INT. THE CUBE – LATE MORNING
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OcGJozgIt
The three sit around the cube’s makeshift living room—a lumpy couch, a tiny table, and now, a pristine blanket laid carefully on the floor where Emily’s data pod rests, humming softly.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiFLCkt78q
K crouches nearby, gently adjusting a tiny cooling patch on the pod's surface like a practiced medic.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDXXrOkLbY
JASON (muttering, impressed)
"Wow. Didn’t think you of all murder gremlins would be the motherly type."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOh7HEpQMS
K flicks his optic lazily toward Jason, then returns to fussing over the pod.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFdajtCCfV
K (flatly)
"Efficient survival ensures the continuity of species."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3VUHHsHp6
JASON (grinning)
"Translation: You like the kid, admit it."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCcSk0tENB
A sits beside the pod with a storybook—not that Emily can read yet, but it doesn’t stop him from showing her colorful illustrations.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIVRuUG2SR
A (brightly, to Emily)
"This is a cow! It goes ‘moo.’ This is a firetruck! It goes ‘woo-woo!’ And this is Jason—he goes 'aaaaah' when he stubs his toe."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wirE2ESxM
Jason throws a pillow at A’s head.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMWXcVeL34
JASON (snickering)
"At least I don’t split my face open to eat a sandwich."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qexi6Yqf2
A smirks and ruffles Emily’s pod surface softly.
The room feels weirdly warm... normal.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRz2XM4ATj
Jason, ever the corrupting influence, leans closer to the pod conspiratorially.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmJy1vyUIP
JASON (whispering to Emily)
"Listen up, kid. First rule of survival—never pay for overpriced coolant at chain stores. And second rule—always insult your enemies’ processors before you smash 'em."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BHU9AyM8E
Emily’s pod hums innocently.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPz3VNulfB
Before he can spill more questionable wisdom, A’s optic narrows dangerously.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODVWNIjzxC
A (sternly)
"Jason Gearman, you are banned from education duties."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBWWpYESp8
JASON (mock hurt)
"WHAT? I was giving life lessons!"
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0n4N93CVKY
A (folding arms)
"Corner. Now."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc6I9OAaEn
K silently points to the farthest, saddest corner of the cube.
Jason trudges over dramatically, slumping against the wall like a punished cat.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVEcNPrLd1
JASON (grumbling)
"This is oppression."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YD4NQQtqA
K (deadpan)
"You deserve worse."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVJqeHJI2K
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB3KvSSVL3
---
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgpbeb6ATh
TIME SKIP – MIDDAY
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpUVy4mXRq
Emily naps peacefully on her blanket.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEk5APnoWbO
Jason sneaks back to the couch, only to find A and K deep in conversation—of all things—about robot intimacy systems.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhZj0ykNL1
A (curious, whispering)
"I still don’t get it. So when two robots... you know... how does it even work?"
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEobweGdCo3
Jason perks up immediately, sensing forbidden topics.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJelM4Bk74
JASON (grinning like the devil)
"Well, it's more code-based than... physical. Technically, you don’t need a body to mix code. Two bots sync their operating systems and allow their base codes to interact."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYRnN2DB53
K hums thoughtfully.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimRGwFLQhh
K (tapping chin)
"Programs exchanging information at core level... sounds like a strategic resource merge."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAl9CYusO9O
A (wide-eyed)
"And... babies happen when their codes mix, right?"
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIItbo294s
JASON (nodding)
"Yup. Two codes—sometimes more if you're into complicated networks—merge and start a self-writing program inside a data pod. It grows on its own, bit by bit, until the pod tells you it’s ready to be upgraded to a proper body."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHXMZgosIr
A thinks about it seriously.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHNRC3fLZh
A (tilting head)
"So technically, two robots of the same model, same type... even same gender identity... can still have a kid?"
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqlaFX6wqv
JASON (grinning)
"Exactly. No squishy biology bullshit. Pure logic... and chaos."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqy0aFQY8Yn
K (murmuring)
"Efficient."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5gxuY8WLU
Jason leans back smugly.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOujbJ7GwTJ
JASON (grinning wider)
"Romance, marriage, all that? Optional. But if two idiots love each other enough to smash their codes together and raise a tiny chaos gremlin... well, that's commitment."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrk0oFeJwA
A looks down at Emily's sleeping pod.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwK2nCIvSW
A (softly)
"Sounds nice."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwx9srPtIh
Jason, noticing the tone, shifts a little uncomfortably.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAh8LuZc0L
JASON (teasing, but a little gentle)
"You planning to make tiny yous one day, A?"
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kR1R0fZFO
A (smiling shyly)
"Maybe. One day."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo8kYDJKFs
K shrugs.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWkPc48aJl
K (calm)
"Would be nice to have backup."
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRmKKriyFy
Jason bursts out laughing at that answer.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i1iJaxOcB
The chaos continues—Jason tries to sneak-feed Emily "forbidden knowledge" about tax fraud, gets caught again and sentenced to another round in the Sad Corner.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡip214WnR9v
Meanwhile, A and K actually turn out to be amazing babysitters.
9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwqYdXWvQ7
The afternoon passes in a weird bubble of peace, laughter, and the tiny sound of Emily’s happy humming.
ns13.59.0.231da2
