Page 71 of Guiding Reason
Shoda appeared in front of him and waved his finger to create a disc of ice.
“Use this, Taros. Can someone get Hyran there a patch for his lip?”
A smaller Guardian hopped up onto Hyran’s platform, medical kit in hand.
“How about now? To go out, see if we can get you to meet Designer Ogono Kashana?”
I hate him. I want to hate him so much.“Sure. That would be nice. You call me needle head ever again, I’ll cut off your hair while you sleep.”
Hyran chuckled, then flinched when the Guardian put the patch on his split lip.
“Taros?”
“Huh?”
“I’m not a thief. Col still belongs to himself. I’ll kill whoever wants to change that.”
Taros didn’t respond, but they looked at each other for a long time, so long that Taros had to sporadically remind himself how very much he hated that Guardian. That Guardian who loved Col. Had just promised to kill for Col. The hate was a difficult notion to hang on to, but Taros decided he was determined.
25
COLDIS
Butler Bot 35: Hello Boop-Beep! I have been hosting your Conduit Coldis and his team for a little while now and would like to inquire about additional information, if this is acceptable.
Boop-Beep: Hello! I am missing Coldis. I hope he is in capable hands with you! As a butler bot, you must know a lot about healthy, balanced meals!
Please ask. I will answer if I can.
Butler Bot 35: I have always enjoyed nutrition in particular. It’s important for a butler bot here in the Champions’ Tower. For example, I will always add a little narras powder to almost anything I serve a Conduit, unless they order something plain or something that would give the taste away.
I wanted to ask about personal space, especially as far as Guardian Vin is concerned. This question is sparked by the following event.
One morning, Guardian Vin and I were alone as the others were out or asleep. He stared at me for six minutes and seventeen seconds after I asked if I could bring him anything for breakfast. (I would normally have a breakfast with several options ready and laid out on the table, but the team asked that I not do that. I have since taken to serving them individually.)
Then Guardian Vin said he wanted layer cake or fruit. Those are two very different choices! But I had both, the layer cake specifically because Guardian Senlas and Conduit Orrey have mentioned it in conversation thirteen times since arriving here. So I served both. When I put the meal down in front of Guardian Vin, he still just stared. I retreated into the kitchen. I am not sure what I did wrong, Boop-Beep.
Boop-Beep: Usually, when other bots think to contact me about this, they report how Guardian Vin indirectly threatened them. At the shooting range, he will say things that can well be interpreted as a desire to shoot the bots rather than the targets.
Butler Bot 35: Has he ever shot a bot?
Boop-Beep: Guardian Vin isn’t technically a shooter. Weapons malfunction when he handles them. He simply insists on handling them.
Butler Bot 35: Does that mean he shot a bot before? Or not?
Boop-Beep: I don’t want to gossip. But after what happened to you, you should know. There are rumors that he did.
It happened back when he was still a student—I had not been activated then, so I have no direct observational data. It is said that like all young Guardians, he went to the G&C shooting range to see if he was going to be a shooter or if he caused malfunctions like so many Guardians do.
The narrative is that he was handed a gun and given instructions like all the others. He was taken into a shooting booth to fire round after round so the bot evaluating would have a good sample to go on.
The bot knew quickly that Guardian Vin was not a shooter. His gun malfunctioned multiple times. The shots didn’t fire as they should. But Guardian Vin looked at the bot—I think the way he looked at you, Butler Bot 35. He was calm, and he said, “All my family are shooters because they are all Conduits. I’ll be a shooter as well.”
The bot tried reasoning and explained the data. Guardian Vin didn’t want to understand. He called the bot a “Hound-tainted abomination” and worse, but the bot knew this was a young Guardian, and it was patient.
Shut up or I’ll shoot you, that’s what the chatter says Guardian Vin told the bot.
The bot had a responsibility. It tried explaining again. But Guardian Vin doesn’t break his promises. Coldis always says so. The chatter says he shot that bot, just shot it. Not to spread gossip, but that is the story I heard.
