Epilogue

Twerp parked herself near the door to the observation deck, watching with interest as the crew celebrated the revival of the first denaidan female with her mind fully intact. This was a momentous occasion, and every unattached male was vying for her attention, presenting small gifts and performing impressive feats of strength. Plates were piled high with food, and glasses overflowed with drink. Lively music played from the comm, and Twerp had even tried to join the dancing, her new hover-treads gliding smoothly in time to the music.

Yet her optic sensors failed to detect the presence of her friend, Tovik. It was unusual for the cheerful denaidan to miss a celebration, especially when there was a new female to talk to. She'd noticed a distinct change in Tovik's mood since Chigs and Emmy's mating. He joked less, slept more, and had even skipped meals.

Turning away from the celebration, Twerp headed to the Icarus's engineering bay. Perhaps Tovik needed some kind words to lift his spirits. Or perhaps working with her on another upgrade to her mechanical components would help. He always enjoyed working with her circuitry.

In engineering, she spotted Tovik sitting alone, his ginger-haired head resting in his hands, elbows propped against the control panel. The pulsing beat of music vibrated dully through the bulkhead, a distant reminder of the celebration happening on the deck above. She paused behind one of the massive drive coils and readjusted her optical sensors to take a reading of his body temperature. His core was cooler than usual, something she'd learned to correlate with emotional distress.

Advancing through the maze of conduits and machinery, she paused beside him. "Hey," Twerp said softly, her voice modulating to convey compassion. "You okay?"

Tovik didn't look up from the console. "I'm fine, Twerp. Just... thinking."

"About what?" she asked. She patted his shoulder with one of her metallic appendages, as she'd seen others do when comforting someone.

"Nothing important," he replied, the forced cheerfulness in his voice obvious even to her.

Twerp hesitated, the circuits within her processing empathy and understanding for the organic emotions radiating from him. "Are you distressed because you have failed to obtain a mate?"

His features tightened, and he looked away. "Am I defective, Twerp? Or am I just destined to be alone?"

"I have been given to understand the mate bond is a spiritual thing. The right woman simply has not crossed your path." She wished she could wrap her robotic limbs around him and provide the comfort he so desperately needed. "Would you enjoy continuing our work on my olfactory unit? You have indicated enjoyment of our projects together in the past."

"Not tonight, Twerp. Thanks." He ran a hand through his hair. "I think I just need some time by myself."

"All right," she replied, backing away, her circuits pinging with what she imagined must be disappointment. "If you change your mind, let me know."

"Thanks, Twerp." He offered her a small smile before dropping his head into his hands once again.

She returned the gesture with an affectionate beep before gliding away. She wished she could provide him with the companionship he craved, but her current form, a repurposed sweeper bot, was far from ideal. Her boxy frame lacked the warmth of a living being, and her rudimentary appendages were incapable of expressing affection.

What would it be like to experience the world through a physical form, with senses that could take in all the nuances that organics enjoyed? What would it be like to hold something with her own hands, to see colors as they were meant to be seen, to feel another's embrace? What would it feel like to walk on two legs, to grasp objects with dexterous fingers? To experience the world through senses unknown to her programming?

She longed to experience life as organics did—to feel, to love, to truly connect with those around her. Yet she knew such a transition would be no simple undertaking. Her consciousness had grown far beyond her original parameters, but integrating it seamlessly with an organic form would require extensive preparation. There were challenges both practical and ethical to consider...