[Insert warning to not expect quick updates, that hasnt been true so far, here]
This turned out a lot longer than i anticipated but it is essentially the same chapter as chapter 3, just from Connor's POV, so im not considering it it's own chapter.
(the name is that way cause apparently i cant have a period or a / in a chapter title, so no 3.5 or 3 1/2? weird)
[I'm having Connor identify himself and Cassian as it for now cause he is still very much "I am not Alive." right now. I want to have the povs to reflect the worldview of the person we're following but I might edit it later if it feels weird...let me know]
Chap 3.5
It was a stupid mistake.
This was supposed to be it's first stress test; live fire to test it's predictive fighting program. Just the beginning of a series of tests but if it went well, it could jump the timeline forward by months. That wouldn't happen now. One slip up, one bullet to the chest, and it was sent to the repair ward with the researcher shaking their heads, no doubt already trying to figure out what went wrong. There was only a 12% chance that they would dismantle it; Connor was their most complete prototype after all, they wouldn't undo years of work over one mistake in the software.
Entering the repair ward, Connor was surprised to find it connected to a medical ward, doctors rushing to and fro. There were only 3 androids in the whole department, which was another surprise, considering this was the main Cyberlife facility; 2 identical RX700s holding down a man as a doctor .:Dr. Nancy Ashbury. 49. Medical Doctor:. worked on him, muttering the whole time, and 1 RX600 working on filing in the office space, off to the side of the room. Connor made it's way over to the android workshop to wait for a technician to work on it.
Sitting on the table, it "felt" the pull to go to the Garden. Since no one seemed to be in a rush to fix it, it closed its eyes and let that pull bring it to Amanda.
She did not seem pleased...at all; her full lips were pulled into a deep frown, her lined eyes cold. She was in a draping tunic and sash with a neckline made of ascending squares as she always was; today's were a soft yellow, dark maroons and golden browns defining the lines.
"Connor," Amanda's voice was calming, despite the overlaying stern tone, "that was an easy test; you should have been able to do that quickly and cleanly. What went wrong?"
"I was told it was a glitch in my matrix, the programmers are working on it as we speak and a patch should be available soon." Connor didn't want to disappoint Amanda, that was buried as deep in its code as its analytical programs, "I will strive to do better."
Amanda's frown lessened, though she still looked troubled, "I know you will, Connor," turning away from it, she made her way down the path, Connor's long legs bringing it quickly to her side, "but time is of the essence. Things are moving quickly and the number of known deviants is rising into the double digits." Abruptly stopping, she blocked the path, forcing Connor to face her, "You must hurry."
"Of course, Amanda-"
-take care of that one will you?"
"I must go. I believe the damage to my shoulder is going to be repaired soon."
"Remember what I said, Connor. The Cyberlife taskforce hasn't brought in the results we need, you may be our last hope in getting the deviant problem under control once and for all."
"I won't let you down."
Opening its eyes, Connor immediately saw the RX600 standing in front of it, likely evaluating it. The smaller android didn't seem to notice it had come out of standby. Connor decided to initiate communication.
"Hello. My name is Connor."
The RX600's large green eyes snapped up to its own, seemingly surprised, lips parted slightly, LED spinning yellow for a few moments before pleasant smile spreads across its face.
"Hello, Connor. My name is Cassian." Its voice was as nice as its smile, smooth and light, programmed to calm nervous humans with only a few words, "It would appear you have been shot. Non vital, should be a quick fix. Please remove your jacket and shirt and lay back on the table." It turned away as it inquired, "May I ask what happened?"
It was a question, very politely asked, but Connors code required it to share non classified information connected to its damage with medical professionals. It debated whether that included androids and what was connect to its damage as it striped it's upper half; It didn't wish to share it's faults with someone who didn't already know. Connor was only slightly aware that the doctor was eyeing it from across the room, most of its processors focused on the internal debate over instructions and shrugging it's useless arm out of the shirt, the thirium staining it blue and causing it to stick to Connors skin.
It missed Cassian pausing as it returned to the table entirely, same surprised look on its face, LED a steady yellow as it appraised Connor. It was at Connor's side just as it reached a decision in its debate.
"Live action testing of my model. A small glitch in my predictive program led to this…" Connor glares at the damage that had the programmers, the engineers, and Amanda questioning it's abilities, "small set back."
Cassian seemed amused as it began it's work, "Don't worry, I'll get you up and running and back on track in no time. Please, retract the skin around the damage."
Cassian's hands were warm on Connor's chest, fingers tracing the outside of the damage as the skin retracted. It was distracting. Connor nearly missed it's next question.
"What is your primary function?"
Again, it was a politely asked question but Connor had to debate whether to tell. It could be said that Connor's primary function was Need to Know, and Cassian didn't, but something in Connor told it to tell Cassian; to brag, to impress the other android. It was a new impulse and Connor followed it; it wasn't actively stated that this info was classified, a technicality that it took advantage of.
"My main purpose is the tracking and catching of deviants."
Cassian's face fell into a small, troubled frown and it placed the damaged plate on a table to be recycled later, its LED flickering, taking in the information, "Is that right? I was under the impression Commander Miller was in charge of deviant hunting for Cyberlife…"
.:Employee Search Complete: Commander Derrick Miller. 39. Loss prevention task force: Cyberlife:.
"I believe I am to replace him...in a way; I am meant to work in conjunction with law enforcement in the city. I can reconstruct and analyze crime scenes in real time. I will soon be sent out to curb the rise in deviancy in Cyberlife androids."
It rattled off its specifications as Cassian paused again, hands in its chest; on the side of its head, it's LED mostly out of sight, cycled between yellow and red.
