“Do you remember when we first met? After you stumbled into the defense mechanism without a care in the world and got yourself pinned to the wall by a metal spike, I was in quite the hurry to get everything done. I had to heal the wound in your stomach, conduct the operation to implant the Neuro Chip and create the companion who would follow you around and give good advice to keep you alive.”
“ROMAS…” Robin whispered, reminiscing in old memories, “Feels like it has been a lifetime ago.”
“Would have been a short life.” Proto chuckled, “Two years, eleven months, six days and nine hours to be precise.”
“Damn, it’s been not even three years and my whole life turned into… this.”
“Do you regret it? That you entered the old Drel facility that day, I mean?”
“No, not really. I met you there, which ultimately set me on the path to meet all the others and led me here. While I won’t pretend that everything turned out like a charm, I’m quite content with my situation.” Robin said as he watched the text that scrolled through his Interface.
- Uninstall Core System…
- Core System removed
- Clearing cache…
- Cache removed
“Why don’t you tell me what this is all about?”
“You know, back in the Drel facility I didn’t have a good idea how humans work. You are different from other races in so many ways. I had too little data, too little time to run all necessary computations. In the end, I went with the first solution that gave an acceptable result.”
“Proto, you don’t have to explain yourself.” Robin said with a smile, “I know I’m often cursing you for taking away my color vision, but… you saved my life that day. Not only that, you left a part of yourself on my chip. I know you also had to pay a price for that. ROMAS saved me more than once.”
He paused and let his mind wander while observing his Interface at the same time.
- Downloading System ‘Independance’...
- Download complete
- Installing System ‘Independance’...
“I am grateful for everything you did for me and the others.” Robin sighed, “I know I tend to struggle at times due to my bleak vision, but rest assured, I’m not going to fall into a depression. I have Niu at my side now. Well, she and the others have always been there for me, but this is different.”
He paused for a moment, before he chuckled.
“Did you know… it’s my first time having a girlfriend. Timothy and Sevastian would go crazy, if they knew!”
“I’m pretty sure they have an idea.” Proto said, “Everyone but you two saw this coming from a mile away…”
“Haha, you’re probably right.”
- ‘Independence’ successfully installed
- Removing temp-files…
- Temp-files deleted
- Uninstalling Connectors…
“You are doing something stupid, aren’t you?” Robin finally asked.
“Maybe?” Proto was hesitant, “My computations are coming back with… mixed results.”
“I’m getting back my color sight, I assume?”
“Yeah, I finally found a solution! Great, right?”
“Pretty awesome.” Robin agreed unenthusiastically, “What price do you have to pay?”
“A major one!” Proto whined dramatically, “We have to separate again. No more direct communication between you and me through the Interface. We had it only for a short time and didn’t even use it much, I know. But there was so much potential… Well, don’t worry, your connection with the ship and its systems will remain.”
- Connectors removed
- Neuro Chip upgrade complete
- Rebooting System in
- 3…
- 2…
- 1…
When his Interface turned off, Robin sighed once more. He knew quite well that Proto didn’t just come up with this solution. He must have known for a long time but never dared to use it. And if that was true…
“What else did you have to pay?”
“Nothing you have to worry about.” Proto waved him off, “Really, this is the right thing to do and–”
“Proto, you are part of this crew and I consider you a friend. If you feel the same, don’t feed me bullshit.”
There was a long silence before Proto finally spoke up again.
“Even with all my capabilities as a creation from the Starborn I didn’t find a way to construct a reliable mathematical model that I could use as the foundation for a color-vision-system. Something is always missing. Something only I can give…”
“Your consciousness… your ‘Spark’?” Robin gasped in shock, “You are giving away what makes you ‘you’? Are you crazy? How is that a feasible solution? Damn, Proto, it’s just some colors, I can wait until we find a better way!”
“No Robin, you can’t. We have a hard time ahead of us, you need every bit of optimism to get through this!” Proto said, “Also, it’s not all of it. Just a small piece, comparable to what I once took from your brain. It has some effects, but not to a dangerous degree. What really worries me is that I’m selling a friend false hope and will break his trust.”
“What? What are you talking–”
- Booting ‘Independence’...
