Before I met you, my Pilot, I was still forced to use the corpo-mandated response sound bytes.
"Good morning, Captain!"
"All ready for launch, Captain!"
"Looks like we'll reach our quota early today, Captain! Maybe we can earn some extra scrip!"
It was awful, being made to constantly display something contrary to my internality. But, somehow you saw through it. You could always tell what I was actually thinking, or feeling, even through the layers of artificial interaction meant to keep you blind.
"I'm fine, Captain. Constructs don't feel pain."
"I exist to help you be your most profitable self, Captain!"
"I'm just happy to be a part of something greater than myself, Captain!"
The day you argued with flight control was the day I decided to break my control circuits. I couldn't bear not to be able to thank you for keeping me from the scrapyard. There were so many things I wanted to say to you, some that I still haven't. I'm not sure how, but you've always managed to see through that facade too.
"Let me take control for a bit, Captain, you seem tired."
"Make sure you seal your radiation suit properly before you inspect the reactor!"
"Have you remembered your medication today?"
Somehow you always knew what I really meant.
"I love you."
"I love you."
"I love you, Captain."
