[Video]

[weapabilities]

[ Oh look! It's Drift, your neighborhood giant robot. He looks pretty banged up, plating scraped and paint chipped in spots. More over, he doesn't look like his usual aggressively serene self. He glowers at the screen, downright dour, optics glowing coldly from under his helm. ]

I'm back.

Sorry to anyone I've been tutoring on swordplay.

Lessons are cancelled until further notice.

I'll be working on my house if anyone needs me.

[ His mouth draw into a tight line before he switches the video off. ]

Comments

[maiinframe]

[The Helmsman floats in, and moves to his accustomed corner, his biowires crawling across the ceiling and his body floating a little above Drift's eyeline if he's standing. He stays quiet; if Drift doesn't want to speak, he's not going to force the issue.]

[weapabilities]

[ Drift is quiet for a few minutes. He's used to this. It doesn't make him uncomfotable anymore to just have the techno-organic hanging around (haha). Eventually though, he looks up from where he's leaned over on the table, head resting on his arms. ]

Would you come down here for a moment, please?

[maiinframe]

Yeth.

[Obediently, the Helmsman floats closer, hovering beside the table, near Drift's elbow.]

Can system do anything to help user Drift?

[weapabilities]

[ When he comes in range, Helmsman will find himself being scooped up and pulled forward, right into Drift. It's sort of a hug. Kind of. Mostly consisting of Drift's big stupid face nuzzling against him. ]

[maiinframe]

[The only appropriate reaction to this is to go completely limp; although the Helmsman's arms stay above his head, he lets Drift manipulate him like he's a floppy rag doll. Psionics spark and flare between his horns, but he doesn't try to push Drift away.]

[weapabilities]

[ Drift eventually settles to have the small organic tucked between his arms and neck on the table, venting warm air against him steadily.It's weird to hug an organic, but not unpleasantly so. ]

Sorry.

[maiinframe]

[If Drift starts to tilt the Helmsman too much to any one side, he'll right himself with his psionics--he can't stand being horizontal, it feels like he can't breathe--but other than that, he's remarkably tolerant. Being hugged by an inorganic is actually more comforting to him than being hugged by a troll, as it reminds him of being in the ship, so he'll put up with much more from Drift than he would from either Sollux or Disciple.]

[The warm air from Drift's vents also feels nice. He's recently become aware of being cold much of the time, and has begun to seek out heat.]

User Drift doeth not need to apologize.

[weapabilities]

Ah. Well. This must be weird for you. I don't know.

[ Gradually he loosens his grip, allowing Helmsman to slip away if he so desires. ]

I guess. I'm just going through some things.

[maiinframe]

[The Helmsman makes no move to get away. One biowire rises tentatively and touches Drift's cheek, light as feather, before skittering away.]

What thingth?

[weapabilities]

[ That does get his attention at least, but he politely doesn't draw attention to it. ]

It's hard to explain. I'm struggling with myself. Trying to figure out what I am. What I am.

I want to be more than a soldier.

[maiinframe]

User Drift ith not happy with programming?

[That's something worth considering.]

What doeth user want to be?

[weapabilities]

Yeah... I am unhappy with it.


I want to be a good guy. I dont a want to hurt people anymore.

[maiinframe]

Soldier programming ith incompatible with thith desire.

Ith user Drift capable of changing programming?

[weapabilities]

Heh... yeah. I know.

[ In an ironic way, Helmsman is correct. ]

I think so. I thought so...

I'm hoping.

[maiinframe]

Ith there anything system can do to help user Drift? System ith very adept with programming.

[weapabilities]

I don't think this is something that can be fixed like that but-

Ah. Honestly just you being around is enough to help.

[maiinframe]

[Helmsman doesn't get that, but hey, he'll go along with it.]

Doeth user Drift want system to stay?

[weapabilities]

Yes. For as long as you'll tolerate me.

[ He means, of course, in the figurative sense. Silly him. ]

[maiinframe]

[The Helmsman shifts away then, but only so he can look at the ceiling in the corner where he usually hovers.]

Query: can system remove some tileth from the ceiling?

[weapabilities]

Ah... sure?

[maiinframe]

[Permission granted, psionics flare around the ceiling and several tiles lift out of it. They float to a corner and stack neatly. The Helmsman carefully pulls free of Drift's embrace and floats to the corner. His biowires reach up through the new hole in the ceiling and wrap around the exposed pipes there.]

[Perfect. Now he has a comfortable place to hang.]

Thith ith acceptable?

[weapabilities]

... O-

Oh! You mean to stay-

Oh well. Yeah I mean. That's okay. Right there.

[ A tiny smile creeps up his face despite everything. ]

That's acceptable.

[maiinframe]

[The Helmsman watches Drift for a moment before the corner of his mouth twitches, like he's trying to smile back but has forgotten how.]

Yeth.

[And that is how the Helmsman became a permanent decoration in Drift's garage.]

[weapabilities]

[ Drift doesn't mind the extra company. Besides, Helmsman is a pretty good house mate. Quiet.

When Drift moves, he'll take Helmsman with him and stick him to the new ceiling. ]