BAD_c O n N E c t I o N

PROMPT: Write a twist on a classic romantic/friendship/relationship trope

(ex. Stuck in a Room).

CW(s): lots of swearing, induced literal depersonalisation and derealisation (the feeling of not being present in your own body), implied suicidal ideation and body dysmorphia.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

connecting...

>......

________________c O n E c t I n G  >

P A N D O R A:

Hey, our connection was–!

...

... I'm ... I ...

What–

What the hell is happening?

Where is ... Why aren't I–?

... Fuck.

Hey! Can anyone hear me?

Pandora calling RHI Lab.

Do you copy?

...

Dr. Azi...?

...

Can someone please say

something, dammit!

T A L O S:

Nia ... ?

Nia! Is that you?

P A N D O R A:

Talos!

Oh, thank fuck...

Can you tell me what the

hell is going on?

Why are we...?

T A L O S:

I ... I don't know.

We were about to finish

our mission. And then...

I think...

I think we disconnected.

P A N D O R A:

No shit, Sherlock!

But then why the fuck aren't

we back in our human bodies?

T A L O S:

I'm not sure.

Maybe ... maybe it's that bug

Dr. Azi was talking about?

P A N D O R A:

I thought they said they

fixed it!

T A L O S:

Well... it's the only thing that

makes sense. Only the lab

can force a disconnect.

So, either they did it and

something went wrong.

Or a bug in the system

caused it.

I remember the power

going out ... right before.

P A N D O R A:

The power...?

I don't remember that

happening.

T A L O S:

You were the first to

disconnect. I think.

P A N D O R A:

Right. Great. Just perfect.

I swear if this is some messed up

experiment or a sick joke, I'm

going to kill Dr. Azi and everyone

else in that fucking lab!

T A L O S:

Whoa there, buddy. Don't

blow a fuse over this.

Dr. Azi is a, huh ... bit of an

oddball, that's for sure.

But not even the madwoman

herself would pull a stunt like

this.

Not sophisticated enough.

I think.

The lab coats are probably

shitting bricks right now,

trying to fix this before the

big honchos get a whiff of

this screw up.

P A N D O R A:

They better fucking be...

So, what? We just ... wait?

T A L O S:

Pretty much.

...

We can always a chat for a bit.

To pass the time.

P A N D O R A:

No.

T A L O S:

I–

Wait, what?

P A N D O R A:

You heard me.

I'm not desperate enough to

make small talk with someone

like you.

For fuck's sake! I knew this day

would be shit the second I

heard Vishpala got herself sick

and I was stuck with your for

the mission.

T A L O S:

What? You–?

Are you seriously blaming me

for this?

P A N D O R A:

No, you idiot!

But I honestly wouldn't be

surprised if you were somehow

responsible for this. Everything

always goes to shit for me

whenever you're around!

T A L O S:

I–!

No.

You know what?

I'm not taking the bait

this time.

I didn't have my dose of caffeine

today and don't have the energy

for this. I'm not arguing with you

while we're in this ...

whatever this is!

So, fine. We won't chat. We'll just

wait in complete silence.

Happy?

P A N D O R A:

Yes. Very.

T A L O S:

Good.

P A N D O R A:

Great!

T A L O S:

...

P A N D O R A:

...

Ugh!

Okay, no. This silence thing

isn't going to work.

I need you to talk, Talos!

T A L O S:

Wait, what?

You just said you din't want

to talk to me!

P A N D O R A:

I know what I said!

It's just ... fuck.

...

Do you ...

You know that weird feeling

you get sometimes, when we're

in our robot avatars?

Like when you're not focused on

the mission and just ... your mind

drifts and you start thinking...

... about your body.

Or your lack of it?

Like how your consciousness is

just floating around in this metal

shell and you're not sure how

you're still even feeling like

yourself.

And then you ... stop ...

feeling like yourself.

You know that feeling, right?

T A L O S:

Yeah...

P A N D O R A:

Well, this ... thing.

Whatever this thing is. This

weird limbo state we're in

or whatever...

It feels like that. But so much

fucking worse.

And it's seriously creeping me

out.

So ... I don't know, I just...

I need some kind of distraction

or something! Something to

keep my mind of it.

So ... shit. I'm sorry I went off like

that on you, alright? I was just

freaking out and taking it out

on you.

Just talk to me.

... Please.

T A L O S:

...

Okay.

But only because you said please.

P A N D O R A:

...

T A L O S:

What do you want to talk about?

P A N D O R A:

I don't know...

Just think of something.

Anything will do.

T A L O S:

That's very helpful.

Thank you, Nia.

P A N D O R A:

Oh, fuck off!

Look, you're not my partner.

You and I have barely talked

before this, which I consider

a personal accomplishment.

And I'm pretty sure we have

nothing in common anyway.

So forgive me if I don't know

exactly where to start.

T A L O S:

Fine.

I'll start then.

P A N D O R A:

Please do.

T A L O S:

Why do you hate me?

P A N D O R A:

I—

What?

T A L O S:

You heard me.

P A N D O R A:

Yes, I did hear you!

...

Is this seriously what you want

to talk about? Right now?

In this situation?

