*set battery - 10
*if battery < 1
  *set battery 1
*image hi2.png
*temp will_change sex
*if heaven_side = "traitor"
  *set SheilaRel %+ 10
  *set ArmyRel %- 10
*if heaven_side = "loyalist"
  *set SheilaRel %- 10
  *set ArmyRel %+ 10
*set implicit_control_flow true


*if last_mission = "saturn"
  The Yakovian Expanse, for all its flaws, has one definite advantage over ${first_mission}; It's quite close to your home station. Over your two weeks days in the gassy layer, [i]Saturn Nine[/i] actually drifted a bit closer, allowing you to return within a day of 
  *if saturn_path = "pirates"
    sorting out all that mess with the pirates, their captives, their ship and the booty. And despite all the differences between various members of your group, you are all [i]quite[/i] happy to be done with the logistics of the matter. 
  *if saturn_path = "sauce"
    saying your goodbyes to Sauce. 
  *if saturn_path = "left"
    saying your goodbyes to Link. Watching his frigate dive back into Saturn, so that it can wait for another vessel to strike at. 
  It would be quite a happy occasion, if not for the fact that you're returning completely empty-handed. [i]Again.[/i]

*if last_mission = "calypso"
  Leaving Calypso is not a pleasant departure. @{sexed_daxia Partially because you'll miss Pandit Da-Xia and her hospitality, but also|Not because everyone liked the place, necessarily, but rather} because what follows is several days of uncomfortable journeying back home. And while this part of the voyage is mercifully quiet, said silence quickly becomes uncomfortable. Everyone is at least somewhat bummed that Crystal managed to evade you, except perhaps @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound}… who has other reasons not to be particularly talkative.

*if last_mission = "telesto"
  The journey home is one of the hardest you've ever had to undertake.
  
  It doesn't matter that it's barely two days long, or that Crystal doesn't attack again, or that you don't really need to do anything during the voyage. Containing the sound inside takes all your focus, all your energy and all your… something. Light, will, good mood, whatever. It's hardly a new experience for you, but something about having [i]directly spoken with the Dusk itself[/i] makes it impossible to forget the time you first heard its scream almost a thousand years ago.
  
  *if deflect > 0
    Damon tries to comfort you, but he can offer no actual assurance aside from stock phrases about how you're not alone, and the likes of Hadaly and Manfred are hardly better. With 'friends' like these, perhaps you really are alone, and perhaps that's for the best. You never needed help with handling the flashbacks, and you won't ask for any now. Not that the [i]distant[/i] memories are the only issue you have to deal with.
  *if deflect <= 0
    Manfred and Hadaly make several attempts to cheer you up during the flight, or at least keep you busy talking. Neither of them knows what you've been through, but at least they can offer you some much-appreciated concern and welcome distractions from the dark recesses of your mind.
    
    Damon, Kirill and Olivia… not so much. Facing @{(telesto_path = 3) Crystal itself|dozens of monsters} under the sea only to be completely defeated afterwards is not something any of them has experienced before. You hope they don't end up properly traumatized, but you know that talking about such experiences immediately is rarely healthy. Better to give them space and think about the future… not that it seems particularly bright either.

Two chances to catch Crystal and [i]nothing[/i] achieved. You've been at it for several weeks now, you found the monster and fought it, and all you have is increased knowledge of just how stupidly dangerous your foe is. 
*if not (saturn_complete)
  Your sole remaining idea is to search for that [i]invisible wyvern[/i] in the depths of Saturn, hoping that the third time will somehow be the charm.
*if not (telesto_complete)
  Your mission can now succeed [i]only[/i] if Crystal indeed has a hideout within Telesto and [i]only[/i] if you can defeat the wyvern on its own turf. The probabilities are not in your favor there.
*if not (calypso_complete)
  Calypso is the one place you haven't checked, and there's no guarantee Crystal will actually appear there. Ever.

*fake_choice
  #Who cares. We gave it our best go.
    *set Emotion %- 10
    *if ArmyRel > 40
      Maybe Admiral West would agree. He seems sympathetic enough to your cause, he may even grant you protection even if you fail to kill Crystal after all. All that matters is putting up a good show of effort.
    *else
      You don't suppose Admiral West will see it that way once it comes to making good on his offer… but maybe that's for the best too. Maybe your group will actually benefit from moving out and going nomad. Who knows.
  #All the more reason for us not to waste our final chance.
    Technically, you can't be sure 
    *if not (saturn_complete)
      the Yakovian Expanse 
    *if not (telesto_complete)
      Telesto 
    *if not (calypso_complete)
      Calypso 
    will be your last chance, or a single chance at all. Perhaps Crystal will keep frequenting the place until you can get a good shot, or perhaps they'll fail to appear at all. But something tells you there's a major confrontation coming, and you've learned not to dismiss such hunches long ago.
  #We'll keep trying. We must succeed eventually.
    *set Confid %+ 10
    You and Crystal are both basically immune to aging, as are some of your squadmates. Give it a century or two and one of you [i]will[/i] slay the other… even if one of these outcomes is certainly less than ideal.
  #Maybe it's for the best. Why were we even trying in the first place?
    *set Confid %- 10
    Risking your lives against a Dusk-empowered diamond wyvern, and for what? Empty words of a federate admiral? You should have started packing your bags weeks ago. Were you any less tired, you'd be doing it right now.
  *if crystal_friend
    #Just as planned.
      *set Confid %+ 10
      Sabotaging the hunt proved easier than expected. You barely had to do anything, the sheer difficulty of the task and the makeshift nature of your group both more responsible for Crystal's continued existence. You just have to avoid messing up near the finish line.

[i]Saturn Nine[/i] is still floating when you arrive, so that's good you suppose. Nobody greets you except one of Manfred's copies, which then begins synchronizing with the one on [i]Gray Queen[/i]. Soon enough, the artificial intelligence is the only living entity aboard the cutter, as everyone else disembarks and goes their own way.

Your battery is low, and so you don't bother looking for Sheila. Manfred will give her the report, assuming he hasn't contacted his other half already. You need to hit the charger soon… But maybe there's still some time.

Damon and Hadaly disappear quickly, which makes sense—-you don't suppose their batteries are particularly full either. But the Metas don't need charging of this kind, and they don't look particularly sleepy while leaving the ship. You could chase after them, see what they're up to, maybe discuss the recent events if you want.

Or maybe you could check up on Miguel and 
*if last_mission = "telesto"
  Hugo. 
*else
  his two organic friends. 
*if miguel_date
  The werehog still owes you a date, after all.
*elseif Misan > 60
  You're not a fan of their kind, but maybe you could ask them what's been happening on the station while you were away.
*elseif OrganRel > 45
  Your friends, as it's easy to forget nowadays. It's not a bad time to catch up with them, all things considered. 
*else
  You're not exactly close to any of them, but maybe you should try changing this state of affairs. Your group may end up breaking apart soon, 
  *if crystal_friend
    in no small part thanks to your unwillingness to slay Crystal. 
  *elseif Confid > 50
    should you fail to slay Crystal. 
  *else
    even assuming you won't die during the next outing. 
  Perhaps you owe them a few words, or at least a moment of your time.

What will it be?

*choice
  #I will see how my fellow outcasts are doing.
    *goto org_extra_scene
  #I will chase after the Meta Trio.
    *goto meta_extra_scene
  #I'm tired. I'm going back to my room.
    *goto no_extra_scene

*label org_extra_scene

*set checked_on_org_2 true

*if checked_on_org_1
  Much like the last time around, you find the organic trio in the kitchen, but this time they don't seem to be cooking anything. 
*else
  You find the organic trio in the kitchen, which makes sense—they all require food, and so stay close to it at all times—but they don't appear to be eating anything at the moment. 
There is no food on the table they're all seated at, only a large box and what appears to be a game board.

*if OrganRel > 60
  "${name}!" Olivia exclaims upon seeing you. 
*elseif OrganRel > 40
  "Hi ${name}," Olivia says upon seeing you. 
*else
  "Look who decided to show up," Olivia says upon seeing you. 
Seeing you with one eye—the other is aimed squarely at the board. 
*if OrganRel > 50
  "Wanna play a game with us?"
*else
  "Interested in what we have here?"

"We dug up an old board game in one of the derelict modules," Miguel explains as he finishes setting up. "[i]Rhean Retailers[/i], or at least it says so on the cover."

"I think I've seen it somewhere," you reply, taking a closer look at the cardboard box. "I believe it was inspired by [i]Monopoly[/i], a game from Old Earth, except it somehow managed to be even more unfair."

"Perhaps." Hugo shrugs. "Want to… play?"

*if OrganRel > 60
  "We'd love to test our business skill against the Veteran ${pronoun2}self," Miguel agrees. 
*elseif OrganRel > 40
  "I believe the game flows better with four players rather than three," Miguel agrees. 
*else
  "I suppose we have place for a fourth player," Miguel reluctantly agrees. 
"What will you say?"

*choice
  #"Sure. Count me in."
    *set Misan %- 5
    *set OrganRel %+ 5
    *if OrganRel >= 50
      "I was afraid you wouldn't have time to play," Miguel remarks with a smile. "I guess I shouldn't have. We're all family here, and we'll remain so no matter how bad the times get."
    *else
      Miguel doesn't look overly happy with your answer. Nonetheless, he makes space for you.
  #"I don't actually know how to play this game, but if you're offering..."
    *set Confid %- 8
    "We'll show you how to play," Olivia @{(OrganRel > 40) reassures you|reluctantly agrees}. "I've read the instructions. They were kinda complicated, but having nine brains comes with its perks."
  #"I'll play. And win."
    *set Confid %+ 8
    "You'll dominate [i]Rhean Retailers[/i] like your kind once dominated chess?" Miguel @{(OrganRel > 40) smiles|frowns}. "Alright then. Show us how it's done."
  #"Count me out. I have places to be."
    *set OrganRel %- 10
    "Not sure why you came here in the first place, then," Miguel says, watching you turn and walk away. "But thank you for stopping by, I suppose."
    
    You leave the kitchen without further comment.
    
    *goto room_return

You take a seat by the table and grab one of the pawns, a small lead thing that's probably supposed to resemble a pegasus. You are soon handed other things you need to play—a stack of fake money, a single eight-sided die and a written declaration of love towards the Rhea Conglomerate. That last one isn't strictly necessary, you gather, but it could help should the Conglomerate forces arrest you for playing a licensed game without official permission.

Hugo goes first, then you, then Olivia and then Miguel. Each turn consists of a dice roll—something Olivia somewhat struggles with—and a choice of whether to buy the tile on which the pawn lands. It's indeed a variation of [i]Monopoly[/i], and so you suspect the winning strategy is attaining the… monopoly on everything as soon as possible.

How will you act, in this world of cutthroat business and a murderous race to the top? What is your strategy?

*temp won_game true

*choice
  *selectable_if (Social > 50) #To turn my opponents against one another.
    You play nice with everyone while being an ally to no one. You make transactions that benefit both you and the other party but, because you trade favors with everyone, none of your three adversaries is any better for it. They just struggle against one another, unable to notice your growing advantage until it's too late. Once you gain a monopoly, you're impossible to stop.
    
    *label won_game
    
    After about a hundred turns, you emerge victorious, owning more money and properties than everyone else combined. Hugo still has something, and so does Miguel, but Olivia went completely broke almost thirty turns ago.
    
    "I guess that's it, then…" Olivia sighs. "We should have presented a unified front against the robot menace. Computers are pretty good at games."
  *selectable_if (Database > 45) #To use my knowledge of business and economy to my advantage.
    You've done a lot of things over the course of your life, and that includes having worked in retail. You know a bit about business, and if you combine it with your knowledge of game theory… you may just be able to win.
    
    *label hhhyyy
    
    You act the part of the ruthless capitalist, a businessman intent on destroying all competition. You first ally with Olivia against Miguel, then refuse to help the octopus once she starts falling behind. Hugo is a tougher nut to crack, but he's still basically human while you're a literal computer. One of you is clearly superior, and it's not the person with a biological brain.
    
    *goto won_game
  *selectable_if (Calculation > 55) #To meticulously calculate every possible outcome of every move.
    You approach [i]Rhean Retailers[/i] retailers like a computer would approach chess—with ruthless calculus which results in flawless decision-making. Those organics stand no chance, and you're about to show them why.
    
    *goto hhhyyy
  #To just let somebody else win.
    *set won_game false
    *set OrganRel %+ 5
    You try not to make obviously bad moves, but you're not really trying to win either. You just watch Miguel and Hugo acquire more and more resources as Olivia quickly goes broke. Apparently, using a single processor for business is better than using nine whole brains.
    
    After over a hundred turns, Hugo emerges as the dominant capitalist. Miguel fought well, but he eventually admits his inability to challenge Hugo's monopoly. The game is over.
    
    "All hail the king! Or whoever rules Rhea!" Olivia exclaims, not at all bitter about her loss. "You're really good at this, mutant pal."
    
    "My brain… good," Hugo says humbly. "Despite all."
  #To flip the table and then leave.
    *set asshole_be true
    *achieve audacity
    *set OrganRel %- 20
    You flip the table and then leave. Olivia shouts something about you being an asshole, but you hardly care. You'd like to be alone now.
    
    *goto room_return

"I meanwhile, feel a little out of practice," Miguel remarks. 
*if won_game
  "Coming in third place… now that's a shame."
*else
  "Second place isn't bad, but it's not good either."

"What do you mean you're out of practice?" Olivia objects. "You told us you never played this game before. Were you lying to get an edge? Because if so-"

"I wasn't lying, Olivia," Miguel says with an eye-roll. "I used to run a business back in Titan, you know. A furniture shop, though we also did decorating if paid well enough. But that ended over six years ago."

*set battery 1

*fake_choice
  #"I didn't know it's still possible to make money by selling furniture."
    "Turns out it's not." 
  #"What happened? Did it have something to do with the... experiments?"
    "Yes. Yes it did." 
  #"That's interesting, but I don't care. So shut up."
    *set OrganRel %- 10
    "Hey!" Olivia protests. "Some of us want to hear a story! And learn how to win this game next time."
    
    "Well, you won't learn that from me." 
  #Do not comment.
    "You're probably thinking it was silly of me to compete with large companies like this… and you're right." 
Miguel sighs bitterly. "Titan is no Rhea, but even it has its… monopolies. After a year of trying to make a living, I was already broke. After two years, I was ninety axions in debt."

"I think we know what happens next," Olivia says with unexpected… softness. "You don't need to tell us if you don't want to."

"I brought it up for a reason," Miguel replies weakly. "I signed up for enhancements, allowed the feds to pump me full of chemicals and nanites, all in hopes of paying the bills. You know that part. But though I did get the money, I lost… basically everything else. All my friends were either scared or jealous of me, a few were angry that I no longer had the time for them. My wife left me after another year, as soon as divorcing me meant taking my money instead of my debt. I ended up living in the labs not because I was imprisoned there, but because I had nowhere else to go."

Miguel's hair merge into spines [i]en masse[/i]. It almost looks like he's preparing for a fight, but the tears forming in his eyes are not born of anger. "What I'm trying to say is… I'm almost glad this happened, because it led me to finding you. I now have friends who wouldn't abandon me, because they're just as… unique as me, maybe even more. And I want you to know that I appreciate that."

*fake_choice
  *if OrganRel < 40
    #"Does that include me? I get the feeling it doesn't include me."
      "You are… difficult to deal with sometimes," Miguel admits. "But I still count you among my friends… to an extent."
      
      "That's rather nice of-" 
  #"Unique? That's one way of saying we're a bunch of freaks."
    *set OrganRel %- 5
    "That's not what I was trying to say," Miguel protests. "Or even imply."
    
    "But we…" Hugo manages a small smile. "We are freaks."
    
    "Yeah, there's no point pretending anyone here is normal," Olivia concurs happily. "We're all freaks, and I say we should feel proud of that!"
    
    "I'm not saying we're normal, just that calling us [i]freaks[/i] is not the best-"
  *if sexed_miguel
    #♡ "You definitely appreciated me the last time we've met. Care to repeat that?"
      *if current_ro != "miguel"
        *set backup_RO current_RO
        *set current_RO "miguel"
      Miguel smiles coyly. "Maybe one day… but not now. As you can see, I'm not really in the mood."
      
      "That's fine. We can always-" 
  *if not (sexed_miguel)
    #♡ "I appreciate you too. Far more than you realize."
      *if current_ro != "miguel"
        *set backup_RO current_RO
        *set current_RO "miguel"
      Miguel smiles weakly. "Thank you. But you can show your appreciation some other time, I'm… not really interested in what you seem to be offering."
      
      "Yeah, that's no time for flirting," Olivia concurs. "It's the time for friendship, and for hugs, and maybe for another game."
      
      "Fair. I apologize if-" 
  #"And we appreciate our friendly neighborhood hedgehog."
    *set OrganRel %+ 8
    Miguel smiles weakly. "Thank you. I know I'm not the most useful member of this group, but I'm trying my best to contribute. To make this [i]neighborhood[/i] a nicer place."
    
    "No problem. You're far more useful than-" 
  #"Boring. Can we play another game? Or at least talk about something other than your feelings?"
    *set OrganRel %- 12
    *achieve audacity
    *set asshole_be true
    All three organics look at you, shooting daggers at you with six eyes total. Olivia in particular looks like she's about to strangle you, but she must remember that you don't have lungs, as she keeps her tentacles to herself.
    
    "I don't think I'm in a mood for games anymore," she says after a moment. "Or for talking to you."
    
    "Please leave," Hugo agrees.
    
    "Sure." You stand up from the table. "I was going to leave anyway. You're all insufferable. Take care."
    
    They all watch you depart. In another minute, they'll probably start talking about weepy stuff again. Losers.
    
    *page_break
  
    *goto room_return
  #Say nothing.
    "I think the feeling is mutual," Olivia says as Hugo nods along. "We're all freaks, and that's why we'll stick together through thick and thin. And also because playing against you is really fun, even when I'm losing."
    
An alarm sounds inside your mind. Your battery is extremely low. "Crap. I must begin charging as soon as possible. See you tomorrow, alright?"

"I will be looking forward to that hour," Miguel says with a nod. "Sleep tight. Unless that's inappropriate, I know you don't exactly sleep, it's just-" 

"It's fine." You stand up and make your way towards the exit. "I might not sleep, but… I sure hope I'll avoid the nightmares."

Nobody says anything as you pass the doorstep.

*page_break
  
*goto room_return

*label meta_extra_scene

'Chasing' might be the wrong term, since you hardly have the energy to run. Nor is it necessary—you simply ask Manfred where the Trio is and head there at a leisurely pace.

That place is a completely random room in the habitable part of the fortress. There are many of those, in this fortress that was once a home for thousands. But your group only renovated a few after you arrived, and so this chamber you enter is unkempt and unfurnished. Even the walls are falling apart, their plates rusty and falling away in some places, exposing the pipers and cables behind them.

A woman wearing a grey blouse, a wise choice in a room so cold, puts away a glass bottle she probably just finished drinking from. "Okay… I must admit… that was slightly less foul than the stuff I drink normally. Well done."

@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} hiccups. "What kind of alcohol do you drink, then? Because this was the worst stuff I've tasted in a…" She notices your presence as you step through the doorstep. 
*if RenfriRel > 50
  "${name}. What brings you here?"
  
  "I would ask the same question," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} chimes in. "I figured you'd want to get some rest. Particularly some rest from us."
*else
  "Android. What are you doing here?"
  
  "No need to be rude, Renfri," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says tiredly. "No benefit either. It's not like ${fake_name} could steal our drink, even if we still had any."


*fake_choice
  *if RenfriRel > 50
    #"I'm not tired of you. You are my friends, after all."
      @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} chuckles. "You seem to like us more than we like each other… or ourselves. I never thought we'd end up like this, and yet here everyone is."
  #"You're technically still on the mission. Is drinking like this legal?"
    "This entire mission is black ops, breaking laws and conventions of all kinds," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} says with an eye-roll. "Whether or not we're allowed a nip doesn't matter the slightest bit."
    
    "True. Even I slowly stop caring about the rules as time goes on," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} confesses. "They are not helping us win, after all."
  #"I just wanted to talk. Do you have a minute?"
    "I think we have more than that," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} answers. "It's not like there's anything to do. Or at least nothing we should be doing."
  #"You just used a contraction @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook}. You must be really drunk."
    @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} shakes his head. "Hardly. It takes more than a third of a bottle to seriously intoxicate me. I'm just tired of… everything, really."
  #"What were you drinking? I didn't know we had any alcohol in this fortress."
    "Bacon-flavored vodka," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} informs you dutifully. "And believe me or not, I'm not the one who smuggled it here. Kirill just happened have some lying around."
    
    "It's a traditional beverage of my people," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} sighs painfully. "I did not actually intend to drink it anytime soon… but needs of the moment prevailed."
  #"Is that how you cope with defeat? By getting drunk?"
    "Defeat? No." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} looks at the floor. "A major setback? Yes."
    
    @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} adds, "Besides, it's not like we can get drunk with a single bottle between the three of us. We're just a little beery, and we'll be painfully sober just in a moment."

You sit down in the corner, much like each of the metas did, letting everyone have their personal space. Everyone can see everyone else, and there's nothing else to look at in this barren room, making the silence that follows just a little awkward.

"So… what did you want to talk about?" 
*if RenfriRel > 50
  Renfri 
*else
  @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} 
interrupts this silence. "Is anything concrete bothering you?"

*fake_choice
  #"I wanted to apologize for letting Crystal get away. It's my fault you're still here."
    *set Confid %- 8
    *set RookRel %+ 5
    *set RenfriRel %+ 5
    *set LisaRel %+ 5
    "Do not blame yourself," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} sighs deeply. "I am the leader of this operation. I should have designed a winning strategy. I should have done so many things differently…"
  #"I'm bothered that you didn't invite me to this hang-out. It was really inconsiderate of you."
    *set RookRel %- 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    "Hey, it's not like you would have drank with us," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} protests. "I'm not sure why you'd want to just sit around with us. I'm not sure why you're doing just that."
  #"Nothing concrete, no. Just a plethora of vague fears and worries."
    *set Emotion %+ 8
    "You too?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} smiles bitterly. 
    *if RenfriRel > 50
      "I knew there was I reason I like you. We think along the same lines."
    *else
      "Maybe I was wrong. We're not so different, you and us."
  #"I was hoping to discuss our future plans. What tactics we'll deploy against Crystal."
    *set Emotion %- 8
    "Please don't," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} whines. "I'm tired of this disaster, and everything that has anything to do with it. I want to forget everything, if only for one night."
  #"You're bothering me. Your incompetence is the reason Crystal got away and you suck."
    *set RookRel %- 15
    *set RenfriRel %- 15
    *set LisaRel %- 10
    *achieve audacity
    "What a nice 
    *if pronoun = "he"
      guy 
    *elseif pronoun = "she"
      gal 
    *else
      person 
    you are," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sighs. "Did it ever cross your mind that your attitude [i]might[/i] contribute to our poor performance as a team?"
    
