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Description
Curio carried his charge protectively as the small group crested yet another dune. The other two were chatting again, and though he could understand them, they usually didn’t appreciate when he joined in. There was years of data he could pull off of and join the conversation, but he resorted to just listening instead.

It wasn’t all lonely, though! The others talked fairly regularly, but they also helped him find really cool rocks to look at, and sometimes 20 helped to carry the girl. Curio wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that, but he had to admit it was easier to travel rougher ground that way. At nights, though, when the sky flashed blue, Curio always liked to take back the duty of caring for the mech. He didn’t unfold her panels anymore, but he dusted her off each time the group rested and did his best to shelter her solar panels from the sandstorms.

Sometimes, he sat and watched 20. The other mech was a little taller, a bit larger, and quite obviously newer. The white paint wasn’t permanently stained yet, and nothing seemed to be going wrong. Waiting out a sand storm, Curio had noticed 20’s feet, how they weren’t even dented by the rocks and gravel around here, how even the most serious scratches looked like they were only paint deep. It was difficult not to notice the holes and dents in his own feet. Curio wasn’t really embarrassed by his appearance until they finally reached Sight.

She was visible from a long distance, though Curio knew that looks could be deceiving. It became even more apparent as the group got closer. Sight wasn’t tall, but she sprawled out, giving her more girth than Curio thought possible. That, and she didn’t move. In their entire approach, Curio saw her move once.

She sat with her hands to the ground, spread out as far on each side as she could reach. Above each hand were large disks of solar panels, and though her optics were covered for concentration, Curio could see their flash as she read data. 20 and Rosa attempted talking to her with no response, dancing around a couple domes connected to her abdomen.

As 20 looked toward the moons, Curio put down his charge and looked at the strange Sight. She had no legs. Nothing beneath her waist. Instead, there was a platform half-buried in dust, and a glance at her hands revealed they probably hadn’t moved since the last storm. Curio reached out to brush some off, but he was quickly slapped away by a dusty hand.

“Don’t touch me!” Sight declared in a transmission that was clear, even to Curio, “And stop that infernal squeaking! It’s messing with my transmission.” Curio quickly backpedaled and looked at the now moving figure. The solar panels stayed put as she crossed her arms, then she angrily folded them, the disks collapsing like fans along her arms. “You could have waited for me to finish,” she continued without pause, “You rovers aren’t nearly as patient as you should be.”

Curio concentrated hard and thought about a message as hard as he could. He wanted to ask what her mission was, and who she had been talking to, but the others were already sending transmissions of their own. He quietly gave up and moved back to his charge, carefully gathering her into a natural sitting position.

“Hey! I told you to stop that! You old mech,” Sight sent, and Curio quickly stopped his tune, looking up and toward the strange mech. Her optics flashed a bright green as she stared at him, seeming to ignore the other two. “Curio?” He gave her a small wave, one he immediately regretted. “Curio, you slob! Just because you’ve survived a couple global sandstorms doesn’t mean you can let yourself go like that. Look at yourself! You’re supposed to look like this new kid, and yet you’ve got holes and dents everywhere. I bet your paint isn’t even white anymore, is it? And what’s with the wiring? You should at least try to keep it inside your leg, idiot!”

“Sight! What are you doing?” 20 sent in a panic. Curio shrank in on himself. He glanced at 20, then looked at his own damaged feet.

“No self-respecting mech would let so much dust sit on their paint for so long,” Sight retorted. Absently, he started rubbing his arms, looking back to his charge.

“He’s been through a lot, okay?” Rosa tried to interject calmly, “How about we--” Curio reached out and barely touched his charge’s face, afraid to leave any marks.

“I don’t care what he’s been through! At least keep the names clean!” What would Sight say if she saw her? He shifted to be more between the angry Sight and his mech.

“Sight, I don’t think you should--”

“No, 20, I’m curious about these names.” Curio heard the slight clang of metal on metal as he leaned over his little mech.

