#forgot to add that they both feel more confident/secure in themselves when wearing a mask | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ka-writes · 3 years

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Notes: First of all... thank you so much for the support!!

Second, space vocab: starling: young unidentified species ISF: intergalactic safety force

Anyways, take care of yourself <3!

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Warning: flashbacks to abuse, if needed skip past any italicized words, mentions of child labor exploitation (Someone forces Tommy to steal), attempting to drug character, cussing, kidnapping, fear.

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Incase you missed:

Chapter 1:

Chapter 5:

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Inspired by:

Humans are Space Velociraptors

By:FreshRoses_InMyGarden_NeedTheRain

Some kids come from storks, others come from crashed spaceships

By: mmmajora

Home Again, Home Again

By: teeth_eater

All works can be found on Ao3

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Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33147661/chapters/82290709

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Chapter 6: Causing Chaos

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Planet Amari was their next stop. It would take only four hours to get there and usually this would be no problem if they weren’t harboring a human. Let alone the human that had just escaped the Dream Team Ship.

Phil shook his head and focused on the increased security around the boarding docks.

Amair is a planet whose only purpose is to entertain, meaning they already have some of the best security in this part of the galaxy. The added security came directly from the ISF and were now searching suspicious ships.

“Check check, one two.” The microphone turned green, “As your captain it is my duty to warn you about extra security measures. The ISF is boarding ships and checking for abnormalities. Please complete protocol 35.0.” Phil spoke into the mic and waited for everyone’s confirmation.

He got up and started the process of taking maps and blueprints that were not available to the public along with future plans and hid them in a document compartment behind one of his shelves. He then changed his normal illusion monitor and changed it to the default screen.

He stepped out of the cabin and cleaned the surrounding area, while also checking for anything that could be confiscated.

“Tommy. In order to go onto the planet I need you to wear this.”Wilbur confronted.

“No! It looks like one of those serial killer masks!! My face is too beautiful to be hidden.” Tommy scoffed.

“Tommy if you don’t wear it willingly, I will tell Ranboo about-“ Wilbur was cut off by a series of curses and Tommy fiddling the mask around his face. “Good. Put this on too.” Wilbur handed the blonde a bundle of clothes and made his way to the lab. Phil chuckled at the brotherly bond that was already forming.

He made his way down to the lab checking for abnormalities before seeping back to the holding cell. The human was pulling at his clothes while packing things back into the shelf.

“Hello mate! Whatcha doing there?” Phil asked, casually. What he didn’t expect was the human to practically jump out of his clothes in the captain’s presence.

“W-who are you?” Tommy stammered, Phil had completely forgotten he had never introduced himself before.

“Oh! I forgot we haven’t formally met. My name is Captain Philza Mine Craft, but you can call me Phil or Philza, whichever you prefer. I use he/him pronouns and am the legal captain of the SBI Craft.” Phil finished his introduction with an easy confidence, even with the face mask you could easily see the kid’s wonder, “We are currently waiting for a formal check from the ISF.” The human tensed at that, “So if you would please follow me to the common room, so I may hide the holding cell.” The human nodded vigorously.

Once Phil had dropped Tommy off in the common room he made his way to the holding cell. With a few clicks and checks the holding cell made a perfect illusion wall, which molded it into the wall not to be seen by any inspectors or gadgets they may have.

Once he had gotten confirmations from all crew members, he made his way back to the pilot’s cabin. If they were even a minute slower with preparations, security would have deemed the ship suspicious.

They settled the ship at the checkpoint and waited for a security officer to signal them.

——————

Wilbur’s leg bounced anxiously as he wore his disguise. He had finished briefing Tommy about the plan. They would lie about their origins, Wilbur doing the talking, and would get what they needed and get out.

The only thing anyone was waiting on was the guard.

Almost on queue the door began to open and a young starling stood at the door. He seemed to be genetically engineered and had wires attached to his head and 3D glasses.

“Hello everyone! My name is Jack Manifold, and I will be checking your ship!” The starling chirped, “I hope you have both we have to confiscate, because everyone here seems like lovely people. I have to ask where is your captain?”

“Right here mate.” Philza said, stepping out of the pilot cabin. “I am Captain Philza Mine Craft, of the SBI Craft. Feel free to look around.” Phil said with a hint of impatience. Jack didn’t seem to notice and made his way around the Craft.

Everyone sitting in the common room shared a few nervous glances. The only one who seemed oddly comfortable was Tubbo.. Wilbur took note of the behavior and tried to busy himself with the magazine he was holding...

When did he get a magazine?

He was immersed in an article about room design when Jack returned.