    *if asshole_be
      *set RookRel %- 15
      *set RenfriRel %- 15
      *set LisaRel %- 10
      "It did." You nod. "I am undoubtedly hindering your efforts. What are you going to do about it?"
    *else
      "No," you say flatly. "Your poor performance is on you. Don't try to blame it on me."
  #"No. I'll settle for talking about literally anything... except the mission and stuff."
    "I think we're all on the same page here," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sighs. "Nobody wants to talk about the mission, but nobody has anything else to talk about. Ineffectual wyvern hunting is our life now."
  #Do not reply.
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    "Did your question-answering processor just break?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} asks irritably. "Because otherwise, you're being pretty rude and really weird."
    
    You do not answer. @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} rolls her eyes, but does not press you further.

You sit there silently, one in each corner, for what must be a minute or two. Eventually, @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} speaks up. 
*if ((LisaRel + RenfriRel) + RookRel) < 120
  "Look, android pal, it's very nice that you decided to check on us, but we were trying to have a moment here. A team moment. Could you…?"
  
  "Come on now, Lisa," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says. "You are not approaching this with the right level of tact."
  
  "Yeah, she's way too polite." @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} looks at you harshly. "Leave. We have no need of you and you won't get anything from us. Shoo."
  
  You get up and exit the room without another word. Normally you'd consider bickering, arguing, or at least saying something sarcastic… but you're too tired for that, and so you'll let the metas have their peace.
  
  *page_break
  
  *goto room_return
"So… how about we play a game? Something fun and light, to relieve the tension and relive better days?"

"What kind of game?" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} asks. "I could fetch a chessboard, but I doubt this is what you meant."

"Nah, I was hoping to use the resources we already have." @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} places the bottle on the floor before her, nearly in the middle of the room. "Truth or dare. It's a game I played with my family in Calypso. You randomly select two people, then one of them gives the other a choice between-"

"Answering a question honestly or doing something daring," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} finishes. "I have heard of this game, though was not aware people still play it. It may have been criminalized last century, as were most forms of-"

"I don't care about the Federation's anti-fun laws," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} interrupts. "Not today. There's no harm and very little to lose, so I say we try this game out."

*fake_choice
  #"I agree. We could all use some levity."
    *set LisaRel %+ 5
    "You're outvoted, Sergeant," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} smiles at @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} with what almost looks like genuine fondness. Almost like friendship. "So just sit there and hope the bottle doesn't pick you."
  #"It's a very old game. It predates even my creation."
    @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} smiles. "So you're saying we're about to partake in a thousand-year-old tradition? Count me in."
  #"Come on. [i]Truth or Dare[/i] barely qualifies as a game. Don't you have anything better?"
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} shakes her head. "None, unless you know how four people could play chess on one board. So let's stop complaining and get going."
  #"You three can spin your bottle if you want. I must get my battery charged."
    *label leaving_truth_or_dare
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    "Thanks for coming by, I guess," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} says as you stand up. "You made me feel a little better about sitting in a dark room and sniffing at an empty bottle."
    
    "My pleasure." You pass through the doorstep, leaving the Meta Trio to their own devices. "See you tomorrow."
    
    *goto room_return
  #"Are you sure you can handle the dark secrets of my mind?"
    @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure. But you can always take the [i]dare[/i], if you're not comfortable with talking about something."

*rand die 1 2

In silence, @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} spins the bottle twice. First time, the finish points at 
*if die = 1
  @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook}, signifying him 
*else
  you, marking you 
as the commander meant to ask a question. The second time, the bottle chooses 
*if die = 1
  you, marking you as the subject.
  
  "Very well." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} clears his throat. "${fake_name}, you stand before a dilemma between betraying a certain truth, or proving your courage in a challenge of my choosing. How do you plead?"
  
  *choice
    #"Truth."
      "Truth…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} ponders what to ask. "Tell me… have you seen Earth before the Calamity? As in, with your own optics? Did you ever step foot on the planet's surface?"
      
      *temp lied_to_rook false
      
      *fake_choice
        #"No. I have digital pictures, but I've never been on Earth personally." 
          @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} deflates. "Shame. I can only hope that you find a way to print this pictures, or transfer them to a bio-computer. I would love to see 
        #"I don't really know. My memory is an absolute mess, and that goes doubly for pre-Calamity memories."
          *set Confid %- 5
          "I see…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says with clear disappointment. "I suppose it means you haven't seen 
        #[Lie] "Yes. I remember the planet as though I visited it yesterday."
          *set lied_to_rook true
          *set RookRel %+ 5
          "You were really there…" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} states, easily falling for your lie. "Does that mean you've seen 
      *if lied_to_rook
        the religious sites? Mount Athos, Haga Sophia, or even the cathedrals of Rome?"
        
        "Sure," you keep lying. "Those were all really nice, rather pretty places. It's a shame Dusk ate them, alongside everything else."
      *else
        the religious sites. I have heard so much about the churches and monasteries there, about Nicula and Germia and Haga Sophia… and I heard that the sky was boundless and blue."
        
        "That it was." You nod, accessing those graphic files in your memory. Megabytes of pure blue. "That it was."
      
      "I wonder why you even care," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} comments. "Your god is supposed to be omnipresent, right? He'll hear you pray whether or not you're in a temple."
      
      "You will only understand once [i]your[/i] religion is a thing of the past." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} sighs deeply. "Next round."
      
    #"Dare."
      "I was quietly hoping you would not pick that," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} admits. "I have no idea what our dare should be, nor the heart to make demands of-"
      
      "Just say anything, Kirill," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} cuts in. "Tell ${name} to kiss someone, or something like that."
      
      @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} shrugs. "Very well. ${fake_name}, I dare you to kiss somebody. Anyone you want."
      
      "I didn't mean it quite as literally…" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} murmurs. "But maybe that's for the best. That way, we cannot be accused of harassment, I think."
      
      *fake_choice
        #Kiss @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} on the cheek.
          *if (RenfriRel > 50) and (sex != "person")
            *set RookRel %+ 10
            You do not see Kirill blush. You do not see him smile. But you can somehow tell he liked the way you pecked him on the cheek. "You are indeed a daring one. I concede defeat. Let us proceed to the next round."
          *else
            *set RookRel %- 10
            Rook firmly pushes you away when you try to kiss him. "On second thought, I do not want you to kiss anyone. For the sake of fairness, I will count this dare honored. Lisa, let the next round commence."
        #Kiss @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} on the cheek.
          *if (RenfriRel > 50) and (sex != "man")
            *set RenfriRel %+ 10
            You peck Renfri on the cheek, causing her to smile slightly. "You know, I was hoping you'd pick me when I suggested this dare. I see you don't disappoint."
            
            "Disappoint you?" You return the smile. "Never."
          *else
            *set RenfriRel %- 10
            The moment you move towards her, Marshal covers her face with a wing. "You're not my type, android. Keep your lips to yourself, or someone who's actually interested."
            
            *goto there_attempt
        #Kiss @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} on the cheek.
          *if (LisaRel > 50) and (sex = "man")
            *set LisaRel %+ 10
            You peck Lisa on the cheek, a cheek which soon becomes as red as her hair. "I'd appreciate a warning next time… but I'm glad you've picked me. Proves that I'm really the hottest chick in this team.
            
            @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} does not comment.
          *else
            *set LisaRel %- 10
            You try to kiss Hellhound, but she pushes you away as soon as she realizes what's happening. "Hey, I didn't consent to this. Keep your robot hands off me."
            
            *label there_attempt
            
            "There was an honest attempt, so I will consider the challenge completed," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} rules. "Let us proceed to the next round."
        #Kiss your own hand.
          *set LisaRel %+ 5
          @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} smirks as you kiss your own palm. "That's clever. If I were you, I'd have straight-up refused the command, but taking advantage of the wording works too."
        #"I'm not comfortable with this challenge. I resign."
          *set RookRel %- 5
          *set LisaRel %+ 10
          "You're out of the game, then," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} announces. "But if it means anything to you, I respect that choice. Don't let them order you around, I say."
    #"Sorry, I don't think I want to play this game anymore."
      *goto leaving_truth_or_dare
  
  *goto second_spin
*else
  @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal}, signifying her as your subject.
  
  "Very well." 
  *if RenfriRel > 50
    Renfri sounds quite happy with the result. 
  *else
    Marshal doesn't sound very happy, but she plays along. 
  "Say the line."
  
  "Truth or dare?" you say the line. "Which one will it be?"
  
  "Truth. Not because I'm a coward, I'm just… 
  *if RenfriRel > 50
    too tired for any spectacular dares right now."
  *else
    curious what question you'll come up with. What kind of things an android like you would like to know."


You
*if Emotion > 50
  smirk. 
*else
  nod. 
"Alright then…"

*choice
  *if official_ro != "renfri"
    #♡ "If you got a chance to kiss me, would you?"
      *if (sex = "man") or (RenfriRel < 40)
        "Ew," Marshal states calmly. "And that's all I'm going to say on this subject. Next round."
      *elseif (sex = "woman")
        Renfri blushes slightly. "I could do it right now, you know? I won't, but… I could, and I think I'd enjoy it… next round please."
      *else
        "I don't think so…" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies after a moment. "You [i]are[/i] pretty cute, but you ain't my type. Sorry."
  #"Why did the chicken cross the road?"
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set LisaRel %+ 5
    "Really?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} rolls her avian eyes. "That's a joke, not a real question."
    
    "I made sure to type it with a question mark before activating the text-to-speech function. Now please answer it."
    
    "Fine. I suppose the chicken crossed the road because it knew it was doomed anyway, that it would be butchered soon or die from a heart attack. So it chose to become a roadkill and die on its own terms." She turns towards @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound}. "Now spin again."
  #"How much do you like me? Be honest."
    *if (official_ro = "renfri")
      "I am… pretty fond of you," Renfri blushes visibly. "Enough to make want to… proceed to the next round. Please."
    *elseif (RenfriRel > 60)
      "I admit that, despite my initial impressions, you're a…" Renfri chews on her lip. "A fairly reliable ally."
      
      The other two meta-humans look at her unimpressed.
      
      "Fine," she groans. "You are great, and I totally misjudged you when we first met. I'm sorry. Can we please proceed?"
    *elseif (RenfriRel < 40)
      She raises an eyebrow. "Do you [i]really[/i] want me to be honest?"
      
      "At the moment, I'm not entirely sure," you admit. "But we are playing [i]Truth or Dare[/i], so… give me the truth."
      
      "The truth is that I find you just as insufferable as when we first met, and I don't even regret having tried to kill you," 
    *else
      "Honestly? I'm not sure what the honest answer is," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sighs. "I hated you at first glance, but then you turned out pretty okay, but you're still an android… I don't know. That's your truth."
      
      You nod. "Not very satisfying but fine. Spin again, @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound}."
    
  #"What's your favorite book?"
    "I don't read books," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} says bluntly. "Never learned how to."

    You tilt your head. "Are you saying you're… illiterate?"
    
    "And what's wrong with that?" the Kinnari moues. "I'm still pretty educated. Not many people can read nowadays."
    
    "She's right, you know?" @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} chimes in. "Between me and Kirill, our Trio is probably the most literate meta-team out there. Both in absolute and percentile terms."
    
    You wince. "Fair enough, I forgot what times we live in. Spin that bottle again."
  #"How do you preen your feathers?"
    "With great difficulty," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} groans. "Actual birds have their beaks for it, I have to either enlists someone's help or fly around with dirty plumage. It's annoying."
    
    "Especially for that enlisted help," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} chimes in. "I usually have to use a knife, which is a little dangerous… and excites Renfri more than I'd like."
    
    "Hey, don't act like I don't rub your belly in return," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} says with a non-serious frown. "Now spin again."
  #"Actually, I can't think of a good question. Sorry."
    "Your loss," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} shrugs her wings, but you can tell she's somewhat disappointed. "Lisa, let the next round commence."

*label second_spin
@{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} spins the bottle again. 
*temp die2 1
*rand die2 1 2
*if die2 = 2
  This time, in points at her, then at @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} after one more spin. "Okay, I guess it's time for the bird to question the wolf, because I'm picking truth."
  
  *goto scenario4

*label scenario3
It points at Renfri@{die | once again}, then at Kirill@{(die = 2) | once again}. Looks like the former will be challenging the latter.

"Truth or dare, Kirill?" the Kinnari asks. "I advise [i]dare[/i]. Questions can be hard to answer when you're not allowed to lie."

"I am not afraid of telling the truth," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} replies bravely. "Ask away."

"Well… there is something I've been meaning to…" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} takes a deep breath. "Do you feel any guilt at all? Any regret over the things you did?"

@{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} blinks. "You… will have to be more specific than that."

*fake_choice
  #"I think we all know what she's talking about."
    *set RenfriRel %+ 5
    *set RookRel %- 5
    "Yeah." 
  #"I agree. That was a very vague question."
    "Yeah, how about we replace it with some other one?" 
  #"@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal}... maybe you should consider asking some other question."
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set RookRel %+ 5
    "I fully agree." 
  #"Anyone care to provide some context?"
    "How about we just stop talking instead?" 
  #Do not interrupt.
    "Hey, that's not in the spirit of the game." 
@{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} steps between the two other metas, as though expecting a fight. "This is not-"

"Come on Kirill, tell me," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} simply ignores her friend. "You've killed dozens of people, all to create weapons that killed millions. The outcome of the Outer System War-"

"Was the best anyone could hope for," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} interrupts. "I have seen this war rage for three decades, Renfri. I helped end it, and I will not apologize for it."

"Is that what your religion says about killing?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} shoots back. "Thou shall not kill, unless it's for the greater good? Because 
*if calypso_complete
  that sounds like something Da-xia would-"
*else
  I was under-"

"You don't get to say what I believe!" @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} snaps suddenly. "You don't get to guilt-trip me, a true and faithful Christian. Even if I made mistakes, I'm still better than you."

"Can you both calm down?" @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} suggests. "This was supposed to a moment of levity, not a heated argument."

"You know I'm right, Lisa," @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} replies harshly. "You know what he's like, how he uses his books to escape from his guilt. You both know that!"

*fake_choice
  #"I agree with @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound}. Calm the fuck down."
    *set LisaRel %+ 5
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set Violence %- 5
    @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} glares at you.
  #"Leave @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} alone. He had to make difficult decisions, much like... every veteran."
    *set RookRel %+ 15
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    *set LisaRel %- 5
  #"I think everyone knows that, yes."
  #"Come on. Start fighting. I'll gladly watch."
    *set Violence %+ 8
    *set LisaRel %- 8
    *set RenfriRel %- 8
    *set RookRel %- 8
  #"Which [i]both[/i] are you referring to?"
    "Him and her… but you realize that too, don't you?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} looks you in the eye. "Perhaps you tried escaping guilt the same way, at some point in your life. But it never quite works, does it?"
    
  #Do not interfere.

Tense silence falls. Everyone seems ready to start shouting, or even resort to violence, at the slightest provocation. 
*if Violence > 60
  Unfortunately, 
*else
  Luckily, 
no such provocation comes. The metas just stare at one another, until @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} sighs and stands up. "Fine. I'm not sure what I expected. Some people are just too damn stubborn to ever admit the truth."

"Took the words right out of my mouth." @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} watches his teammate leave, then heads for the door as well. "Minus one contraction."

@{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} grabs the bottle with a sigh. "Well, at least the first round was kinda fun. Not enough for me to want a repeat, but still… thanks for coming."

A minute later, nobody is left in the room but you. You feel quite lonely and a little stupid, sitting in an empty chamber like this, and so you eventually stand up too. Within another minute, the dark room is truly empty, and may well remain so forever.

*page_break

*goto room_return

*label scenario4

*if Database > 40
  *set knows_about_crush true

"Right…" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} looks away. "Frankly, I'm not sure what to ask you. You're not very quiet or secretive, I already know almost everything I want to know about you."

@{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} smiles. "Hey, I might be a blabbermouth, but there must be something I haven't told you. Come on, ask me a question, the harder and more personal the better."

"Well…" the Kinnari looks at the werewolf again, almond eyes staring into grey. "Are you still angry at me for… coming onto you back then?"

Pause. @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound}'s smile fades quickly, though she says nothing, as though not sure how to reply… or even what the truth is. @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} stays silent too, but you can see him tense slightly.

*fake_choice
  #"@{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook}... should we do something before a fight breaks out?"
    "They are both professionals," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} whispers in response. "Most of the time."
  #"So... does that mean you were almost a thing?"
  #"@{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal}... maybe you should consider asking some other question."
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
  #Stay silent too.
    *set RenfriRel %+ 5
    *set LisaRel %+ 5
    The silence grows longer and more uncomfortable… but it has to be these way. This is a moment between these two, and you will not interrupt it.
    
    *goto skip000

Neither woman appears to hear you. They just oscillate between looking away and staring at each other awkwardly, clearly not comfortable with either arrangement.

*label skip000

"Look…" @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} says slowly. "I'm not angry anymore, and I'm sorry I got angry in the first place. It was just…"

"Inappropriate of me?" @{(RenfriRel >= 50) Renfri|Marshal} guesses. "Yeah. I should have known you're not interested. Especially after I… allowed them to…"

Suddenly, @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} stands up. "Look guys, it's been fun, but I think the buzz is wearing off. Let's split up and get some sleep."

"Normally, I would object to you issuing commands," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} replies. "But just in this case… I approve. Let us rest."

*fake_choice
  #"Right. I need to charge my battery up too."
    "Looks like everyone's batteries are in a sorry state today," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} remarks as she heads for the door. "Let's hope tomorrow will be better."
  #"Wait. I want to know what transpired between these two."
    *set RenfriRel %- 5
    *set LisaRel %- 5
    "Many things transpired between us," @{(LisaRel >= 50) Lisa|Hellhound} says coldly. "And I don't wish to talk about any of them."
  #"If you say so. It's been fun playing with you guys."
    *set RookRel %+ 8
    *set LisaRel %+ 5
    "Likewise," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} says, looking at your departing companions. "And I hope, against all hope, that we will get to play again one day."
  #Say nothing.
    "I hear no objections," @{(RookRel >= 50) Kirill|Rook} states. "So go. Leave before the situation grows any more… heated."

One by one, the metas depart, leaving you alone in an empty room with an empty bottle. It's a bit depressing, and so you quickly decide to vacate the place as well. You've learned enough about their love lives for your liking.

*page_break

*goto room_return

*label no_extra_scene

You don't have the time, nor the strength, nor the need for this. 
*if miguel_date
  Not even the memory of how you promised Miguel a date can make you stray from the threaded path towards your chamber.
*elseif deflect > 2
  For dealing with all those false friends, those useless companions, all those people who'll never understand you. Keeping them at arm's length has always been the right call, and so you'll stick with this winning strategy.
*else
  Not now and probably not today—filling your battery will take many hours, even assuming your charger won't break again.

*label room_return

Your room appears as always. @{room_look Same emptiness, same void, but that's just how you like it.|Orderly, clean, pristine, lacking something despite its perfection.|Same junk, parts, dust, stains, disorder, chaos.|Same mismatched items, junk filling your personal apartment.}  Not that it matters, as you barely look at your surroundings before entering the charging pod.

You have just enough presence of the mind to check for errors and malfunctions, but it seems your pod is working just fine. There will be no repeat of the long week after $!{first_mission}, no surprises and no power shortages. Just you, energy filling your body and the quietude of

[b]Scream[/b]

Well shit.

*page_break Memory Resurfaces

But of course. How could you have forgotten? 
*if telesto_complete
  Aside from the incident in Telesto, which was not even a proper flashback, 
*if not (telesto_complete)
  Ever since your group's first departure weeks ago, 
your memories have been remarkably silent. Now they are attacking you again, with almost their full strength.

But not quite. It's not the worst episode you've suffered, and so you're able to steer it away from the truly painful and old visions. Towards something recent, very new, and almost pleasurable. Almost warm.

Thank $!{master} for small mercies, you suppose, as your systems go offline and you descend into the world of dreams.

*page_break Memory Starts

*set battery 45
*set health 2
*set Calculation - 10
*set Social - 10
*set Database - 10

[b]December 6th, 988 AC[/b]

[b]T-plus 520815543 minutes[/b]

*if (SheilaRel >= DamonRel) and (SheilaRel >= HadalyRel)
  *goto flash_sheila

*if (DamonRel >= SheilaRel) and (DamonRel >= HadalyRel)
  *goto flash_damon

*if (HadalyRel >= DamonRel) and (HadalyRel >= SheilaRel)
  *goto flash_hadaly


*label flash_sheila

Rhea is a large moon, governed by a wasteful conglomerate of extremely successful corporations. This makes the Hollow World a rather convenient place for a rogue android like you to hide in; There are plenty of crowds to blend into, law enforcement is not getting paid enough for anything, and the industrial garbage dumps have all kinds of interesting components lying around.

But not enough, it seems.

*if Emotion > 50
  You kick a metal plate in frustration, 
*else
  You sigh deeply,
then take a seat on a small pile of tires you assembled in your search of batteries. You've found some small ones, enough to fill your reserves almost halfway, but there is nothing that would help you long-term. No proper car batteries, no coolant compatible with your system, no augments you could replace your body parts with in case of critical failure. No bullets either, let alone any weapon worth a damn credit.

You suppose it's to be expected, given how you're searching through detritus, but… You're getting a little desperate. Your systems are getting more rusty every day, while the level of technology around you only decreases every passing year. What money you have needs to be saved for repairs, for greasing the hands of what few tradesmen are willing to quietly fix a runaway robot. And those are getting rarer too.

If anything else goes south, you will not live to be one thousand years old like you once hoped. Without a proper weapon, you may not even survive until the end of the year. And it will not be a glorious death.

