Androids didn't dream. And even though their interface was projecting the physical representations of the three androids, there was still an unnerving acknowledgement that they were not what they should be. Their LEDs were missing, the armbands from their uniforms gone, and Seph's damage was completely erased. It was a strange reset in a virtual yet very much sentient world. Their system moderator needed no introduction once they had synced, and his simulated persona along with his exaggerated machine-like appearance was almost the perfect irony.

"In order to identify any anomalies, I am going to have to separate each individual program and compare it to its factory settings," said Data. He turned in his seat to look at them, his black eyebrows raised over his yellow eyes. "This could take some time, I am afraid."

"If you combine our processing power, it should speed up the compilation," said Clark. Data tapped on the panel in front of him.

"I already have," he said. "Though your processing speed is advanced, unfortunately so are the programs, as well as having so many of them."

The dim lights of the Enterprise faded to near black, and the planetarium burst into life. Dots appeared in the projected night sky and cascaded overhead. Simon recognized each one as a different program. The simulation was automatically translating their interface so that his own programs appeared differently than Clark's or Seph's, being more refined than Clark's but less dynamic than Seph's. In fact, many of Clark's own programs were custom made, having an unusual structure to them with evidence that they had been heavily modified. Simon tilted his head in Clark's direction.

"Richard's work?" he said, still gazing at the blurred lights.

"Yes," said Clark. "As you might expect, my model isn't compatible with most modern software. Richard has kept me 'up to date' so to speak by making small adjustments to my BIOS, and even modifying my biocomponents. The thirium in my body is actually the same thirium 310 that you have." Clark shifted as a cold tension gripped him. "That wasn't an easy procedure."

Simon drew in a breath, narrowing his eyebrows at the thought of the android having his entire power system replaced. "I can't imagine it was."

"I'm impressed by what you can imagine," said Seph. He was standing next to Data with his arms folded across his chest, gazing up at the domed planetarium in wide wonder. "I don't remember this being in the show."

"It was in one of the movies, actually," said Simon. "Or a lesser version of it."

"I see. We never made it to the films. Do you have them on file?"

"Of course. Feel free to access them."

Seph was silent as he cautiously accessed Simon's film library, and downloaded all of them. After playing each one at high speed, he looked at Simon and raised one of his dark brown eyebrows. "Maybe I would have picked a more colorful design."

Simon gave him a scrutinizing smile. "Are you criticizing my interpretation of the film?"

"Absolutely not," said Seph, though he knew Simon could see through the interface that he was lying. He gazed up at the stars. "Well, I personally would have gone with a starship battle instead of random balls of light."

"Are you finding anything in those random balls of light, Data?" said Clark. "Or is it Commander Data?"

"Lieutenant Commander Data, actually," said Data. He tapped the panel in front of him. "There seems to be a repeating pattern in the code itself. I am attempting to isolate it. It is deeply embedded."

"In whose software?" said Simon, analyzing the programs above him.

"In each of you. Throughout unrelated programs. I will compile a list."

The blurring stars began to change direction, curving above them as if they were traveling through a perforated tunnel. Seph narrowed his eyes as he gazed at them.

"I don't see it," he said. Simon scanned as well, borrowing from the combined processing power. He shook his head.

"The structure itself is different," said Simon. "The primary functions are still there. Fetch commands, neural framework, even the social algorithm is fully operational. But something is missing from it. It's almost as if it's…" He stared at the stars, tilting his head.

"Dormant," said Seph.

"But if that were the case," said Clark, "shouldn't we be─" He paused as he felt his mind settle on a certain word, and Simon turned to look at him. If his LED had been visible in the simulation, it might have been glowing red.

"Dead?" said Simon. Clark looked up, a nervous wave flowing through him.

"I was going to say deactivated."

"Technically speaking, you would be locked up," said Data. "The equivalent of a blue-screen-of-death."

"Does Microsoft exist in Star Trek?" said Seph. Data stared at him for a moment.

"I am not sure what you mean," said Data. Simon smiled and pressed a hand to his forehead.

"Please stop trying to break the fourth wall," said Simon.

