A Devil In The Moonlight

[Robogeber]

Avalonian summers were not usually stormy. The occassional drizzle was anticipated sure. But nothing of this scale. For the last two days, the First Order capitol had been hammered by rain and storms, as thunder rolled in over. A large low had settled over the city, and had seemingly stagnated, menacingly hovering over the metropolitan city, as if it were some sort of overlord.

For the personnel of the First Order Navy, who were on leave, many would be sent to barracks, and put on standby in case the storms intensified, and the local army units required assistance in clearing out any flooding. The Avalonian naval barracks largely sat still beneath the thunder. Troopers huddled inside, or had vacated their homes to see friends and family.

However, what one would notice, besides the clashing thunder which illuminated the sky, was a trio of figures. All of which were attired in black greatcoats, signifying them as officers of a sort. The trio silently moved through the maze of barracks. They however stopped suddenly, outside of barrack number three hundred and nine. The home of a single Chiss officer.

Beneath the clattering of rain on metal, and the raucous thunder, a series of large, dull thuds fell upon the door, "Commander Morro!" A gruff voice called out, beneath the weather. "Open up!"

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

Commander Morro yanked off her rain soaked boots and jiggled her umbrella as she crossed into the threshold of her small Dossun apartment. While she’d physically recovered from the violent landing of the Vigilance escape pod on Zonamo Sekot, the constant storms were not helping her emotional distress.

For the first few days when she returned to Avalona, she did not get out of bed.

Once she felt like eating and bathing again, she was sent to a military psychologist who wanted to put her on some kind of antidepressant, but the Chiss officer refused.

The only thing that caused her a bit of relief was organizing the addresses of the deceased navy men and women of the Vigilance so that, as Admiral Rausgeber had, she could write letters to their families, carrying on the tradition of her deceased superior officer.

But everytime she picked up a pen, she began to cry and could not bring herself to write even a letter.

The humidity of Avalona had caused Morro’s normally straight hair to become wavy, bordering corkscrew curls and she shed her rain jacket right onto the floor, making a beeline to the kitchen to start the kettle.

She’d nearly sat down when she heard a male voice calling for her.

“Veo non?” she snapped to herself irritably.

As she made her way to the door, she tripped right over her boots, causing a stream of Cheunh curses to flow from her mouth.

Opening the door she responded with equal annoyance. “I am still on medical leave, I’ll have you know.”

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

Standing before the woman, was a menacing figure. One which, if you were to look down at the feet, would reveal it had none. "Guards..." The figure began, in a clearly artificial voice. One which was foreign to the younger officer. "Leave us." The droid commanded, before hovering in. The sound of its repulsorlift generators pulse over the sound of the rain. The droid hovered closer. It wore a leather greatcoat, which glistened with the rain drops in the pale light of Morro's barracks.

The droid hovered before the Chiss, and slid the hood, which sat on its head, down. Revealing a cold, unblinking glass eye. Morro would be able to see her own reflection in it. "Commander Morro...." The droid continued, unbuttoning the dark leather coat, and letting it fall to the floor. The voice had now changed, along with its attire, revealing a white uniform, with the rank insignia of a Fleet Admiral.

The droids head began to flicker and change, glowing a deep blue as a face came onto screen. Slowly, and steadily, the face of Carlyle Rausgeber came into view. "It's been too long...." The droid mused. Its voice now familiar, but now had an artificial quality to it.

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

Highly perplexed and a little bit frightened, Morro’s blue brow furrowed, and she took a step back as the figure floated forward. His voice was unrecognizable.

The Chiss appeared tired, her hair unbraided, flowing down to her white dress top - a smart dresser even out of uniform. Her feet were bare, however, and the frigid puddles leftover from the rain caused a chill to go through her.

“What is the meaning of this?” she wanted to blurt out, but Morro knew that a knee-jerk reaction would get her nowhere. There was clearly a gravity to this figure’s visit, but as she peered into the glass eye, resisting the urge to tap it with her finger, she wondered if this wasn’t the point in time when PTSD had become too much, and she was actually going insane.

