Messages of Mass Relief (Arheim)

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Recipient 2
00AER03EC00104PFCMUH100101103AYER

“RecDrdAER03 “Ayer”: HHRecDrdAER04 “Sender” Notice: HH-HQ may request assistance. Rahja captured. Uncertain outcome yet…will keep you posted.”

It had been two days (almost three by now) since Sender had initially sent that message, the night Rizzen had captured Rahja on Foerost. There had been on day of travel to get to Muunilinst, and then that horrible day of waiting and planning and waiting again before they had been able to break her out again. Today had consisted of fully recharging and learning some rather…disturbing…news from Wash, followed by several rather embarrassing situations. Now, finally, he found himself with the time to bring his brother (and therefore Sean) back up to speed on the situation.

Recipient 1
00AER03EC00104PFCMUH100101103AYER

”RecDrdAER03 “Ayer”: HHRecDrdAER04 “Sender” Update: Ayer, I have a lot to tell you. Contact me via Familiar Comms when you get the chance. Is good news.”

Considering the circumstances, Sender wasn’t about to wait around for Ayer to decide to check his familiar communications for messages. Typically they weren’t priority notices, PFHQ contacted them through a different link, Military contacted them through a different link (the link he was using now, actually), their partners tended to use com-links…so the Familiar Comms tended to go unchecked until the familiar in question had some free time. It was, after all, geared mainly for inter-familiar communications, and how often did they work in teams? Rarely, if ever, so this left that specific link as more of a fun/down time/social network…for those familiars who deigned to grace others with their presence anyway.

In reality it didn’t take long for a small icon to pop up in his view for the F.C. notice he was expecting…Ayer had signed in. Well, wasn’t he on top of things today? With but a swift few processes, the message window was brought up and a message being formulated before Ayer could even get a word in edgewise.

”Ayer…we finally got her back. (Thank the Wizard) And she’s alive!”

This may have gone without saying, considering the previous message and the opening of this one, but the poor AER had been quite distressed. Well, that went without saying…it was his partner’s life that had been on the line!

[A®heim]

<<Sixty-two hours earlier>>

You may want to have a look at this.

The elderly man turned in his chair and stood. Walking the short distance across his office (for that is the closest approximation to what it is), he leaned over where his Familiar was perched to read the comm message. The best trained eye in the galaxy might be able to make out the subtle twitch in his expression and only a particular artificial one could tell what it meant.

Phae watched for a minute while his partner simply stared down thoughtfully at the message. Eventually impatience won out and made a restrained inquirey. Shall I scramble a dropship?

No response.

We are going to do something, aren't we?

When Arza finally spoke, it was in a musing tone, his eyes never shifting from the readout--now displaying Sender's diagnostics in the upper corner. It's interesting that he would immediately send for assistance from 03. They truly have a very close relationship.

Yes, of course, so do their partners, look you didn't answer my question--are we going to do something or not? He was getting ruffled and irritated now.

No. I think it would be better if 17 worked things out.

Phae froze and cocked his head in that questioning manner that was really his only way of silently expressing emotions. 17?

________________________________________________________________

<<Present time>>

New acquisition--forty-seven degrees, 335.2 meters.

The one with desert camo?

Affir-...yes.

The infrared beam visible only to those who knew how to look for it flashed, becoming a lethal focused composite beam that struck the insurgent straight from his vantage point.

Now it's volcanic camo.

Good shot- New acquisition...Counter-sniper! Counter-sniper! Get down, Mu'haro!

Sean ducked and rolled down the embankment he had been perched atop just as the spot he had been a moment earlier exploded into a shower of dirt and rock. I'm changing position, where is he?

She. Kit nailed her the moment the shot was fired. You're all clear.

The sniper crouched down amongst some thick shrubs and scanned for a new location. The comm in his helmet beeped, a signal that someone was trying to reach him through the squad frequency. He listened for a moment and gave his affirmation before switching back to Ayer's frequency. Meesha says they're pulling back, they can take it from here.

A few hours later found everyone present and accounted for in the temporary camp set up around the drop pod. Sean sat reclined against the hull of this with his eyes closed. One eye opened, however, to regard the silhouette spiraling down towards him. Ayer settled with a slight clatter beside him, not bothering to retract the wings so that they simply flopped awkwardly on either side. The shimmering surfaces of the feather shaped solar panels lay exposed until at last the wing covers slid over them--the servos whining slightly. The wings themselves retracted soon after with a similar strenous effort.

