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Untamed Singing Bud
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>Follow it - be prepared to kill it if anything looks like an ambush.
Kata22ti follows the flesh creature back to the node housing room.
The flesh is gone. The room looks entirely different. There does not even seem to be any indication that anything was ever wrong. Instead, there is a creature that looks significantly different from most other flesh creatures lying in the room, shifting around anxiously. It appears much healthier, and significantly more in control of its own actions. Upon noticing the other wounded creature, it turns to watch it, but does not move.
Tene157ot walks slowly over to the pair, motioning for Kata22ti to stay still and be ready to fire if things don't go well.
--COMMUNICATION LOG--
Tene157ot: Medic here. I can help. What is the problem?
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The two look at one another, and then to Tene. The one that was already present stares at Tene for a while, opening and closing its mouth as it considers what to say. It eventually speaks, showing no difficulty or pain in its voice as it does so. In fact, it sounds reasonably similar to how a female drone would, but slightly off.
--COMMUNICATION LOG--
Creature: ...Tene157ot.
Tene157ot: ...okay, what.
Creature: Tene157ot. Someone knew you. Or your name.
Tene157ot: ...Who are you and what do you want us for? Speak now or my friend here will be more than prepared to kill you both. You might have survived one round but I strongly doubt you'll survive two!
Creature: I was Seri68oa, maybe. I am not sure. I started as her but I have lost track of which memories are mine, or hers, and which are the ones that aren't. But I was once one drone, given one technology from Central and one modified technology from Prime that, when together, clashed. I consumed other drones against my will as my body grew outwards, their flesh, their minds. But I am now in more control of my body than you can ever hope to be of yours. Not just that. I can feel every single fibre of my body. I can feel them growing inside me. I am the future of a new species. That is who I am now.
Tene157ot: ...Wait. What did you just say?
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Tene157ot runs his medical tool over Seri68oa's body and checks it thoroughly. He smacks it a few times, runs it over her body a second time and checks it again.
--COMMUNICATION LOG--
Tene157ot: ...what.
Seri68oa: I need help. Desperately. I am fearing for my life. I can't stay here. If I stay here, I will die. I need assistance. I need somewhere to be safe. Somewhere to hide. That is what I need you three for. Safety. Protection. Help me. Please.
Tene157ot: ...I... I have to... go talk about this.
Seri68oa: Of course. I will wait.
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Tene157ot walks over to Kata22ti, scratching his helmet.
--COMMUNICATION LOG--
Tene157ot: So we have a pregnant monstrosity asking us to help her survive and implicitly to cause a new offshoot species to exist.
Kata22ti: ...What?
Tene157ot: I know. Somehow things were less weird when this room was covered wall to wall in flesh. At least then it was just a crazy robot's experiment gone wrong. I don't trust these things remotely but I am not in favour of the idea of killing something that apparently trusts me because it remembers me somehow.
Kata22ti: Hmm...
Tene157ot: That and this new "offshoot species" might end up being some sort of dedicated drone predator that makes Central and Network the least of our worries. No idea how fast they'll multiply or if they even will multiply beyond this particular one. I really do not like this situation or that I am even considering this, but here's what I think we can do...
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After more discussion of the general situation it seems there are three options. Then, finally, they can continue to sector 4.
They can simply kill both of the flesh creatures and put a stop to this madness before it spreads any further, and to spite whatever plans Commander 48 might have intended. For all that is known, the drones helping the flesh creatures may have been an intended step of the plan.
They could also simply leave, and pretend this never happened. It is incredibly likely the next drones that would come across them would be the clean-up team, but perhaps Seri68oa could convince them to hear her out. It's an almost certain thing that not every drone in a Central Network team is entirely loyal to Central Network, after all.
Or they could help as asked, and in the process acquire new allies in the form of a species of living weapons. The drone revolution as it stands consists of just three individuals, and is in strong need of further allies.
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