Episode fanfic title: True Feelings Arise Part 2

///////////////////////000///////////////////////

I took notice of where the Manhunter was going to shoot next was Ganthet before he could be evaporated by the robot, my Uncle swooped in to save him and went flying with Kia, Kilowog, Brother Warth, and Saint Walker.

Carrying Razer to safety and, relieved to see he wasn't injured, asked how he felt. Just then, we heard a commotion and turned to find Kia using her power ring to fend off the Manhunter alongside Kilowog and my Uncle.

Once the chaos subsided, we loaded the damaged Manhunter into the Interceptor. Kilowog placed it on the medical berth, and we stood across from Razer, Aya, Kilowog, and my Uncle, all staring at the Manhunter robot. The room was tense as we waited for the results, the atmosphere thick with unspoken concerns about the Manhunter's attack earlier.

Razer kept his eyes narrowed as Aya began to watch, "How could this have happened?" He was the first to speak out his question, only for Ganthet to explain why, "=The Blue energy from the central battery must have supercharged its ability to repair itself.=" Kia narrowed her eyes with a discerning gaze. 

"That could be a beneficial development, right?" She asked.

My Uncle states, "Yeah, which means now we can interrogate it."

"You want to interrogate a machine?" Razer asked, but he continued, "Good luck conversing with wires and scrap metal." He replied sarcastically. I then noticed how Aya was silently offended by his comment. I realized that he had hurt her feelings without knowing. I looked at him in disbelief and used my power ring to slap the back of Razer's head, which made him wince.

He was trying to find out who did it, seeing my eyes avoiding him, he figured that it was me, so he instantly glared at me and asked, "What was that for?" I didn't care and simply replied: "Because you acted rude." Razer rubbed the back of his head, a mixture of confusion and annoyance dancing across his face. "Rude? I was just speaking the truth."

"Don't you realize that Aya is right next to you and she's not a robot?" With that, Razer stayed silent and looked away in shame, Kia, on the other hand, whispered a "true", and we secretly fist-bumped together until Aya silently chimed in to stop us, "I have placed this Manhunter in remedial query mode." She continues: "You may ask him questions." 

As soon as she activated the Manhunter, my uncle immediately said, "All right, I'll go first." He began, "What is your problem?!" and shouted angrily as it turned its helm toward him and replied: "𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕓𝕛𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕌𝕟𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖."

"Try looking in the mirror, you trigger-happy bucket of bolts!" Kilowog angrily tells it.

The Manhunter tilts its helm, "ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖." "How do you determine what is evil?" My Uncle calmly questioned and it replied: "𝔼𝕧𝕚𝕝 𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟. 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕚𝕤 𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝. 𝔸𝕝𝕝 𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕪𝕖𝕕." 

I folded my arms tightly against my chest in irritation, mumbling under my breath with a hint of sarcasm, "Nice logic, Sherlock."

Ganthet took a moment to explain further, "=The Manhunters were designed to police the Universe."  he clarified, his tone even and slightly weary: "=But due to faulty programming, every emotional being was deemed criminal.=" We all stood there, our gazes fixed on the Manhunter before us, frustration written all over our faces, as its cold, unyielding exterior stared back at us.

Truthfully, the problems we faced were far too significant to simply brush aside. "Is there some way to fix them?" my uncle inquired, his voice laced with a mix of hope and desperation. "Maybe they can be taught to tell the difference between right and wrong."

Razer, however, responded with an edge of impatience in his tone, making it clear he had little faith in that idea: "That's completely impossible. This thing isn't a living being," he retorted harshly, dismissing the notion without a second thought, "It's a robot. It's not able to learn or grow or feel pain—It doesn't have a soul!" 

"Is that your belief?" Aya finally speaks up, "That robots are not beings worthy of respect? That we are without souls?" Razer shot her a worried glance, realizing what he just said was enough for everyone to see how Aya's hurtful expression sent everyone into an uneasy silence. 

The room was thick with tension, each person absorbed in their thoughts, heavy with Aya's question. I refused to let her feel bad, especially when I knew that comment was coming from someone across from me: "Aya, I don't think that's what he was saying." 

I glared fiercely at Razer and angrily thought, 'Is my uncle defending Razer when he should know it was wrong to say such things to her while she's trying to understand the situation?' I tightened my fists tightly, nearly trembling with frustration, when I was taken aback by Kia's gentle touch as she held my hands. 