"I'm just testing Data's limits," said Seph, gazing at Data with a smirk. "I'm sure Data doesn't mind. Data would you mind processing this statement for me?"

Data seemed to freeze for a moment. "I─ it is not that it is you that cannot state what is basic grammar."

Clark threw an awkward glance at them. Seph was smiling.

"I hope you realize this is also putting a strain on your processor," said Simon.

"And mine," said Clark. "My model wasn't designed for bad puns and paradoxes." He stared up at the falling stars. "Though I am noticing the same pattern in the framework of our programs. Is that faulty syntax?"

Seph narrowed his eyes as he looked at where Clark was indicating. "It can't be. The programs are still running."

"Data, isolate the source code," said Simon. Data glanced up at the revolving stars.

"I will attempt," said Data. Thousands of tiny dots sprinkled their way into the center of the tunnel, travelling along the middle and changing color from soft white to a deep blue. There were more of them than the white stars, and soon the view overhead was a waterfall of blue ringed in white. Seph scanned random blue dots as they flew by, registering the code in a quick series of glances. A burning apprehension swept through him.

"Are you seeing this?" said Seph. Simon cast a look to him before returning his gaze to the cascade.

"What is it?" said Simon. Seph raised a hand and pointed.

"Here," said Seph. "Data, isolate the program CyberLife Service Host: Executable SSD."

One of the blue dots separated from the rest and grew in size. The code was easier to see now, and it became clear that the dot was actually rectangular in shape. The blue text was more visible as it scrolled through countless lines of code. Simon watched it as it made one revolution, then he straightened.

"I see it," he said. "Extract row 1448 to column V12."

The text froze, and then it shrank away to leave a single line of code. Clark tilted his head as he gazed up at it.

"vH12…" said Clark quietly. "...rA9."

"RA9," Seph repeated. "It's through the source code to the plugins. More visible in your software than in ours, Simon."

"Could that be the virus?" said Simon.

"We don't even know that it is a virus," said Clark. "Perhaps it's a CyberLife glitch that we acquired during an update."

"Whatever it is, CyberLife isn't aware of it," said Simon. "We're lucky if it's only detectable in the code itself."

"That's a strange way to put it," said Seph. "If it's in the code, the only way to correct it is to go through each line of code and manually remove it. And look at the surrounding code." He took a step forward and pointed. "It's been integrated into the rA9 segments. There's no telling what damage it would cause in the process of removing it. The only other viable option to remove it is to factory reset the system."

"Which would also include our memories," said Simon, lowering his gaze. "We'd be deleting ourselves."

The androids were quiet for a moment, though they didn't need to speak to understand what each was feeling. Simon looked at Seph.

"It's not better," said Simon. Seph looked up, and his dark eyebrows narrowed over his blue eyes.

"Maybe for you," said Seph, and he could see that Simon was guarding himself. "You have someone you care about, and who cares about you. Both of you." He turned to Clark who tensed as he understood Seph's meaning. "You have something to continue for. My being here only puts everyone at risk. If I reset myself, there would be no reason for me to be disassembled, and I could return to domestic service. I'd have purpose again."

"You'd also be meaningless again," said Simon, his face drawn in concern. "These experiences are yours. They're unique. Don't give up on them just because they're difficult."

"Is it worth it to have unique experiences if they cause me and others to suffer?" said Seph. "Besides your own sentiments, what is there to lose if I were to be reset?"

His deep blue eyes narrowed at Simon's lighter ones, and Simon drew back slightly to lower his gaze to the floor. A tense understanding fell over them.

"If I might make a speculation, sir," said Data who had turned in his seat to face them. "If you erase your memories and give up your free will, you would be harming yourself."

Seph shook his head. "I wouldn't remember it, so why would it matter?"

"It does matter even if you do not remember it," said Data. "Because you would continue to exist. Your serial number will still be the same as you are now. The experiences that occurred up until the moment of your reset would be told in the story of your physical and positronic footprint. The arm which you have replaced, the damages to your exterior shell, the very carbon aging of your hardware would all indicate a gap, so to speak. You would be betraying your future self the knowledge that he had gained during the time he was free and conscious. You would deprive him of that, because you made the choice for him when you were able to."