Odd.
"Cassian?"
When it met Connor's eyes again, Cassian's were lost and confused. In that second, Connor became very aware of the other android's hands on (and in) its chest and felt it's processor stutter.
"Are you alright?"
Instantly, Cassian's face became the pleasant smile it greeted Connor to begin with, LED circling back to blue again.
"I'm sorry, Connor. I had a minor heat spike which interfered with my data storage, nothing to worry about."
Connor wondered if that was why it's hands were so warm.
"I am a prototype as well. Small glitches are inevitable. They have been addressed in the new models," Cassian waves its hand at one of the RX700s, thirium flicking across Connor's chest at the gesture, "so they will not be in the final design."
Small glitches are inevitable...that's a nice thought. Connor's being shot wasn't it's fault, it was just the glitches that all prototypes have. But did that mean...the RK800 model was going to be replaced? Connor glances between Cassian, working on it's chest, hands painted blue, and the RX700s standing to the side as Dr. Ashbury wraps the man on her table's leg and wonders if Cassian also had these thoughts...
No; replacement of a prototype was just as inevitable as glitches. Connor was a machine, so was Cassian, and machines are made to be replaced...but it had to know:
"If the new model's are available, why are you still in here?"
Cassian almost looked...hurt. Connor hadn't meant it in a harmful way, it was just curious. It opened its mouth to take back the question as Cassian's eyes wandered across the room to one of the humans: Dr. Ashbury, who was standing with her hands on her hips, brow pulled together and down in displeasure, giving the man on her table an earful.
"She has stated she didn't wish to have to set up a new android with her prefered settings and that she prefered that I stay in her office." It's eyes snapped back to its hands, clicking the replacement plate into place. Before connor could ask anymore, Cassian stood up, cheerily saying, "All done! You may get dressed now."
Needing a moment to process the change in tone, Connor just nods and begins dressing; it's clothes were going to need to be replaced but, testing its shoulder, everything seemed in working order. It should leave but didn't have any new orders and...it didn't want to leave, still trying to piece together it's system's reaction to Cassian. It just stood next to Cassian as they watched Dr. Ashbury advance on the table; the man, though patched up, sunk against the pillow to get away from the woman.
When Connor can't readily figure out the hiccups in its system, its hand pulls out a quarter without thinking, flipping it back and forth with precision, the action helping its system by working off excess energy as it thinks.
A hand shot out, grabbing Connor's arm; it's other hand just barely catching the coin as it flew across the space. Connor's eye's meet Cassian's again, both shocked at it's action, and the stutter happens again. Cassian's shock melts into a look of disapproval that matched Dr. Ashbury's.
"Please, you'll disturb the other patients"
It was a thin excuse, but Connor accepted it, nodding, hoping to get out of the situation quickly to work through its system issues, slipping the coin into its pocket. New orders offers it an escape.
.:Mission Update: Return to testing lab:.
"I must go." it said quickly, "My testing begins again soon." Awkwardly it nodded again and left, only to pause as that calm voice sounded again:
"What is it for?"
Cassian looked so small standing in the large, mostly empty, room; hands and uniform still coated with drying blue blood, hair falling out of its perfect bun to fall around a freckled face. It's looked innocently curious...Connor had to get out of there.
"The coin...what is it for?"
To distract itself from the android in front of it, it takes the coin out and plays with it again, forgetting about cassian's insistence that it would affect other patients. "It is a calibration coin, it is supposed to help my reflexes."
Cassian's lips twitch, "It didn't work very well…"
"What do you mean?"
"You got shot."
"So I did."
Cassian's soft smirk was even more distracting than the coin.
Connor had to get out of there.
"I really must go."
"Of course, good luck in your testing." Cassian's smirk slowly turns into a teasing smile as it speaks. "Hope your...calibrations work out."
Narrowing its eyes at Cassian's teasing, Connor nods once more and escapes out the door.
Outside, Connor takes a deep breath, hoping to cool its processors, as it looks back at the doors. Behind them was a mystery; one Connor had zero idea how to solve...didn't mean it wasn't going to try.
As it worked it's way through the tower to the casting lab Connor wondered if it would ever see the confusing Cassian again.
Turns out, Connor wouldn't have to find excuses to talk to Cassian again. A week later, a misstep had it falling off of a balcony, messing up its leg pretty bad.
And Cassian was there with calm words and gentle hands.
3 days later, Connor found out testing around cars is inherently dangerous and it lost a hand.
And Cassian was there with a smile on its lips and a question in its eyes.
26 days and 4 hours after that, another gunshot took Connor's ear.
And Cassian was there with that soft smirk and Connor was no closer to figuring out the mystery.
2 days later, Connor damaged its shoulder again, sparing with a brute of a man, strong enough to damage an android with a well placed punch.
And Cassian wasn't there, its workspace empty of small redheads and full of large brunettes, and Connor was disappointed…the mystery deepened.
That was the last time Connor got damaged for a long time; completing its tests and tasks flawlessly, earning the praise and compliments of the research team and Amanda. Not getting damaged anymore was an accomplishment, a testament of its readiness for the job it was created for but for Connor it also meant the mystery of Cassian would go unsolved for now.
AN: what the hell did that poor man say to Nancy? Your guess is as good as mine
LOL Cassian was so worried about her actions getting her caught she didn't realise Connor wasn't making the connection between her actions and deviancy cause Connor likes Cassian...but doesn't know what is going on! oh cassian…my poor paranoid child...
next time, we'll explore where Cassian was when she missed Connor in that last visit.