Spot teams are wiping up the last of the insurgents. Dropship will be here in a few hours. He let out a long, synthesized sigh. This is the first moment of peace we've gotten in 74 hours and...I don't feel like running a precise process right now.

Sean closed his eye again and yawned. Had it really been that long? In the tension of open combat, time became immeasurable: minutes became hours, hours became days, and days became seconds. Come on, Ayer, that's calculator stuff.

The bird regarded his partner irritably. When your lot was electing members to stand watch on rotation while the rest slept, I was circling at 2,000 always on watch. I have spent the last 11 hours with the solar array exposed to just to keep from falling right out of the sky. Which-

Which is terribly bad for them due to high-altitude vapor corrosion.

Precisely. Give me a break. Ayer fell over forward to rest on his chin (for that is the closest approximation to what it is), letting all servo motors to deactivate.

Primary Motor Syste#%01001pennicillinpizza1001110
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>/initate safe mode
>/power save
>/primary locomotion systems
>/deactivate
>/servos offline
>/repulsors offline

A sigh of pleasure accompanied the winding down of the repulsor engines, like the tension being released from a sore back.

</secondary processes
</terminate
</photoreceptors offline
</visor command
</linking...
</processor link
</commlink offline
</vocabulator offline
</spyglass offline
</emitter offline
</uplink offline
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</energy readings
</diagnostic
</9
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</uplink online
</familiar comms
</initiate

Three new messages immediately cropped up. These were not, however, displayed across the visor--now unlit--but rather run straight through his central processors for comprehension. With all primary systems inoperable, only the most central of processes remained 'conscious'. He was in sleep mode, and this was his dream (for that is the closest approximation to what it is).

RecDrdAER 03 "Ayer": UNKNOWN ORIGIN Notice: i just r33chd 10,000 on p0ng n00bz. wont tel u how is secret xD

He flagged it as spam and continued.

“RecDrdAER03 “Ayer”: HHRecDrdAER04 “Sender” Notice: HH-HQ may request assistance. Rahja captured. Uncertain outcome yet…will keep you posted.”

</all systems
</REBOOT

The visor flickered and regained its red glow. Not that this was particularly noted over the accompanied jump into the air. Sean, who had just begun to nod off at long last, inadvertantly decided to join him.

Rahja's in danger!
What's going on?!

Rahja's in danger?!
I said Rahja's in-yes!

Sean placed both hands around the spastic droid and picked him off the ground to look him in the 'eyes'. Calm down. What happened?

Ayer froze when he was picked up but finally managed to compose himself enough to tune down the vocation rate and answer. It's Sender, he sent me a message saying that-the time stamp! It's almost three days old! What if we're too late!? She could be dead by now, or worse!

”RecDrdAER03 “Ayer”: HHRecDrdAER04 “Sender” Update: Ayer, I have a lot to tell you. Contact me via Familiar Comms when you get the chance. Is good news.”

Ayer! Relax and tell me what happened to Rahja.

Ayer had stopped flailing again, reading and rereading both messages. I...uh...nothing. Nevermind. Bad dream. I'll explain it to you when I have more power.

The man rolled his eyes and set the droid back down none to gently before flopping back down himself. He'd never heard of droids dreaming before, but then, Ayer wasn't a very ordinary droid. Besides, what did he know about mechanical minds? On the bright side, Familiar or not, he was no Force-sensitive--omens of the future were out of the question.

But what about the future or...the present. Droids may not be in tune with the mystic energies of the galaxy, but they were in tune with the technical ones. What if he had intercepted a datastream? His subsystems would pass it off but what if some process in that artificial soul of his recognized some key words? Key words like 'Rahja' or 'Danger'? Sean suddenly felt a lot less settled and significantly less tired.

Bah, he was just paranoid.

Meanwhile, Ayer had allowed himself to return to his minimalist operations mode, giving an internal grimace at his 2% lower power supply. He would have to make the best of what he had left. Something had happened, it was apparently resolved now, but something crucial enough to force Sender to turn to the Familiar comms as his only hope. That was worrisome at best.

