SEQUENTIAL ━ Connor // RK800 ✔️

[X] thirty ━ together, at last

• • •

>> [X]    Let Connor handle it <<

Connor pulled the trigger.

Before Mia could make sense of the coin she was holding, before that other RK800 could even properly assess the new body he was just beginning to wake up to, Connor fired the single bullet he needed and watched his old body's forehead get pierced. Through the hole left behind, he bore witness to the destruction of the processing unit prompting his own interface to light up the completion of his task of eliminating the clear threat. In his peripheral vision though, he saw his successor's LED cycle to a flash of red before turning completely blank, and he couldn't help but draw the obvious conclusion, even as it took away from his success' relief — for a second, right before he died, the RK800 became aware of his condition, aware of the damage and of the darkness that will soon be all he knew.

Perks of being an android, Connor told himself, lowering his gun. For a human, a bullet to the head shot as surgically and precise as he did would have counted for a quick and painless death, but to an android, that very processing power which made them the objectively more efficient alternative to humans, turned against them. Shutdown wasn't as fast as their last firing thoughts through a destroyed processing unit, and even without pain as an available factor, the inevitability of the end must have been suffocating.

Thinking of that made Connor uncomfortable, but it was at fault, he believed, rather the imagery of seeing his old body destroyed, rather than the entertained thoughts of pity. Truth was, he didn't necessarily know how to feel anymore, and his relief of having eliminated this danger to his mission was much quieter than he would have liked.

For better or for worse, Mia's step taken forward to stand beside him distracted him from these confusing sensations, giving him something more present and therefore more worthy of his concern.

One look to his side was all it took really to recalibrate his priorities. Her eyes were wide open and just as uncertain as she stared down, scarcely blinking at the destroyed android still wearing her jacket. With her right fist closed over her chest, the sight ahead of her had startled her senses into such deep though that it wasn't until Connor called her name that she noticed he had turned to face her, overtaken by his worry and clear recognition that her features told not only of her doubts, but the inherent sadness that came with this sudden necessity to violence.

"Mia?" he called again, suddenly feeling a certain sensation of tightness take over his chest and beg his lips to move again. A need to explain himself was clawing its way out of his processing unit.

Though her eyes had momentarily met his, they soon returned to the destroyed android. Mia couldn't explain this movement if she tried either, but it confused Connor the most just then, raising his distress levels until the words rushed down to his voice synthesizer and he only managed to filter out a meekly mumble, "I had to do it."

His jaw stiffed, processing unit scolded into whatever order he could muster now that he had an egregiously high certainty his abrupt actions have caused Mia some sort of emotional distress. Of course they had, he did not let down on the disappointment inflicted upon himself. He's my splitting image. My old body. Though I'm alive, we looked the same. How many times does she have to watch me die?

With those reasons for regret weighing down directly on his Thirium pump, a little too late his processing unit affirmed it would have been much more efficient of him to ensure Mia was not looking when he shot his clone. Had he been a second more patient, perhaps he could have seen that before forcing her to witness this violence.