The Secondary Saga

[Demetri Malius]

We walked through the swamp, the fog rolling out towards us as we tread on the murky water and mud.

I don't know how long it's been. Date functions hasn't worked since the war against the Darkspawn. It seems I can hardly compute with half my functions either malfunctioning, disabled, or corrupted. I'm lucky I can still use my lasers though, and hover, for that matter, for which I have Jan to thank for that. However, I have new issues pestering me now, and for that I have Richtoffen to blame. Though I can't say it was his intentions to do so.

[spoiler]

IRIS: Richtoffen

I eyed the doctor as he performed on the more dire of patients in the makeshift infirmary in the town. It about a week since we met everyone here in the clearing and worked together to fight off the Darkspawn, and Richtofen was tending to some of the injured secondaries. He was well aware of my presence and questioned me as I hovered near him.

" Ah... my little floating ally, I zee dat you might be vanting some kind of... treatment? The German scientist smirked with anticipation as he turned his gaze towards me.

"Um.. yeah, my electronic function recently stopped working, so I was wondering if- "

"Jah Jah of course! Allov me to retrieve mein tools."The doctor bounced around in glee as he rushed to a small shelf, plucking a few sharp metal tools and devices. I really hope that my pain receptors weren't functional. Once he finished gathering his menacing looking tools, he began to walk towards me, a psychopathic grin covering his face. I backed up out of instinct but found myself against an infirmary bed. His oily fingers clutched his surgical weapons and proceeded to the area where the goblin had injured me such a long time ago. I felt like I blinked as soon the silver metal of the utensil touched mine.

Suddenly the area around me was a mess, tools everywhere, Richtoffen red faced and breathing heavily. I watched as my systems turned on, but something felt of. I felt a wave of relief and confusion before Richtoffen began to speak.

"Ah, finally. You vere guite the naughty zupchect. Ach ! As zoon as I pekan, you vent red and starded screaming obscenidies and vanded to rip mein face off. It took only ein few minutes, put you vere fery difficult. Haffen't had one like dat zince exberiment #54. Luckily I managed to svitch vadeffer it vas off." He wiped a bead a sweat from his face as he smiled sadistically, then began to clean up his gear, satisfied with his work and preparing to go back into my injury.

Lucky damned fool, I had him in my clutches and was about to watch the life seep from his face before he switched the circuit status...

Wait. Who was that? I glanced to Richtoffen, but the German didn't seem to have heard anything.

"Hey, did you hear that? I thought a heard a voice...

The German's abruptly stopped organizing his tools and turned to me, his face inches away from my eye. His breath even fogged up the glass. "Foices?! You can hear dem too?! VHAT DO DEY ZAY?! TELL ME FLOATING MECHANISM, VHAT DO THE FOICES TELL YOU? IS IT ZAMANTHA? DON'T LISTEN TO HER! I HAFFE DONE NOTHING!"

I quickly dodged the mad scientists attempts to grab me as I bolted for the exit, quickly rounding the corner and ending up in a secluded area. As I hovered near the floor, I noticed a glow of bright purple instead of blue.

So you can hear me now. Perhaps that doctor wasn't as useless as I thought, although he still deserves death. How interesting though. Perhaps maybe you an finally work towards completing your mission and finding Omni, instead of frolicking with these useless and traitorous group.

I checked my systems as I realized it the voice was coming from me. Maybe Richtoffen wasn't the only crazy one. Craziness isn't contagious, is it?

Checking systems. Functional, some restricted abilities. Combat mode enabled.

What? Combat mode enabled? But that can't be? My functions only initiated combat mode if I felt extremely threatened, which I haven't even been all this trip. In addition, I wasn't supposed to be active during combat mode. Then again, Richtoffen was pretty threatening, and I don't know what exactly he did while operating.

You are as confused as I am at how this is possible right? Well, no matter, like this, I have a say in what we do, and you better listen. You need to kill all of this blundering idiots.

I needed to turn it off, something, anything before anyone else saw me in this condition. As long as I can make my eye blue again I can hide this from everyone. Nobody will have to know I have a crazed murderer as a conscience. I glance over my manual.

HEY! Are you listening, fool?