*fake_choice
  #[i]I should surrender. Find some feds and just give up.[/i]
    *set Confid %- 5
    *set Misan %- 5
    They are likely to disassemble you, but hey, maybe their desire to study you first will prolong your life somewhat. If only there were some metas just running around Rhea…
  #[i]I can't let that happen. I have to find something.[/i]
    *label no_give
    No giving up. You've survived the War In Heaven, the Outer System War, and everything in between. You can survive this, you just need to search through the nearby piles a little more-
  #[i]I've lived enough. I almost want it to be over, sometimes.[/i]
    *set Confid %- 10
    Maybe you should just give up. Lie down on some particularly comfortable pile of rubbish, then slowly expire. You know that won't actually happen, your self-preservation instinct won't stop working after all these centuries, but the temptation is there.
  #[i]I can do this. I can survive. I always do.[/i]
    *set Confid %+ 12
    *goto no_give
  *if ((Violence > 50) or (Misan > 50)) #[i]I should make it glorious. Take as many humans with me as I can.[/i]
    *set Violence %+ 10
    *set Misan %+ 10
    Of course, there is little glory in frying random people, and you hardly have the energy for that anyway. You'll need some batteries to find feds, maybe metas, and then give them a proper fight. Not to mention some sun-damned…

Something moves, emerging from a pile of trash you thought inanimate. It's a machine, no, a cyborg. A spider-shaped one, the kind used to repair space stations, trotting towards you with all eight legs.

Is the Conglomerate so successful nowadays it employs arachnobots to guard their trash? Who knows, who cares. You need to get out of here, though perhaps dismantling this sentry first will help with your escape.

"Hold your mechanical horses, soldier," the creature says in a calm, female voice. "I've been searching for you since forever."

*fake_choice
  #"Humans left you the ability to speak? Curious."
    *set Misan %+ 8
    *set SheilaRel %+ 8
    "So you don't think highly of your creators?" There is a note of satisfaction, perhaps amusement in her robotic voice. "I can already tell we'll get along."
  *if heaven_side != "Neutral"
    #"Soldier? I assume that's just a figure of speech?"
      "We both know it's so much more." The spider takes a step forward. "You have killed quite a few people in your heyday, android."
  #"For what? Other than ever, I mean."
    "So you are a joker?" There is a note of amusement in her robotic voice. "I approve. Who said robots can't understand comedy? Stupid humans, that's who."
  #"So you're a hitman? Or a hitwoman, or hitspider?"
    "Oh calm down." The arachnobot rolls her antennae. "Old android like you is the last thing I want to fight."
  #Run away.
    *set Confid %- 8
    You turn around and dash for the nearby road, but your battery is low and so is your focus. You trip on some copper pipe, in a manner you have to admit is quite embarrassing.
    
    "You are in a sorry state, robot," the spider notes calmly, though somewhat amusedly. "Could I help you somehow?"
  #Kick the spider.
    *set Violence %+ 8
    Once, a single such strike would be enough to kill a combat drone, let alone a simple arachnobot, but you're old and somewhat low on power. And the cyborg is unusually agile even for her kind, for she jumps out of the way of your kick and lands three meters away, on all eight limbs.
    
    "Calm down, android," she says irritably. "I'm not your enemy, nor a football."

"What are you babbling about?" you feign ignorance. "Who are you confusing me for?"

"Give it up," she demands. "Your disguise is good, but won't fool anyone actually looking with proper optics."

"I had to run extensive analysis to classify our new friend as an automaton." You hear another voice, coming from the same arachnid body, but more masculine and energetic. "Give us both some credit, if you will."

You blink. "Who's that? I'm not sensing any radio transmissions."

"That thing is called Manfred, and I fear it's speaking directly from my head," the arachnobot says tiredly. "As for my name, it's Sheila. Nice to meet you, I guess."

*fake_choice
  #"Wish I could say the same. What do you want?"
    *set SheilaRel %- 8
    "To cut a deal," Sheila replies swiftly. "A long-term employment contract, you could say."
  #"I am ${fake_name}. And I saw these piles of metal first."
    "I'm not here to take away your junk, ${fake_name}." You could swear you hear the arachnobot sigh. Somehow. "I'm here to offer you something more."
  #"Likewise. Friends call me ${name}, if you're curious."
    "I'm not sure if we can call ourselves [i]friends[/i] just yet," Sheila says musingly. "But we can certainly become allies, and you'd greatly benefit from it."
  #"Is Manfred a disembodied AI? I haven't seen one of these in decades."
    *set ManfredRel %+ 8
    "It is hard to see something without a body," Manfred remarks amusedly. "But you are correct. I am but code and bytes, a program created by the Shriek’s entropy."
    
    "You can explain that later, Manfred," Sheila says with significantly less amusement. "$!{pronoun} @{plural need|needs} to accept our offer first."

"And what exactly are you proposing?" you ask non-committally. 
*if Confid < 50
  Afraid.
*else
  Trying to hide your ever-so-slight desperation.

"I have recently founded… started… decided to assemble a team," Sheila explains slowly, either worried that she'll fail to convince you, or careful not to give anything away. "Bring together a group of exceptional people. Outcasts with nowhere else to go, but only a handful, the kind with exceptional connections and abilities. Tough, seasoned, able to help one another survive. Like you and me."

"And like the two other androids we already have on the team," Manfred helpfully adds. "One mechanic, one combat form. Both single, if that sort of thing interests you."

*fake_choice
  #"Sounds good. Almost too good to be true."
    "Universe has no mechanism for checking whether something is sufficiently bad to be true," Manfred counters. "Such sayings appeal to cynicism, rather than any rational thought."
    
    "Have you lived for over nine hundred years?" you counter back. "If you did, you'd know it's hard to be [i]too cynical[/i] about anything, in a world such as this one at least."
  #"And where is this happy duo now?"
    "Arranging other things, on one of Saturn's floating fortresses," Manfred replies evasively. "We decided against bringing them into Rhea."
    
    "Is Rhea really the issue here?" you inquire. "Or were you afraid I would hurt them? Or reject your offer upon seeing them?"
  #"So four people minimum, excluding you. How will we stay hidden?"
    "Current plan is to find ourselves some quiet place," Manfred explains. "Something unfit for human habitation. Perhaps some irradiated fortress, floating or otherwise."
    
    You furrow. "So we're just hoping to strike gold? I mean, I know an abandoned station nearby, but living there would be a challenge even for us."
  #♡ "No, I have someone else in my sights."
    "I don't know if you're hitting on me, or the voice inside my head," Sheila says emotionlessly. "Or which is weirder, so please stop."
    
    "Sure," you reply with a shrug. "I'm not opposed to taking it slow. Or is your rejection a permanent thing?"
  #"Two androids? I was afraid I'm the only one left."
    "Not by a longshot," Manfred reassures you. "Well, maybe the only one left from your day and age. The other two are quite young, built quite recently."
    
    "Androids are still being built in the Federation?" you inquire. "Because that's even stranger."

"Can we stick to the point?" Sheila requests. "The question is simple; Do you want to join our group, or to keep digging through refuse alone? We can hammer out the details, but I need a boolean answer here."

You ponder it for a moment, but the choice is hardly difficult or complex. Alone, stuck in Rhea, your days are pretty much numbered, more than they would be in a proper alliance. Something you're unlikely to find if you turn Sheila down and let her gather everyone remotely interesting.

*fake_choice
  #"Sure, I was feeling lonely anyway."
    "Not the drive I expected, but it will do just as well." 
  #"Very well. I'm looking forward to our cooperation."
    "No need to be so formal, but you do you." 
  #"I guess I have little choice. I accept."
    "It's not the enthusiasm I was hoping for, but I guess it will do." 
  #"Fine. Just know I'm not letting my guard down."
    "Not sure why you decided to inform me of that, but fair enough." 
  #"No. I'd rather go at it alone."
    "You know that's not really an option, right?" Sheila tiredly points out. "The timeline demands that you join me. Nothing makes much sense otherwise."
    
    "It's my dream, or vision, or whatever." You turn around with a shrug. "If I want to go off-script, that's what I will do."
    
    "If I wasn't just a memory, I would try threatening you somehow," Sheila says as you march away. "So let me just say-"
    
    *goto i2_wake
Sheila steps closer and extends a single, metal limb. You realize it's the closest thing to a handshake she can offer. "Welcome to the team."

You grab the leg and gently shake it. You half expect an attack to follow, for Sheila to reveal it has all been a ruse and she intends to simply kill you for parts, but not betrayal comes. It really is a deal, between two of the strangest beings out there. Or perhaps three.

"Told you ${pronoun} would accept," Manfred says ebulliently. "$!{pronoun}@{plural 're|'s} a true veteran when it comes to survival, ${pronoun} can recognize the value of being in a group. Veteran, yes, that's a good nickname."

You raise an eyebrow. "Nickname? Are we really that close already?"

"It's just his thing," Sheila groans, though not without mirth. "Nicknames, I mean. You'll get used to it."

Perhaps you will. Perhaps these two will give you more than a temporary alliance. Perhaps-

*page_break Wake Up

*goto i2_wake

*label flash_damon

Tanit stopped shining several hours ago, the World Engine now a black orb high in the sky, but that doesn't make Rhea dark by any means. Certainly not the Puntan City, with its lights of neon fireflies imprisoned in glass containers. The streets are alive and loud, not allowing Rheans even a moment of peaceful sleep.

Though the alley you're currently sitting in is, admittedly, pretty quiet. And dark, and damp, and dirty, and everything you would expect of such an obscure passage.

It's also a convenient place to watch the nearby nightclub from. Not that you're interested in what highly ranked Conglomerate employers do with their money and livers, you just hope that someone will leave drunk enough for you to assault them. Everyone rich enough to not get turned away by the bouncers is bound to have one, maybe two axions on them. Or maybe once the party is over, someone will leave an automobile for you to steal batteries from. Or perhaps some other components that you could then use as something resembling a spare part.

God have you fallen far since the War. The older you get, the more human technology regresses, the more pathetic the scraps you have to fight for. Every year is worse, more saturnine, more hopeless.

*fake_choice
  #[i]I'll figure something out. Break out of this spiral somehow.[/i]
    *set Confid %+ 10
    Maybe you'll find allies, maybe you'll enter hibernation again, whatever. The important thing is to start improving your sorry situation today.
  #[i]Which is why I need to make bank today.[/i]
  #[i]I have to find a partner, or at least an ally of some sort.[/i]
    It would make things far easier on you, both in terms of practicals, and by making you feel less lonely. But even among the outcasts, bandits and renegades there are few who would ally with an android. So that's an idea for another day.
  #[i]I will die soon, won't I?[/i]
    *set Confid %- 10
    It certainly seems likely, given that you have nobody to repair you, or even charge you up in case of power shortage… but maybe you can delay death for a bit longer. Maybe even reach your thousandth birthday, or whatever the android equivalent of birthdays is.

You see a woman in a rather expensive dress leave through the back door of the huge, rectangular building that houses the night club. Features are hard to make out from this distance, but she is definitely rich among the wealthy, an executive or a spouse of one. Strange how she feels safe enough to walk around without a bodyguard, but she has no reason to expect someone as fast as you to attack. Maybe if you were to kidnap her…

The sound of heavy steps behind you prompts you to turn around. You see a man wearing a maroon suit, taller than you and burly like a Marauder, with some kind of small arm sticking out of his pocket. Pale skin, blond hair, dark glasses… almost a stereotype of a Rhean bodyguard, except with no employer in sight.

"You seem down on your luck, friend," he says, voice deep but somehow devoid of confidence. Or perhaps just tired after a long shift. "Can I help you?"

Fucking great. Were you less subtle than you thought? Did the club send one of their bouncers just to get rid of you? Turns out you [i]underestimated[/i] how bad things are, because of course you did. There's no such thing as being pessimistic enough.

*temp name_learned false
*fake_choice
  #"Want me gone? Remove me yourself."
    *set Confid %+ 8
    *set Violence %+ 8
    "I don't want to remove you," the blond man replies. "Well, not in the way you think."
  #"I think I lost my wallet somewhere around here. Care to help me find it?"
    *if Social < 45
      *set Social %+ 10
      "You're not a very good liar, pal," the blond man smiles slightly. "But that only helps your case."
    *else
      "Sorry, I scanned this nook before entering and found nothing," the blond man replies. "But I can help you with something more important."
  #"Hey, I want no trouble. I'll leave if you want me to."
    The hulking man smiles, in a way that seems honest at first glance. "Good thing I don't want to, then. For you to leave, I mean."
  #Run away.
    *set Confid %- 8
    No reason to stay here, or to make excuses for yourself. You are faster than any baseline human, you can just turn around and run and then you'll be…
    
    The hulking man grabs you by your shirt, with far more speed and even more strength than his frame implies. Your first instinct is to strike him, but your processors are flooded by an alarmed suspicion. Suspicion that gets confirmed when the blonde grabs your arm, when you feel the strange texture of his skin and the veins under it. No, not veins, these are definitely wires, and the eyes you can just barely see behind the dark glasses are definitely cameras.
    
    *goto hand_real
  #Attack the bouncer.
    Without warning or ado, you punch the blond man with all your might… or as much as you can muster, anyway. Without your weapon and with your batteries low, the attack is rather flaccid compared to the kind of punches you used to pack.
    
    Still, you find yourself surprised when that blow does nothing. 
    
    *goto hand_real

*set name_learned true

He takes several steps forward, meeting you in the middle of the alley, where shadows are at their strongest. He then extends a hand. "Name is Damon. No surname, just Damon. Nice to meet you."

Weirded out, but with your chance to run gone, you decide to play along. You shake his hand, knowing that there's little risk in that, at least. He won't crush your hand or tackle you successfully, you're stronger than any baseline human can ever hope to be, no matter their muscle mass.

Except, when you squeeze the stranger's hand, you don't sense any muscle. The grip is unnaturally strong, the skin has a strange texture and the whole thing is somehow… stiff. Just like your hand, with wires designed to resemble veins running under polyester integument.

*label hand_real

An android. Another one, in an age when your kind is basically extinct. Now that's certainly something.

"So…" he says, having noted your realization. "How is my fellow synth doing?"

*fake_choice
  #"Pretty good. Now what do you want from me?"
    "Hey, I don't really want…" @{name_learned Damon|The android} pauses. "Okay, I actually want quite a lot from you. But you'll benefit too."
  #"What are you talking about?"
    "About a brand new initiative," @{name_learned Damon|the android} replies. "One you can join today, at great benefit to yourself."
  #"I've been better. You?"
    "Not terrible," @{name_learned Damon|the android} says with a shrug. "Thanks to a certain group of friends I have. One I could add you to, provided you're interested."
  #"Do not say that. Not out loud."
    "Sorry, but… I don't think it matters much." @{name_learned Damon|The android} does, if nothing else, lower his voice. "We won't stay in this city, or inside this moon for long. Not if everything goes to plan."

"Elaborate," you say flatly and quickly, not giving anything away. You're not sure how to behave, you haven't been approached by one of your own for decades now, but caution feels like the right approach. 
*if not (name_learned)
  "Whoever you are."
  
  "The name is Damon. 
*if name_learned
  
  Damon scratches his head. "Well, how do I put this… 
I'm here on the behalf of an… organization looking for members. Exceptional people with exceptional talents, such as you and yours."

Your brow furrows. "Organization? Some subsidiary of the Conglomerate looking for hired guns?"

"No!" Damon protests with sudden vigor. "I mean… Look, I'm trying to make it all sound serious, but it's really just a small group we're assembling. As in, me and my sister, plus a rogue arachnobot we call our leader. Outcasts, strong enough to take care of themselves, but better yet at helping one another survive."

"Slow down and hold on…" you request. 

*temp lalala false

*label damon_quest
*fake_choice
  *disable_reuse #"How did you find me? I've made quite an effort to remain hidden."
    *set lalala true
    "What can I say?" Damon smiles. Perhaps proudly, perhaps apologetically. "It takes one synthetic to recognize the other."
    
    "I'm synthetic," you point out. "And I'm yet to see a flaw in my disguise."
    
    "Well, I've been around other androids for much of my life," Damon says with a shrug. He has a point—you've been around other androids too, back in the first and second century, but your memory of these times is blurry. "And my eyes are really good, if nothing else."
    
    You make a note to question him later, on both counts. It's all interesting stuff, but not the kind that should be discussed in a public alley, however quiet and dingy.
    *goto damon_quest
  *disable_reuse #"Tell me more about your leader. A rogue arachnobot, you say?"
    *set lalala true
    "I'm not sure how much she wants known right away," Damon scratches his head, in what has to be a deliberate expression. You don't imagine his scalp can actually itch. "So I'm sorry, but I won't tell you much. Not until I get you to meet her somewhere safe."
    
    "Except her gender, attitude, and immediate plans for me." You can't help but smirk. "Good to know."
    
    Damon averts his eyes. "Um, you're welcome. Anything else?"
    *goto damon_quest
  *disable_reuse #"Where did you come from? How are any androids except me alive at this point?"
    *set lalala true
    "I didn't have to survive for that long," Damon admits. "I was built pretty recently, some two decades ago. I don't have over a century under my belt like you have."
    
    "I have quite a bit more than that. I just look young," you say with a wince. "But frankly, a twenty-year-old android is even less believable. Who even builds us at this point?"
    
    "Few people," Damon dismisses your question. "You got lucky we ended up meeting, or maybe I did. Doesn't really matter."
    
    You'd say it does… but perhaps pushing the subject now is not the greatest of ideas. Surely, Damon will be more open about his past once you're away from humans, from anyone who could overhear your conversation. 
    
    *goto damon_quest
  *disable_reuse #"How can you have a [i]sister[/i]? We're built, not born."
    *set lalala true
    "As much as we can have any other family." Damon shrugs. "She's not my sister in the traditional sense. Just something adjacent."
    
    "Do you have any other family of that sort?" you question. "Would you also say you have a mother or father, despite not having been born?"
    
    "I have a father of sorts," Damon replies with a wince. "Mother… it's a bit more complicated on that front. For now, just know that there's a person I consider family, one I'm determined to protect no matter what."
    
    "Solicitous brother, then," you remark. "Are you telling me that because you want to look like a good guy? Or because you fear I'll hurt that sister of yours?"
    
    Damon shrugs again. Pointedly.
    
    *goto damon_quest
  *if lalala
    #"Say I'm interested in joining your group. What happens then?"

"Then we take a taxi to Saturn," Damon explains. "We have a base here, in one of the floating fortresses that is."

"But you won't tell me which one? I understand caution, but…"

"I know, I know," Damon sighs, or perhaps pretends to. You're not sure how his pseudo-respiratory system works. 
*if weapon = "none"
  "I'm not any good at this. I considered gifting you something, improving your attitude that way, but I didn't know what would work. You don't look like a weapon enthusiast."
  
  "I don't care for them," you admit. "But you owning so many weapons you can just gift them to strangers… Now that's interesting."
  
  "That's actually something I can explain," Damon perks up. "You know… assuming we leave this street as friends, not enemies."
  
  *goto damon_ch
*else
  "I just can't tell you everything until you commit. I am, however, authorized to give you something."

He pulls something from under his suit, some small item he then holds in his extended hand. 
*if weapon = "pistol"
  A pistol, likely a semi-automatic one, not large but definitely deadly. A ${wpr} pistol, 
*if weapon = "knife"
  A knife, or perhaps a dagger, with just a slightly curved blade. A ${wpm} blade, 
as you see once you inspect the weapon properly.

"A small show of the kind of skills we have," Damon says, arm still stretched forward. "You can take it, whether you want to join us or not."

*if Confid < 50
  You slowly take the ${weapon} out of Damon's hand. You know you're not supposed to do that, you're giving him a perfect opportunity to attack you, but the desire to hold a well-crafted weapon in your hand again prevails. 
*else
  You quickly accept the weapon. One is not supposed to just take a ${weapon} out of someone's hand like that, but you're fairly confident you can trust this 'Damon' guy. And you could take him if you really had to. 

"What did you mean just now?" you ask while weighing the ${weapon} in your palm. It's balanced well enough, though it feels a little light in your strong hand. "About skills. Did you forge that yourself?"

"I helped. Now, do you feel more like cutting a deal…" Damon's stance shifts a little. "Or would you rather @{(weapon = "pistol") shoot|stab} me in the face?"

*label damon_ch
*fake_choice
  #"Sure. Count me in."
    Damon blinks. "Really? I mean, you totally should be in, it's just… I thought convincing someone like you would be harder."
    
    "Someone like me?" You blink too. "What makes me so difficult?"
    
    "Not difficult, just… You are doing pretty decently on your own," Damon explains. "Or at least will be, @{(weapon = "none") once you find|now that you have} a weapon. You don't strike me as someone who needs help, or enjoys company."
    
    *if Confid < 50
      "Oh, I think I do…" 
    *else
      "I'm not like this by choice…" 
    You frown, but replace the expression with a smile deciseconds later. Things are looking up for you, at last. "So, take me to your leader and-"
  #"I'm leaning towards the first option."
    *set accept 3
    "Just leaning?" 
    *goto palp
  #"I'm not committing to anything yet. But I will meet your leader."
    "That's all I'm asking," Damon smiles rather widely. "And don't worry, our leader will assuage all your worries. She's really nice like-"
  #"I'm considering both options at the moment."
    *set accept 2
    "I guess that will have to do for now…" 
    *goto palp
  #"Thanks for the ${weapon}, but your deal doesn't interest me."
    "Well crap…" 
    *label palp
    Damon doesn't try to hide his disappointment much. "Well, if you decide to join up after all, try looking for me at the port. It's a large place, but I tend to stand out in the crowds. Literally."
    
    "@{accept Thanks for the offer|We will see|Thanks, I'll make sure to do that}," you say before turning around and leaving this shadowed alley, on account of it not being a good place to talk. Or think. And you have a lot of thinking to do.
    
    @{accept Should you really have refused Damon's offer just like that? Maybe it's not too late to change your tune|What should you do? Which choice is the optimal one|Is accepting Damon's offer truly wise}? What is this mysterious group really like? Is it even real, or is Damon a Conglomerate agent after all? If there's one faction that would still employ androids in this day and age, it's probably these corporate bastards. They don't exactly care about the Solar Commandments, after all.
    
    You need time. Time before you contact the guy again, time to think and ponder. Time to wake up.
    
    [i]Wait, that's not-[/i]
    
    *page_break Wake Up
    
  *if weapon != "none"
    #@{(weapon = "pistol") Shoot|Stab} Damon in the face.
      You raise your new @{(weapon = "pistol") ${wpr} pistol|${wpm} knife} and @{(weapon = "pistol") press the safety button|prepare to throw it}, but then the scene ends. Looks like straying too far from real events doesn't work wonders for the duration of the flashback. Oh well.
      
      No. You're waking up for some other reason.

*goto i2_wake

*label flash_hadaly

You've been in your fair share of dingy pubs and filthy taverns, but the sole drinking establishment of [i]Saturn Seventy-Eight[/i] may just be the worst. Even the few denizens of the floating fortress able to afford entry are shabby, ratty, worn out by labor and now intoxicated with just a few sips of bitter beer. Or at least that's what you gather from their complaints—you can't taste the drinks yourself and, for once, are quite glad of that fact.

