Alpha One Six

by Misanthropian

Chapter Fourteen: Exit

By the time Alphie arrived at ERoCo. she could no longer move under her own power.

Several employees helped to carry her through hallways lit by the cool glow of LED lighting. They spoke to each other, gossiping about the day, and about all things mundane. As though nothing had changed in her presence.

Alphie ignored them.

She watched down the hall as a worker carted a deactivated robot out of one of the rooms. She wondered if it had been anything like her. If it had felt anything, before being shut down.

The ponies carrying her finally turned towards one of the rooms.

Alphie watched in a haze as they carried her inside and began fastening her to the service rack. The rack rotated and lifted her up.

One of the employees opened up her skullplate and began connecting her to the maintenance harness. The sensation has akin to waves of numbness going through her body as the external systems caused what few sensors were still working to reset in preparation to be calibrated.

The workers left her.

Alphie hung there, waiting.

Minutes passed.

Maybe hours.

She no longer bothered to keep track.

She simply waited.

Her thoughts were all she could focus on. With nothing left she only hoped that the friends she had made were safe. She hoped that Redheart might keep an eye on Lyra.

Maybe they would stay friends.

She hoped they would.

"Well you're a might worse for ware, aren't ya'."

The voice finally drew Alphie back to the world around her. It was familiar, somehow.

She looked up.

An certain stallion was looking over the damage she had taken. He was older, but she still recognized him.

He looked over the clipboard. "Alright... Alpha One Six. Lets get you cleaned up and back out."

"Alphie..." She managed.

He froze. "What was that?"

"My name... is Alphie..."

The stallion stared for a moment. "It's you. From the news..."

"Yes...", She looked at him, "I remember you."

"You do?", He hesitated, "How?"

"You... and that mare... nine years ago... You reactivated me..."

"I...", He thought for a moment, "You remember Ada? That was only my second day."

"I remember...", Alphie relaxed, looking at the ground, "You were uncomfortable..."

"A still had a bit of a fear of robots back then."

"Do I still make you uncomfortable?.." Alphie asked.

"No.", He spoke, "Not anymore."

"That's good."

"You're different, aren't you?.."

"I think so..."

He hesitated. "I'm sorry..."

Alphie slowly lifted her head and looked to him. "It's okay." She smiled.

It was a weak smile. But it was heartfelt.

The pony winced visibly at the gesture. "Are you afraid?"

"Would you be?" She asked as he headed over to a terminal and began typing.

He paused and closed his eyes. "Yes..."

She watched as he connected a drive to the terminal and ran a few commands before disconnecting it again. "What's your name?.."

The stallion paused before he looked up to her. "James..."

"I'm glad I got to see you again...", Alphie closed her eyes for a moment as she smiled, "I started here... So I guess... It makes sense..."

"Yeah... Real poetic." There was a hint of pain in James' voice as he continued to work.

The two stayed silent for some time as James worked.

"Does it hurt?" Alphie finally asked.

James froze where he was. "I...", He hesitated, "I don't think so."

Alphie closed here eyes. "What happens... when I don't wake up..."

James was shaking as he stood at the terminal. He took a deep breath. "I don't know..."

Alphie relaxed. "Maybe I'll tell you...", She closed her eyes, "Someday."

James calmed himself before finishing the last command. "You do that...", He pressed the last key, "Let me know..."

Alphie felt herself falling.

She relaxed into it.

She felt tired.

Then she felt nothing.