entry_10
1341 hours, Sunday, February 4, 1973.
Everyone met in the surgery this morning while Miss Pauling was taking a shower so that we might discuss our current situation. It made me anxious; the mercenaries were all so loud, especially the Soldier who cheerfully declared that we were "backed into a corner" and "should face death like those good men in that trench I dug for that war I fought in", and the Medic's office is a relatively small enclosed space with walls that bounce noises around so they seem amplified twofold. The experience made me cringe. Perhaps the sensation was similar to what Herr Engineer felt when we were in transit on the tanks, something he referred to as "claustrophobia." Maybe the sounds reminded me too much of the shouts on the battlefield when we were still enemies. Either way they were sufficient to drive me from the conversation and leave me leaning against the wall, watching a small animal crawling along the floor as muddled thoughts of last night's encounter passed through my processor.
It was apparent that 0396 had been repaired after I dismantled him so thoroughly with my bonesaw. The mystery was why. Herr Gray had many robots at his disposal when we escaped, and going back to repair a broken one did not make much sense from a monetary standpoint. Furthermore, such a move would run counter to his method of operations preceding my departure from his base. Robots are mass-produced and put together on assembly lines, calibrated each the same as the next, deferred to repair stations if we have minor operational problems, and discontinued if we can no longer function properly. Herr Engineer and myself were the only exceptions I could think of, and that was because we offered some amount of use in skilled labor outside of the realm of combat. And what good would a Scout unit be when it came to medicine or robotics engineering, or anything that required intelligence for that matter?
Unless, perhaps, Herr Gray hadn't been the one to repair 0396. Was it possible that another robot had reassembled him? Was that why he wanted to contact me, because there was another robot who had his own projects just as I did?
These thoughts kept me entirely preoccupied so that I didn't notice the meeting ended until Herr Engineer interrupted my train of thought.
E-001: Whatcha looking at there?
I jerked upright from where I'd been slouched. Everyone else had left besides the Medic, who was watching us closely from the other side of the room.
0031: Oh. There is a little animal on the ground. I think it is an insect, but it is difficult to tell without getting closer to the floor. Which, as you probably know, I would rather not do given how difficult it is for me to right myself again.
Herr Engineer made a quiet noise like "huh" and stooped where I had pointed.
E-001: Where is it?
0031: It is by the wall, at the very bottom, crawling alongside its base.
He looked at the indicated spot, then with a movement that was faster than I expected trapped the creature against the baseboard. He stood up and held his closed hand out to me.
E-001: Here you go.
0031: Oh, danke.
I took the thing in my hand, cupping it so the animal would not get away. Closer inspection revealed that it was small and black and definitely an insect, as I had suspected. I could tell because of the shiny exoskeleton and the multiple legs. I held it up close to my eye so I could see it in more detail.
Medic unit: It is a cricket, Machinenmensch. Don't tell me you've never seen a cricket before.
0031: Well it is possible that I have, now that you say it. There were sometimes insects in the tanks, but I was always too busy und not wanting to fall to look at them. Organic beings are remarkable, aren't they?
Medic unit: Some more so than others, yes.
E-001: Hey doc, Thirty-One's got a little project of his own he did. Did he tell you about it yet?
Medic unit: A project? What do you mean?
E-001: Just something that might interest you. Where'd you put Drei?
I pulled my hands away from my eyes so I could look at Herr Engineer.
0031: Ah, she is over here in her box. I placed her by the sink so she would not be stepped on.
I proceeded to the area I had indicated on the counter. The Medic approached slowly, frowning and watching the box with his brows drawn together.
Medic unit: Is this the bird the others were talking about?
0031: Ja, here.
I lifted the lid so he could see inside. He adjusted his glasses.
Medic unit: Was she injured at some juncture? I see that you have added some sort of life support system to her back.
0031: Well, it is really just a battery. She, ah, was damaged beyond the ability to function, so I had to modify her so she would be fixed.
Medic unit: Fixed? Do you mean that you resurrected her?
0031: That is one way to put it, I think.
The Medic didn't answer immediately but prodded at Drei's back. She ruffled her feathers before shuffling away from his finger on her wheels. He blinked slowly, and his brows rose up toward his hairline. The expression puzzled me.
Medic unit: You brought this bird back to life?
0031: Is that not what resurrected means? I hope I did not misunderstand you.
Medic unit: You didn't.
He pulled back from the box. His more familiar grumpy expression crossed his features once more.