Well the only thing left to do was to do as the message instructed.

</reply protocol
</commline
</initiate
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Just got your messages. Sorry I could not respond earlier, it's been a busy couple days. Are you and Rahja alright?

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

The giddy droid had nearly hopped right off the table as Rahja had walked past it. He’d been her shadow since he’d recharged…and she’d reappeared…but that two-hop takeoff was halted midway as that return message was received, causing him to nearly tumble off the tabletop, only barely managing to grip the edge of it and keep himself steady with a burst of his repulsors. No doubt he’d received some interesting looks from whoever had been around, but honestly he didn’t know who was around, his sensors completely ignored as he back shuffled onto the bulk of his current perch and hunkered down.

”Well, other than a bit of blood still on my feathers I'm fine. Rah is safe enough but she got pretty banged up, and she’s sticking like glue to the bounty hunter. They put her in some sort of force negating cell. I’ve not talked to her much about it yet but…the Imperials had an interrogation droid brought in.”

The steady signal that showed he was formulating a reply died out as he paused, his memory of the events replaying through his processors…the emotions…the fear and anger and determination he’d felt. It truly had been a horrifying experience for him…seeing his partner taken down by a bounty hunter with the help of another familiar. Unable to assist in any further way, he’d been forced to accept Rah’s most personal effects and wait to leave the system to send a full and formal request for assistance to the Republic for fear of the message being intercepted. She’d been turned over for what was essentially a sentence of torture, and ultimately death…if she gave them the information they wanted she would be kept alive just long enough to ensure the Empire got what they wanted and then killed. If she didn’t give them the information they wanted…

…the thought of death by torture…by her body simply giving out under the stress…

Sender gave an involuntary shudder and continued his message.

”Ayer…I thought…she requested that Rizzen, the bounty hunter, return me to PFHQ with her most important effects…”

[A®heim]

"Well that's what I said to her, but you know how women can be."

The claw said nothing.

"One moment they're all over you, and the next you've been forced into hiding from the authorities, tinkering with science fair projects in this dump."

This time the claw did a quick 'glance' around the room and quirked a few degrees to the side. The water cooler burped, awkwardly loud in the empty, echoing halls of the Familiar test wing.

"Alright, so it's not that bad. Pay is decent and security is almost inconveniently incredible." The researcher turned his head, only to find his ARA hardly two inches in front of his face, the three tips of the large, robotic claw opened and closed slightly. "...and I guess some the tech isn't so bad. Hey."

He nonchalantly greeted a passing figure, only to do a double take when the metallic bird flew along after him, then a triple take followed by an immediate cessation of leaning on the water cooler when he realized who had just gone by. Two years he had worked at the facility now, the Wizard's envoy--that bird--he had spoken to on several occasions, but he had only ever laid eyes on the man himself once or twice.

"Just getting a drink sir."

Arza smiled but didn't turn around, continuing down the hallway at an even, casual pace. Important to stay hydrated on the job. Carry on, Dr. Lecter. Epsilon.

The claw waved after the Rilan, admonished with a whispered "stop that!" from its host.

Phae caught up at last and kept pace in the air at his partner's side. I've cycled the log updates for your 'client' on Arkania, your shipment from DDCI has come in, as has the GHI shipment, security camera forty-seven is spinning again, and on an unrelated note; maintained requests a replacement supply of stain remover in sector A.

Good. Good. We were out of a few other janitorial necessities anyway.

Phae flittered over Arza to his other side. Just one more thing, 04 has resolved the conflict and agent Kell has been liberated.

Arza looked over and slightly raised one slim, silver-streaked eyebrow. It was all the Familiar needed to guess what else the man wished to know. And yes, 17 and his partner, the original captor, aided in her escape.

He nodded and returned his eyes to the walk before him. What we can do for your kind occurs in your preparation to face the galaxy unveiled. From there, we can only hope you carry it with you. Judging by the outcome of this situation with dear Sender and Wash, not to mention the multitude of other Familiars' achievements, I would say we're doing a fair job.

This time. Don't let age and experience blind you, old man.

