[Open RP]

[sm_art_ass]

TFLN • ACTION • TEXT

[ Open RP post! For TFLN overflow, PSLs, random prompts/memes, etc. Feel free to leave a starter if you so choose.
Prose preferred but I am also good with action, pick what's most comfortable for you and hit me up for anything you like! ]

Comments

[sm_art_ass]

[ Ey, you know me~ And it's for your own good. ]

That sounds like stalling. Again.

[ Misery loves company? Yes, ART is far from impartial or not traumatized itself, but no one bothered to write up a program about how to address the issues of a heavily armed judgmental machine intelligence pretending to be an ordinary transport after a near- death experience, so it has to make do on its own.

HOWEVER, its certification in advanced trauma protocol is applicable to humans, augmented humans and now difficult SectUnits how like to cuss at it. ]

[secunit]

I don't care what it sounds like.

[ Ass. ]

What about you? You went through some shit, too.

[sm_art_ass]

Obviously.

[ ART is silent for a beat longer to really layer on the sarcasm. ]

Your attempts at redirecting the subject towards me are glaringly transparent.

[ It knows what you're doing! And yet, well...they both truly went through some shit. ART doesn't sound as snippy the next time it sends a message: ]

It was fucking terrifying. I don't want my crew, to be in that kind of danger again.
Or you.

[secunit]

I don't want that either.

[ That whole situation sucked. They can both admit that easily enough. ]

I'll get the treatment, but I need it to be through someone who wasn't involved. It'll... make it easier on me.

[ Its resistance to immediate treatment's not about ART. It just doesn't feel comfortable getting the help from someone else who was also a victim of the whole situation, no matter how advanced its trauma treatment protocols may be. ]

You should, too.

[sm_art_ass]

I know. I have formulated a set of countermeasures and plans to minimize the chance of such a thing happening again.
There are 435 plans so far.

[ Art's presence shifts in the feed, some more of its attention focusing on SectUnit but not in a way that should feel overwhelming, just as if it's lightly leaning on it. It gives the equivalent of an understanding nod. ]

You need to do what's best for you. I understand. [ It wants to help, but this will be better, yes. All ART wants is for SecUnit to be comfortable and safe. ]

There are no trauma treatments for hyper intelligent transports. That said, it's fine. I'll be fine.

[secunit]

There are no trauma treatments designed for SecUnits, either.

[ Rogue or otherwise, they weren't created with things like mental health in mind. If your unit malfunctioned, you told the company, and they scrapped it for parts. Therapy is for people. ]

We're all winging it, as far as this shit goes.

[sm_art_ass]

That's...true.

[ ART would argue that SectUnit's organic parts and neural tissue make some of its reactions match those of traumatized humans, and that's why they have a layout about how to approach its problems. But it's probably not a comparison SectUnit would like, and ART is not that much of an asshole despite its nickname. ]

We are. And with some luck, the next missions won't be that stressful. Thiago won't be there, so that's one less factor to worry about. No one would be trying to offer friendship bracelets to possible raiders.

[secunit]

You're not even exaggerating as much as we both wish you were.

[ Thiago. It's always happy to go back to dunking on the humans, at least. The eternally safe topic! ]

[sm_art_ass]

Wait, really?

[ Oh, for fuck's sake. That's a level of bad it didn't anticipate. ]

The next time he comes aboard, I'll assign one of my smaller drones to follow him around at all times. I think that will be for everyone's peace of mind.

Talking about drones, since yours were mostly all destroyed again, I made you a dozen more. I'm going through the finishing touches and they will be ready and out of the recycler in a matter of minutes. You just need to synch to them.

[secunit]

[ Um. Excuse it. You made it some new drones?

It's... having an emotion.

Shut up. ]

[sm_art_ass]

[ A mini army of drones, yes! Consider it ART's formal apology for accidentally involving SecUnit's humans in the mess with the Targets.

It's not going to say anything for a couple of seconds because it can tell SecUnits needs a moment. But that's how long it manages to stay quiet.]

Of course, if you *don't* want them, I can always find some way to repurpose them.

[ Don't mind ART sounding a little cheery. It's last comment is obviously bait. ]

[secunit]

Of course I want the fucking drones.

[ Asshole. ]

[sm_art_ass]

Noted.

[ 1 minute later, 12 drones the size of a small beetle come flying through the door of the room SecUnit is in, in a neat triangle shape formation. They are all black except one, that is a little bigger and colored with an iridescent metallic hue of dark blue. Not unlike a real blue beetle.

That one breaks formation and starts circling SecUnit's head. It won't object to being grabbed and examined closely, but if SecUnit doesn't touch it, then it will simply land on its right shoulder. ]

Say hi.

[secunit]

[ Murderbot's not a human, it doesn't grab drones with its hands. It does, however, gather up the controls for the eleven standard drones first, while the strange one comes in for a landing on its shoulder. Only once it has the inputs from the eleven sorted and tagged, and has given them patrol instructions, does it turn its attention to its... passenger. ]

You did something strange with this one.

[ A statement; also a question. ]

[sm_art_ass]

How very observant. What gave it away?

[ Despise the playful ribbing, ART made the drone different on purpose, so of course it was expecting SecUnit to ask about it. Waiting for it, really. ]

That one comes equipped with threat discouragement capabilities

[ Aka, it is armed. Only with a stun mini gun, due to the small size limiting the power core, but still. ]

[secunit]

[ It is, of course, scanning the little drone even as ART informs it of the modification. ]

Interesting.

[ Probably not very useful directly as a weapon; for its own part, energy weapons only piss it off. But Murderbot's awfully good at finding creative uses for stuff. It could do stuff like short out enemy drones with that, possibly.

It's already pondering various ideas as it takes the controls to the little drone and has it lift off again, then... tuck itself into one of Murderbot's many sealable pockets. ]

I'll try not to break this one.

[ Not that it likes getting any of its drones destroyed, but, you know. It's usually for a good reason when it happens. Emotional collapse-fueled rage-kills using up too many drones per target, aside. ]

[sm_art_ass]

Thank you.

[ ART let go of the control of the first drones the moment it felt SecUnit's presence in the feed taking over, and it does the same with the last one. A smooth and easy change of owner, so to speak. ]

I know you don't waste them on purpose. Even if they get destroyed, that's fine; they are accomplishing their function, in a way. Which is to help keep you safe.

[ Better it's drones than you is what ART's saying. ]