“Everything seems to be in order! The only thing I ask is that everyone introduces themselves.” His tone turned serious as he looked at the crew.

“My name is Technoblade. I am the security officer on this ship and second in command.” Techno said without faltering in tone.

“I am Ranboo. I am Technoblade’s hired assistant and do most chores around the ship.” Ranboo said clearly anxious with the attention on them.

“Tubbo, I am a hired gardener and take care of food supplies and medical ingredients.” There was a coldness to Tubbo’s voice as he finished his introduction.

“Dr. Craft, I am a toxicologist. This is my medical student, Tommy, he doesn’t talk much.” There was a suspicious glint in Jack’s eye as Wilbur continued, “We have been working for this crew for two months, before that we were traveling on our own licensed craft.” Jack accepted the answer and finished checking his notepad off.

“Alright, that will be all then! Welcome to Amari! Once I give this report to my manager, you should be able to enter the atmosphere!” With that the cheery starling left the ship and Phil closed the door before disappearing into the pilots cabin.

To say Wilbur was relieved was an understatement.

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Things were falling into place.

Once they were on the planet all Tubbo would have to do is add the substance to one of Tommy’s drinks and he would be acting out in no time!

But is it worth it?

He pushed the thought out of his head and finished packing the small packet in his bag before getting off the ship with the rest of the crew.

“Before we head to the shopping center, why don’t we stop by Las Nevada’s? I mean it’s Tommy’s first time on Amari after all.” Tubbo said. Las Nevada’s is the most well known restaurant and casino in Amari. It was the perfect place for Tubbo to start his plan.

“I don’t see why not. Just stay in the restaurant bit, we don’t want to draw any more attention to ourselves.” Phil answered.

With that the group walked into one of the best and worst places in the city, though no one knew of the worst bit yet…

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They sat around a booth compartment. It had soft red padding and purple looking palm trees, without the coconuts.

It reminded Tommy of a stereotypical mafia restaurant. Something Tommy never got the privilege of seeing.

It made him very uncomfortable, especially when the waitress gave them drinks in glass cups. He felt like whatever he touched would instantly shatter into a billion pieces.

Techno was taking Ranboo to the bathroom and Phil and Will were talking to a waitress leaving only Tommy and the scary bee boy . alone.

“I told you I was done Miranda!!” A man shouted from a nearby table causing Tommy’s attention to be focused on the couple fighting.

“You had one job. And you failed it boy.” A man slapped his face.

He was in his third foster home again. They had asked him to get at least $50 from people on the subway, he had only managed to score $20, and the man was furious.

“You’re lucky I see potential, otherwise you’d be back in that goddamn group home.” Tommy’s eyes dropped yo the floor, another slap and a hand grabbing his chin to look at the man, “PAY ATTENTION TO ME BOY. I saved you from that hell hole and I can take you back.” The man sneered. Honestly Tommy would rather be there than here.

“Hey!” Wilbur snapped in front of his face, “You with us?” Tommy nodded. The couple was gone and everyone returned. Now Ranboo and Wilbur were sitting next to him and Tubbo was sitting next to Ranboo. Did bee-boy always look so guilty?

After a minute of awkward silence, Phil and Techno started talking, their voices drowned out by the surrounding noise. Wilbur had turned his attention to his menu and Ranboo was writing in his book again.

Tommy reached for his water and Tubbo turned his attention to the human. The mask he was wearing had a flap so he could easily breathe, eat, and drink. He took a sip of water….. was water supposed to be this sweet?

“Why the fuck would someone put sugar in water as a prank?” Tommy mumbled, everyone’s attention was on the human again, “What?” He asked defensively.

“Did you say sugar?” Wilbur asked as if it was the craziest thing he had ever heard.

“Umm… yea?” Tommy said. We’re these people pulling a prank on him? Why was everyone looking at him like that?

“Tommy, can you give me your water?” Wilbur asked, he was genuinely confused by the reactions. After a few seconds he gave his water to Wilbur who immediately took a sip and spit it out.

“What the fuck?!” Tommy asked as Wilbur gave him the water back.

“That is definitely sugar.. Tommy do you feel weird at all?” He asked.

“Erm no?” This was getting stranger and stranger.

“So humans are immune to sugar…” Will said as if it was a scientific breakthrough.

“Yea? Why wouldn’t we be?”

“Well for one, most species go absolutely crazy after eating sugar, for some it could lead to death.” Tubbo informed. He looked even more confused than Tommy felt.