_______________________________________________________


</message received
</decompressing
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Well, other than a bit of blood still on my feathers I'm fine Rah is safe enough but she got pretty banged up and she’s sticking like glue to the bounty hunter They put her in some sort of force negating cell I’ve not talked to her much about it yet but the Imperials had an interrogation droid brought in
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There was a pause, but Ayer could tell by persistent signal connection that his brother was still formulating his message. He remained silent until the remainder came through.

Ayer I thought she requested that Rizzen the bounty hunter return me to PFHQ with her most important effects

Sender's syntax confused him for a moment before he remembered that he had always had problems with receiving punctuation while in safe mode. He ran a quick, low-complexity estimation program that filled them back in. Wait a nanosecond, blood on his feathers? Things must have gotten truly serious, then. The Familiars were no battle droids, but they were certainly able to defend themselves (some better than others) if the situation called for it. However, it was the discharge emitter that was just about the common medium for AER weaponry. Non-lethal weaponry. Ayer would have given a shudder if he could, somehow knowing that 'non-lethal' hadn't been the preferred method by his little brother.

Soap and water will only further risk of corrosion and short-circuiting. Ground yourself and run an electric current through the feathers until the blood begins to flake, then have someone wipe them away with a dry piece of fabric. Of course, sometimes a bird's got to do what a bird's got to do.

An interrogation droid, though. An abomination of their kind if ever there was one. Many with twice the resolve of even Rahja can be cracked by such fiendish contraption with time. Long. Excrutiating. Time.

I'm glad you got her out of there. Her pain may be far from over, however, if the measures the Imperials took are true. Torture damages far more than just the body. If ever there were a time she needed you there, as a Familiar, as a friend, now would be it. The very request you tell me she made to the bounty hunter, it is a trust and compassion that few are even capable of misunderstanding. This Rizzen is an agent, correct? I assume he was more than willing to accept such a request.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Again his over excited systems were distracted by movement down the hall as he waited for the incoming message. Really…he needed to just…just calm down, and relax a bit. He wasn’t about to do Rah any good by being so wound up. She already had to deal with Wash. The little AER shook his head slightly as the internal notification of a received message pinged through. Wash…he certainly was a character…a bouncy character. He chuckled slightly as he opened and processed the message. The idea of soap and water made him cringe slightly and shudder. Water…he disliked water. The idea of using the discharge emitter, however, was something he hadn’t thought of. Of course, Sender hadn’t ever really had a problem with blood on his feathers before…he was a targeting and scouting droid, not a battle droid after all, but the idea seemed sound, and it was worth a try.

”Are you insane? Water? I don’t want to risk frying myself, thank you. And do I even -want- to know how you figured out about how to get blood off your feathers? I’ll try it though. Thanks for the idea.”

He gave a little sigh at the second half of the message and nodded a bit at it. Of anyone he was quite obvious of the side effects this had caused. As if Rahja didn’t hate space enough, now she was actually fidgety because of the apparent lack of stimuli through the force…not to mention she avoided the holding cell in the ship at all costs to the best of her abilities. Certainly she hid how she really felt when the others were around, but…well, he could tell it in her face and motions.

”I'm glad we did also. She’s never been fond of space travel, she says it’s because there isn’t as much to sense in the force out here away from other organic materials and beings, but now she’s just plain fidgety. She does try to hide it though; she’s just too proud and insular to let something like that show if she can help it, but I can tell…

Yes, Rizzen’s a familiar agent…he has one of the new FIDES…17, I believe. Name: Wash. He understood, yes, and of course he accepted, but…I don’t know, Ayer. I mean, certainly Rizzen and Wash did what they could, giving me the information on where she could be found in the base so that I could bring help later, but…if it hadn’t been for the fact that the Empire had slipped up and gone against their contract with Rizzen, she would still be in there.”

He watched Rah come back in and sit at the table with him, giving him the opportunity to hop onto her shoulder and affectionately preen the hair near her ear for a few moments.

”I'm still worried, brother. She got away this time, and Rizzen said already that he wouldn’t work for the Empire again because of the breach of contract but…that doesn’t mean the Empire will stop sending people after her. Now that they know what qualifications it takes to get her, things will only get worse…”

[A®heim]

Sean blinked his eyes open only to have them assaulted whirlwind or dust and light. Some of the guys scooped up their game of paz'aak, while the rest of the team began to gather the camp together and toss it back into the drop pod. The cacophany above began to form a discernible shape.

