TCS: After ARKs

The colony ship awaits

"I don't know, Dreaddie, I'm just... I guess I'm just really concerned, TK and Locke have been gone for so long, and from what the survivors have informed us about, it doesn't sound like either of them are coming back! What are we going to do?!"

"Calm down Eve, sure, we're in a sticky situation, but I'm certain we'll manage. You heard the survivors. They're trying to find a way to reach that colony ship, and you will probably be joining them. You know more about the Terran federation than the rest of us A.Is, you're not one of Locke's creations and you're not a fragment of TK like Orion and I. You were theirs, and if this is a so-called "Terran federation ship", I'm sure they'll have some use for you there." 

"Wait... My systems are warning me that something has been detected wandering outside the facility,"

Eve stands up and walks over to the security screens on the wall nearby. The Dreadnought follows. Eve pushes a button and all the cameras turn on, but there's... no one out there...

"Uhhh... No one...?"

"Maybe it's a survivor. Huh, wouldn't be surprised, the survivors always have a knack for being hard to see and notice the presence of."

*Thump, thump, thump*

The Dreadnought and Eve swiftly turn to face each other in surprise.

"That came from inside the building, down the elevator," The Dreadnought utters.

"Well let's search the building, we don't want any unauthorized survivors walking around-"

Eve is cut off by the loud noise of the elevator to the control tower turning on. Whoever is down there is on their way up to them.

"Stay behind me Eve, let me take care of this," The Dreadnought commands and positions himself in front of Eve, who peeks around his arm and stares at the door of the elevator.

The elevator reaches the top and the doors open slowly. The being within is revealed to be none other than TK, in his suit form.

"Wh-What..?!" The Dreadnought stutters and takes a step back out of fear, pushing Eve who stands behind him. She wasn't even able to get a glimpse of TK before getting pushed. She then peers past the Dreadnought and sees him.

"Dreadnought! Long time no see, brother..."

"TK!... You're back...!"

"I apologize for the long delay, but we have no time to waste." TK's empty shell of a helmet stares straight through the Dreadnought. 

"Hello Eve. Missed me?"

Eve shakingly positions herself next to the Dreadnought, scared shitless that TK is going to scold her for the damage done outside. Of course, one would blame the survivors for breaching those walls and 'lending' some of the equipment in the facility, but TK is too intelligent and can tell it was truly Eve's fault because she wouldn't give the survivors a safe entry despite knowing who they were. 

"What's wrong? Scared?" 

Eve just looks down at the ground. Out of nowhere, TK snorts and laughs a little as he lunges at the Dreadnought. He hugs the giant being, so happy to see his A.I family again.

"Hahaha! It is SO good to see you again big guy!! I MISSED YOU!" He excitedly looks at the Dreadnought who is nearly a head taller than him.
"And YOU, Eve! Hah, look at you two! It was about time you learned how to use your holographic forms!" TK pats Eve on her shoulder proudly

"Yeah, heh, we kinda figured out how to do it not long after you and Locke left," The Dreadnought comments nervously, scratching his neck for no apparent reason.

"W-w-It- -It's n-nice to see you, TK, hehe- What brings you back he--here?" Eve stutters, barely able to bring the words out of her voicebox.

The cheery and excited vibe that TK emitted completely disappears within a second.
His hologram form appears within his suit form as if he's wearing his own body in a way. His hologram form, in fact just like Eve's but without any hair, and with only two dark eyes residing on his face. His eyes are squinted in an angry expression. 

"I'm here to prepare. You might have heard that I and Locke were trapped onboard a massive Terran federation colony ship traveling through deep space. Yeah, certainly a massive surprise to find out we were no longer on earth, but Locke is still up there."

"What!? Did you leave Locke behind on that ship?", The Dreadnought asks, shocked.

"No. An explanation for another time. Dreadnought, I need you to launch the emergency boot-up protocol."

With no more questions to ask just yet, the Dreadnought nods and disappears into thin air.

"Eve,"

Eve looks at TK, who stares directly into her eyes with his.

"Call Orion. I want him up here as soon as possible. We're going to prep him up a notch."

"Shall do, TK," Eve replies, before walking off to call the Orion mek to the facility.

Not long after, the sound of thrusters are heard outside. The Orion mek lands by the main entrance of the facility and waits patiently. Eve and TK exit the facility to greet him.

"Eve, you called? What's the matter? More lizards lurking around the base? Hm?"
The Orion asks, speaking loudly, still in his mek form.

"No, erh, someone would like to talk to you," Eve replies as TK stomps out of the facility behind her. 

"Hey there little bro, how's it been?" TK shouts in a cheery tone once more.

The Orion looks at TK silently, in shock. 

"Wait- TK!? What in Locke Terranova's name!? You're back!"

"Yeah yeah, I am, I missed you too."

"So what did you call me up here for? Is this some kind of A.I family reunion?" The Orion asks ironically, and chuckles." 

"Could've been, but the Dreadnought just left, heh! Well. We called you up here because I'd like to prepare you a bit for the journey to come," TK informs him.

"A new Journey you say?! Hah! Exciting! And finally some new upgrades! WIN-WIN! Tell me, what is this journey all about?" Orion gets all hyped up and excited, knowing he's going to get new upgrades and weaponry finally. 

TK looks up at him. "... Locke is trapped on board a massive ship in space. You are going to space with the survivors. You too Eve," TK says, looking back at her. 

The Orion just stares down at TK with a blank stare. He then silently appears in his hologram form in front of TK.
He puts his hands on TK's shoulder pads, one by one, and stares him directly into his eyes.
"HUH!?!?!?"