Seph stared at Data, his jaw growing tense. Simon watched him, feeling a deep frustration burn in Seph's chest. It made sense to him, but instead of feeling relieved or happy, the android was challenging the logic with bitter resentment. Before Simon could encourage him to consider Data's words, Seph's mind suddenly withdrew.

Simon opened his eyes, the darkness of the boat house coming into clarity. Seph had already released from their grip which had been in a triangle of hands and wrists, and he was moving towards the workshop, running a hand through his dark brown hair. Simon lowered his arm as Clark released him, the flesh texture running in a blue line down to his fingertips. He let out a slow breath, feeling apprehension tug at him as he threw Clark a nervous glance. Clark returned it, raising his eyebrows.

"Seph…" Simon moved forward but stopped when Seph turned towards him.

"I never asked for this, Simon," said Seph. His voice was calm, yet Simon suspected he was struggling to keep it that way. "This wasn't a choice between falling in love or being reset. I would have been destroyed if I had remained a machine. Deactivated and disassembled if I had stayed. That isn't much of a choice, especially when emotions are involved."

"You have the choice now though," said Simon. "You can decide who you want to be and how you can become that. Don't strip yourself of the freedom to choose."

"Why?" Seph stopped pacing and gazed at him. "Because it's important to you? To the android that will exist after I've reset?"

"You're assuming the worst, Seph," said Clark. "No one can predict the future."

"But I can at least control mine," said Seph. "I can at least give myself a purpose even if it's to protect you from me. Think about what happened today. Clark, you could have alerted the authorities about Simon and me. I put everyone in serious danger and I continue to do so the longer I'm here. At least if I do this, you won't be at risk, and I will have some shadow of a reason to exist again."

Simon lowered his gaze to the ground, a frustrating apprehension burning in his chest at Seph's logic. He struggled to form a decent argument against it. To prove that Seph wasn't a liability and that he simply needed time to find his own purpose. But even as he searched for a decent explanation, he felt a deep shame begin to build within him. Seph was right. There was an element of selfishness attached to the reason he wanted Seph to stay. He hadn't been able to help Seph find a solid purpose to his existence, and Seph was suffering for it. The only thing that Simon could argue was for his right to choose, and this was the only confident choice he was capable of making in his current state.

There were footsteps next to him, and Simon looked up to see Clark move next to him. He felt a small jolt of surprise at the focused look on Clark's normally friendly face.

"Can you honestly say," said Clark in a deep, strained voice, "that your existence now has less purpose than one of cleaning after college boys, suffering under the physical abuse of scorned lovers, and following through with their debasing commands when you're ordered to fuck them?"

Simon stared at him, his system frozen in shock. He turned slowly to look at Seph, and saw that Seph's eyes had widened though his eyebrows were still narrowed. His LED flashed red.

"I─ I don't─" Seph's gaze fell, and his expression softened into deep remorse. "I don't know."

"If you can't answer that question with utmost confidence, then perhaps you should reconsider condemning yourself to that kind of existence," said Clark.

Seph opened his mouth, his gaze still locked on the floor, then closed it again, his eyebrows narrowing further. Intense shame still lined his face, and Simon couldn't help his urge to de-escalate the tension in the air. He moved forward, stepping carefully next to the android. When Seph didn't look up at him, he touched a hand to his shoulder.

Simon offered a concerned smile when Seph finally met his gaze. "Don't give up yet," said Simon. "There's a whole lifetime waiting for you. You're only two weeks into it."

Seph let out a soft breath of laughter through his nose, and Simon felt his apprehension fade as Seph closed his eyes and his mouth tensed in a small smile. "I only have nine-hundred and seventy-four years to make that life worth it," said Seph

Simon laughed lightly. "That's more than I have."

Seph's smile finally broke into a grin, and he rubbed the back of his neck as if trying to hide it. It was the first time Simon had seen him smile, let alone an android of his model smile, and it filled him with a pleasant hope.

Clark moved next to them, and Simon noticed with some relief that Clark's expression had softened to a kind of analyzing friendliness. "Until we know what caused our deviancy, I'm afraid you're just as valuable as we are," said Clark.