But when she noticed the uniform, her heart began to beat faster, drumming louder in her ears than the rain patter which surrounded them.

But the face flickered into her view, ethereal behind the clear glass like a ghost. The voice unmistakable.

“Tar to Rin'vt Rcati,” she gasped. She placed her hands upon her temples momentarily, and then felt suddenly aware of her shambolic hair, which she quickly braided into a loose coil to hang over one shoulder. But insecurity gave way to paranoia.

Someone was surely pulling a prank on her. Was there some blasted Avalonia holiday that she’d forgotten about, wanting none of the silly human festivities thank you very much.

“If this is a joke, it’s not very funny,” she said, tears beginning to well in her red, glowing eyes at the utter confusion of not knowing who to trust or what to believe anymore.

The Admiral’s body was not found and why would it be? His flesh had been torn asunder, wrought and wrung into particles that disappeared in the blankness of space. She looked up at the stars realizing now that she’d been gazing up at them often as though those blazing balls of light, tiny to her on Dossun, each represented one particle. Yet, she could never collect them all to put them back together.

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

"I can assure you Commander Tamm'orr'nuruodo, that my excursion here has been no, joke." The droid drawled, approaching closer. The droids cold, leather gloved hand, leaned in, and gently pricked a tear that had escaped the Chiss' tear ducts. "I understand that my loss has affected you greatly, and was hoping that my arrival here would give you some, consolation for your loss." The droid continued. The projected face eyed her inquisitively.

It was not a mere static expression, which was projected onto the all seeing orb, but rather one which moved, and expressed itself. As if the droid itself was thinking. The droid continued further into Morro's apartment, and gestured for her to follow, as it entered her living room. It was spartan, but that's at least what an officer of her standing could expect. She was still, very much so an outsider, and the conditions mirrored that lifestyle well. The droid pulled a chair out, and gestured for the Chiss to sit.

"Please, sit Commander." The droid commanded in that all too familiar voice. "If my nephew's reaction was anything, I would prefer you to at least be seated before you faint." The trademark mischievious smirk, for but a second reappeared, before the hologram reverted to the stoicism that usually visited Rausgeber aboard the bridge of a vessel. "We have much to discuss."

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, Morro. He called you Tamm'orr'nuruodo. No one but the Admiral ever called me by my real name, she thought.

She wanted to back up as he approached, but her feet were frozen to the sidewalk. She closed her eyes as he brushed the tear away, and when she opened them, she inspected that strange holoprojection on the glass.

“I-I-it really is you, isn’t it?”

She watched him float past her and into her apartment. It was messy, unusual for her, but she supposed that was still the least of her worries. She wouldn’t rule out a temporary insanity, but Morro had been trying to take care of herself - eating better and sleeping through the night - mostly so she could be cleared by her Psych for duty again.

He was right about outsider status. Truthfully Rausgeber was the only officer who really championed the Commander, though lately she’d declined various opportunities if only because she felt she wasn’t ready for them.

As he pulled out a chair, she only looked down at it. “Would you like anything to drink?”

Oh that was a stupid question, Morro. Of course he doesn’t. He’s a droid, you fool.

She sat, clasping her hands in her lap, but wringing them out of nervosity. His smirk disarmed her for a moment, recalling to her memory the brief kiss they shared before they parted on the Vigilance.

“Are you human under there?”

It was not the most impersonal question, but the Chiss officer could not help herself and his physical appearance was all she could focus on, despite his having survived the ship explosion somehow.

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

"No." Rausgeber informed her, "I am a droid." he however paused, "I mean, I am. But I'm sort of Carlyle, but simultaneously, not Carlyle...But I am...." The droid paused, and an inquisitive, and thoughtful look came over the droids face. A sullen moment passed, as the droid assembled its thoughts into something that would be palatable, and dare the droid say it, coherent. "I am his memory."

The droid paused again, "For about six years, every two weeks, whenever I-he, could.." The droid was obviously still getting to terms with his, its own mortality and where it fit in. "He, would upload snippets of his memory in order to preserve them in me. At first, I, I was a log. Something to be published. Made into a document."

