"Remember me."
A whisper, tears running down her cheeks, a shocking vibrant sapphire as brilliant tears would run down her cheeks, falling on his own even as his eyes would blur, functions distorting even as he'd lose sense of his self. He can only feel as darkness closes over him, the soft delicate feel of her lips against his skin and then... everything goes black.
The android would wake with a gasp, eyes wide, breathing hard. His chest would rise and fall, his systems warm as if he'd been through a long heated battle even though his chassis was new, even though it was.. Unused.
He'd look at trembling hands, shaking, arms trembling as he'd look at them before pressing them to his face. No matter how often he went into maintenance and shut down, that vision... that memory... would always assault his mind.
He'd press hands to his face, shuddering as he'd try to handle the tears that would form, getting up slowly as he'd feel the shudder of the base, the android rising more quickly now, gathering his surroundings.
"What?" he'd think, looking around. He'd taken too much time with restoring himself thanks to that memory. It had kept him in stasis too long and he'd get up suddenly, intending to step forward when the door would slide open, admitting the silver haired woman who would regard him with concern.
Before he could react, she'd step forward, pulling him close into an embrace, her arms wrapping around him, the android hearing the worry in her voice as she'd let out shuddering gasp. "I thought- I thought something had happened to you when you didn't greet me at the door! What happened?"
She'd ask this as she'd step back, regarding him quizzically, her concern only masked by the visor she wore. He'd turn away and sigh. "It's-"
There was a shudder once more, more pronounced than before, making the entire base vibrate. The android would look at his partner, concern in his own face.
"Are we under attack-?!"
"I don't know! We have to find the commander," she'd say, turning and gripping his hand in hers, pulling him along behind her.
He'd stare in confusion as he was pulled along. She'd never shown her emotions so openly, never revealed them in this way. Emotions were supposed to be prohibited. Which meant... she was stressed beyond her normal capacity to handle things as she was ignoring protocols. It was a clear and worrying indication of how serious the situation had become for them both if she couldn't hide away her emotions behind her cool demeanor anymore.
He'd find himself following behind her, staring at her with concern, his hand gripping hers tightly as if it was the only thing in the world. Something he'd never admit, is he lost his original purpose along the way and somehow... somewhere, the person before him had become his purpose. Not humanity. Not the war. Just her. Something he couldn't admit because command would completely rewrite his systems and assign someone new if they knew that or became aware. Even though... this was the truth and even though... he suspected they knew. But if they did then why did they allow them to remain together like-
Another shudder. Another explosion, this one vibrating beneath his feet. His thoughts had been taking him away on a tangent when he needed to focus, 2b opening the door, intending to step into the command center when she'd let out a scream as she'd fall back, blood spraying on 9s as she'd fall backwards, the android letting out a roar as he'd scream.
"I'll kill you!"
He hadn't even thought about it, about who the attacker could be when his blade would pierce their stomach, the blood spraying outwards as there'd be a sharp intake of breath from above him.
"Run," a voice would whisper above him as he'd look up towards the sound of the voice, backing up, withdrawing his blade in surprise as he'd realize who the voice belonged to, her blood splattering on his face as she'd topple to her knees, holding the wound on her stomach. Her normally cool demeanor and hard gaze turned into one of softness and worry as she'd hold her side and speak again. "Run. Yorha has.. Been compromised. I can't- ..."
Even as she'd hold her side, the voice of the commander would shift and alter, as if breaking apart, being pulled on wires too thin, eyes blinking red as 9s would step back realizing command had been compromised already. But part of him still wished to deny it... wished to hold to some quickly fading hope that was quickly disappearing.
"What do you mean," he'd say, reaching for the other when he'd pull back as the android woman would begin to laugh, a familiar voice that wasn't her own, like that of a child and older woman mixed into one, a voice he'd heard earlier, the android gritting his teeth in anger.
"You," he'd hiss, between clenched teeth.
"Oh! Not happy to see us?" the voice would chide, as if teasing him, curving the commander's face into a twisted smile as she'd tilt her head in a way that felt unnerving to the android, he raising his blade to defend himself. "Because we've been looking forward to seeing you!" the voice would sound, almost singing, pleased with what they'd done. The android would glare, readying to attack when another explosion would sound behind him.
A hand would grip his wrist to the right, 9s regarding 2b's injuries, the gash down her shoulder and side, how profusely she bled and he'd gasp, looking on in horror. The new chassis he'd brought her into was already severely damaged and it would take time to upload her into a new one. Time they didn't have as he was reminded of the situation by an explosion rocking the base once more, shaking all of them including the controlled commander, her own injury keeping her from being able to move quickly towards him.
2b would rise with a grimace and pull him along, 9s letting out a scream as he'd feel a blade slash across his back, the blade hitting the metal wall behind him even as 2b had jerked her along with him. Looking back at him with worry as he'd hiss between clenched teeth. Despite her injury the manipulated commander had still taken a swing at him. Shit.
"9s!" 2b would cry, eyes full of concern before he'd step forward, moving his arm beneath hers, helping her up across his shoulder, even as he'd grimace as he allowed her to put her weight against him.
"It's just a surface wound! Don't worry about it!" especially in her condition he didn't want her concerning herself with his injuries. Shit! How could things have gone to hell so quickly when they'd just gotten back? They hadn't even had an opportunity to warn command, the android needing to use the pod unit to keep the other androids back, distracted by the fire from the small machines. They were holding back, these other androids, but he could see that was purposeful, even as he'd feel that familiar scratching in the back of his mind, a laughter heard almost clearly in his head, the android just fighting back tears as he'd draw a sword watching those others who would bait them as if trying to separate them, the android feeling a blade cut across his shoulder again.
