Turn 62

--- Maya ---

(Hmm… Is this really the best use of our time?) Her inner reason felt the need to ask. (Especially with how much we seem to have on our plate at the moment.)

“Which is exactly why I’m knocking this stuff out now, before we enter crunch time.” She told herself, attaching a few more storage units to her Server Farm.

(I suppose that makes sense.) Her inner logic was forced to admit.

(Still feels like wasting time on this is going to bite us in the ass.) Her inner passion pointed out, far less politely than how her inner reason would’ve put it. (Your problem, not mine.)

“Yes, this seems like a waste of time.” She admitted more to shut the voices up than anything else. “But I need more space if I want to upgrade the DMs and back them up, and I need to do that if want to have a decent resource income while we’re focused on everything else.”

(Wait. Hold up. Is that what you were working on all day?!) Her inner madness cried. (You want to send our babies out on their own?!)

“Yes.” She sighed, knowing this was going to be a whole thing with herself. “And it’s not that bad, we’ve dropped DM-1 off several times to collect scrap for us.”

(Yeah, but that was when we could have him hide out in the train cars!) Her inner passion practically yelled. (Based on what you were writing this morning they’ll have to make the trip back to the hospital on their own, and there’s no telling what could happen between here and there!)

“Okay, yes there is a chance of the DMs running into trouble while traveling between here and the trainyard.” She agreed. “But if they only travel at night, and they take advantage of their stealth protocols they should be fine. Especially if they work together to keep hidden, and keep an eye on everything.”

(Ah, so one carries the supplies while the other scouts.) Her inner reason pieced together, having remembered several pieces of code even if not as much as their more insane half.

(Third technically.) Her inner madness pointed out, before mentally shaking her head. (Anyway I thought that was for like guard protocols or some shit so they could keep an eye on the hell halls or something.)

“No… but that’s not a bad idea to work on later.” She admitted, making a mental note to add that to the idea pool as she made her way back to her computer to finish the protocol updates, leaving the last few bits of wiring to the LCMs.

---

“Alright, so how are you two feeling?” She asked, checking the DMs over after installing their latest protocol updates.

“Okay.” DM-2 answered, seeming to fidget in place a bit more than usual. (Though given how shaky she usually is, I honestly can’t tell for sure.)

“Want move!” DM-1 told her, jumping off the lab table and skittering around on the floor.

(Definitely more fidgety.) Her inner reason noted with wry amusement.

“Right… I guess that would be a side effect of the pathing sub-protocols.” She admitted before shaking her head and checking the time. (Almost nine, so just after sunset.)

Nodding to herself she herded DM-1 into place next to DM-2 before telling them, “Alright, your newest protocols should make it easier for you two to find your way home if I leave you outside. So what we’re going to do now is, I’m going to walk you two to the trainyard, and then you two are going to use that path and your stealth sub-protocols to travel between the trainyard and the hospital each night with whatever scrap you two ‘ve gathered alright?”

Both of her faithful little drones gave her a nod of confirmation, even if DM-2’s came a moment later and was just ever so slightly more hesitant than DM-1’s. (Leave her alone, she’s just cautious.)

(Huh, wonder where she got that from.) Her inner reason couldn’t help but wonder, knowing full well DM-2 didn’t get it from either of her other counterparts.

(Fuck you too.)

---

“Now you’ve both got the path memorized?” She checked, less because she didn’t trust the minions and more because…

(And don’t forget to make sure they know not to talk to strangers!) Her inner passion told her.

(I’m pretty sure we programmed them to avoid strangers altogether.) She reminded herself with some exasperation.

(But what if those strangers offer them candy?!) Her inner madness asked. (We never taught them not to take candy from strangers!)

(They… They don’t possess taste… or digestive systems.)

(Oh no we never gave them a sense of taste! We’re a horrible mother!)

(Right, we’ve reached my crazy threshold.) She sighed, before shaking her head and turning back to her two little drones.

“Alright, now this is a big responsibility I’m giving you two and while it’s important, I want you to remember your safety is more important.” She told them. “So if at any point either of you feel like it’s getting too risky to be making these trips you’re free to stay at the hospital until you feel safe again, alright?”

“Alright!” DM-1 nodded with determination.

“Okay, mamá.” DM-2 nodded more shyly.

(Which reminds me.) “Now DM-1 this is tu hermanita’s first real mission, so I want you to watch out for her and keep her safe, you hear me?”

“Understood.” DM-1 saluted. “Murder all threats!”

She did everything in her power to not react to that.

(That’s mi chico!)

Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, she stiffly suggested that, “Fleeing is the priority. That way you don’t get hurt either.”

(Aww…)

“Aww…”

(I figured you would be more supportive of that one.)

(I will never get in the way of our children’s attempts to be badass!) Her inner passion argued. (Especially since they’re theoretically immortal.)

(Then why are you so worried about leaving them here?) She felt compelled to ask.

(Because my babies are growing up!) Her inner maternal instincts cried.

(You know part of me is legitimately scared of how we’re going to react to our more… organic kids physically growing up.)

(...)

(...)

(...)

(Maya, add eternal youth to the to-do list.)

(Done.)