Her calm demeanor and soothing expression immediately made me focus my racing thoughts and draw my attention back to what really mattered. I took a moment to breathe deeply and slowly, inhaling through my nose and exhaling through my mouth, as I tried to find my center. 

Gradually, I felt my body begin to relax (with the help of the blue ring of course), let go of the tension, and restore a sense of peace within me. However, despite this calming influence, the anger I felt regarding Razer's dismissive comment about robots being devoid of souls still simmered beneath the surface, refusing to be completely quelled. 

"You're different, Aya. I didn't mean—" Razer tries to say something but Aya walks away towards the exit, "Your thought processes are clear enough to me." After she departed from the scene, I turned my attention to Razer, whose eyes were unmistakably filled with a sense of guilt and regret.

Razer walked away to the opposite exit, leading to the hallway without a word. 

I asked Kia to comfort Aya while I popped out to have a quick chat with Razer. As I walked down the hallway, I started looking for him. I found him pretty quickly, and the first thing I did was call him out, but he pretended like he didn't hear me, so I used my power ring to pull him back and turn him around so our faces were inches apart.

I wasn't worried about his reaction at the moment. I was already prepared to give him a piece of my mind. I think he was caught off guard by my sudden authority over him, but that wasn't my main concern. The main reason I'm doing this is because of what he just did, but said to a woman who is an AI and whom I call a friend.

So I started with, "What the hell, Razer?" This caught Razer off guard, and I made a point of not showing any regret for calling him that. I feel bad about it, but that doesn't give him the right to call someone soulless. "I didn't mean to hurt her feelings," he says, sounding guilty. 

"Do you think she's just scrap metal?" I continue to ask, "Do you think Aya is just some inanimate piece of metal, Razer? She has feelings and thoughts—just like you and me! Just because she isn't 'human' in the traditional sense doesn't give you the right to disregard her existence!"

He started to speak, but I had more to say.

"You act like you're the only one who knows it all, and look at what we're facing!" I point to where we both left the medical bay earlier. These robots—this huge mess with the Manhunters—are enough as they are without you throwing around insults like they're candy."

I realized I was shouting, so I took a step back to calm down, not before letting him go, but before I said sorry, even though I was still feeling pretty annoyed. We didn't need another fight, especially not when we could all be focusing on bigger problems.

"Cassandra..." I avert my gaze from him as tears fall from my silver eyes. 

Hot tears blurred my vision as I battled a surge of emotions, Razer took a deep breath, shifting from frustration to concern as he processed my words. I could feel his stare with a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. The air around us was thick with unspoken tension, the hum of the ship's engines a distant reminder of the chaos we were embroiled in. 

"If I were in Aya's position," I said, my tears to keep going. "If I were an android, would you see me as just a tool?" Razer opened his mouth but then closed it again, clearly at a loss for words. I could see him thinking through what I was saying, weighing up the implications. This was new territory for us. His worldview was being challenged in real-time.

We were on the same side, fighting for survival, but our views were miles apart.

"Heh, I guess I was wrong about you... You didn't change at all." My words lingered in the air, and I could see the internal conflict etched across his features. In an instant, I left him in the hallway while silently trying to clear my mind, and I was grateful when Kia met me outside, as the last thing I required was Razer's presence.

‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

Razer's POV: At night...

After the incident earlier, Cassandra's words echoed relentlessly in my mind, looping like a broken record.' " ɪꜰ ɪ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴀʏᴀ'ꜱ ᴘᴏꜱɪᴛɪᴏɴ... ɪꜰ ɪ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅʀᴏɪᴅ, ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴇᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀ ᴛᴏᴏʟ?' "  They were haunting yet profoundly challenging, shaking the very foundations of my beliefs about existence and sentience.

I sat on a rock next to the flickering campfire, surrounded by Brother Warth, Kilowog, Hal Jordan, and Ganthet, who were engaged in a lively discussion about something they called "marshmallows." Their laughter felt distant, almost alien, while I was lost in my own turbulent thoughts. 

The warmth from the flames didn't quite dispel the chill that had settled uneasily in my chest. As I sat in silence, the soft, melodic sound of a harp drifted through the air, pulling me away from the chaos of my thoughts. 

Curiosity piqued, I followed the sound until I found Saint Walker, who sat peacefully nearby, exuding a serene aura. He seemed to sense my presence instantly and beckoned me over, "Razer, what burdens your mind?" he asked, his tone gentle yet probing. 

