When Iris was first activated, the lights were gentle and warm and the lab was filled with more people than she could count (yet). Even though it was quiet, all sounds slimmed down into linear murmurs like a steam with no beginning and ending to anyone else, to Iris' inexperienced aural sensors it was too much. Every whisper a starburst of information, every new face an individual entity to wholly absorb, and the various lab monitors' beeps and groans were mountainous tremors through her core. Generalizing, compartmentalizing, and discarding unneeded details weren't options – the concept of options wasn't even an option to a child like her.
Watching the Zeroth Unit feels just like the beginning of her existence: painfully overwhelming except a thousand times more wrenchingly violent, like witnessing the Big Bang.
Iris sits in her seat, agape. Too many things are happening way too fast for her noncombatant eyes to follow. It's strange, the way she positioned the batton at a high corner of the assembly room is the same way as spectating cameras would be over human sport games, but at least Iris was able to follow what's going on. Here, she's not even sure what she's watching!
After the Zeroth Unit breaks into all the surrounding doors and windows, she thinks she sees Zero, a lightning flash of crimson and gold zipping in from one side, his entrance greeted with furious shouts and panicked cries, all guns immediately aimed at him. Coming out of nowhere, huge, thick nets explode over the mayhem like white fireworks, spreading over the gathered hostages like giant hands, snatching them as soon as they land.
"Don't panic, we're the Hunters! You're safe!" announces a huge arachnid reploid who Iris recognizes is Web Spider, manning right next to an entrance and the Navigator's jaw drops further because huh? What? She didn't even see Web Spider enter and he's literally a giant, bright animaloid with eight legs but there he is, pulling in the recaptured factory workers and passing them to the two other humanoid Hunters next to them. They've created an assembly line of rescue and cover.
A crackle later and Iris hears Web Spider's voice join the Zeroth communications channel. "Zero, we're going to have everyone soon."
"Good." Zero dances around a stray shot. "How much webbing do you have left?"
"Plenty."
"Then you and Bukali stay with me. Once we have all the hostages, the rest of you escort them out of the factory."
"You think there's more of them outside?" an unfamiliar voice pipes in and ugh, it's frustrating that Iris can't tell who's who through the comm channel.
"This operation was planned. If they're not stupid, they wouldn't all be at one place."
"Sir, got the last one."
"Then proceed."
With that said, Zero twirls out of the defensive and speeds close into the nearest Maverick, a dark grey slender reploid who can surprisingly lift a bulky blaster the size of their torso with ease. They shriek and Iris' hands reach up to her mouth to cover her gasp when the Crimson Hunter slices their arms at the elbows, the giant gun clacking on the ground along with its dismembered handlers. He knees the hostile's abdomen, and when they crumble into a pained groaning heap on the tiled floor, processed energen fluids an expanding puddle beneath them, Zero positions the blade of his beam saber threateningly close to their neck.
Iris' lips makes a soft o.
"Disarm or this one goes offline," he announces over the sprays of bullets and snarls.
The assembly room falls quiet as Zero looks up the other four Mavericks, immediately hyperaware that they're down a number, the cast of a stage play suddenly forgotten their scripts. Web Spider and a humanoid Hunter who Iris guesses is 'Bukali' are assemble to their leader's side, spread apart to maintain an equilateral position, each Zeroth member having a wide berth.
"Disarm," the Zeroth Unit Leader demands again. "Then no one gets terminated tonight."
Iris flies her batton closer to the floor, surveying the situation better. When she looks at the remaining Mavericks, they're glancing at Zero and at each other uncertainly, as if silently communicating. She spies their fingers drum restlessly against their weapons, and Iris clasps her hands together in response in invisible plea.
Please, stop fighting, she hopes from the other side of the screen.
"L-liar!" the dark grey Maverick at Zero's feet spits finally. "The Hunters don't k-keep prisoners! You rusting crudes only c-care about the milk-suckers – !"
The combatdroid makes a soft movement with his sword and the Maverick chokes.
"Rien!" an orange and purple Maverick cries at the same time Iris gasps, "No!"
