The City of Above

02:29

In the meantime though, as late as it is, the boy and the true alien have remained in the initial building, with X4NDER taking care of the ore while VERA simply continues to scan Him over and over again. Leo simply looks around his books though.

[X4NDER]-Are we done with the tests, Leo? How many scans does VERA need to do in order for her to understand a way of getting my memories back?

[Leo]-She has to conduct a brain activity scan on you, X4NDER. Our intention is to identify the issue affecting your memories, remember?

[VERA]-That is true, but unfortunately, I simply can't find any issue with it at all. Do remember that I am scanning a soul, not a living being. Everything I find can be vague and might lead us to more puzzles. I do understand that X4NDER maybe got sick of being forever scanned with no result.

[X4NDER]-See? VERA understands! We can continue tomorrow anyway! What's stopping us from doing so?

[Leo]-*sigh* Very well then. Let's put a stop on the tests for today. I will ponder an alternative approach in the meantime. You can go rest in the room I've allocated for you, X4NDER.

So, X4NDER simply makes a sign as a goodbye and takes His leave, while Leo remains with VERA in the same room, closing any book he had with him and taking a device that seems to be close to a remote. Then, he presses one button, only for the bookcase to separate in half and a small bed to be put on its own. After it is done, Leo simply sits down to prepare himself for this night's sleep, but VERA comes in front of him to speak.

[VERA]-Should I start your emotional status verification of the night as well?

[Leo]-Can't we postpone it for a day or two?

[VERA]-You have programmed me to follow the schedule on point, Leo. Besides that, you do know that you have to keep yourself sane if you wish to continue further. I am a machine, I am not affected by human emotions, not to mention that I have no emotional status. I cannot suffer of anything regarding this problem. But you are a human. You live emotions every day, and loneliness for sociable species isn't the best ally.

[Leo]-Heh, since when do you concern yourself with my feelings, VERA? Being worried is a human emotion, you know.

[VERA]-I do know that. But again, I cannot feel it. I am simply following orders and observing the situation. Today, for example, you gave a rather proof of your sanity going down because of your isolation throughout so many years. If you wish for your emotional behaviour to remain stable, you have to do your verifications every day and take my advices. Do remember that this is how you have programmed me, knowing well that this might be your future. You were aware of it a thousand years ago.

[Leo]-...I know, VERA. But I also know that I can't sustain my sanity like this forever. This world isn't truly where we belong, old friend. Our home is on Earth, not on HN-1C. Here we serve as the givers of life to the Helionyxans... but we do not belong among them.

[VERA]-Do you suggest on us trying to leave HN-1C and going back on Earth?

[Leo]-No. We are unable to do so even if we desire.

While they are talking, Leo seems to do his preparations for the rest. This means of him pausing the robotic organs he owns, such as his bionic eye for which he attaches a strange device above the area of the supposed ear which looks like a gadget that either helps with recharging the energy lost during the day or simply uploading the information accumulated during the day. For the arm, he takes a different device, this one being smaller and looking like a key, which he inserts in one of the holes of the robotic limb, rotate it and detaching the arm completely, putting it in a small compartment near the bed after.

[Leo]-...If we choose to depart from this planet completely, we have no guarantees of a successful arrival on Earth after. I lack knowledge of space navigation and it will take time for me to sift through preserved documents that I managed to save after the attack until I find the correct route we need to take. And even if we do make it to Earth, we would probably still remain the only survivors alive there since humanity's demise due to the nuclear war. The planet likely remained highly irradiated, which it won't be in our favour. Not to even mention that we need to find the rusty and destroyed spaceship in the first place, which is now buried beneath sand from numerous annual storms. Moreover... if we do decide to abandon these beings, who knows how long it will take until their social collapse will eventually come? Despite our efforts to prevent them from repeating my kind's mistakes, the Helionyxans still engaged in a whole war... All beings retain their own mindsets, I can't change that reality. However, I can persist in guarding the machine.

[VERA]-What about creating a machine that can protect it?

[Leo]-A machine cannot fully embody the role that belongs to a human, VERA. Even if its proficient in protection, it is vulnerable to damage over time. Without someone to undertake repairs, the role of guardian will eventually disappear. I am immortal and immune to harm as long as I avoid the sole ore that affects me. No machine could replace my role. Do remember that even you sustained damaged numerous times in the past, and I was the one who had to perform the repairs.

[VERA]-Then what is your suggestion?

[Leo]-My proposal is that we rest and embrace another day for now. There's not much we can accomplish at the moment anyway.

[VERA]-As you wish, Leo.

So, after he is done with the preparation, he lays down on the bed, looking at the ceiling while VERA simply sits on his body, activating her sleep mode and going silent. Doing so, Leo then looks at the machine that simply rests on him, with such a gentle smile that hides such pain. He begins to move around his normal hand on the top of the robot, maybe even imagining his own daughter being with him, trying to calm him down.

[Leo]-...Good night, VERA.

"...May we find a place where we belong."