Chapter 13

"Thanks, Mary," Ren said as he took the glass of water Viktor's automaton had brought.

"Mary," Viktor asked, "you gave it a name?"

"Of course I did," Ren replied, "you had the two of them looming over me so much, I needed something to call them. Giving them names made their unfeeling faces seem less creepy."

"And you call it a her? N-12, it is an automaton with no spirit. It is no different than using 'her' to describe a table or lamp."

"It is different. You made her from a statue of a woman, so it makes sense she would be a woman. Mary is a pretty name she deserves. I have already named the man as well. He is Percy, I like to pretend they are married."

"This is not worth arguing about," Viktor sighed.

"Good," Ren smiled, "I'm sure the names will grow on you as well. They aren't the fancy science code you gave them, but I tried to keep them one syllable for you so it doesn't take too long to say or write. I know how much you value your seconds and all."

"I doubt I will."

"Do you what other name is only one syllable?"

"Is it perhaps, Ren?"

"How did you guess," Ren asked with a feigned gasp, "do you want to try using it, Viktor? My name?"

"Your name is Renatus, and that is three syllables."

"How can you remember all this but not call me by it?"

"Because there are many Rens in the world but only one N-12. If I were to ever experiment with another Ren, my notes would become confusing."

"I'm the only Ren I've ever met, and even if you met another, you could never forget my personality."

"That may be true, but it won't change how I record my data. Why do you care about your title here so much?"

"I think you would too if you weren't called your name."

"Enough of this," Viktor said, "Now, back to practice, we can keep bantering later."

"Alright, alright," Ren huffed, "I get it, Pops, crystal."

Viktor froze for a moment and stared directly at the kid before him.

"Pops?" he asked.

"Yeah," Ren answered, "Pops. Why not, you're old enough to be my dad."

"I am not your father," a cold, stern voice replied, "furthermore, you are 15, for me to have had a child that is your age I would have needed to copulate at too young an age, and lastly, if I was your father, I would not tolerate such casual language to be used with me."

"Look, Pops, I saw your face last night; there's no way you're younger than 35."

"I am 30. You are wrong, and now you know that my face is a terrible way to learn anything about me. You will cease calling me 'Pops" now."

Ren huffed, "Well now you know how irritating it can be to be called by something that isn't your name."

"I am not your peer, N-12, you will show respect for that."

"What, you don't think 'Pops' is acknowledging and respecting your age enough?"

"No, it is not. I'm giving you one last chance to cease that."

"Why, you don't like your nickname, Pops?"

No sooner than the hiss of the 's' smirked its way out of Ren's lips, than it was met with the whirr of machinery and an angry red glow. Ren had just a moment to leap out of the way as a searing laser shot from Viktor's third arm scorched a line across the ground where he was a second before.

"Shit," Ren cursed as he staggered to keep his balance, "what the hell was that for?"

"I ordered you to stop, you didn't, so I took matters into my own hands, all three of them."

"You didn't think that was overkill, though? What if that hit me?"

"Then I would have replaced your limb and you would have learned not to insult me. But that didn't happen. I didn't hit you, I know your reflexes are working, and you still have learned your lesson."

"You risked my safety to teach me a lesson?"

"Anything that might have happened, I could have undone."

Ren's forehead flashed with color as his hands clentched.

"I'm leaving," Ren stated.

He turned towards the door and began to walk.

"You will not leave this house. I forbid it," Viktor ordered.

"I wasn't going to leave the house, but thanks for letting me know I'm a prisoner here. I'm going to my room. Training is over, besides, you know my reflexes are fine now."

Viktor could feel himself reaching for the emergency lock controls for Ren's leg.

"And where did you find the gall to think you could speak to me like that?"

"Maybe," Ren replied as he continued to the door, "it was in the same place as the thought that, since we shared a meal together, you would treat me like a human. I saw your face and the wires and bolts, but I'm still giving you that courtesy. Now good day."

With that Ren slammed the door behind him and stormed down the hall, the uneven clanking of his metal leg echoing back.