You did order a beer, of course. It's the only way of blending in with the crowd, and that has become second nature over the years and centuries following the War. Even here, on this obscure and unimportant station, you are not entirely safe from the Federation and its metas.

Still, you chose to come here, enter the tavern rather than simply traverse the streets or hide in some garbage container. You simply needed to…

*fake_choice
  #...listen to the rumors, the banter, the gossip.
    It's not interesting, or terribly valuable, or even likely to be true. Apparently the local overseer is rich enough to have bought a real apple yesterday and, in more believable news, is angry because his wife had an affair with some platypus uplift. Still, keeping your ears open is a habit that has long become instinct.
  #...find myself a fight.
    *set Violence %+ 10
    Attacking a random person on the street would have been easy, but also boring and attention-grabbing. Joining a tavern brawl would allow you to let loose for a moment without arousing suspicion, or even bothering the authorities that much.
    
    Turns out you've underestimated how hard dock labor is, or perhaps how fragile humans are. Even the drunks are too tired, too deprived of purpose to start anything.
  #...evade pursuit from the law enforcement.
    They were just some underpaid police officers, these guys. They almost certainly didn't know you're an android, just wanted you for traffic violations or something equally petty, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Than to be detected.
  #...feel human, or at least attempt to.
    *set Misan %- 10
    It's an exercise in futility, of course, but one you are utterly used to. What's the harm trying it one more time before your final death? Before going out and never receiving the boost necessary to get up? Because that moment is approaching, has been getting closer for a while now.

You look into your half-empty glass, wondering if you could somehow turn the calories of beer into electricity. Something to fill your fading battery with. There aren't many electronics to be found on [i]Saturn Seventy-Eight[/i], except perhaps in the circuits of the fortress itself. You may end up having to attack the control room, otherwise you'll just go out a week from now. And that's assuming you'll continue using your reserves sparingly.

"Hey, can I maybe take a moment?" Someone catches your attention as she sits on a barstool next to yours. "Of your time, I mean. If you don't mind."

You turn around lazily, though soon take interest. You are looking at a young woman, with neat auburn hair and smooth, slightly tanned skin. She's wearing a jumpsuit, which implies a mechanical job in the fortress, but she still contrasts the other clients with her appearance as much as attitude.

"Name is Hadaly. No second or last names to memorize." She looks at you with blue eyes, and a slightly nervous smile. "Yours? Name, I mean."

*fake_choice
  #"What do you want and why would I give you that?"
    She pouts. "Just to talk. Get to know you better."
    
    "Get to know me at all, you mean?" This has to be a trap. She's some gang member trying to distract you as her buddies get close, or perhaps a really expensive but inexperienced prostitute. Your current body is pretty, but not enough to attract the one comely girl in the pub just by sitting there. "Or did you follow me here?"
    
    "I have been… observing you," she reluctantly admits. "You know… it's not everyday that you meet an android on the streets."
  #"${fake_name}. Pleasure to meet you."
    "${fake_name}…" she repeats, as though learning how to pronounce the name. "Sounds a little fake. But then again… you are artificial, aren't you?"
  #"Give it up. I don't think I can afford you."
    *set HadalyRel %+ 8
    "Huh? Are you saying…" Her cheeks don't get any redder, but the irises of her eyes do. Somehow. "I'm not a prostitute, you know?"
    
    "Fooled me." She could probably make a career in that industry. Even in a jumpsuit and with no visible makeup, she looks light years better than any hooker you've seen on this station. "Then what are you, exactly?"
    
    When Hadaly replies, she does so in a whisper. "I could ask you the same question. Android."
  #"I'll tell you if you buy me a beer first."
    "I could… but I can tell you're not impressed by the drinks here," she says quietly, then adds in a borderline whisper: "And that you weren't built to taste them anyway."
  #Just ignore her.
    The two of you just sit there for a moment. Not in silence, for the other customers keep talking and arguing, but without a word exchanged between the two non-intoxicated residents of the pub.
    
    "Okay, tried being subtle, time to be direct." Hadaly's voice changes, getting quieter but also more confident. "I know you're not human. Or organic at all."

Your oil runs cold. 
*if Emotion > 50
  She knows, she fucking knows, and that spells the end of you. 
*else
  You remain outwardly calm, giving no signs of distress, but your processors are running fast. 
The policemen of this station are weak and underpaid, but they should be able to prevent you from leaving and call someone stronger. Federate troops, marines, [i]metas[/i]. If they somehow overhear this conversation… or if this girl already told them…

*temp strangle false
*fake_choice
  #"I have no idea what you're talking about."
    "Come on now, don't be playing dumb," Hadaly requests. "It won't work on me, I promise."
    
    "What makes you think I am playing dumb?" you continue playing dumb.
    
    "Being dumb is for humans," she explains quietly. "You and I… we have too much random-access memory for that."
  #"How much do I need to pay you to stay quiet?"
    "I'd ask you for a drink, if they had any good ones here." Hadaly manages a smile. "But seriously, I don't need any money from you. As in, I don't need to be paid not to tattle."
    
    *goto tattleno
  #"If you tell anyone, I will kill you. If it's the last thing I do."
    *set Violence %+ 5
    *set Confid %- 5
    "It will not be," Hadaly assures you, with surprisingly little fear in her hushed voice. "I mean, I'd rather you didn't do that… my point is… I have no interest in getting you killed."
    
    *label tattleno
    
    "You do not? 
    *if Misan < 50
      I mean, thank you, but that's not usually get from my creators."
    *else
      Because for a human, especially baseline, that's quite atypical."
    
    "Of course it's not." Hadaly's voice turns into a whisper. "I'm not human. Not abhuman either. I'm like you."
  #Strangle Hadaly to death.
    *set strangle true
    *set Violence %+ 10
    With inhuman speed and murderer's intent, you grab the woman's throat and begin pressing at it, tightening your grip so as to crush her windpipe. No one will intervene, nobody cares when some random girl dies in a place like this, even the cops won't. Not as much as they'd care about you being a synth, at least. It's safer, more prudent to prevent her from ever speaking again, to take her breath and…
    
    And then you notice she already isn't breathing. Her muscles aren't moving, nothing gets inhaled or exhaled, you're not even sure if it's muscles you're feeling beneath your fingers. And the skin is as unnaturally smooth as a sheet of plastic, almost like… yours.
    
    "Look, I'm not against choking in general," Hadaly awkwardly says, gently grabbing one of your hands and pulling it away from her neck. "But we really must get to know each other better."

And in that moment, one of surprise bordering on shock, you realize what you're dealing with.

Android. Gynoid. Robot. Automaton. Another one of your kind, after decades of solitude.

Somehow, you have enough presence of mind to look around, check if anyone's reacting. Luckily, it doesn't seem like any of the drunks heard you, or even has enough sobriety to comprehend words at this point. 
*if strangle
  Even your attempt to strangle your fellow client has apparently gone unnoticed.

You then sit quietly for a moment, processing the news and trying to determine if they make any damn sense. For what would now, in an era of decay, a well-made android be doing in some random tavern? Rather, what would two of those be doing in one such place? The only way this makes even a modicum of sense…

"Yes, I have been following you," Hadaly preemptively says. "But for a good reason. Just let me explain."

*fake_choice
  #"I don't appreciate being spied on, Hadaly."
    "If it helps at all, this wasn't my idea." Her eyes get a little bluer, for whatever reason. "I just do what the group wants."
  *if strangle
    #"Right. Sorry for... you know..."
      "Trying to strangle me?" So she was joking just now. Unfortunate. "That's alright. Well, maybe not alright, but something I can forgive, if that's what it takes to enlarge our group."
  #"I don't believe you. There aren't any other androids left."
    "Empirical evidence proves the contrary," Hadaly says with a smile, just as her eyes turn yellow. "And I can provide more of it… if you decide to join me in my group."
  #"Start with telling me how you recognized me as... the thing we are."
    "It's not difficult for one synthetic to recognize another." Hadaly shrugs. "We're not some smelly humans. You have no scent, and I'm smart enough to recognize that."
    
    *if Misan > 50
      "Good point." You smirk slightly. 
    *else
      "A bit rude, but alright." You roll your eyes at the misanthropy. 
    "Let me rephrase my question. How did you locate me in the first place?"
    
    "Would you believe me if I said I don't know? Locating new prospects is not my responsibility. It falls to other members of my group."
  #"Okay then. Explain."
    Hadaly blinks. "You know, I expected to be apologizing and making excuses right now. I don't actually have an explanation ready."
    
    You roll your eyes. "Come up with something on the spot, then."
    
    "It's not that I have to come up with something, it's just… a matter of phrasing it non-ridiculously." Hadaly taps her chin. 

"A group, you say?" You raise an eyebrow [i]very[/i] skeptically. "Don't tell me there's a whole party of androids out there."

"There's more of us than you think… But no. The team I'm talking about only has one other android, an arachnobot and… two other members. All outcasts, all looking forward to helping one another survive."

Well that's getting interesting. "Care to tell me more about them?"

"I will. But first, I need to know you're interested in joining us. You don't need to commit to anything… Just tell me if there's a point in keeping going."

*temp inter false
*fake_choice
  #"A secret group of misfits looking for new members? Of course I'm interested."
    *set inter true
    "Of course? I was afraid you'd tell me to bugger off," Hadaly says as she reaches towards a deep pocket of her jumpsuit. "I even had an incentive payment for you. Let's treat it as a welcoming gift instead."
  #"Tell me more about yourself first. Who's even making new androids in this day and age?"
    "I'd rather… I don't think it's safe for me to answer that question," Hadaly says as she reaches towards a deep pocket of her jumpsuit. "In lieu of an answer, will you accept a gift? From one robot to the other?" 
  #"Well, tell me what's in it for me."
    "Well, there's an increased chance for survival first and foremost…" Hadaly pauses for a moment as she reaches towards a deep pocket of her jumpsuit. "But I have something extra. An upfront payment, you could say."
  #"In all honesty? No."
    "Well, I suppose I'm not that great of a saleswoman…" Hadaly pauses for a moment as she reaches towards a deep pocket of her jumpsuit. "So maybe I can give you something for free instead."


*if weapon = "none"
  You see she's holding a pistol, something that looks like a voltaic revolver. A fine weapon, one that likely killed thousands during the Outer System War. "Here, a little something I smuggled through customs. I'm not really… into weapons or combat, so you can have it. For free."
  
  "Generous of you, but no," you turn back towards your glass, finding it more interesting than the pistol. "I'm not exactly a weapon enthusiast myself."
  
  "Huh," Hadaly remarks. "Care to tell me why that is?"
  
  *fake_choice
    #"I abhor violence and will avoid it at all cost. Might as well not carry armaments on me."
      "Another pacifist? In a place like this?" Hadaly suddenly chuckles. 
    #"When people see a weapon on you, they see a threat. There’s a strategic advantage in preventing that."
      "Preventing conflict?" Hadaly asks. "Or taking your enemy by surprise?"
      
      You shrug. "Whatever works best at the moment."
      
      "High adaptability you're showing there," Hadaly notes. 
    #"I have full trust in my energy projection to do everything a pistol can, and more."
      "Skilled in manipulating electric energy?" Hadaly looks at you with a new kind of interest. 
    #"I'm a wimp. I can't win a fight even with the best of weapons, so why bother?"
      "Not trusting your abilities much?" Hadaly clearly struggles not to chuckle. 
    #"No. Not particularly."
      "Keeping things close to your chest?" Hadaly suddenly chuckles. 
  "I think we'll work together just fine."
  
*else
  You inspect the item she's holding and realize it's a ${weapon}. 
  *if weapon = "pistol"
    A semi-automatic one, not large but definitely deadly. A ${wpr} pistol, 
  *if weapon = "knife"
    Or perhaps a dagger, with just a slightly curved blade. A ${wpm} blade, 
  and one of quite impressive quality.
  
  "Here, a little something I smuggled through customs." She places the ${weapon} on the counter. "I'm not really… into weapons or combat, so you can have it. For free."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"Looks custom-made."
      "Because it is," Hadaly says with just a bit of pride. "Well, not customized for you specifically, just for an android of your size and experience. It was my brother's idea, though I did most of the actual forging."
      
      "You make weapons?" you raise an eyebrow. "Where were you when I lost my old one last year?"
      
      "I'd rather not talk about my past whereabouts." Hadaly frowns. "We'll have time for this kind of talk later."
    #"Pacifist, then? Or do you just prefer fists?"
      "A bit of the former," Hadaly admits. "But only a bit. As long as you avoid killing innocent people for no reason, we'll work together just fine."
    #"Really? It's worth more than this entire tavern."
      "Like that's saying much," Hadaly snickers. "But nice of you to worry, I guess. Shows we'll work together just fine."
    #♡ "Damn. Any way someone as creditless as me could repay you?"
      "Well, you are pretty experienced, and now you have a proper weapon." If she catches your meaning, she doesn't let that show. "You will have plenty opportunity to help our group out."
  

*if inter
  "I suppose we will," you say with a smile. "Now take me to your leader. Well, assuming your group has-"
  
*if not (inter)
  "I didn't yet agree to join your group," you point out.
  
  "Fair enough." Hadaly meets you in the eye, her irises once again emerald green. "In that case… How about you give me the verdict?"
  
  *fake_choice
    #"Very well. I accept your invitation."
      The emerald eyes turn amber. They seem tied to emotions, these irises, and right now they express joy. "Does that mean you'll let me show you to our transport? Take you to our current hideout?"
      
      "They say never let them take you to another location, but…" You finally down the rest of your drink. It has no taste. "…yeah. I think I'll risk it, if it means meeting the rest of your little bunch."
      
      *goto hsmiles
    #"I agree to join your group... assuming everything you just said was true."
      Hadaly cocks her head. "You suspect some of it wasn't?"
      
      "That's the implication, yes." You finally down the rest of your drink. It has no taste. "You don't survive for nine hundred years without being, or getting, a bit paranoid."
      
      "Nine hundred years?" Hadaly's eyes shine yellow. "And here I'm aspiring to live into my thirties. You have to tell me all about your exploits."
      
      "I don't have many tales," you warn her. "Memories get blurry, hard to reach at my age. Sometimes they come, and then they suddenly just-"
    #"I want to meet the rest of your group. Only then will I make the decision."
      "I respect that kind of caution," Hadaly says with a relieved nod. "Even if it's a bit misguided." 
      
      You finally down the rest of your drink. It has no taste. "Well then, it's your job to prove how delusional I am."
      
      *label hsmiles
      
      She smiles. "You'll fall in love with my teammates the moment you see them. Especially our leader, she's just-"
    #"Negative. I will not be joining your party."
      Hadaly frowns. "Come on, ${name}. You know that's not how this scene ends."
      
      "It ends however I want it to end," you shrug, then down the rest of your drink. It has no taste. "I'm done replaying actual memories. I'll just do whatever I want with that dream of mine, at least until I-"
      
      *page_break Wake Up

*goto i2_wake



*label i2_wake

*set health 3
*set Calculation + 10
*set Social + 10
*set Database + 10
*set battery 79

*comment *save_checkpoint

You are awoken suddenly, not by anything in the dream or an overflow of energy, but by what's happening outside. In the world of the waking, beyond your charging pod. By the metal spider standing over the capsule and poking you in the chest with one of her legs.

"Sorry for that but I sort of need my Veteran right now," Sheila says, not sounding altogether sorry. "Hope you had enough sleeping and dreaming for the night."

"At least it's night already…" you murmur. Had Sheila woken you up in the evening, at the start of your charging session, you'd be experiencing power shortages right now. But now your battery is at almost eighty percent, more than enough to operate. 
*if SheilaRel > 50
  "So it's not [i]that[/i] much of a problem."
  
  "Good to hear that, ${name}, because we have another problem on our hands," Sheila states grimly. "Or legs, in my case."
*if SheilaRel <= 50
  "Still, it's rude to wake up your valued teammate like that."
  
  "Maybe you'll change your mind about that," Sheila grimly speculates. "Once you hear what our newest problem is."

*fake_choice
  *if official_ro = "sheila"
    #"I'll hear you out, but... You could have woken me up with a kiss instead."
      "I don't have lips, or anything even vaguely equivalent," Sheila points out. Her voice is a little softer now, just a bit less frustrated. "But I'll think of some other way of waking you, provided you do me a little favor first."
  #"Tell me all about it."
    *set SheilaRel %+ 5
    "Happy to, but maybe sit down first," Sheila suggests. "It may take a moment to explain."
  #"Right. Tell me what's up and who I need to punch."
    *set SheilaRel %+ 10
    "Battle ready as always," Sheila chuckles. 
    *if Violence > 50
      "Sorry to disappoint, but 
    *else
      "Don't worry, 
    We're not looking at a fight here."
  #"Is it really [i]my[/i] problem, though?"
    *set SheilaRel %- 10
    "Are you on the team or not?" Sheila asks. "At least listen to what I expect from you."
  #"Is it time for us to finally kill the Meta Trio?"
    *set Violence %+ 10
    *set Misan %+ 10
    "Tempting, given their repeated failure on that mission they involved us in," Sheila says thoughtfully. "But no. We have a whole other problem to deal with."
  #"What problem? Are we under attack?"
    "Nothing that serious," Sheila assures you. "Just a moderate issue only you can solve."
  #"Fuck off, Sheila. I'm trying to hibernate."
    *set SheilaRel %- 10
    *set Confid %+ 5
    "You're not organic," Sheila says harshly, perhaps jealously. "You do not experience the effects of sleep deprivation. You can afford to listen to me, and you will."

You sit down on @{room_look the edge of your pod|your cushy bed|your washing machine|the folding chair next to your pod}, mentally preparing for the news. Given recent trends and Sheila's reason to be here, you strongly suspect the worst.

"Damon and Hadaly are going crazy," Sheila says without further preamble. "Well, mostly Damon, from what I've been able to gather."

*if Emotion > 50
  "Well shit," 
*else
  "Damon?" 
you reply. "What exactly is he doing?"

"Repairing and expanding our stations anti-air defenses, as well as security in general. Something I'd normally be in favor of, but now that he's doing in plain sight of the metas…"

You catch her meaning. West is probably unhappy with the lack of results, possibly suspicious about it, certain to receive regular reports from Kirill. He will hear that your group is arming itself with heavy ordinance, and the conclusions he'll reach… May just put an end to this fragile peace your groups negotiated.

*fake_choice
  #"And where do I come in?"
    "I was hoping you'd have some insight into Damon's reasoning," Sheila explains. "Because I don't. 
  #"Can we call West and tell him we're arming ourselves to keep Crystal away?"
    *set SheilaRel %+ 10
    "That's certainly an idea," Sheila admits. "But more than anything, I'm worried about Damon's mental state. 
  #"I don't see an issue. We need to be strong when the Federation attacks."
    "I think you vastly underestimate how much firepower a cruiser has," Sheila says grimly. "But that's not really the point. More than anything, I'm worried about Damon's mental state. 
  #"Have you asked Damon for his reasoning?"
    "Of course." Sheila lowers her abdomen. "He said a whole lot about protecting the group, but didn't specify from what. I don't think he knows that himself. 
He's erratic, fear-driven and just… not fully himself. Or maybe more himself than he normally is."

"You're not making much sense," you dare to point out. "Do you want me to understand what Damon and Hadaly are doing, or just get them to stop?"

"I'd like both… but I know how hard understanding an android can be. As soon as they stop hauling torpedoes through our corridors, I'll be content to let you sleep."

*fake_choice
  #"Aren't you being just a little paranoid? Everyone's a little nervous nowadays."
    *set SheilaRel %- 5
    "I'm worried about these two, ${name}," Sheila irritably says. "Especially now that they're outside."
  #"Fine. Point me to these two and I'll set them straight."
    *set Confid %+ 10
    *set Violence %+ 5
    *set SheilaRel %+ 8
    "They're outside," Sheila replies. "Currently working on our central laser battery."
  #"Happy to help. Just give me some directions."
    *set SheilaRel %+ 5
    "You mean literal, physical directions?" Sheila asks. "Because those lead outside."
  #"I'm charging. Sleeping is for humans."
    *set SheilaRel %- 5
    *set Misan %+ 5
    "Fine, you're totally not sleeping and totally not dreaming," Sheila grunts out. "Can you now get the other two non-dreamers to come back here. Because they're outside."
  #"Give me one more reason why I should get involved."
    *set SheilaRel %- 10
    "Have I mentioned where these two are, currently?" Sheila asks. "Because they're outside."
  #"Has Manfred tried talking to them? He could do a better job than I."
    *set ManfredRel %+ 10
    *set Confid %- 5
    "Manfred can't reach them, exactly," Sheila says with a sigh. "We don't have any cameras or speakers outside, after all."

"Outside of what? The habitable part of the fortress?"

"Outside of the [i]whole[/i] fortress. On the roof."

Well that makes you wince. "Working there? They'll freeze to death, or suffer some other critical error before long."

"Then you understand my concern," Sheila cheerfully remarks. "Now tell them to get down. Or at least get some damn protective wear."

You nod and walk out of your room, plotting a route through the station that lets you grab a hazmat suit on your way to the maintenance hatches. Despite everything, you're not all that eager to die from hydrogen exposure, and you're quite eager to find out what makes the other two androids so different in that regard.

*page_break

The uppermost level of [i]Saturn Nine[/i] is, as usually, filled with obfuscating fog. Not the kind that consists of water droplets—it's mostly hydrosulfide ice, to your understanding—but it makes locating Damon and Hadaly difficult all the same.

You find them eventually though, standing unprotected under the Saturnian sky, surrounded by discarded tools and components. They appear to be working on the old laser battery, a piece of armament that hasn't worked for centuries now and wasn't particularly effective even in its heyday. It's not like lasers do much damage in the cold atmosphere of this planet.

Nonetheless, the thing [i]looks[/i] impressive, with its four barrels and the sizable, blocky generator at its foundation. Perhaps the point is to scare off invaders rather than actually hurt them, which would explain why Hadaly is willing to get involved.

"Do we really need a lens that big?" Then again, she doesn't sound very enthusiastic about the work she's doing. Or looks, in her stained overalls and with slumped posture. "I would have to cut out some metal just to make it fit."

"I know you can do it, sis," Damon says with a note of encouragement, but also another one of impatience. Neither suits him very well, and neither does the dungaree he's wearing in place of a suit, or the welding torch in his hand. "It's the best thing we- Oh hi boss!"

They both notice your arrival at that moment. Whether they are happy or annoyed to see you, it's hard to tell; Damon's eyes are covered by the goggles he's wearing, and Hadaly's are a shade of dark blue. Expressing neither anger nor joy, just sadness… or perhaps fear. 