"I only severed the vocal unit," Zero explains aloud, both to the Maverick and Iris. "You're all useful. I prefer not to offline anyone tonight."
Iris is taken aback. The way Zero talked…if the Maverick wasn't "useful," would he have unhesitatingly killed them?
Iris slaps her own cheeks, frustrated with herself. She's being stupid. Iris knows that this is part of her job and she's done her time as a dispatch caller and she doesn't need Colonel to tell her that the world has bad people who do bad things – she's heard them and she's watching them fight Zero right now - and they can't just get away with it or they'll do it again and again, and that helps nobody.
The Hunters are the sword and shield for those who can't protect themselves. She needs to prioritize them foremost and she can't feel for every person, less alone a Maverick (but she wants to, she wants to be everyone's friend and she wants everyone to just. Stop. Fighting. Oh bolts, why do reploids turn Maverick?).
"Intelligence extraction from memory chips isn't as easy as it used to be," says the Red Ripper, his voice pulling Iris back to reality. She watches him step over the neutralized hostile, avoiding the reploid blood without looking down. The Mavericks stumble a step backwards. "It's more efficient for us if you comply."
He raises his saber and points at one of the Mavericks in front of him. Iris sees the Maverick gulping. "But that's my personal preference. In the end, the Hunters will get what they need. It's just a matter of time. Now the question is whether you want to still be functioning at the end of this or not. Last chance to surrender."
"Dunk in acid!" a visored reploid wearing way too many spikes and faded primary colors roars. They raise their fists, their knuckles pulling back to reveal nozzles. Just as bullets rain down on the Hunters, to which they all scramble sideways to split the hostile's attention, Iris blinks, noticing something off. The other Mavericks aren't attacking. They're running, but not towards the Hunters.
"Sir, the other Mavericks are getting away. I think this one is trying to cover their escape," Iris observes quietly.
"They won't succeed," Zero responds into the radio like a slam of a gavel. His arm transforms into a buster and he instantly fires a shot at the gun and it flies off the Maverick's hands. In a blur of gold, he swings his blade at the back of the Maverick's knees and they collapse. Zero picks the fallen weapon and tosses it at Web Spider, who opens a yellow casing on the back of his abdomen and bags it in. "This one's neutralized. There's three left and we can each take one. Don't let them escape."
Both Web and Bukali simultaneously answer, "Understood, sir," and the three Hunters dart off separately.
Iris reflexively follows Zero. He's chasing the shadow of a teal and yellow Maverick who seems to be almost floating in their desperate haste as they cross the other side of the assembly room. They're vaulting over the conveyor belts – Iris sees them futilely knocking down a stack of crates, attempting to make an obstacle and cursing when it doesn't budge, but those lost seconds have doomed them. Zero has activated his own saber and he's gaining onto them –
"Wait! I'm not really one of them!" the Maverick cries. They twirl around, facing Zero with their hands up, their terrified green eyes look at Zero and Iris' batton. The Navigator shivers. "This is a misunderstanding – I shouldn't be running, I'm sorry, I didn't know – "
"What are you talking about," Zero demands, patience dwindling fast, taking one oppressive step after the other while the Maverick scrambles backwards, trembling.
"I'm not even armed!" the Maverick blubbers, hastily glancing at the Red Ripper and the wall coming closer behind them. "Earlier you said lay down your arms and I didn't even have any, but Gyrinth told us not to get caught and I – I fritzing freaked out, I started running but I'm not anymore, please, I swear I didn't know it was going to go this far – "
Zero's hand shoots out and it claws around the Maverick's neck.
"Sir, they said they're unarmed!" Iris protests.
"If they have any tricks up their servos, they'll show it soon," Zero replies in the comm, no change in his expression. The Red Ripper tilts his head as if he's examining a pinned insect and Iris is suddenly very, very afraid.
"So far, I've only seen the reploid workers but not a single human," Zero says coolly and Iris' clutches her chest because Zero's right, she hasn't seen a single human and the implications is suddenly terrifying. His fingers dig into the mechanical throat and Iris thinks she hears something creak. "I advise you to start talking."
