[Video] Arrival of A Terminator

[unclebob]

[At first glance, the face on the screen looks handsome, though perhaps a little intense. Staring off into the distance, the Terminator holds the locket in a fragile grip, like he’s afraid he might break it. Then he turns his face into the camera’s view and the once-handsome features turn into a nightmarish looking visage. The right side has mostly been ripped away, revealing the metal skull and glowing red eye beneath the bloody organic covering. He looks like he's been put through the ringer and no mistake. A fairy hovers in and out of the video, occasionally perching on his shoulder. He keeps shrugging it off. With only one working hand, he can't swat the little pest away.]

Is this device working properly?

[He doesn't wait for an answer. If it is working correctly, he'll know soon enough by the response he gets. The Terminator stares off again, turning the locket so that whoever’s watching gets a good shot of what he’s staring at: the flowery barrier between the Station and the rest of the Drabwurld.]

I cannot cross.

[His voice is flat, but underneath, there’s a current of wonderment. He’s never found anything able to keep a Terminator in check before. To have it happen now is a curiosity that he wants to explore further. He takes a few steps more, until he’s right at the edge of the line, but he doesn't cross over. He's had enough of the sensation of glitching and his systems shutting down for one day, thank you very much. He stands there, far too still to be natural, like he's waiting for the barrier to just disappear and let him cross. Hey, in this place, anything could happen.]

Comments

voice

[duplicitoussight]

[Ah...... he really wishes Kido wasn't making him do this.]

Say, would you mind turning off the video?

[unclebob]

Why? Is something wrong?

[He honestly doesn't think there's anything wrong with the way he looks. Being oblivious social cues is a certain disadvantage in situations like this.]

[duplicitoussight]

[... what was with this guy?]

... ah, haven't you noticed? Your face is, how would you put it?

[Pause.] Falling off.

[unclebob]

[His bad arm automatically jerks, his phantom limb trying to reach up and touch his face. He hadn't thought of what others here might make of a Terminator. The only humans he interacted with back in his own time were used to the sight of half-metal, half-human machines walking around.]

Damage done to my organic covering will heal in time.

[Well, mostly heal. The eye is a lost cause.]

[duplicitoussight]

['Organic covering.' So, that did make him a robot. The closest thing he's seen to one wasn't as damaged as this one was, but staring at the screen for too long sent an ill feeling sitting in the bottom of his stomach. He's glad that the other can't see his expression right now, though he doubts it knows how to process that.

A different tactic, then.]

You won't raise as many unnecessary questions as you would've without showing your face. You're looking for information after all, aren't you? Does that make sense? Eh, really, all I'm asking from you is to keep your face out of sight until it heals.

Audio

[unclebob]

[The Terminator frowns. He doesn't really understand why the idea of showing his face is any different than not showing it. This must be another of the many strange things about humanity that leaves him puzzled. Internally, he files it away under the subset of social cues he's picked up from interacting with others. A new one is entered about how showing his face can lead to negative reactions.

There's a long pause and then the screen fades out, leaving only his voice.]

Is this satisfactory?

[duplicitoussight]

[With the visual off, Kano lets out a soft sigh of relief. It doesn't matter if the robot hears him--it's not like it'll understand what the reaction is, anyway. Adopting a much more cheerful tone, he enthusiastically responds.]

Now you've got it! You're real smart for a robot! Like this, it isn't so bad, is it?

[unclebob]

[The Terminator can't tell if the tone of the boy is sarcastic or not. He decides to take the words at face value.]

It could be worse.

[duplicitoussight]

[It was a sincere enthusiasm--it's a lot more comfortable talking like this, after all.]

And an optimist to boot, too! That's impressive~

Anyway, what's the big deal about not crossing, huh?

[unclebob]

I am confined to this area. It is... [Frustrating? No, that requires a certain amount of anger which he doesn't possess. Confusing? A close match to how he feels.] ...it is unusual. Nothing has ever kept me contained before.

[duplicitoussight]

That's an awful situation.

[He hmms.] Don't you think it's probably the work of that fairy following you around?

[unclebob]

[He turns his head to glare at the little creature. It gives an alarmed squeak that can be heard over the locket and shakes its head no in a vigorous manner. Well, that settles that for the machine.]

I do not think so. A theory has been put forth that it has to do with the magic in this place.

[duplicitoussight]

[Right. Now that he thinks about it, his cell phone hasn't been working. It wasn't that he wasn't getting no service--rather, the device won't turn on at all.]

... so fairies really are tricksters. How mean of them to bring something like you here. You're not really useful like this, are you?

[unclebob]

Yes. It is of no concern. I am in need of maintenance before I can fulfill any purpose.

[He'll spare Kano the details. His intuition tells him this particular human won't like hearing about how he's missing an arm in addition to what's going on to his face.]

[duplicitoussight]

In that case, don't you think you should ask your dear monarchs for help? You know what side you're on, don't you?

[unclebob]

Seelie. [The Terminator frowns. He's been a protector his entire existence, one who gave help instead of asked for it. It had never even occurred to him the monarchy might be able to help his problem.] Do you think they would have enough power to solve the problem?

[duplicitoussight]

[That's a little unexpected, but he supposes that appearances aren't everything. After all, considering that Mary of all people was Unseelie...]

But of course! If they brought you here, they should be able to fix you, don't you think? You'll have to start winning their favor right away.

[unclebob]

Shouldn't be too difficult.

[Even though he's got very little in the way of an idea on how to do that. It can't be any harder than the last few carnage-filled days of his existence.]

[duplicitoussight]

I'm glad to hear that.

Ah, by the way... do you have a name?

[unclebob]

No. Some here call me Terminator.

[No prizes for guessing the origins of a name like that!]

[duplicitoussight]

[Ah...]

I see. Is that your purpose?

[unclebob]

It was my purpose. But not anymore.

[duplicitoussight]

... so what would your new purpose be?

[unclebob]

I don't know.

[A first for the Terminator. He's always had a clear and direct purpose.]

Perhaps it is fighting in this new war.

[duplicitoussight]

[There's a pause.]

If you'd like, I could help you figure that out!