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thedreamcrosser · 1 year

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Automatic Heritage Chapter 8: Miracle

Chapter index: • ch 1 • ch 2 • ch 3 • ch 4 • ch 5 • ch 6 • ch 7 •

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“I don’t even know what to say to her, Guard. Honestly, I was not expecting this.”

Whitney was slumped on the ground with his head and hands between his knees. The Guardian stood over him, choosing a relaxed posture on his staff this time rather than keeping his skills in check as a habit. The meditation circle ignored the two as Guardian started the conversation with him. “She has been through a lot in two days my friend, it could be all of her emotions have come to a head.”

Whitney lifted his head and placed them in his hands, slumping forwards to rest them. “Have I not been paying attention to her? I… I feel…”

Guardian patted the top of the pastor's head and gave him a teasing biz. “I didn’t see it coming either, give her time, she will come back with a clear head.”

The two sat in silence for a while. It had been so quiet that Whitney thought he heard the inner workings of the companions in the meditation circle singing together. The Guardian sat down, placing his staff in front of him. “So… Do you have any names planned?”

As soon as he asked this, multiple heads popped up. The meditation circle quickly became a gossip circle.

“Oh please do tell! I am dying to know!”

“Are you two planning an old human name? Maybe a natural name?”

“I know this is probably too soon to ask, but can I babysit sometime?”

“Please!” Whitney interjected with an exasperated bleep. “We don’t even know if my wife has made a decision yet. Can we just wait on her until then?

Triple beeps announced behind the circle, and the whirls of flight motors puttered closer. The pastor knew the sentinels guarding the elevator shaft by sound alone. Leaning back he swatted empty air at them. “And I have heard enough from you two, you no good bucket of bolts.”

As soon as he said this, both sentinels' lights turned from green to yellow, causing the group of companions to scatter away from them. Guardian and Whitney brandished their weapons, but the sentinels did not move closer. The rest of the mediation group huddled behind the brave companions, not daring to move closer and trigger a red glare from the elevator guards.

“They are not firing.” Guardian pointed out as he glanced down at the sentinels scanning beams on their bodies.

Whitney grimaced as he looked at the Guardian. “Let’s keep it that way.” Using his stick to defend the group the pastor began to guide the slum's residents away from the elevator shaft, but a big clang from above drew his attention away.

The Guardian did not shift his gaze on the floating drones. “Whitney, what is going on?”

Whitney saw something moving from the top of the wall downwards. Down the shaft. “The elevator is coming down.”

“What?” The Guardian almost dropped his staff as he swivels to the group then to the elevator. His eyes became wide, but his orders stayed calm. “Everyone prepare! Be on guard, but don’t attack! This is a yellow situation!” As everyone scrambled to prepare, the Guardian turned to see Whitney looking the other way, unmoving. “Whitney?”

“Cyans back!” He bolted, not looking back to the elevator.

“So, what do you know about pregnancy?”

Beryl shook in her seat next to Gwap. The robot always had an intimidating face, much like Seamus’, but she was used to his kind of apathy. Gwap, on the other hand, just wasn’t a bot she hung out with much, so being in this close proximity to a practical stranger was sensor-wracking.

Before Beryl could answer Gwap wrapped her spare blanket around her guest’s shoulders and monitor. Beryl blushed. To Beryl’s surprise, Gwap smiled. “There, now we can have a conversation. Speak up.”

Beryl felt more comfortable but still shy. “Well, um…” she snuggled deeper into the blanket and grew pinker. “I know how to start it.”

“THANK BOT!” Gwaps normally half-lidded eyes widened. “I don’t have to explain the screws and the bolts to you!”

Sweat drops formed on Beryl's screen, but she could not help but giggle. Gwap was back to business. “Step one is covered. So once you get your upgrade installed and step one is completed, how do you know you are pregnant?”

“Wait, I have to get this installed into my body?” Beryls twilled in confusion. “I thought we would install it into the child's body.”

Gwap was still deadpan. “Your mother didn't tell you anything did she?”

Beryl looked at her lap. “I’m generation one, I technically don’t have a mother.”

“No Mom?” Deadpan turned to surprise, but Gwap continued “But you are so young! I just assumed because of that.”

“Yeah no, I get that a lot. I was found wandering the streets with my sister when we first became sentient. Honestly, we were not really aware of much when we were found, kinda like toddlers really. Thank goodness the slum residents found us.” Beryl nervously played with her hands. “If I remember correctly you came to us just after the slums became the only livable place left in the city.”

Gwap nodded, “That's right.” she looked away with a thoughtful hum. “First generation huh? The first companions to gain sentience on their own.”

Beryl shrugged “I was just late. Can’t blame me for coming online later than everyone else.”

The older one hummed, “Yeah I suppose not.” She re-adjusted her seating. “Let me show you something.”

Unraveling her iridescent blanket she showed her guest another blanket underneath, wrapped more snugly around her body than the other one. “Come close,” she ordered. Leaning over as she loosened the second blanket, Beryl could see what she was hiding. Nestled in her lap was a small metal being, a companion she had seen only rarely before. Their brown-speckled screen was empty of facial features, and attached to the back of their neck was a thin cable that was anchored to her abdomen. Gwap scooped the being into her arm and brought them close. “Beryl, meet Kory.”

The mother brought Beryl's hand close to her child; her guest’s screen sparkled the whole time. Slowly, tiny fingers found their way around a single digit of hers, unaware but exploring. A coo emitted from Beryl in a hushed whisper. “Hi, Kory!”