“Oh? Haven’t you seen them? He’s got over 1.2 million names etched onto his back, but it’s so coated in dust, you can’t even see them!” Curio felt an extreme urge to turn around, to hide himself, but he just reached down instead, concentrating as hard as he could. “He carries the names of the Makers and he does nothing to honor them! Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Slowly, Curio stood and turned toward Sight, his charge delicately held in his arms.

“Help me, please!” he sent. Curio was fairly certain his transmissions weren’t making it through, but he tried anyway. “Please, help! Make her awake.”

“Of course he found her,” Sight sent to Rosa, turning her head away from him, “The two of them were the favorites, after all.” Please. Won’t you help?

“Sight, we were hoping you could help clean her solar panels,” Rosa sent, her transmission almost sounding like a question. Sight stared at the little mech before putting a hand to her temple.

“Curio, bring her here,” she ordered, “We’ll discuss your honor later, but for now, set her up like you found her. That’s probably the best position for her panels to extend.” Curio carefully stepped forward and placed the female mech down. He curled her over as if praying, folding her hands and using them to cushion her forehead. “Good. Now back off. Rosa, you know how tender these things are. Get those panels out.” Rosa gave Curio a soft pat and stood by the deactivated figure. She carefully folded the panels out of the shoulders and spread them wide above the inert figure.

For a quiet moment, Sight did nothing but stare in horror at the state of the poor things. “Curio, get over here. I’m going to need to guide you carefully,” she ordered, though this transmission felt somehow softer.

Curio stepped up to Sight. She wasn’t as tall as he was, but her arms were larger. She grabbed him and spun him around, grabbing his wrists. “You know that laser you have? The one for scaring the dust off rock samples?” she asked brusquely. Curio gave a small chirp, but Sight didn’t say anything.

“Oh! He means affirmative! It’s easier than using his transmitter,” 20 explained, hanging back a bit with Rosa.

“I see,” Sight drawled. She paused, and Curio flinched away as she touched his receiver, letting out a low whine. “And that would be ‘no’ I suppose. Now, quarter power, turn on your laser,” Sight instructed. Curio did as she said, though the blast ended up damaging the corner Sight directed it at. “I said quarter power, not half, you idiot!” Sight exploded, yanking his hand away. Confused, Curio used about 12% of his total output potential, and this time, things seemed to work alright.

It took a while, but the two of them managed to clear one panel of dust without worry. Curio paid close attention to the patterns Sight used, trying to guess what was next without interfering with her guidance. There were places to avoid, and some to go over especially. The second panel finished quicker, and when Sight finally let go of his wrists, he quickly stepped forward to check his charge.

“Curio, wait. She’s going to need to charge for a bit,” Rosa sent, “Give her some space.” 20 approached and patted his shoulder, trying to lead him away. Curio wouldn’t move. Please. Please work.

“She’s right, Curio,” Sight sent, “Now, we need to talk about your hygiene. You need to at the very least keep your back clean.” Curio switched channels, ignoring her incoming rant. This had to work. It just had to. Carefully, he caressed her head, the high cheek bones and gentle nose beyond his reach. Instead, he reached for the sides, carefully avoiding the receptor and transmitter.

Rosa pushed a hand into Curio’s field of vision, and he switched his channels again. “Do you read?” she asked. He gave a small chirp in reply, still not looking at her. “Curio, we have to get back to our missions.”

“And honor the Markers, Curio!”

“Sight, you promised,” Rosa admonished quickly. She turned her transmissions back to Curio and continued, “Curio, come on. You’ve done all you can. It’s time to move on.”

Curio waited. She had to come back online after this. She just had to. 20 carefully tightened the hand on Curio’s hunched shoulder, then tried to pick up the older mech. “Curio, it’s time to explore,” he sent, trying to pull the two mechs apart.

In a panic, Curio screamed. His limbs thrashed and he voiced his objections aloud and into space. “Let me go! Let me go! She has to wake up! We have to wait. Wait! Stop it! Let me go!” With his protests, he sent data. Report after report on the days he’d spent carrying the smaller mech launched from his transmitter. Images of the storms they’d hidden from together clashed with records of various minerals observed the same day. It was enough to make the newer mech let go as he tried to process all the information.

