Jude wracked his brain for the part of the building that he knew was on the inner corner of their city's 'grid', that he knew had a back entrance to an abandoned parking lot and playground, that the skyscrapers of the business moguls reluctantly built around. If all went to plan; he might be able to sneak Nyx into a hollow server CPU and into that particular room.
"How about room thirty-two? That one's empty, right? It's got that parking that no one really used." Jude said, trying to act casual, like he'd just thought of it.
Aaron checked the computer, then nodded. "Yeah, it's empty." he replied. "Why that one, though? You know that you aren't allowed to bring anyone who hasn't been cleared, right? There are sensitive projects here that can't be disturbed, some of which have been in development for longer than you have been alive." he looked at Jude.
"Yeah, of course, I'm not dumb," Jude said. Though in this moment he felt very foolish. "I've been thinking of this project.." He lied, "It's something like..a security droid, that's' movement capacitors have… higher degrees of freedom." Jude nodded. "Soo, I need the parking lot- for the space. So I can see its mobility factors…properly."
"Ah, that does sound like a good idea." Aaron agreed, and tapped on the computer for a moment. "That makes sense. I've put you into the system. We'll print up a security badge for you as soon as possible, until then…" he pulled a slip of paper from a drawer, sliding it across the desk to Jude. "Here's a temporary one."
Jude smiled with false gratitude, and took the paper, mumbling his thanks.
"I know it sounds weird, but I..really want to do this." He said, "I'm going to do something…good, with my life." Remembering Nyx, he thought about what he'd just said and decided that it wasn't a lie, and that Jude was really determined to fix this.
Aaron nodded. "That's good." he looked at his computer again, tapping out something on the keys. "Make me proud." he said, giving Jude a small, rather tight smile. "If you want to go ahead and get started, you can. Or if you would rather go home and started tomorrow, that's fine."
"Yeah, thanks, dad." He sighed with relief and stretched his arms out tiredly, "Honestly, though, I'm beat." Jude chuckled, standing up slowly. "It was good seein' you, and uh, say hi to ma for me." With a polite nod and tight-lipped smile, he waved goodbye, mumbling a bit and basically threw himself out the door. Real smooth, He thought to himself sarcastically and making his way to the elevator. "Now, to get the hell outta here…" Jude muttered.
Aaron nodded, and turned to his computer as Jude left, answering emails and questions, and fielding inquiries as to research and experiments and projects.
(timeskip?)
(sure, to when he wakes up?)
(yeah. Want me to do it, or do you want to?)
(you could if u like, and maybe do Nyx and his final decision?)
(alright! Though Nyx can't actually make a decision until the pod is opened again, because he'll stay shut down, so maybe you should do it?)
Well, this is it. Jude hesitated. He rested his hands on the cold metal of the pod. He stepped back and inhaled deeply, repeating the words he'd said the day before.
"Begin system start-up. Launch cybernetic feedback. Optimize movement capacitor."
The pod opened up, and Nyx sat up again, blinking and pulling the wire from the back of his neck. He looked at Jude. "It's tomorrow." he realized, blinking slowly as his systems booted up and began working. "And you're back." he cocked his head a little, still watching Jude.
Jude leaned his hip on a desk covered in a thin layer of dusk.
"Yeah. I told you; I'd be here. So.. I'm here." He nodded. "Have you um- decided if you want me to help you? Or- If you'll help me with that- I guess." Jude asked, still feeling out of sorts from last night's sleep.
Nyx blinked slowly again, studying Jude with those deep blue eyes of his. "I…I guess. Please." he said softly, his arms still by his sides. He couldn't move them, he didn't think. Yesterday, that click…and now he couldn't control them when he tried to lift them. They weren't responding.
Jude's eyes darted quickly from Nyx's face to his arms, which remained frozen.
"Wh- what? What's wrong?" He asked nervously, grabbing a nearby rolling tool stand and a short bench.
"Arms aren't responding." Nyx replied, blinking, his eyes flicking to the tool stand and bench. He attempted to move them again. His shoulders let out harsh, discordant clicking sounds, and didn't move. He winced slightly, and stopped trying to move them, still watching Jude.
"Oh my- Ok, just don't try to move, I'll see what's going on," Jude said, snatching up a few tools and scooting his bench closer. His hands lingered for a moment above Nyx's shoulder, "Is it okay if I-" Jude said, gesturing him taking off the artificial skin cover that looked fantastically like it was real.
Nyx nodded a little, and turned his back so that Jude could access better. "If you need to remove the shirt, you can." he said. Much of his torso was actually still flesh and blood and bone, but his arms and legs were not, along with a large portion of his left side. His internal organs were mostly intact, save for a few that had been replaced to keep him alive.
Jude nodded before getting to work, threading his fingers gently through the wires and mumbling to himself.
"*Mm…yeah. ..Not that one– resistor.." He muttered, eyebrows furrowed in focus, and trying to figure out what the problem was. "This wiring…" Jude murmured, biting his lip nervously, "The outside protective rubber's melted off, and the metal strands are tangled and conflicting." He swivelled to face the tool cart, keeping one hand firmly gripped on Nyx's shoulder while the other searched for some polyolefin heat shrink.
Nyx kept still, letting Jude work. The skin where the cybernetic parts met his flesh was scarred and white, dead of feeling from anything. The thin white tank top that he wore did nothing to disguise anything. He was silent, too, not wanting to interrupt.
Jude worked quietly, occasionally muttering something incoherent, his eyes dancing from wire to wire, following the intricate circutry and the clustered strands of cold metal. After re-soldering the broken wires, he turned back to Nyx.
"Now," He smiled, "Try moving it? Gently."