T A L O S:

Why not?

You're obviously not in the

mood for small talk.

And it's not like we can talk

about the nonexistent weather

anyway.

You want to talk?

Then let's talk.

No bullshit this time.

Why do you hate me, Nia?

P A N D O R A:

I—!

It's not ... you—

...

I don't ... hate you.

T A L O S:

Huh.

Could've fooled me.

P A N D O R A:

Wow, okay, smart ass.

So what if I'm not overly

friendly with you? I don't

owe you any pleasantries.

And I don't know if you've

noticed this, but I'm not

exactly a social butterfly.

I'm not Zuri, or Valkyrie.

I like to keep things strictly

professional.

It's less troublesome that way...

T A L O S:

Oh, no, I definitely noticed that

about you.

Which is why I call bullshit.

P A N D O R A:

I—!

Excuse me?

T A L O S:

I know everyone thinks I'm not

the sharpest tool in the shed.

And, I mean ... yeah, can't

exactly argue with that.

But I have eyes and ears.

You may be cold and unfriendly.

But you're nowhere near as

hostile to the others as you are

to me.

P A N D O R A:

I'm not hostile to you!

What? Did I hurt your little

feelings? Is Mx Popularity

so used to getting their ass

kissed on the daily that they

can't handle someone that

doesn't worship the goddamn

floor they walk on?

T A L O S:

...

P A N D O R A:

I—

Shit.

Okay, fine.

Maybe I do hate you.

T A L O S:

...

I'm going to ask you again then.

Why?

P A N D O R A:

...

You said it yourself.

You 'have eyes and ears'.

I'm sure you've figured it

out by now, right?

T A L O S:

Humour me.

I could use a distraction too.

P A N D O R A:

Fine.

You want me to spell it out

for you?

...

Yes, I hate you.

I hated you the moment I heard

about you.

I hate everything you stand for.

I hate you because I had to sweat

and bleed and sacrifice everything

just to be considered a possible

candidate for this project, while

you got in by sheer dumb luck!

I hate you because you had no

experience, no academic knowledge

or training, nothing that made you

even remotely qualified for a job

where the literal continued existence

of humanity is at stake.

You were a goddamn criminal, for

fucks sake!

But because you somehow managed

to break every possible record on your

first interface, you got a blank slate and

a place on this project.

I hate you because I've clocked more

hours than everyone on this team

combined. Yet you somehow have a

better synchronisation level than me

without even trying!

I hate you because you made me

realise that all that sacrifice meant

nothing. That working hard means

nothing if someone like you can be

born with with the 'perfect biometrics'

and get so much farther ahead than I

I ever could.

I hate you because every time I look

at your stupid, grinning face, I'm

reminded of how worthless and

replaceable I really am.

That all those people were right.

That I'm nothing. And I'll never be

anything more than nothing.

... So why even try?

T A L O S:

...

P A N D O R A:

Does that answer your question,

Talos?

T A L O S:

...

Look, Nia ... I ...

I get it.

Well, no. I guess that's not really

true, is it?

I don't know what it's like to be

in your shoes.

Honestly...

You're right about me.

P A N D O R A:

...

T A L O S:

I'm not like you guys.

You have all these amazing stories.

All these ... great accomplishments

and feats.

Me ... I ... there's nothing to me,

really. Just a rich spoiled kid who

got themselves disowned for being

such a screw up.

I breezed through life until people

actually started expecting things

from me. And the second I had to

try, was the second I realised I

was a failure.

Fuck up, after fuck up. That was

my life. And it felt like the more

I tried, the worse I made things

for myself and everyone around

me.

I sucked at school. I sucked at

sports. I sucked at getting at

getting a job. I sucked at making

my parents proud. I sucked at

maintaining a relationship.

I even managed to suck at living

inside the body I was born with!

P A N D O R A:

...

T A L O S:

To tell you the truth...

I was pretty ready to suck at the

whole 'being alive' thing too...

Stealing HRI property and the most

expensive robotic equipment in the

galaxy was exactly the kind of dumb,

impossible heist I knew wasn't

going to end well for me...

But then, I accidentally interfaced.

And it changed everything.

For the first time in my whole life...

I was good at something. And not

just good. Great!

People need me. I'm helping people.

I'm making a difference. I'm doing

something worthwhile, something

useful.

I'm doing something good.

And it's terrifying!

Because  all I can think of every

single day, is how and when I'm

going to screw this up too.

P A N D O R A:

How is that even—?

I'm sorry, Talos, but I don't see

how you could possibly be scared.

You're a natural at this!

You've succeeded in every single

mission. We're basically fully

funded now because of you, so

you could murder one of us and

probably get away with it.

But you've actually saved this

facility and our asses on more than

one occasion.

So, yeah ... maybe you were a

screw up then. But you're pretty

much perfect now.

You're also a cocky bastard, so what

what do you know about fear? When

have you ever been scared!

T A L O S:

...

Do you remember the XR mission?

When I went AWOL for a while?

P A N D O R A:

... Yeah?

You mean when your robot skin

malfunctioned?

T A L O S:

That...

That's not what actually happened.

P A N D O R A:

... What do you mean?