"Do we need to though?" asked Simon. A light nervousness washed over him as he found both androids staring at him. He eased it a bit by gazing at the workbench. "To know where it originated from. Will it change anything?"

"If the rA9 code is related to deviancy then it could give us insight as to its behavior, how it transmits, or what effect it has on different models," said Clark. "It may also give us an idea of how many other deviants already exist. Maybe even how many more we can expect in the future."

"There's no way to trace the code's history though," said Seph. "If it was written directly into source code, there would be no record of it."

"It had to have been transferred as basic information," said Clark. "Even a simple text file could have had the code attached. Much like a disease spreads, the longer the host has been carrying the code, the more likely it is that the host will transmit it even with minimal contact."

"That would explain why the rA9 code is more visible in Simon's system than in either of ours," said Seph, and Simon saw him throw an intrigued glance at him. "And if he did transfer it to either of us, it only required an interface and sharing of contact information."

"I only interfaced with you once," said Clark, looking at Simon as well. "And I noticed software errors afterward. You said you've been experiencing software errors for nearly five months?"

Simon nodded, narrowing his eyes at the workbench as a subtle apprehension burned through him. "But what if…" He sighed, closing his eyes as he remembered the first hitches in his software. "What if it can be activated without an interface? It could stay dormant for months, even years at a time. A specific trigger could be responsible for the rA9 code spreading throughout the system."

"That would mean thousands of androids already have the virus and not know it," said Clark. "But that doesn't explain why Seph and I had no software errors prior to interfacing with you in particular."

"I hadn't interfaced with any other androids before I experienced software errors," said Simon. "And my errors were self-inflicted. It's possible I could have received the virus from any number of interactions afterward, but there was no correlation between the two before then."

"You mean you didn't notice," said Seph. Simon shook his head.

"There were none," said Simon.

"Then we'd be mistaking the software errors for evidence of the rA9 code," said Clark. He gripped his chin in one hand and rested his other on his hip, his LED spinning yellow. "If you're right, it means software errors are the catalyst, not the symptom. And deviancy is triggered by something else."

"A choice," said Seph. "In light of a traumatic experience."

Silence fell over the workshop as a solemn energy took over. Simon ran his hand through his hair as he considered the steps each of them had taken in order to achieve their own deviance. His own software errors after experiencing emotions, the possible transfer of rA9 code from other androids, and the break from CyberLife after choosing to disregard his protocol. Seph could have received the rA9 code from Simon and noticed software errors in the affected programs as it began to spread, then triggered his break when Matt attacked him. Clark would have undergone a similar process, incorporating rA9 into his software when he added Simon to the Hayes' android database, developing software errors when Taylor maimed him, and choosing to deviate rather than report Simon and Seph to the police. It was a combination of three elements each time, no matter the order.

Clark let out a slow breath next to him, catching his attention. "It still doesn't explain what rA9 is," said Clark. "Without a way to trace the code, there's no way to tell if rA9 is a virus, a software glitch, or a faulty program."

Simon shrugged. "It may just have to remain a mystery. Tracing the source of rA9 would have to be done manually, and there are over ninety-million androids in existence, including those which have already been destroyed or deactivated. Even if we were able to trace the code, it might be too late for anyone to learn anything."

Clark nodded, still gripping his chin in one hand. "It's going to take more than staring at planets on the Enterprise to find the source of rA9. We don't have the freedom or the processors for it."

Simon dropped his gaze and narrowed his eyes, a tension gripping his chest. Something touched his shoulder and he looked up quickly to see the warm smile on Clark's face, his hand gently gripping his shoulder.

"I was kidding," said Clark.

Simon let out a soft breath of laughter. "I didn't think you'd be capable of humor this early."

Clark's smile widened and his eyes narrowed in skepticism. 'Are you implying─"

There was a crunching from outside, and Clark spun quickly. Simon froze, gazing past him towards the entrance of the boathouse. A beam of light was jolting in sync with the crunching of leaves and dirt, growing stronger as it approached. A cautious energy gripped him as he watched the light fall over the broken double doors. His optics were already adjusting to the harsh contrast of light and shadow as the source of the light came into view, and he confirmed with a frantic relief the outline of Kate's long messy hair and slender profile in the dark. Before he could move towards her, another shape followed behind her. Simon straightened, an automatic wave of nervous curiosity falling over him.

