[OTA] Man of Steel, Pray and Kneel

[serialskiller]

Who: Murderbot and Friends
When: Mid-November
Where: A little bit of everywhere
Summary: Snacktime, Naptime, Recess
Warnings: None yet

1. But I gave you life! [Buffet and other restaurants]
A body must be sustained, or performance reliability drops. Murderbot knows this.

Food has flavor. Murderbot also knows this.

Look, early on in the stomach-having experience, Murderbot found dinosaur chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese and declared those 'safe' foods and generally rejected most of everything else on the ship because...because it wasn't ready to expand yet. Something was safe and something became familiar and something soon became a comfort food. But it's been a few months of this. Murderbot is now ready to start trying new things.

It's not hard to tell that's what's going on, either, as the cyborg begins loading plates at the buffet with tiny sample servings of everything, or taking things at Mikabo one at a time in single plate portions, or even visiting Scoops to try a single spoonful of everything available (except the long pig).

Perhaps you can suggest combinations of food or offer context for some of what's going on (like that gravy goes on potatoes instead of being spooned directly into one's mouth). Or perhaps you just want to watch its experiments.


2. What else could you do? [Pool Deck, Night]
The stars are a lie. The stars have always been a lie.

But on a cool breezy summer night (they're all cool breezy summer nights), lying out on a deck chair under them and staring up isn't not a little bit relaxing.

Murderbot isn't flying any of its drones right now. It's not paying attention to everyone and everything around, just for this moment. It's here wholly in itself, eyeing the universeless sky, and feeling very small. Which is okay. Sometimes small is a good thing. Sometimes you want to wrap the blackness around yourself like a blanket and just be.

Of course, if left alone for too long, eventually its eyes slip closed. There may be a soft sound heard from the cyborg, if one walks past. A low, rhythmic rumble paired with a hushed little puff. Murderbot...is snoring.


3. To do what was right! [Around the Ship, previous CR]
The time has come for a change, a subtle shift in perception and a very tiny assertion of preference. If your character is someone in the habit of referring to Murderbot as Rin, expect to be approached at some point in this month.

"Do you have a moment?" It sounds a little uncertain, its posture an apology.


4. I'm perfect, are you? [Wildcard]
darkersolstice or darkersolstice#9463 to plot

Comments

[serialskiller]

"Yeah. And it feels like a pretty common trait aboard the ship in general, so getting used to it's the only thing to do." But it's not really just complaining. There's definitely a bit of a smile there.

[not_the_last]

She notices the touch of smile, and it makes her own grow a little.

"I've also started practicing with the sword again," she offers. "That's something I haven't had much time to do at home recently, but ... I seem to have nothing but time, here."

[serialskiller]

"A lot of people here use swords. You're in good company, lots of potential training partners."

It could almost be jealous, because who wants to train in 'get bodied by a 65% inorganic juggernaut with pew-pew lasers'?

[not_the_last]

(Cassandra has known at least one person who would probably love that. Unfortunately, Grog Strongjaw isn't here.)

"Yes," she agrees. "Possibly we can compare styles. I imagine there's a fairly wide range."

[serialskiller]

"I'm sure. I don't really know enough about fighting with a sword to recognize them. I tend to either use energy weapons or to barrel through things directly."

Murderbot as a Fighter (Arcane Archer)/Barbarian multiclass sure is a thing to imagine.

[not_the_last]

IT SURE IS

"Energy weapons," she repeats curiously. "How do those work?"

[serialskiller]

It pulls up the sleeve of its hoodie and engages the weapon, showing her what it looks like.

"It fires a bolt of energy instead of a powered projectile."

[not_the_last]

"I've seen bolts of energy used in combat before ... But your weapon isn't magic."

Her tone indicates that she's not at all sure of that last.

[serialskiller]

"No, it's science. I don't understand the full workings of it, but my world doesn't have magic."

It does have alien technology, which gets close, but only in ways with catastrophically bad results.

[not_the_last]

"That's still so strange to me. Like a world that doesn't have ... rain, or sand, or something like that. I can understand it being rare, but not there at all?" She shakes her head.

[serialskiller]

"It's only in stories. Works of fiction--fantasy serials. And honestly, that's for the best. People can't even use science without horrible ethic violations, like creating sentient, sapient beings solely for the purpose of using them as slaves."

You know, like itself.

[not_the_last]

Cassandra opens her mouth, pauses, closes her mouth.

"Given some of what I've seen magic used for," she says, a touch subdued, "I can't say you're wrong."

[serialskiller]

"It's just how people are, across all worlds."

Shrug.

[not_the_last]

"I'm sure the people who do that sort of thing prefer to think that's just how people are." A touch bitterly. "That they're only doing what anyone would do if they had the means and the motive."

[serialskiller]

It tucks the energy weapon back away, pulls its sleeve down.

"And they found that in order for SecUnits and CombatUnits to be effective at their work, they had to increase their level of intelligence and lateral thinking. This had the effect of many of them developing depression and anxiety. It's all about the trade-offs, really. This is why I exist, Cassandra. Because humans had the means and the motive."

[not_the_last]

She takes a breath. Lets it out slowly.

"There is something I want to say to that," she says finally, "but I don't know if it would be kind or cruel. Or merely presumptuous."

[serialskiller]

"Oh, go ahead and say it. I'm a big bot, and it's probably nothing I haven't actually heard before sometime."

[not_the_last]

"Well." She looks up at him. "I'm glad you exist. Even if you only exist because humans were unspeakably terrible ... I'm not sorry you exist."

And the last part of that -- I hope you aren't either -- sticks in her throat; it's true, it should be said, but it should be said by someone closer to this man than she has become, or expects to.

[serialskiller]

It blinks rapidly a few times, clearly startled to hear that.

"Oh."

Sorry, give it a moment to process here. Or perhaps to error.

[not_the_last]

Gods, she hopes that isn't a bad sign.

In a tone of formal courtesy, as the best cover she can find for sudden misgiving, she adds: "It may not be my place to say so. I apologize if I have overstepped."

[serialskiller]

"This unit is processing an excess of information. Please stand by."

It's been a while since it's let a buffer phrase sip. It sort of frowns after that, like someone might after belching at a nice dinner party.

"Sorry. No. You're fine. I just. That isn't something I ever expected to hear."

[not_the_last]

Was it a foolish thing to say? Maybe. But --

"Maybe everyone should hear it, from time to time."

[serialskiller]

"Maybe. Have you heard it lately? Do you humans say that sort of thing to one another when I'm not around?"

Or things that are equivalent. It's a habit humans have, of saying things without saying them, that of course a murderbot would never fall into. Of course.

[not_the_last]

(you could have been --)

Her face changes, though it might be hard to say how exactly.

(I need my sister back)

"Something like it," she says, subdued. "From time to time."

[serialskiller]

"Oh. Okay, then." It turns its head away so it's not looking at her, and it tenses, like it's bracing, like it's prepared for this to go horribly wrong somehow.

"I'm glad you exist, too. More than that, I'm glad you exist in a time and a space where I've gotten to meet you."