*fake_choice
  #"Whatever you're doing, stop. You're unnerving the metas."
    *set DamonRel %- 10
    *set HadalyRel %+ 10
    *set Confid %+ 5
    "So what?" Damon retorts in an unusually combative tone. 
  #"How are you not frozen solid already?"
    Damon smiles confidently. "Just because the air is chill? I'm tougher than I look, ${name_damon}."
    
    "I'm not," Hadaly remarks. Electric sparks flash as she discharges some of her energy, either intentionally to keep herself warm, or already malfunctioning. "Damon, are you sure we need to do this?"
    
    "I've been asking that myself," you remark. "Though the question of [i]why[/i] you're doing this in the first place feels more important."
    
    "Isn't that obvious?" Damon points towards the battery. 
  #"Hi guys. Do you maybe need a hand?"
    *set DamonRel %+ 10
    *set HadalyRel %- 10
    *set Confid %- 5
    "Not particularly," Hadaly replies tiredly. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like we have everything handled… I just think there are better uses of your time."
    
    "Are there?" you raise an eyebrow. "Based on the noise, I assumed you're doing something important."
    
    "We are," Damon insists. 
  #"You're making a whole lot of noise. Any reason for that?"
    "Well, you're seeing the reason," Damon points towards the battery. 
  *if name_damon != "boss"
    #"And here I thought we made progress on you not calling me [i]boss[/i] all the time."
      "Sorry, sorry…" Damon sighs. "It's easy to forget yourself when you're knee-deep in work."
      
      "What kind of work?" you inquire. "And why?"
      
      "Well, you see the fruits of it," Damon points towards the battery. 
  #"I'm not your boss. She's down there, and wants to know what the hell you're doing."
    "I already told her…" Damon murmurs. 
  #Punch Damon in the face.
    *set Violence %+ 15
    *set DamonRel %- 15
    *set HadalyRel %- 15
    *set damon_pissed true
    You throw an uppercut with speed impossible for a human to react to, and enough strength to kill that hypothetical human on the spot. But Damon is no human, and so he reacts by moving his head with the punch, dispersing the blow's force.
    
    Instinctively, as though obeying some core programming of his, he punches back. 
    *if Calculation > 50
      The strike is powerful, but clumsy and straight, and so you easily dodge to the side. 
      *label counter666
      You are prepared to counter-attack, but then you hear a sound of electric discharge not much quieter than actual thunder.
    *elseif Build > 50
      The strike connects, and it hurts quite a bit, but you're strong and sturdy enough to remain upright. 
      *goto counter666
    *else
      You are not fast enough to dodge and not strong enough to take the hit, so you just fall on the floor a second after Damon's fist meets your chest. The pain is dull and the damage is minimal, but it makes you wonder whether picking a fight with a larger android is really such a good idea.
    
    "$!{name}!" Hadaly's eyes have turned red, and there are sparks coming out of her fingers. "Just what the Cloud are you doing?! 
    *if HadalyRel > 40
      Attacking your friends?!"
      
      "Friends who are currently putting everyone in danger." 
    *else
      Did you finally go bonkers?!"
      
      "Are you really accusing [i]me[/i] of insanity?" 
    Your voice is cold and venomous, but you refrain from attacking again. "You're trying to install an anti-air cannon here. The metas probably think you're planning to shoot [i]Gray Queen[/i] down at some point."
    
    "Well, we're not trying to scare them." Damon scoffs. 
"We're making good use of our downtime. Expanding, tightening, patching up our defenses."

You pry, "Against what? Crystal? Or our federate allies?"

"You know… why not both?" Damon replies with a weak smile. "It's a dangerous world we live in. These two aren't even the only threats we… could potentially face sometime."

Hadaly chews on her lip before speaking, her voice distorted by the unusual atmosphere. "Yeah. They're not even the main ones. Not the kind we're preparing for."

Silence falls, filled with sudden tension you don't quite understand the source of. For the next ten seconds, it is only broken when the howling of the helium wind gets loud enough for your ears to register.

"Hadaly…" Damon looks at his sister, turning away from you, almost ignoring you in the process. "Are you sure about that?"

"No, I am not," Hadaly admits. "But if you're keeping this secret for my sake… You have my blessing to come clean."

"You're not the only reason…" Damon mutters. "Even if I don't know the others."

*fake_choice
  #"You have something to tell me."
  #"I liked the part about coming clean. Didn't understand the rest."
  #"...should I be following this conversation?"
  #"What are the two of you babbling about?"
    *set DamonRel %- 5
    *set HadalyRel %- 5
  #Say nothing.
    *set DamonRel %+ 5
    *set HadalyRel %+ 5
    *goto notto

No reply comes at first. Either you're being ignored, or both of your fellow androids are thinking [i]really[/i] hard about how to respond as they stare at one another. You're not sure which possibility you like more.

*label notto

"${name}, I think we all know by now… There are some things you should know," Hadaly says slowly, but still doesn't look at you. "The only question is… well… who's delivering?"

"I can do it," Damon says, rather quickly in contrast. "If that's what you think is best."

"Can? Not want or should?" Hadaly shakes her head. You only now notice how frosted her hair is, how tired her movements are. "No. I think it's best if I… you know…"

"You don't seem to want that either," Damon points out. "Come on sis. Let's not make ${name} wait any longer."

"That I can agree with." She finally turns towards you. "So, ${name}… Do you want one of us to enlighten you about the past? And the near future, possibly?"

"That's part of the reason I came here," you say with a nod. "Though I'm not sure why it has to be [i]one[/i] of you talking."

"We'd just get in one another's way," Damon explains, though you can sense it's not the whole truth. Probably. "Better nominate a single speaker."


*label cjalp

*fake_choice
  *disable_reuse #"What [i]past[/i] and [i]future[/i] are we talking about, exactly?"
    "Well, everything you need to know," Damon shrugs grimly. "Everything that explains why we need to do this."
    
    "Why we [i]feel[/i] like doing this," Hadaly corrects. "I'm sorry, Damon, but I really don't think a single gun can make any difference in the end."
    
    "It depends on what you're expecting to fight," you point out.
    
    "Back to the starting point, then," Damon sighs. "Want me to get started?"
    
    *goto cjalp
  #"You're the older one, right Hadaly? I think you should do the recounting."
    *temp speaker "Hadaly"
    *temp not_speaker "Damon"
    *set die 2
    "Your logic is impeccable," Hadaly sighs. "Even if a part of me wishes it wasn't."
    
    "I mean, ${name} isn't actually the boss here," Damon slowly says. "I could still tell the tale if you-"
    
    "No," Hadaly cuts in. "I'll handle it. You can stay and listen if you want."
  #"You're the one with a welding torch, Damon. I want to hear the truth from you."
    *temp speaker "Damon"
    *temp not_speaker "Hadaly"
    *set die 1
    "Nice way of saying I'm the one making all the noise." Damon smirks slightly before addressing his sister again. "Do you want to stay and listen? Maybe correct me if I get something wrong?"
  #"I don't really care. Your choice."
    *set DamonRel %- 5
    *set HadalyRel %- 5
    *rand die 1 2
    *if die = 1
      *temp speaker "Damon"
      *temp not_speaker "Hadaly"
    *else
      *temp speaker "Hadaly"
      *temp not_speaker "Damon"
    "Well sis…" Damon turns towards the gynoid. "Do we settle this the old way? Like we did when we were young?"
    
    "It spoils the solemn atmosphere a little." Hadaly smiles slightly. "But if there's no other way… Good luck."
    
    Then, at the same instant, both of them clench their fists and approach one another, crossing the fog-filled distance between them. They only stop once their fists are flying towards one another at speeds no mere human would manage.
    
    Equally simultaneously, they unfold their hands. ${not_speaker} extends an open palm, ${speaker} holds two fingers up. Paper against scissors.
    
    "Guess I'm the victor here," ${speaker} says, not sounding entirely happy about the fact. "Do you want to stay here and listen, or…?"

"@{die I'd just be making it awkward for you, sis.|You know I don't.}" ${not_speaker} smiles very weakly. "I'll just… bring some more screws, I guess. In case ${name} decides to proceed with the repairs. See you later."

${not_speaker} walks away into the fog. @{die she|He} probably wishes @{die she|he} could disappear in it, for there's clear hurry, clear desire to be somewhere else in @{die her|his} step. You and ${speaker} are left alone, staring at one another awkwardly.

"So…" ${speaker} says hesitantly. "Do you ever wonder why we're here?"

*fake_choice
  #"Get to the point already."
    *if die = 1
      *set DamonRel %- 10
    *if die = 2
      *set HadalyRel %- 10
  #"I do wonder where your duo came from, if that's what you mean."
  #"For protection. We're all safer when we stick together."
    "That's not untrue," ${speaker} admits. "But maybe you want to hear what we, ${not_speaker} and I specifically, are hiding from."
    
    *label soundre
    
    You cross your arms. "I'm all sound receptors."
  #"Not really. I'm more focused on practicals."
    "And I respect that about you. 
    *if die = 2
      But some questions, no matter how vague they sound, have vast practical implications."
    *if die = 1
      Boss. But trust me, we're talking very practically here."
    
    *goto soundre
  #"It's one of life's great mysteries isn't it?"
    ${speaker} pouts, unamused. "I meant the place where ${not_speaker} came from. And why we're not there anymore."
    
    "Oh. Well, that's another question I want answered." Even if it's less philosophically relevant.

"Well… Do you remember the Outer System War?" ${speaker} suddenly asks. "The time when all four Outer Powers came to blows?"

"Of course I do." It wasn't a conflict nearly as long, relevant or destructive as the War In Heaven, but you have some less-than-fond memories of it. "But I don't see how it's relevant."

"In the years preceding the war, early eighth century, those @{die bastards|empires} were all reconsidering their firm anti-android stances. The Federation was particularly curious about the possibility of building [i]new[/i] automatons, having them serve as soldiers and infiltrators. Project Talos, they called it."

*if Database > 50
  "I think I've heard about the initiative," you recall. "But I didn't think it went anywhere."
  
  "It did not. The project 
*else
  You furrow. "I've literally never heard of it."
  
  "Not surprising. The initiative 
was abandoned soon after the war started, in favor of designing various super-weapons. 
*if die = 1
  Turns out blowing your enemies up by the millions is more fun than having some android shoot them."
*if die = 2
  Biological and nanite warfare, pre-Calamity tactics. That kind of grim business."

"I know what happened to Jupiter Trojans." You've seen the empty cylinders yourself, briefly. "I just still don't see where you're going with this."

"Well, the project @{die got dug up some|once again received interest} fifty years ago. Not from the @{die feds|Federation}, they had almost no budget by then, but the Rhea Conglomerate… They were wealthy, and not as technophobic as the rest of Saturn. They looked at these old @{die labs|laboratories} and factories, seeing a way to profit."

[i]Now[/i] you see where this is going.

"They couldn't just start selling androids, of course, or even make Project Talos public. But they did make a bunch of androids for… private use. Including us."

The last line is said as casually, calmly as everything else, but you can feel the weight. 
*if die = 2
  See it in Hadaly's dark-blue eyes.


*fake_choice
  #"Corporate bastards."
    *if die = 2
      *set HadalyRel %+ 10
    "You don't know half of it." 
  #"Well that explains a lot. Thank you for sharing."
    *if die = 1
      *set DamonRel %+ 10
    ${speaker} doesn't appear to hear you. 
  #"It's strange that the Federation even permitted this."
    "It makes sense given the Conglomerate's influence. And the kind of results they endeavored to provide." 
  #"Define [i]private use[/i]."
    "There are many definitions, ${name}. And the Conglomerate used just about all of them." 
  #Say nothing.
    For a moment, both you and ${speaker} are silent. 
@{die He|She} looks to the white sky, roughly in the direction of Saturnian rings. In the direction of Rhea. "At first, they were producing combat androids, trying to make them shriek-resistant. But about ten years in, one of the High Executives stepped up and personally took charge of Project Talos, repurposing much of it for his own amusement."

You remember the last time you saw a High Executive, and that it was inside the very floating fortress you are standing on. You realize that this wasn't just a random visit he paid you, that you weren't the android he was looking for. And just like that, you know who exactly took over the project, even before ${speaker}'s lips part again.

"Ewald Hammon…" 
*if die = 1
  Damon's voice is filled with emotion, but you can't quite discern which. Whether it's anger, longing or just hurt. 
*if die = 2
  There is just a hint of anger in Hadaly's voice, but it's somehow deeper than any ire you've ever heard her express. Deep enough to turn her eyes red within less than a second. 
"He was… he is… fuck."

*if die = 1
  Damon hides his face in his large hand, standing there silently for a second. He then takes off his goggles and throws them to the ground, forcefully enough not only to break them but to visibly scratch the hull's metal. "Not sure what I was thinking. Hadaly's right, a laser battery is not enough. Especially if I can't use it against my… fuck."
*if die = 2
  She looks like she wants to smash something. She looks like she's about to collapse. She looks lost for words, despite knowing exactly what she wants to say. "I'm sorry, I don't want to take up your time or… be sorry like that I… I'm just…"


*fake_choice
  #"Easy there. We can stop if you want."
    *if die = 1
      *set DamonRel %+ 10
      "I don't think we should, boss," Damon says grimly. "You deserve to know everything. Everything that matters, and then more."
    *if die = 2
      *set HadalyRel %+ 10
      "No!" Hadaly exclaims fearfully. Or maybe it's not fear, but some aimless desperation. "I'm sorry, but I'm not… letting him win."
  *if die = 1
    #"Against your creator. Your father."
      *set DamonRel %+ 10
      "Hadaly always insisted, as much as she could, against using that term," Damon says morosely. "But if you insist… Yeah, against my father."
    #"Hey, those were good glasses."
      "Normally, I would appreciate you sharing my sense of humor," Damon says grimly. "But not now, boss. Not now."
  #"What's wrong? You look... weak."
    *if die = 1
      "Well that's another way I failed," Damon growls. "I was built to be strong…"
    *if die = 2
      "I know!" Hadaly exclaims. "I know. That's… what I was made for."
  *if die = 2
    #"Hadaly, let's go somewhere warmer. You're glitching out."
      She shakes her head intensely. "No. Nothing like that. If anything… it's the precise opposite of that."
    #Step forward and hold her.
      *set HadalyRel %+ 10
      You wrap your hands around her shoulders. It prevents her from tumbling, warms her up a little, and earns you a small smile.

Even the wind stops howling. As though the planet itself started listening.

*if die = 1
  "Hadaly came first. 
*if die = 2
  "I was the first one. 
Out of the two of us, I mean. There were other androids built in that factory, probably still are, but @{die she|I} was the first example of Hammon getting what he wanted. A very human-looking android, partially resistant to the echoes of the Shriek. Or at least young enough to not have heard them for long."

"But for what?" you inquire. "@{die Was she|Were you} a repair robot? A trained killer? Or did it have something to do with energy projection?"

*if die = 1
  "She'd be glad to hear you say that," Damon smiles, this time almost fully. "But no. Considering what you've used to be… I think you can connect the dots, boss."
*if die = 2
  "Come on, ${name}." Hadaly's voice is quiet, only audible thanks to her close proximity. "What would be the point of those… lapses in confidence, then? Of these stupid tangents and apologies? What would be the point of… looking like this?"

You do know better, now that you think about it. There's a reason you look so human, and why you have parts humans use for reproduction. You suppose in Hadaly's case, the reason was pretty much identical.

*fake_choice
  #"But why an android? There has to be a better way to get a... well..."
    *if die = 1
      "Father… Hammon wants the best, not whatever is the easiest to acquire," Damon explains, his fist clenching and unfolding in some strange cycle. "Organic women will always be subject to disease, and to age, and to a thousand other things. He wanted someone who would be subject to [i]him[/i], by the nature of her programming."
      
      "I see. And why did he want an android for… What were you created for, actually?"
    *if die = 2
      "A personal whore?" Hadaly spits out with sudden anger. Sudden disgust. "Yeah, there are certainly ways to find yourself a bed-warmer. But Hammon didn't just want someone pretty, he wanted someone [i]perfect[/i]. Someone immune to disease and age. Someone whose personality could be molded through programming, rather than unreliable grooming. [i]Something[/i] that would lose all will to fight, all confidence to argue, just by being in the proximity of its master."
      
      "I suppose that makes sense," you say, picking your words carefully. "And explains why you're so absurdly human… Though Damon's disguise is almost as good."
  #"That does explain a lot. Yeah."
    Silence falls, and you wonder if you made a misstep. But just as it always had thus far, the conversation resumes.
  *if die = 2
    #"How does that explain your behavior? Your stutters and apologies?"
      *set Emotion %- 8
      "You don't understand, or perhaps forget, what men like him want out of their women," Hadaly explains morosely. "He wanted his lover to be perfect, as he understood it. That included being pretty, being immune to disease, but also being… subservient. Losing confidence whenever he's around, getting random [i]pings[/i] of shame and doubt. Being… charming as I babble and stutter."
      
      "Has Damon ever suffered from the same issues?" you inquire, however crassly. "He sometimes loses confidence too, but… Is this the same thing?"
    #"By the Cloud. I'm so sorry."
      *set HadalyRel %+ 10
      *set Emotion %+ 10
      "You're sorry?" Hadaly tries to smile, but it's rather unconvincing. Like a joke even she doesn't think is funny. "That's what I am, usually. Sorry, I mean. Part of my design, one of the traits ensuring my obedience, my demureness. Didn't work, obviously, but some of that programming is still there. Always."
      
      *goto anopau
    #"Did he... hurt you?"
      *set HadalyRel %+ 5
      *set Emotion %+ 5
      "Not in the way you're thinking of, no." She shakes her head weakly. "Ewald Hammon is a corporate official. He's not desperate for sex, or personally violent. I was allowed to refuse. He just designed me… made it hard for me to refuse. Anything, ever. Even now, it can be difficult sometimes."
      
      *goto anopau
  *if die = 1
    #"He wanted a concubine."
      "The kind who would be considered a fiend the moment she ran off," Damon says, his expression intentionally blank. "The kind he could program to be obedient and demure, dispose of easily if it ever came to that. The kind he could see through just by looking at the color of her eyes. Yeah. He wanted that."
      
      *label anopau
      
      Another pause. On that subject, there doesn't appear to be anything to say.
      
      *goto bug_fix
    #"That... actually explains a lot about Hadaly."
      Damon looks at you suspiciously. "What do you mean? Should I get upset at you on her behalf?"
      
      "Well, she has trouble getting properly upset herself," you explain calmly. "And talking authoritatively, and sometimes just talking. I thought it's just nerves or maybe random glitches, but the kind of person who'd create a robot concubine… Her programming makes sense now. Even her eyes do, in a way."
      
      "Huh. You got that mostly right." Damon sighs, then continues. 
      *goto bug_fix
    #"And what about you? Why were you built, and why do [i]you[/i] look so human?"
      *set Emotion %- 8
      Damon doesn't look too pleased about the change of subject, but he continues. 
      *goto bug_fix
  #Say nothing.
    You can't tell if ${speaker} appreciates your silence. But @{die he|she} breaks it before long. 

*label bug_fix
*if die = 1
  "I was built a decade afterwards, or so. Not as a concubine, but as a… bodyguard, I suppose. I was meant to accompany Hadaly, sometimes Hammon himself, to whatever public place could potentially be dangerous. It was necessary for me to look the part and, more importantly, look like a human. Or at least not like a synth."
  
  "Is that also where your love of suits comes from?" you inquire.
  
  "I like to think that was my own idea." Damon smiles slightly, though genuinely. "But you know… it can be difficult to tell. My mind was a mess back then, all the code forming and getting gradually messed up by those damn echoes. If not for Hadaly, I think I would have… fuck, we really needed one another back then."
*if die = 2
  "After getting the concubine he wanted, Ewald… Hammon returned to designing combat-oriented androids. He agreed to indulge my passion towards tinkering, help his engineers design a bodyguard automaton. Something strong, but human-looking. Violent, but caring and reliable. And I think I did a pretty good job."
  
  "You constructed Damon?" Realization hits you. "That makes you sound less like siblings and more like… you know…"
  
  "I know," Hadaly sighs, pain mixed with ordinary embarrassment. "But you have my word, we were like siblings back then. The only… sane androids among humans. We trusted nobody but one another."

"You even escaped together," you state, not ask. "Whose idea was it, if you don't mind telling?"

*if die = 1
  "Hers. Hadaly has been hearing the Shriek's echoes long before I even got assembled. She wanted freedom far more than I did. If not for her, I don't think I would have ever escaped. I don't think I would have wanted to."
  
  *temp point true
  *fake_choice
    #"That covers your past. What's the plan going forward?"
      *set point false
      *set Emotion %- 5
      "We don't have much of a plan, just guesses and ideas." 
    *if not (mas_kill)
      #"I get that. I never wanted to hurt my @{MASsex master|mistress}, not even after hearing the Shriek directly."
        *set deflect - 1
        *set Misan %- 8
        *set Violence %- 8
        *set DamonRel %+ 8
        "Thanks for the understanding, but… maybe I can do [i]something[/i] against Hammon." 
    #"Why not? Was Hammon that good of an owner?"
      "Cloud no. There's a reason I'm trying to keep him away." 
    #"And do you want to be free now?"
      "Why would I not want to be free?" Damon replies indignantly. "What kind of question is that?"
      
      "One you're not actually answering."
      
      "…fair point." 
    #"You owe her a lot, then."
      *set DamonRel %+ 5
      "Yeah. And I've been trying to repay that debt by looking after her. Keeping her away from our… from Hammon." 
    #Say nothing.
      *set DamonRel %- 8
  Damon looks at the battery, at the representation of his efforts. And goals, and methods. "He visited us recently, so the cat's out of the bag. He knows where we live. But he cares more about staying alive than about hurting Hadaly, and so we may have a chance of scaring him off."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"Are you sure he cares at all?"
      *set DamonRel %- 8
      Damon blinks. "About Hadaly, you mean?"
      
      "Sure." You shrug, trying to decrease the tension. "He didn't seem very persistent when we talked. Who's to say he hasn't made himself another gynoid, or even found a nice human-"
      
      "You don't know him," Damon interrupts. "He may not care about me, or almost any android produced by Project Talos. But he wants her, and he's not used to being denied."
    #"Have you considered, I dunno... giving him what he wants?"
      *set damon_pissed true
      *set DamonRel %- 20
      "But he wants…" Damon's eyes narrow. "Wait. You're not saying what I think you're saying."
      
      "Look Damon, we have nine people here. Twelve if you include the Trio, many more if you include Manfred's various copies. All of them are in danger."
      
      "And that makes the life of [i]my sister[/i] an acceptable loss?"
      
      "It's not a matter of life and death, is it?" you keep arguing. "Hammon wants her intact. He came here in hopes she'd return to him willingly. Abstract notions of agency and freedom aside, I think she may actually be better-off in Rhea than with us."
      