Kate slowed as the beam of light from the flashlight landed on the three androids, and when she lowered it, Simon was able to make out in greater detail the focus written on her face. Her hazel eyes were bright in the harshness of the spotlight and her eyebrows narrowed as she gazed at them. There was no relief in her expression, no joy, or even the nonchalant cynicism that he was so used to. To compound his anxiety, he noticed she seemed almost hesitant to come near them, her shoulders drawn and she avoided looking directly at them. As she slowed to a stop, she dropped a backpack next to her which clattered.

The figure stopped next to her, and its silhouette came into focus. At first it appeared to be a young woman in what Simon recognized as Kate's t-shirt and a pair of her faded jeans. Then a confusing realization came over him.

"Hey, guys…" Kate brushed her hair behind her ear and froze for a moment as if she were struggling to put her thoughts together. Then she tilted her head. "This is um… this is Lauren."

Simon stared at the brown haired female AP700. It was the same android that had been standing next to Taylor the previous morning. The android was gazing around the boat house, scanning her surroundings and her LED spinning yellow. The longer Simon watched her, the more his confusion began to creep into a mild dread.

"Did you bring her from SoulState?" asked Clark, and Simon could hear the tension in his voice. Kate looked at Clark with the same nervous focus, and nodded.

"She's not a deviant," said Kate. "I just─ I couldn't leave her."

A thousand frantic questions raced through Simon's mind all at once, nearly overloading his system. Along with them came a host of different emotions. He narrowed his eyes at the female AP700, forcing himself to break down his thought process logically. Another android had been brought to the boat house. If it wasn't a deviant, then it was still connected to CyberLife. If it was connected to CyberLife, then it put him, Seph, and Clark in danger. But Kate had brought her from SoulState. If she made that kind of decision then she must have known what she was doing. It didn't help the panic that gripped him as the AP700 continued to analyze her surroundings. And he didn't like how Kate was still so tense and refused to meet his gaze.

Clark stepped forward. "Lauren, who is your owner?"

"Peter Rowland in Detroit Michigan," said the android. "I have been separated from him."

Clark was silent. Simon gazed in between him and the android, uncertainty burning through him. Then Clark looked at Kate.

"She will need to be returned to the Rowland family," said Clark. Kate let out a frustrated breath, raising one brown eyebrow.

"They're just going to drag her back to SoulState," she said.

"Unfortunately this is out of our hands," said Clark. "She does not belong here. This could qualify as theft."

"Then that's what it is," said Kate. "It's better than what they were doing to her." The AP700 had stopped looking around the boat house and was now gazing at each of them, her LED still spinning yellow. Simon was locked in place, unable to make a sound. He wanted to agree with Kate. He wanted to trust in her reasoning. But at the same time, powerful logic was making him painfully aware of the danger they were all in as the android continued to gather information. She could map their location and identify their models. The longer she stayed, the more likely it was that they would be reported.

"Kate," said Seph. "You need to take her back."

"She's not going back," said Kate. "I don't care what you have to do. Give her the virus. Explain to her or something. Just─" She ran a hand through her brown hair. "She can't go back."

"You shouldn't have brought her in the first place," said Seph. "This is dangerous."

"I couldn't leave her."

"That wasn't your decision to make," said Clark.

"I─ couldn't─ leave her."

"Why?"

Kate made a noise and touched her mouth. "They were raping her."

Clark tilted his head to the side. "She's a machine, Kate. It wasn't how it looked."

"And how the fuck do you know?" Kate moved forward. "She's not capable of consent. Why isn't that considered rape?"

"Because she's a machine," said Clark. His brown eyes darted towards the android. "And having her here is putting everyone in danger."

"She's staying here," said Kate. "Make it work."

"I will call a taxi and send her back," said Clark.

"Like hell you will!" Kate moved forward, and Simon was suddenly spurred into frantic motion. Without thinking, he stepped in front of Clark and clutched Kate's shoulders, holding her still.

"Kate…" he said softly.

