Waiting Shapeless

Chapter 35. Orbiting Gnumus

Hud: Pardos

Hud sat in melancholy silence in the spacious cockpit of his Rapiki carrier. Next to him leaning against the wall was the victim of his current job—the Circuit encased in a Rhaa suit.

The Human girl was gone. Hud was likely never to see her again. It was strange; he and the girl had barely talked, interacted, or even seen each other during her short period of captivity aboard his ship. He knew hardly anything about her, or who she even was. Yet she reminded him so much of Natilliea that now she was gone, he felt like he was missing something. It was like Natilliea was taken from him for a second time.

Fortunately, this time was a lot less painful than the first.

He shook his head, promising himself not to think of it further. It only brought him bitter pain. Besides, Natilliea was here, humming happily against his chest.

He looked at the motionless Circuit as it hung with its painted on grin and single glowing eye. It was definitely eerie looking, but Hud could help but think it was quite pitiful at the same time.

"Ready to die, buddy?"

The Circuit buzzed slowly in response, a low resigned rumble.

"Sorry little guy," Hud said with a sigh, "My job is to kill, and your job is... well... to get killed I guess."

The encased robot made no reply.

Hud shrugged his shoulders. "From what I hear, all I have to do is pull you away from that blue swirly stuff and you'll be gone. Is it a painless way to go?"

"Howzzzzzzzz am I SSSSSSzzzzz*CRACK*ssuposed to know, dumbaZZss?"

Hud blinked for a moment and then grinned. "Well, well! Not only can it talk, but it's got a little sass too!"

The Circuit went back to being silent.

"Now why is it that you don't say much, huh?" Hud muttered, almost more to himself than to the robot. He scanned the metal suit, evaluating how much effort it would take for him to pull the Circuit out. He had to make this quick, he had to start making his way to the Seroah Universe soon.

The Circuit zapped a couple of times followed by a hiss of static.

"Uh huh, uh huh. Tell me about it buddy. This life's not easy..." Hud finally found a latch leading to the inside and opened it, exposing the Circuit. He reached in and grabbed the Circuit's round body, gently pulling to see how easily it would come out of the blue lifeline. It gave slightly, but needed more muscle.

Hud braced himself for the pull. "You ready?" He asked, looking down into the Circuit's one right eye.

He couldn't actually tell where the robot's one big eye was looking, but it seemed to him that the Circuit was looking right back at Hud.

"You BIZZZinZZZzzzshhhhha girl?" said the Circuit suddenly.

Hud froze. "What?"

The Circuit sputtered a few times and then fell back to silence.

Hud let go of the Circuit and pulled his hands back out of the suit. "Did you say something about a girl?"

The Circuit's static voice cracked quickly.

Hud thought for a moment. The Circuit didn't necessarily have to die right now.  Although he would have to leave soon to warp to the Rhaa meeting coordinates. "I sure wish I could understand what you're saying little guy." He mumbled.

"ZZZsssss too."

He looked around. Maybe there was some other way that the guy could communicate. He examined the interior of the suit. Nothing noteworthy. But he expected nothing less; it was tight Rhaa tech. Impenetrable and unhackable.