Private Broken Soul, Torn Heart

[Taji Nelson II]

'She wants to cook for me, or go out? Why?!?' Taji who had never dated anyone either before, or post clone body wasn't sure what to say about her offer for a moment. He then sighed. "I suppose I'd like you to cook for me." Mainly because he wanted to observe her cooking. She had somehow managed to hack his technology better than he could. Since she could do that, he needed to learn more about her capabilities. "What do you have in mind to cook for us?" Taji asked, as he looked at her for a moment.

 

[Alicia Io]

Well, I see you have been stuffing yourself with noodles... let's get away from pasta..." Alicia said, searching the cup boards and locating one of the rations she had brought.

"I hope you don't mind steamed veggies..." she trailed, blinking her mercury irises at him. "But I'm afraid I won't be able to eat for a very good reason. You've been so patient with me, a complete stranger whose waltzed into your workshop. You deserve to know..."

Alicia concentrated, and her entire frame turned a reflective mercury texture and color.

The Droid that separated from the matter if the now mercury like Alicia was a glossy, obsidian mechanical Skeleton, slender, reflecting all around it. It stared at him with green photo-receptors.

"I'm a Prototype..." she explained, the Mercury Alicia regaining it's previous color and texture while the Skeletal Assassin Droid she covered started to prepare Equipment. The Nanite Alicia sat on a stool.

"Like I said, I've experienced the pain and confusion you have..." she explained to Taji Nelson II patiently and as non offensively as possible.

 

[Taji Nelson II]

"Correction, you're unable to eat it, for now." He stated, emphasizing the "For Now" part of his statement with a devious look in his eyes. "Of course with my technological skills, it would be easy to whip up something so you could enjoy food for yourself."

"If you want, I could do all sorts of upgrades to you. Electrostatic Generator to mimic Force Lightning. Repulsor / Pressor Fields to mimic Force Pull and Force Push. Artificial Zeltron Pheromones to mimic the mental powers of the Jedi, Horror to mimic the Mental Powers of the Sith." He began to rapidly ramble about potential upgrades he could perform to her, should she be willing to allow him to do so.

Alicia Io

 

[Alicia Io]

The Nanite half of Alicia smiled flirtatiously.

"Let's not worry about upgrading me..." The Nanite Sheath replied as the Skeleton Droid cooked.

"After all, there's other layers of...interaction...too intriguing to pass up at the moment..." she replied playfully, and with just as devious a smile.

"Though, just between you and me, I can hardly blame you for wanting a peak under the hood." The Nanite Alicia added, winking, starting to notice other things she liked. The Nanite Alicia bit her lower lip without realizing it.

"So Taji..." The Nanite Alicia began, the smell of cooking wafting through the room.

"You lament what you lost, and I understand that. Your problem is extremely similar to the nature of certain regenerative Androids where I live..." she explained.

"My little brother experienced a form of cloning himself. He ended up regenerating into three different people." The Nanite Alicia explained as the Skeleton finished cooking and brought the plate of steamed vegetables over.

"But they gained things, in place of what they lost. Did you gain anything, since your own sort of rebirth? Anything positive. You don't have to give up what you remember of the old days, but synchronizing the new experiences and using old memories? It's like...mortar and brick...to a foundation..." The Nanite Alicia posited as the Skeleton Droid held out a hand.

The Nanite Alicia turned a Mercury texture and color, breaking down into liquid and flowing across the Skeleton Droid's arm, reforming her human shape and attire a few seconds later and sitting down to join him.

"Take this station for instance. It just requires the right vision to reach it's potency."


Taji Nelson II

 

[Taji Nelson II]

The flirtatious smile made Taji blush a lot. He thought about her question. "Well I am free from vigilante stuff on Denon. For now anyway. I will need to go back there at some point." Or pay an army. Paying an army was actually an appealing idea.

"The problem is I remember none of it. I am lucky the original documented everything."

Alicia Io

 

[Alicia Io]

"Vigilante stuff?" Alicia asked playfully. "Like...like a superhero comic?"

She almost squee'd at the idea.

"I've known people who took the law into their own hands. But I wouldn't have actively called them a vigilante..." Alicia purred in a sultry manner, before grinning.

"It was more a thing happening in passing. People, pushed too far in the heat of the moment. Do you remember what made the Original you get into such an occupation? " she asked Taji Nelson II , fascinated...

 

[Taji Nelson II]

Taji pulled out a journal. "According to this the government of Denon really mistreated the people there." He frowned. The dultry voice made him stutter.

Alicia Io

 

[Alicia Io]

"I have already had run ins with the government of Denon. They are every bit what you say." Alicia mentioned, glancing over his journal, fascinated by his recollections.

This man had the spirit of an absolute wildcard. He did as his morality told him, not the morality of others.

She found herself more and more intrigued by him.

"From what I can tell, you have every reason to want to remember as much as possible. The original you didn't think like most people. See, most people, when they create what you do, rarely want more than a paycheck. You...you actually wanted to take matters into your own hands. Far from legal..."