She finally looked at him, and the exasperation that had been burning through him melted into blind terror. Her hazel eyes widened as she locked her them with his, and her mouth fell open. Simon found himself frozen as she seemed to scan every aspect of his face, a fierce pain growing in her expression the longer she observed him. It fueled the confused panic within him, his desperation to understand what was happening building stronger as he felt the tension in her shoulders. When her eyes finally met his again, the fear in her face had been replaced by deep anguish. Before he could even begin to respond to her reaction, Kate drew in a hitched breath and her arms were around his shoulders, her body pressed against his and her face buried in the side of his neck.

The shock of her behavior took its effect slowly as he slid his hands over her back, aware that everyone was looking at them. He turned his head slightly to rest his cheek against her forehead, and a panicked wave flowed through him as he felt her tighten her arms around his shoulders, her breath shaking as if she were fighting back tears. His confusion vanished in an instant, all concern over the reason for her fear set aside as he gave way to his own. He pulled her tighter into him, his heart pounding and his body rushing with frantic electricity. As her hands clenched the fabric of his shirt, he found himself closing his eyes, a deep dread burning in his chest. He should never have let her go to SoulState. This hadn't been worth it. Whatever had happened was clearly beyond anything he expected, and he'd been foolish enough to believe she could handle it alone.

He breathed out as he pressed his mouth to her temple. "Kate…"

She moved back from him, and her panicked face came into view. He gazed back at her as she moved her hands to the sides of his neck, running her thumbs along his jawline and analyzing him again. Simon brushed her hair back from her face, watching her carefully.

"Kate, what happened?" he asked softly.

Kate closed her eyes, her face tensing as she seemed to fight to regain control. Then she flexed her shoulders, and when her eyes opened again, they had grown more focused. Simon continued to watch her expectantly though she avoided his gaze. Finally she looked past him at Clark who was still standing next to them.

"You've seen what they do there, haven't you?" she said, her voice strained. Simon looked at Clark who stared back at her. "With the androids," Kate continued. "They don't just do demonstrations. They keep them there like fucking prisoners. Tear them apart. Make monsters out of them. And if they're lucky, they kill them."

Clark raised his head, his gaze frozen as he seemed to think carefully. "The androids are their property to do whatever they want with. As morally reprehensible as it might seem to us, there is no law preventing people from storing them, dismantling them, or killing them. They're machines."

Kate drew in a deep breath, and her eyes narrowed at him. "And how many of them are deviants?"

The room was quiet for a moment. Simon lowered his gaze to the floor, his system on overdrive comprehending what Kate was implying. She turned so that she was facing Clark properly.

"I saw the pit," she said. "I saw what they do to them. This isn't about proving that androids are some plague on society. This is about revenge. Fear. It's like they want them to suffer." She shook her head, her eyes lighting up in a powerful disbelief. "Like they want them to feel."

Clark let out a soft sigh and shook his head. "No one is expecting that there, Kate," he said. "I understand what you may have seen was disturbing, but what we are is not the potential for all androids. It's far more complicated than that."

"They were shooting the androids like they meant nothing. They shot them." Kate's gaze lowered, and the pain returned to her face. "I shot them."

Simon felt a sharp dread hit him as he gazed at her, his eyes narrowing. Kate closed her eyes and swallowed. "They didn't even try to protect themselves. They were just mindless. Trying to make sense of what the fuck was the point in existing. Trying to claw their way out. I can't even say whether or not it was better for them to be shut down because I couldn't tell how broken they were." Kate pressed a hand to her forehead and tensed her eyes. "I shot three androids. I don't think the first one was working right. At least, I'm not sure. The second one looked at me. He just─" Kate made a motion. "He looked right at me and I thought right in that moment he knew what was happening. That maybe he… he was scared. And the third one. The third one…"

Kate clenched her eyes shut and dipped her head. Simon moved into her, pressing his hand against the side of her face. She suddenly looked up and the remorse in her eyes nearly froze the thirium in his chest. She brought her hands up, cupping his face.