“So like, aliens go psycho when they eat sugar? That’s lame.” Tommy laughed out the last line. Everyone looked at him with concerned glances, “I don’t think I am gonna go psycho after drinking a small bit of sugar water, I mean most people have been eating sugar their entire lives, me being one of ‘em.” Tommy finished and the underlying tension died down. Well except Tubbo’s which felt more like an angry glare meant to affect him in some way.

When the waitress came everyone gave their orders, Wilbur supplying Tommy’s. The rest of the meal was comfortable, with Phil telling stories and the rest supplying jokes and chatter, along with the occasional glare from Tubbo.

To be honest Tommy had never felt so comfortable around anyone before, he wanted so badly to let down his wall around these people. Still there was that annoying voice that told him not to trust them. For once he didn’t listen to it.

I mean what could go wrong?

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The plan failed. Shit.

Tubbo was mad. Not just mad, furious.

The others were having fun with the human, yet again. Tubbo had wandered off, he wanted to destroy everything, and yet he simply walked off without a second glance. He could feel the tears streaming down his face.

“Hello bee-boy!” The human scared the droneling, his ears falling flat against his head.

“I am not in the mood to talk.” Tubbo sniffed.

“Oh..” The human’s tone dropped, it was almost as if it was hurt by Tubbo’s words. “That’s alright big-man! We don’t have to talk.” The human settled with that response, with that the pair walked through the busy street in silence. Tubbo tried to throw the human off his trail but gave up after a few minutes.

After fifteen minutes of them wandering around Tubbo spotted a shop and made his way over to the electronic shop. The human followed him into the small store.

It was a small shop with tight isles and jazz music filling the silence. At the register a tall creeper hybrid fiddled with a redstone contraption. Tubbo paid no mind to him and turned his attention to some of the smaller devices scattered throughout the shop. The human shifted nervously behind him.

Once Tubbo found what he was looking for he took it over to the register. Another man stood behind it along with the original one. His eyes shifted to Tommy.

“Are you sure that’s him?” The original man asked, his name tag reading Sam.

“Yes, positive. Dream will be happy with this.” The other man replied, he stretched one of his fingerless black gloves and turned towards the pair. “Hi. I am assuming you have my boss’s patient?” The black hair man asked. He was a blazeling and had a cruel glint to his eye.

Without warning another man came up behind them and slapped a cloth over both of their faces. Within seconds the pair was out and everything went black.

He woke up in a cage.

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Chapter 6- End

Words: 2206

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Notes: The next bit will be hard to write ;-; but then we get to the fluffy-angst :D

Also this was harder to write... motivation went poof, but I won’t quit on you!!

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Tubbo: *tries to cause chaos—fails

Tubbo: *wanders into a random shop—causes chaos

Tubbo: .-. Wtf

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Chapter 7:

#dream smp fanfiction #my fanfic tag #my writing #tommy mcyt #wilbur soot #philza #ranboo #reblog #sbi au #space au #tubbo #techno #chaos #;-;#humans are space orcs

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ice-magician · 5 years

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The Crying Child

So, this was a thing I had been meaning to make for @spaceiplier ‘s AU since forever. Life happened and yadda yadda, but it’s finally done. In case you didn’t know, the main story is an AU mostly surroundly Team Iplier in space, but other Youtubers make appearances. I started to wonder what would happen if MatPat and Steph were there? What species would they be? What would they do? Anyway, here it is :)

The dazzle of holographic camera flashes blinded Matt. He should’ve been used to it by now. Having your own televised program beaming across galaxies came with its share of paparazzi. As the rain began to pour so with it came the onslaught of questions.

“How did you know the Vlocam monarchs were working deals behind their people’s backs?”

“Where do you get your intel, Mr. Patrick? Surely this isn’t all from you and your small team.”

“Do you have people working for you in each planet’s government?”

“HOW do you do it all with a new baby?”

So many questions. Though every species had their differences in appearance, politics, and genetic makeup, one thing remained constant- curiosity. This is what Mat loves most about every universe. Matt wiped soggy brown hair out of his eyes. He turned towards the horde of cameras, and put on his best award-winning smile.

“The secret is quite simple- work hard, and work with those you love. As for how my broadcast was correct, well…” Matt looks into the nearest camera and winked, “... it was just a theory.”

With that, Matt slipped into the parked pod, where an android driver was waiting on him. He was completely soaked from the downpour. Matt felt the water squish in his shoes, confident they would never recover. He continued to ignore the remaining flashes and questions that roared outside as he whisked away. Finally, some peace and quiet.

