*insert witty title here*

[forwearemany]

Who: Legion, Kravitz, The Knight, Arum-25
What: Restoring Arum-25's memory.
When: Backdated August 21st
Where: Umui
Warnings: I honestly have no idea where this is going.

(The Knight has called them.

They are uncertain what, exactly, is the purpose of this, save that it involves their fellow synthetic located on Umui.

It is thus beside the Umui mana pool that they wait for their ally, what few tools they have stuffed inside their backpack.)

Comments

[lightlessfuture]

[ The Knight, after looking between the two of them for a moment to confirm things aren't going to escalate into some kind of unpleasantness, relaxes.

They open the box again while Legion and Kravitz are getting acquainted, peering into it inquisitively. Whatever they're seeing in the wires, it's enough to keep them sufficiently interested while their companions get used to each other, at least. ]

[deathfindsaway]

[He takes a second to think of the question- he really hasn't interacted with synthetics back home- but decides the best course of action here is to hold out his hand for a handshake.]

Oh, sorry, I-- I'm Kravitz. Is there something I can call you, as well?

[At least in this situation he's awfully polite.]

[forwearemany]

(They stare at the hand, but do not shake it. Perhaps they're still a little too bitter over how the whole thing with Shepard turned out.

...Or they're just distracted by the name, given the way their headflaps lift.)

Your name is familiar to us. It was suggested we inform you we are not "a pile of angry ghosts inhabiting a robot body".

We are Legion, relict of the Geth.

[lightlessfuture]

[ The Knight just sort of...headtilts...in the background at that description, clearly puzzled but also filing it away in the not going to ask about this category.

Now that they've been sufficiently introduced, they bring the box over to Legion again so they can continue their inspection, insistently holding it up so they can look (which is..not very high, but they're trying okay). ]

[deathfindsaway]

[As soon as that description is given, he sighs, looking for a moment like he's just going to entirely deflate.]

So you've met Lucas, have you.

[He says it in the most flat tone imaginable, the weight of a man who now cannot even picture the glut of bad things that have been said about him.

But oh well, let's just-- let's just not. He tucks his hand back since Legion doesn't seem to want to interact with it and moves forward.]

I'm not going to do anything to you, and I can plenty tell you're not a ghost. It's nice to meet you.

[He looks down at the Knight, still concentrating on that box and trying to hand it off.]

Are you ready to go? You can lead the way.

[forwearemany]

(Except they haven't actually heard anything bad at all.)

It is a question we have been asked by multiple individuals. We are assuming they also likely originate from your universe?

(Legion attempts to take the box from The Knights hands.)

Reintegration of this circuitry is likely to be tedious, but not impossible, provided Arum-25 still wishes to be repaired.

[lightlessfuture]

[ They easily relinquish their grip on the box, and once that task has been successfully passed to someone who knows Much More About It Than Them, they turn to Kravitz with a confident nod.

They're happy to lead the way to the laboratory that houses what they've come to think of as their robot friend (though what ARUM thinks of them, they really have no idea). Someone with an actual voice can do the question-asking, though. Consent is important. ]

[deathfindsaway]

[Well, that's a nice surprise. He kind of figures Lucas is slamming him across the board, which, while (probably) deserved is an annoying prospect.]

Yes, he does. Don't worry about it.

[That's certainly not what they're here for, and he'd much rather discuss ARUM.]

I believe they do. It may simply be enough for them to have the circuits, though... I confess to hoping they'll remember. They're the only one who can really tell us about everything that happened here.

[Which, aside from promising help, is something his nagging curiosity won't let him drop.]

Well! Shall we?

[forwearemany]

Affirmative.

(Though curious about Kravitz' world of origin, they are more concerned with ensuring Arum is properly repaired.

Thus, they will allow themselves to be led to the laboratory.)

[lightlessfuture]

[ It doesn't take too long for the three of them to reach their destination, the Knight running along in front (but careful not to leave their companions behind) with apparent eagerness.

They walk up to ARUM-25, gently reaching up to tap their hand and turn their attention to the people who can actually talk. ]

[aftrnpc]

[ARUM-25 is the same place they have always been. They whir to life softly, turning to regard their visitors with the same sort of displaced curiosity as always.]

It is good that you are not dead.

[No, really. They're genuinely grateful for this. Relieved, even.]

[Even if they did not succeed in saving anyone, they are at least happy that they did not need to watch everyone die - relive a memory they do not have.]

Hello.

[deathfindsaway]

[It's probably better that Kravitz just doesn't bring up the whole dying thing; he looks scarred enough to have plausibly been infected and then survived. We're just not going to worry about all that.]

ARUM, it's good to see you again. I wanted to thank you for the warnings you gave us about the infection and being quite helpful in it's tracking. And well, it's not really a reward, but... I believe we've found something that belongs to you.

[He'll gesture Legion's direction, since they're the one currently in possession of the box with the circuitry.]

[forwearemany]

The cure for the disease known as "Overgrowth" was discovered to be honesty.