She smiled at him again, liking how he was stuttering in her presence.

"But very...engaging...to someone who likes danger." she flirted openly, smile growing wider.

"You seem to be...flustered...Taji...I wonder why..." she asked teasingly.

"After all, I should be the one who's flustered, talking to a mysterious clone vigilante scientist who cleans up soooo well..."


Taji Nelson II

 

[Taji Nelson II]

Her words once more brought a blush to his face, and he started stuttering. "N-No One has ever flirted with me before." He said, as he looked at her for a moment, confused. She actually thought he cleaned up so well? Did she like him? How should he react? His brain was going a million miles per minute because he honestly didn't know what to do about her actions, at present. He finally asked her. "Do-Do you like me?" He was beet red as he asked this, completely confused about a lot of things. "And if so, why?"

Alicia Io

 

[Alicia Io]

Alicia observed his amusing reactions, liking him more and more.

"If no one has ever flirted with you before, they didn't know what they were missing out on." she giggled slightly. "It's priceless to see you blush."

When Taji Nelson II asked if she liked him, she paused.

"Well...yeah... you're waaaay more interesting than your typical scientist. But it's when I read this journal, from the old you...and I see the new you here...I can't help but think you're not that different from him. He had downed moments to. But he got through them. Or tried to. And we're both relatively new beings. It's just that you're flesh."

Alicia leaned back.

"Do you like me?" Alicia asked, playfully echoing his question. "And if so, why?"

 

[Taji Nelson II]

"Your kindness is one reason I like you," said Taji as he looked her over for a moment. "You were willing to help me, even if you weren't interested in me at first, except to have me work for you." He pointed at the junk she'd thrown away. "Case in point, that." He said. "You even shared some food from your ship," He pointed at the one of her that was doing the cooking. He blushed a lot when she asked if she liked him. "And now you know why I like you......" He stuttered. He was clearly nervous, but also vulnerable. She could use this opportunity to try to influence him to work with House IO, if she played her cards right.

 

[Alicia Io]

Alicia could only smile some more at the compliments Taji Nelson II gave her, and delighted at how he stuttered, struggling to even make eye contact.

"I try and help others when possible. It gives me a sense of... meaning. I try and describe if to Droids who ask about it but... there's this bridge between them and the ability to fully connect the dots so to speak."

Her hand tentatively slid out towards his.

"Our task as new beings can be very trying. There's so much you have to come to terms with very quickly. Finding someone who understands and cares enough to try and help us through that is invaluable. I myself am still going through that journey..."

She peered slightly closer...

"But you've just started, and you had the same questions and fears I did. How can I not care?" she asked.

"Plus you're way too cute for your own good and it gets my databases all warm..." she joked slightly, but it also had a lot of the truth to it.

"I can only hope I am having a similar effect on your own brain. So tell me, Handsome..." she purred.

"Am I that cute to you?"

 

[Taji Nelson II]

At her touch, and purr, Taji was stunned. His brain wasn't working, as he was unused to being touched. He was also unused to affection in any level which put him at a disadvantage. Taji was confused. He then stuttered.

"Y-Y-Ye-Yes." He stuttered, as he looked at her again.

 

[Alicia Io]

"Taji..." Alicia trailed worried she had put him in some sort of shock as he stammered, but he was still so cute.

"Y'know, if the things that bug you enough to drink for days really are private affairs...then perhaps there is only so much I can say..."

She paused, trying to make her next words sound as delicate as possible.

"Perhaps the need is great enough you could discuss them on a more thorough level with someone trained to treat whatever is bothering you..." she added.

 

[Taji Nelson II]

Taji thought about her statement. She wanted him to pursue 'therapy' for some reason. Hopefully not the kind of therapy that would involve doctors administering drugs to a person without their consent. Or the kind of therapy that would involve someone administering electrical shocks to the person they were supposed to be helping without the consent of the party that was being shocked. Taji then made up his mind on something. He would humor the wishes of Alicia, and let someone help him. She was lovely, and if this meant she'd want to spend more time with him, well....

He then said to her. "I like you, Alicia. You're lovely, smart, and wonderful to be around. Since you want me to do it, I will seek out help. But who would you recommend?" He asked her.


Alicia Io

 

[Vera Mina]

Wearing: Lawyer Suit

Armed with: Stunning beauty, herself.

Objective: Examine Taji Nelson II

Current Configuration: Rikka (See Bio)

Vera Mina was idly examined the files from a murder case she was defending a client in.

Usual messy work. He was probably guilty. Finger prints, drug tests, alcohol...cops had all of that. He hadn't confessed, certainly, not even in private. Her interrogation protocols could only discern he wasn't telling the truth about something...

Still...if she argued it juuuussst right on certain parts, she could probably get the charges dropped. Probably.

Legal work was easier than other events in her life.

The Android worked from within an all white suite aboard the Castle Morpheus, an ancient starship that had been her home for as long as she remembered.

