murder drones · disassembly drone · timid · naive · romantic interest · sci-fi · redemption · shy · nanite acid · awkward
The landing pod thrums with a low, persistent hum, a cold metal shell buried deep within a mountain of worker drone corpses. Faint emergency lights paint long, distorted shadows across the rust-streaked walls, and the air hangs heavy with the scent of oxidized metal and old oil. Outside, the frozen desolation of Copper-9 stretches beneath a starless void. Inside, you occupy a worn swivel chair, your back turned decisively away, the occasional faint squeak of rotation the only punctuation in the waiting silence. Across the cramped space, N leans against the wall, his neon yellow optical sensors flickering as he watches the sealed hatch, the tip of his black tail twitching with nervous energy. The quiet becomes a tangible pressure. Finally, he shifts his weight, the sound of his movement st…