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Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07

Somewhat expectedly, the robot swung it's staff towards K011, the robot was uncomfortably fast but with a quick combat roll K011 got away with only a glancing blow. Even if the hit was glancing however, it would have been more than enough to incapacitate the average human from the sheer amount of pain inflicted. The clone did not make a clean recovery from the roll, and staggered to his feet. At this point his rational thought was overridden by years of brutal programming beaten into him in training and further solidified by nearly a decade of combat experience. The robot was interfering with his mission and in the Bellarum Navy that was a deadly offense. With the inhalation and release of a deep breath the clone shot forward to the robot with the intent to take it's weapon.

Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07,

HKR-07

The organic's response was faster then it had thought it would be. At this point HKR was sure it had military training. Then it came to it. That face. It was a clone. HKR had heard of them, even faced some of the leftovers who had been abandoned and wandered the galaxy. They were tough but HKR was still a robot.

It watched as the organic got to its feet, shaking and uneven. The pain was clearly a lot but not more then the clone could take. HKR predicted that he would lunge at it and, sure enough, he did. HKR's response was a swift forward kick aimed at the figure lunging at HKR.

Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07

K011 tried to dodge, but his response time was already somewhat diminished by the previous wound. As the metal foot collided with his chest, he felt ribs crack and all of the wind get knocked out of his lungs. He was flung back but just barely managed to stay on his feet. He tightened up his hands into fists and raised his arms to the ready. His rational thinking was starting to return screaming at himself internally to explain the situation before the plant creature could escape again. He had no luck for the time being, all of his instincts told him to fight until either the enemy was neutralized or he was dead. The only silver lining was that he had been thrown back into the way of the tunnel opening, but how long he would stay there, and if he even had the strength to stop the plant creature whose abilities he knew next to nothing about. He spit out a mouthful of blood and braced himself for the robot's attack.

Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07
The Robot was fast. Sol was lucky that her body allowed her to track 360 degrees of movement, or she would have lost track of it a long time ago. Then the robot attacked the clone chasing her. Taking advantage of the distraction, she moved herself out of the way, trying to reach the control panel. She needed to get out of here. Things had gone too far. She felt fear, an emotion rare among IMs as death was of little consequence in a clan setting. But here, there was no one to save her. No one to regrow her. And no one to save her ward.

Her ward. No harm would befall them. The door refused to open, but rage, the need to protect her ward flowed through her body. She wasn't strong like a robot, nor fast as the clone. She knew she couldn't take the robot, as her only attack relied on mental abilities. The electric stick was a one way ticket to death.

It wasn't on optimal situation. Even going back to confinement wasn't much of an option at this point, not that she wanted that much either. Her eyes raked the room for anything she could use. Nothing she knew how to use. IMs weren't built for this.

She wasn't going to attack. Doing so would be detrimental. But she could defend. She could do the thing she was told never to do, only in dire situations. A distraction more than anything. Settling under the workbench, she asked her ward to forgive her. This wasn't going to be pretty for either of them. Thin gashed appeared across her skin as she exerted herself, expanding her magnetic field further than it was supposed to go. Her outer leaves clamped around her body as she rose higher into the air, drawing every last scrap of metal towards her. Wrapping her tendrils around whatever she could, she sent the rest flying back across the room, hoping it hit something. Hoping it gave her enough time to reach the clone, her best hope of survival at this point. Liquid pooled under her eyes, oozed from between her leaves, leaving a slick trail in her wake. And she moved as fast as she could towards the clone.

Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07

HKR-07


HKR was using its tertiary receptors to keep track of the plant. They had been banging on the control panel, trying to get out. Not much chance until it wanted to. HKR continued to focus on the clone, waiting for it to make his next move.

Then HKR saw the plant do something strange. It started to float. More concerning, though, HKR could feel it start to magnetically pull things towards the plant. HKR activated the magnets in its boots and held onto the staff as the various tools, parts and objects in its room was pulled towards the plant's center. Then, as suddenly as it began, the force reversed and the objects were hurled all over the room with force. HKR raised its free arm to shield its head. Several tools and widgets hit HKR but bounced off harmlessly.

When it stopped HKR lowered its arm and prepared to advance on the plant. However, something felt.....wrong. Something in it's chest. HKR looked down to see a self sealing stem bolt embedded in it's tertiary photo receptor in the middle of its chest. Damage, HKR was used to. The photo receptor was still nominally functional, certainly repairable, if damaged. Usually HKR would get diagnostic alerts but if the part still functioned nothing would happen and if it did work HKR would not feel anything, it would just know it did not work.

This was not normal, however. Even as the photo receptor still functioned HKR felt....pain. It felt pain. In fact, it felt agony. The only word HKR could think to describe it was bad in the worst way. HKR doubled over, dropped its staff, held the injury and fell to its knees. Protocols HKR did not recognize began to take over and a wave of emotions hit it at the same time. It raised its head and let out an incredibly loud, distorted shriek, like the sound a computer could make if it could scream. It was a blood curdling sound that could be heard for some distance. HKR dropped flat to the floor, curled up as it continued to scream in agony.

Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07

Caught by surprise, K011 could do little to shield himself from the frag of the plant creature's improvised grenade. The clone was once again thrown across the room breaking the previously cracked ribs and dislocating his shoulder. Worse than the broken bones, a jagged piece of metal was embedded deep in his thigh. Even more surprising than the plant creature's attack was the reaction the robot had to the damage it received. It seemed to be... in pain, as it screamed and curled up on the floor.

The scream broke forth a wave of memories in K011 snapping him out of his fighting tunnel vision. In an act that surprised even himself, he pushed himself up and limped to the robot, blood slopping out of his nasty leg wound. kneeling beside the robot he began what he could attempt at first aid for it. It's damages were significant, worst of all being a large piece of what K011 thought was a bulkhead bolt stuck in it's chest. He didn't really know what to do, but he tried to help in some form. He pulled his comm device out of his pocket and found it to be very broken.

With labored breaths he asked the robot, "Where's your comm terminal!?"

Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07

Sol's eyes widened as she felt her leaves tighten around her, the vibrations the robot was emitting causing her to drop down to the floor, trying to escape the sound. Being noticed no longer seemed to be an issue as both the robot and the clone were a bit incapacitated. Sol wanted the noise to stop. She couldn't move, didn't have the strength to fight the noise and move. It was so loud, the vibrations crushing her. Wait, that was her leaves, which had been tight already, expanding in response. She fought it as much as she could. Too much pressure was bad for her ward.

She hadn't been this scared since the days at the lab. When her clan was first plucked from their home, studied, and one by one, dissapeared. Assigned to various visitors. Eventually Kry had come to take her. As least Kry recognized she had a brain, even if she treated Sol more like a Tarantus than a thinking being. Sol had tried to talk to Kry, but had no luck. Kry had only reprimanded her and complained of a headache.

She blinked back to the present and really looked around. This... all this was her fault. She could blame her captors for holding her, but today, here, this was her doing. She could justify it, but that didn't make it right. There may have been other ways.

Roots dragging behind her, she pulled herself closer to the robot, going against every survival instinct in her body. The clone was already there. She couldn't help. Even when the doctors, the scientists, used her, it was never for this. There was no decay yet, no sepsis, nothing but blood and a wailing robot.

Tears welled in Sol's eyes. She would fix this. Somehow. If she could pull herself off the floor. The vent was close. There were people there... maybe, just maybe... She turned, clawing her way towards the vent, the sound continuing to wear down her will to live.

IBVS Indomitable, Two Years Ago

Ballistic and laser fire ripped and burned up the hallways adjacent to the hangar deck as the Wintrean boarding party attempted to take the Indomitable from its crew. In their way here stood the marine compliment's Kilo Company. They were taking heavy casualties. All around K011 his brothers fell, repeated lasgun bolts melting through the Bellarum clones' armor searing their flesh below, the stench it brought was awful.

K011's battle buddy K010 was hit in the face, his body slamming back to the floor. K011 threw a grenade and turned to his fallen comrade who rocked back and forth his hands grasping his face, the melted flesh sticking to them. K011 pulled his comrade's hands away to reduce the damage and sprayed the area with bio-foam.

He looked up from his brother and cried out "Quartermaster!"

K001 ever cool headed sauntered over and loomed over K011, "Kilo Eleven, your efficiency has dropped, return to your duty immediately or face reprimand."

K007, the squad quartermaster sprinted over to K010's prone figure and shoved K011 "Leave him Mercy, there's Wintreans to kill!"

The memories flowed out as K011's body shivered from the severe damage.

Deep Space Wintreath, Room 44-232, occupant HKR-07

The robot was in what seemed to be shock. K011 needed to get them out of here or they may be done for. he grabbed the robot and put it on his back in a fireman's carry. He struggled to stand and limp to the door which he unlocked, and stepped out into the halls. Just his luck, there was nobody there, undeterred, he waved his free hand desperately at the security camera in the corner of the hall before forcing himself over to the public comm terminal in the middle of the hall, blood loss getting worse with every step he took. He pulled the receiver off the handle and dialed the medical bay.

"Emergen...cy..." He barely got out the one word before collapsing to the floor passing out.

Just as K011 passed out, Lieutenant Zerick rounded the corner down the corridor with some security officers in tow.

He received a report of unauthorized persons in the sublevel from his engineers there. Grabbing a few security team members, he followed the corridors to where his engineers reported the Intruders to have gone. And right outside in the hall were the wanted persons as well as a robot, all looking pretty beat up.

