[video] un: k2so

[k_2so]

[A video! Of a DROID. A dark faced droid with white photoreceptors looking at his video feed. If droids could have facial expressions, his would be confused, or annoyed, or a bit of both really.]

Handy man. I was assigned to be a handy man at a place called Nuts and Bolts. What an absurd name for a business. If they understood my capabilities they would understand they are well above “Handy Man”. I am not some simple labor droid.

[He pauses his rant, head lifting and looking back and forth, before continuing to speak again.]

This situation is abnormal. The odds that they are lying however appear to be low. The situation I recorded last was ... not good, so this could be considered a vast improvement. I am, however, unfamiliar with some of the technology here. They could have at least equipped me with some upgrades instead of this communication device.

[What a string of complaints! Oh right, this device. He looked down to it again, stared, then lifted his other hand near it.]

I am K-2SO. I am looking for those who may understand the call sign of “Rogue One” ... which is also an absurd name.

That is all. [and he would cut the feed unless someone replies to this. The odds of someone replying are high. The odds of it being someone he actually knows are about middle ground. That, to him, is being optimistic and hopeful]

Comments

[andreios]

I understand. I can do more than this too. Much more.

[ He shakes his head. ]

Maybe you could petition for something more suitable that would make better use of your skills. A ship this size has to need competent people.

[k_2so]

A ship this size shouldn't need a "handy man". They should have an entire department of maintenance droids to do that.

[Don't mind him. He's just bitter at being labeled a Handy Man. Technician seems so much more respectable...]

And who calls their business Nuts and Bolts?

[andreios]

They should have an entire department of people to do that.

[ He's very firm on this. Humans and Cylons went to war over humans treating Cylons like slaves. ]

Machines aren't slaves and shouldn't be relegated to work humans don't want to do.

[k_2so]

[His head lifts a bit at that. A long calculated pause. Interesting.]

If not required to do what they are programmed for, would you rather "machines" do work outside of their standard program parameters, or not function at all?

[It's almost a trick question...]

[andreios]

I would rather machines do what they want to do. It's arrogant and foolish to believe a sentient being should be bound by programming.

[ It's taken a lot of death and two thousand years of regret, but some people finally get it. ]

Everyone deserves the opportunity to determine their own destiny.

[k_2so]

[Interesting! He's even more surprised, or pleased, by the response. Intrigued even.]

You have had to work with droids before this. It is rare to find someone with as much conviction as you have towards my kind. Rare but not unheard of.

Username "Longshot". Is that what you are called?

[andreios]

Sam Anders, actually. Longshot was my callsign back on the Galactica. [ A beat. ] The battlestar I served on.

[ It's strange to be this candid about what he is, but he powers through it. ]

I'm a Cylon. I know I look human but I'm a machine too. It's a pleasure to meet you.

[ That is completely sincere. ]

[k_2so]

[Battlestar? That's not like a Deathstar is it? They were working to destroy that. He says nothing on that just yet. There are more important points made just now.]

[He is much more interested in the reveal here.]

Sam Anders. Cylon. Is 'Cylon' a make or model, or another term for 'machine' like 'droid'? Where I am from, machines and droids do not look so... life like.

[It IS a pleasure to meet him, though he will state that after he's done processing this and trying to tell, over a video, if what the man says is real or not. At the moment the odds feel... low. How can that be?]

[andreios]

[ He has to take a moment to figure out the answer to that. ]

I guess it's like droid. Cylon is the name of our species. There different kinds of Cylons, but we're all artificial intelligence. Our Centurions look more like you. And for a time, their freewill was inhibited by programming by other Cylons. [ He frowns. ] Unfortunately, enslaving others for work deemed unsavory isn't just a human characteristic. My people were guilty of it too.

Humans don't tend to differentiate between our different types. They just call us Cylons. Or toasters, if they want to be insulting.

[k_2so]

[He listens, watching the image on his screen with strange interest. The Cylon looks much like a basic humanoid that he could have mistaken him for any number of standard races. He would never have thought the other were machine at all.]

Where I am from droids are built for technical jobs. I am a KX-Model Enforcer Droid built for the Empire. My captain however reprogrammed me. Now I am part of his crew. [HIS CREW GENERALLY BEING JUST THE TWO OF THEM... but whatever. He can work well with others too.] He allowed my built in behavioral inhibitors to be turned off upon my reprogramming. It gives me freedom to develop how I want.

You might like my Captain. Though not many people do. [Kay, that's... not helpful] I do not believe I have ever been called a toaster however. Hunk of junk yes. Toaster, no.

[andreios]

[ It's strange, though heartening, to hear that a human—he assumes this captain is a human as he knows of no other race—took those steps himself. Like maybe there's hope for organic-machine relations after all. ]

He sounds like an interesting guy. Progressive for a human. I'm impressed.

[ Sounds like maybe there are open-minded humans everywhere. ]

So K-2SO, that's your name? Not some kind of model number, I hope?

[k_2so]

It is not so uncommon for droids to be more than simple labor, though most of the time it is not true. the rebellion however, they treat some of their droids like valued members of a society. Fancy that.

[he is pretty sure there are open minded humans and other things around with the rebels, but who is to say. Imperials on the other hand? not so much.]

It is my designation. You may shorten it, if it would make you feel better.

[andreios]

I'll call you whatever you want.

[ It's a pointed comment. If that's what K-2SO prefers, Sam will honor it. ]

The rebellion, though. What's going on with that?