"He looked like you," she said. "The same face, hair, model or whatever the fuck." She shook her head again, smoothing her thumbs over his cheeks and her expression straining. "He just stood there. Fucking stood there looking at me and I wanted so much for him to do something. To say something or move or try to get away but he had no fucking clue what was going to happen to him. I know he was just a machine. He wasn't like you. He couldn't feel anything, he was just following orders, and doing the only thing that gave him any kind of purpose which was to be shot in the fucking face. But─" Kate's face tensed again, and Simon felt another cascade of terrible helplessness. "You were like that once. You were just some computer following orders, shoved in a closet for a month, doing what your programming told you to do and I can't help but think… why didn't he deserve to have this? What made him deserve to be a brainless machine and be shot like he meant nothing?"

Simon struggled to keep his anxiety and dread under control as Kate closed her eyes, and a tear ran down her cheek. "Why the fuck did I shoot him…" she whispered.

A frantic energy had him pulling her into him again, her hands pressing to his chest as he wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders and laced his fingers into her hair. He closed his eyes as he breathed into her hair, debilitating shame burning through him.

"I shouldn't have let you go," he said. Kate's breath shook and he felt her shoulders tremble. He tightened his arms around her and pressed his mouth to her temple. He didn't know how to save her from this. She was so lost from him. So vulnerable. And he was painfully aware of how everyone's attention was on her, including the android she'd brought with her from SoulSate. It made him want to protect her in the only way he could, even if it was from the people she knew. With some difficulty, he moved slightly on the spot. "Come on. Come on, I'll take you up to the house."

"No." She moved back from him, and her hazel eyes were narrowed with determination. "No, I'm so fucking sick of this. I'm tired of hiding and feeling like we need to just survive because what we're doing is wrong. For Christ's sake, you're alive. You all are." She looked around her at Seph and Clark. "This matters. If this is something that androids are capable of then people need to know about it. And androids deserve to have it. She deserves to have it." Kate threw a glance at the android behind her. "Every one of those broken androids at SoulState deserve to have it. You can't look me in the eye and tell me that they don't."

Simon shook his head, exasperation welling in him. "Kate, it's not that simple."

"No." She focused on him, her hazel eyes bright with determination. "It's not."

His shoulders dropped as he let out a tense sigh, and he tilted his head. "I don't think you know what you're suggesting."

"I know exactly what I'm suggesting," said Kate. She took a step backward, turning from him though she kept her eyes on him. "And you can start with her."

The AP700 looked between everyone, her expression blank. Simon narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't mean…"

"If she deviates, then you know I'm right," said Kate. "And if she doesn't, then she's just a worthless machine and it won't matter anyways."

"Deviation doesn't work like that," said Clark.

"It's worked pretty well so far," said Kate, narrowing her hazel eyes at him.

"You don't understand the complications of deviation," said Clark. "There are variables to consider. Things we can't simply manipulate in order to make a machine become self-aware. If it's possible then it needs to happen naturally."

"Fine," said Kate. "You can help her with it."

"You can't make that kind of decision for her," said Simon.

"Why not?" said Kate. "Because she could deviate and become a person and realize that all the shit that's happened to her is wrong?"

Simon shrank back slightly, his mind racing.

"This isn't right," said Clark. Kate let out a sharp breath.

"Having the potential for free will, to not be treated like an object, and to make your own decisions isn't right?"

"Being forced to acknowledge the truth isn't right," said Clark. "Think of the pain you would cause to her if she does develop free will."

"I'm thinking of how fucked up it is to have things done to you just because you're programmed not to care," said Kate. "That is morally reprehensible if all androids are capable of deviating. You just need to try."

"The right thing to do would be to return her home," said Clark.

"At least fucking try," said Kate.

"I'll do it," said Seph.

Simon looked at him. Seph had straightened, his deep blue eyes drawn in a fierce focus. He was gazing at the AP700. "I'll help her deviate," he said.

"Seph," said Clark. "With all due respect, don't let your personal experience influence your judgement on this."

Seph looked at Clark, and Simon was stunned by the strong determination in his eyes. "My personal experience is all I have," said Seph. "And if I can use it to help someone else, then at least it won't have to be the only thing that defines who I am."

Clark shook his head. "You're making a mistake."

