Work Text:
Tarik was reading the newsbursts from their last station stop when Matteo tripped and knocked a chair over so loudly that he flinched.
He wasn't the only one that had been startled, though.
SecUnit was taking up residence nearby in the corner (its definition of socializing), not close, but close enough that Tarik could hear its weapons cycle, boot, and then abort in its arms. It didn't move or react, and he thought that it probably didn't realize that he had noticed.
Tarik said nothing, returning his eyes to the feed. He had no intention of mentioning it.
He understood.
“I don't think I'll ever understand corporates,” Kaede seethed. “What they do to constructs…”
“I don't think anyone with a moral backbone could understand them,” Ratthi grimaced. “Every time SecUnit tells me something new I want to cry.”
“Parts of it are proprietary?” she warbled. “Of its body?”
“It's sick.”
“I can't believe we actually have to pay C—”
“Shh!” Ratthi hissed, cutting her off. “Don't say their name. It really upsets SecUnit.”
“SecUnit isn't here, though?”
Ratthi glanced around, then pointed at a drone. “It's listening. It flinches when it hears it. Just call it the company.”
Kaede nodded.
Pin-lee rubbed her temples and looked up with a sour expression. “It’s fine. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks,” said the SecUnit. Without another word, it turned and left.
Miranda waited until it was out of sight to give her employer a disapproving look.
“Don’t say it,” said Pin-lee.
“I just can’t believe you’re still doing its cases for free,” Pin-lee’s assistant said. “Surely it must have the money to pay you.”
“It probably does.”
“Then why are you still doing them? It’s like, forty-percent of your caseload!”
“Yeah, well, it saved one-hundred percent of my life, so,” Pin-lee dismissed.
Sorry that I haven't read the draft you sent me yet, said Arada, I had a really busy weekend. I was planning to sit down with it tonight.
Just forget it, SecUnit replied. It’s terrible anyway. Just delete it.
I'm still going to read it, she asserted, and I'll bet hard currency that I like it.
Stupid bet. I'd just be robbing you. Don't read it.
SecUnit, said Arada, I'm reading your rough draft, and there's nothing you can do about it.
…Fine. Let me know what you think, I guess. I know you'll think it's crap, though.
We’ll see.
“Alright, alright already! Give me a fucking second to get around the– the thing— the whatever this is,” echoed SecUnit’s voice down the corridor.
Seth paused. Its voice had come from the engine room. That wasn't a place that he really liked anyone’s voice coming from.
He peered in to find SecUnit balanced precariously on a railing, looking inside the engine.
“There's still nothing there, you big baby,” it said. “Are you happy now?” A pause. “Fine.” It kicked off the wall and away and continued to inspect the machinery.
Seth’s eyes softened, and he carried on down the hall.