Rogue Robot

Late Night Wanderings

Eve couldn't sleep. the darkness seemed to be pressing in on her from all sides, like smoke from a fire, snuffling out her breath and air. Nothing seemed right in the dark space. Nothing at all. She threw off her covers, the covers that felt like bindings, and threw on a light night robe and bra. She didn't want anyone to encounter her under dressed in her tube top and shorts. It was hot in the hover car.
They had been flying for a day and were supposed to reach somewhere, the base she assumed, sometime tomorrow. There were four small rooms,equipped with a bed and small table with a lamp on the hover craft. The Leader used one of those spaces along with Eve, Viggo, Antonius and Thea, tended by Helen. The rest slept in the man hub, on chairs. There was also a small eating area and kitchen.
She headed out the door, and ended up in the main hub, where she could hear snoring and the odd mutter from someone, perhaps Nigan. Odd, she thought, I would think Nigan would sleep quietly. Perhaps a nightmare?He seems the calmest out of the group. Eve stared into the darkness for a moment, then walked to the back of the craft where the dining area was.
She opened the door quietly, looking in. She was surprised to see Oscar sitting there, fiddling with something in his hands. Bags showed under his eyes. A light was on.He looked up curiously as she walked in, with her white silk-like night robe. he nodded in agreement as she took a seat.
"You can't sleep either?" he asked, twisting something on the thing in his hands.
"Yeah. What are you building?" Eve asked, looking at his hands.
"Tiny flashlight. I found some spare parts lying around the ship, and building things calms me down." he shrugged.
"Huh. It's going to be functional, right?"
"Of course. What's the use of a flashlight that doesn't work? It's like a gun that can hold bullets but doesn't shoot."
"Good point. Why couldn't you sleep?' she inquired.
"Too much on my mind, I guess. Why couldn't you sleep? You're safe in here." Oscar gestured, putting down the flashlight for a few seconds.
"Doesn't feel safe. I guess after the last few days I'm more used to....well, not being safe. I felt like I was suffocating in there."
"The ship does have that effect sometimes."
"Who was snoring in the hub?" eve asked, jarringly changing the subject.
"Nigan. He grumbles as well. Some random bull in another language altogether. No one questions him."
"Why not?" she found it odd that something like that went unnoticed.
"Everyone in this group knows the man came from a hard past. Something about raising his siblings after his parents left them for dead." Oscar shrugged toggling something on the flashlight. Eve sat in silence, running that over. It explained Nigan's cooking skills, and his friendly composition.
"What about you?"
"What do you mean, what about me? I'm the mechanic. I fix and build things. I rig the ComLet's so we can't be heard. I make sure Helen's guns are in order, all that jazz." 
"No, I mean your past, silly." Eve added, teasingly.
"Oh that. Well, I was an orphan. Grew up on the streets in Italy. It's pretty bad over there for whatever reason. Learned I had a knack for fixing things when I stole my first car. I was sixteen. The 'bellion found me when I was eighteen. A girly, Adria, was her name. She told me about the Italian branch. Three days later she was murdered by some ass. She was only seventeen, and had a caring family. So I went to the Italian branch and they sent me to the North American branch. That was....oh, three years ago. there was only me, Helen and Antonius then. Hell,  if it weren't for you the Leader wouldn't be here right now." he paused, looking up from his project. "What about your past?"
"Oh...uhh. Well it;s nothing compared to yours." she stopped for a second. he had been so casual. Maybe they are all because of this war, this rebellion.The only interesting thing was that I woke up outside an abandoned lab, underneath tons of ash and naked. A girl found me stumbling around on the outskirts of town, dressed in a rag that was underneath me. Her name is Juliet. she's my legal guardian, and probably the only other person who might know I'm a robot. The rest of my life was me growing up in two different towns. I had a crush." she shrugged.
"Crush? Who was it?" Oscar asked.
"A boy that I went to school with. He was Norwegian, and wants to become a photographer. Ovin Beito was- is I mean- his name. I was supposed to meet with him yesterday for coffee." she sighed, thinking about how her life might be if it wasn't for the Ravens. then she shook her head, thinking that other people were less fortunate. Yet....she couldn't get rid her self-pity.
"Ovin Beito. Not a bad name. That chick, Adria. She was nice, innocent, sweet but not naive. She was pretty clever. Then she got blown to pieces. I'll promise you that Ovin Beito isn't gonna be ambushed by some douche who thinks he can do whatever he damn wants." he nodded, then blushed a little. "Sorry about my language. I haven't had a decent sleep in five days."
"I know that feeling. And....thank you. Thank you a lot. I'm sorry about Adria."
"You weren't the ass that blew her up, but nevertheless thanks. From now on keep your pity to yourself. And get some sleep, kid." he said, standing up and shoving something into her hand before rubbing her hand and walking off.
Eve looked into her hands. It wasn't a flashlight at all- it was a metal bracelet, silver in colour with tiny white details. It was elegant, and reminded her of the old elvish designs from the ancient Lord of the Rings movies, although it was much thicker. There was a small button on the side and she pressed it. A tiny knife appeared along with a small compartment- the perfect size for a small vial. There was a smaller tube running from the compartment and ending at the base of the tiny blade. A knife that can be poisoned, Eve realized. She smiled.
She didn't notice when someone else sidled out of the kitchen, having heard everything. They stopped beside her shoulder, and patted it. eve jumped, dropping the bracelet and fell promptly out of the chair. Next thing she knew she was looking into a pair of warm caramel coloured eyes. 
"Sorry to scare you, lady. I just saw ya sittin' here." It was Maria. Now that eve was listening her voice carried a New Orleans' accent...she could tell it was New Orleans, but having never been there she couldn't tell what part of New Orleans.
"Nah, it's alright. Just don't sneak up on me like that again." Eve said jokingly, retrieving the bracelet.
"If ya say so. Oscar give you that little thing? Maria asked, upon seeing the bracelet.
"Yeah." Eve shrugged, and went on, "You're form New Orleans right?"
"Yeah. Born and raised. My ma died when I was fifteen. My dad couldnt' take care of me because of some legal crap and put me up for adoption. Vin's family took me in.Been part of this rebellion ever since." she smiled kindly.
"Huh. Was it nice in New Orleans?"
"yeah, it was nifty. I wanna go back there some day. Maybe when all this damn robot drama is over. " she smirked. "Thanks for the chat. Now get some rest. Tomorrow's gonna be a bust one." and she passed out of the room.
Eve sat there alone, with the light on, for the next hour. She was running through the stories she knew in her mind. There was loss in them, but there was also joy. She smiled into the night, got up and turned off the light and slept deeply.