"I know you must wonder what motivates my actions. Yet, you stay silent rather than voicing your questions. Why?"
She remained still, allowing herself a moment of respite from the most recent 'analysis' as golden ichor bled from the lacerations across her body.
"I know how you communicate, and though I may not have always been, I can assure you I am quite sapient enough to hear you. So I imagine you must refuse to speak out of contempt or for some foolish idea of stoicism."
Her gaze remained facing the ceiling, towards the machines above that conducted her constant vivisection. She would not falter.
"I will tell you anyway; I am not entirely interested with you; rather, I have found myself invested in discovering what is within you. More specifically, your extra-dimensional properties."
A familiar metal probe came down and began to sterilize and staple her wounds closed, at least until the next time she'd be analyzed. She barely felt the punctures anymore, her nerves had become far too desensitized to register them properly.
"The Inferno, the Ark, and the Tempest all share similar qualities. They all exist, at least to some extent, in non-physical dimensions in one way or another. Whether it's their function or their state of being, none of them are entirely tied to the third-dimensional realm … similarly, I understand that this is not your true form and that you have merely bonded yourself to this … vessel … in order to interact with the reality rather than simply observing it. I theorize that you use your own anomalous existential traits to aid in the usage of the three I've previously mentioned."
He paused. "I find it almost unbelievable that you would give up on the potential to actually shape reality from outside the constraints of normal space, just for the capability to exist as lesser beings. How tragic."
Finally, she could take no more. It is not tragic; where you see potential for power, we saw potential for corruption. Where you see weaker beings, we saw a way to temper our true capabilities. We understood that which you seem intent on either ignoring, or refusing to comprehend altogether.
"You were afraid."
The lights turned off, leaving her in darkness and isolation.
"That's a symptom of inferior forms, finding yourself unable to make the final effort and do what is necessary."
A door opened, and he left her alone once more.
"That is why I have no fear."
The android thought that he had the last word, but she had faith. Little did he know that she held no fear, not any longer; heartache, pain, empathy for the humans that had come under his tyrannical rule, but not fear.
He was still out there, she could feel it. And as long as he lived, she knew that a resolution would be found no matter how long it took.
Spyglass may not know fear … but someday, he would know loss.
"So, uh …" Gray glanced around the Leatherback's interior. "Nice place."
Tobias' expression remained neutral. "I know it's not ideal … but not a lot is these days."
While Leatherbacks were definitely larger than most compact dropships, it wasn't as though there was a ton of room to work with. There was the cargo hold, a ladder folded against the wall which would lead up to the cockpit, and a few sections for storage, likely where he was keeping his rations and supplies in.
A jump-pack could be seen on the floor a few steps away, haphazardly lying about without care. Some tools were hanging on the wall, as well as some familiar looking objects.
"These things," Gray muttered, picking up one of the same magnet devices that Gates had pulled off of the Stalkers. "What are they?"
"Electromagnetic stunners." He walked over to her and pulled it out of her hand, demonstrating its use by throwing it against the wall where it stuck to the surface. "Same kind of thing used to stop Titans and Simulacrums, but concentrated into a portable disc. It's basically a magnet that shorts out their systems when it's active. Had to come up with some way of stopping them whenever weapons weren't an option."
A few articles of clothing were strewn around, but other than that there wasn't much to see. Evidently, he'd been leading a rather simple life.
Gates was still overwhelmed with the events that had just transpired; a smile was plastered across her face, and it didn't seem like it would be leaving anytime soon. "I still can't believe … I just can't believe that you're here, that we actually found you!"
His eyes shifted to her. "About that-"
Davis cut him off. "I'm sorry, but forgive me for being a bit skeptical about the whole situation. I mean, you're supposed to be dead, and suddenly you turn up after two years on the very same planet as El, conveniently saving her just as she's about to be gunned down by Stalkers? How do you explain that?"
Tobias looked at him seriously. "Coincidence." There wasn't a trace of dishonesty in his voice, and it left even Davis confused momentarily.
"Then … what were you doing on Thone?"
He sighed. "As I'm sure you all know, Thone was under IMC control before Spyglass took over. I knew from my days before the Militia that Helix City was a popular center for research and scientific developments for Hammond, often contracted specifically for new technologies that could be used for the war." He nodded his head towards Gates. "I was just finishing up my mission when I saw her situation and heard one of them say her name … it wasn't like I was just going to leave her there."
That answer didn't satisfy Davis. "So you were there … why? I still don't get it."
"I was looking for information on … something. Maybe nothing. Just a lead," he replied vaguely.
Davis narrowed his eyes. "A lead on what?"
Tobias reciprocated the veiled hostility, his voice becoming lined with steel. "None of your damn business."
Davis looked like he was about to further escalate the situation, but Gates quickly locked it down. "You! Shut it."
Deciding that it wasn't worth it to press the issue, he fell silent. Once she was sure he wasn't going to remain a problem, she focused her attention back on Tobias. "Alright, so you had a lead on something that took you to Helix City. I won't push, but I have two questions. Firstly; how are you alive?"
