Null Protocol || Ramattra x Reader

☙Chapter Twenty-Two❧

The next morning, (Y/n) awoke cuddled up with a fluffy yellow blanket. She didn't remember falling asleep with it, and at the reminder of who went to retrieve it for her, she found herself smiling – though, it didn't match the color palette of the rest of the ship, so she had to wonder where Ramattra got it.

After slipping on some comfy clothes – of which purple was prominent to match Null Sector's primary color scheme – she emerged from her room to search for Ramattra. The ship might as well have been a maze with how quickly she got lost. After what felt like hours, she finally heard voices, and she jogged towards them when she recognized the deep rumble of her favorite omnic.

"It will not be long before the Talon grunt gives up the location, and when he does, we will rain hellfire upon them." That dangerous edge was back in his voice – a complete contrast to the way he spoke when it was just him and (Y/n) – but his companion had no reaction to it.

"You'll need all the help you can get, Rama." This voice was softer, feminine, and held a calm resolve to it.

"You are forbidden from joining us. Darius will gladly die for the cause, but you will return to Honolulu the second I deem it too dangerous." (Y/n) frowned, swearing she heard genuine care peek through in his tone – an abnormality for him. "You have been invaluable to the cause, and I will not watch another of my kind fall."

"You're very protective, Rama, and I appreciate that, but you're worrying about the wrong omnic."

(Y/n) rounded the corner to what appeared to be the control room, with a large holo-table at the center where Ramattra and the other omnic were standing, and a counter along the edge of the room for the ship controls and countless monitors and keyboards. The room was lined with giant windows so it was more glass than wall, allowing them to see out into the clouds as well the tiny world down below, and the room buzzed with electricity from the monitors, each tuned to different world events going on. The one Ramattra's staff leaned against was on a news station, the volume off with subtitles lighting up the bottom of the screen, and another was watching what appeared to be a group of omnics meditating with strange headgear on.

"This is not up for discussion," Ramattra grumbled, reaching out to set a hand on the other omnic's shoulder. Around his neck was a brand new black scarf, a replica of the one wrapped around (Y/n), and she thought it was sweet that they were twinning – though coincidentally. "You have served your people well, but your contributions end here."

The other omnic was small with a glass flower crown adorned on her head made of pink Hawaiian frangipani, and another lei was around her neck, this one comprised of authentic purple orchids that were starting to wilt. "Fighting alone will only get you so far – even if you are pono." She shook her head, blue eye lights twinkling. "Besides, you need my help keeping an eye on things." She gestured towards the monitors, her hand coming to rest on the one with the meditating omnics.

"I do not need you, Laylani," Ramattra replied flatly. "Just as I do not need Darius or the human." (Y/n) flinched in the doorway, hesitating to continue further into the room. Maybe she should leave – clearly this wasn't a good time.

"Nameless was right," Laylani mumbled, shifting her weight as she crossed her arms. "If you learned to rely on others, maybe you wouldn't be so lonely-"

He glowered, exploding with a sharp, "He abandoned the cause after..." He turned away for a moment, visibly gathering himself before speaking calmly. "We lose battles on the path to triumph, and we lose people we care for deeply, but giving up means their sacrifice meant nothing."

"Wars aren't won by leaders alone." The smaller omnic glanced (Y/n)'s way, her stance relaxing some. "And something tells me you're not as dead-set on being alone as you pretend you are."