'Bout bloody time... Sean muttered as he started to stand. Come on, buddy, dropship's here. At the lack of response from his Familiar, he rolled his eyes and scooped the limp form of the droid into the crook of one arm. With his other, he slung his pack over his shoulder and shielded his face from the intense wash emanating from the vessel hovering just over their heads. Poor bird must really be wiped out...

</commlink 2way interface
</established

Well if you deactivate all systems, someone else can clean your exterior compnants with soap and water with negligible chance of short-circuiting, but I personally prefer the latter method, and no, you don't want to know.

The truth of the matter was that he wasn't taking a life when he discovered that trick. Quite the opposite, one of the HALO team owed his life to the feather's scalpel blade and Ayer's equally razor wit. It's amazing what half a first aid kit and a bit of monofilament wire can do in the right hands...wings...whatever. However this was the only time he had utilized the shock cleaning tactic, soap and water had had to suffice the other times.

A FIDES unit...I didn't realize they had been released already; they must have gone through minimal testing. Surely they can't be entirely prepared for...then again perhaps that's just how smooth the testing went. I'm not sure which is more worrisome.

It was an odd feeling for Ayer--having to doubt the very devices that first brought you into being. To be betrayed by another Familiar...would be to be betrayed by one's brethren...by one's father. He hoped with every millimeter of his wiring and every nanogram of his 'soul' that Rizzen had not acted so knowingly. Sender brought up a chilling point; even though he left the means to which she could be located, he would have simply left Rahja in that awful place if it weren't for the breach in contract.

See this is why you come to meetings: so everyone knows everyone and nuts like this doesn't happen. Pardon my Huttese. However, what you say is true about the Empire. You and your partner haven't heard the last from them. We need a miracle, and we need it soon.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

“A FIDES unit...I didn't realize they had been released already; they must have gone through minimal testing. Surely they can't be entirely prepared for...then again perhaps that's just how smooth the testing went. I'm not sure which is more worrisome. See this is why you come to meetings: so everyone knows everyone and shutta like this doesn't happen. Pardon my Huttese. However, what you say is true about the Empire. You and your partner haven't heard the last from them. We need a miracle, and we need it soon.”

”I hadn’t realized it either, but I assure you, Wash is fully tested and operational…he…even has the Runner’s Respite system. It’s why I didn’t notice him until he was sent to retrieve me from the ship’s engine room.”

He sighed slightly, thinking over the situation and the fact that he’d been unable to assist Rahja. It was unpleasant, at best, to have found that his one of his major systems…in fact, it was his major system…had been given to another Familiar. For once in a long while, Sender felt a twist of shame mixed with a stab of uselessness and a slice of outdated. Few things could make Sender feel that way…ever…but somehow his little cousin (kind hearted as he was) had managed it, and by no fault of his own. It had been a deep cut, finding out that his Respite system had been handed down to someone else…and while Sender wasn’t typically stingy with his programming and understood that it must help immensely with Wash’s own usefulness, he was finding it…difficult…to rationalize away the feelings that crept up. Feelings of mistrust, distrust, and resentment toward those in Familiar who did the programming of their younger cousins.

”I agree that…if they’d attended the meetings it would have helped, but…it’s a bit late for that now. I just wish that…we weren’t even notified that there was another familiar out there with skills such as mine, and I doubt I'm the only one that’s had their programming…oh never mind, it doesn’t matter anyway. The real question now is…what to do about the Empire?”

While Rahja couldn’t know just what was going on with her familiar via those messages, she caught the slight sigh and the fact that he’d stopped the careful preening of her hair. Something was bothering him, no matter how much he failed to show it, and no matter how happy he was to see her. Plucking him off of her shoulder carefully, she settled him on her lap and carefully stretched out one wing, shifting up the covering for his feathers so it slid into his chassis and eyed the blood coating the feathers. With a sigh of her own, she reached for a napkin and rubbed at some of the dried liquid gently so as not to bend the feathers.