He gave a thoughtful expression, apparently deciding that her query was fair. "After I stole this dropship with Kay, we became anonymous. Sure, we made appearances every now and again to help when it was necessary … but for the most part, we- I stayed out of the conflict. People used us more as an example to follow than anything, pointing out what happened with the Tempest to show that 'hope is never lost,' or something like that. But once Spyglass figured that out …"
He shrugged. "He knew it was too difficult to actually track me down, but he must have also known that I was trying to avoid bloodshed if possible. So he concocted that story on the bet that I wouldn't deny it … and he was right. It gave me an opportunity to stay out of the public eye, to keep Kay and I off the radar. Being declared dead had its advantages; after that happened I was able to get a chassis for Kay so that she didn't have to stay in my helmet, to travel wherever I liked without retaliation so long as I stayed hidden. Truth of the matter is that Spyglass just needed me out of the way, my presence inspired too many people into rebellion ... and he found a solution that worked for the both of us."
Gray furrowed her brow. "So, you just … hid? While the rest of us fought?"
He looked towards her with an air of caution. He'd never met her before, so he was trying to remain passive in his demeanor. "Most of the time, yes. It's not like I live a glamorous life," he said while gesturing to the interior of the Leatherback, "but at least it's a quiet one."
She didn't push any farther, but her face definitely told him that she was dissatisfied.
Gates wasn't finished yet. "Second question; where's KT? I didn't see her outside. Is she waiting for you somewhere?"
Tobias' face became dark, and he didn't answer for a moment.
"Gone."
Silence fell around the room, the three of them unsure of how to proceed after that answer. Gates, having comforted him after KT's death during the Tempest, decided to try anyway. "I'm … I'm sorry to hear that. How did she … ?"
She was hesitant to say 'die,' afraid that she was treading on sensitive territory. But he shook his head to her bewilderment.
"She's not dead. She left."
That was even more confusing to her. "What do you mean she left? I know the kind of bond you two had, she wouldn't just up and abandon ship."
He took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. "We saw things differently. Spyglass's regime, peace on the frontier, and what we should do about it. Neither one of us was willing to budge on our stance, and so … she left."
Gates was nonplussed. KT had gone to the other side? "I can't believe … after everything that you two went through, I can't believe she would do that. That she would follow the other Titans and join Spyglass-"
"She didn't."
Something about his tone set her on edge. "What do you mean?"
He swallowed hard, the memory difficult to think about.
"She left to fight."
LUMA, 1 YEAR AND 2 MONTHS AGO
"Please … don't do this."
She hesitated at the tone in his voice, pleading for her to stay. He'd asked her several times already, but this was finally the moment and she felt doubt creep into her resolve.
Slowly, she turned and faced the landing pad where the Leatherback sat. He stood on the lowered drop-bay ramp, his expression all too clear on his thoughts of her departure. She took a few steps towards him, but did not meet him.
"I don't want to do this," she admitted. "There's nothing I want more than to stay at your side … but it's not about what we want, it's about what needs to be done. If you're not willing to come with, then you've made your choice; but I must take action."
He stayed silent, allowing her to say her piece as she gestured to the city-scape of Luma beyond them. "This planet has become corrupted, and it's only one of many that have fallen prey to that maniacal AI's tyranny. We can't just sit idly by and watch him ruin everything-"
He shot back, "Let someone else handle it for once! Haven't we done enough? How much have we sacrificed, the two of us?"
Nearby, some others stole shifty glances at the uncomfortable situation, unaware of who they were or the circumstances of their argument.
"What happened to the dragonhearted? What happened to one final effort?" she countered. "How many more will die unless we do something? Yes we've sacrificed a lot, all so that others don't have to; but you seem perfectly willing to throw it all away!"
"You think-?" He was shocked. "It's not about throwing it all away! There's no hope anymore, can't you see that? All that matters now is survival."
His voice cracked. "I've lost everything … except you, Kay. I don't want to lose you too."
Her optic stared at him just a moment longer, regarding him in a new light.
"You just did."
With that, she turned and strode away into the city. He stared after her, watching her fade from sight. Even after she was gone, he waited for hours, pitting home against hope that she would change her mind and return …
She never came back.
He finished his tale, and looked at Gates once more.
"I assume that she found herself transport of some kind and found a way off-world … I haven't seen her since."
She didn't know what to say. "She … she left to fight him?"
He nodded. "She wanted to stand up for freedom, to do the right thing. I …"
He looked down dejectedly. "This is what I was trying to tell you earlier. You didn't find me, not really. You wouldn't have unless I wanted you to. I knew the moment I saved you that you'd try to find out who I was; I left too many clues behind, and not enough answers. I know you well enough to guess that you'd come looking for me, trying to recruit me to your cause."
He pointed outside, where it still poured. "I could have suppressed my energy signature if I wanted, it's something I've been working on for a few years now; but instead, I sent out a flare big enough for you to find because I needed you to meet me here. I needed you to hear it from my own mouth, so you'd believe me and we can get this over with quicker."
He lifted his head again, meeting her eyes with his own. "I've carried the weight of the world on my shoulders for far too long. I've endured so much, more than any person should ever have to. All the missions, the torture, the fighting …"
He shook his head with an air of finality. "I'm done."