The reploid is blabbing, faster now, almost bordering into incoherent sobs. Because they don't have lungs, their words waterfalls out, no breaks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, they said we were going to get the metals and give it back to the guys down at the Rust Strip, the ones who were thrown away and we had to help them because no one was going to, we weren't supposed to hurt anyone but there was a security guard and he saw me and I panicked, I hit his head and I don't know if he's okay or not, we all came in separately so I don't know about the other humans - ow ow owowow too tight tootightTIGHT – "
"STOP!" Iris screams into her headset, standing up from her seat. "They have nothing on them! You can let them go!"
The combatdroid doesn't appear to be listening to her.
Iris presses on. "If they were going to fight back, they would have a long time ago. Now you're just hurting them for no reason! Look at them – they're afraid, you have them cornered! You won! This is too much!"
The only acknowledgement she gets it the slightest narrowing of those icy blue eyes, but he's still not letting go.
If I were Colonel, what would I say? She thinks desperately, picturing her charismatic, military-esque brother who's training to be a leader, the future star to his men. What do I do to make someone listen to me?
The next thing Iris knows, she has her hands over the batton's controls and she drives it forward, effectively bashing it to the back of Zero's horned helmet with a profound clunk.
It shouldn't have done anything. A measly batton mech compare to a warbot like Zero, it shouldn't even scratch his helm. Yet miraculously, the red warbot does release the Maverick and she watches them slide down against the wall, static sputtering out of their mouth, and she feels a wave of relief.
Then the Zeroth Unit Leader drags his eyes towards the batton's, twin blue suns underneath the shadowy V of his helmet, glaring at Iris through the screen and the Navigator audibly squeaks, previous bravado evaporated. Those eyes spell out a death sentence.
If sweating was a function, she would be pouring buckets.
…I just hit Zero, she thinks, feeling very, very far away. She might as well not be on the mortal plane anymore. I've never hit anymore before and of all the people I chose to hit, I hit Zero. I've gone bolts.
A tinier part of her morosely adds that there goes her chance to ever being Zero's friend.
On her camera feed, she sees a red blur and the screen turns black. A notification cheerfully provides that her connection to the batton is lost. Iris stares at it, unfeeling.
Seconds later, the Zeroth comm channel statics and she hears a voice, deadly low, whisper into her aural port.
"Iris, when I return to base, we will talk." Then absolute radio silence. No room for argument.
"…Yes, sir," she answers miserably to no one.
Shuddering, she slides down into her seat again, slumping into it. She takes off her headset to grab the thick locks of brown hair framing her head, pulling them down weakly, exhausted, and it takes her a moment to realize that Command Center sounds quieter than usual.
She peeks a look around her. Everyone is staring at her. Alia in particular is a statue.
Iris turns back around and shrinks, trying to compact herself into a red and blue blob hiding in her chair.
Where's an acid pit to jump and corrode in when she needs one?
Let it not be said that Iris doesn't shy away from the guillotine.
She made a mistake. She stepped over the line. She needs to take responsibility.
She shows up at the loading dock with a box full of e-tanks, her internal frame colder than the wintering rush of air as the metal gates pull up, allowing the Zeroth Unit transport enter.
The Hunters spill out of the vehicle quietly, and when Iris approaches them, they look at her strangely and mutter a questioning," Thanks?" and takes one.
Then Zero comes out last. His attention zones onto the Navigator and he says," Iris."
Iris gulps. Web Spider swivels his head from his captain and to the brunette, and says, "Oh. You were our Navigator earlier. The one who yelled at Zero," sounding vaguely impressed. With that said, the rest of the members snap their attentions back to Iris, confusion replaced with recognition. One of them makes a noise that suspiciously sounds like, "it was nice knowing you."
Iris smiles joylessly. She grabs her emptying box tighter. "Yes, I'm Iris. It's nice to meet you all," she says stiffly. She usually adds "I hope we can be good friends!" at the end, but not this time because they're not going to see her ever again because she's fired, she is so fritzing fired. She loves Colonel and respects him and his unique perspective so much, but maybe this time he's wrong. Maybe being half of the so-called ultimate reploid doesn't mean anything. It just means that all the intelligence went to him and she's left with none of it.