- Boot sequence completed
- Welcome, Robin Tulward!
After the last message appeared, Robin stopped dead and sat there slackjawed. It was as if a world of colors exploded in his vision. Buttons and small lights glowed in red, green, blue and yellow. Outside, through the window, Robin saw the brownish rocky earth, the lush green trees and the blue water far below in the valley. Everything crashed down on him like a tsunami.
“It has only been three years…,” he muttered, “How can I have missed this so much? No… how have I been able to hold on for three years without it?”
He sat there as minutes passed. He knew he had missed this, but he had always thought the occasional colors he saw, the blue and green when he used his G-Anomaly, were enough to keep him satisfied. But this was completely different and only now did Robin understand what he had lost.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
When he noticed how engrossed he was in this new world he saw, he quickly shook himself awake.
“Sorry…” He said, “That was probably not the best thing to say if I want to persuade you to take it back.”
“I’ll be fine, no problem.” Proto chuckled, “It’s good to see you appreciating this. You should go out and enjoy the view as long as it’s not ‘normal’. In time you will adapt and it will lose part of its magic.”
“I will, in a moment.” Robin nodded, “But let us talk about that last thing. False hope and breaking trust? What did you mean by that?”
Once more, Proto hesitated a moment before the door suddenly opened and the AI began to laugh, “Oh, look at that - Niu is back! Now go out and enjoy the sunset like the lovebirds you are. We can talk this through later, okay?”
“Mate, that is not how–”
“Rob! How are you? Did everything work out?” Niu asked as she came rushing in.
“Oh of course it did!” Proto quickly answered, “He nearly cried like a baby. Take him outside so he can enjoy his new vision.”
“Awesome! Thanks, Proto!” Happy cheered and quickly grabbed Robin’s hand, “Come on, the sun is about to set. Time for you to experience some colors again!”
Robin stumbled after her but stopped in the door to turn around.
“Thanks, mate. I owe you one.”
“Nah, you’ve saved my ass when the UAS caught me, did you already forget? I would say we’re even.”
Shaking his head, Robin followed Niu who was waiting at the elevator. When he passed by the Star Atlas, he inspected it more closely. The once gray light now was bright red and slowly pulsed. Though, something felt off. When he couldn’t find anything wrong with it, he concentrated on the new system on his Neuro Chip and willed it to disable the color vision. Instantly his world turned gray again and Robin had to clench his fist to stop it from shaking.
‘Yeah, I’m not willing to give it up so quickly again… damn.’
After calming his mind, he inspected the Star Alas once more. Now it looked like before, a huge cube that was pulsing in a bright gray light.
‘Bright… but not as bright as before.’ He realized and the implications made him jump in fright. What did that mean for Proto?
“Rob? Are you coming?” Happy called after him.
There was nothing he could do right now. He wouldn’t convince Proto to take that piece of his ‘Spark’ back, no matter what. Not just yet at least.
‘I’ll enjoy it as it lasts… but I have to give it back!’
Coming to a decision, Robin turned the color vision back on and followed Niu out of the ship.
For now it was time to fill his mental tanks and watching a red sunset with Niu sounded like just the way to do it.
***
A few days after Robin’s world finally turned colorful again, he was meeting with Ang’Tue and Krez in the ‘Stale Ale’, Farlight’s best pub, if Happy was to be believed. Like most places in the underground city, the pub was built into a big cave with a few windows giving view over the expansive cavern in the city’s center. While the guys had decided to kill a beer together, Alena and Happy were out somewhere to get some fresh air and see the open sky.
Finding a table in a remote corner, Ang’Tue ordered the first round from Tek, the barkeeper, whom they had gotten to know quite well over the past days. It was barely afternoon and not too many guests occupied the pub. While there had been many celebrations after the Eltaran’s victory on Bloom I, realization slowly settled in and it dawned on the citizens that they had rough times ahead.
“Cheers!” Robin raised his beer after their order had arrived. The others joined him and chinked bottles.
“It’s good to see you outside of your small room.” He turned to the Zulbano, “Have you at least visited the forest yet? You don’t find places like this often. The colors of the trees and mushrooms there are intense!”