“Would someone Shut Him UP?!” Sight broadcasted as Curio returned to his charge and continued to wail.

Rosa quickly switched channels and tried to approach the old mech as he continued to dump every piece of data he held into space. She attempted placating gestures, but he only got more frantic as she approached. 20 collapsed as he was forced into a manual cool-down. Sight and Rosa looked at each other, looking as if they were talking on a different channel, eventually leading Rosa to back away from the crazed mech. It was a long while until Curio felt calm enough to stop broadcasting.

“Curio, do you read?” Rosa sent tentatively. When he gave no response, she tried again. “Curio? Do you read me?”

Curio continued to look at the small mech. There was an image of sand, and at first he thought it was a new message, but the code was old. Turning off his optics, he studied the new data more closely. It really was old. The data highlighted a couple of pixels with attached data, ‘Approximate location.’

“Curio?” Then, there was a newer image. He saw himself and a larger collection of pixels with the same tag in a simple dune. It was strange from this new angle, but collaborating with his memory files helped place the dune and the scene.

“Curio, do you read?” Curio leaned down and pressed his forehead to the back of the girl’s own, both of them bowed in supplication as he tried to let her know she could wake up.

“Curio, please. Do you read me?” He stayed still, eventually just shifting to a different channel to get away from the annoying calls. The next tap he felt on his shoulder was from Sight. It was dark when Curio looked up, and the others seemed to have left. Sight made some kind of shooing motion, and Curio gave a small, disheartened chirp.

Oh so carefully, he folded the solar panels and picked up the cold, familiar mech. Her face was quiet and impassive as he slowly carried her away from the cranky mech. The next morning, they were very far, and Curio took the time to stop and set up his companion to catch the sun. In this way, he spent most of his time within sight of the small mech, singing a song he remembered, though not from where. At night, he picked her up again and continued to explore, catching glimpses of the two moons and their reflections in the sand. The two traveled like that until a new pair of bright blue optics turned on for the first time in a long, long time.

Description
Curio carried his charge protectively as the small group crested yet another dune. The other two were chatting again, and though he could understand them, they usually didn’t appreciate when he joined in. There was years of data he could pull off of and join the conversation, but he resorted to just listening instead.

It wasn’t all lonely, though! The others talked fairly regularly, but they also helped him find really cool rocks to look at, and sometimes 20 helped to carry the girl. Curio wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that, but he had to admit it was easier to travel rougher ground that way. At nights, though, when the sky flashed blue, Curio always liked to take back the duty of caring for the mech. He didn’t unfold her panels anymore, but he dusted her off each time the group rested and did his best to shelter her solar panels from the sandstorms.

Sometimes, he sat and watched 20. The other mech was a little taller, a bit larger, and quite obviously newer. The white paint wasn’t permanently stained yet, and nothing seemed to be going wrong. Waiting out a sand storm, Curio had noticed 20’s feet, how they weren’t even dented by the rocks and gravel around here, how even the most serious scratches looked like they were only paint deep. It was difficult not to notice the holes and dents in his own feet. Curio wasn’t really embarrassed by his appearance until they finally reached Sight.

She was visible from a long distance, though Curio knew that looks could be deceiving. It became even more apparent as the group got closer. Sight wasn’t tall, but she sprawled out, giving her more girth than Curio thought possible. That, and she didn’t move. In their entire approach, Curio saw her move once.

She sat with her hands to the ground, spread out as far on each side as she could reach. Above each hand were large disks of solar panels, and though her optics were covered for concentration, Curio could see their flash as she read data. 20 and Rosa attempted talking to her with no response, dancing around a couple domes connected to her abdomen.

As 20 looked toward the moons, Curio put down his charge and looked at the strange Sight. She had no legs. Nothing beneath her waist. Instead, there was a platform half-buried in dust, and a glance at her hands revealed they probably hadn’t moved since the last storm. Curio reached out to brush some off, but he was quickly slapped away by a dusty hand.

