Ow!

I try to cry out in pain as Ixilda jerks one of my levers to the right, sending unpleasant vibrations through my body, but as usual, I'm immobile.

"Look, I've turned you on!" She chuckles with glee. "What a wondrously helpful sidekick you are, my dear Darkener." 

"So I'm your sidekick now? More like your personal slave," I reply. Sadly, my robotic voice still doesn't understand the concept of sarcasm. 

If only things were different. 

If only the Protectorate and the Black Sky had found some other unlucky machine to fight over. 

I can only dream...