Matthew undid his all too formal tie, and took in a deep breath. He closed his eyes and became unbelievably grateful that today’s antics were over. Awards were always far too formal. Everyone there thinking they’re better than the person sitting next to them, planning and gossiping. Everyone who was anyone had been there. The Awards for Intergalactic Achievements were no small deal. Matt was no exception to the crowd of “stars”, not just for his show’s intergalactic popularity, but also for his family tree. Matthew was Ahtret, a species renowned for their wide vocal range and ability to copy any sound, including voices. Ahtrets with his vocal range were few and far between, especially on Treo, thus earning him attention Matt felt he didn’t deserve or need. He was a simple guy, and at that moment all that simple guy wanted was to go home, hug his family and pet his cat.

Now that the formalities were over, they would have their show to themselves. The goofy, nerdy, and all out crazy show that never put a mask on the Patrick family’s face. They were never ashamed of who they were, and that’s why it had gained so much traction. Making theories, being proven right time and time again was nice, but nothing was better than not having to wear a fake persona. That was what he loved. Do what you love, and love what you do, and all that.

Although the Patrick family loved their job with all their hearts, it came with drawbacks. Meetings with rather… unsavory individuals. Or that time the show was Matt looking behind the camera at their guest because they refused to be videoed. The show had even received a personal, and slightly threatening, invitation to GAAP headquarters because they believed the program to be hiding or withholding information. That had all been straightened out, thankfully. In the end, the Patricks had been offered to take on cold cases for GAAP. Despite their deep intrigue, Team Theorist declined the offer. Even though GAAP practically ran universes, something about their operations were shaddy… Actually, maybe the fact that they did run universes was what made them questionable at best. His father had taught him to question everything, do your own digging and not rely on what you see in holographic tabloids. So far, it had paid off, and, secretly of course, Matthew and Stephanie Patrick saw GAAP as another potential threat to the freedom that the organization claimed to protect.

They didn’t advertise this, of course… not yet, anyway. There wasn’t enough evidence to pin down GAAP for illicit or violent activities. Higher ups were good at covering their tracks. Well, two can play at that game. With a family to worry about, they had agreed that working directly with GAAP was unwise. Instead, Stephanie insisted that Matt go to GAAP events. They needed GAAP to think that a Patrick on the premises meant GAAP had their trust. Well, so goes the old saying, “Keep your friends close, and enemies closer.”

GAAP needed to believe that the Theorists were simply focusing on minuscule ideas. Who would be the next president of Maxfor? Was the Valsic Union dealing in illegal android sales? Stick to cosmetic topics, Stephanie had insisted. That was why she hadn’t been with him. She was busy at Theorist HO. Her and the building’s AI, JASON, were digging through files on mass servers for their next broadcast. Soon, though. Soon, they’d find something. Soon everyone would see GAAP for who Matt believed them to be.

Still, it was a shame she couldn’t make it to the awards. She would chuckle at the Velm’s dress that probably cost as much as the venue. She would add more flavor to the debate Matt had had with a man who attempted to argue about the state of Treo’s biotech core. Matt thought back to his cheesy response to the reporters before he stepped into the car. He could practically feel Stephanie rolling her eyes. The upstarts of the gala wouldn’t have been the only ones receiving side comments for cringe-inducing antics.

The awards had been held in a ballroom. Rows of decorative chairs lined up to face stage made of shining opal. Stephanie’s golden tinted skin would have dazzled under the shine of stage lights. The glittering gold lines streaking from the sides of her brown Aurumen eyes. Matt would have loved to hear her telekinetic thoughts on the characters that had surrounded him. Stephanie would have made the night bearable.

Speaking of thoughts….

Matt tapped his temple, stirring his eye’s connection to life.

“CHRIS, how’s the house?”

Considering how dangerous their job might get, the Patricks long ago decided it was best to get security links to their home installed. The computer chips comfortably sat in their temples, with contacts containing mini screens on their eyes and micro implants in their ears so they could hear. The chips’ signals were linked directly to their home, and live security camera feeds would be shown via the contacts. The Patricks had built the installments themselves. They didn’t trust that biotechnitions would do it correctly, considering a significant amount of Stephanie’s biological makeup was sunlight.

Sure, Treo had the galaxy’s best and brightest technicians, but the Patricks never shied away from a challenge. Besides, it had meant working together, using their extensive knowledge of tech to grow closer. That’s how they met in college, after all. In the end, Stephanie certainly handled her own with her microtech implant. It worked perfectly; she even used the gold and sunlight in her body to generate energy for the chip. Aurumens could communicate telepathically, but Matt could not. Considering this, Steph programmed the chip to open the conversation both ways. Undetectable telepathic communication made Matt giddy sometimes. It was like he was a kid playing spy, or hide and seek where he always won.