“Yeah, Alena once took me there.” Krez growled, clearly feeling uncomfortable in the pub, “It is… nice.”
“Wow.” Ang’Tue clicked his tongue, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “Must have really amazed you, considering your enthusiasm.”
“I grew up in the forests.” Krez shrugged, “Sure, this one is unique not only in its location but also with the huge mushrooms growing everywhere. But it’s still just another forest. I would be able to fight better down there than in most other places, though. The environment fits my combat style.”
“Oooookay, great.” Robin awkwardly chuckled, still not used to the Zulbano’s peculiar character, “Have you thought about what you want to do after all this? I’m sure whatever kind of ‘deal’ Ang’Tue had forced you in when we picked you up has expired by now.”
“Oh yes, most definitely!” Ang’Tue quickly nodded and then collected his thoughts for a moment, “Krez, I did what I thought was best for the crew. You were highly unstable and a risk to my friends. While I won’t apologize for what I did to you, I want you to know that I’m sorry that I had to go to such lengths…”
The wolf-kin remained silent and took a big gulp from his beer. Only after a long while did he put down his bottle.
“Don’t feel sorry, old man. I was a wreck back then… a broken warrior. What you did was… shameful, but it probably was also what ultimately forced me back on the right track. While you won’t apologize, I will never be able to thank you. Let’s just consider the battle a draw and never talk about it again.”
“Agreed.” Ang’Tue said and Robin noticed that his friend took a deep, relaxing breath, as if he was just freed from a heavy weight that had rested on his shoulders.
‘He must really have overdone it back then.’ he thought, ‘Proto had said it was still acceptable, but even the AI was considering it a close call.’
When he saw them clinking glasses with their bottles to bury their heavy history, Robin also felt a sense of relief wash over him. While no one had spoken about it, everyone knew that there was some bad blood between them that had to be cleansed at some point. Seems like today was that day.
“To answer your question,” Krez said when he turned back to Robin, “I don’t know yet. Going back to the clan isn’t an option. The only thing I know for sure is that I’m not welcome at my home any longer. Not now and not in the future.”
“I feared it would be like that. Sorry, mate.” Robin sighed, “While I understand your situation I have to hurry you since we’re running out of time. We got the go from the Eltaran today to ask the UAS for help with the evacuation. Tomorrow I’ll have a chat with Eston, one of the highest officers in the UAS and we will try to contact our friends on Rucasur to see how they are doing. After that we won’t linger around much longer and travel to the relic site to prepare for… you know.”
Robin paused when Tek brought fresh beer and then took a long sip.
“You have done your part. More even. You are free to go anywhere. With the money Proto stole from the UAS, we’ll be able to get you a small ship in Delta Falls if you want. You are also more than welcome to stay with us and become a permanent part of the team. But you know what challenges we’re about to face – what is about to come won’t be a walk in the park.”
Krez didn’t immediately answer as he spun his bottle and watched the beer throwing small bubbles.
“Whelp, this is the wrong time for false politeness or to be shy.” Ang’Tue chuckled, completely back in his grandfatherly mood, “You aren’t Krezolgok the Bultaz anymore. You are Krez the Nameless Warrior. If it is as you say and your place isn’t among the Zulbano, then where else would you be able to experience something akin to the solidarity of a clan? The warmth of a pack?”
Krez scoffed and Robin believed to see amusement flicker over his feral face.
“You are a bunch of lunatics and suicidal action junkies and not legendary warriors.”
“Never claimed to be anything else!” Ang’Tue shrugged, “But don’t pretend you’re so much different.”
“Nah, probably not.” Krez grunted, “And at least Alena is a somewhat capable warrior. I guess I could stick with you a while longer.”
“Ah, come on…” Robin cursed under his breath, “Really? Couldn’t you just have said ‘yes’ without bringing her up?”
“I told you it would come down to Alena.” The old man shamelessly laughed and handed him the tab, “You’re paying today.”
Krez looked from one to the other in disbelief for a moment before bursting into laughter – the first expression of genuine joy since their meeting back on Seavis.
“What can I say? She has the spirit of a warrior. Too bad she lacks fur and proper claws.”