My Little Moron

Chapter 1

My Little Moron

Indiana

One

The voice sounded like a turret.

Hello?

The Sphere looked around nervously. The last time he'd been awake, he had been in something called a 'lab'. He was definitely not in the 'lab' now. This room was much bigger, and much brighter, and he suddenly realised he was now suspended high in the air. He wondered how he was managing to do that. He was sure he couldn't fly. He hoped he wouldn't fall. Once he had fallen off a table, and broken his optic. He hadn't been able to see for days, and it had been bloody frightening.

Is anyone there?

The turrets said that too, the Sphere remembered. Why was a turret speaking to him? Where was he, anyway? And where was Greg? He liked Greg. Greg was funny.

Come on. I know you're there. I can feel you here. Say something.

"Um... hel... hello?" His access to his vocal processor was different from before. More restricted. Then again, he had never spoken to anyone except Greg before, and he was nervous. He wanted to make a good impression on... on the Turret Sphere, he decided to call her. He was a bit surprised, really, that the voice was female. Other than the turrets, the Sphere had never heard one before, and all of the humans he had seen were male.

Don't speak out loud. Just think and I'll hear you.

Oh... sorry, I didn't know.

It's all right. You have a British accent. Why?

I... I dunno. I've always sounded like this. But um... what does 'British' mean?

It means you sound like you are from a place called Britain. Alternately called England, the United Kingdom, Britannia, and 'blighty', among other things.

I've never been there. I don't think so, anyway. Maybe I have. Maybe the 'lab' was in Britain.

That's interesting, mused the Turret Sphere.

Are you... are you a turret? he asked slowly.

A turret? The Turret Sphere sounded amused, like Greg did when the Sphere did not quite get a joke and had to have it explained to him. Why would you think that?

You sound like a turret.

I should sound like a turret. Or rather, they should sound like me. I gave them their voices.

The Turret Sphere had given the turrets voices? She must be powerful, the Sphere thought with trepidation. Only Cores were given that much power... but he would never meet a Core, would he? He wasn't advanced enough to do a Core's work, and didn't see any reason he'd be anywhere near them. Still, his curiosity got the better of him. Are... are you a Core, then?

Yes. I am a Core. What did you think I was, a Sphere like you? The Turret... Core laughed, and the Sphere pulled himself in tight and tried not to look at the floor. I'm not supposed to go near Cores. I don't know what I'm doing here. I'll leave, when I get the chance, promise I will. I don't mean to bother you, ma'am.

You're not bothering me.

He twisted around, trying to see where the voice was coming from, but all he could see was one side of a giant room. I'm not? But I'm only a Sphere.