She still can't believe she hit Zero with a batton.
She's going to miss Double and Alia terribly.
Zero is marching towards her like she's one of those targets at the simulation gyms and when he comes closer, his golden hair brushing against her side, he orders," Follow me," and passes her, already striding back inside.
Iris mechanically nods the rest of the Zeroth Unit goodbye and ghosts after the warbot.
The moment they reach the lift, there's already a few Hunters and maintenance workers who turn midway, greeting," Morning, sir – " and immediately clamp up at whatever they're seeing on his face.
"You're all taking the next one," commands Zero coldly.
"Y-yes sir," everyone else says, parting for the red warbot when the elevator arrives. He steps in, looks at Iris, and gestures her to come inside with the flick of his head. She joins Zero's side and the doors shut after her like a slab over a casket.
Iris can see Zero pressing a floor from her peripheral vision but she's determinedly staring at her wringing hands. He doesn't say anything and okay, so she's allowed to apologize to someone before she's exiled. Yay.
"I'm sorry for hitting you with the batton," she says into the bleeding silence.
"Then why did you do it?" is the swift response.
She flinches. She still doesn't look at Zero. It takes everything to force the words out of her throat.
"That reploid…they weren't fighting back. It really seemed like they made a mistake."
"A mistake involving collaborating with hostiles armed with illegal weaponry, trespassing into private property, attacking both humans and reploids, and firing against the Hunters," the combatdroid ticks off ruthlessly. "A very long mistake that they could have stopped at any point."
The brunette bows her head further. Her hands wring even tighter.
"They probably thought they were doing a good thing at first," she manages. "They said they were doing it to help someone and I…I could relate to that."
Because that's all she ever is, all she ever wants to do. Helping other people. How can she not see herself in that reploid?
The Zeroth Unit Leader has no mercy. "Anyone at a disadvantageous position would say whatever they think their captors want to hear if it gets them off easy. Including lies."
"They seemed really desperate and genuine…"
"Good liars, good actors."
Iris can't take it.
"But I don't think they were faking being scared!" the small reploid erupts, her brown hair flying as she faces Zero finally. Her spring green eyes blaze. "People can do dumb things when they're afraid. I've never hit anyone before and I didn't think I ever would until hours ago, and that was because I was scared for that reploid! I was scared of you!"
"You're scared of me," repeats the warbot, expression unchanged but there's something in his eyes that Iris would have latched on if she isn't so engulfed with her own emotions right now.
"Because you were terrifying! I was watching the whole thing. Like you said, that reploid was in a disadvantageous position because you had the upper hand! They were a normal bot and you're the Zeroth Captain, and you've won wars and have the highest record of successful terminations among the Hunters – you're strong! Everyone knows it and you know it! How is it that you're so strong and yet you can't even give the benefit of doubt to an unarmed reploid? I don't understand!"
She stomps her foot, her careful dam against her questions and disappointment and fury breaking down.
"Why do reploids turn Maverick?" she continues, mostly to herself at this point, riding the flood of emotions through her. "Why do people hurt each other? There has to be a reason! I don't understand why anyone would do it unless they feel like they don't have any option! Maybe they're in a bad place and thought violence was the way out because they don't know any better. But we won't know if we just – just beat them up or offline them before they tell us why."
She squares her shoulders and lifts her chin up to Zero's shocked face. "I'm sorry for hitting you, but I'm not sorry for stopping you. That poor reploid couldn't defend themself! The Hunters are supposed to be the sword and shield for those who can't protect themselves – if you're a real Hunter then act like it!"
The elevator ride falls silent save for Iris' heated exvents. Zero is so quiet that if Iris didn't already know that the warbot in front of her is real, he could be a hallucinatory glitch.
It doesn't take another second for Iris remember herself, remember who she's talking to, and resist the powerful urge to slap herself.
"...sir," Iris adds lamely at the end, not that addresses of respect is going to save her from being rusted.
