Reboot

System reboot initiated…..

6% complete

Recovering memories….

Reconnecting personality chip…

ERROR

Personality Chip missing

Recovering backup….

80% complete

Recovering data

100% complete

 

Opening my eyes, I blinked a few times as my optics whirred to life and adjusted themselves. As my vision came into focus, I could see there was someone standing over me, it felt as though I was lying on a metal table or something. I shot up from the surface I was lying on but collapsed back down as my joints whirred and groaned in protest. A gentle hand was placed on my cheek.

 

"It's ok, I made you all better," They said, it was clearly a female voice.

 

My optics refocused and I could see them clearly, although I couldn't see anything out of my left optic. She wasn't like any human I'd ever seen, she had light blue skin, no nose, pointed ears, and what looked like antenna?

 

"wha-? Wh- you?" I tried to speak as my vocal processor crackled and static emitted from it, I winced at the sound and she did too.

 

"Your voice box should be fine in a few minutes, I tried to fix it as best I could." she said, uncovering her ears. "And uh... sorry about your eye, I accidently dropped my wrench on it when I was trying to turn you on." She added, sheepishly.

 

I was a little more than annoyed when she said that, how am was I supposed to perform with a broken optic. My creators would always lecture me about keeping up my appearance and demeanor when performing, so more people would like me. Sitting up again, I turned to look at her. She definitely wasn’t human, or at least… not like any human I’ve seen before.

 

"Wh- mh- I -h- re?" I tried to say, but the crackling overpowered half my sentence and the static got a little louder.

 

She got a little closer to me to try and hear what I said.

 

"Huh? Oh, well.... I found you in a metal cylinder in pieces, so I brought you into my ship and put you back together again." She replied, with a big smile and pointed to the trash can in the corner of the room.

 

I looked over at the can and froze a little, ‘Why would I be put in a trash can?’ I thought to myself, it had to be a mistake. I was their best idol, why would they put me in a trash can?

 

“The-re m-st be a m-st- ake,” I scoff, my voice voice crackling as it started to recover and became less static-ey. 

 

“Maybe.” She replied in her cheerful, high-pitched voice. “I can drop you off, back where I found you.” She offered

 

“Yes, th-t would be pre-ered.” I glared at her, my voice now starting to become more normal.

 

Getting off the table, I finally stood up but list my balance a little as my joints groaned and my inner core whirred to life. She held onto my arm to keep me steady, I mumbled a ‘thanks’ under my breath as I took my arm back from her. I was still wearing the same outfit I wore while I performed last night. I couldn't help but wonder why I ended up in the trash…. It was a mistake.. it had to be. I was the best, their best idol, everyone came from afar just to see me perform.

 

“Are you ok..?” I snapped out of it when she spoke up. I hadn't realized I zoned out, uncurling my fist, I gave an annoyed sigh.

 

“I'm Fine.” I replied, walking past her to the big door, which I assumed was the entrance.

 

The door slid open with a hiss as I walked out, my heels clacking against the metal of the ramp. I walked with confidence outside and through the streets until I got to the door of the building. It was big and brightly lit up at night, it looked like a regular science building but inside it was much more than that… it was where I was made, my home.. where my creators spent years working to create the perfect human-like android. I knocked harshly on the door, a little ticked off to find out I was thrown in the trash, sure it could've been an accident, but still! How could I get treated like trash anyway?

 

The door swung open and a man was looking down at me, I could recognise him as that human they called ‘Gary,’ he was not the best person to be around, he was rude… and I didn't like him very much. 

 

“You? What are you doin’ back here?” He asked in his gruff voice, glowering down at me.

 

“What do you mean ‘what am I doing back here?’” I snapped at him. “I'm here to talk to Andrew.” I said, Andrew was the head engineer and scientist basically, he created me. “I demand to know why I was placed in the trash can outside!” I demanded.

 

He scoffed at me “You shouldn't even be back here, we took you apart..” he then looked suspiciously around us before turning his attention back to me. “How did you get put back together anyway..?” he trailed off after mumbling.

