-Daedalus-

Adult male. Gas mask. Girl. Mechanical component.

"Daedalus, hmm? Well, I guess I should scrap Casm."

Adult male. Speech. Casm.

"Try moving your limbs. See, look at me. Watch my arms."

Adult male. Bending. Arms. Running imitation simulation. Successful.

"Good, good. You're learning. That's amazing. I'm SUCH a genius!"

"It's scary. Is the robot like the others I've seen? The ones that shoot at you?"

Female child. Speech. Fear.

"No, no. It's fine, he has no built-in weapons. He's like a baby, actually. Daedalus, move your legs, like this."

Adult male. Speech. Female child. Reassurance. Daedalus. Baby.

"Daedalus, look at me. Move your legs, like this."

Adult male. Moving legs. Running imitation simulation. Unsuccessful. Warning. Concussive force.

"Ow! Damn, you're heavy, heavier than normal."

Warning. Warning. Data overload. Shutting down.

-John-

"Fuck, he's stupid. I should've expected as much."

Daedalus lay on the floor, faceup. What a disappointment. I thought that chip was empty. It was a military project, though. There had to be some preliminary programming.

"Why did it fall?"

Jade's eyes shined with curiosity, intrigued by my robotic creation. I was too happy to be cynical, so I answered.

"He's learned enough, tonight. He'll wake up tomorrow morning. Right now, I need to scavenge."

I picked up my rifle, pistol, and now light backpack. Standing up, I glanced at Jade.

"Umm. Just stay and keep guard, I guess."

She nodded, eyes still fixated on Daedalus. Whatever. I went out the door, making a mental checklist of what I needed. My ultimate goal was to find a programming manual. Something to help me actually teach Daedalus how to function. Microfusion cells would be nice, so I could use the Wattz 2000 I found. Finally, I needed some meds, too. I'm running low on Buffout, and the cravings are kicking in.

"Hmph. Might as well take the last ones."

I popped my last pills, feeling the pain slip from my stomach.

"That's better."

I stopped to carve an arrow into a nearby tree. It was something that helped me keep track of my way. The city ruins loomed in the distance, and I grinned, jovial for the first time.

"Wow. Maybe I was wrong, ever since that girl came along, I've been doing great. That brat might be more useful than I thought."

I adjusted my mask, and trudged forward, hopeful of my chances.

-Jade-

That man sure is mean. He always cusses at me, even though I'm trying to be nice. He did fix up my arm.

"Female child."

The metalman! I turned around, seeing him. He was sitting, and staring at me. He had glowy eyes, all lit up and pretty.

"Are you talking to me, Mister Daydals?"

The robot just sat there, making weird noises. Slowly, he moved his head up and down.

"That means yes, Mister Daydals."

I nodded, repeating the word, and he started to try it for himself.

"Yes. Yes. Yes."

He kept repeating it, his eyes lighting up brighter. I giggled, and Mister Daydals stopped.

"Mister Daydals. That's you."

He was quiet, and whirring noises came from his head. I pointed at him, saying his name.

"Mister Daydals."

There was a clicking sound, and he talked again.

"Honorific recognized. True designation: Daydals. Request. Username of female child."

He wants my name? I guess I should tell him. I pointed at myself, saying it loudly.

"Jade."

"Username: Jade. Activation. Adoption protocol. Daydals. Request: Cerebral data transference. Please input."
I didn't understand. He wasn't making any sense. But I think he was asking a question. Should I say yes?

"Umm. Yeah?"

"User input recognized as affirmation. Commencing cerebral data transmission."

He kept saying stuff I didn't get. Then, the world began to get darker and darker, and it was hard to stay awake. I started to fall down, and the last thing I saw was Mister Daydals's eyes, like stars.

-John-

I hid behind the crumbling pillar of a Techie's, listening to the raiders squabble from a small camp beside the entrance.

"Hey, let me read that! You got to read last night."

"Yeah, well, we've already gone through it a million times. Ever since that guy gave it to Mom, all we do is read it."

"It's still my turn! I need to learn about tourniquets."

"Oh, shut up, Eric. There's no point."

These raiders are pretty loud. I snuck out from my hiding place, my boots crunching on the gravel.

"Hey Brian, I hear someone."

I stopped, holding my breath. These damn raiders.

"Whoever's there, show yourself! I have a bucket of grenades just waiting for you if you try anything."

I hung my head, knowing when I should surrender. I don't screw with explosives of any kind. I tread toward the camp, their fire illuminating my form.

"I'm not looking for a fight, I just want to get into that Techie's."

One of them, an ugly and scarred bastard with one eye, spoke first.

"How do we know that's the truth? We've run into a lot of people saying the same thing. Those are their corpses, over there."

He pointed at a pile of men, and I spied a Brotherhood of Steel member with a bullet hole in his visor.

"You're a good shot..."

I took a guess at his name, trying to recall their voices.

"Brian."

Brian grimaced, and he held his little brother closer to him, a teenager, probably 16.

"That's not my handiwork, guy. It's Eric's."

I noticed the kid, and focused on the sniper rifle that glinted, silently reprimanding myself for missing such a vital detail.

"Hi, Eric. That's a pretty nice rifle, you got there. Looks like it's in bad condition. Will you and your brother let me pass I fix it for you?"

I stepped forward, and Eric adjusted his aim, the bullet probably staring at my forehead from it's home in the barrel.

"Drop all your weapons. Now."

I was sweating behind my mask, feeling desperate. My mind raced for something to say.