[A®heim]

The Runner's Respite? Unsurprising...no doubt the Spyglass had been adapted as well. I do not know if you had made this connection, brother, but we're far from radical; after the failures of 01 and 02, the Wizard went for a new approach. We may be numbers 3 and 4, but one may say we're the real first Familiars. Our systems are simple--common technology given the PF edge--it's no wonder they were so easily introduced into the newer models. First Familiars we are, yet...[/i]

The pause was small, even in cyberspace relativity, but it was there all the same. Ayer processed what he was about to send; could it be true? Was it even possible? Would his friends- nay, his family toss him away like dust in the wind? From the scrap they rose and to the scrap they shall return.

...are we obsolete? Sometime I forget...we're just technology.[/i]

______________________________________

Positive...negative...positive...negative...errr. Why can't these things ever be color coded, or god forbid labeled? Sean put down the input wire and considered the problem--two ports, one wire. It never made sense! Granted this was about the five or sixth...or forty-second time he had done this, but it never failed to stump him utterly. It also didn't help that whatever redneck was flying this ship had never heard of inertial dampeners, makes precision work difficult at best and keg party pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey at worst.

Finally, he leaned back down and implemented the most logical solution to come to his mind. Eeni meeni minee mo, catch a rancor by the toe, if it eats you down you go, eeni meeni minee mo.

</exolocational power source detected
</rerouting
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Ayer's visor flickered, his familiar red-tinged HUD ringing his partner''s inquiring face. The steady crescendo of his primary systems always struck something deep inside him, like the mere sound of one's alarm clock even in the middle of the day inspires dread within ones very heart. It was probably just a gyroscope or something that gave him that feeling, though. After all, machines don't have hearts.

But they can have a soul.

Hello Sean.

Tired or not, this was a fairly desolate greeting from his little seagull. Can't have that. Something bothering you? Another bad dream?

No. Not exactly. If only it were a mere nightmare; something he wake up from into a safe and sensible world. Now here he was, in a nightmare in the sensible world (though it wasn't very safe, but you don't expect safety when you work with a sniper) only he no longer felt part of it. He breathed a silent prayer that he would never be alone in this dream, that there would always be someone like Sender or Sean that would care about him. If ever a time he needed reassurance of this, now was it. Sean? Would you trade me for another one? Another Familiar if it was better?

The marksman was caught somewhat off guard by his Familiar's question. Something was up with that bird. Poor thing, cursed with a burden its kind was not to have--the capability to think, reason, fear. A mechanical mind is one of logic and function, what of those factors in life thrust upon them that have defy these? He spoke softly to Ayer, so as none of his team would hear, not that there wasn't already a cacophony of noise anyways because someone still hadn't heard of inertial dampeners. Are you kidding me? You have any idea how many times I would have kissed sweet vitality goodbye if it weren't for you?

72 not counting the incident on Manaan.

See? To be honest, 06--what was his name? Wexon? Whatever--is too cold, 07 is an evil bastard, Ishtar scares me, even good ol' Sender is too detached and serious for my liking. Ayer, I couldn't ask for a better Familiar or a better friend. He smiled and picked up the metal bird, being careful not to pull out the power cable recharging him.

Placed and perched on the handhold next to Sean's seat, Ayer gave another synthesized sigh of relief. Thank you. That means a lot more than it logically should.

Not everything good in life is logical.

I know.

___________________________________

Maybe we're over-thinking this. Sure our systems have been copied, likely improved, and introduced as free DLC for our little cousins, but we'll always have something they don't and that's more experience. The FIDES and REAs are far more advanced than ourselves, yet you managed to outwit and evade one for an incredible time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter how far behind we're left in the technological curve, we will always be first in line for the updates of our soul.[/i]

Logic dictated that their abilities be passed down to the next generation. That was fine. Not everything good in life is logical.

P.S.

Apparently you're too detached and serious. You should work on that.[/i]

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

While nice, talking to his brother wasn’t always…helpful.

Such was the case when his already damaged ego received another prod in the form of the fact that their programming wasn’t exactly the most spectacular out there. Certainly he knew it, but that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy the thought that he was just a hint better at what he did than the others. To have that idea so roughly torn apart by Wash’s existence, then prodded by Ayer’s logic…it wasn’t a good feeling. His brother’s questions didn’t help either. Yes…sometimes he forgot they were ‘just technology’ as well. But…maybe that was the point?

”…Maybe…but…maybe not. I mean, compared to the others in our family we might be, but…we’re not exactly…normal…droids either, are we?”

