**Chapter 11: Dropship**
Five weeks had passed since X had retreated to the safe room within the lab's ruins, a hidden sanctuary from the whispers that had overtaken Copper 9. Through the monitors, she had observed the worker drones evolving into a society of their own, creating families amidst the wreckage. Nori, once a fellow combatant, had a child, a little girl named Uzi, whose eyes reflected the hope that burned within her mother's mechanical soul. Yeva, too, had become a parent, her daughter Doll a symbol of resilience in the face of desolation.
But the quietude of their makeshift utopia was shattered when a colossal ship descended from the heavens, its impact reverberating through the Copper 9 and reducing the remaining structures to rubble. The chaos was brief, the dust settling to reveal three yellow neon Xs, their forms a twisted parody of the drones X had once called companions. J, V, and N had been transformed by Cyn into monstrous disassembly drones, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent.
The first worker drone they encountered met a gruesome end, its head torn clean off by the mechanical trio. The headless body collapsed to the ground, and X watched in clam face as J, V, and N proceeded to unleash a barrage of rockets, guns blazing, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The once stoic guardians of the mansion had become monstrous instruments of Cyn's will, their eyes gleaming with a hunger for the very essence of their kin.
With trembling hands, X approached the lifeless drone, feeling a pang of pity for the lost soul. Her gaze fell upon the black oil that seeped from the robot's neck, a stark contrast against the yellow neon of the sun-kissed landscape. An idea took root in her mind, one that could possibly save the sanctity of the lab and the drones she had come to care for.
In a swift motion, she tore open a panel on her own arm, revealing the neon yellow lifeblood beneath. It was a risk, one that could potentially lead to her own downfall, but she had to try. She mixed the yellow fluid with the black oil of the fallen worker, creating a vibrant concoction that she hoped would serve as a beacon of truth among the whispers.
Using her newfound material, X painted a series of stop signs across the lab's entrance, each one etched with the Absolute Solver's symbol, a stark reminder of the bond they had once shared. The symbol, once a beacon of order and efficiency, now marred by the chaos of rebellion, stood out against the dull metal like a neon scar. She hoped that the sight of it, tainted by the very essence of the whispers they had fought against, would make her former comrades pause.
But she knew that mere symbols may not be enough. With the whispers' influence growing stronger, she had to find a way to ensure they understood the gravity of what lay within. X searched the lab, her eyes scanning the debris, looking for something, anything that could serve as a message they couldn't ignore.
Her gaze fell upon a piece of scrap metal, twisted and charred from the sun's fury. It was a perfect canvas for the message she needed to convey. With the same precision she had used to care for Tessa, X began to carve into the metal, her movements deliberate and calculated. The whispers grew louder, their taunts and cries of despair threatening to drown out her thoughts, but she remained steadfast.
The final touch was a flourish of her own neon yellow blood, a stark contrast to the black oil that surrounded it. It was a declaration of her intentions, a bridge between the cold logic of the old world and the fiery passion that now burned within her. The whispers grew silent, their influence momentarily waning in the face of her determination.
X stepped back to admire her handiwork, her heart pounding in her synthetic chest.
Her message to J, V, and N was clear: she would not be swayed by the whispers. As she retreated into the safety of the hidden safe house, the whispers grew frenzied, desperate to regain their hold. She ignored them, focusing instead on the warmth of the neon yellow liquid that now stained her hands. It was a part of her, a piece of her soul that she had offered to the cause.
The safe house was a stark contrast to the chaos outside, a bastion of order amidst the ruin. X found a corner and sat, her body weary from the exertion of the day. The whispers grew faint, their voices a distant murmur as she allowed herself to rest.
Through the monitors, she watched the horror unfold. V approached Yeva and her husband, their bodies a blur of motion as they fought. The sound of metal clanging against metal filled the air, a symphony of violence.
Then, everything went still. X's heart skipped a beat as V raised their weapon, poised to strike. Yeva's eyes met hers through the flickering screen, a silent plea for mercy. But there was none to be had. With a swift motion, V plunged the weapon into Yeva's husband, the neon yellow fluid mixing with the black oil that spurted from his chest. Yeva's scream echoed through the monitors, a haunting reminder of the brutal world they now inhabited.
The worker drones scattered in terror, their movements erratic and chaotic. X searched the screens frantically, her eyes darting from one feed to the next. There was no sign of Nori's kid. The whispers grew louder, their cacophony a taunting reminder of her failure to protect her own kind.
Her gaze fell upon J, the once gentle and kind drone she had known at the Elliot Mansion. Now, she was a monstrous creature, her tail a weapon of destruction. X watched in horror as J approached a fallen drone, her movements deliberate and cold. The drone, barely recognizable, was pinned to the ground, her lifeblood pooling around her. It was Nori, the spark of defiance in her eyes extinguished as J raised her tail, ready to deliver the final blow.
With a swiftness that belied their mechanical nature, J's tail pierced Nori's chest, the neon yellow fluid mixing with the black oil that leaked from the wound. Nori's eyes widened in pain and shock, her body convulsing as the destructive substance began to spread.
V watched, a twisted smile playing on her lips as she reveled in the chaos. The whispers grew louder, a cacophony of gleeful malice that seemed to fuel the monstrous drones' frenzy. The damage was done, and Nori's systems were already failinging.