"But things changed...." The droid paused again, "Omega, as you probably know, changed me-" The droids projection furrowed its brow, and clenched its fist. "Changed, him." The droid continued, "And, given his lack of success with family, with a legacy he wished for," He let a small smile purse the projections lips, "Something you already know." The droid said, "And I-he, confessed to you."

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

The Chiss officer gave Carlyle a tense smile as he answered the question, but it still did not yield the answers she sought. A mechanical memory did not equal the body and spirit of a man. Or did it?

She felt suddenly guilty for boiling down the Admiral to baser, telluric components. You are being quite selfish, Morro. He’s back here in Avalonia and sitting in your living room. Isn’t this all you’ve been wishing for since he’s been gone?

But still... can one have physical intimacy with a memory?

Stop, Morro. Now.

Due to the pragmatic, emotionless countenance that most Chiss embodied, she was able to finally switch off her wayward thoughts so that she could continue with the conversation, giving Rausgeber the deference he required, but they would be back, she knew.

“Yes, Admiral. I do recall that night. After drinks. I suppose the legacy of being immortal perhaps trumps any blood legacy you may have had?”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. Beint sea ch'at en'kar! Are you a woman or a cruel beast?

“I mean.. Not that you, he... can't," she stuttered along until she finally ended with, “I’m so grateful to have you back, Carlyle. When are we going back up?” It was as though the presence of the Admiral had erased the post-traumatic depression she’d been suffering, and she was itching to get back into the sky with him.

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

"That is yet to be decided." Rausgeber carefully mused, the droid quietly sat itself down onto a lounge, and neatly sat down. "Central Command is still to decide whether to put me into a role into the academy, to let me back out there, or to scrap me all together." The droid sullenly informed her. It seemed however, to be pre occupied with something.

"Commander, do you know why I am here?" Rausgeber asked, coolly. "Do you know why I have approached you, at near midnight, to intrude upon your abode in this dreadful weather we are having?" He asked.

There was a pause. One which would have signified some kind of awkwardness, which Carlyle would have emoted, while alive. However, this droid preferred to play things closer to the chest. A stoic, intimidating glare came upon the droid, "Tamm'orr'nuruodo, there is something, I must clarify to you." The droid continued, "A request, if you will, because, to be quite frank with you, you're the first person from my-h-"

The droid again paused, "My." It continued, a little more determined, "Past life, whom I have met, and given what I," The droid emphasised the word, with the projection clenching its teeth. "Felt, at the time of my, death." Carlyle said.
[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

At first the Admiral was all business, addressing the question of his position. Of course to the dutiful officer, she felt it would be a crying shame to not put Carlyle back into action. While a wild card at times, he exhibited such tactical prowess and staunch bravery… the First Order Navy would be foolish to keep him on the sidelines because he was… mechanical. She shook away the furious feeling over the ineptness of central command.

“No, I don’t,” she answered, and of course, Morro had her suspicions but with twilight upon them, the Chiss felt like anything was possible. Why speculate when Rausgeber was right here before her to ask?

“Yes, Carlyle?”

Whether he was having trouble expressing himself because of his new circuitry or because of the truly human emotions that accompanied revealing your most intense fragility, she did not know.

But she approached the Admiral sitting there in his strange cape, wondering if he even had limbs under there, and she crouched down to his level, placing her blue hand upon what she thought was his knee.

“What do you want to say? What do you need of me? You know I would give you anything, Ch'eo Ch'acah (my love).”

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

The droid paused, seemingly unable to articulate its position. "Morro...." the droid began, its voice trailing off. "Commander, I realise that this is inappropriate, however....I must, and I am serious here, make some elaborations on the data I've been provided." Carlyle slowly began.

"Commander Morro, the last update, I received, was not like the others." Carlyle informed her, "It's a reason why I'm sitting here right now, and additionally, why I've been somewhat slow on the uptake, regarding more... recent events." The droid diplomatically informed her. The face on the screen uncomfortably squirmed a little, and averted her gaze, though, given the sensors, it already could see all of her.