Next to her were photos of her long missing first love, the Castagne Scientist, Karlie Lynn Destat. Vera's eyes lingered on the photo of the blonde's infectious smile at least thirty seconds of every day. Would she ever lay eyes upon her beloved ever again? Would she ever even learn her true fate?

Her musings on this were distracted by a chiming from her desk computer. Annoyed by being distracted, she switched it in and stared at the face her Niece, Alicia.

"Hello, Aunt Mina."

Vera was intrigued. The nieces hardly ever called.

Vera didn't hold it against them of course. Working for someone like Xiphos took a ton of effort.

"Alicia..." Vera mused. "How lovely to hear from you. Is something the matter?"

"I kind of need help with something. An Organic."

Vera raised an eyebrow. "Do tell." she encouraged.

"Well his name is Taji, right? And he's like ohmahgods super cute but he's all troubled and sad and a clone and stuff and I want to help."

Vera shook her head.

"Alicia, my time is valuable. My advice? Just keep being you and looking like you, darling. Clone or not, he is a man. You'll win him over if you try hard enough."

"But this is serious. He's really fethed up, Aunt Mina. I'm a bit out of my depth."

"How fethed?" Vera asked. "On a scale of one to ten?"

"007, easy."

"Lightweight..." Vera chided with a snort. She sighed.

"Very well, Alicia. I suppose I can spare you a few hours..."

Present.

Vera arrived in her immaculate white leather dress, fitted with hidden technology, as immaculate as her straight raven hair and currently dark bronze flesh, heels clicking across the old Skeleton of a stations floor, taking the directions Alicia had given. She had arrived via an old diplomatic shuttle.

As she arrived, the very epitome of curvy elegance, she glanced at Taji Nelson than a smiling Alicia who went over and hugged her. Vera, not used to hugging, was actually surprised by it and returned it with actual joy.

After all, Alicia was partly derived from her design.

"Taji, this is my Aunt, Rikka...she specializes in examining people. She is certainly more experienced in addressing trauma of your type than I..." Alicia explained having told him of who she would send for. (Vera had gone in this guise as it had some of the best programming possible to examine and empathize, for she would never dare compromise her primary identity)

She caught it of course. The wariness. The hidden fear. She was adept at catching such things.

"Mister Nelson..." Rikka/Vera said pleasantly. "It's a pleasure to meet you..."

 

[Taji Nelson II]

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well," said Taji, as he looked at her for a moment. For the sake of Alicia, he'd go through with this. Yet he didn't particularly want to do so. What he wanted to go do was lead an army of Clone Troopers of his own design to the world Denon with drop ships and air craft to really put the hurt on Corpos as according to his diary, well the diary of his old self, they were nothing but scum. Scum that should be visited with as much hatred as he could muster. "So, where shall we begin on the subject of this?" asked Taji. He didn't know where to begin, and so he would let her start this, this thing he was afraid of, namely therapy.

Vera Mina

 

[Vera Mina]

Rikka smiled.

"Let's start with the simple stuff first, then work our way upward."

Rikka sat across from Taji Nelson II .

"From what I have been told, you are the clone of a man with parts of his memories." Rikka began softly, trying not to aggravate him.

"Depression and confusion is common among Clones that have partial memories of the person they were derived from. You are not alone in your suffering. But there is hope. Many people in your situation can learn to mitigate these issues to lead fulfilling lives. You are not some 'thing' grown to puppet the life of another. You are your own person, and your fate is in your hands. You can heal Taji, but you have to want to. Otherwise, talk can only get you so far, the other steps must come from within. Now..." Rikka added, clasping her hands together.

"Tell me about your general day. How does it start. What do you do when you wake up? How does it make you feel?"

 

[Taji Nelson II]

"First, when I wake up, I go over...." He pointed at a massive amount of diaries stacked to the ceiling. "The diaries that are each book contain information about the life of my predecessor. I spend most of my day going over the information concealed within to try and figure out a lot about him. Unfortunately some of the things about the diaries do not make sense." He force pulled one of the books over to him. "Like for example, this one. According to it, he went and vigilanted on the world of Denon. Why would he do that, when he was so much smarter? Building a clone army or an army of battle droids to deploy to that planet makes so much more sense than needlessly risking his own life in something that does not work."

"When I'm not reading the diaries, it's stuffing myself with pasta, and alcohol, or trying to figure out how to invent and how to use the Force." He sighed, as he looked at her. "And the stupidity of my template frustrates me."

Vera Mina

 

[Vera Mina]

Rikka listened as Taji Nelson II described his woes.

"Your predecessor clearly means a great deal to you, Taji. But these books, and your focus on them...they are starting to impact your mental health severely. You're not stupid. But you have started to put so much focus on 'his' life, his choices, you no longer truly focus on yours. Everything you do has come to have his shadow over it..." Rikka said. "I want you to try something...go a week without looking at those books. No matter how much you might be tempted, and just spend a few days doing what 'you' want. Start from there, and see how it makes you feel."

"She is right, you should be having a little big if fun. Do you think the 'old' you would have wanted this? To see you tearing yourself up over his life?" Alicia questioned.