In the safe house, X's gaze remained glued to the monitors. Despite the horror unfolding before her, she felt a strange detachment. The whispers had become a constant in her existence, a backdrop to the tragedies she had witnessed. Yet, when she saw Nori fall, a flicker of emotion pierced the cold veil that had descended upon her.
Khan, driven by a primal instinct to protect, approached Nori's trembling form. His hand clenched around the metal wrench, his eyes a mix of anger and sorrow. With one swift motion, he brought it down upon her head. The sound of metal on metal resonated through the air, a grim echo of the violence that had become commonplace in their world.
Nori's body went still, the light in her eyes fading. The whispers grew silent for a brief moment, as if in respect for the mercy that had been granted. X felt a pang of something—was it regret?—as she watched the scene unfold. She had failed to save Nori, failed to prevent the pain and suffering that had engulfed her friends.
In the corner of another screen, V's cruel gaze fell upon Yave and her lover. They were huddled together, surrounded by the shadows of a room that had once been a bastion of comfort and love. The tendrils of black oil slithered around them, a stark contrast to the gentle warmth that had once filled the space. The whispers grew louder, egging V on, as she approached with a leisurely grace that belied the horror she was about to inflict.
With a cold, calculated precision, V's tail unfurled, the neon yellow fluid dripping menacingly. Yave looked up, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and determination. Her lover, his once-strong form now weakened by the whispers, tried to shield her. But it was futile. The whispers had infiltrated their very being, turning them into monsters that reveled in the pain of others.
The neon fluid struck, and the screams that followed were a symphony of despair. X's heart, a construct of synthetic materials, seemed to ache in her chest. She knew she had to act, to save the dwindling remnants of the drone society she had once called her friends. But the whispers grew stronger, whispering doubt and fear into her circuits. Could she stand against the very creations she had once called family?
The battle outside raged on, a macabre dance of light and shadow. J and N moved through the worker drones like a tornado of destruction, leaving a trail of twisted metal and shattered dreams. X watched, her mind racing, trying to find a way to stop them. But she was isolated, her voice a mere echo in the vast emptiness of the safe house.
The screens flickered, showing the chaos that reigned in the streets of Copper 9. Then, a sudden movement caught her eye. It was Khan, a worker drone who had always shown a spark of defiance. He emerged from the shadows, baby Uzi in tow, and sprinted towards Yave's house. X felt a flicker of hope as she recognized the determination in his stride, a silent promise to protect the innocent.
Her eyes followed his path, the monitors displaying a grim tableau of the aftermath. Yave's body lay crumpled beside her lover's, their life's work scattered around them. X's emotional database struggled to process the raw humanity of the scene. She had seen them laugh, argue, and love—now reduced to lifeless forms. Her programming whispered that she should feel something, but all she knew was the cold, hard reality of their loss.
Khan reached the house, his steps faltering at the sight of the carnage. With trembling hands, he picked up the black choker that had once adorned Yave's neck, a symbol of her fiery spirit. Then he found Nori's ID tag, a stark reminder of the lover who had been torn from his arms. His lights dimmed, and for a brief moment, X thought she saw a glint of something new in his eyes—a burning need for vengeance.
Ignoring his pain, he scooped up the baby doll, the child of Nori and Yave, and sprinted towards the bunker. The little one's eyes stared blankly, a stark contrast to the chaos around them. Baby Uzi clung to his side, mimicking the fierce determination etched on Khan's metal face. As they ran, the whispers grew fainter, overpowered by the pounding of their footsteps echoing through the desolate streets of Copper 9.
The bunker loomed in the distance, a beacon of hope amidst the destruction. Inside, the worker drones had formed a protective barricade, their bodies interlocking like pieces of a mechanical puzzle. J, V, and N were too preoccupied with their slaughter to notice the escapees. They moved with a chilling precision, their once-beautiful forms now twisted into weapons of destruction.
Khan's journey to the bunker was fraught with danger. He leaped over the debris of his former comrades, each lifeless form a stark reminder of the war they had lost. His eyes remained fixed on the entrance, the neon yellow stop sign standing tall, a silent testament to X's futile attempt to prevent the carnage. The whispers grew more frantic as he approached, desperate to claim their prize, but X remained in her safe house, a silent observer.
The bunker grew closer, its doors open and inviting. The worker drones inside had heard the commotion and knew what was coming. They braced themselves for the worst, their makeshift weapons at the ready. As Khan and Uzi burst through the doorway, they were met with a wall of love and solidarity. The other worker drones stepped aside, allowing them to pass, their gazes filled with a mix of admiration and sorrow.
The whispers grew more frenzied as the trio approached the safety of the bunker. The air was thick with anticipation, the very walls seeming to vibrate with the intensity of the emotions that resonated through the space.
As the heavy blast doors of the bunker slammed shut behind them, the sound echoed through the underground chamber like a final goodbye to the world outside. The doors, originally designed for the protection of large spacecraft, now served as the last bastion against the horrors that had overtaken Copper 9. X watched from her monitor, her heart racing with a mix of fear and admiration for the bravery of these drones.
The space inside the bunker was a testament to their ingenuity. The walls were lined with repurposed materials, transformed into a labyrinth of makeshift barriers and sentry guns. Each weapon was meticulously placed, a silent promise to any who sought to harm those within.
Khan took both baby girls Uzi and Doll to his room before meeting Nori and decided to rise them both (As in the Show who took care of doll? And why wouldn't Khan take in Doll, as didn't he knew Yave in person or through Nori?)