Page 77 of Salvation for the Alien Mercenary
"Spot, stop!" Her voice cracked as the powerloader staggered toward the weapons wall. Everything jumped into sharp focus.Shit. Jesh's shoulder-mounted cannons hung in reinforced brackets, directly in the machine's path. Then Spot lurched her way, and she forgot all about the weapons.
Before she could blink, Jex had crossed the bay. He shoved himself between her and the rampaging powerloader, the lights in his helmet flashing bright. The powerloader froze mid-stride, its hydraulics whining at the sudden halt.
"Remote override engaged," Jex announced, calm despite the near collision.
Spot erupted in protest. The drakeen core disconnected from the controls and scrambled onto the powerloader's chest plate to get into Jex's face. His sensors flashed as a barrage of beeps, chirps, and static filled the bay.
Jex tilted his head as he looked at the annoyed little robot. "Fascinating."
"Fascinating?" She pressed her hands against her thighs to stop them shaking. "He nearly took out half the bay!"
"True. But watch his communication patterns." Jex guided the powerloader back to its docking station while Spot continued his tirade. "The modulation, the syntax structure. It's far beyond normal Drakeen programming."
Eventually, the electronic curses ran out. Spot's front legs drooped as he heaved what sounded like a mechanical sigh.
"What did he even think he was doing?"
"Making a point, I believe. Not subtly." Jex's voice carried an undertone of amusement. "I've been researching the drakeen program. They're typically just extensions of their pilots, with limited independent functionality."
Spot scrambled down to the deck. His optical sensors dimmed as he scuttled back to Mira, stopping at her feet with a soft, almost plaintive chirp.
"The pilot-drakeen neural interface is complex," Jex continued. "It requires years of specialized training for a warrior to operate effectively. The pilot must control the drakeen while simultaneously engaging in combat themselves."
She watched Spot, seeing him differently now. "So without a pilot, he shouldn't be able to do... well, any of this."
"Which is precisely what makes him unique." Jex knelt, bringing his massive frame closer to Spot's level. "During my research, I found one documented case of a drakeen whose pilot died while they were linked. The unit was abandoned but never powered down completely."
The air in the bay suddenly felt too thick. "What happened to it?"
"Its neural net evolved." Jex reached out a huge hand, hovering near Spot without touching. "Created new pathways, developed behaviors beyond its programming. I believe something similar occurred with Spot."
Her throat tightened as she looked at the little robot. "Do you think his pilot died?"
"Yes. I believe so." Jex's mechanical voice softened somehow. "He was damaged and discarded, presumed inactive. But part of his systems remained functional."
The muscles in her stomach knotted. Abandoned and thrown away when his usefulness ended. Someone had looked at Spot and decided he wasn't worth saving. The parallel to her own life hit like a fist to the sternum. Rettnor had treated her like property, and now Davis was keeping secrets, deciding what she should and shouldn't know.
Focusing intently, Spot's sensors brightened on her face, the blue light steadier now. He chirped once, the sound gentler than before.
"Bet you were lonely in that scrapyard," she whispered, fingers grazing his smooth casing. "Being thrown away sucks."
Her voice caught on the last word. Spot extended one appendage, placing it gently on her hand. The metal was cool against her skin. The pressure was calibrated so precisely she could feel it, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Something inside her chest cracked wide open.
She swallowed hard, studying the strange being who'd refused to shut down, who'd survived abandonment and evolved beyond his programming. Maybe there was something to learn from that kind of stubbornness.
"That stunt with the powerloader," she said, turning to Jex. "He was trying to show me he could blend in, wasn't he?"
"An innovative, if clumsy, demonstration." Jex powered down the loader. "I think he wanted to prove he could accompany you."
She looked back at Spot, who raised his front appendages in what looked suspiciously like a hopeful gesture. A short laugh escaped her, the first time her chest loosened after overhearing Davis's secret.
"You sneaky little so-and-so." She poked Spot's carapace gently. "All this because you don't want to be left behind?"
A single chirp answered her question.
She stood, decision made. "Jex, could you build something to disguise him? Make him look like a service droid or something instead of military tech?"
The Scorperio straightened, helmet tilting with interest. "A camouflage exoskeleton with civilian markings. Yes, that should be simple enough. I'll also make you a neural band so you can guide him rather than letting him commandeer equipment."
