Smooth, steel digits unfurled around her own- easily, and entirely eclipsed under the shadow they cast. Massive artificial joints flexed and retracted with an ease rivaling even that of human capacity. The familiar whirring of pistons underneath armored plates was now near impossible to discern from the cacophony of gunshots and voices echoing off what was left of the west wing rooftops. In her once empty palm rested a small USB stick that almost looked older than she was. Scratches of blue and orange on the long side obscured a logo that had once been printed on there, and a ball chain strand had been woven through a hole on the opposite end of the applicator. No label, no logo, but she had a hint to what it contained.
“L-Lanning, I…” her voice was hoarse, a couple decibels shy of a wheeze. “...is this…?”
She kept the hand extended in front of her, neither accepting nor rejecting the responsibility he was preparing to assign her. The chain tied through the device swayed in air that smelled of smoke and death, bursts of gunfire echoing off what was left of the rooftops.
“Listen.” A shudder ran through the floor under her feet, rivaling that of her own shivering as the mech dropped a knee to the ground, setting its single, rounded lens in her direction. He leaned in closer, the glass hovering inches away from her arm before the body completely stilled. But she didn’t waver, not even flinch.
“This is it, didn’t you say? Remember you told me?? There’s–! You’re–! They destroyed everything else!! There’s nothing left! There’s no coming back if you– you–”
On the smooth camera surface, the reflection of the woman standing amidst what was left of the third floor medical studio was not a forgiving one. An ugly frown creased the flesh of her cheeks around a quivering lower lip, filtering her words into a pathetic stutter. Streaks of blood painted her face and uniform. Some patches old, flaky and dry, some fresh, sticky, still wet.
“I’m not letting you do this. There’s people that need you, Lan… I…”
“No,” his artificial voice overpowered any resistance, leaving silence in its wake.
With a single finger, he pushed the hand holding the drive to her chest before she had the chance to throw it away. He knew just this gesture would be sufficient to express his command, but he still lingered there for a second more. Underneath the angled fingertip, kinetic sensors mapped a signature. Only until he felt bruised, bloodied fingers closing around the drive did he let up.
“Listen,” he repeated. “Not another living soul touches this. Not crew, not your mother, not the leader of the free world.”
“Just give me the fucking nuclear codes at this point! Anything but this!”
In her grip, the USB felt foreign. Flat corners dug into the heel of her palm, but the weathered edges inflicted no pain. She almost wished she’d been tasked to the Nautilean unit instead so she could crush it rather than submit to this decision she had no choice in.
“Please,” she pleaded, a sob hitched in her throat. “We’ve had our disagreements, and you’ve always been right. You’re always right, b-but just once just listen to me!”
It was almost poetic. A stubborn force against a static object. Back and forth until you couldn’t hear the screams any more. But as the booms of artillery intensified, it was clear who the victor would be. She took one second to breathe, struggling to gather her thoughts and hear her own voice with explosions dotting the sky every other second. And one second too much, as that was all it took for the robot to decide she’d lingered long enough.
“This is not a debate, this is an order. Go. Now.” Ignoring a handful of whitecoats that had paused along their escape route to take in the spectacle, he pinched the length of her tie that had been fluttering freely from the uniform jacket. The artificial voice, amplified by the size of its vessel easily commanded her attention, as well as that of the passing survivors.
Careful not to rip it straight off her neck, or drag her over the third floor edge, he tugged it closer as he quietly added,”and tuck this stupid thing in before you lose it.” In the vicinity of interested ears, it was unsure whether he was referring directly to the tie, or the USB of interest looped under her collar.
“As far as my detections yield, you are the last ones,” he announced to everyone now, raising his visor as if to affirm it with a final scan. “Endeavour has already departed. Supervisor Evans, I’ve rerouted you to the Pacer.”
Evans made himself known at the far end of the hallways as he fumbled with the tablet in his breast pocket. It bathed his face in a ghostly blue light, undoubtedly the site navigation UI that pretty much every staff had to reference daily. From the angle he held it in the crook of his arm, the path clearly outlined in red, blinking dashes affirmed the directions were received. Satisfied, the mech straightened its posture again, taking a step back to rise to its full height.
“They will not wait long. Run, there is nothing more to be salvaged here.”
HIIII yes im aware of the visual discrepancies between the images... lets just say this took a good week or two to actually finish. "finish." i dont like how it came out, but im glad i could finish it because WOW this has been a scene lingering in my head for a long time. better to draw than do nothing at all right. i could spend all day nitpicking everything i rendered wrong that i don't yet have the skillset to fix, but instead i am going to sleep before 2 am :)
wait!! before i go!! this is not lannings final design btw!!!! please!!!!!! bear with me!!!!!!!!! im still designing the body though i got his head together lolol