Medic unit: Hmm. I suppose that is impressive. For a first project.
0031: She is my first independent project at least. I had to learn very many things before I was able to do that, und Herr Gray taught me a gut deal of it.
I stopped talking then because Herr Engineer does not like it when I talk about his transplant, which was really my first project of course. As though he knew what thoughts I had in my processor, he interrupted.
E-001: Well, if y'all don't mind, I'm gonna head out.
I almost dropped my cricket. For the first time I noticed voices in the hall. It seemed the others had been waiting for him.
0031: Out? But where are you going?
E-001: Weren't you listening none during the meeting? I'm gonna see if I can't make contact with RED team. We've got some radios and mics and all; I just need to figure out how to get a signal past whatever Gray's doing to block us.
0031: But what if you are seen?
E-001: Only person I've got to avoid is Miss Pauling, and just about the whole team's gonna be there to watch for her.
The Medic rolled his eyes, I think at me. In the future I must remember to pay attention during meetings. Either way I was uncomfortable with the idea of staying in the surgery with the Medic while Herr Engineer left, but I only nodded.
0031: Ah, yes. I hope you manage to contact them.
E-001: Thanks. Maybe you two could work on my body while I'm out.
Medic unit: We'll see.
I looked at the Medic cautiously. It seemed he was still adverse to my presence there. Herr Engineer did not act as thought he noticed however. He only nodded to us and left the room. The Medic kept his eyes on the door after he left with a slight frown on his face. I was unsure about what he was looking at. After a few minutes I imitated that noise humans make with their throats sometimes when they are about to say something.
0031: So, er, Herr Medic, would you like to work on Herr Engineer's body as he suggested, or-
Medic unit: Egh. "Herr Engineer", as you call him, doesn't realize that there is very little to be done at the moment. I can do nothing to speed the process along without risking damage to the tissues, und he has already made it clear that he does not want me to experiment more than necessary.
He crossed his arms and turned to watch me. His brows came close to one another over his eyes again while his mouth turned down at the corners in a pronounced frown. I felt almost as though I were in an inspection and doing badly.
0031: Ah. Well... well, if it were not adverse to you, you could show me how far along it is und explain what we will be doing. I am quite curious as to the process you have thought up.
His frown lessened slightly.
Medic unit: ...I suppose that would be wise, as we are supposed to work together on this particular project. Here.
The Medic spun on his heel. A gurney sat against the wall behind him, pushed there to be out of the way during the meeting I think. Several ice boxes sat on its brushed steel surface, partially covered by a sheet, with the medigun lying next to them. The boxes had brownish stains like those made by dried human fluids, namely blood, which was intriguing. He grabbed the gurney's handles to push it to the room's center.
0031: Oh, you haven't set it up yet?
Medic unit: Does this look set up to you?
0031: No, no of course not. I was merely observing, as you said there was not much to do, but-
The Medic rolled his eyes at me again. He stopped moving the gurney.
Medic unit: I don't require assistance to do this, Machinenmensch.
0031: But, er, perhaps I could-
Medic unit: I already told you that I do NOT need your help! Is this such a difficult concept for you to grasp?
I felt bad and didn't answer. It didn't seem as though I could do anything without irritating the Medic more.
He bustled around the gurney for a bit while I watched quietly. After a minute he stopped and sighed.
Medic unit: Put the cricket down und I will show you what I am trying to accomplish.
I complied. My cricket scuttled under a cabinet, and I hesitantly took up a position across the gurney from the Medic. He had opened a particularly familiar looking icebox and was in the process of pulling out something long and fleshy. I forgot about feeling bad because I knew what it was.
0031: Oh, the arm has grown much bigger! Und the skin is there und everything now!
Then I remembered the Medic's annoyance and stopped talking. To my surprise it almost looked like he might smile for a moment.
Medic unit: Ja, it has come some ways since you last saw it. The process has been working faster than I originally anticipated.
Encouraged, I looked over the other ice boxes. The knowledge of what was inside the first filled me with a feeling of excitement.
0031: So... so these other boxes, are Herr Engineer's other parts in them?
Medic unit: Of course. I was fortunate enough to procure all of the tissue samples I needed from RED Engineer before we left our last base. He, ah, had some second thoughts as to my methodology, but I persuaded him in the end. It is for a noble cause after all; no man's comfort should stand in the way of scientific advancement.
I nodded vigorously before I fully processed his last sentence.
