The resistance base was quiet in the dim morning hours, only a few early risers moving through the corridors as Zypher prepared to meet their newest recruit. Orion's heavy presence stood beside him, the mercenary leaning against a wall with a skeptical look, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.
"I'm telling you, this kid better be worth it," Orion muttered, scanning the corridor with a half-bored, half-wary glance. "We're not running a charity here."
Zypher smiled small. "Trust me, this recruit is. unusual, but his skills are what we need. And the last thing we need in this fight is a predictable team."
Orion sneered, but a glint in his eyes betrayed a flicker of interest. A seasoned mercenary, he knew well that there was value in unpredictability and surprise, though he would never admit to it. He hadn't survived the chaos of Neo-ilka by being too predictable himself.
A low hum filled the hallway, faint at first but growing louder. The sound was oddly harmonious, mechanical and yet almost melodic, and seemed to pulse with rhythm that resonated through the walls.
"That's him," Zypher said, staring at the entrance.
And then, ever louder, came the hum, as a figure stepped into view: metallic, with its glistening frame but worn in places. Its pair of glowing eyes observed the room in quiet, almost contemplative curiosity. This was Aegis, the sentient robot whose mind was as sharp as his titanium shell.
Zypher watched Aegis assess his surroundings with an almost human-like expression of wonder. Built as a protector so long ago, Aegis was part of a generation of robots that had been determined by the corporations to be obsolete and discarded, left in the rain. But something in Aegis had awakened; he began asking questions-about his origins, his purpose, and most important of all, about his creator's legacy.
"Zypher Nyx," Aegis said, his voice deep and synthetic, a little oddly gentle for something that was metallic in timbre. "It's an honor to meet someone who's intent on bringing back justice to Neo-ilka."
Zypher extended his hand, and Aegis shook it with impressive accuracy. "The honor's mine, Aegis. I read about your records. You were designed for protection and were going to serve the city until they decided you were a threat."
Aegis nodded slowly. "Well, yes. But now, I look for a purpose other than to exist. I've found that my creator, Dr. Elias Callahan, had finished plans that are. incomplete. He always considered me and the other robots as not only tools but as companions, with possibilities of loyalty, reason, and even with choice. And if I am able to bring back the world he envisioned, then maybe I would be able to find some of the answers I seek.".
Orion snorted, refocusing Aegis on the subject. "Cut to the chase, tin man. Can you fight?"
Aegis's eyes started to gleam with a strange, otherworldly color of blue. "I can defend myself, and, when needed, take out a target. My neural processors are among the most advanced, and I've analyzed every type of combat that has been uploaded into my database. Still," he continued, his head cocked at an almost apologetic angle, "I prefer non-lethal methods.".
Orin sighs. "A pacifist robot. Great. Just what we need."
Zeph grins. "Don't underplay him, Orion. Aegis might be very interested in preservation, but that doesn't make him weak."
Zeph turns toward Aegis. "You ready to join us? This isn't gonna be an easy ride; I won't sugarcoat it. We're talking gods and corporations, no promises we get out there."
Aegis softened. "I've lost everything, Zypher. For years, I have been looking for something meaningful to fill the void of existence that the world has been trying to erase. If this gives me something by fighting alongside you, then I accept. I may have been designed to protect, but doesn't mean I can't fight for something worth protecting.".
Adding to that, Aegis stretched out his hand, and to Orion's dismay, the latter took it, grumbling under his breath. "Fine, but I'm watching you. No funny business, or you'll end up as spare parts."
Aegis merely bowed his head. "Understood. I will try to win your trust."
Orion rolled his eyes but said nothing, silence a reluctant acceptance.
Zypher simply couldn't help but swell with pride at this view. Aegis was a hell of lot more than just another soldier; he was an icon of the potential the city seemed to be forgetting, discarded lives by the corporations deeming such as unworthy. He was feeling the pieces of the journey coming together now, each one reflecting a different aspect of the story of Neo-ilka.
"Come on," Zypher said, gesturing for Aegis to follow. "There's someone I want you to meet."
They took him to the main chamber, where Kiera and Daelon stood by the holographic map of the city. The moment Aegis saw that map, he steeled himself, his eyes flashing with recognition.
"That map… reminds me of a blueprint my creator once drew," he mused, his eyes wandering over the city's streets. "If we're going to fight for Neo-ilka, I want to know every nook and cranny of it. Every dark alley, every forgotten district. I can offer you information on secret routes and ancient entrance tunnels. They might still be usable."
Daelon nodded, clearly impressed with what he was hearing. "If he really understands the way the city's working, then he'll be a savior. Information we could otherwise never attain."
Kiera smiled weakly as she approached Aegis. "Well, hello there, Aegis. It's good to have you on board with us. We've got a long way to go, but it's great to know we have someone who knows this city inside and out.".
With time, Zypher watched as the players all making up his team were all imbued with an essential aspect to their mission. Orion had raw strength. Kiera resourcefulness. And then there was Aegis-he knew so much about the depths of this city, a solid starting point for what would soon become an unstoppable force. They weren't building a team; they were building a coalition of Neo-ilka's most forgotten ones, each and every one with personal reason to fight.