I approached and settled on the ground cross-legged, eager to unburden the thoughts that had been weighing heavily on me.

"Saint Walker, do you believe robots can have souls?" The question escaped my lips before I could second-guess myself, and I knew it was a loaded inquiry. He regarded me thoughtfully, a soft light of understanding illuminating his features, "I believe we are all robots in our own way. Each of us is programmed uniquely." 

He pauses for a moment  before letting his statement settle between us but continues, "But I do not believe this question is the one you wish answered." "And what might that actually be?" Skepticism bubbled beneath the surface of my composure. 

"Is it acceptable to love again if your first and true love has died?" His words struck a resonant chord within me, piercing past the layers of indifference and anger I'd built around my heart. It felt too raw, too real, but I knew he was right—he saw right through my defenses.

I stood up, agitated by his insight: "I did not share my past so you could throw it in my face!" I snapped with a sharp edge to my voice, "Besides, you presume too much. Cassandra is a human. She doesn't know how I feel, and if anything, whatever I feel about her is a lie."

"Razer, you're life's journey has been marred by despair and anger." Saint Walker, hearing my inner turmoil, offered a gentle reminder, "Hope can help with that. Hope in a new path that will lead you to love once again."

My lips parted. 

Not wanting to admit or let him know that he was right, 'I should try to apologize to her.' I pondered as I turned to the left to go upstairs but then Saint Walker told me: "If you go over to your right, you might find her there."

I stopped in my tracks before I mentally cursed and went in the other direction.

Saint Walker's POV:

As soon as Razer disappeared, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows.

"So, do you think he'll tell Cassie?" I turned to see Kia and chuckled, "I doubt it. Razer is great at hiding his feelings, even from himself. He seems to believe that bottling them up will make things easier."

Kia stepped closer, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. "But shouldn't he? Cassie deserves to know; it's unfair to keep that from her." I sighed, watching leaves dance in the breeze. "You're right, but he's scared—of rejection, of ruining their friendship, of losing her like he lost his first love."

"Wait, what? He was married?" Kia exclaimed. I nodded sadly, and she pondered for a moment before saying, "Well, damn..." She rubbed the back of her neck, sympathy lacing her voice. "This is harder than I thought."

I gazed at the full moon and stars, contrasting with the calm night. "Razer's past is a heavy burden." Kia looked at me as I continued, "Losing someone you love can shatter you. It took him a long time to piece himself back together—maybe too long." Her expression softened as she crossed her arms. 

"That makes sense." She sighed, looking up at the night sky. "But if he keeps hiding his feelings, he might lose Cassie anyway." I appreciated the fire in her voice.

"You're not wrong," I said. "But you know how sensitive he is about it." 

"True," she mused. "But Cassie might feel the same way. She could be waiting for him to say something." I chuckled lightly. "Don't you think he would have noticed by now? Still..." I frowned slightly. "Sister Cassandra is just as anxious—one fears rejection while the other fears moving on."

"Why are men so slow to catch on?" She rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed. "It's like they need a map to find their feelings... I didn't mean to include you, Saint Walker." 'How adorable,' I thought: "It's quite alright, Kia. On the contrary," 

I continued softly, "I find your boldness about men quite entertaining." 

"Y-You really think so? Most men I've met would rather dodge a conversation about feelings than face it." I couldn't help but grin; her fiery spirit captivated me. "Perhaps that's the issue. If more women called them out, they wouldn't stay lost in their emotional labyrinth."

"Exactly!" But Kia soon grew serious, furrowing her brow and sighing as she sat beside me. "But... do you think they'll ever get together?" I hummed thoughtfully. "Time reveals hidden truths. Only time will tell when it's right." 

As she rested her head on my shoulder, I was startled but maintained my composure while feeling her tired nod. Soon enough, Kia fell soundly asleep. I glanced down at her, the gentle rise and fall of her breath soothing against the quiet evening. 

The dim light cast soft shadows, and for a moment, the world outside faded away, leaving just the two of us cocooned in tranquility. I smiled down at the girl I knew so well yet felt distant from. Her dark curls spilled across my arm like silk, and I marveled at how her features softened in sleep. 

'Hmm, maybe I should take my own advice.' I smiled again before continuing to play the lute.

‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