He looked up at Rah who had turned to chomping on an apple and reading over a datapad. If only Rizzen weren’t around…he would have liked to be able to ask her the same exact kinds of questions Ayer was asking Sean at that very moment. When the reply came through he sighed a bit more loudly than he’d meant to, earning him a concerned look from the typically stoic chiss. Hunkering down he excused himself and took off to find a perch up in the piping of the engine room. ”Experience…yes, I suppose so…and you telling me that doesn’t help, Ayer. Besides, look at who my partner is. Not exactly the life of the party, is she? I do what I can when I can and how I can.”

[A®heim]

Normal droids? Oh no, brother, we're anything but. This very conversation proves it. No, there will be a future for us yet--we're too valuable in more ways than one to be left to gather dust. Also...you'll always have Rahja. She owes more to you than just a friendship and yet you know as well as I that she sees you as such before all else. And if the galaxy gets turned on end and the worst runs rancid...

Ayer shook his head almost imperceptibly. He didn't know precisely when and where he had picked up this behavior but many organic beings did it when they were amused, so why not?

...you can share my scrap bin. We could build a fort! I would make a tunnel entrance from insulation tubing and a watchtower out of an old radar dish and we could design a flag and Ofi, Ishtar, and Eressea won't be allowed in because they're kind of like girls...

__________________________________________

"Aww, you two are so sweet." Emmath, the squad's twi'lek scout hopped into the seat next to Sean and scooped up his Familiar. She always did that. Except when Ayer managed to mysteriously disappear, but he was still too worn out to attempt a vanishing act again.

Hello Emmath. He greeted her in a tired monotone, sounding even more methodically mediocre and computer-like than usual.

Heya Tails. Sean addressed the Twi'lek using her nickname. When she had first been "indoctrinated" into the platoon with the name, he had wondered if she didn't take any offense at the slightly racial slur. She didn't seem to mind, though this may be more in part to her not understanding. An amiable girl, but not the brightest.

He was more than familiar with Emmath as, (while never considering himself exactly her partner) he often accompanied her, relaying information to the scout from the air to investigate further.

"I still don't understand your mysterious secret Familiar thing, but you're the most remarkable recon droid I've ever seen. Super smart, high-tech, and cute and travel-sized to boot! I wish I had one like you..."

Ayer was taken slightly by surprise by this, though he wasn't sure why. He'd been a member of the 782nd airborne for over a year now and of the 9 members, only two knew his origins. The rest of the squad, however, never pried too hard: sure there had been more than a few curious soldiers the first couple weeks, but one quickly gets used to accepted things as they are and not asking too many questions in the military. Somehow, all this made her compliments more sincere. Oh...um. Thank you.

"You're welcome!" She smiled, but--if anything--her grip only tightened, clutching him to her chest like a teddy bear. He considered politely, but sternly asking her to put him down, but decided against it, resigning himself to a cruel fate by cuddling.

He's had a long couple days, we should let him rest.

He would have to remember to thank Sean later. Emmath nodded understandingly and placed Ayer gently back down on his perch. He nodded to her and settled himself back down. You are one of the few things in the galaxy that can crack Rahja's resolve. You mean just as much to her as she does to you, it's just brushed off a little bit on ya. But that's not what's important. What's important do what you can, but not what you must. That is what makes us special.

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Ayer yawned. You shouldn't be so hard on Sender. He goes through a lot more than we will ever know.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

He watched in silence as the messages appeared in the ‘chat’, not really bothering to interject. To be brutally honest he had nothing to say and had a lot on his mind now. Two things that often prevented him from stating any sort of opinion…well, obviously you couldn’t say something you didn’t have to say. As Rah made to move again, he let his sight flicker back to her and the ship they were in…it certainly wasn’t home. Honestly, that was the only place he wanted to be right now: that silly tiny apartment just off the base, and the one place they rarely were. Ever.

Why she even kept it, he’d never know…and chances were that, even after this, they wouldn’t be there long. Wait…weren’t they going to Kuat soon? Okay…he could live with going to Kuat. Kuat could be home too. Sort of, mostly. ”Thanks, Ayer…I’ll keep that in mind, and I’ll see you at the meeting.” With that he sighed and cut the transmission, slowly standing up and stretching out his servos before following after Rahja.