"Commander Morro. Morro." The droid restarted itself, "During the last update, the Fleet Admiral, disclosed his very close, and very personal feelings towards you. Feelings, which I hope are not untoward."

"I feel, particularly given the Fleet Admiral's sentiments, that, you, Commander, would be the best woman to carry on his legacy."

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

She could label nothing he was about to say as inappropriate. On the contrary, Morro was overjoyed that Carlyle was back and alive. His mechanical mortality was only a small obstacle, one she felt certain she’d get past at some point.

But the Admiral always was a stickler for doing things according to regulation like during their very first meeting when he insisted she immediately change into the First Order uniform and out of her CEDF one.

“His personal feelings,” she repeated, a little flabbergasted at first. But quickly she began to feel an almost out of body experience when the thing you hope to have happen so ardently, does actually happen. She did not waver and remained crouched down in her uncomfortable position feeling as though any sudden movement might cause him to flee away again.

“What do you mean his legacy? Do you mean as an officer reporting to him again, or in a more civilian way?”

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

"Commander Morro, I've deemed you the only suitable candidate to deliver Rausgebers final desire. To bear Carlyle Rausgeber's children." The droid informed the Chiss. The sentence seemed to come out all at once, "Perhaps the greatest prize of the Fleet Admiral's legacy." The droid gently clasped the Chiss' knee, and looked at her reassuringly. Or as reassuring as the image of a dead man could be.

"Given how extensively the Fleet Admiral talked about you, in such glowing terms, you are the perfect candidate for this." The droid elaborated, "He was infatuated with your company and I believe that as one of his few confidants, you would be the perfect person to perform such the task."

"Of course, this is on the proviso that you accept, and are of course healthy enough to bear children."

"But, I ask this of you, as the final legacy of Rausgeber."

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

Morro finally rose and pulled a chair up besides the droid, still feeling a bit like she was in a waking dream. When Carlyle spoke about her bearing children, a perplexed expression graced her features, yet inside her heart was pounding. She had loved the Admiral since… since she couldn’t even remember, not knowing what even to call it at the time.

She looked down at his hand as though it were a foreign object, but then she smiled tentatively.

“And I returned the infatuation, Admiral. Towards you.” She refused to refer to him in third person. The machine before her was Carlyle. Wasn’t it?

Biting her lower lip as she considered his proposal, she thought aloud: “I’m healthy and of child-bearing age. The offspring will be a half-breed, so given that, I’m curious as to why the…he... kark hah, you would choose an alien to mate with.”

And abruptly Morro broke out of her emotionless shell for a moment and began to try and pull up Carlyle’s robes to see what was underneath. “Forgive me,” she said, knowing he would likely bat her away. “But I have to see if any of you is human under there. I’d prefer not to be artificially inseminated.”

Not certain at all what she would find, the Chiss officer’s curiosity had gotten the better of her.

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

"The Chiss are cousins to humans. Distant. But nonetheless related." The droid relayed, "I have made calculations from the fragments of data I have managed to ascertain, which point to this, being of more a... emotional response than one of reason." The droid paused, "I have come to the conclusion that you would be best to bear the children, as you and the Admiral had a close relationship. One, which I believe, had he not passed away would have-cut that-!"

The droid commanded, as she fiddled with his tunic, which then fell away, and revealed the truth of Rausgeber's current form. Despite the strong appearance he held, with the cloak on, a grisly sight met Morro. The droid body was lithe, with large cylindrical pieces of metal, welded to the sight. The droids arms were skinny, and wires clung around the droids frame. Despite the clean, white polish of his head, the droids body was a dull, carbon grey. One with scorch marks and chips away at the paint. Hurriedly, the automaton, attempted to rectify the mistake. A scowl coming over Rausgebers projected face.

"I am all machine. No man."

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

She had numerous questions which she knew could not be answered in one night, chief among them:

Can I love a droid? Or would this arrangement require me to love a memory? Would he find me attractive or would I just be another computation?

