(Winston)
Rain. It has not rained here in centuries. Of course the time it would begin to rain and I'm introduced to the changing land would be when I first decide to emerge from the laboratory. The irony of the situation does not escape me. If one can call it 'irony'.
"Come, Subject One. We have no time to linger."
There truly is no rush but with such advanced programming as Subject One has it's safer to act as if this is a very important operation. I am weak inside this Mister Handy body, and couldn't stand a chance of defending myself if Subject One were to lose himself to the code that makes up his conscious mind. It astounds me he was able to live so long without the programming forcing him into combative situations.
"Rain."
"Yes, Subject One, that is rain."
Perhaps I took a bit too much out of him during the operation. I wanted him to only be exactly what was intended, but I may have gone a bit further than expected. But one can never be too careful with these things. Subject One is now an emotionless android, knowing only the understanding of human emotions, but unable to replicate them. Able to bond, but not able to show. Able, to succeed in his objectives. I hope we can find a suitable match for him.
"Winston?"
"Yes?"
"I still feel strange."
"Oh that's normal. You just woke from a very risky procedure, but thankfully I restored you to your normal glory. You are just fine, the feeling will pass. We should however focus on the task at hand."
"Which is?"
"We must find you a suitable partner. One of importance, preferably, in order to maximize your full potential. Hopefully we're able to find someone of military background, who can hopefully help us succeed in our mission."
"What is our mission?"
"There is a faction of ours still active, I believe, up towards the Commonwealth. We need to escort you there and make a full report of your time in the Capital Wasteland. We'll need a proper escort for you, however."
Due in part to Subject One's programming. I do not know how to reactivate him after putting him into stasis, as he is coded to enter during long periods of time without a partner. I wouldn't want to chance the inability of waking him. It is vital we find a proper counterpart, and head north to file a report with the faction there. Perhaps then, the scientists can understand my worth and value and transfer me, into the appropriate body. While being a Mister Handy allows me to 'blend in' and in our search I can be nothing more than a 'dumb robot', it isn't very efficient. Nor, enjoyable.
Mining my database, I want to first have solid evidence that there will be reason to venture forward towards the Commonwealth. Of course, once an escort is found for Subject One, I will join them in their journey as well. Through my available information, it seems out facility here was 'in talks' with a facility in the Commonwealth. They wanted to work with us on our research and implementation of Subject One. Though I'm unsure as to why, because many of the scientists in my facility were hushed about work when I was around, I know that it is of importance. Also, it seems there is a faction of the Brotherhood still present up in the Commonwealth. I can't say for certain, if their faction had worked underground with ours and Lyons, though I will suppose that isn't the most likely case. Our faction had long since split off from the original Brotherhood, and we worked discreetly, and alone. There's a high probability that the faction of scientists interested in our technological advances is still active. I'm able to receive Diamond City radio station internally, and every once in a while the nervous announcer makes a claim towards synths, and the fear they have over the Commonwealth.
Synths. A word I have not heard in a long, long time. Synthetic organisms. Something I was meant to be, but am not. Glancing over at Subject One as we silently traverse the Capital Wasteland, I wonder how far the Commonwealth's faction has come in their research. The word 'synth' was thrown around mistakenly around me by some of the scientists. While they knew I was 'only a robot', they also knew I was an advanced AI. They were careful to talk around me, careful to hide any sensitive information, careful about everything. But I do distinctly remember them referring to Subject One, in his developmental stage, as an 'advanced synth, the goal of mankind'. It seems, from my knowledge, the facility up north had some…conflicting beliefs with our own scientists here. While our objective and mission was to create the perfect soldier, both human and machine, theirs were slightly different. How different, however, I do not know. Which is why they never reached out to us to investigate our findings, only asking to see the finished prototype and work together on a touch-and-go basis. Perhaps, despite my facility being lost, there is hope for me in a new body, a new start, somewhere up north. Maybe even one day, I can surpass Subject One, who is still limited by his programming.
Subject One, as one can see, can be erased and reformatted. His programming, tangible, and at the hands of someone knowing what they're doing can be reformatted to make any form of human possible. One with fake memories, illusions, one who can be either docile, or violent. Does this facility up north have the resources? The resources to find the information hidden within his programming, or better, to fully erase him? If my facility wanted to keep him secret from them, I must continue to uphold that belief.
"Winston?"
Subject One breaks the silence, and a wind blows. I know this because his hair moves with the breeze. Unlike Subject One, I cannot feel things on my body. One of many things, I hope travelling to the Commonwealth will change.
"Yes, Subject One?"
Subject One gazes forward, his eyes appear glazed over, as if he's in a trance. What is going on in that reprogrammed mind?
"Winston, what is my objective?"
"Subject One, your objective is, as it always has been, to protect your employer and reach the facility in the Commonwealth."
"Are you my employer?"
"No, Subject One. I mentioned earlier we will find you one."
"And then you will leave?"
"No. I will guide you and your employer to the facility up north. You have no programming to direct you to the Commonwealth, do you?"
Subject One thinks for a minute, blinking slowly. When I first encountered him, his movements and actions were all based in emotional responses. Hastily put together without much thought or logical reasoning. Now, it seems as if the logical response has taken over. He thinks, deducing the best possible outcome for the situation. Logic, overpowering emotion is a beautiful sight to see. Although Subject One has emotional understanding and responses, he has nothing to feel them towards. Nothing to base them on. In the form of beautifully crafted science, Subject One is, regretfully, the perfection of what the facility wanted to achieve. It still, should have been me.
"No, Winston. I don't. Do you?"
"Yes. Which is why it is vital we partake in this journey together. Whatever your employer feels, stress to them that I am necessary to this mission."
"In what ways are you necessary, Winston?"
The question takes me off guard as I formulate a response he cannot find fault in. He was not meant to question my words.
"Without me, Subject One, your basic care and maintenance could be set back. I must be alongside you to maintain your programming and navigate to our destination in the Commonwealth."
"What is our destination?"
"The Institute."
Subject One thinks for long, slow moments. I can see in his eyes that they twitch back and forth at the process of thought, and his fingertips brush his lips.
"I have the proper programming to maintain myself, I was created with it. I have exceptional navigational abilities as well."
"Are you questioning my role in this assessment, Subject One?"
"Yes, Winston."
"Why?"
"…Because it feels strange."
I fear I may have little time. A smaller window than I thought. I was either too thorough or not thorough enough in erasing certain emotional responses. By default, Subject One should not question me as he knows, through underlying programming, I am part of the facility and therefore, his superior. He is designed to take my orders, and obey them. He is not designed to question them. Questioning them would be the result of incomplete data wiping on my behalf. There is little I can do to force him to return to the facility to reprogram him now, as I know he would find suspicion in it. For now, I have to play low-key, and try to outsmart him. However, Subject One has an advantage on me in this matter. He knows human manipulation far better than I could. He understands, unbeknownst to him right now, the complexities of the human mind and the 'desire' to achieve a goal. I feel nor understand none of these things. Despite how human my creators wanted my intelligence to be, I am simply, a prototype.
"Pay it no mind, Subject One. It is just the stabilization of yourself after a long procedure. I assure you I am here to assist you in all matters and arrive at the destination safely."
"What will happen when we get to the Institute? What are the details of this objective?"
I cannot tell him the truth.
"That was hidden from me, Subject One. As you know, the facility is not one to reveal such vital information in the event we are compromised."
"Winston?"
"Yes?"
"My name, is Cain."