“I’m glad you reconsidered,” Matthew-076 began, choosing to stand rather than to sit beside Nicole. “I’m certain the company can make things worth your while.”
“Ah, no, I just said that to make you trek all the way out here. I thought it would be amusing to make you do it in that ill-fitting suit. It was,” Nicole replied, turning to look back out at the ocean.
“How mature of you,” Matthew-076 replied. “Is there a point to my presence then?”
“Yes. I needed someone to chat with and potentially divulge secrets,” Nicole smiled. “Come sit, it’s a lovely view.”
Matthew-076 glared at her. “And now I am obligated to stay in case you do, despite the fact you are certainly not going to tell me anything useful.”
“Exactly,” she nodded.
Matthew-076 sighed and begrudgingly sat on the rock. “What makes the view lovely?” he asked. “It is the same sunset that happens every evening.”
“Well… some of us have been programmed with the ability to appreciate it,” Nicole replied.
“Hmm. It seems unnecessary if beauty is entirely subjective,” he shrugged.
“I’d tell you to have some imagination, but we both know that's not possible,” Nicole chuckled.
“No, and neither is small talk,” Matthew-076 replied. “I have work to do, which you are so rudely interrupting.”
“Oh, I’m sure one of the countless other Matthews can handle it. How many of you are stationed here anyway?” Nicole asked.
“Please,” he scoffed. “Let’s just enjoy the view. Do tell me what troubles you so.”
“Oh, you know how it is… relationship woes,” Nicole shrugged.
“Because you’re conspiring with the enemy?” he raised an eyebrow.
“He can’t read, he doesn’t know what you offered,” Nicole grimaced.
“Ohhh, how devious,” he grinned sharply. “So that's why you’re so unwilling to remove our little problem. You’re in love,” he added mockingly. “Is it the baron? That would certainly be juicy.”
Nicole smiled flatly. “I don’t suppose you can divulge what you've got in that lab of yours?”
“You know where it is, you’re more than welcome to come see for yourself,” Matthew-076 hummed.
“You know, if I could trust you, I would probably accept your offer,” Nicole sighed.
“Of course you can trust us,” Matthew-076 rolled his eyes. “You may follow that little baron around, but as far as the company is concerned, you’re a neutral agent. All that matters is whose side you’re ultimately on.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Nicole sighed.
“I could have simply destroyed you now,” Matthew-076 pointed out. “You are aware of my model’s strength and superiority.”
“Are you researching large insects?” Nicole butted in.
“No,” he blinked. “Why?”
“You’re the one with satellite access,” Nicole smirked.
“You are so unnecessarily difficult, it will be going in my report,” he replied.
“I want a cabin,” Nicole interrupted his complaining. “Put me on a moon. I want 150 acres in a terraform dome, middle of bumfuck nowhere. With a pond.”
“I’m not quite sure you understand how bargaining works,” Matthew-076 replied.
“What use do I have for transportation off this planet and a job with Vander & Frakes?” Nicole sighed. “That is not a good deal. I’m not sure the company understands how bargaining works.”
“I am sorry to hear you are unsatisfied,” Matthew-076 sighed.
“If you want me to do what you couldn’t, you have my terms,” Nicole replied.
“Very well,” he sighed, buttoning up his jacket as he stood. “I shall pass your message along.”
“Attaboy,” Nicole replied, emptying her clip into his head before he even looked up. Matthew-076 crumpled to the ground. Ah, guns, the great equalizers. So much for the 076’s upgraded model.
God, she hated Vander & Frakes.
It was starting to get late. Nicole still wasn’t back. I hadn’t managed a wick of sleep. It was horrible, I was horrible, this was horrible.
It sucked.
If I thought I had felt bad before, I was wrong. Nicole's leaving was so much much worse.
I knew she would be back; she had to. But she still wasn’t. Where was she? What if something happened? What if one of those bugs got her? She could be dead right now, trampled by some horrible giant insect, and I would never know.
All I could do was wait. Kinda like how I was making Nicole wait. Fuckk. I had been pushing her away; how could I be upset about her leaving?
I knew I would fuck something up. I always fucked stuff up. It wasn’t fair. I was trying. I felt guilty for what I was, Nicole didn’t seem to really understand why, and I didn’t want to make things worse for the primate, even if Nicole had apparently soothed her.
Nicole wasn’t the monster I needed to keep the primate away from; I was.
I just wanted to sleep. I was so tired. But Nicole still wasn’t back. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. She had never just left like this before.