I yelled at my ranking officer. Again. I'm not going to get fired. I'm going to die. I'm going to die in this elevator, Iris moans to herself. And Colonel is recharging right now so I can't say sorry to him. He's going to offline without knowing it's because I'm the dumbest bot in the entire world. I'm the worst sister ever.
"…20-020-426."
Huh?
Processor skidding to a halt, Iris splutters, "I'm sorry. What, sir?"
"That's my personal communication sequence. Register it and test it."
Iris hesitates but she obeys.
"Sir?" she calls out into the channel.
Zero nods. He seems…approving?
"Talking back to me through the Zeroth comm lines undermines my authority in front of my own Unit. If you have something to say against my methods, use my channel instead."
The elevator doors ping and Iris distantly recognizes it's the Unit Leaders' floor. Zero steps out.
"I'll arrange with Alia to have you be my Unit's main Navigator. If you're not on night-shift already, you are now. Recharge properly."
The doors close, leaving Iris to stand alone, opening and closing her mouth like a broken drone, wondering what just happened.
So she's still functioning.
"So you're still functioning," remarks Alia. The older Navigator is all cool professionalism, no signs of disbelief that Iris sees in the other Navigators when she arrived. They're amazed that she's all in one piece and honestly a part of her who's still reeling over yesterday's events is shocked too. "Zero personally designated you to be his Unit's main Navigator. Good job, you've been promoted."
Iris makes a noise that sounds dangerously close to shutting down.
She's not looking forward to this.
Alia senses the brunette's apprehension. "Look, when I said 'good job,' I meant it. Asides from one destroyed batton, there wasn't much collateral. The Zeroth doesn't need a Navigator, but Zero went through the effort to make you his anyway. You impressed him. So whatever you did yesterday, keep it up."
"I yelled at him, Alia," Iris whispers. "And I hit him with the recon mech. And I yelled at him again."
For the first time since Iris met her, the blonde operator smiles toothily. The sight is mesmerizing in its rarity.
"Iris, yelling at Hunters is what we do," the taller reploid says. "Navigators have a perspective that the Hunters don't because they're up close and personal with what's out in the field. They tunnel vision. Part of our job is to pull them out of it if they go too far."
Then more soberly, "You're still new so you'll be attending to the Zeroth for a week but you will be assigned to more Units. Don't get comfortable hitting your Hunters."
That Iris can definitely do.
Alia then directs a much calmer and enlightened Iris to an available console and that's that.
When she plugs into the Navigation systems, Iris tentatively tests her mic - "Breaker one-nine, Base to Zeroth, do you copy?" - except this time she's greeted with multiple voices from the Zeroth Unit at once.
"Hey, it's Iris!"
"Welcome back, Iris."
"Congrats, you're Zeroth's main."
"So you're sticking with us? That's bolts, little bot."
"Zero to Base, affirmative," the Unit Leader's voice comes in tersely, a subtle reminder that this is a professional channel and sufficiently silences everyone at once.
Then in a separate comm line that's not from her headset, Iris hears a simple," Iris," and just like that her dread falls apart as if sliced by a great sword. It's like she's outside for the first time again, exhilarated to be part of a new world surrounded by a million opportunities to know and be close to new people.
"Hello, Zero."
Officially Iris is now on active night-shift duty. Not that it makes a huge difference since she doesn't really leave Hunter Base premises, but it means she now has fewer opportunities to talk to Colonel. She's eager to tell him the news of her promotion, but it's something important to her and she doesn't want to relay it to him through a message.
Especially since a part of it is thanks to her brother when it comes down to it.
But she does e-mail her pare – to the Repliforce scientists that she's progressing through her training as an operator. She doesn't receive a timely response, but that's okay. She knows they're awfully busy and she's supposed to exchange status reports at the end of the week (but she was so excited and wanted to share the news early). She'll just have to wait.
At least she doesn't need to wait too long telling Colonel.
A few days later after adjusting to her new schedule, Iris secures the golden hour: the moment before Iris sleeps after her shift and Colonel awakes, she manages to word in that she's promoted.
"I knew you could do it," her brother says and she can feel her lips twitching into a proud smile, a faint echo of Colonel's radiating pride through their innate connection to each other. "I told you, didn't I?"
