Murderbot

Okay. It's in stasis.

I've killed the security cams in the area.

I don't see any way around it.

To find out what's been happening,

we have to go to one of their areas on the maps that's been blanked out.

And when I say "we," I mean me.

Why you?

Because I have expertise in terraforming.

I can take samples and measurements and be in and out quickly.

It makes sense to go there, but what about safety?

I'll go. If you're going.

- Gura. - Oh, I have weapons training.

You have to monitor from the habitat.

Bharadwaj is a geochemist. If she was well, it would be useful--

I'm sorry. You should just take the SecUnit.

Absolutely not.

Oh, I see. That's why we're in the hopper.

- Because you don't trust it. - That's correct.

- Yes, but you don't trust anyone. - I trust you. I trust this team.

I just don't trust anyone or anything that comes from the Company.

And you have good reason for that.

- You do. - Yes. We love you, Gura.

Yeah. We really do, Gugu.

Can we stay on track?

I-I wanna resolve this before it comes out of stasis.

I went in and talked to it.

You did?

I wanted to draw my own conclusion.

And? Do you think we can trust it?

I feel that we can, but I think...

we have to be cautious.

It seems like it's going through something.

- SecUnits don't go through things. - I know, I know...

They kill and they maim things.

And then when they malfunction, they get melted down for material,

which is the first thing that's gonna happen to SecUnit

when we get back to Port FreeCommerce.

I'm gonna see to it personally, but until that time...

we need to stay out of its way.

I don't want it to look--

Hi. Hi.

- Bharadwaj. - What's going on?

You having a secret meeting?

- I love a secret meeting. - Oh.

- You look so much better. - I'm feeling so much better.

Our med bay is amazing,

- and the stimulants are effective too. - Yes, they are.

- Who fixed my... my suit? - Oh, yeah. That was me. I did that.

He did not do that. I did that.

- You're welcome. - I love it. Thank you. Thank you.

Yes. Oh!

- I don't... - Oh, bring it in.

- Oh, yeah. No. That still hurts. Yeah. - Oh. Oh. Oh. Sorry.

- Okay. Let's have a seat. - What's happening? What's happening?

- Does anybody have some water? - We'll get some, okay?

The missing areas on the maps. We have to go investigate.

Great. I'm in.

I guess I'll close the fucking door.

I was in my repair cubicle,

waiting for the last of my organic parts to be regrown.

I'd been in stasis all night,

and my clients had decided to go exploring without me.

Stupid fucking humans.

I hope this isn't stupid of us.

I shouldn't have let you come. You are still healing.

I'm good.

No, I'm... This is good, to get out there again.

Okay. We're coming up on it.

Scanner's acting a little funny.

Scanners are corporate garbage.

That was true. All of their equipment was garbage.

Yeah. Including me.

But you know one thing that worked?

The data mining software that let me watch them at any time.

Hey, just leave your SecUnit behind and go check out some mapping anomalies.

Even though one of you just got chewed on by a giant tooth monster.

Looks fine.

It's probably best that SecUnit didn't come along.

- Yeah. That was smart. - Yeah. Real smart.

Bharadwaj's vital signs were spiking,

and Mensah's were almost as high.

Remember, SecUnit is from the Company too,

so if it is untrustworthy...

Exactly. Yeah.

Okay. I mean...

It did save my life.

Good point.

Gurathin felt it best to leave it behind.

SecUnit, can you come see me, please?

Gurathin.

What was his fucking problem?

It was Gurathin, the augmented human,

who had the systems ability to keep me in the dark.

Stop there please, SecUnit.

Ooh. Look at him, all fancy with his augments.

If I'd wanted to sneak up on him,

I could've snapped his neck before he knew I was online.

I'd prefer it if you put your helmet down.

Now that I know you have a face, I'd love to see it.

Oh, great.

Eye contact.

I hated eye contact.

I watched through the security feed instead.

Much less creepy that way.

Please, sit.

Humans never ask you to sit with them,

so sitting isn't really a comfortable proposition.

I'm fine standing. Thank you.

I insist. Sit.

I understand Dr. Mensah and Professor Bharadwaj

- are out in the hopper. - I'm in contact with them.

They're taking all necessary precautions.

I am a necessary precaution, moron.

I noticed you have an issue with eye contact.

What a strange expression.

"Eye contact."

Like our eyes are stalks coming out of our heads

and touching other people's eyestalks.

Okay, weirdo.

Dr. Gurathin, I recommend I join the team in the hopper.

Or that they return immediately. My threat assessment module indicates that--

How is your system doing after yesterday's attack?

Efficiency is at 97% and rising.

That's not what I...

I guess I just don't understand much about SecUnits.

What's it like

to be you?

I don't know what it's like to not be me.

So I can't say what it's like.

Didn't he have anybody else to bother?

What were Pin-Lee and Arada doing?

You're really precious to me.

Life is so precious.

I want you to have everything.

I love you.

- Ugh, that was worse. - I love you.

- SecUnit. - Yes, Dr. Gurathin.

Do you know why I advised Dr. Mensah not to take you along?

'Cause you're a dick?

- No, Dr. Gurathin. - Because...

I look at you...

and I feel something's wrong.

Oh, shit.

- I think you should stay in the hopper. - What?

- Absolutely not. You need a geochemist. - I do have a degree in terraforming.

Sure, but, you know, that's terraforming.

What's wrong with terraforming?

Nothing. It's-It's just not geochemistry.

- Obviously. - So...

Bharadwaj, I need you here

in case I have to run my arse off and get this hopper in the air.

You can keep me safe by monitoring the hopper sensors.

Gurathin logged the sound footprint of one of those creatures.

If you hear one coming, let me know.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Are you sure?

I'm sure, I think.

Even though the last throuple didn't go so well?

Yeah. Well, here's the thing. First off, she was crazy.

She was dysregulated.

And second off

we didn't have a contract, so everything got very chaotic.

But I, um... I already drafted one up.

You said we were in a rut, and after that thing attacked, I just...

- Life is short. - Thank you. Oh, yes!

- Thank you, thank you, thank you. - Okay.

I think this is gonna be great.

Yeah. Me too.

I'll go get him.

This is gonna be great. I'm so, so happy.

She's so happy.

I'm happy she's happy.

Gurathin knew.

He definitely knew.

While he was busy printing himself some nutrition,

I saw my chance to escape.

In Preservation Alliance, we don't have SecUnits.

Did you know that?

I couldn't stand the guy,

but his interrogation technique was very impressive.

Preservation Alliance is not in the Corporation Rim.

Most certainly is not.

The prevalent philosophy in Preservation Alliance is that...

constructs, AIs, are people.

I know. It's...

weird to think about.

I only joined

Preservation a little over six years ago.

I was friends with Dr. Mensah.

Why was he telling me this?