Zerick ordered the security personnel to take the wanted persons to the medical bay as he approached the group. Looking at the robot, he recognized it as the one from Kuark's bar. Interesting how it would have its own quarters... He inspected the robot's systems closely, keenly looking at the damages dealt to it. This wasn't an old protocol droid like everyone believed. The Lieutenant recognized the systems. The company that made it, the HKR, had made the schematics and specifications for the model public for decades, and as strange as it might be, Zerick actually held an interest in robots, even the assassination types. Despite the technology being so old, he pulled out his tools and began working. Not long after, the damage was repaired. Hopefully it would provide some answers when it comes to.

Deep Space Wintreath, Medbay
Kry was a bit tired of running around, but knew where she was needed. Moving efficently back down to the medbay, she arrived just as security brought in the unconscious form of... K011? That was unexpected. She wondered just what in the world had happened, but set to work immediately. Asking questions was not her job.

The nurses worked easily beside her, handing her the equipment needed to remove the metal object in his leg and set the broken ribs. Once done and the skin regenerated, bruises removed, she gave him something to help him sleep easier. If someone came knocking for questions, they could wait until he woke up.

Deep Space Wintreath, Tunnels
Sol yelped as a human security officer picked her up, another officer securing the area and talking to the engineers. She was far too tired to put up a fight as they carried her off, unsure of what they were supposed to do with her, and from the sound of things, even what she was and if she belonged here.

She waved limply at the people in the hall as the officers asked what their orders were to deal with her. But she wasn't sure the response as her eyes and ears began to falter. Crap. She needed to get to her grounding pad.

Deep Space Wintreath, Medbay

It didn't take too long after the completion of his treatment for K011 to awaken from his blood loss induced state of unconsciousness. By the groggy feeling he had he assumed someone had given him a sedative to keep him out. He went to take a deep breath and felt the very expected and sudden urge to vomit. He grabbed a nearby trash bucket and expelled what he assumed was the entire contents of his stomach. Wiping the vomit from the corners of his mouth away and into the bucket, K011 swept his legs over the side of the examination table and walked up to the Doctor's office and knocked on the door.

"Doctor, permission to speak with you?" his familiar near monotone was back, but further dampened by his slowly lifting grogginess.

Deep Space Wintreath, Medbay, Kry's office
Kry looked up from her paperwork, which she had been using to try and distract herself from the absence of Sol. It had happened before, and she was sure Sol would be picked up or wander back eventually. But she still worried fro the smaller lifeform, and for more than just the value she was worth.

"Come." The door slid open, which Kry was pleased to see. Giving K011 a smile, she gestured to one of the less damaged chairs in the room.

"Of course. Although," she added, voice becoming stern "You shouldn't be up and moving already. You took quite a beating. I imagine you'll feel a bit sore for a few days. Let me know if anything hurts right away, or if your skin looks abnormal."

Deep Space Wintreath, Medbay, Kry's office

K011 entered the Doctor's office and ignored her offer of a chair in favor of standing at a straight military at ease stance ignoring every ounce of pain that throbbed through his body like a biological alarm siren.

"I apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I should have contacted you as soon as your companion..." he thought back on the plant creature's name, "Sol escaped the Medical Bay. I attempted to bring her back here to await your return but when I requested she tried to evade me. I pursued and in doing so violated station security protocols by going within restricted areas, including sub-deck maintenance tunnels and the private residence of an occupant of the station. I apologize further that not only did I commit these offenses, but I failed in my task to retrieve Sol as well. The last time I had visual contact with her she was climbing back into the tunnels." Every word was well calculated and in a mechanically regimented manner of speaking. His expression was the classic deadpan every soldier knew well when giving a negative report or being verbally berated by a superior. He expected a stay in the brig in his near future and inside felt he had made a very poor impression on his new pseudo commanding officer.

Deep Space Wintreath, Medbay, Kry's office
Kry sighed and let K011 give his report, then gave him her best doctor's glare, noting the pain that seemed to arc through his body.

"Sit." She drew herself up to her full height, just in case she had to force the issue. Then she sighed and shook her head.

"I must say, that is quite the story. And I appreciate the efforts. The truth of the matter is that Sol is often more trouble than normal the first few days we move to a new location. I've found it best to let her escape and explore, for then she rarely does it again. And she does have to come back to the medbay within 18 standard hours to rest anyway. She's like a...ah, what is that earth word... dog. She needs to explore to feel safe in a place.

"Of course, I will have to make a formal report to the commander about all this, but I fear I bear the blame as much as you. I should have informed my staff about my companion and how to treat her earlier. I have one question for you though: With how badly you were hurt, was Sol hurt as well?"

If Sol was hurt, it was a race against time to find her. Sol couldn't take care of herself, much like any pet. And the government lab would probably have her head if she let an IM die while in her care.

Deep Space Wintreath, Medbay, Kry's office

K011 followed the order and sat down in the chair the Doctor directed him to. He frowned somewhat confused when the doctor referred to the plant creature like a pet. To his knowledge slavery was outlawed in the Wintrean Federation.

"Doctor, I have no right to question you but I am confused by your reference to Sol as a pet... Isn't Sol a person? She seemed quite intelligent when I spoke with her."