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"I wasn't aware that humans considered questions to be 'sentimental'." He truly failed to understand the human thought process sometimes. He settled in so that he might be able to stitch himself back up to the best of his ability. Just because she did not react badly didn't mean the others of her kind would. "To find a new directive." Although he wasn't sure he would be welcomed so to speak. They must try to scrap him for his technology in hopes that they could use it against the UC.
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"Does saving humans upset you?" He didn't see quite what she was getting at. Most of the time he had a hard time understanding how the human mind seemed to work so illogically. Prying open the weapons locker with bare hands and synthetic strength he grabbed one of the EM rifles and handed it over to her while grabbing another for himself. "We'll use these to deal with the crew." It was harmless and perhaps far more than what the doctor deserved, but he would try to preserve life where he could. "When you're ready." He flipped the switch on the side to activate it, though he suspected it wouldn't be much use against the terrormorphs.
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"Very well." He approached the panel and being machine himself found hacking into the doctor's files much easier and much quicker than she had. "The doctor is a part of The UC Xenowarfare Division. Occisio machina... or terrormorph as they've been named are Xeno weapons being tested." He continued pouring over the information quickly and then took notice of something that would no doubt interest her. There was a Research Lab on Kreet... and... well this didn't bode well at all. "The Doctor is planning to release the terrormorphs on Akila City to wipe out the resistance leadership and put down your rebellion. It would seem this has just been the test run and judging by how well they wiped the soldiers..." It didn't need to be said what would happen with untrained civilians.
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"There is an alternative." He didn't mention it before, because it was not within his parameters to fulfill. "The ship we were on before. It only needed a fresh MicroCell." It could help her to escape from both the doctor and the UC, greatly improving her odds. The problem was the specimen that had been unleashed on this planet. Glancing at the wall he knew that he could hack into the system and learn about the creatures, but she didn't have clearance for that. "I hadn't mentioned it before, because I'm unable to help you and the likeliness of your survival without help is only a 4.8 out of a hundred."
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"No flesh. No bone. Just a simple algorithm." He didn't quite comprehend why she was trying to insist that he was anything close to human. It was curious he supposed how humans liked to assign meaning to things. He had to wonder why they felt that everything needed to have some kind of a meaning. Sometimes things just were. Or they just happened. It didn't have to mean something. Didn't have to mean anything at all. "Imprinting. I suppose you could compare humans to a simple duckling in some cases."
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"It wasn't my life. I was implanted with an artificial personality based on memory recordings of General MacCallan's son who was killed in the war. There was enough of his brain left." Barely. And pieces of it at that. "Everything looks strange to me now, as if I don’t belong here. I'm afraid it’s me that’s out of place." His eyes tracked her movements as she paced. Sometimes a good way to expend nervous energy, but as of now it was a waste. She ought to be resting. "I only need to be certain you get into the right officials' hands, and they will do the right thing." That however may be a very complicated thing to accomplish with the doctor in the way.
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"Ah. That. It seems Dr. Richtofen wanted to test emotional stimuli on a synthetic." Pausing he wiped a hand across his nose and glanced at his blooded palm. Resetting his systems seemed to have caused it for reasons unknown even to him. "Convincingly Human, isn't it? I had even believed it myself." But someone had programmed him to believe it hadn't they? So, were any of those thoughts or feelings his? Were they real? Hard to say knowing what he knew now. "Do you think handing you back to Dr. Richtofen would be a better alternative?" Just because his directive was to preserve human life did not mean that the good doctor's was. "The UC is your best chance at being returned to your people."
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"Very well. Take her to a holding cell and see what information you can gather." Dr. Richtofen brushed them off, clearly having other things on his mind. Caz took her by the upper arm and guided her towards another part of the ship, familiar with the layout now. The holding area was empty and for the most part it was safe. "If you're at all injured, I'll tend to it." He urged her to sit down gently, but did not force her into a cell. There was no reason for it really. Her best option for survival was to hope that she would be handed over to UC authorities.
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"You saw nothing?" Disappointment laced the scientists voice that he did not have the first-hand account that he had hoped he might have gotten. "The battle didn't wipe the planet clean. My specimen did that. I understand why they would have no interest in a synthetic, but I can't comprehend why they didn't get to you. Blind luck?" Sighing the scientist leaned forward, chair creaking beneath his weight as he did so. "It truly is a shame that you know nothing." Folding his hands together he glanced at his synth. "But perhaps you can still be of use to science. I would quite like to see the specimen in action."
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"Captain Caz MacCallan. UC Highlanders." His eyes shifted between the special ops and the scientists aboard the ship. "This isn't a rescue vessel." The scientist -not bothering to answer the question- turned in surprise at the name, attitude shifting to one of a very pleased man. "Well, well... what a surprise... what a surprise. Not only do I have eyewitnesses to the experiment, but I also have my property returned to me intact. It explains why you survived." He gestured for one of his understudies. "Ah, quickly if you can give me the exact details of what transpired once we released the specimens." "Excuse me?" Property? What was he on about? Specimens?
