Kerbol system - edge of United Star Systems space, the Nillanarm galaxy
Year 3295
One hour to intergalactic jump

Unit B25567 sat back in his seat, moving though a lightspeed gate to the Kerbol Starbase. His co-pilot, Unit S94781, sat down and did a full system check before they left the jump. The two machines never really got along well, but they could at least pilot a frigate. Okay, alone their skills were questionable, but with a load of civilians they worked like any other pilot and co-pilot.

"All antimatter thrusters are intact and online, dark matter reactor is online and safe, and warp drive is ready for jump," S94781 said. 

"You don't need to be a machine to tell the antimatter thrusters are online. Nor the reactor; both of those are necessities for a lightspeed jump," B25567 answered. This was 947's standard: diagnose a ship or organic, then say something that is completely obvious.

"It is a fact, B25567. My programming forbids me from not saying it."

"Yeah, well I really want to shake hands with the person who thought it was a good idea to program stupidity into a robot's AI. And my name is Bountybringer, not B25567!"

"I am not stupid. You're code is B25567. Stand down before I must terminate you."

"Really? What are you going to do, flick my off switch?" Bountybringer readied his eight gamma lasers, aiming them for 947's head. "Good luck trying to find it."

"B25- oh, fine. I will refuel the antimatter reactors. Tell me when we arrive at the starbase. Until then, do not disturb me. You know the damage even a stable antimatter fuel rod can do."

Bountybringer put his built-in weaponry away. "Yes, everyone does, remember? We still use antimatter bombs for bombardment."

By then, 947 was already gone, leaving Bountybringer alone in the cockpit. The antimatter reactor in his chest needed a refuel, and his energy reserves were getting low, so he decided to power down for a while.

                           ----<-->----

"Civilian vessel, this is the Union juggernaut USS Glorybringer. State you're name and purpose now."

B25567 opened his eye as a heads-up display appeared and he could hear voices better. "What is..? Oh, oh yeah, um, this is the Travelling Star, we want to join the intergalactic expedition fleet?"

Kerbol starbase
Thirty minutes to intergalactic jump

A few moments passed and the comms were silent. Then: "alright then, Traveling Star, land at bay nine point one, fleet is leaving in half an hour, okay?"

"Yes sir," Bountybringer said, cutting communications bringing the ship to the starbase. "Alright, bay nine point one, bay nine point one, bay- ah!" on the starbase's durasteel, in bright white paint, was what he was looking for.

Bay: 9.1

He called the station requesting entry. "Bay nine point one, this is the Travelling Star, requesting entry and stay. Over."

"We are receiving you," a female Vennalien voice answered. "You may land and stay at bay nine point one until you wish to leave. Over."

"Landing now."

Bountybringer slowly landed the ship in the bay, shutting off the thrusters to conserve fuel, also refueling his own reactor. As 947 finished his work, he and Bountybringer left the ship. "B25567, I assume you refueled your reactor?"

"Yes, I did, S94781, shut your mouth," Bountybringer snapped.

"B25567, my audio receptors heard that. I am only attempting to help. I do not want you to lose power, even here. Also, I do not have a mouth, we both instead have speakers."

"947, I know, but I can't stand you!" By now, they were both in the middle of a street. "you always say things that you only need one AI nanochip to know!" He zoomed his eye do be barely a centimetre from 947's face. "This is going to be my last job, afterword I'm retiring to the first planet the Union colonizes."

"Very well, B25567. Leave. But I will be no part in it."

                           ----<-->----

Edge of system, intergalactic jump zone
One minute to jump

The two machines were in the Travelling Star, preparing to launch. S94781 was refueling the antimatter thrusters as Bountybringer did a full system diagnosis to make sure it was safe to jump. They always did this with a crew, but now he was questioning why he had chosen to be a pilot in the first place. He was a combat droid; why did he not become a bounty hunter?

947 walked into the cockpit and sat down. "All systems are readied, antimatter fuel rods are secure, thrusters are online, dark matter reactor is running and the warp drive is ready for jump."

"Acknowledged," Bountybringer said. He gave the passengers an update. "Attention all passengers, we are ready to jump. It is suggested that you make sure all of your belongings are secure."

"What are the species on board?"

"Eight Vennalien, four machines, twenty-eight Stonehenge, and six Fara."

"Good. Initiating jump in three... two... one..."

                           ----<-->----

Translated: "Pyrrhia, Scorpion den"
Six months later

"You're surrounded, give up and work for me and we will spare you."

"heh heh heh..."

Click-click

"I think the reverse."