"I'm just starting out." But she's blushing, extremely pleased, because even though it's so unconventional how she achieved her promotion she really is happy about it. She no longer feels she's walking on a thin beam across an acid pit, one mishap away from catastrophic failure.
She's not a rookie Navigator. She is a Navigator. She's carving her place here, making Hunter Base a home, and people are recognizing her as she solidifies that she's useful.
She's here to help people and she's going to be everyone's friend (except for bad people, that's the rule).
Speaking of which, she needs to give credit where credit is due.
"Honestly, if it weren't for my friends I wouldn't be where I am right now. They've helped me so much," continues Iris, heart full of gratitude.
"You mean Double and Alia?"
"Oh them too, but since last week I've made more!" Iris starts excitedly. Colonel has activated a favorite topic. "Since I've gotten promoted, I've been the main Navigator of a specific Unit and the members are really sweet, Colonel! Especially their captain, Zero – he's been helping me so much! He knows so many interesting things and he takes the time to answer my questions when patrols are quiet."
She tips her head down, shy. "It's funny. At first Zero scared me because…he kinda reminded me of you when I didn't know who you were." The first few minutes when both siblings laid eyes on each other, when Colonel was this looming, hulking metal statue with icy, scrutinizing eyes and Iris didn't understand why someone she felt she knew forever was looking at her like her life was a crime. "That's also why I really wanted to be his friend and…hah, he's actually different from you, but not in a bad way. He's his own person like everyone else is but…" She breaks off into giggles. "He's so different from everyone else! He's so strange. He's my ranking officer and yet he approves of me arguing with him!"
Well, arguing may be a strong word, but Iris doesn't know how to put it. In general, it seems Zero like Iris asserting her opinions no matter how much they contrast against the warbot's.
Colonel hums thoughtfully. "I have to admit I'm not sure how to feel about that. A ranking officer shouldn't be so lenient with such insubordinate behavior. However, you are my sister and it seems he's treating you well," Colonel says finally, sounding begrudgingly approving. Iris can sense her brother contemplating nepotism on the other end. "This Zero character is certainly interesting."
"He is," Iris says fondly. "I'm glad we're friends now. Since I'm on night-shift I don't see Double much anymore during refuel hours. It makes me a little sad, but I get to refuel with the Zeroth Unit so I'm not lonely at least."
She shakes her head.
"Oh bolts, Colonel, you should stop me!" she says tone teasingly light, partly sincere. "I've been selfishly going on and on about my life. What about you? I want to know more what's going on at your end."
"Production lines for the Air Force have begun. Soon Repliforce will have all options of transit. There have been other developments, but I am under NDA for the time being."
"Ah, I understand."
"There is one thing," Colonel starts, sensing his sister's slightly dejected mood. "I can say that I will be returning to Abel this week. I'm due for a meeting that involves the Maverick Hunter's Commander. If there are no interruptions, I will be left with some extra time."
Iris gasps. A smile steals her. "You mean I can finally see you?!" It's been too long! "What time? You'll be coming during the day, right? I'll have to adjust my recharge schedule so I won't be short-circuiting when I see you. How much time will you have available? Oh my gosh, if we're lucky maybe you can meet my friends too!"
"Calm down," her brother orders though it comes out soft and affectionate and seriously, this is the best thing ever, Iris feels so full she's going to burst. "Details haven't set in yet. Even if they haven't, I'll see what I can do to make time for you."
"Colonel, you're the best brother ever!" Because her brother is so busy and so important, and even though Iris completely understands that, she misses him.
"Iris, I need to go," Colonel says suddenly, sounding distracted. "I've spent too long talking."
"It's okay, I need to sleep too. Have a good day, Colonel!"
"Thank you. Recharge well, Iris."
Iris lingers in the communication channel even after her brother leaves it, contentedly basking in good fortune as she lifts the lid of her recharge tube.
If there's one thing Iris can be thankful for as a reploid, it's to have the advantage to turn off her conscious functions at will like this. If she was human, she can't imagine how easily she can recharge when she's this excited.