Coalescence

in front of a world just waiting to pour their accolades on top of you. And now I’m back,
standing here and ready to make all of your dreams come true.”
Emulator stiffened her lip and continued. “If you of all Cybertronians turn that down,
I’m going to start getting suspicious. Suspicious that these other cyborgs I’ve seen running
around are your handiwork as well, and you made them as my replacements. So
you’d be to blame for all of the crimes that they’ve committed. And, more personally, the
thrashing they gave me. You don’t want me to blame you for that, I’m itching for some
pay-back.”
“Ah-ha ha-ha ah-ha ha ha,” Jetstorm arched back and burst into laughter. His bait had
worked… All it took was a little cooperation with Side Burn, although that thought still
made him queasy. “Aw my bitty botty Betty has grown herself a backbone. I didn’t need
to jab a carbon fiber one up her spine after all.”
“Bite me.”
“I don’t have a mouth.” Jetstorm converted his thrusters and jet fins into rudimentary,
blocky legs so that he could land in front of Emulator. He then stretched out an arm and
padded a small surgical bed with his right claw hand. “Now, hop on up and we’ll get
started.”
Emulator sat softly on the bed and reluctantly leaned back. She pursed her lips and
through gritted teeth asked, “How far can we go?’
“Ms. Beller, we can make you as powerful as you want. And even more powerful. We
can make sure that those little thieves that you’ve concerned yourself about don’t ever
get away from you again.”
Setting her jaw, she furtively replied, “I’m not Ms. Beller anymore, I’m ‘Emulator’ and
only that. If you want to take the rest of my human body, to make me fully robotic, go
right ahead. That will prove who I really am now, once and for all.”
“Oh then let’s pull up the drafting table. NAVI…” A computer monitor hovered towards
his voice, Jetstorm yanked it close. On the screen, a blank wire frame waited to be manipulated.
“…We’ve got a whole new body to design!”
Emulator watched Jetstorm construct a render of what she would soon be, while Sephie
Beller fought back her tears.
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