Federation: Galactic Resource Wars

Year III: Act 3: The robot father

Tayler keeps punching the training bot, having it set on the highest difficulty and speed settings.

"Prolonged use of the training bot will result in physical exhaustion..."

Comments Depiuton, carefully observing Tayler's sweating and hard expression. Her voice was calming and warm, loving almost, albeit a little artificial.

"So what, it's not like I need my energy to run for a damn war or anything..."

And to some extent, he was right. The Gamma Aeronautics facility was indeed a top secret facility. It was safe and protected, deep inside a thick alien forest, covered in the haze of the geothermal gaizers and the melting snow...

With the next few weeks he spent on the planet, Tayler noticed a large improvement in his mood. His physical strength doubled and his and Depiuton's bond, strengthened.

"So, this is how you hold your weapon..."
he took her under his arms one day in the armory.

He placed the rifle in her hands and softly fixed her posture.

"Calibrating learning receptors: registering new skill: holding weapon..."
Said Depiuton with her mechanical voice.

"Now, this is how you aim down your sights." He says and emulates the movement of aiming down sight. Depiuton observes.

"And you shoot your targets, the bad guys" he finishes his sentence and pulls the trigger, achieving three perfect headshots against his targets.

Depiuton looked at him with a soft expression of awe, her green eyes sparkling a little.

"Now it's your turn! You don't need to be perfect from the first try, experiment a little..."

He advises with a soft smile and makes room for Depiuton's small figure to get in position to fire. She whirred and hummed as her powerful processor was registering the new skill. Her shot was a perfect hit. The second one, and the third one...
Tayler was nothing less than speechless.
After a brief second of shock he starts slow clapping.

"That, was absolutely amazing! Well done!"

"I am trying my best to be at your level of skills. I want to be just like you, papa!"

Answers Depiuton with her warm human voice.
Tayler was a little alienated. But he welcomed her intimate behavior. He kneels to her height and pets her hair. She makes an expression of pure joy, Tayler held dear.

The following days, Tayler and Depiuton continued bonding, him learning her all he knew about strategic team tactics, planning, weapons, fighting and engineering. By the end of the third month of Tayler's stay, she was considered a prodigy in those fields. 

"Dad!" She told him one day.

"What is it, Deppy?" He asked Tayler playfully whilst training.

"I want to change my appearance! And my name!"

Tayler is shocked and deactivates the training bot.

"Tell me more..."

"I no longer feel like a twelve year old. I wish my appearance would be modified to one of a young woman's! Also, I believe the name Depiuton isn't one that would suit my new appearance. I wish to be called Roxanne from now on."

Tayler breathes out a sigh of relief, not really knowing what he was stressing over for.

"If it makes you feel better, or more in touch with yourself, so be it, but changing your appearance to one of a young adult will have the consequences of being a young adult. You will be considered mature enough to join the Federation. And probably even get separated from me."