....feel movement returning to you as, with a hiss, the pod opens, letting you up. In your mind’s eye you see ‘Phase 5 - Nanite Hardening requires 21 standard hours to set before Phase 6 can begin.’ Something that Lisa’s obviously read too as you get up, stepping out of the now upright pod like walking into a room.
Your toe-less stump feet are weird with how well you can use them as you walk into the room. You raise one leg, holding it perfectly steady at 90 degrees, balancing flawlessly on one leg as Lisa claps. “You look great Mari!” She beams, giving you a big hug, wrapping you up in joy as tight as her arms. You can’t help those feelings, your entire body releasing not endorphins or serotonin, but a blissful electric tingle that sends you almost short circuiting for a moment. It’s as if every atom of you is alight with joy and pleasure as the current surges through your body. The feeling only stops when, in an eternity for your electronic brain but only a few seconds for her, she breaks the hug. “Look at you, so cute! You’ll be such a good companion!” You’re sent to your knees, or would if not for joint locking, with that. Your brain explodes in programmed joy as the praise works its way through, satisfying that voice deep in you and resonating with clear positive reinforcement loops built into you.
One of many advantages of this change, you have to admit is, the extra perceived time you have to make decisions and compose yourself. You were metaphorically gushing at how good that hug was and the praise too but thankfully you’ve got a whole second to compose yourself, remind yourself of the situation, and give her an awkward and ‘doing your best in a stressed situation’ smile even if you lack a mouth now; your body language will have to do. You kind of hope that every compliment from her doesn’t trigger that, but at the same time, you kind of do. Talking’s easy at least, you just ‘talk’ like you used to and your voice comes out from somewhere near where your mouth was. “Heh, thanks Mistress. It’s….it’s not what I would’ve picked, but it’s not too bad.” you admit to her, mostly because you don’t want to start praising her or being weird about it….especially given said messed up-ness of the whole thing. “So, what do we do exactly? We’re salvagers? Pirates? Raiders? Criminals?” It’s not judgmental, just curious. It’s not like you’ve got a choice here.
She chuckles, snout showing all her teeth as she rocks back and forth in amusement. “I’m a Star Scav; ‘s the popular term. We explore lost places, scavenge old wrecks, and generally get into trouble in this wild galaxy of ours. Been doing it for up nearly twenty standard cycles; was part of big crews and small ones, finally went off on my own a few dvisions ago. You’re” she points at you and your pod, “my biggest haul. Was able to sell the loot back to the Federation for less than a fence but more than a fence and the trouble of doing it clean. Still, managed to hide you and a few other goodies” She cackles at that. “Could’ve sold you too, but they’d give me a fraction of the street value and I wanted a partner to watch my back. Solo gets lonely.” A rub of your cabley-hair, another spark of pleasure that sends your feet pushing against the ground in bliss.
You give yourself a few milliseconds of basking in the feelings before composing yourself again,, nodding. “So, I’m someone who’ll always have your back, always watch over you, and keep you safe for no cost to you” It makes sense as you work it out. “Other than whatever I cost to keep and upgrade?”
“Pretty much. My own top of the line bodyguard! No greedy partner is stabbing *me* in the back anymore!” She humphs in triumph. “You’re basically the prefect companion *free*, except for whatever I spend keeping you in shape. Plus, I’m doing *you* a favor you know, taking some cute sapient from a backwater non-FTL world and showing them the galaxy.”
Her words resonate with the little internal voice humming in your head. You hate to admit it but she’s right. Or the programming is telling you she’s right which is the same thing. She is giving you a great opportunity, after all! You can’t disagree with it no matter how much you internally argue, so you nod. “I know. Becoming your robot is a small price to pay for this opportunity.” It’s not a lie, no matter how begrudging it is, and it causes her to break into the biggest and most genuine smile.
“I knew you’d be happy with it! At least, eventually” she gives an amused chuckle, “But I’m going to show you *ALL* the cool stuff I’ve seen! You’re going to be the best partner ever, heheh!” exclaiming in joy and mischief as she holds your purple body to her larger frame tightly, once more filling your being with just the most perfect tingling from every nanoparticle of your frame.
She looks like she’s about to continue, or talk about some wonder she’s excited about, when a sudden flashing from the console distracts her. You know instantly that it’s…