Shit. Was this how it was going to end? Unable to protect her? His heart would race as he'd hold her close, feeling her own breathing, the hot warmth of her blood, even as another explosion rocked the building, making their pursuers stumble.
"9s.." she'd breathe raggedly, even as she'd rub at her head, likely feeling the same problem that he would. "L-leave me! I-I'll just hold you back! Just-"
"I'm not leaving you, 2b," he'd say.
"Do it. I'm just holding you back. If you don't, they'll kill us both! Just leave-" she'd say, her voice beginning to break as she'd fight back her tears, her emotions breaking through. "I-"
"Shut up! I'd rather die than be without you!" he'd snap. He'd feel her tense, feel the shock of his words as it would dawn on her what he was saying. What he meant.
"9s..." she'd begin, her voice quiet, as if unsure what to say, trying to organize her thoughts.
"I'm getting us out of here," he'd say, slipping into another corridor, the android hanging back just a moment to shut the doors, slamming his fist through the control panel, electricity sparking as the door would lock in place.
"9s?" 2b would ask in surprise.
"I can't hack it. Not with the computers compromised like they are. Just... something to hold them back. Even if it's just for a bit," he'd say as he'd stumble forward, entering the hanger, feeling the rumble of the station. It wouldn't last for much longer. But fortunately there were no other androids in the hanger, just 2b and himself with the pods, and flight units ready to engage. He'd feel the beginnings of a smile on his lips as he'd think, finally, some luck!
But even here, he'd feel something scratching at the edges of his mind, whispering... the whispers too far for him to understand what they are saying, but hearing a laughter, the android's mood souring.
They needed to get back to ground level. Get off the station and back to earth and then... maybe then they could find somewhere to hide for a time and address their injuries. Only then. And maybe then... they could what? Relax? Breathe freely as the war ends? The war has just become worse and they're on the run and injured... it was never going to end. Never. It would...
He'd curse himself, reprimanding himself as he'd help 2b into her flight unit, her tired head rising to look at him. The android forcing a smile on his lips.
"We'll get out of this. Come on. Get ready," he'd say, moving to his left to enter the next flight unit, just waiting for 2b's acknowledgment.
"Alright," her stern voice would come, the android watching as she'd start her unit, the android relaxing himself as he'd be aware of her doing this, when he'd hear the beating of feet down the corridor, the thumping of those feet making 9s curse as he'd strap himself into his unit.
"2b! Hurry!"
As he'd start his engines, he'd wait for her to respond, his head rising as he'd not hear her.
"2b?" he whispers worriedly, tensing, preparing to rush out of his flight unit to consider her condition when she'd finally answer.
"Roger," she'd answer, her voice sounding more subdued and quiet than normal as he'd hear the engines of her flight unit begin. Smiling softly, he'd nod, his heart calming just a little bit as he'd hear her voice.
But even as her machine would rise, he'd hear the racing of the others coming down into the hanger and he'd hurry in setting his own unit, the low hum of the engine beginning to turn as he'd hear those feet beating against the metal floor, the scratching at the back of his head getting more severe. A feeling of frustration coming off of it that seems to echo his own as hands would beat at the broken door, giving him just a little time to get moving.
"Come on. Come on," he whispers as he'd feel the engines turn, beginning to fire as he'd nearly feel the unit slammed forward, 2b's unit already moving outside of the hanger.
"Hurry," he yells, turning his unit, adjusting the controls for firing weapons as he'd turn, watching the masked women come rushing at him. Comrades. People he'd known as he'd kept walk through the bunker, though he may have only passed a word or two between them, he hated doing this, hated as he'd flip the weapons system on and begin firing, shooting inside the hanger itself as he'd shoot the bodies of those coming rushing at him, the larger blast from the weapons shooting holes through the androids, each falling back, causing the android an intense sense of loss and pain. Sorry, he whispers repeatedly. Sorry.
A blade would pierce his shoulder, a scream coming from his lips as his unit would be pushed back out of the hanger, a figure close against him, her red eyes piercing as she'd try to twist the blade in his shoulder, the veil and blonde hair giving away her designation as the android would begin to yell at him in a deranged voice.
"2b is mine! Not yours! You can't have her! I'm her operator! Not you!"
"6..O?' he'd say in confusion before she'd begin trying to pull the blade down his shoulder even as they were falling backwards into the atmosphere, the heat from entering the first layer of atmosphere beginning to make his flight unit tremble as the operator above him continued with her insane wails.
"She's mine! Mine! You hear me?! She's-" she'd begin when suddenly her body would be flung away, the short blast of machine fire tearing her away, the woman's arm still left against his shoulder, drawing an intense pain from the android as he'd grit his teeth, still feeling her blade lodged against his shoulder, pinning him back.
"9s! Are you-" 2b's worried voice would sound, only being cut off as the explosion from behind them both would push them forward, the android unable to focus or think on his injury as his unit would be flung in free fall spinning as he'd be thrust through the earth's atmosphere, the burning heat at his back as he'd fall back towards the earth below.
"2b! 2b!" he'd yell, worried. The last he'd seen was her worried expression when the explosion would boom, a white flash and the sudden and harsh push as his body was flung through the atmosphere, intense pressure flaring all around him. And still, even through this chaos, he could only think of one thing... 2b.