Now that they had a baby, that decision made long ago was truly coming into use. They could check the cameras in their house whenever they pleased. They quite literally had eyes and ears everywhere. CHRIS, their home’s holographic security AI, watched over the house while they were gone. Letting their cat Skip out, making sure their son Oliver’s bedroom was at a heat level comfortable for a growing Aurumen.

This knowledge usually provided a feeling of security. That night, however, when Matt tapped the sequence to his house, the only reply was static. Matt tapped his temple again, making sure the link is stable. Still nothing. No cameras blinked to life in his vision. No audio warbled to life.

“CHRIS? CHRIS?! Are you there?”

Matt was met with eerie silence from their holographic home security manager. A cold chill ran down his spine. It could just be a glitch in the system, but his gut told him otherwise. Matt didn’t care about their collections of Earthen memorabilia of Diet Coke dispensers, or vintage video games; Oliver was in that house, and if CHRIS was not responding....

Matt entered the sequence for Stephanie’s chip. Nothing. She was probably engrossed in her work. A Patrick curse- working to the bone. Matt left an urgent message, trying to keep the strain out of his voice. He said it was probably nothing, but he was en route. Despite his bravado, when he ended the call, Matthew felt his heart beat erratically in his chest.

Matthew leaned forward to the keypad’s microphone installed behind the driver’s seat, “Step on it!”

This time, he didn’t keep the urgency hidden.

Matt jumped out of the pod so fast he almost forgot to pay his driver. He quickly slid the android the required amount of credits, down to the decimal. The driver grumbled something and zipped away. The rain outside hasn't let up in the slightest. Stephanie would be livid when she found the sopping condition of his good tuxedo, but the state of his attire flew out the window when he exited the car. The front door to his home was slightly ajar. Resisting the urge to burst through the threshold and run upstairs to check on Ollie, Matt quietly stepped into the house.

Everything seemed in order. Open family room to the left, kitchen on the right, a hallway in between where with the staircase leading upwards stood, waiting for Matt to rush up. Matt touched the wall of the house. A blue light scanned quickly over his handprint, and a small beep sounded, officially registering that it was indeed Matthew Patrick.

He whispered as softly as he could, “CHRIS, activate.” (Man, when was the last time he had turned on his house’s security system manually)?

A small hole opened in the wall, and several pixels darted out, sputtering and flashing, attempting to take on the shape of a human. Eventually, they gave up and resorted to the small speaker next to the holographic projector.

“Matt?” CHRIS’ voice came out warbled and full of glitches, but there nonetheless.

“Yeah, CHRIS. I’m here.”

“It was… tried to call… busted my system over your network….”

“Shh,” Matt tried to calm him down, “What happened exactly.”

CHRIS’ next response came clear as day, “Matt, he’s still in the house.”

A shiver ran down Matt’s spine, “Where?” A deep pit had formed in his stomach. A part of him already knew the answer.

“Oliver’s room.”

That was it. Matt dashed into the kitchen, nearly knocking over the broken soda dispenser, and grabbed the nearest thing resembling a weapon he could find. His fingers found their way into the cool grooves of a knife's handle. He quickly examined it, making sure it still worked. Matt had been fascinated with its design. Based on an old concept from Earth, the blade could change temperature depending on what you wanted to slice. Matt gently pressed the button to the knife’s highest setting. The blade began to glow a threatening orange.

As Matt quietly slid up the stairs, he was grateful for the awful carpet Stephanie had insisted on, fearing Oliver might hurt himself on the previously hardwood floor when he learned to walk. At the time, the installer bots had been sceptical, saying the shaggy material didn’t match the rest of the house’s decor. It was “outdated and irrelevant”. Clearly, the bots didn’t know the risks of having children installed in their memory banks. Going with Stephanie’s fear that Oliver would inherit Matt’s clumsiness, the carpets had been installed (much to the bots’ dismay). On that night, however, as Matt crept up the stairs, he was grateful for the beige carpet, outdated as it was. It wasn’t serving to keep Matt’s son from bumping his head, but to help him keep his footing, and prevent the intruder from hearing his approach.

Matt reached the top of the stairs, his son’s bedroom directly to his right. He gripped the metallic handle of the knife. Though the handle felt cold, the blade’s heat gently touched his skin like a warm towel, just enough to remind him of its potential. Thankfully, the device was designed to keep the needed heat on the blade, away from the wielder, but it still felt foreign in his hand. It was one thing to theorize and research battles, but being the one actually holding a weapon was entirely different.

An annoyed “Hiisss!” came from inside the bedroom.

Skip? Matt thought.