0031: I thought we were doing this so Herr Engineer will be human again.
Medic weighed the arm in his hands in a distracted sort of fashion before stowing it carefully back into its box.
Medic unit: Well, yes. That is why he wants us to do it at any rate. Still, the project appeals to me more for the challenge it poses. Just think, Machinenmensch; if you can put a man's brain into a robot, und I can grow an entire body from parts, what else might be possible?
I thought about Herr Engineer's first surgery and nodded again, this time more slowly.
0031: That does make a gut deal of sense. Such advancements are of a great benefit to the whole, und you cannot put one person's comfort over such things. That is what you are saying, ja?
Medic unit: Ah, yes, I suppose. But let's focus on the project at hand, shall we?
0031: Oh yes, I am sorry. Please, could you tell me what we are going to do?
The Medic then began to explain to me the process involved. He became quite animated; I have the idea that he very much likes to talk about his work. Given the varied interests of the other mercenaries, I am not sure how often he is able to talk to them about such things. Herr Engineer is certainly capable of understanding it of course, but he does not seem as consumed by such interests as Herr Medic, if that makes any sense. But I digress. Herr Medic explained how he had begun growing the other body parts together under the medigun's beam to save time, so he would be setting them up on the gurney together in a moment. He then elaborated on what it would take to join them together once the process was finished: he would stitch the pieces together as best as he could, then heal them into one body once they were secured. The very last piece to go on would be the head, which would have to have its brain removed at that point.
Medic unit: But of course that takes the process into your category. Engineer would prefer it if you preformed that bit of surgery, seeing that you have done it before.
A bit of his old stiff manner crept back into his speech, and he frowned again. I wondered if he thought I would not be able to take out the brain properly, though that did not make sense. Herr Engineer functions perfectly after all.
0031: It is not so difficult of a surgery, I think. With both of us together it should go, ah, how did Herr Engineer say it... "without a hitch", yes?
Herr Medic peered at me over his spectacles. The frown on his face had changed a bit; he almost looked confused, or perhaps suspicious. But before I could ask why the door burst open, and then he really looked annoyed.
Medic unit: Scout, what are you doing here? We are in the middle of something important!
The Scout walked in with a very large grin on his face as though oblivious to the fact that he was not welcome, which he might have been.
Scout unit: Hey Doc! I ain't here to interrupt or nothin' I swear. Engie just wanted me to get Champ; he's got somethin' he needs help with.
0031: Oh? What does he require my assistance with?
Scout unit: Hell, I dunno. Somethin' with wires and buttons and stuff.
Herr Medic's shoulders slumped very slightly.
Medic unit: Does he need him right now? We were discussing an important procedure.
Scout unit: Yeah, sorry, he said it was kinda important, so I guess that means we should, you know, get going or whatever.
He jerked his head toward the door and gave me a very hard look that I didn't really understand. I moved to follow him.
0031: I will be back soon Herr Medic. Und thank you; I really do enjoy learning about these things.
Scout unit: Well maybe not soon, he said it might take a while, so bye Doc see ya!
He ushered me out the door and closed it behind him. He stood still and rubbed his hands, looking very pleased about something. Disregarding this, I started down the hall. I didn't hear him move, so I paused and looked back. He still wasn't moving.
0031: Shouldn't we go to help now?
Scout unit: Nah, Engie doesn't need you. See, I have a better idea, 'cause you know, you and Engie are supposed to be hiding out or whatever. I dunno if they really want you leavin' the surgery. Thing is you said we could hang out sometime, so I figured this would be a good time to play hooky.
0031: Play...? What does that mean?
Scout rolled his eyes.
Scout unit: It means we go out and do whatever we want for a while, then come back when we're done.
0031: But what if Miss Pauling sees-
Scout unit: Oh come on, live a little! Everyone's watching out for Miss Pauling by where Engineer's working! I just thought you might want to go outside and mess around some.
I was going to argue, but then I stopped. An idea came into my processor, a wonderful idea to get some peace of mind. I carefully avoided wringing my hands.
0031: We could go outside?
Scout unit: I just said that, dumbass, now are you comin' or not?
0031: Oh, ja, of course. Lead the way.
He grinned and took off so that I had to follow as best as I could in his wake; my stalk is still a bit unstable. We have been sneaking along quietly for a while now and are almost outdoors. Hopefully I can get him distracted so that I can go examine the fence line. With any luck, 0396 will be nearby.
I think it is time to find some answers.
/entry_10