The Shepherd’s Stranglehold 2024-10-12 a story 2.1k words
Someone above you
Always knows better than you
There’s something comforting
In the stranglehold of a shepherd’s crook
— Subrosa, “The Wound of The Warden”
Longform
Hostile Takeover
Story of two robots trying their best (to kill each other)
For Serial Designation J, it’s lonely being only effective disassembly drone in her sector of Copper-9.
N was already a walking synergistic liability, but V couldn’t be more obviously stressed and maladaptively coping if she tried. When a botched disassembly leaves V a nightmare-riddled wreck, the squad’s effectiveness hits its lowest point. With disassemblers like these, you’d swear the worker drones show more initiative!
Meanwhile, Uzi Doorman is a cool, independent worker drone. After Doll abandoned her, she doesn’t need anyone else — all she needs is to finish her railgun and blow the murder drones anyway. Of course, if her plan goes wrong she’ll be helpless at their mercy. Dead, in other words.
After all, J is a loyal drone. Locate, shutdown, disassemble. A simple directive she’d never hesitate to carry out. Right?
Even in Debt — Dreams
Story of a killer robot at the mercy of the one she failed to kill
J couldn’t get that worker off her mind. A worker, standing over her, those violet eyes gloating with incontestable triumph, that gun roaring with so much electromagnetic power it made her coils quake. A worker. How could she lose to this? But she had lost. More than lost. She was going to die. She was dead. Unless—
But it wasn’t enough that a worker had left her about to offer surrender. It had left her speechless.
Or: in which J holds her tongue, and Uzi holds her hostage.
One-shots
Artificial Instinct and Simulated Passion 2024-10-01 a story 4.8k words
Uzi’s been living with J’s team for a while now. They’ve settled into a comfortable routine. A very comfortable routine — she hopes no one’s noticed the bite marks. She’d kill J for that, but it’s not like that worked out last time.
Worth it, though, to cement their mutually beneficial partnership. Even if it meant acting as a glorified oilcan whenever J got hungry. Uzi isn’t sure what’s the worse embarrassment: that she kind of likes it, or that J really likes it.
No, the worst embarrassment is that they’ve been doing this long enough that J wants to spice things up.
Non-Verbal Communication Skills 2024-09-25 a story 1.6k words
This was originally a tumblr post.
J narrowed her eyes, eyeing the two disassembly drones in the pod. N and V leaned against the wall, white sheets of A2 paper in their hands. V rolled her eyes, but N raised a finger, as if requesting permission to ask a question. What a waste of time — just ask.
“Hey captain, what’s this?”
“It’s your schedule for the next week. Memorize it, or keep it safe. I won’t be printing out another.”
The Headhunter and Her Stubborn Game 2024-09-15 a story 7.0k words
Uzi was pretty frickin good at her job. Her sick as a hell railgun totally works, and she has the body count to prove it! With a trail of dead murder drones behind her, she’s finally secured her place in the frozen wasteland.
Okay, maybe she had a little help. But she didn’t need J’s protection or anything. She could handle herself just fine!
Tonight, she needs to repair her railgun. Maybe tweak a few things while she’s at it. And sure, she’s staying up a little late to do it. (Don’t tell J.)
The railgun’s what kept her alive, after all. She needs to hone it to perfection — what else did she have?
Off the Record, Off the Clock 2024-09-01 a story 1.5k words
Make no mistake: Uzi was a disruption. Unlike Lizzy, the goth was never one to text during class. Was. Now, Uzi seems to spend all day glued to her phone. It’s obvious: she’s made a new friend — or something more? No amount of rumor or gossip can’t figure out who.
Uzi certainly isn’t telling.
Tines of the Devil’s Fork 2024-08-25 a story 1.0k words
Storm-veiled stars, frozen city ruins, knives in the sky.
Railgun finished early, Uzi hunts.
Outlines & Rough Drafts
MD Fanfic Ideas 2024-09-14 a story 4.5k words
Sequel to Even in Debt — Dreams
J ruined everything. She was a monster; she’d do anything for the company; she’d never change.
And what do you do with monsters? Uzi knows how this story goes: You slay them.
Because even when she fails, even with another way right in front of her, J would rather die than admit she was ever wrong. She’d never change, so, unfortunately, she has to die.
These Dying Star-Lit Streets 2024-08-24 a story 2.0k words
Doors. Frickin’ doors. Remember when all your problems were as simple as shut the hatch and lock it twice? No, you don’t. You’re too young. Outpost-3 only stood secure for what, a year?
Then Saint Nori and Brother Khan went and faced down the robo-vampires and the very harbinger of the company. Saved them all with power of truth, justice and the Doorman way. Tragically stepped through the door to robo-Heaven in the process — classic martyrdom stuff.
Like Shadows Chasing the Balance 2024-07-01 a story 14.6k words
What if J and Uzi swapped places? Okay, that doesn’t work — you couldn’t try to find two drones more inseparable from their identities as disassembler and worker. But if you swapped some other things around? How close could you get?
Would they still fall in love? Obviously. But how?
I have a few ideas, so here’s a quick lil write-up.
Absolute Redux 2024-03-07 a story 1.3k words
Originally tumblr post. Crossposted since it may be of mild interest.
the brainworms are getting out of hand yall
was relistening to a scifi concept album (Vektor — Terminal Redux) and was like
what if you crossed this over with murder drones tho
i kept thinking about this and it would kind of WORK tho.
here’s a good page to read Terminal Redux, since i dont think i can to it justice with a quick summary. it’s basically a short story, length-wise?