Skip was usually laid back. He was from Aurumen, like Stephanie, and their animals were known for their lazy nature. Give Skip food and sunlight, and he would be fully content. So, hearing him release a threatening screech set Matt more alert. He gripped the knife tighter, turning his knuckles white. The blade burned a threatening orangish red, reminding Matt of “futuristic” sabers from an old Earth movie he’d watched with Stephanie.

Matthew quietly opened Oliver’s bedroom door. The lights were off, but with the slight light from his knife and moonbeams swinging through a window on the back wall, he could see relatively well. It was a simple space- a closet in the back wall, a bookshelf, rocking chair, various toys and stacks of books hugged the right wall. Matt and Stephanie always grabbed any paper books they could. Scattered and nearly lost as they were, the Patricks knew the power of the written word better than anyone.

The culmination of their work overflowed the small bookshelf, and into the floor. Another small stack had started forming on the room’s left wall, where a cool green crib sat under the glow of an orange heat lamp. Matt silently closed the door and approached Oliver’s crib timidly, almost afraid that his son would not be curled in his blankets. He released a sigh of relief when Ollie’s face looked back at him, face calm in a blissful sleep. The Aurumen heat lamp continued to bask its glow on the boy, ensuring that he would get the necessary amount of sunlight he needed until his body could perfect its own growing energy source. An incubator, of sorts.

Matt peered down, and saw something curious in Oliver’s hand. A piece of metal, maybe five inches across, sat lazily in the infant’s grasp. Careful not to disturb his son, Matthew reached down and retrieved the trinket. It was smooth and black, twisted into the shape of, if Matt didn’t know any better, would be a-.

“Hiiiiiisssssss!!!!!!”

Matt jerked his head up. Eyes now adjusted to the room’s darkness, he saw Skip angrily clawing at the back closet doors. He gripped his knife. It glowed back, as if reassuring him that it could do whatever needed to be done.

“I know you’re here,” Matt tried to keep his voice steady yet quiet, taking a few solid steps towards the foreboding doors. He knew his voice had started to shake, but as long as his hands remained still….

One of the doors creaked open. Matt held out his glowing knife in what he hoped was a threatening stance. Skip hissed a few more times before backing up to Matt’s side. The darkness of the night mixed with Ollie’s lamp cast ominous shadows across the walls surrounding the black vortex of the dark closet.

Matt heard what sounded like metal creaking slightly as a robotic foot stepped into view. It was a male Velm robot, and with the cross stitching of mixed parts Matt could tell that it was homemade. From what he could see, the robot had glowing green eyes, an old fashioned monocle, brown hair, and a strong tail. The one thing most disturbing about the robot, though, was his lack of a jaw. A light crisscross of welded metal bits where his jaw should have been. Slit welded bulged over where the left and right upper corners of a mouth would have been…. Matt inwardly shuddered with realization. The robot’s jaw, and consequently his voice box, had been ripped out. Whatever had the strength to do that, to rip apart something with beyond repair....

The robot stared at Matt silently, wringing his hands with nervous energy. His glowing eyes quickly glanced at the exit.

Matt squinted his eyes. This was what had set JASON on alert? This robot?

Looks can be deceiving, Matt’s mind reminded him.

Matt raised his glowing knife, its burning visage reflected in the Velm’s eyes. Its blade was the color of seething coals, or Matt’s fury at the idea of a monster hurting Oliver. Whether harm had been the robot’s intentions was yet to be determined.

Matt readjusted his grip on the blade, daring to take a step toward the intruder. The dapper robot’s eyes went wild, and he nearly tripped over himself trying to back into the closet. Matt looked at the knife, then the robot…. then the scar on its neck. His Theorist mind whirled.

“M...A…AT...Ttt!” CHRIS’ fractured voice cut through the room’s palpable tension.

The lights flickered on, off, then back on, but low enough to not wake the room’s sleeping baby. Once his eyes had adjusted, Matt got a better look at the intruder. In the light, the Velm looked even more like he’d stepped out of an old film. He wore a vest and bow tie, dress slacks, and wing tipped shoes. Just below his nose was an empty screw hole. Matt glanced at the curious metal piece he had found in Oliver’s grip.

He held the metal mustache up to the robot cautiously, “This yours?”

The robot touched the empty spot above his lip. He nodded slowly. A robot who looked like he belonged in early Earth’s 1920s. This robot’s creator certainly had more of an imagination than any mind Matt knew on his planet.

“I’ll cut you a deal,” Matt said, “mustache for the promise you won’t, you know, attack me.”