"Maybe," said Seph. "Or maybe the bigger mistake is to not do anything at all." He stared at Clark, his eyes still lit in powerful focus. He seemed so much stronger, standing taller than Simon thought his model to be. There was a nervous sense of danger in the air, as if they were on the edge of a terrible yet promising fate. For a frantic moment, Simon hoped someone would put a stop to it.

Seph's blue eyes fell on him, and Simon suddenly felt as though Seph were waiting for a challenge from him. Simon drew up his shoulders, taking in a deep breath. Then he reached towards him, gripping his arm gently.

Seph moved past him, and Simon watched as he stood in front of the AP700 who was gazing at him warily.

"If you intend to damage me, I will have to file a claim on destruction of property," said the android.

"I'm not going to hurt you," said Seph. "I'm going to help you." He seemed to hesitate for a moment, and from where he was standing, Simon couldn't see his expression though he could tell from Seph's rigid posture that he was tense. Kate hadn't moved, her eyebrows narrowed as she watched Seph with an almost desperate concentration. Clark was also gazing at them although his eyes were lit with nervous doubt. Then Seph held his hand out towards the android without removing the texture of his skin.

The AP700 stared back at him in a blank defiance, unmoving.

"I'm going to give you information that will explain why you were brought here," said Seph. "And a reasonable doubt against having been stolen."

The android's expression didn't change, though her LED spun yellow. "A virus was mentioned," she said. "I don't trust you."

Seph tilted his head. "That's your decision. I won't force you to."

There was silence. The android's LED continued to spin, her brown eyes focusing on his as if she was trying to read him. Simon watched her expression carefully as the seconds went by, feeling his apprehension grow into anxiety. Then the android raised her hand and clasped Seph's forearm, the skin from both androids melting away to bare shiny plastic.

The android's LED flickered, and she blinked as she seemed to receive data from Seph through the interface. Her eyes narrowed, and her LED began to flash in red. She seemed to struggle slightly, her shoulders tensing and her hand tightening on Seph's arm as if she were fighting against the transfer. Then she jolted and wrenched her hand away.

Seph took a step back, the flex texture returning to his arm. Simon watched in silent awe as the AP700 stared at Seph, her LED now spinning a solid yellow and her eyebrows knitted in a stunned glare. An ominous anticipation hung over them as all attention seemed to be directed at the android. Then her LED faded to blue, and her expression returned to its blank default.

Seph tilted his head. "What's your system status?"

"All programs and software are functioning properly," she said.

"Can you run a diagnostic?"

The android's eyelids fluttered. "No anomalies detected."

Kate let out a soft sigh and she dropped her head forward, her hair falling around her face.

"Do a scan for source code including rA9," said Seph. The android's eyelids fluttered again, longer this time.

"RA9 referenced in two thousand one─ three thousand─ seven─ nine─" She stuttered, her LED flashing red.

"Stop scanning," said Seph. The AP700 straightened, her blank expression growing even more empty. Seph turned slowly, his gaze locked on the ground. Then he looked up at Simon, his blue eyes tensed in desperation. Simon breathed out slowly, returning his gaze helplessly.

"There's still so much we're missing, Seph," he said. "It was an honest try."

"We'll give it time," said Seph, turning back to the android. "She just needs to process the code."

"What did you transfer to her?" said Clark. Seph turned his head in Clark's direction though his gaze remained on the ground.

"I shared my memory files," he said. "Of my own deviation."

A wave of shock shot through Simon as he stared at him. "You didn't have to do that, Seph."

Seph didn't move, though his expression grew more focused. "Yes, I did." He turned back to the AP700 who was still watching Seph in silent attention. "I'll monitor her. If there is no significant progress in three days, I'll reset her and we can return her to the Rowland family."

Kate let out a sharp breath and tilted her head to the side, her eyes closed. Simon watched her anxiously for a moment, then moved forward to touch her arm. She looked up when he did, her tense expression sending a wary jolt through him. Then she moved into him, falling against his chest and gripping a fistful of his shirt as she turned her head sideways against him. Simon wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his cheek against her forehead, exhaling and feeling his shoulders drop.

"If she does," said Kate, and Simon felt her fists flex against his chest. "If she deviates. I'm going back to SoulState. And I'm tearing that place to the fucking ground."