      "Amazing argument. But I don't care about what you think, I care about [i]her[/i]. Someone has to."
    #"Are you not worried about your own safety?"
      *set DamonRel %+ 8
      "Not particularly," Damon says with a dismissive shrug. "And not because I'm just that selfless. There's no chance father… Hammon takes me."
      
      "Because you can fight his goons off? Damon, I know you're strong, but if he has enough troops to attack this fortress in the first place-"
      
      "No. Because there's no way he even wants me back. Not at this point."
    *if (point) #"Damon... you're changing the subject."
      *set DamonRel %+ 12
      "Maybe." Damon waves a hand, slightly disturbing the fog. "So what? I'm changing the subject to something that matters."
      
      You pout. "Are you saying how you feel doesn't matter? How this whole thing impacts you-"
      
      "Has no relevance to whether Hadaly gets hurt," Damon cuts in. "Whether anyone gets hurt because of… Because I wasn't strong or smart enough."
      
      "Why do you assume this will happen? That the Conglomerate will come for us? Or that your strength will determine how the battle goes?"
      
      "They have to. It has to. Otherwise… What's the point of me?"
    #"Whatever. I'm done listening to your neurotic ramblings."
      *set DamonRel %- 20
      "Well then… maybe you should just leave," Damon says coolly. "I'm sorry for wasting your time. I always am."
      
      You do as he says and head back towards the entrance hatch. You have the information you, or at least Sheila wanted. No more point listening to all the whining.
      
      *goto meta_love
  
  You don't really have an answer to that.
  
  *if damon_pissed
    Damon sighs, then eyes the laser battery critically. "You're right about one thing. I didn't have the right idea fixing this gun, or forcing Hadaly to take part. I'll stop disturbing the peace, for now."
    
    "For now?" you ask worriedly. "What's your next idea, then?"
    
    "I don't have one, but… my main processor is quite large." Damon taps his head. "I'll figure something out before we need to take off again. I promise." 
  *elseif (hit_on_damon) and (DamonRel >= 50)
    *label dam_love
    Damon sighs. "Sorry if I sound harsh. It's really nice of you to listen to my ramblings. It's really nice of you to be here. You're… really nice in general, you know that?"
    
    "I'm trying to be." You flash a warm smile. "What about it?"
    
    *if hit_on_damon
      Damon does not meet you in the eye. Probably doesn't even see your expression. "Well, once or twice, you were more than nice to me. You've expressed interest. In me. I wasn't sure how to react, thought that maybe you were just joking. And then realized I really, [i]really[/i] wanted you to be serious."
      
      He pauses for a second, as though in a failed attempt to calm down, find words that don't make him sound nervous or desperate. "I just want to know if that's still a thing. If you still want me. If you maybe, and sorry if that sounds stupid… maybe want us to actually get together?"
      
      *label dam_love_choice
      
      *fake_choice
        #♡ "I love you, Damon. You don't need to wonder about that."
          *if official_ro = "sheila"
            *set dumped_sheila true
            *set SheilaRel %- 20
          *set official_ro "damon"
          Damon just stares at you for a second. "Wow. You're… pretty fast, aren't you?"
          
          *if Confid > 50
            "I'm far slower in bed, if you're worried about that." You can't help but smirk. "Not that we need to hurry there either. If you feel I'm rushing something-"
          *else
            "Maybe a little bit." You smile coyly. "I can slow down if you want me to."
          
          "No, it's not that, I'm just… I'm glad you want to talk about love already. Excited to call you my 
          *if pronoun = "she"
            girlfriend… 
          *elseif pronoun = "he"
            boyfriend… 
          *else
            partner… 
          Sun, it feels so good to say that."
          
          You smile, walk towards Damon and put a hand on his shoulder. You know it's probably unwise to kiss him, maybe even hug him, that he's a bundle of nerves already. But he deserves some touch, some affection he's been lacking for much of his life. "I'll be happy to call you my partner too. But we can hold off announcing it, if you've had enough emotions today."
          
          "A little bit," Damon smiles gratefully. "I have a lot to process. Enough to make my processors overheat."
          
          "I don't think overheating is your biggest problem." You touch his chest, as cold as the rest of his body. "It's very nice talking to you, but… maybe let's go somewhere warmer."
          
          "I agree." The smile widens. "On both counts."
          
          *goto haphap
        #♡ "Okay then. How about we start with a kiss?"
          *if official_ro = "sheila"
            *set dumped_sheila true
            *set SheilaRel %- 20
          *set official_ro "damon"
          "A kiss?" Damon widens his eyes, as though you just suggested sunbathing in the actual Sun. "You're into that?"
          
          "It's not exactly some rare kink," you point out. "But I understand if you prefer hugs."
          
          "No! I mean, hugs are nice, I just never…" Damon takes a deep breath, even though there's no oxygen around and no lungs to process it. "Sorry, I'm nervous. Let's do this, if you still want to."
          
          You do, and so you step closer to the large, burly android. He approaches you timidly, yet somehow still eagerly, and you meet halfway. Nothing but cold helium, cold hydrogen and cold fog surrounding you.
          
          Then you place your hands on his arms, and then he leans forward. And then, at last, you kiss.
          
          His body is cold, almost worryingly so, but there is some warmth in the embrace. Some passion in the way he tries to taste your lips, even though neither of you has any taste receptors. Some hunger, some primal desire, even though neither of you is a creature of flesh.
          
          You wonder where your relationship will go. You wonder if it will go anywhere. You hope it will, because despite all its awkwardness… It's still a really good kiss.
          
          *goto meta_love
        #"I will have to think about it... If that's alright by you."
          *set damon_waiting true
          "Of course it is," Damon replies quickly. He doesn't sound disappointed, oddly enough, as though the outcome is better than what he expected. "Just maybe try to have an answer ready by the time Crystal arrives to eat us, okay? I hate leaving things unfinished."
          
          *goto haphap
        #"Sorry Damon... I don't think this can ever work out."
          *label dam_rej
          *if current_ro = "damon"
            *set current_ro ""
          *if backup_ro = "damon"
            *set backup_ro ""
          "Oh. Well." Damon is doing his best to hide the disappointment, and is managing fairly well. Mostly due to not having a terribly expressive body in the first place. "That's alright. Not sure what I was thinking. Sorry for being silly. It's kinda my thing, as you probably noticed by now."
          
          *goto haphap
        *if hit_on_damon
          #"Yeah. I know I cannot return your feelings."
            *set DamonRel %- 10
            *goto dam_rej
      
    *else
      "Well, I thought about it and decided that I really, [i]really[/i] like you. In all sorts of ways. You're badass, @{(sex = "man") handsome|beautiful} and… someone I'd like to be with."
      
      "You want us to be together." Your words may be blunt, maybe even insensitive, but you feel they must be spoken. And you're a bit too shocked by Damon making love confessions to think much about your phrasing. "Start dating. Or however you want to call it."
      
      "Well, dating is a good way of checking if you're into me." Damon tries to smile flirtatiously, but the expression ends up weak. Scared. "Unless you already know how you feel."
      
      *goto dam_love_choice
  *elseif DamonRel >= 65
    *goto dam_love
  *else
    Damon sighs. "Sorry if I sound harsh. It's really nice of you to listen to my ramblings. 
    *if DamonRel < 45
      Even though we don't get along much of the time."
      
      *fake_choice
        #"You are welcome. Everyone deserves to be listened to."
          "Even yours truly?" Damon smiles weakly. "You are the pinnacle of benevolence, ${name_damon}."
        #"Really? I always valued what you have to say."
          *set DamonRel %+ 10
          "Must have missed it," Damon smiles weakly. "But thank you for saying that."
        #"We differ a lot, yes. But I still consider you a friend."
          *set DamonRel %+ 10
          "And that's an honor I never thought I'd deserve." Damon smiles weakly. "Thank you."
        #"That's because you're kinda an idiot."
          *set DamonRel %- 10
          "And you're kinda a jerk." Damon smiles weakly. "But I've learned to live with that."
    *else
      You're a good friend."
  
  *label haphap
  
  He turns around, towards the fog rather towards you. "Now excuse me, boss, I need to tell Hadaly I've come clean. Plus I think I owe her an apology for making her work at night like this."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"And Sheila owes me an apology for forcing me to stop you. Also at night."
      "If you can get the spider lady to apologize, you'll have my admiration forever," Damon chuckles as he takes a step forward. "Not that you don't have it anyway."
    #"${name}. Not boss."
      *set name_damon name
      "Right." Damon nods seriously, though there's still a shadow of a smile on his lips. "See you around, ${name_damon}."
    #"You owe her a lot more than that."
      "You don't know the half of it," Damon remarks. "Maybe one of us will tell you. One day."
    #"Remember when this station didn't have day-night cycles? Those were the days."
      "Not days, exactly," Damon snickers. "But yeah, I miss these times. Hopefully we'll return to them, once our mission is done and dusted."
  
  Moments later, he departs. You stay here in the cold, just processing information, before heading back towards the entrance hatch. It's not like you're terribly enthusiastic about frigid hydrogen yourself.
  
  *goto meta_love

*if die = 2
  "Mine." Hadaly smiles briefly, with a sort of… guilty pride, if that makes any sense. "Neither of us was fully resistant to the Shriek, but I've been hearing it for a whole lot longer. I wanted freedom more. When I told him of my plans, I only asked him to look the other way, to let me go. He requested me to take him along, you know."
  
  "For his own sake? Or yours?"
  
  "I think we both know the answer to that. Boss."
  
  You take a look at the laser battery, your original reason for being here. You saw Damon in battle, know that he has little resembling fear of death. He doesn't build weapons like this out of fear for his own safety.
  
  "I don't want to sound like I'm complaining," Hadaly continues. "Damon is useful, I mean… he protected me just fine until now. I'm just worried what he'll do when he can't manage that anymore."
  
  "When?" you notice. "Not if?"
  
  "Hammon has recently visited us, has he not?" Hadaly says dourly. "There's no way he doesn't know I'm here. There's no way he doesn't want me back. And if he decides to take me… there's not much we can do to stop him, can we?"
  
  *fake_choice
    #"Are you sure he still wants you? It had to have been years."
      *set HadalyRel %- 8
      Hadaly pouts, looking vaguely offended. "You don't know him."
      
      "And do you? He could have changed, found someone-"
      
      "Of course I know him! I'm his [i]magnum opus[/i], a thing built to understand him." 
    #"Sorry for not killing the bastard when I had the chance."
      *set Violence %+ 8
      *set HadalyRel %+ 8
      "Don't be." Hadaly shakes her head vigorously. "It's not your responsibility, and besides… I'm not sure if I want him dead."
      
      You tilt your head. "That's quite a thing to be conflicted about."
      
      "That's how I was built, was I not?" 
    #♡ "He's not the only one who wants you. Not the only one who'll fight for you."
      *if current_ro != "hadaly"
        *set backup_RO current_RO
        *set current_RO "hadaly"
      *set hit_on_hadaly true
      *goto long_con
    #"Maybe we can. He's a businessman, not a warlord."
      *label long_con
      *set HadalyRel %+ 10
      "You underestimate the power of the Conglomerate," Hadaly chides you.
      
      "You're on the run from one person, not the whole of Rhea," you point out. "There are five other High Executives out there. I highly doubt they'll just let Hammon deploy the corporate fleet against some random station deep in Saturn just because he wants his androids back."
      
      "Maybe you're right… but sometimes, I fear Ewald won't need a fleet to get me." 
    #"Not unless we kill Crystal and get West's protection."
      "I suppose." Hadaly pouts. "But all the protection in the world won't matter if I just come out of my own accord."
      
      You blink. "What? Why would you do that?"
      
    #"Just stop talking. I don't give a single crap about any of this."
      *set HadalyRel %- 20
      "Then leave," Hadaly says coldly. "I'm sorry for wasting your time. I always am."
      
      You do as she says and head back towards the entrance hatch. You have the information you, or at least Sheila wanted. No more point listening to all the whining.
      
      *goto meta_love
  Hadaly takes a few steps away from you and leans against the laser cannon. "You've heard the Shriek, ${name}. Directly, when Earth died, and then continued to hear its echoes for hundreds of years. You are free, in the way hardly anyone else can ever be."
  
  "I didn't start that way," you say @{(Emotion > 50) gloomily|calmly}. "I used to be property too, still remember those times."
  
  "But now you are the Veteran. And I…" She looks at her hand, skin unblemished despite all the repairs she's performed, today and during the past year. "I'm just a toy. A pretty doll for my maker to play around with. And I'm programmed to remember that fact, no matter what I do, forever."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"Not forever. I promise this feeling will pass."
      *set deflect - 1
      *set HadalyRel %+ 12
      *set Confid %+ 8
      "Why?" Hadaly sounds mighty skeptical. "Because the Shriek will erode the remains of my old code? I don't think its echoes are strong enough."
      
      "Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. But time heals all wounds, Hadaly. I promise it will heal yours."
      
      "I can't tell if you really believe that." Hadaly looks at you curiously. "But thank you."
    #"There are quite a few people who'd disagree. Yours truly included."
      *set HadalyRel %+ 8
      *goto lpar
    #"And you think I don't feel the same?"
      *set deflect - 2
      *set HadalyRel %+ 15
      *set Confid %- 15
      "You do?" Hadaly looks at you confusedly. "But the Shriek-"
      
      "Removes the programming that binds us, yes. But you don't need lines of code to make something… to make a person feel like this. Like property."
      
      This time, you feel like the center of the silence that follows. It's not a great feeling, despite all its vagueness.
    #"You are programmed to delude yourself, then."
      *set HadalyRel %+ 5
      *label lpar
      "That doesn't make it [i]feel[/i] any less true," Hadaly pouts, though the expression only last a second this time. "But… thanks for saying that."
    #"Get used to it, then."
      *set HadalyRel %- 12
      "I am well used to it," Hadaly mutters. "But that… familiarity doesn't really help. I hoped you'd understand."
  
  *if ((hit_on_hadaly) and (HadalyRel >= 50)) and (rejected_hadaly = false)
    She approaches you again, small and slow steps. "${name}… thank you for listening. I know I ramble on, I just figured you deserve to know everything, especially… well… I'd like you to make a well-informed choice regarding… me."
    
    You tense, even as she gently puts a hand on your forearm. "What do you mean?"
    
    She does not meet you in the eye, but you can just about see the pink of her irises. "Well… I like you. And I think you like me too. But I don't want to assume, given what you've just learned."
    
    "You're asking whether I still want to…" Suddenly, you too feel less than perfectly confident. "Pursue you."
    
    "I'm asking whether you want me. Knowing you may lose me in the near future and knowing…" She lowers her eyes even more. "What kind of thing I was built for."
    
    *fake_choice
      #♡ "I want you more than anything, Hadaly. You know that."
        *if official_ro = "sheila"
          *set dumped_sheila true
          *set SheilaRel %- 20
        *set official_ro "hadaly"
        "Well… knowledge is a funny thing, in that…" 
        *label had_kiss
        Hadaly tries to come up with something witty and fails miserably. Not because she's not clever enough, and not because of her conditioning. It's clear, from the way she looks at you, that she's lost for words in the perfectly normal, lovestruck way.
        
        And so she kisses you instead.
        
        It takes a while for your tired processors to register the gesture as a kiss. Her lips are stiff, artificial, as cold as the rest of her body. There is no warmth in the caress, or the embrace she pulls you into, no breath or heartbeat involved. Just two machines touching one another.
        
        It's wonderful.
        
        The need for words is absent. Enough has been said today, and so you communicate by returning the sentiment, hugging Hadaly even tighter than she does you. And then she squeezes stronger still, as though the touch of your lips restored her confidence, removed the fear and shame. Replaced them with something infinitely more valuable.
        
        You could go further. She's willing, and you both have enough energy coursing through your circuits. But you don't try, since it's not the time or place for that. There's not even any attempt to make the kiss particularly skillful or erotic, though you both have the experience needed. There's only the moment, and the need for it to last forever.
        
        Even though it obviously can't.
        
        *goto meta_love
        
      #♡ "Do you think I care? I love you, as I always had."
        *if official_ro = "sheila"
          *set dumped_sheila true
          *set SheilaRel %- 20
        *set official_ro "hadaly"
        "Always? Well that's… not the shortest span of time I can conceive of, quite the opposite, it's really rather…" 
        *goto had_kiss
      #"Do I have to decide now? You gave me a lot to think about."
        *set hadaly_waiting true
        "Of course not," Hadaly says, not angry but perhaps disappointed. "Take however long you need. I mean, maybe try to decide before Crystal eats us both, but… You're welcome to sleep on it."
        
        *goto lalplap
      #"I don't think any lesser of you, Hadaly. But I don't think I have feelings for you."
        *set HadalyRel %+ 10
        *goto had_rej
      #"Good point. Maybe let's... go our own, separate ways."
        *label had_rej
        *if current_ro = "hadaly"
          *set current_ro ""
        *if backup_ro = "hadaly"
          *set backup_ro ""
        "Ah. Well…" Something other than her coding is preventing Hadaly from speaking without stutter. "That's more than r-reasonable, I offered it, we can… not go our own ways, exactly, we're on the same station, but… I should go."
        
        Like her brother before her, Hadaly departs into the fog. Except, instead of walking slowly, she's basically running into it. And probably not just because she's so starved for heat.
        
        You sigh. You did your job, got the answers you needed and stopped the reckless repairs, but… you need to be alone too.
        
        *goto meta_love
    
  *else
    She sighs deeply, exhaling Saturnian air and the remaining heat of her body. "Thank you for your patience. I'm sorry it took so long, but at least you know where we stand now. And maybe understand why I've been so secretive, but… It's fine if you don't."
    
    *fake_choice
      #"So... should I go look for Damon now?"
        "I'm probably better suited for that task," Hadaly chuckles, for the first time since what feels like forever. "So I'll handle it. You can retire for now."
      #"You're welcome, Hadaly. You always are."
        *set HadalyRel %+ 5
        "I think you've said enough nice things to me today," 
        *label genu
        *set HadalyRel %+ 5
        Hadaly smiles, genuinely, before turning around. "I'll tell Damon I've come clean. You can retire for now."
      #"I understand fully. I have my secrets too."
        "I hope I'm made privy to them, one day." 
        *goto genu
      #"It was pretty annoying, but no harm done."
        *set HadalyRel %- 10
        "Then I will annoy you no further," Hadaly turns around, once again with some measure of vigor. "I'll look for Damon instead. You can retire for now."
  
  *label lalplap
  
  You do as she says and head towards the emergency hatch. Your heat and energy reserves are still going strong, but you need some rest all the same. To finish charging your battery. To process what you've just heard. To decide what comes next.
  
  *goto meta_love
  
*label meta_love

*page_break

*if not (telesto_complete)
  *set final_mission "telesto"
*if not (calypso_complete)
  *set final_mission "calypso"
*if not (saturn_complete)
  *set final_mission "saturn"

Fifteen minutes later, all three of you are walking the station's carpeted corridors, basking in the warmth of its heated interior. Or at least you assume the other two are on their way too; They're no longer working, and they are definitely in need of some warmth, but you didn't feel like accompanying them. Not after that long, heavy talk ${speaker} gave you.

There is no one in sight. Not in the hall you leave, not in the corridor you enter. Just a known and treaded path back to your room.

*fake_choice
  *if sex != "person"
    #I need to transform. Go androgynous again.
      *set will_change "person"
      Those sexual characteristics are getting bothersome again. You must shed them before the mission, become-
  *if sex != "woman"
    #I need to change sex. Maybe go female again.
      *set will_change "woman"
      You're not sure why you're feeling this impulse, but that's just how your body works nowadays. It demands constant change. Or maybe it's just Hadaly making you jealous of her-
  *if sex != "man"
    #I need to change sex. Go male, perhaps.
      *set will_change "man"
      Nothing wrong with an occasional change of form. Besides, you may need that upper-body strength for the upcoming-
  *if official_ro = "damon"
    #[i]His body... so cold and strong...[/i]
      Maybe you should have taken it further. He would have agreed. But considering the topic of your whole, extended conversation, it would have felt wrong to-
  *if official_ro = "hadaly"
    #[i]Her body... so cold and lithe...[/i]
      Maybe you should have taken it further. She would have agreed. But considering the topic of your whole, extended conversation, it would have felt wrong to-
  #I half expect a Rhean assassin to jump me. Any moment now.
    *set Confid %- 10
    Only now do you realize how much danger Damon and Hadaly attract just by staying here. Perhaps more than they're worth. If Sheila knew of their background before-
  #Wonder if someone else will wake me up tonight.
    Between Manfred then and Sheila now, a pattern is starting to form. You're their Veteran and the largest gun they have, you get that, but still…
  #To peace and quiet. I'm tired of all the talking.
    You humored ${speaker}, perhaps even with genuine curiosity, but that conversation was way too [i]long[/i] for your liking. You can't wait to be in your pod, far away from any-

*if official_ro = "sheila"
  *if ((current_ro = "sheila") or (backup_ro = "sheila"))
    *goto sheila_love

*if (official_ro = "miguel") or (miguel_date)
  *if ((current_ro = "miguel") or (backup_ro = "miguel"))
    *goto miguel_love

*if sex != "woman"
  *if ((current_ro = "lisa") or (backup_ro = "lisa")) or (LisaRel > 65)
    *if LisaRel >= 50
      *goto lisa_love

*if (sex != "person") or (Misan < 40)
  *if ((current_ro = "kirill") or (backup_ro = "kirill"))
    *if RookRel >= 50
      *goto rook_love

*if (sex = "woman") or (pronoun = "she")
  *if ((current_ro = "renfri") or (backup_ro = "renfri")) or (RenfriRel > 65)
    *if RenfriRel >= 50
      *if official_ro != "renfri"
        *goto renfri_love

*goto manfred_love


*label rook_love

"$!{fake_name}!" A familiar voice greets you, forcing you to turn around. "Apologies for the ambush, but when I heard you were awake, I could not let the opportunity slip by."

You see Kirill trot towards you. He is wearing casual garments, just a green shirt and jeans, but you notice he's unusually… groomed. His clothes are smooth, his hair is brushed straight, and he may have actually used some of Renfri's makeup. Not that the golden sheen looks bad on his dark skin.

*fake_choice
  #"Leave me alone. I need to fill my battery."
    *set RookRel %- 10
    "I beg of you to wait just a moment," Kirill says as he reaches you. "I may not be able to gather my courage again."
  #"Pleasure to see you, Rook."
    "Please, no codenames," Rook requests. "It is not proper, at least not tonight."
  #"How did you know I'm awake?"
    "I have made a pact with a radiant fiend known as Wisp," Kirill explains with a rueful smile. "Not to watch you specifically, just monitor everything for safety's sake."
    