“Don’t touch me!” Sight declared in a transmission that was clear, even to Curio, “And stop that infernal squeaking! It’s messing with my transmission.” Curio quickly backpedaled and looked at the now moving figure. The solar panels stayed put as she crossed her arms, then she angrily folded them, the disks collapsing like fans along her arms. “You could have waited for me to finish,” she continued without pause, “You rovers aren’t nearly as patient as you should be.”

Curio concentrated hard and thought about a message as hard as he could. He wanted to ask what her mission was, and who she had been talking to, but the others were already sending transmissions of their own. He quietly gave up and moved back to his charge, carefully gathering her into a natural sitting position.

“Hey! I told you to stop that! You old mech,” Sight sent, and Curio quickly stopped his tune, looking up and toward the strange mech. Her optics flashed a bright green as she stared at him, seeming to ignore the other two. “Curio?” He gave her a small wave, one he immediately regretted. “Curio, you slob! Just because you’ve survived a couple global sandstorms doesn’t mean you can let yourself go like that. Look at yourself! You’re supposed to look like this new kid, and yet you’ve got holes and dents everywhere. I bet your paint isn’t even white anymore, is it? And what’s with the wiring? You should at least try to keep it inside your leg, idiot!”

“Sight! What are you doing?” 20 sent in a panic. Curio shrank in on himself. He glanced at 20, then looked at his own damaged feet.

“No self-respecting mech would let so much dust sit on their paint for so long,” Sight retorted. Absently, he started rubbing his arms, looking back to his charge.

“He’s been through a lot, okay?” Rosa tried to interject calmly, “How about we--” Curio reached out and barely touched his charge’s face, afraid to leave any marks.

“I don’t care what he’s been through! At least keep the names clean!” What would Sight say if she saw her? He shifted to be more between the angry Sight and his mech.

“Sight, I don’t think you should--”

“No, 20, I’m curious about these names.” Curio heard the slight clang of metal on metal as he leaned over his little mech.

“Oh? Haven’t you seen them? He’s got over 1.2 million names etched onto his back, but it’s so coated in dust, you can’t even see them!” Curio felt an extreme urge to turn around, to hide himself, but he just reached down instead, concentrating as hard as he could. “He carries the names of the Makers and he does nothing to honor them! Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Slowly, Curio stood and turned toward Sight, his charge delicately held in his arms.

“Help me, please!” he sent. Curio was fairly certain his transmissions weren’t making it through, but he tried anyway. “Please, help! Make her awake.”

“Of course he found her,” Sight sent to Rosa, turning her head away from him, “The two of them were the favorites, after all.” Please. Won’t you help?

“Sight, we were hoping you could help clean her solar panels,” Rosa sent, her transmission almost sounding like a question. Sight stared at the little mech before putting a hand to her temple.

“Curio, bring her here,” she ordered, “We’ll discuss your honor later, but for now, set her up like you found her. That’s probably the best position for her panels to extend.” Curio carefully stepped forward and placed the female mech down. He curled her over as if praying, folding her hands and using them to cushion her forehead. “Good. Now back off. Rosa, you know how tender these things are. Get those panels out.” Rosa gave Curio a soft pat and stood by the deactivated figure. She carefully folded the panels out of the shoulders and spread them wide above the inert figure.

For a quiet moment, Sight did nothing but stare in horror at the state of the poor things. “Curio, get over here. I’m going to need to guide you carefully,” she ordered, though this transmission felt somehow softer.

Curio stepped up to Sight. She wasn’t as tall as he was, but her arms were larger. She grabbed him and spun him around, grabbing his wrists. “You know that laser you have? The one for scaring the dust off rock samples?” she asked brusquely. Curio gave a small chirp, but Sight didn’t say anything.

“Oh! He means affirmative! It’s easier than using his transmitter,” 20 explained, hanging back a bit with Rosa.

“I see,” Sight drawled. She paused, and Curio flinched away as she touched his receiver, letting out a low whine. “And that would be ‘no’ I suppose. Now, quarter power, turn on your laser,” Sight instructed. Curio did as she said, though the blast ended up damaging the corner Sight directed it at. “I said quarter power, not half, you idiot!” Sight exploded, yanking his hand away. Confused, Curio used about 12% of his total output potential, and this time, things seemed to work alright.

