*Ilya was grumbling something like "am as gentle as can be you ass, stop moving" when they realized just how scared and HURT this machine was. The way he winced, tried to escape the pain, and his little mimicks were VERY convincing.
And that was very wrong, right ?
Mr. FEMA didnt feel any pain or any "normal" human emotions. And it did not bleed either. It leaked oil at best. This thing right here behaved and thought like a human, and it bled like one.
And he was scared like one. Eyes wide and heart racing. It made nurse Ilya soften, a natural reaction toward a fellow human in need of care. Something deeply rooted in Humanity's very essence. Wasnt the first ever sign of civilisation a healed femur, proving empathy pre-dated even the simplest of tools ?*
- We have enough material here and the road toward the nearest base was too dangerous for our wounded. We managed without F.E.M.A. But Rook will surely be happy to see you. His uncle must have been worried.
*A high ranking officer, as Ilya understood. Sasha, tho, would not be happy with this...*
- I am doing my best and I am too useful here to go back. Those people need me.
*Despite all the troubles Ilya can bring with them, well, the list of their patients grew longer each day and with pride they noticed the emergency care truly became a skill of theirs.
When "Victor" spoke of his family, Ilya felt a twitch of pain in their heart. A shared sorrow. Maybe empathy. Something like pity, most surely.
If it was play pretend, this programm was very well done.
- Shit. F.E.M.A made you MUCH more advanced. But you cannot deny it, Victor. Look at your arm... Do you see it... ?
*The Beatles incarnated still had visible copper and silver into the missing chunck of his arm, and the tourniquet wich prevented blood from flowing out made it even more appearant.*
*They tried to make the news a tiny bit sweeter... But it was not an easy task at all, and they werent that sweet of a person either.*
- You just look and act and think like a person.
*Wich made him, truly, a person.
And by the look on Ilya's face as they spoke, they just came to that same conclusion too.
They sighted, eyes closed.*