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The signal must have worked, because it wasn't long before footsteps were heard outside and the door opened up, bright lights shining in blindingly. "Two survivors." The trooper radioed, stepping inside though not lowering his gun once. They were UC, but the uniform was not one that was familiar to him. Green with orange tiger stripes. Special forces of some type. Special forces... so there was a situation here out of the usual. A silence followed as he received orders over comms. "Understood. You're both coming with us. Board the ship. Move. Do it quick."
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"What else is there for me to do? Either I fix the ship, or I lie down, and I die here." He much preferred to keep on fighting until his very last breath than to give up and let himself become dessert for those things out there, because they were having a very hearty dinner right about now. "Caz. UC Highlanders at your service." Tucking his other hand beneath his arm once more he offered the uninjured one out towards her. He would wait awhile for those creatures to wander off with full bellies before he would try to get those parts that he needed. There were plenty of burned out mechs around that he could try to get the parts he needed.
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Seeing as she was finished, he took his turn getting cleaned up and changed, returning to the main hab of the ship once done. "I believe that I can repair the ship." If need be then they could leave this planet and report to their respective colonies once they managed to get out of this place. However, there was a thud outside the ship. One of those creatures squealing. Stirring up a right storm. Opening up the blinds he spotted two of them. Both fighting over the bodies of the soldiers, ripping them apart and trying to devour as quickly as possible. Thankfully the windows were tinted, and they could not see inside, but he had never seen these before. What were they? Why were they here now?
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"Being clean would make you feel better but do as you please." He continued to fumble around one handed with the panel, trying his best to repair it one handed. This was not an easy task. Not with one hand, but the other was too badly damaged to use. He doubted it would be much use anyways now that it was missing a few fingers. His bleeding had at least stopped. It was one positive. Sighing he realized that if they were going to get this ship up and running, they were going to new some new Microcells. He could get those from the mechs, but... that meant going outside with those things. Sooner or later, he would have no choice. For now, he'd focus on basic repairs.
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Making his way over to a panel he managed to pry the bent thing open and flip a few breakers that turned on the lights. Better than sitting in the dark. "That should have the water running for a shower." Or at least he hoped that there was still water, and the thing hadn't sprung a leak, but the lights were green, so it looked good. Now for that live wire... he flipped a few breakers and switched to find the right one to get that shut off. "I expect a clean uniform or two in the bunks."
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"You're the one that suggested everyone ran." He quickly tugged some bandages from the fallen pack of another soldier and quickly wrapped his hand. "But we have bigger problems." Whatever that was it was close and there was nobody else to respond to it. That suggested to him that there wasn't anybody left at all. So, what had killed them all? Some new weapon? Had something come along to scavenge bodies? Somehow, he had a feeling that they didn't want to be out here amongst the dead when it came scavenging. Didn't want to smell like the dead either.
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He wearily glanced at the bodies in the mud and suspected that wasn't quite true. Plenty of weapons to pick and choose from. Could have even smashed his brains in with a shovel if she so wanted. He would have been helpless to stop it. "Where is everyone?" He didn't understand why it was so quiet on the field and why neither side would have fired on them. It was not blind luck. Had one side or the other finally won? Had they finally called it? He couldn't imagine why else there would be silence. Something wasn't right here. He'd just not yet figured it out.
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The whistle blew out it's shrill order before an officer shouted from somewhere along the line. "Up and over lads!"
Which sound was worse he could not say. Both held equal dread for a man and yet still they all did their duty and clambered to the top. Up and over to see what they could do in the never-ending tug-of-war of taking and retaking the same trenches. As always, the UC Highlanders were the first over the top. The first into the fray. Brothers and sisters fell all around him. To his left and to his right, but still they pressed onwards into the fire with a bravery few could ever hope to possess. "Mech!" Someone cried out and he just caught the sight of the machine coming up over the crest of the hill before it let loose a hellstorm of missiles in their direction. - He didn't remember much of what happened after that. Only that he was sent arse over end when the missiles hit and darkness. Coming to now he tried his best to move but found himself entangled in a mess of barbed wire. Oh, bloody hell. This wasn't good. He'd seen a few poor bastards go out this way -entangled and trapped with no hope of rescue- and he had no desire to be one of them. He gave another tug of his arm only to feel the barbed wire rip into his skin through his uniform. Oh, no. He didn't think he was getting out of this one so easily. The battle at least seemed to be over. Both Freestar and UC bodies alike littered the fields of no man's land and too many bodies of his fellow highlanders for his liking but numbered just the same Freestar soldiers. He had a little time to access his situation. Taking a look over himself he felt fortunate to have his limbs still intact, but as his gaze traveled down his left arm, he noticed he was missing a couple fingers, steady stream of blood flowing still. It only made him try to escape once more, but the wire just cut deeper into him, tangled worse around him. He wasn't getting out of this on his own. Lowering his head in defeat he realized how woozy he felt all of a sudden, his hair wet with muddy water and blood falling into his eyes like messy black yarn made him feel like a twisted sort of scarecrow, all trussed up in barbed wire.
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