Work Text:
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The android begins to stir when Chikage is done strapping it upright to a pipe in his hideout. Having made some space between the numerous computers, the android's hunching body is reflected on the shiny surface of a central unit, its feet tangled in the mass of cables on the ground. Dazed, it lifts its head, probably trying to identify its surroundings and geolocalize the place it's been dragged to. Chikage chuckles: his hideout is virtually unidentifiable. Try as it may, the android won't be able to contact anyone or be tracked by any means. Chikage keeps himself out of the droid's sight, delighting in seeing the human looking machine slowly realize the situation. It's not everyday the computer you try to hack is sentient.
Sensing Chikage's presence behind him, it speaks, "You captured and immobilized royal robotic property. This is a direct violation of planetary laws. This act will lead to your immediate condamnation under law M.4.14 of the…”
“Yes, yes,” Chikage interrupts the legal enumeration, “I know the law, you can shut your pretty voice box, droid. By the time I'm done with you, you won't remember what happened anyway. Good luck tracing anything back to me."
The android tries to find Chikage's eyes in the reflective hull facing it. The bespectacled hacker just gives it a smile in return, before turning back to his desk.
"I won't keep you long. I just need a little something that you've hidden on your memory chip," the droid visibly stiffens at this, interestingly. "But don't worry, I won't mess with anything else, I'm not a monster. The quickest you let me access it, the easiest it will be, for both of us.”
“This is classified information you are trying to obtain. I am under obligation to deny access.”
“I know that, and it's a shame. Well, for you at least. I was looking for a challenge, these days."
Chikage finishes typing something on his desktop monitor. He turns back to the android and circles around to its front. "So...let's see what we're working with..."
The android stays silent, averting its green eyes from inquisitive blue-gray ones.
Chikage grabs the android’s chin between his fingers, and tilts its head. The hacker inspects its skin, looking for anything betraying the presence of a hatch or port. He then undoes the floral clasp and buttons on the android's jacket, noting the fine craftsmanship and the gem's quality.
"Nothing less for the crown prince, huh..." muses the hacker under his breath. The green jacket falls open, revealing the android's chest.
"If I didn't know you were a machine, I wouldn't guess by seeing this! You look just like the real thing...you're a custom model, right? I can't see any serial numbers here..."
Still no response. "Tell me what they call you, at least...after all, we're going to get quite intimate, you and I."
"....Guy."
"Guy?" Chikage smiles. "Well, nice to meet you, Guy. You can call me April."
"Just know that this information will be sent to authorities…as soon as possible."
Chikage chuckles, "Like I said, you won't remember it when that time comes."
Chikage trails his palms around "Guy's" chest, gliding his fingers over anything that could hide a button or sliding panel. The android shivers with the touch.
"They built skin sensitivity into you? That's funny, you don't look like a bedroom droid though."
"It helps...with micro adjustments in combat...or protection," the android suggests between clenched teeth.
"Heh...they royal engineers are as weird as our prince."
"Insulting the prince will only add to your charges."
The hacker hums, not deterred by the threat. On the contrary, he finds it quite charming, like flirty banter. He raises his eyes to study the android's reactions, while he circles his arms around its middle. Both palms feel along the android's back, sensing the minute trembles of inorganic muscles and tendons under its smooth silicone skin. Fingers brush on every nub of its spine, playfully pushing them like buttons. The android keeps its gaze to the ceiling. Its carefully crafted impassible expression barely twitches with each prod of the hacker’s fingers, but nothing betrays where the android’s opening latch might be. Even if this is a custom model, it must have an easy access somewhere…
As Chikage reaches the top of the android’s trousers and slides his finger under the waistband, it shudders, and a hiss escapes its mouth.
“No way, did that turn you on?” Chikage asks, laughing from his own joke. His finger dips a little deeper into the skin. A series of clicks and whirrs make them both look down, the android’s chest slowly opening along a seam in the middle “...are you kidding me.”
The silicone skin ripples and retracts, and damassed golden metallic ribs slide back to leave access to a net of cords, connectors, supports, from which a glowing green core encased in fractal filigree shines through. Guy finally displays a distressed expression. Chikage can’t help but let out a low whistle.
“You’re…beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like you,” he murmurs as his fingers graze the android’s core. It vibrates, like a purr, and Chikage can feel a prickly sensation in his fingertips. Guy’s core and eyes glow in rhythm with his finger’s strokes.
Chikage focuses again, and muses “This kind of human-like architecture…Your memory won’t be held in your chest, I guess?”
“I could answer, but it would go against my programming.” retorts the android, trying to sound unimpressed.
“Is it your way of being sarcastic? I think I like you more and more. Anyways,” Chikage takes a step back to better appraise the situation, “I have yet to see a program that resists me.”
With this, he begins to delicately pull at the dense web of cables, looking for a port. Grabbing a cord from his desk, he plugs it in the spinal cord access. The android lets out a moan.
“Sorry, I should have warned you. This is just to re-route your systems and see what I'm working with. I'll try to be gentle." The gray cord looks out of place inside the gilded chest encased in the core’s green glow. His finger linger at the junction between the two systems, where they are now intimately linked.
Chikage pulls a mounted monitor closer, and looks at the map of Guy’s systems slowly appearing on the screen. Everytime an error stops the progression, he quickly types on the tactile screen until it is solved. Everytime, Guy’s eyes flit and glitch, betraying their nature as screens.
Finally, the little loading bar under the program's window reaches 100%. Guy's head hangs down, eyes hazy, its chest heaving even though it takes no breaths in.
"Calm down, Guy, we're not even finished." Chikage gently pats the android's cheek with an out of place tenderness. "You're doing great, opening up like this for me," he breathes.
His hand slides from the android cheek back to the cavern of his chest, double checking the projection inside of his glasses before he unplugs a bright green wire, then a teal one. Guy groans, its voice taking an electronic quality.
Chikage grins at the sound, feeling the android on the cusp of breaking. “This might feel a bit weird,” he warns.
He connects the two wires together, and Guy's whole body shudders, letting out a drawn out moan. Its eyes display an error message running across in bright green letters, the irises behind completely engulfed in black.
Having successfully short-circuited the android, Chikage knows he’s close to his goal.
"Come on Guy, just a little more, let me in.”
Chikage reaches blindly towards the touchscreen with one hand, the other still stroking the connected wires. He taps the keys as if by heart, the restricted retransmission on his glasses enough for him to crack Guy’s code. His eyes can’t leave the android’s face, contorting under the assault to his innermost workings.
“Let yourself go, don’t resist, Guy. We’re nearly there…!”
In a final, warbled, metallic cry, the android’s cybernetic defenses crack, its back arching and mouth agape, before collapsing. Chikage’s monitor and glasses flashing with the success of the breach. He lets out a long exhale. Inputting one last command for the memory access panel to open, he turns back to the hunched android.
Two of the hacker's fingers manage to slide under the synthetic skin of the android's nape and force the little hatch open. It splits open, exposing the final barrier to reach its memory. Chikage carefully lifts and strokes the android’s brown hair out of the way with one hand, and with the other plugs a small drive in the port nestled here, transferring the android’s memory on it.
Head nestled in the crook of the android’s shoulder, he murmurs in its ear “Thank you, it was beautiful, seeing you crack.” Guy doesn’t move, its eyes dull black pools.
The drive’s LED flashes, signaling the end of the transfer. He should have everything he needs, and the hacker’s own program should have wiped the last hours from Guy’s memory. Chikage plugs the drive out, and closes the hatch in a caress.
“Let’s do this again, shall we?”
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