 

By now I was basically fuming, I don't have time for this! Judging by the position of the moon in the sky, it's going to be sunrise soon and I know I'd likely have a show to perform at, like I usually do.

 

“Taken a part? I don't get what you mean, and probably don't need to. I demand that you move out of the way and let me speak with Andrew!” I fumed, my gears and internal mechanics whirred.

 

“What's Going on over there?” I hear a familiar voice say as footsteps can and stopped right behind Gary, he moved out of the way.. and there was Andrew!

 

“Oh Andrew, there you are, thank goodness you're here.” I glared at him for being so late.

 

“Oh… Str - 351, how are you back..?” He trailed off, using my serial code other than my given name.

 

“Andrew? What's going on??” I demanded, I was getting impatient. “Why was I put in the trash?? And what's all this about taking me a part?!” I exclaimed loudly. I'm sure what I am feeling right now is an emotion humans call ‘anger,’ I was feeling very angry and confused.. and it seemed like they were hesitant to tell me anything.

 

“Star… remember after your performance last night?” Andrew asked.

 

“Yes, I do… well maybe not all of it..” I mumbled, looking down at the ground. All I remembered was being on stage in front of thousands of people when suddenly everything just went black..

 

“You don't remember most of it because you broke down and collapsed on stage during your third act.” He replied with little to no emotion in his voice. 

 

I looked up to look him in the eyes, break down? That can't be right.. I've performed a hundred times over and never had any problems..

 

“When I ran a full diagnostic on you…” he hesitated. “I decided that night that maybe.. it was time for you to retire..” He replied, not finishing his first sentence.

 

“Retire? But I feel fine, I am in perfect shape, that  breakdown must've been a glitch in my system or something.” I replied in disbelief, not willing to believe him.

 

“Star.. we don't need you anymore” He said flatly.

 

“Y-What?..” I stared at him as my android equivalent of a heart dropped.

 

“We managed to finish making a better version of you after you collapsed that night, we didn't bother to turn you back on, so we took out your undamaged parts and disassembled you.” He replied, this time, it was his turn to glower at me. “Our newest model won't break so easily and her range of voice and movement are higher… Besides, we can't take back in a broken android” He continued, obviously looking at my shattered optic.

 

“But I… don't understand..” I looked up at him, I felt like I was going to cry, but of course that was impossible for me.

 

“You don't need to Star. Please never come back here again, or else I'll be forced to do more than just simply ‘take you apart’.” And with those final words, he slammed the door shut.

 

I slowly sank to my knees as those words stung me like a thousand needles. I had nothing to live for anymore…. I was created with the sole purpose of performing, but now it seemed even my creator doesn't want me anymore..

 

The bushes to the left rustled as the strange non-human stepped out from behind them.

 

“Oh dear..” She whispered softly, a sad look on her face as she approached me.

 

She wrapped her arms around me in a hug in an attempt to make me feel better.

 

“I don't need your pity..” I snarled at her.

 

“I'm sorry.. if I knew that that would happen i never would have let you come back here in the first place.. they don't seem like very nice people.” she said.

 

I didn't reply as I continued to look pitifully down at the ground in front of me.

 

“Hey, why don't you come travel with me?” She suddenly spoke up. “I could use a travel companion, it gets lonely sometimes up in space..” She continued. 

 

“Travel? In Space??” I looked at her with a bemused expression 

 

“Yeah! It'll be fun! You don't need those people, you said that you were an idol right? I don't exactly know what that is.. but we can be idols together without them.” She said excitedly.

 

I scoffed, as if that would make me feel better…

 

“Why not?..” I grumbled, somehow, feeling a sense of hope? Maybe.. it'll all work out in the end.

 

She extends an arm to me, I look up at her and take her hand, she pulls me to my feet and smiles.

 

“I never got to tell you my name did I?” She giggled. “You can call me Anavin.” She said, walking with me, back to the direction of her ship. I couldn't help but give a small smile.