“How you find out is by keeping an eye on your abdomen.” Gwap’s hand moved to where the cable connected, where most companions had a trapezoid piece in place. “The rims of this will glow, and then you know it is time to connect. The infant model will then take data that both you and your husband have collected into the upgrade and then your child will start the transfer process. This is when your child will start forming a soul of their own. They will finish around 9 months.”

Beryl's smitten face began to droop in the middle of the mother's lecture and slowly removed her hand from the child. “Gwap, that is all very fascinating, but I don’t think I can do this....” She paused to correct herself. “I don’t think I should be a mother.”

Gwaps face squinted. “Because you made a mistake?” Beryl only replied with silence.

Gwap huffed. “Well, that is awfully selfish of you.”

A startled beep and an exclamation point emitted surprise from the younger adult. “Excuse me?”

The mother continued. “Our people are dying off and you think you are doing us a service by cutting off the most qualified and loving bot in this hole from ever having a child? A child you wanted in the first place?”

“But there is no point!” Tears formed on Beryl's screen “Our city is never going to open, we are never going to find a way out…” her screen began to spark. “Children deserve the best and this is not the best! it’s… it’s.”

Gwap wrapped back up her child and grabbed both of Beryl's hands. “Beryl you need to calm down!” She said firmly. “You are alright, but you must clear your processors and think straight.” She held both sides of the panicky bots head. “Think about your loved ones, they need you. Your husband is probably worried sick now.”

Beryl's face cleared when Gwap mentioned Whitney. She did just ditch him. He was probably beyond confused. “I’m sorry Gwap.” She said “wiping” a tear.

Gwap garbled. “Don’t say sorry to me you dolt! You are putting too much on yourself.” She huffed, looking off to the side thinking hard. She continued. “No point? Pfft! Ridiculous.” Her hands came to rest around her child. “Why are we striving for the good then? I have seen you with Swanito talking about what real stars look like and with Momo about humans. You learn and share because there is no hope?”

Beryl thought about interjecting, but she let Gwap continue. “If there is no hope, why are we adapting? You could've ignored sentience and kept following man-made code, but you didn’t. You have made gardens and songs that make people smile. Even other companions have chosen to give us upgrades to live like humans. We adapt to life because we see the potential for good, and I would say that is a good start.”

Beryl's eyes followed Gwaps hands as she held Beryls open, palms up and empty. “And even if everything was taken away from you, your possessions, your skills, and people, you already have so much. You are a part of the world we live in, so don't darken your sights by only looking at yourself.” She then gripped them tightly. “There are things that work without you, so you might as well stick around for them. Take my child for example.”

Gwap held Kory again. “Kory has no skill, no knowledge, and lives in a dark city. But he has a mother who loves him, new people to meet, and new skills to learn. Those are good things. I will not give up on him because of who he is now. I will love and cherish him to show what he can become and what is ahead. I don’t know of one bot in the slums who will give up on you either, so don’t expect yourself to be the only bearer of your burdens. I expect you to do the same in sharing, not only with your child but with others as well.”

Beryl looked at her hands and curled them around her own blanket when Gwaps lecture ended. She could almost envision her own child in her arms. Small, but so full of potential. What a beautiful idea. Her thoughts were hers for a while, that was until she bubbled with giggles. “Your right, Gwap. I completely forgot. How could I have forgotten?” She looked back to the moving bundle snug to Gwaps stomach. Kory's little hand wormed its way out, reaching towards the ceiling. Small drones emitted from the tiny being.

Gwap softly smiled at the two. “You have gone through a lot Beryl. Our thoughts become clouded when darkness overwhelms us. If this happens again remember there is no shame in stepping away and relying on others who want to help.”

Beryl looked up at her new friend. “Thank you Gwap, for everything.”

A cry sounded somewhere in the city, it repeated as it reverberated past them. Gwap urged Beryl to stand. “Your husband, that's him!”

Beryl knew she was right - that was Whitney’s voice. She stood, leaving the blanket behind. Scooping up the pregnancy upgrade from the ground in front of her she stowed it in her poncho pocket and made her way down the alleyway, waving as she ran. “I will never forget this Gwap!”

Gwap only scolded her more “Hussle! Talk later!”

Beryl turned her attention back to the calls of her husband as she neared the sound. “Whitney” she cried, “Whitney, I'm here!”

She turned to the alleyway that led to the elevator. In its bright illumination, she could see two familiar figures, one hunched over as the other supported and surrounded by others.

Her two favorite people. Her husband… And her sister.

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Thank God I got this posted.

I hope you like this one. What can I say, I am a sucker for speculative biology. I wanted to give a detailed headcanon on how these bots might come to make kids...

On another note, God also likes to be funny. As of writing this, I am 8 months pregnant. I myself have a kiddo on the way!

But as for Beryl that is to be seen...

As for future chapters, they are going to be a while. Pregnancy is kicking my ass so I am tired all of the time. So please give me some grace for the future. Also, check out what a friend doodled me as a joke. I have roleplayed Beryl and Whitney with him and he seems to like them a lot. Had to have their own characters react to my own.

EVERYONE MEET IKKI, TOMO, AND ZANE! Vari's Stray OC's. Might sneak them into the story. You can find more art of them on Twitter at @Dumbfoundedbot. lol look at my blorbos

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