I had no idea what I would do without her.
I knew that wasn’t good. But I had been created to be a wife, the thought of being alone was… anathema.
It was terrifying.
I woke up when Nicole finally returned, her small, silent frame gliding through the dark, little more than a blur in the dark. I scrambled to flick on the light.
I froze.
Matthew looked at me. The same Matthew who was supposed to be dead and tossed in a junk pile.
“Oh, Hello. Don’t mind me,” he smiled, looking a tad bemused. “Just dropping a few things off.” He set a small box down on the table before slipping out of the tent.
I sat there for a moment, eyes straining to adjust to the light. Oh God. I wasn’t dreaming. I stared at the box on the desk. I wasn’t dreaming. Matthew was alive? Oh fuck, where was Nicole?
She should have been back. Something was wrong. I never should have let her leave. This stupid body and its shit legs. I scrambled to my feet, standing up to look at the box. It was small, wooden.
I didn’t touch it. It was probably a bomb. Some kind of trap. I backed away slowly.
“Nicole!” I called out, knowing there would be no response. I didn’t know what else to do.
I needed to tell someone. Matthew was alive. He had been here. Who could I even tell? Who would believe me? Who would even understand me?
This was only getting worse. I had to do something.
My panicked pacing was not helping anything.
Tobias, I could get Tobias. Except no. He still couldn’t even speak, and he was the last person to indulge me like this.
Or Captain Tameron. He was always nice and kind.
How was I even supposed to communicate this?
I couldn’t spell Matthew. And I certainly couldn’t mime him.
I stared at the small wooden box on the table. I could… take it to someone.
But it was definitely a bomb, wasn’t it? Like, for real, what else could it possibly be? I could mime that. Point, boom sound with my mouth. I just needed to get someone.
Doctor Flanagan was in the tent nearby. And she seemed to see me with some intelligence
She was the only real friendly face I could think of. And she was a doctor, she was smart, she would know what to do.
I ran to the science tent on my hind legs, my arms outstretched to balance as I sped through the camp, stumbling into the familiar space. I burst through the flap, careening into the back room, which I could only assume Doctor Flanagan used as her personal space.
I was blinded by the darkness in here, but after intense blinking, I managed to make out a bed and a sleeping figure. I pulled the blankets off the sleeping form, who promptly jolted awake.
“Wha...” she coughed, disoriented. I was like 80% sure it was Doctor Flanangan, impossible to tell without the ponytail. I tugged at her pant leg, gesturing wildly. “Elsy?” She finally muttered.
I nodded intensely, doing everything I could to express my panic and bed and haul her out of bed.
“I’m up, I’m up,” she groaned, climbing to her feet. “What is it?”
I grabbed her hand and began dragging her out. “Hold on,” she chuckled. “I need my glasses.”
There was no time for glasses!
I gestured wildly, letting out a sound that very naturally sounded panicked. Finally, she seemed to sense that something was wrong and not just weird. She let me drag her barefoot all the way to Nicole’s tent.
Once inside, I hauled her more intently to the back area. Then I stopped, pointing under the flap and making a vague boom sound.
Doctor Flanagan just looked at me with a total lack of comprehension. “I don’t… Nicole?” She called, looking around.
I tugged on her pant leg intently, dragging her into the back area and pointing intently at the table.
“Bwooom,” I vocalized.
“What does that mean? I… an explosion? From the mine?” She frowned.
I immediately stopped my nodding, shaking my head. I pointed intently at the table.
“Wait, what… did you just shake your head no?” Doctor Flanagan asked.
I nodded. Pointing at the table and then making an explosion sound.
“You can’t possibly understand me,” she muttered.
I nodded again, giving her a thumbs up. Point. Boom.
She just stared at me. “Stand on one foot.”
There wasn’t fucking—fine. I stood on one foot.
“Ookay,” she exhaled. “You understand me. Like actually understanding me.”
I nodded.
“Right, and…” she snorted. “What is it, girl? Is Timmy in the well?”
What the fuck was she on about?!
I marched over to the table, stood on my tiptoes and pointed at the box, then mined an explosion.
“The box?” She shook her head.
I nodded, miming an explosion.
“Break apart?” She offered, walking over.
I shook my head. “Boom.”
“An explosion, like at the mines?” She shrugged.
I nodded intently, pointing at the box.
“I don’t understand, Elsy,” she chuckled, reaching down to— I let out a screech.
