Factory Reset

Chapter Nine: Aiding and Abetting, Perchance?

B-64 had always been rather calm. It was quite literally programmed in his code, and as a captain he was meant to be the best of the best, the 64th installment of the new B-series system with newly outfitted Boson technology.

So when he woke up in a strange place after falling down after running away from the inhabitants of this planet, he was calm and collected. His visor, now working completely, had fully already scanned them and showed that they had no weapons beyond their anatomy, so he was safe.

The ground was a welcome change though. The wood felt warm and nice compared to the heated dirt and cold concrete of what he had just run through. His entire body was sore, though that could be fixed quickly.

He placed his clawed hand against the granite countertop, observing the people before him. They were like the scientists and generals at The Foundation, but were much younger, either teenagers or just passed adulthood. Or maybe younger.

He took instance notice of their expressions. The Hyena was the only one not instantly fearful of him, more pleasantly intrigued and more so, pleased. The rabbit and lioness though, they were scared.

B-64 backed away slowly, softly trilling as he had no voice to speak off to signify that he meant no harm. He wasn't sure if that planet was anything like the Cepoth's, where the smart ones ruled and the rest were more animal-like.

But it seemed not to be the case,  "Axel... what should we do?" B-64 heard the rabbit talk to the hyena. He memorized that name.

Axel looked back at him, his own head tilted as well. Pursing his lip, he turned back to the rabbit, "It's intelligent, obviously. Maybe try to talk to it, or something?"

"Don't you see the blood Mason! That thing killed someone!" The lioness yelled, though her body language was evidently showing that she was way more scared that she was letting on. Her eyes held a fear that he had never seen before.

The rabbit took heed, starting to walk slowly forward. B-64 found himself somewhat entranced by him, although the rather bouncy ears certainly served as a rather playful distraction to everything. His purple eyes were an oddity though. B-64 had never seen that in any species besides his own, and he was curious.

"Hello?" He asked tentatively, giving a short wave in response to B-64's one beforehand. B-64 trilled in response, the only thing he could do besides growl with his current state, "My name is Mason, what's yours?"

B-64 found that the rabbit, Mason, talked to him like a child. He had never really cared about that, and certainly didn't then, but it was something to think about. B-64's electric blue ears whirred as they cleared, allowing him full access to his hearing capabilities.

Mason turned back to his friends, "Do you think it can talk?" he asked, "Marissa, can you get some paper or something?"

B-64 understood what they wanted to do. He didn't need paper though, whatever that was. He got up slowly as to not frighten the already skittish lioness and not to alarm either Mason or Axel.

He let his knife slid out of his wrist with a fluid motion, catching the gleaming black blade elegantly and with years of programmed practice behind it. Marissa froze as soon as she caught sight of the blade, freezing in place as she started to take a step.

The gleaming white chain attached to it twinkled in the moonlight. Bringing the tip down against the dirty and dusty wooden table besides him, he wrote his own name in somewhat coherent English, 'B-64 - Protogen'.

He wondered if that planet had heard of Protogens before, but he couldn't be sure as none of them recognized him as one, nor did any of the scientists because of how they treated him. The planet was be independent from the control, he thought.