(It is, after all, useful data, even if Arum-25 will hopefully not actually end up needing it.

Legion steps forward to present the box.)

Does this circuitry appear likely to contain missing data?

[aftrnpc]

["Honesty." Surely it could not have been that simple. But unequipped with the memory of the emotionally repressive environment from which the people of Umui originated, ARUM-25 cannot confirm or deny. They instead focus on the box, and its contents.]

[The tip of metallic fingers brush the frizz of wiring. Then, slowly, they reach up to the back of their neck to run them across the place where those wires were once torn out.]

Yes.

It looks like my primary memory circuits.

whoops i didnt realize it was my tag here im sorry

[deathfindsaway]

[He feels a smile pull at his mouth as ARUM reaches over, compares the two. It's the confirmation he needed.]

ARUM, it's to my understanding that Legion here repaired you previously. Would you be willing to have them do it again? I'm sorry I can't be of more direct help, but-- I did say I would find some, so I hope this is sufficient.

[He's rambling. A bit nervous. Mostly just scared of what they might find.]

[aftrnpc]

I would be willing.

Though I do not know what we might find.

[Nonetheless, they do not hesitate in issuing their answer. It is not uncertainty that holds them back; it is concern that they might be inconveniencing those who have already gone so far out of their way to help.]

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged. We will work on reconnecting your primary memory circuits.

(And well, they're just going to try to get a good look at the back of Arum's neck.)

[aftrnpc]

[ARUM-25 angles their head to allow Legion better access to the back of their neck. There are several frayed wires there that, with careful inspection, will clearly line up with the circuits torn free. All one has to do is reattach them.]

Thank you.

[deathfindsaway]

[They're all apprehensive, he thinks. But that thought doesn't do anything to quell the nervousness as Legion gets to work, crossing his arms so he can grip and fiddle with the sleeves of his shirt.]

It's alright. This is for you more than it is for us.

[Even though he's hoping they find something more than nothing.]

[forwearemany]

(They examine the frayed wires for several moments, considering.)

Though we are capable of performing this task, our tools are nonoptimal. Requesting minimal disturbance.

(Lacking anything else to do it with, they use Tali's knife to trim the wires for reattachment.)

[aftrnpc]

Understood.

[ARUM-25 holds perfectly still and falls silent to allow for the most effective repair possible. The edges spark faintly when drawn close to their counterparts frizzing out from the back of the automaton's neck, magnetic and intuitive.]

[forwearemany]

(...Well, that makes it easier, though it also raises several more questions.

For the moment, Legion just works on attaching the circuits. It's probably not that difficult.)

[aftrnpc]

[It probably isn't, no. No sooner have they begun, but a faint light sparks up in ARUM-25's eyes, a spritz of light and heat and a hiss-buzz of engaging circuits.]

NEW FILE LOCATED.

It is a transcription. Begin playback?

[deathfindsaway]

[He swallows when Arum speaks, looking between them and Legion before nodding if there's no protest.]

Go ahead, then.

[aftrnpc]

[Confirmed. There's a moment where the automaton's demeanor suggests that they've done the equivalent of shutting their eyes. There's a shutter-click, a sound almost like a tape being inserted into a drive. Then a buzz:]

BEGIN TRANSCRIPTION:

JS: "Unit ARUM-25, relay last command."

ARUM-25: "Command confirmed. Archiving current memory banks."

JS: "Good. Eject memory unit at my order."

ARUM-25: "Objection. I would strongly prefer not to."

JS: "I know. I know, ARUM. But if you don't, you'll end up like all the rest. You saw what happened to TRAG-23. It's happening all over now. It's taking shorter and shorter each time."

ARUM=25: "Further objection. It is my duty to care for you until such that you no longer require it. Without an active memory bank, I will not remember that you are my patient."

JS: "I know, ARUM. That's the point."

[Buzz. There's the hum of background noise, as though some snatches of passing conversation have drifted by. JS, whoever they are, are quiet for this. Perhaps they do not want to be overheard.]

ARUM-25: "Further objection."

JS: "...well?"

ARUM-25: "I lack the colloquial subroutine to adequately express this."

JS: "Why you. Right?"

ARUM-25: "That would be the closest equivalent. Yes."

JS: "Because I'm the only engineer who still has the free hands to input this particular failsafe, and I don't have time to bug test or save a backup to mass produce it. And because I know none of the project leads would let me produce it. In fact, I'm certain they wouldn't approve of this at all. And because you're my friend."

ARUM-25: "The designation of 'friend' is inaccurate and inappropriate for a nurse-to-patient scenario."

JS: "Yeah, well. That's what we get for all those patch notes. Spent a little too much time getting you attached to us, and didn't think about what would happen if it ever went the other way around."

[SOUND OF COUGHING]

JS: "Good thing we don't have to worry about that for much longer, right?"

[ARUM-25 has to stop, briefly. To call them "overwhelmed" by the flood of memory would be an understatement.]