"Listen, I got a little girl waiting for me. 10 years old. If I never make it back, she'll starve, or die. Please, kid."

His right eye, the other behind a scope, softened, and he lowered the rifle a tiny bit. I grinned, relieved.

"I will fix that rifle. But in return, you have to let me see that power armor over there, and let me enter Techie's."

Brian had a scowl on his face, the mass of scars constricted into a mess.

"No. We need more than just a tune up."

I put my hands down, keeping one close to my pistol.

"How about a few cans of Cram? I got about 4."

Eric looked disgusted, but Brian was satisfied.

"Deal."

I reached into my pack, slowly, as to not test them, and rolled the cans toward them.

"Alright, now, how am I going to take a look at the rifle?"

Eric took out the cartridge, and popped the bullet in the chamber, now walking towards me.

"Here. Don't try anything funny, we still have those grenades."

Brian currently had one in his hand, ready to be thrown.

"Ok, ok. I'll get started."

I sat down, and worked my magic. Half an hour later, it was in top condition.

"Alright. Come and get it."

Eric ran over, obviously ecstatic.

"Thanks. Now get your things, and get out of here."

I nodded, and made my way to the BOS corpse. His armor was almost pristine. Just graduated from Squire. Idiot. I pried the targeting optics from his helmet, and the oxygen tanks from his bank, along with their re-breather. I gave it a thought, and took some of the armor plating off as well. I scurried into Techie's, watched by the two still apprehensive brothers.

-Daydals-

Data scanned. Analysis complete. Physical coordination procedures: compatible. Current time and events: acquired. Mental imprint: ERROR. Psychological imitation: rejected due to excessive trauma. Booting up.

"Daydals, activated."

The robot stood up, in full control of his limbs. He surveyed the room, spying the unconscious girl before him. He recognized her as the user and host of his cerebral data transmission. Daydals bent down, studying the girl. Instinctual programming suggested that he exit the building and head for the nearest settlement to fortify. But the robot felt hesitation.

"User: Jade. Are you able to respond?"

She was silent, and he scanned her vitals, via brain wave reception. He concluded that the host was incapacitated, and could not defend herself.

"Mission parameters changed. Protect the user from all aggressors."

Daydals trudged over to the entrance of the domicile. He sighted super mutant bodies, and walks toward them, curious. Reaching one, he scanned for residual brain waves, finding the barest remnants dying out. He analyzed them, acquiring what information he could scavenge.

"Organism designated by user as super mutant. Secondary alias: frankenstein. Hostile. User history suggests that all are hostile toward humans. Beginning biological scan."

Daydals noted the long slash marks that had sliced open veins, and a sample of the super mutants blood was made, in order to be analyzed when he had the proper equipment. He hypothesized, judging from the moistness of the blood and the warmth of the corpse, that it had died 5-10 minutes ago.

"Reaction: Standby for possible combatants in proximity."

He looked at the sledgehammer that was still in the super mutant's hand. He picked the weapon up, calibrating for weight and balance.

"Hostile. Location: near domicile."

The robot turned to the sounds emanating from the door, and the deathclaw that had recently arrived looked back, taking in the new prey.

"Creature: unknown. Suggestions: carnivore, due to mandibles and biological weaponry. Hypothesis: Purpose is to kill and consume User Jade. Conclusion: NEUTRALIZE."

The deathclaw began sprinting at Daydals, satisfied to have found a new prey to hunt. The robot stood still, balancing the sledgehammer, and as the deathclaw lunged, he swung.

-John-

"This place has been looted a few times. I can tell."

The shelves were barren with the exception of a few scraps, but I found a stash of MF cells in the manager's office. Loading them in, I felt the rifle hum with satisfaction, and I was glad. I finally found my baby, the one I'd been looking for.

"Alright, let's try the second floor, and let's get out of here."

My back was feeling great, finally free of an unassembled Daedalus. I took out a small hand mirror, using it to peek around a corner. Sure enough, a giant mole rat was sniffing around, and it caught my scent.

"Alright, fucker, let's see how you like being fried."

I jumped out, and fired a shot from my rifle, searing the rat's face off. I laughed, congratulating myself on my amazing shooting skills.

"Those Outcasts are complete retards. Who needs 'em."

I strode down the hall, checking the next room on my right.

"Score. Thank you, Lady Luck."

I snatched up a pile of circuit boards and copper wiring, and almost leaped for joy when I uncovered a half burnt Programmer's Digest.

"I knew there'd be some good stuff up here."

Making one final sweep, I poked my head inside the next room, and ducked down as a laser almost burned it off.

"Ah, Protectrons. Such a primitive, yet deadly machine."

I dived inside, rolled, and came up into a crouch, firing a shot at it's main processor, located near the top. Sure enough, I hit it, but I clutched at my right calf from the last shot it fired.

"Fuck me, that hurts!"

I bandaged the wound up, and limped to a standing position, leaning on a nearby shelf.

"Wait a second. Yes, jackpot!"

I hobbled over to the medical office, required for employees hurt on the job by malfunctioning bots.
Burn medicine wouldn't be hard to find, if it wasn't empty. I scoured the room, coming up with some ointment for the burns and more than a couple stimpacks, but no Buffout. I hissed in frustration, cursing every man, woman, or child that was here before me.

"I need that medicine, damn it!"

I sighed, and left the Techie's, waving at the two brothers. Following my road signs, finally got within safe distance of my home, before the rain started again.

"Good to be home. I wonder how that brat is doing. Better not have touched my beautiful creatio- holy hell. What happened here?!"