Black Hawk Skimming
By Sinead

Author's Note: It's a short chapter, but it's all that I could figure out for the moment, and I really didn't want to leave you hanging for too much longer.

..

"Excuse me?"

"I know that I've just interrupted your reading, but I have to know which path you wish for me to take. This is just as much your choice as it is mine."

Raevyn just stared at the new CPU in slight shock before actually getting herself to figure out a reply. Looking away, her gaze darting over the inside of the small room, completely thrown off by his question, the young woman just couldn't form words to reply.

"Rae?"

"I'm . . . I'm just shocked that you're asking me this."

"There is a very good explanation."

Dog-earing the page of the book that she was reading, setting the battered old favorite aside, Raevyn folded her hands together, then fooled with her fingers, twisting them lightly while she just tried to take in his few words. Then, hesitantly, she nodded. "I want to know how you think about this decision, Karr."

He wasted no time. "If I am to be within an automotive frame, I can protect you with my entire body. I can shield you. It's a more secure partnership in that way. You are the driver, I am the vehicle and the AI."

The young woman couldn't see how that would be more secure of a partnership. "Okay."

"If I were to go into the android body, I . . ." He faltered in his speech before seeming to tremble. "I will not lie to you. I want to go into the android body to be your partner, not just a vehicle. I want to be there with you . . . in . . . in every moment that you live in. Both the dangerous and the diplomatic situations. Why are you crying?"

Sniffing deeply, rubbing at the tears, Raevyn whispered, "I want that, too, but how can I be so sure that you're not going to get hurt? I don't want you hurt any more than you want me to be hurt. I . . . Karr, you know that I love you. You know that I hate seeing you confused, or in pain or . . . or unable to take care of either of us."

"I saw the video logs of when you had brought me back to the estate . . . I saw you . . . Raevyn, you were distressed past any level that I had previously seen." He paused for a soft moment, and when he resumed speaking, it was with a very tender tone, yet still very dark and smooth. "I can be repaired. You can't be. Even too much of a trauma can damage the mind beyond its ability to heal itself."

"You're starting to sound like Kitt," Raevyn laughed humorlessly, trying to stem the flow of tears.

The AI was quiet for another long moment. "Maybe because I've finally come to realize that when it comes to my driver . . . I . . ." Stuck, Karr fell silent. He didn't know how to articulate how he felt towards her in the English language.

"Karr?"

"It's almost eros but it's more than phileo."

Psychology terms. Greek words describing different parts of the emotion 'love.' The first described what lovers felt for each other, the second a brotherly love. Raevyn understood the two terms immediately, and she hesitantly reached out to touch the plain CPU, not daring to touch the sensor that was built in for fear that it would only aggravate the situation. She didn't want . . . what? What didn't she want to do with this situation? "Karr . . ."

"Raevyn, I don't want you hurt. But you deserve so much better than I do. I can afford to hurt myself in this case." He went silent for a moment, introspective, and his voice crackled with what could only be emotion. "I am split evenly upon what to do. I don't want to lose you, and I want to be with you, but I know that . . ."

The door opened, and Kitt, as a human, walked in carefully, taking a seat as quickly as he could, reaching out to rest a hand upon the sensor without permission or preamble. "You can't cut me out as easily as you would wish, brother, not in this new CPU. Don't think that I can't feel your agitation."

"I didn't invite you here."

"I know that. Neither did you bar me from entering."

They debated silently for a moment before Karr snarled electronically and snapped, "Fine. Stay."

Kitt reached up to take Raevyn's hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. "This is a decision that will affect the rest of your lives. I know that after taking this first step. Michael and I are able to relate as brothers, comrades that never have to question each other. I'm being reprogrammed gradually . . . humans call it training. It changes some reactions because I don't have a large, rolling body to protect Michael and move around in." He paused, then murmured, "But things are very, very different between you and Karr, and I make no assumptions that I can understand the depth of what is between you two."

There was silence for a long, long moment.

And then came the whisper. "I need you to leave, Kitt. And stay out of my processor. We need a private conversation." Karr's words were not angry, not even bitter or snarky. They were soft, factual, and pleading.

Standing, Kitt released Raevyn's hand, then smiled and left. The young woman looked to the CPU. "Karr?"

"I want to do as he did. He took your hand, held your hand, touched you. I . . . I want that, Rae."

"I do, too."

"We can always reverse it if we don't work out well," he whispered, feeling her hand touching his sensor, her fingers trembling lightly. His voice grew stronger. "And we're partners, not owned by each other. Are you okay?"

"Yes," she whispered, detaching the wires that kept him plugged into the external systems. Picking him up, unaware that the sensor was then pressed against her heartbeat, Raevyn began the walk down to the garage. "I'm happy that you came to the decision."

"Are you happy with my decision?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

And as she paused before the door to the garage and workshop, Raevyn murmured, "Because now I'm not the only one touching you to reassure you." And then she walked into the bright doorway.