The robot started to nod, then froze. He pointed at Matt’s knife. Matt got the hint. Trust has to go both ways. Matt reluctantly turned off his burning blade, and brought his hand back to his side. The robot visibly relaxed. Matt tossed the metal mustache to the robot, who caught it swiftly. He looked at the mustache dejectedly, before pocketing it.

“Sooo,” Matt ventured, “you got a name?”

Before he could answer CHRIS’ voice came back, this time free of static, “MATT! Oh, thank God. I swear, he just came out of nowhere! Disabled me, and I, and… I swear, I couldn’t stop him!”

Matt paused. His home’s AI- CHRIS (Child Homecare Response Internal System), had been activated before Matt and Stephanie left home. That being so, how did the Velm get in?

As if sensing his question, the robot began making wild gestures with his hands. Sign language. The intruder was mute. So Matt had been right in his theory about the voice box.

“Hang on, hang on. Last time I signed was with a disgruntled politician.” Matt tried for a laugh. Nothing. He cleared his throat, “Why don’t you start again, slowly.”

It nodded, “My name is Jameson Jackson, JJ, healthcare robot of….” The robot, Jameson, suddenly stopped signing. Interesting, so he had something, or someone, to hide.

“.... Your door was open.” he continued.

“Wait, what?” Matt spun to the port on the wall where CHRIS’ hologram projector was built in. At the moment he didn’t have enough power to corporeally appear, Matt knew for certain that he could see him glaring.

“... Skip got caught in the rain! He’s Aurumen, remember! Those cats hate water! I had to let him in!” CHRIS protested.

“And you just happened to forget to lock the door?”

A pause, “... A lot was going on. Skip’s meowing and scratching at the door woke Oliver. I had to leave the walls and manually adjust his light to calm him down. Next thing I know Dapper Boy is standing behind me! I tried to call you, but he deactivated my system…. I’m sorry, Matt.”

The rage Matt had felt towards the house’s AI suddenly drained. It made sense. CHRIS rushing to let Skip in, then taking on his holographic form to care for Oliver would confuse any AI. Matt didn’t blame him for forgetting to lock it back. Obviously, he would have if given the time. Still, that didn’t explain one thing.

Matthew pointed at the robot. “Why did you come in? You didn’t steal anything or break any objects. Why are you here?”

Perhaps he’d stopped him in the middle of his scourging? Except, he was in Ollie’s room…. Matt’s wall went back up. Though deactivated, Matt remembered the knife hanging limply in his hand. Had he stumbled across a true enemy, one willing to harm his family? Did he have some personal vendetta? He might not have enough strength to do detrimental damage to the robot, JJ, but Matt needed to be ready. JJ continued to wring his hands, occasionally tweaking his monocle.

“I… I heard crying.” JJ finally signed.

Matt paused, “What?”

“I heard crying,” JJ signed again.

Matt glanced at his sleeping son, “You heard crying, and just decided it was a good idea to break into a house?”

JJ twitched, “I am a health care robot. The door was opened, and I heard his cries so clearly….”

The robot looked sadly over at Oliver’s crib, “He missed you so much. I-I didn’t know about your AI, I just…. It was pure instinct.”

A homecare robot, huh? Matt had heard of how empathetic they could be, throwing almost anything aside to help those who needed it. In a sad way, it started to make sense.

Suddenly, a hologram projected out of JJ’s monocle. It was full of static at first, but eventually it calmed down. Matt only saw the blurred reflection, but judging by the ears he figured it was another Velm. He was completely soaked from the rain, his brightly colored clothes darkened with the downpour.

“JJ!!” The other Velm nearly shouted, “I have been trying this damn line for hours! Screw this new tech! I’m breaking your monocle as soon as I find you, you understand me?! Where are you? You were supposed to meet me at-.”

JJ held up his hands in an attempt to stop the rant.

“No, no, no!” The angry Velm jutted a finger at JJ, “You listen to me! I have been all over this God forsaken town looking for your dapper butt, with nothing-.”

Matt couldn’t see his face, but he imagined the look of horror that crossed it when the robot noticed his friend’s surroundings.

“JJ, where are you? Where’s your mustache?” he asked in a near whisper.

JJ cast a sideways glance at Matt before answering, “I’m fine, Jackie. I just got caught in the rain. I’ll see you soon.”

“No, no. Fuck that! I’m tracking your ass right now!”

For some reason, hearing his story and seeing him in that moment, Matt was sure that Jameson did not have evil intentions. Before JJ could respond, Matt quickly broke the barrier between them. Within a few strides he was directly behind him and could see the speaker clearly. It was another Velm robot. He was identical to JJ, except that he had a mouth, further supporting Matt’s idea that something horrible had happened to JJ.