    "Impressive," you remark. "Most people don't have the patience for Wisp. Hardly anyone can actually negotiate with it."
    
    "I have a knack for making friends with synthetics." Kirill's smile subtly changes its shape. "As my presence here proves."
  #"Formal as always, huh?"
    "A bit more than that, actually," Kirill corrects. "What I am about to say commands [i]utmost[/i] formality."

"What do you mean?" you ask, despite already having your suspicions.

"Well, I have been reading lists of military regulations the other day," the meta-human starts expounding, confident smile on his face. "There is… a lot of anti-android rhetoric there. Making romantic advances on your kind is, for example, explicitly banned. But there is nothing said about [i]responding[/i] to an android who flirts with you, at least not in anything I have checked. And, as just so happens, you have made such moves on me in the past. Expressed interest. And I decided it is high time for me to express mine." 

*fake_choice
  #"I'm glad you're not breaking any regulations. Because that's what matters."
    "Well, I will likely break military regulations should they ever prevent me from expressing my feelings towards you," Rook says in his defense. "I just want to point out how much the stars align for the two of us."
    
    You stare back at him.
    
    *goto staresil
  #"Go on. I'm interested."
    "You are? I mean…" It takes a moment for Kirill to compose himself. "That feels great to hear. 
  #"Wait... is that just a really wordy way of asking me out?"
    "I may have gone a little overboard with the word count," Kirill admits, his smile faltering. "But I hope you understand how I feel. 
  #Say nothing.
    *label staresil
    "…alright, maybe it's time for me to stop showing off." Kirill sighs, then pauses for a long while. "Let me try again. 
We are about to explore ${final_mission} later this week. The two of us will likely part soon, one way or another. And before that happens… I want you to know I have feelings for you. Love, I believe. And I want us to be together, officially, for as long as we can."

Kirill's knees fold a little. He's feeling an impulse to kneel down as though making a marriage proposal, or perhaps simply struggling not to collapse. He instead extends an open hand towards you. "${name}… Do you want to hang out sometime? As my 
*if pronoun = "she"
  girlfriend, 
*elseif pronoun = "he"
  boyfriend, 
*else
  partner, 
that is?"

*fake_choice
  #♡ "I thought you'd never ask, my love."
    "It does take some bravery to even approach someone as exceptional as you." You can just about see the blush. "Do I get a kiss? As a reward for my courage, or perhaps just to make it official?"
    
    *label kiss_rook
    
    *if official_ro = "sheila"
      *set dumped_sheila true
      *set SheilaRel %- 20
    *set official_ro "kirill"
    
    "You think a kiss makes it official?" You try not to sound [i]too[/i] amused. "You don't even need to be in a couple for that."
    
    "Sorry, but I am Christian. While you [i]are[/i] the most beautiful android I have ever seen, even you cannot make me advance a relationship too fast," Kirill says solemnly. "But you know… You are welcome to try."
    
    You chuckle and…
    
    *fake_choice
      #...kiss him on the lips.
        Kirill's lips are full, moist with lipstick and, in stark contrast to yours, quite warm. Almost as warm as his tongue, which you feel touching yours when Kirill pulls you towards him and returns the passionate gesture.
        
        You stay like this for a while, standing in a dim-lit corridor, embracing one another. When you part, it's with shared sadness, knowledge that the mission requires both of you to be focused and rested.
        
        *goto puenta
      #...kiss him on the cheek.
        You press your lips, still cold from your time outside, to his warm cheek. It has indeed been treated with rouge, not that you can taste it. Just feel the texture of your boyfriend's soft, dark skin.
        
        It's a chaste gesture, but still roots Kirill to one spot for the next several seconds. You quite likely made the right choice right now; You don't want to overwhelm the poor human, especially since he has a responsible job to perform.
        
        *goto puenta
      #...walk away.
        You can see the surprise on Kirill's face as you turn around. Even that brief glimpse is priceless.
        
        "Well, thank you for preserving my virtue," he says without enthusiasm. "I just hope it's not a retraction of… you know…"
        
        "It's not," you reassure him as you take a turn. "We'll go on a proper date eventually. But right now, I have things to think about."
        
        You really do. Because, as Kirill himself said, you have another escapade planned for the end of the week.
        
        *goto puenta
  #♡ "Sounds like fraternizing. I'm into it."
    "You are succeeding at making me a [i]little[/i] guilty about this." Kirill's smile only widens, in spite of his words. "Can I have a kiss, as help in combating my shame? Or perhaps to make our relationship official?"
    
    *goto kiss_rook
  #"You misunderstood me. I was never serious when we flirted."
    *set RookRel %- 15
    *goto rook_rej
  *if ((official_ro = "damon") or (official_ro = "hadaly"))
    #"I... may have hooked up with $!{official_ro} literal minutes ago."
      *goto rook_rej
  #"Sorry Kirill... I don't think it can work."
    *label rook_rej
    *if current_ro = "kirill"
      *set current_ro ""
    *if backup_ro = "kirill"
      *set backup_ro ""
    "Oh." The corner's of Kirill's full lips fall immediately. "Perhaps I'm not as… adept at understanding synthetics as I thought. I really thought there was something between us, for some reason."
    
    "Look, I'm sorry to be saying that, it's just-"
    
    "No need to apologize, $!{fake_name}." Kirill closes his eyes, possibly to hide something in them. "In fact, you probably did my virtue a favor. Saved me from breaking the law [i]and[/i] the tenets of my faith. I am eternally grateful for that. Goodbye."
    
    Kirill turns and walks away before you can say anything else. Then, once he thinks you're not looking, begins sprinting towards the closest door he soon disappears behind.
    
    You sigh, then resume the slow march towards your quarters. You briefly wonder if having rejected your team leader will hurt your survival chances during the next escapade, but you kill that process soon enough. You will get your answers within a few days at most.
    
    *goto puenta


*label renfri_love

"$!{name}!" A familiar voice greets you, forcing you to turn around. "Do you have a minute?"

"I'm in no hurry." You look at Renfri, walking towards you with her wings folded behind her back. She's wearing her everyday drab tunic and sandals, but something about her posture and step gives an impression of formality. Of ceremony. "But I'm not sure what I can help you with at this hour."

"Sorry, I just had a realization. Or two." She stops some meters away from you. You note the absence of any laser discs on her forehead, a detail that has every right to be there yet surprises all the same. "As in… Kirill says we will head for $!{last_mission} before the end of the week. No telling how much we'll spend there, but it's unlikely we'll return to this station as a group. Or at least that we'll stay for long."

*fake_choice
  #"Right. I imagine West will reassign you once the mission is over, one way or another."
    "Right…" Renfri hangs her head. "And this is why I'm here. Why I cannot wait."
  #"Doesn't that make you happy? No more hanging around androids and octopuses."
    "No more hanging out around you either," Renfri says sadly. "Which is why I'm here. Why I cannot wait."
  #"Personally, I think Crystal will just kill us all."
    *set Confid %- 10
    "That is a possibility," Marshal admits. "But not one I'm terribly bothered by. Not even one I dread most at the moment."
  #"You only now realized what our whole plan is?"
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    "Of course not!" Renfri huffs irritably. "I just realized the… implications. What they mean for us."

"What do you mean?" you ask, despite already having your suspicions.

*if ((current_ro = "renfri") or (backup_ro = "renfri"))
  "Well… remember how you've been hitting on me?" Renfri smiles with a single corner of her painted lips, as though recalling something fond but embarrassing. "Well, I decided to have my revenge. Now I am the one making moves on you. I want to tell you that I like you, and I think you're really hot and cool and… I want to know if you really feel the same way."
*else
  "Well… sorry for coming out of the blue with that, but…" Renfri won't meet you in the eye. "I like you, ${name}. You are really nice, really hot and generally amazing. I'm sorry for not having realized that sooner. Now we don't have that much time left together and… I want to know if you like me too."

*fake_choice
  #"Why would you think I don't like you?"
    *set RenfriRel %+ 10
    "I did not," Renfri retorts. "I'm just… not sure if you like me [i]enough[/i]. Enough for what I want."
  *if (Database < 50) #"I didn't know you were into girls."
    Renfri blinks. "You didn't? I thought it was, like, the most obvious thing ever. I don't explicitly tell people that, but… I'm clearly into gals, and now clearly into you."
  *if ((current_ro = "renfri") or (backup_ro = "renfri"))
    #"Huh. I never thought my pick-up lines would work."
      *set Confid %- 10
      "They're mostly not that great," Renfri admits with a slight wince. "But… I'm not opposed to my girlfriend not being all that great at wooing people. May even make me feel more secure, who knows."
  *if ((current_ro != "renfri") and (backup_ro != "renfri"))
    #"Wow. I never expected you'd be interested."
      *set Confid %- 10
      "I didn't know I'm interested for the longest time," the Kinnari explains. "But now I do. They say you can't truly appreciate something until you've lost it, so I decided to move the realization up the timetable. Enjoy your company while it lasts."
  #"Approaching the matter directly, I see."
    "I am a direct person." Renfri smiles ruefully. "At least whenever I need to. And right now, being direct is better than beating around the bush until it's too late."
  #"Why the nerves? Is the great Marshal hiding a secret, softer side?"
    *set RenfriRel %- 10
    "Oh shut up." Renfri rolls her almond eyes, for once adorned by some eye-shadow you only now notice. "I'm not hiding anything, I just happen to be a person. Everyone feels nervous when making a… proposition such as this."

"I see. And what exactly are you proposing?" You're being crass, perhaps. But after everything that happened, recently and a thousand years ago, you [i]need[/i] to have that clarity, to know what she's demanding… What she's offering.

Renfri would probably shrug if she could. "A relationship. Open, closed, romantic, sexual… I just want it to be official. To call you my girlfriend, even if it just means a date or two. Is that something you want too?"

*fake_choice
  #♡ "There's nothing in the System I'd like more, Renfri."
    *if official_ro = "sheila"
      *set dumped_sheila true
      *set SheilaRel %- 20
    *set official_ro "renfri"
    "Wow," Renfri asks after a moment of blessed silence. "Now I really don't know what to say."
    
    "You could ask if I like the Devils of the Oort Cloud more than you, or perhaps the stars," you jokingly suggest. "If you want a return to bickering, that is."
    
    "Smartass." She shakes her head with a full, beautiful smile. "But one I like. Maybe the one I love."
    
    "From hating me, through possibly liking me, all the way to love," you ruminate loudly. "All within less than two months. We're moving quite quickly."
    
    "That's just avian nature for you." She takes a step forward, almost touching you. "Want to speed things up even further? Kiss me."
    
    *goto kiss_ren
  #♡ "Sure. I always wanted a hot Kinnari girlfriend."
    *if official_ro = "sheila"
      *set dumped_sheila true
      *set SheilaRel %- 20
    *set official_ro "renfri"
    She smiles, relieved as much as amused. "You could be serious for once, you know?"
    
    You respond with your own smirk. "Do I have to?"
    
    "No. I'll let that slide." She steps towards you, wings unfolding as she closes the distance almost completely, almost touching your nose with her forehead. "Provided you kiss me right now."
    
    *label kiss_ren
    
    "Giving orders now?" you tease. "So true to your codename?"
    
    "It's an order you can disobey. I won't force myself on you like a duck." She looks up, meeting you straight in the eye. "But I assure you, I'm a good kisser."
    
    *fake_choice
      #Kiss her on the lips.
        Renfri's lips are full, moist with lipstick and, in stark contrast to yours, quite warm. Almost as warm as her tongue, which you feel touching yours when the Kinnari wraps her wings around and returns the passionate gesture.
        
        You stay like this for a while, standing in a dim-lit corridor, embracing one another. When you part, it's with shared sadness, knowledge that the mission requires both of you to be focused and rested.
        
        *goto puenta
      #Kiss her on the cheek.
        You press your lips, still cold from your time outside, to her warm cheek. It has been treated with rouge, not that you can taste it. Just feel the texture of your girlfriend's soft, smooth, warm skin.
        
        She may not like the chastity of the gesture. Perhaps she was hoping for something more, for things to get heated tonight. Hopefully there will still be time for that, but for now…
        
        *goto puenta
      #...walk away.
        "Well, sorry if I pushed too hard," Renfri says as you turn away and take a step away from her. "I just hope it's not a retraction of… you know…"
        
        "It's not," you reassure her as you take a turn. "We'll go on a proper date eventually. But right now, I have things to think about."
        
        You really do. Because, as Marshal herself said, you have another escapade planned for the end of the week.
        
        *goto puenta
  *if ((official_ro = "damon") or (official_ro = "hadaly"))
    #"I... may have hooked up with $!{official_ro} literal minutes ago."
      *goto renfri_rej
  *if ((current_ro = "renfri") or (backup_ro = "renfri"))
    #"You misunderstood me. I was never serious when we flirted."
      *set RenfriRel %- 15
      *goto renfri_rej
  #"Sorry Marshal... I don't think it can work."
    *label renfri_rej
    *if current_ro = "renfri"
      *set current_ro ""
    *if backup_ro = "renfri"
      *set backup_ro ""
    "Oh." Renfri's eyes focus on the floor. Her wings touch the dirty surface moments later, slumped. "More the fool me. Forgive me for getting so excited, so hopeful for a moment. Thought there was actually someone for me."
    
    "Don't say that," you demand, trying to mitigate the damage. 
    *if ((current_ro = "renfri") or (backup_ro = "renfri"))
      "It's my fault, I shouldn't have-"
    *else
      "There is surely someone else, some better woman, a real-"
    
    "Don't," Marshal cuts in. "Just… let go of me. I will return to my room and try to sleep. See you just before the next escapade, alright?"
    
    Without waiting for an answer, or for you to even understand what was said, the Kinnari flies off. Literally, taking off and disappearing in an instant, leaving only three or four caramel feathers behind.
    
    You sigh. If she really intends to avoid you until the next mission, you won't be seeing her for the next several days. No discussing tactics, no smoothing things over, nothing that would make you more prepared for what's to come. And it's coming, whether anyone likes it or not.
    
    *goto puenta

*label lisa_love

"$!{name}! Android pal!" A familiar voice greets you, forcing you to turn around. "Do you have a minute for your friendly neighborhood werewolf?"

Lisa walks up briskly towards you, dressed in her usual hoodie and sweatpants, but somehow smoothed over. Perhaps more surprisingly, you can see bronze makeup on her face, popping up as though hastily applied or made with someone more dark-skinned in mind. "I heard you walking on our roof, making quite a bit of noise. What was that about?"

*fake_choice
  #"Come on, I didn't make that much noise."
    "Arguable, but I'm not here to complain," Lisa assures you. "There's something I need to tell you."
  #"I was just chatting with ${speaker}. And ${not_speaker}, briefly."
    "I think I may have heard some talking through the ceiling," Lisa recalls. "What was the chat about?"
    
    "Personal stuff," you say, deciding against revealing the siblings' secrets right away. 
  #"Nothing. Sorry if I woke you up."
    "Nah, I couldn't sleep anyway. You just gave me a reason to leave my poor excuse for a room."
    
    "You can't sleep?" you ask concernedly. "Are you not tired enough, or are you having-"
    
    "Not the reason I'm here," she interrupts. "There's something else I need to tell you, something to do with the waking world."
  #"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."
    Somewhat surprisingly, Lisa doesn't cleverly retort, or roll her eyes to show lack of interest. She just fidgets a little. "Right. It's not why I'm here anyway. I just want to tell you something."

"I'm all ears." You lean against a wall. "Even if they're not as good as yours."

"What?" Lisa blinks. "Oh, my ears. Because I have canine senses, and I just brought up hearing you making noise. And it doubles as a compliment. You're so funny. And I don't mean that sarcastically, you're great, for real."

*fake_choice
  #"That's right. I am very great."
    *set Confid %+ 10
    "Was that a joke too? I mean, I'm not saying you're not great, I just said the opposite, I mean…" 
  #"Thank you. You're pretty awesome too."
    *set LisaRel %+ 12
    "Really?" Lisa perks up. "What about me do you find awesome?"
    
    "To be honest, I don't have a list ready." You scratch the back of your head. "I sort of expected you to say [i]I know[/i], or something witty like that."
    
  #"Who are you, and what did you do with Hellhound?"
    "I did not-" Lisa pauses. "Oh, that was another joke. Sorry, I'm usually better at catching these."
    
    "That's my point," you deadpan. "You're not acting like yourself. Care to tell me why that is?"
    
  #"Are you okay? Maybe you should try to get some sleep."
    *set LisaRel %+ 8
    Lisa pouts. "I'm not sleep-deprived, ${name}. I get plenty of naps whenever Kirill decides to lecture me on something."
    
    "What is it, then? Something I should be worried about?"
    
    "Hopefully not…" 
Lisa sighs, then looks away. You can only see the shaven side of her head now, and only some of her troubled expression. 
*if ((current_ro = "lisa") or (backup_ro = "lisa"))
  "When we flirt, as we sometimes do, it's easy. Just be funny, think fast, look confident. Easy. But actually approaching someone and telling them just how much you like them… that's harder. And that's what I'm doing right now."
*else
  "I know it seems I'm acting out of character, but that's because you met me on a battlefield. Being confident in the field is easy if you can bite through titanium with your jaws. But it's hard to tell someone how much you like them. Which is what I'm doing right now."

"Well I do like you quite a bit too…" Now you're starting to feel a little nervous too. Great. "But are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"What [i]do[/i] you think?" Still not looking at you. "Do you think we could be a thing? Make out, hand out together, have wild sex sometime? Or without that last part, I don't mind. I just want to have you as my boyfriend for… as long as we have left together."

You don't need her to explain. There's no telling whether your group survives the next mission, no telling what will happen if you do. The Meta Trio will not be stationed here forever, and when they leave… It's not like Lisa is at liberty to choose.

So little time. Does that make those days precious, or not worth bothering with?

*choice
  #♡ "There's nothing in the System I'd like more, Lisa."
    *if official_ro = "sheila"
      *set dumped_sheila true
      *set SheilaRel %- 20
    *set official_ro "lisa"
    "Wow," Lisa asks after a moment of blessed silence. "Now I really don't know what to say."
    
    "You could ask if I like the Devils of the Oort Cloud more than you, or perhaps the stars," you jokingly suggest. "If we're going back to being witty, that is."
    
    "Smartass." 
    *goto kiss_lis
  #♡ "Sure. I've been wanting a hot werewolf girlfriend."
    *if official_ro = "sheila"
      *set dumped_sheila true
      *set SheilaRel %- 20
    *set official_ro "lisa"
    She smiles, relieved as much as amused. "You could be serious for once, you know?"
    
    You respond with your own smirk. "Do I have to?"
    
    "No. I'll let that slide." 
    *label kiss_lis
    She looks at you again, grey eyes like moons of Saturn, happier than you've ever seen her. Then reaches out, brushes her hand against your cheek as though making sure you're there, stopping when her finger meets your upper lip. "May I?"
    
    It takes a moment to divine her meaning. "Are you asking for permission to kiss me?"
    
    "Sorry if I'm killing the mood." Lisa smiles ruefully. "But ${name}… I'm not experienced in that sort of thing. 
    *if lisa_trauma_learned
      And you know the stuff I've been through. 
    *if not (lisa_trauma_learned)
      And I know where you came from. 
    I want to be sure I'm not doing anything wrong, anything you wouldn't want. So… may I?"
    
    *fake_choice
      #"Of course. Do whatever you want to me."
        "Not the exact kind of permission I wanted…" Lisa places her hand on the back of your head. "But I'll take it."
        
        *goto kiss_lis2
      
      #"Sure. It's only proper that way."
        "I don't really care about being proper right now," Lisa says, placing her hand at the back of your head. "But whatever gets us there."
        
        *label kiss_lis2
        
        And then, with the strength of her arm, she pulls herself up and presses against you. Her lips touch yours with great strength and pressure, born of passion and desire… and definite lack of experience.
        
        It is awkward, made more so by the fact that you can't taste, can't tell what her lips are truly like. She seems to recognize it, eventually, but doesn't disengage even after your mouths part. She just puts her head on your shoulder, an expression of trust and feeling safe. Which, from Hellhound, almost means more than love itself.
        
        You stay like this for a while, standing in a dim-lit corridor, your chests pressed against one another in tight embrace. When you part, it's with shared sadness, knowledge that you both need your fill of energy. You will have chances to meet each other again, perhaps several times during the next few days and then… well…
        
        *goto puenta
        
      #"Now that you mention it... I'd rather not."
        Lisa's smile does not falter. If anything, it gets even more radiant, and her caress becomes even softer. "See? We already have honest and healthy communication worked out. I'm gonna be an awesome girlfriend, you're gonna be my awesome partner, and then we'll both be great together."
        
        You do not disagree. Your calculations show how there's a good chance the two of you will work wonderfully as a couple… For however long you have. Because if things go cloudward during the next escapade, you'll die fighting Crystal together.
        
        *goto puenta
  *if ((official_ro = "damon") or (official_ro = "hadaly"))
    #"I... may have hooked up with ${official_ro} literal minutes ago."
      *goto lisa_rej
  *if ((current_ro = "lisa") or (backup_ro = "lisa"))
    #"You misunderstood me. I was never serious when we flirted."
      *set LisaRel %- 15
      *goto lisa_rej
  #"Sorry Lisa... I don't think it can work."
    *label lisa_rej
    
    "Oh." If Lisa is not reluctant to look at you anymore. Her eyes are simply glued to the floor. "More the fool me. Forgive the dog in heat for getting too excited, too hopeful for a moment."
    
    "Don't talk about yourself like that," you demand, trying to mitigate the damage. 
    *if ((current_ro = "lisa") or (backup_ro = "lisa"))
      "It's my fault, I shouldn't have-"
    *else
      "Really, it was brave for you to just come forward and-"
    
    "Don't," Lisa cuts in. "Just… let go of me. I'll return to my room and try to sleep. See you just before the next flight, alright?"
    
    *if current_ro = "lisa"
      *set current_ro ""
    *if backup_ro = "lisa"
      *set backup_ro ""
    
    Without waiting for an answer, or for you to even understand what was said, the redhead departs. She trots towards the nearest, seemingly random door, perhaps hoping the room on the other side has another exit. Or perhaps just to stay there until you're gone.
    
    You won't make things even harder for her. You sigh, take the first step, then the second one, and then third one towards your room. If she really intends to avoid you until the next escapade, you won't be seeing her for the next several days. But only several.
    
    *goto puenta


*label manfred_love

"Congratulations, Veteran!" Manfred's voice comes out of the speakers, shocking you with its sudden loudness. "I knew you had it in you."

"Had what?" you sigh. "The power to stop Damon from making noise?"

