching metal sound ringing in his ears. Through the blur he saw the android above him, crushing his prosthetic arm he had reflexively raised in defense, the android's left hand having separated itself into five sharp claws pointed at his throat.
Tao scrunched his eyes shut, waiting for the final blow. As minutes passed by, and the android didn't move, Tao dared to open an eye and peek at him.
The android's eyes flashed green, then he frowned and cocked his head.
"You're… human." he murmured more to himself than aloud. He then looked around the workshop, his eyes flashing green again as he scanned his surroundings, looking at Takeo for a few moments, but then deciding the sleeping android was not worth any trouble. "Where am I?" Before Tao could even say a word, the android glanced at the gaping hole in his chest, and snarled.
"Where's my heart?"
TO BE CONTINUED... :)