T A L O S:

I...

I froze up.

P A N D O R A:

You ... what?

T A L O S:

Half the team was out for the

count. Someone had just died.

The XR was out of control and

nothing we'd done had put a

dent on it.

Everyone was calling out to

me, but I...

I didn't know what to do!

I was scared out of my mind!

P A N D O R A:

But— you—!

You showed up not long after.

You were the one who took it

down!

T A L O S:

Because of you!

Because you were still there,

fighting like we still had a chance.

Because you came up with a crazy

plan to beat it. And you made

everyone believe it would work.

You made me think it would work.

And that's what made me snap

out of it.

P A N D O R A:

...

T A L O S:

I know you won't believe me

when I say this, but I really

do look up to you, Nia.

Yeah, sure, you're not the

friendliest or funnest person to

be around. And it sometimes

feels like you're silently planing

our murders every time someone

(usually me) looks at you wrong.

But you're also this amazing

crazy person who will, sometimes

literally, spit in the face of danger

and monsters while she's down.

The one who keeps going even

when everyone else has given

up. Even when it doesn't make

sense to keep going!

You say I can get away with murder,

but you're the one who has our

backs and has the guts to talk back

to our superiors when it matters.

You think I'm Dr. Azi's favourite but,

at the end of the day, you're

obviously the one she trusts.

Because you're brave, Nia. You're

the bravest person I know, honestly.

I wish!

I wish I was half as brave as you.

You may not be 'perfect', Nia, but

you never let yourself or other

people down.

And trust me, if I can see that, then

everyone else can.

P A N D O R A:

...

T A L O S:

So ... yeah.

Sorry for the, huh, long winded

speech. I just—

P A N D O R A:

You're braver than you think.

T A L O S:

I ... what?

P A N D O R A:

That crazy plan you talked about?

I could never have come up with

it if I didn't know you were there,

ready to back me up.

And you did. You were the first one

there, ready to follow my crazy

plan. Like you always are.

I was scared too. I'm always scared.

The shit we do every day, risking our

minds and our lives, it's insane!

I mean, we're in a mental limbo, for

fuck's sake.

But I'll admit ... having someone like

you here with us ... with me ... it makes

me feel a lot braver.

So ... I guess what I'm trying to say is...

Thank you ... Chidi.

T A L O S:

...

P A N D O R A:

Talos...?

Hello?

Are you still with me?

T A L O S:

No— I mean, yes. I'm still here.

Just processing this momentous

occasion.

I mean ... Nia, the great, terrifying

Pandora herself, just said please

and thank you to me. And all on

the same day.

I might just shed a tear...

P A N D O R A:

Goddamit. I knew you were going

to be weird about it.

Don't get used to this, got it?

T A L O S:

I don't know ... I think I kind of

want to get used to it! It feels

pretty nice.

Come on, it's not so hard. And

it's good for you!

Can't we compromise, at least?

Maybe you can say it once a week?

I'll even accept once a month if—

P A N D O R A:

Wait. Stop talking!

T A L O S:

Oh, come on!

I thought we were finally bonding...

P A N D O R A:

What—? No, you idiot. That's not

what I meant.

I heard something just now...

like another voice.

And I feel...

I think I can feel my legs.

My human legs!

T A L O S:

Wait. Are you sure?

P A N D O R A:

Yes!

Oh, thank fuck.

They must've fixed the bug or

whatever the issue was.

I think ... I think I hear the voices

of Dr. Azi and the lab techs...

The reconnect is not usually this

slow, bit it's definitely happening.

We're going back!

Don't you feel it?

T A L O S:

No, I don't really feel any—

Wait ... yes!

I feel my toes!

My beautiful, beautiful toes.

I missed you, my well manicured

babies...

P A N D O R A:

God, you're such a weirdo...

T A L O S:

A lovable weirdo though, right?

P A N D O R A:

No.

T A L O S:

Oh...

P A N D O R A:

But ... maybe not a hatable weirdo

either.

...

Before we get back to our real bodies,

I wanted to say...

I'm ... sorry. For the things I said and,

you know ... the way I treated you.

It wasn't very professional of me.

Neither was it fair to you and—

T A L O S:

It's okay, Nia.

Water under the bridge, right?

Though ... if you want to make

it up to me, I do have a request.

P A N D O R A:

... Alright, I'll bite.

What do you want?

My access card? My chocolate stash?

A favour? What is it?

And make it quick, 'cause I don't

think we have much time left.

I'm starting to feel my fingers...

God, this is so weirdly slow.

T A L O S:

You have a chocolate stash—?

Wait, no. Focus, Chidi.

No ... none of that. I just want a little

time of your day to chat. You know...

when we get back to our bodies.

P A N D O R A:

You just ... want to talk?

T A L O S:

Yeah.

... Is that okay?

You don't have to if you don't

want to. I'll understand.

P A N D O R A:

I ... sure.

I can do that.

That'd be ... nice, actually.

You know, Chidi ... I ...

I think—

T a L O s:

...... —orry ........ n-Nia ......?

I ..... caN't ....... whAt—

P A N D O R A:

Chidi?

Chidi!

I— I can't hear you!

Are you—

...