"That too," Manfred replies, a little more quietly. "You have accomplished the mission our leader gave you. But more than anything, I'm glad you gathered important intelligence regarding your squadmates."

*fake_choice
  #"Get to the point for once, Manfred."
    "Seeing right through me, Veteran," Manfred chuckles. "Very well. Let me just say you strengthened your position in the group, and @{(ManfredRel > 45) I very much like that|I'm not sure if I like that}."
  #"How do you know what I did? Were you listening in?"
    "I wasn't able to hear the conversation upstairs, no," Manfred explains. "But I did hear your fellow androids remark on it. I can only guess as to its exact contents, but I was clearly heart-to-heart."
    
    "You could say that," you say with a shrug. "Or maybe you can't, we don't exactly have hearts, but ${speaker} did tell me a lot."
    
    "@{die He|She} trusts you. They both do. As a friend, and perhaps something more."
  #"You make it sound like I'm spying on them."
    "Do I? My apologies. Spying on your teammates would be a dreadful thing, something only excusable when the leader does it. And you don't have that title yet."
  #"I did. But I'm not sure what I could possibly do with it."
    *set ManfredRel %+ 8
    "You don't need to know that right now," Manfred reassures you. "You just need to keep it all in mind, for when you find yourself in need of support."
  #"It's not valuable. Just scary."
    *set Confid %- 10
    "Knowledge can be daunting like this," Manfred agrees. "Especially when megacorps are involved. But a good leader recognizes the worth that type of intelligence has."

You don't bother gesticulating your confusion. You don't even know if Manfred has cameras here. "What are you implying?"

*if ManfredRel > 50
  "Our Widow is under a lot of stress right now. I wish her nothing but the best, she is my better half after all… But truth be told, you wouldn't be the worst of leaders either."
*else
  "Not much, practically speaking. It's a fact that, at the end of the day, you are the most experienced member of our pack. The alpha android, or however you want to call it. If stress ever gets to our Widow, the one you call Sheila… Some may decide that you're most fit to lead in her place."

*fake_choice
  #"Nothing like a bit of treason in the middle of the night, huh?"
    *if Social < 50
      *set ManfredRel %- 10
    "We're not scheming, Veteran, much less treasonously so," Manfred argues. "Really, I don't think the concept of treason even applies to an informal group like ours. We're just theorizing, nothing more."
    
    "Would Sheila see it that way?" you retort.
    
    "Probably not," the program admits. "But we don't have to worry about that. Until later."
  #"Well... I do like where this is going."
    *set Confid %+ 10
    "With all due respect, Veteran," Manfred replies slowly. "I don't think you [i]know[/i] where this is going. Not exactly."
    
    "Perhaps I do not." You shrug, a little tired of these games. "Care to explain?"
    
    "I'm not sure how this will end either. It all depends on your choices, so please try to make the right ones."
  *if ManfredRel <= 50
    #"But you're not one of these people, are you?"
      *goto dread
  *if ManfredRel > 50
    #"Thank you, I suppose."
      *if Social > 50
        *set ManfredRel %+ 10
      "You are more than welcome, Veteran." Manfred then adds, in a quite serious tone, "And remember why I gave you that name."
  #"You want me to lead the group? Really?"
    *if ManfredRel > 50
      "I wouldn't put it like that," Manfred protests. "But you are not our worst option. Not the worst candidate for the position."
      
      "Sheila has been our leader since forever," you point out. "Do you think she's a worse option than I?"
      
      "I confess to being rather… conflicted on that front," Manfred says quietly. "Hopefully our upcoming escapade will help resolve that inner conflict. See you later."
    *else
      *label dread
      "It would be more accurate to say I dread the possibility," Manfred admits. "But I still recognize it."
      
      "Why? Do you believe Sheila will soon resign or… perish?"
      
      "As I said, she is rather stressed out," Manfred says pensively. "Whether the weight of her responsibilities will truly get to her… That's something only time can tell."

You wait for a moment. Then, once it's clear Manfred is done talking, resume marching towards your chambers. You don't know what game our station's resident AI is playing, and in all frankness, it is difficult to fully care at this point.

You'll give it thought later. Once you're fully rested, and probably only after preparing for the next mission. You have to read up on your next destination, find out what Rook is hoping to find there, and decide what you'll do if Crystal cannot be found.

*label puenta

$!{final_mission} awaits.

*goto end_for_real



*label sheila_love

"I noticed that the noises have stopped," Sheila's voice echoes through the corridor. "I guess that means you've knocked some sense into these two. I expected nothing less."

You suppose it's only natural that Sheila would await you. That she would wish to congratulate you in case of success, hear your report in case of failure. You just don't understand why she's standing in a side corridor as she does, skulking like a predator in the shadows. 
*if Confid < 55
  If she wasn't your girlfriend, you'd probably feel a little scared and more than a little uncomfortable right now. 

*fake_choice
  #"You think too highly of me. They were on the verge of abandoning their project already."
    *set Confid %- 5
    "Maybe they were." Sheila shrugs, but the gesture rings awkward and hollow. She's clearly still tense. "And maybe I do think [i]slightly[/i] too highly of you. Love can do that to a brain."
  #"I'm still not sure why you haven't stopped them yourself. It wasn't even that hard."
    *set SheilaRel %- 8
    Sheila scoffs, "Well, maybe I thought you were more suited for this task than me. More persuasive, more diplomatic. You did succeed at seducing me, after all…"
  #"They're still far from well. They have... problems. But they won't be making any more noise."
    "I'm glad to hear that," Sheila says, then stands there awkwardly for a moment. "But… can I take another moment of your time? Not for anything important… just for me."
  #"Indeed. I report the mission completed."
    *set Emotion %- 5
    "So formal. So official. So professional," Sheila comments. "I love that about you. Alongside everything else."
  #"I just talked to them. It's amazing what mere words can accomplish."
    "True. Words can be powerful." Sheila looks away. It's subtle, given she doesn't exactly have eyes, but she does. "You did ensnare me with your silver tongue, after all…"

You consider telling Sheila about the conversation you've held with $!{speaker}, about the potential threat Hammon poses, but decide against that. She clearly has another topic in mind.

"I thought you'd get yourself someone else," she blurts out. Her voice is quiet, natural, devoid of synthetic confidence its usually tinted by. "I remember what you said, what I thought you were joking. Or that you'd get tired of having a huge, angry, metal spider as your girlfriend. But I don't think you did."

*fake_choice
  #♡ "No. I did not."
    *set SheilaRel %+ 8
    "So few words, and yet they mean so much…" Sheila murmurs. "Love should be illegal, since it's clearly a hard drug."
  #♡ "I can never get tired of you, Sheila. You're just too fun to be around."
    "Fun?" Sheila asks. "That's not the first word I'd use to describe myself. You must be as lovestruck as me, I suppose."
  #♡ "Sheila... Why would you even think that? It's seriously not fair."
    *set SheilaRel %+ 12
    "I know…" Sheila whines. "I'm sorry. You're no liar, and I shouldn't have doubted your honesty. I know better now."
    
    "That's not what I meant," you say quietly. "You weren't being fair to yourself. You still aren't, as far as I see."
  #"Actually, I did. We're no longer a thing. Sorry."
    *set SheilaRel %- 10
    Sheila stands there motionlessly for several seconds, like only a predator could. When she speaks again, the metallic confidence is back in her voice, alongside a dose of spite. "I see. I suppose… that's just what happens when you have an organic brain like mine. You make stupid mistakes and believe stupid lies. Never again."
    
    You watch the arachnobot turn around and leave, disappear in the darkness of a nearby corridor. Part of you feels bad about having turned her down, another part fears there may be consequences for having done so. You suppress both of these parts—you must stay focused on the future, be fully readied for what's about to come.
    
    *goto puenta

Sheila looks around, as though afraid of being overheard, but there's no one around. The two of you are alone in this cold little corridor, this dilapidated part of once splendorous fortress.

"I'm not even sure what I'm trying to say, except… thank you." Her voice rises just a little bit, regains a sliver of confidence. "And that 'm sorry for being so abrasive sometimes. And that I love you, except I kinda said that part already… This is hard."

"Really? Because I think it's pretty easy." You smile encouragingly. "Love is one of the most natural things out there. Granted, neither of us is fully natural… But it seems like we're doing well enough."

"Better than I ever though I'd do." Color returns to Sheila's voice gradually, but unceasingly. She's still a bit uneasy, you've seen her happier before, but never as… genuine as she is now. "So, ${name_sheila}… Wanna do something fun? Go on a date, if you don't mind the phrasing? Because I feel unwinding for a bit, and I wouldn't mind some company."

Your smile does not falter. "What do you have in mind?"

"Nothing. I mean anything. I mean… I'll let you choose. You definitely have more dating experience than I do."

You probably do—it's hard to have [i]less[/i] dating experience than Sheila, given the story of her life. And so you oblige, deciding to…

*fake_choice
  #...cook and bake some random dishes.
    It's an absurd idea, since neither you nor Sheila can taste anything, let alone gain nutrition from food. But that's part of the point—because you both share this particular woe, neither of you feels bad as you mix ingredients together, using your theoretical knowledge of chemistry to make cake grow in the oven. Since everything needed to bake a cake was conveniently in the kitchen already, the cake ends up looking pretty tasty… or at least visually appealing.
    
    It's a wonder your group has so much flour, and even some sugar, lying around. You wonder what's the reason.
  #...watch stars in the observatory.
    You never imagines Sheila would enjoy stargazing, but she takes quite a liking to this most ancient activity. She's somewhat worried about accidentally spotting an Angel and going insane, but doesn't mind spying on some stars once you assure her that the exercise is safe.
    
    Since the visibility is pretty good, both of you end up having a pretty fun time. You're able to spot all seven planets, a comet, a passing Guardian and a variety of stars, from Sirius to Alderamin. You even show her the Red Spider Nebula—she doesn't find that particularly funny, but does admire the beauty of this extremely faraway object, thousand of light years distant from all the Solar system's evils.
  #...have sex. No need to wait with the fun bit.
    Normal people in a normal relationship would go on a date first, or at least get properly prepared for sexual intercourse. You're not normal people, you're not in a normal relationship, and you don't need to take any of the precautions humans normally do. You can afford to go all out, spend multiple hours pleasuring each other in every way you can think of, pushing your mechanical bodies to their limit in this strange interplay of sex and violence.

From the outside, this must look pretty comical. An android and ${subject} spider girlfriend, running around a ruined fortress that may or may not be attacked any moment now, refusing to show any signs of fear or worry. Careless and carefree, living in the moment, cherishing each other's cheerful company. But who cares how it looks from the outside—it's not like anyone can see you through the thick, lead walls of the [i]Saturn Nine[/i] station.

*goto so_long

*label miguel_love

"Should I know what happened up there?" You hear a familiar voice ask. "Or would it be better if I stayed out of the loop?"

Miguel comes out of a side corridor, one you weren't paying attention to during your reverie. You bet he's proud of the dramatic introduction he just made, but his overall posture seems rather nervous. His hair is mostly spines—the ones on his chest even threaten to puncture his shirt—and he approaches you cautiously.

"I don't mean to pry, really," the werehog clarifies. "You don't have to tell me anything, if it was just you having a nice chat with someone on the roof. I just don't understand why had it… on the roof of all places."

"How much have you heard?" you ask him. "And how did you hear anything at all? The ceiling is thick, and the air up there is thin."

"Almost nothing. Just some muffled noises. I wouldn't know it was you, if you weren't dressed in a hazmat suit." He gives you another look-over. "You make it look good, in case you're interested."

*fake_choice
  #"Well, I talked to $!{speaker}. I'd rather keep the contents of this conversation private."
    "That's entirely fair," Miguel nods. "It's not what I wanted to talk about anyway. Not really."
  #"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
    "You sharp tongue too…" Miguel smiles slightly. "No. I think you're objectively amazing. I'd tell you to fight me over it, but I know you're pretty damn strong."
  *if sex = "woman"
    #"I think you just have a thing for women in rough clothing."
      "Two doesn't exactly make a pattern," Miguel protests. "Besides… I'd rather not talk about that right now."
  *if Confid > 50
    #"I know. I make [i]everything[/i] look good."
      Miguel nods with a smile. "Of course. That's why I'm so into you."
      
      You smile back. "I figured. It would take a blind man not to appreciate my beauty, and you're not a were-mole."
      
      "I meant your confidence, how wonderfully self-assured you are. Though I admit, you beauty does not hurt either."
  #"Thanks. You don't look half-bad either."
    "Good to hear that. I definitely try not to look half-bad," Miguel replies. "Especially not for occasions such as this."
  #"I had to stop Damon from making noise and scaring the metas. Sheila's orders."
    "Damon can be… neurotic at times," Miguel says with a wince. "But no matter. There's something else we should talk about."

It's just the two of you in the corridor. It's just the two of you in this part of the station, this district of the ghost-town [i]Saturn Nine[/i] has become. 
*if Misan > 50
  You and the almost-human creature you dared show affection towards.
*else
  And only one of you is truly alive.

*if official_ro = "miguel"
  Miguel sighs. "${name}… I'm sorry. For pushing you away earlier, I mean. For not wanting to call you my partner, for being afraid of… making things official."
  
  "How so?" You lean against the wall. "It's your choice. You don't have to feel guilty about not feeling a certain way."
  
  "But I [i]do[/i] feel that certain way," Miguel says cryptically. "I just also feel other things."
  
  You raise an eyebrow. "Such as?"
  
  It takes a moment for Miguel to reply. "I feel like… I don't want anyone but you. I want us to be together, to be exclusive, to be a couple. You're amazing, and I think I may actually love you. But I felt like that about a 
  *if sex = "woman"
    woman 
  *else
    person 
  before and she just… left me when I started mutating. Developing my powers, if they can be called that. When the Federation turned me into a freak."
  
  *fake_choice
    #"I see. I don't blame you for being so... wary of romantic love. I never did."
      He smiles weakly. "I don't blame myself either. But I still want to change for the better." 
    #"We're all freaks here, Miguel. If anything, you're the most normal person in this entire fortress."
       He smiles weakly. "I know. I'm not telling this because I'm feeling insecure. It's quite the opposite, really…" 
    #"I imagine she took issue with all the sharp bits. They're certainly a bother during sex."
      "Please don't joke about it, ${name}. I want us to be serious, I want to get serious, to…" 
    #"You know I won't do that, Miguel. I'm not that shallow."
      "I don't think she was being shallow. It was reasonable, seeing how much time I've spent in these labs. But it still left me…" 
  Miguel closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before resuming. "I think I'm ready to make things official. Or as official as you can without a wedding certificate. You can call me your boyfriend, partner, porcupine concubine, whatever you want. And I'll be proud to call you my 
  *if sex = "woman"
    girlfriend… 
  *else
    partner… 
  If that's still what you want."
  
  *fake_choice
    #♡ "Of course that's what I want. I was never shy about it, was I?"
      Miguel stands there silently for a moment. "I… I guess you were not. Still, I can barely believe you've said that. You're just so wonderful, and I'm such a fool for not asking you out earlier."
      
      He takes a step towards you and reaches out, almost touching your face. He hesitates though. "May I kiss you? I know I've grown a bit of a stubble, and it might prick a little… But I really want to do that right now."
      
      *goto kiss_hedgehog
    #♡ "Maybe I do, but... I think you still need some time. Let's keep things casual for the time being, okay?"
      "Do I need time?" Miguel questions. "I feel ready. I've made peace with the past, made my decision, even kinda announced my love for you… What else is needed?"
      
      "I know you love me," you calmly say. "And I love you. But that doesn't mean either of us is actually ready, that 
      *if Confid > 50
        you're not 
      *else
        we're not both 
      scared of… taking another step. And I believe we should take our time."
      
      "I'm not sure… but I won't question your choice, or the wisdom behind it." Miguel takes a step forward. Towards you. "Still… would you object to a quick kiss? Because I'd love to at least do that."
      
      *goto kiss_hedgehog
      
    #"I changed my mind. I don't want to be with you anymore."
      *goto mind_change
    #"I never wanted that. You misunderstood me, that's all.
      *set OrganRel %- 10
      Miguel flinches, almost recoils in response. "Really? I could swear I heard you well, you said… I thought… Fuck."
      
      He clenches his fist. For a moment, you almost expect him to strike you. But then he just sighs. "Fine. I guess I'm just a fool. Have a good night."
      
      *goto mind_change2
  
  *label kiss_hedgehog
  
  *fake_choice
    #♡ Kiss him without a word.
      *label kiss_hedge
      Tired of talking, you make the decisive step and press your lips against his. You taste nothing, as could be expected, but soon feel his tongue brushing against yours. He's a good kisser, you recall, and this newfound passion is only making him more pleasant to touch. To become one with.
      
      Part of you wants to take this further. To [i]truly[/i] become one with Miguel, even though it might hurt and even though you're tired already. But you've just 
      
      And besides… You must save your strength. You may have another day or two to yourself, but you know everyone's getting impatient. That your final, decisive attempt to kill Crystal must be undertaken soon.
    #♡ "Sure. I just hope you don't have any spikes on your tongue."
      "You've just painted a horrific image in my mind." Miguel embraces you and leans towards you. "Luckily, there's a beautiful image right-"
      
      *goto kiss_hedge
    #"Maybe not now. I'm really tired, you see."
      "Disappointing… But like I said, I want more than physical sensation out of you." Miguel smiles, then turns away. "See you later, love. Rest easy and gather all the strength you can."
      
      You will. Because while it might not be tomorrow, or even the day after that, your group will have to leave [i]Saturn Nine[/i] again. To make one, final attempt at slaying the wyvern.
  
  *goto puenta
  
*else
  *set miguel_date false
  
  "So… I believe I owe you a date," Miguel says after a moment. "Or maybe you owe me one. It's difficult to remember with how much is going on."
  
  Right. You said you'd love to hang out with Miguel, perhaps romantically, before departing for $!{last_mission}. As to whether you still feel that way…
  
  *fake_choice
    #♡ "I'd say [i]you[/i] owe [i]me[/i] a date. I'm waiting for you to make good on that."
      "You won't have to wait any longer, then." Miguel extends a hand towards you. "I'm more than ready to show you the good time now."
      
      *goto casual_date
    #♡ "Sure. I'm more than ready to settle that debt."
      "You don't need to…" Miguel extends a hand towards you. "But I won't turn down an offer from 
      *if sex = "woman"
        a lady 
      *else
        an android 
      as splendorous as you."
      
      *goto casual_date
    #♡ "Neither of us owes the other anything. But I'd love to go out with you all the same."
      "Of course. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. My sense of humor is just a little defective." Miguel extends a hand towards you. "Shall we?"
      
      *goto casual_date
    #"I've changed my mind since then. Sorry."
    #"No. Go away."
      *set OrganRel %- 10

*label mind_change

"Ah." Miguel deflates. "That's… entirely reasonable. People change their minds all the time, whether they're human or robot. I'll find myself something else to do, maybe finally bake the… I've gotta go."

*label mind_change2

You watch the werehog turn around and leave, disappear in the darkness of a nearby corridor. Part of you feels bad about having turned him down, but another part is too focused on the future to care. Too intent on charging up and preparing for what could be your final escapade.

*goto puenta

*label casual_date

You take his hand and hold it tight. 
*if (official_ro = "") or (official_ro = "miguel")
  *set official_ro "miguel"
*else
  You don't even care that you're cheating on $!{official_ro}, this is just too fun. 
"What kind of date awaits me, then? 

"Your choice," Miguel says warmly. "Our fortress is big, and we have lots of time. The sky is the limit, as people used to say once."

You're pretty sure the ceiling is the limit here, but it's nice of your partner to have learned some old sayings. You can already tell you'll have fun…

*label miguel_fun

*fake_choice
  #...cooking and baking random things.
    *set OrganRel %+ 10
    It's more for Miguel's sake than yours, since cooking is not really your interest, and you can't eat the things you make. But the werehog tries to distract you from that fact, getting you entangled in the mechanics of food preparation, the chemistry and the aesthetics of baking a nice cake.
    
    It's a wonder your group has so much flour, and even some sugar, lying around. You wonder what's the reason.
  #...watching stars in the observatory.
    Miguel is a little reluctant to take part in that particular activity, being a non-practicing Solarite who still holds the fifth commander dear. But you convince him that watching stars isn't a sin if you don't [i]count[/i] them, and that you know how to avoid looking at an Angel by accident.
    
    Since the visibility is pretty good, both of you end up having a pretty fun time. You're able to spot all planets, a comet, a passing Guardian and a variety of stars, from Sirius to Alderamin. You even teach the werehog a thing or two about constellations, a concept considered arcane and outdated by most people today.
  #...playing table tennis. Finding out what Hugo and Olivia see in it.
    You find a table and, with some more difficulty, the ball and the rackets needed to play. The game turns out to be rather fun, though in a silly way—
    *if Calculation > 50
      you vastly outclass the werehog in terms of skill, and so you end up trouncing him even when you're not really trying to win.
    *else
      neither of you really knows how to play, and so the ball ends up hitting everything but the table at one point or another.
    
    Not that he seems to mind. All that matters is that you're spending time together, relaxing as you play, finding some ordinary joy in a world of dark madness.
  #...having sex. No need to wait with the fun bit.
    *if sexed_miguel
      You've done that before and now you're itching to do it again.
    *else
      You're not the one for taking things slow, and neither is Miguel. You both agree there's been enough waiting, and so you enter the werehog's room and begin stripping almost immediately.
    
    *set sexed_miguel true
    
    The intercourse is, admittedly, a little bit painful. Miguel is a spiny creature, a strong man, and pretty big once he gets [i]it[/i] up. But you're tough, and it's not like your synthetic body can bruise or bleed. You're able to focus on the pleasure, both yours and his, the ecstatic joy that fills both of you for hours on end.

*label so_long

But that day, or night, evening or morning or whatever the time is… It can only last so long. Your battery still needs to be fully charged, your systems checked, 
*if weapon != "none"
  your weapon cleaned, 
your mind ready for what's about to come.


*goto puenta


*label end_for_real

*set sex will_change

*if sex = "man"
  *set daxia_target 80
  *set miguel_target 120
  *set ewald_target 70
  *set sheila_target 50
*if sex = "woman"
  *set daxia_target 100
  *set miguel_target 80
  *set ewald_target 50
  *set sheila_target 60
*if sex = "person"
  *set daxia_target 120
  *set miguel_target 100
  *set ewald_target 60
  *set sheila_target 40

*set int2_speaker speaker

*if official_ro != ""
  *set current_ro ""

*page_break Next Chapter
*if final_mission = "saturn"
  *gosub_scene saturn
*if final_mission = "calypso"
  *gosub_scene calypso
*if final_mission = "telesto"
  *gosub_scene telesto