It took a while, but the two of them managed to clear one panel of dust without worry. Curio paid close attention to the patterns Sight used, trying to guess what was next without interfering with her guidance. There were places to avoid, and some to go over especially. The second panel finished quicker, and when Sight finally let go of his wrists, he quickly stepped forward to check his charge.

“Curio, wait. She’s going to need to charge for a bit,” Rosa sent, “Give her some space.” 20 approached and patted his shoulder, trying to lead him away. Curio wouldn’t move. Please. Please work.

“She’s right, Curio,” Sight sent, “Now, we need to talk about your hygiene. You need to at the very least keep your back clean.” Curio switched channels, ignoring her incoming rant. This had to work. It just had to. Carefully, he caressed her head, the high cheek bones and gentle nose beyond his reach. Instead, he reached for the sides, carefully avoiding the receptor and transmitter.

Rosa pushed a hand into Curio’s field of vision, and he switched his channels again. “Do you read?” she asked. He gave a small chirp in reply, still not looking at her. “Curio, we have to get back to our missions.”

“And honor the Markers, Curio!”

“Sight, you promised,” Rosa admonished quickly. She turned her transmissions back to Curio and continued, “Curio, come on. You’ve done all you can. It’s time to move on.”

Curio waited. She had to come back online after this. She just had to. 20 carefully tightened the hand on Curio’s hunched shoulder, then tried to pick up the older mech. “Curio, it’s time to explore,” he sent, trying to pull the two mechs apart.

In a panic, Curio screamed. His limbs thrashed and he voiced his objections aloud and into space. “Let me go! Let me go! She has to wake up! We have to wait. Wait! Stop it! Let me go!” With his protests, he sent data. Report after report on the days he’d spent carrying the smaller mech launched from his transmitter. Images of the storms they’d hidden from together clashed with records of various minerals observed the same day. It was enough to make the newer mech let go as he tried to process all the information.

“Would someone Shut Him UP?!” Sight broadcasted as Curio returned to his charge and continued to wail.

Rosa quickly switched channels and tried to approach the old mech as he continued to dump every piece of data he held into space. She attempted placating gestures, but he only got more frantic as she approached. 20 collapsed as he was forced into a manual cool-down. Sight and Rosa looked at each other, looking as if they were talking on a different channel, eventually leading Rosa to back away from the crazed mech. It was a long while until Curio felt calm enough to stop broadcasting.

“Curio, do you read?” Rosa sent tentatively. When he gave no response, she tried again. “Curio? Do you read me?”

Curio continued to look at the small mech. There was an image of sand, and at first he thought it was a new message, but the code was old. Turning off his optics, he studied the new data more closely. It really was old. The data highlighted a couple of pixels with attached data, ‘Approximate location.’

“Curio?” Then, there was a newer image. He saw himself and a larger collection of pixels with the same tag in a simple dune. It was strange from this new angle, but collaborating with his memory files helped place the dune and the scene.

“Curio, do you read?” Curio leaned down and pressed his forehead to the back of the girl’s own, both of them bowed in supplication as he tried to let her know she could wake up.

“Curio, please. Do you read me?” He stayed still, eventually just shifting to a different channel to get away from the annoying calls. The next tap he felt on his shoulder was from Sight. It was dark when Curio looked up, and the others seemed to have left. Sight made some kind of shooing motion, and Curio gave a small, disheartened chirp.

Oh so carefully, he folded the solar panels and picked up the cold, familiar mech. Her face was quiet and impassive as he slowly carried her away from the cranky mech. The next morning, they were very far, and Curio took the time to stop and set up his companion to catch the sun. In this way, he spent most of his time within sight of the small mech, singing a song he remembered, though not from where. At night, he picked her up again and continued to explore, catching glimpses of the two moons and their reflections in the sand. The two traveled like that until a new pair of bright blue optics turned on for the first time in a long, long time.