Shut up, i'm trying to figure out how to turn you off.

Retrieving instructions....

Turn me off, for what reason? I am the better half of you.

No, you are the psychotic half of me I don't bring up at parties.

Download Complete. Step One:

Well isn't someone being rude. How dare you insult me you insolent brat. You're the one going on with these so called "friends" of yours making jokes and giggles, getting nothing done. What were their names, that blabbering pirate and stupid soldier... can't recall, nor do I care. I was embarrassed to watch yo make a fool of yourself the other day, entertaining the others. "Oi, look at me, I can't separate DNA from my circuits so I have to talk like a pirate for a week." Bloody fool.

HEY! You have the same issues with DNA separation!

Please take deep breaths and calm down to return to your normal state.

At least I don't go waving around my errors like a popup alert for entertainment.

Shut up already, I'm getting rid of you.

I began whirring as I calmed my engine and gears, focusing on their slow turning as I felt myself cool down. Okay, good. I watched my eye fade back to blue as I came to complete focus. Finally.

I'm still here you floating phallus.

Error: Issue not resolved. Contact your manufacturer for further details.

Shit.[/spoiler]

While I constantly try to show you the truth, you still don't understand, do you? Everyone here needs to die. You simply can't trust them. How long before one of them betrays you? You have listened to their conversations. Before you are considered obsolete due to your injuries, due to your inferiority? You've seen them. Think about it. If you get left behind, you will have failed your mission. You will have failed creator, like an incompetent swine.

I don't need your nagging opinions, without these people I wouldn't be here. Jan has helped me out especially, since Richtoffen couldn't fix me up.

Oh, then why didn't you tell him about me?

[spoiler]

IRIS: Jan

After a few days of nagging from CM to kill everyone that I see, I decided maybe another secondary could help me. Jan and I had become closer since the Darkspawn, and he had mentioned a bit about him having some engineering experience. Perhaps he could help. Even if he can't fix CM, I could probably get some of my functiomality back. I would at least need my lasers and HUD to be working.

I came upon Jan in a small area by where we slept, or where everyone else slept and I just floated there.

So first you get messed up one of your "allies" trying to fix you, so you're going to another one? How incredibly stupid.

I ignored it as I approached Jan.

"Hey IRIS! How's it going, fond anything out scouting lately?"

"Nothing really, but thats not why im here, I need help with repairs, and I rember you mentioning you had engineering experience and I was wondeing if you could, you know, help me out. They havw been a little malfunctional since our first encounter with the orcs and the twmple, but recently they stopped altogether."

" Sure," Jan spoke to me with a smile. "You should've said something earlier and I would've helped. Come over here.

I floated over to a small table with a few tools laid out, and patiently waited as the soldier prepped.

"Alright, just hold still, dont wan't to pull out anything you need."

He started prying up my damaged metal before going in and taking out aome broken blades and such from previous battles. Once he finished, he attached any cut wires and hammered out the dents in my armor. Needless to say, it was like a day at the spa, for a machine at least. I floated around with my at my return of electricity. It was so relieving and felt like I was completely energized. My HUD had returned, and although with limited functionality, it was back again.

"Well look at you floating around like a well oiled machine." Jan chuckled at my energy.

"Thank you so much, i appreciate it.

He still needs to die. Anyone can turn on you in an instant.

My energy seemed to dissapate as I remembered my other predicament. Jan seemed to notice.

You alright there? You look tense, anything bothering you?

"No it's alright... I'm fine... thanks.He didn't seem so assured as I quickly floated away.[/spoiler]

My mind had drifted off before I retorted back.

I don't need them worrying about me. I can handle you.

Well look around us, there's nothing but me and you.

I stopped and looked around realizing that he was right. The fog was so thick that I could not see anyone.

It seems that everyone would become lost in this fog. This would be the perfect chance, the chance I've been waiting for.

Waiting for? What did he mean?

Warning, data switching.... combat mode entering main status. Stealth mode entering passive.

WHAT. NO! YOU CAN'T! HOW DID YOU EVEN-

I watched the dark and muddy water turn a crimson red, as my body gave off its hellish glow.

Now now, this isn't the time to chat, its the time to hunt, wouldn't you say?