Still he was Carlyle! He wasn’t a memory. He was right here!

There were so many nuances that the Chiss officer could not deny, elements that contributed to a kind of wholeness, but the metal body, skinny and stalk-like with odd, shiny parts that resembled a starship’s hull - as though upon his death he’d fused somehow with the Vigilance and the ISD spit him out again - it was a gruesome sight.

“I’m so sorry, Admiral. I don’t know what came over me.” She even helped him pull the white tunic back down over the mechanical body. Sitting across from him again, blue hands clasped in her lap, Morro said, “I’m honored. Truly. I will do what you need me to do… in a laboratory if that’s what it takes.”

But her voice was not its usual, clear alto and a tremble could be heard in it.

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

The droids scowl reverted to a smile, One which even dared to show the ghastly pale blue teeth. "Good..." The droid quietly mused, "Good..." A cold, leather bound hand reached for the Commanders leg, and it gently began to stroke it, "We have no time to lose then." The droid affirmed to her, "In the coming days, perhaps even weeks, until Central Command returns me to full duty, I wish for you to carry this a secret."

The droid paused, before continuing, "This is naught a secret about the possible parentage of any children we are to have, but rather...." The droid again paused, struggling to elaborate on its point. On its end. "But rather, I would have you not burdened with the rumours that will naturally come with this."

"When I return Commander, and I do mean it. You will be rewarded." The droids holographic projection locked eyes with her, a steely gaze pierced her orbs, "With flesh. With blood.I will give you the life,"

"And the love you deserve."

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

Morro looked down at the droid’s hand as though it was a foreign object and not a part of his body used to convey the feelings of its owner. Slowly she covered the cold leather appendage with her own warm blue hand, patting it reassuringly.

But his words… good. GOOD. It was the approval that Morro had always sought from her beloved Admiral. Yet, this time the warm feeling that rushed through her bloodstream was tempered by cold apprehension of the future.

“I can… keep a secret. But wait, Carlyle, why does it have to be a secret? Are you trying to protect me? Or you?”

She recalled the birth control implant they wanted to put in her when she’d first joined up, but the Chiss officer had procured a letter stating she was exempt due to some bureaucratic arrangement with Csilla. Lucky for her now. She could actually bear his child if she wanted to. And what kind of rumors did he mean?

But there it was. The promise of a real flesh and blood Rausgeber, the lover she’d always wanted and the father-figure she’d never had. How in the Outer Rim he would manage it? She was not sure.

“Do you have somewhere to stay tonight, Ch'acah?”

My Love? Stop being so sentimental towards a droid, Morro, she admonished. But the Chiss could not help herself. Carlyle Rausgeber was back and while he was not in flesh and blood, he stood before her. Wasn’t that enough?

[member="Robogeber"]

 

[Robogeber]

"To protect you." The droid coolly replied, "While the First Order holds official neutrality in regards to human-xeno relationships...." The droid paused, "I've been in the navy long enough to know that there are certain customs, and attitudes held, some of which are ugly, and should it be pronounced that you, my dear are carrying my children. You risk ostracization."

"And that is one thing, I will endeavour, never to expose you to." The droids hand let go of her knee, and moved up, caressing her cheek with the cold, robotic embrace of its glove. The hologram did not stray from her eyes, and looked deeply into them.

"This is our future together commander." Carlyle whispered to her, "And it will be one which nearly all will be the envy of."

[member="Morro"]

 

[Wilhelmine Dahma]

So much promise in his words, but there were so many shattered expectations too, and Morro could only try and pick up the pieces in her head, quietly and without emotion as she normally did. She wanted to scream aloud that it didn’t matter their relationship, that humans and Chiss could mix their DNA and they should not be ostracized for it.

But then again, she also knew how deep the xenophobia ran.

The cold glove on her cheek caused her to close her red eyes. Envy or not, Commander Morro still struggled with whether she would be able to love a machine, the way she adored the Admiral’s weathered skin, his hot breath in her ear, his warm hands…

“Yes Ch'acah, we will certainly be the envy.”

[member="Robogeber"]