The other robot stopped whatever he was doing to stare at Matt, then back at JJ, then back at Matt, and finally back to JJ. He started to sign to his friend, apparently thinking that Matt didn’t understand. It was full of expletives, and questions.

“Don’t worry,” Matt signed, “He’s fine.”

The caller’s jaw dropped in surprise.

Matt actually laughed at the other robot’s confusion. JJ’s eyes twinkle with mischief; if he had a mouth he would have been smiling too.

The other robot shook himself from his daze, and huffed. He responded, but didn’t take his eyes off Matt. “Whatever, just get back to… where we came from.”

JJ tipped his hat, and the call ended. He turned to face Matt. Being up close to the robot Matt could see the details over his missing jaw even better. JJ wasn’t a menace, he really was just a care robot who had been lost in the rain. Matt immediately regretted his previous actions. Then there was the empty screw hole, courtesy of rain, a loose screw, and an Aurumen baby.

Matt sighed and patted the robot’s back, “Come on, let’s go downstairs. I can help you with”, he motioned to his mouth, “that.”

JJ touched the vacant spot and nodded in agreement. With one last glance at Ollie’s sleeping face, the two headed downstairs.

No longer needing to slink in the dark Matt called out, “CHRIS, lights please.”

Immediately the lights flickered on. Matt squinted as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. Just as he left it, the kitchen was a mess. Matt rounded the island, sheathed the knife he never really needed, and fumbled through a junk drawer. JJ took in everything, every obsessive article of old Earth Diet Coke memorabilia that hung on the kitchen walls, on the counters, and in cabinets.

Matt caught him looking,“I know, I know. Steph says I’m an addict… and I am. I’ll be the first to admit that.”

Matt laughed, and JJ gave him an amused look.

“Ha!” He triumphantly retrieved a screwdriver and screw from the drawer. Matt tossed them across to JJ who swiftly caught both in the air. He retrieved his mustache, and within seconds JJ was restored. He beamed at Matt, who smiled back.

“Right, let’s get you back to your friend.”

JJ started to move, then noticed Matt’s broken soda dispenser. He cocked an eyebrow in question.

“It’s an old Earth soda machine. It’s supposed to dispense Diet Coke, but something broke. I’m no expert on antiques, so I’m having it looked at as soon as I-.”

JJ rounded the island and looked at the machine. He opened its hatch, took a good look inside, and began tinkering with it. Matt heard started to object at JJ’s sudden action. Had he not heard him say “antique”? Anything could break it! Then he’d have to find some new era substitute, which were all flat and boring and…

The sound of fizzling brought Matt out of his thoughts. JJ stood over the soda dispenser, happily holding out a glass filled with a dark, fizzy beverage. Matt gingerly accepted the drink from the excited robot. He took a sip. To his utmost surprise, it was just like new!

“How?...”

JJ closed back the hatch that contained the machine’s innards. He held up tubes clogged with sticky residue. Casually, he shrugged as if to say “All in a day’s work”. Matt laughed heartily, and took another sip.

“On second thought, you can come over as often as you want.”

JJ continued to beam at his success.

“I could’ve done that…”

Matt turned and saw CHRIS’s holographic form, fully functional and very disgruntled. JJ rested his arm lazily across the machine, his stance saying “But you didn’t.” CHRIS scowled, causing a new fit of laughter from Matt. Two pieces of artificial intelligence were having a staring contest in his kitchen. The day just kept getting weirder.

“Come on, JJ. Don’t want to keep your friend waiting.”

JJ nodded his head. He and Matt walked out of the kitchen to the front door. Matt opened it and a clean breeze blew in. The rain had fully stopped. Every so often birds could be heard in the distance.

JJ tipped his hat to Matt and CHRIS as he stepped out the door.

“Oh!” Matt called, “By the way, tell Jack that he has nothing to worry about. You’re safe here.”

JJ’s eyes widen in shock. He looked ready to interrogate Matt, but his expression relaxed. A bemused twinkle appeared in his eyes.

“Just a theory?”

Matt saluted JJ with his glass of Diet Coke, “Now you’re getting it.”

With that, Jameson Jackson walked down the street, leaving Matt with a fixed soda machine, and an aggravated security AI.

“So,” CHRIS said, “what exactly are you planning on telling Steph?”

“Simple, I’ll just blame it on you.”

CHRIS threw up his hands, “Oh, sure, blame the AI. It’s always me or JASON, isn’t it?”

Matt downed the rest of his soda with a smirk, “Exactly.”

#spaceiplier #matpat #youtube #youtubers #jameson jackson #stephanie patrick #steph loves sunlight #mat has a crazy vocal range #so why not?

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