Space Station named Defiant

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The two shuttles both grabbed the rogue shuttle in their tractor beams and together towed her back to the shuttle bay where more security officers were ready and waiting to question her.

Armin bowed his head politely. "I shall be in contact, I really need to get these signs printed. Take care of yourselves, I look forward to seeing you all again soon." He bowed his head one more time and scurried off to do what he'd come out to do.

"Well, then I guess we can be on our way." John smiled beneath the mask again.

"We do still have to get our groceries" Shane reminded Asher "If you want to put the info on my tablet then I can find Matt while you get John settled?"

"I think Kay was planning to find Matt and handle the shopping, so be sure to contract him before you buy anything," Asher said, smiling. He took out his own tablet and sent over the shopping list.

John had the patience to wait on their decisions on what to do, siffling a bit due to the illness.

As if on cue, Kay arrived with Matt and Third in tow.

"hey guys!" matt waved. "Sorry, we totally got distracted by ice skating, which was awesome by the way."

Kay gave John a wide berth, nodding his head by way of greeting.

John nodded back in silence, assuming this was the man that had the immune deficiency. Third seemed to be musing.

[Figured I should return to you the pack mule.] Kay smirked at Matt who just shrugged and laughed.

"Yep, one pack mule at your service!" He bowed ridiculously then noticed John and grinned at him. "Oh you're the guy who got arrested with us all right? You knocked the crap outta that guy" He chuckled. "that was awesome." He frowned. "You don't look so good, you okay? is he okay?" He looked to Asher.

"Just a flu." John muttered, chuckling a bit at Matt's bubbly nature.

"He's pretty sick and I plan to examine his condition better once we're on Vestia, but I think he'll be okay," Asher said. He looked at Kay apologetically.

[He's coming with us?] Kay asked, great... good thing it was a big ship.

"Hey you're gonna be joining us? awesome. " Matt grinned. "The more the merrier. What do you do?"

Shane went over to Kay and Matt PYeah, Asher is going to get him settled while we shop. Still gotta get those pictures for Ellie you know"

"I'll look after him until he's recovered," Asher said reassuringly to Kay.

Kay nodded, looking grateful.

Matt grinned. "Awesome, let's do this! You coming with us Kay?"

Kay shrugged, may as well if Asher was going to escort the sick person. [Sure, let's go get restocked and get back to the ship before anyone else gets arrested.] He smiled softly.

"Why aren't you mad?" Matt demanded.

Kay shrugged again [This time you were in the right, though treasure this moment, I doubt it'll happen again.]

Shane grinned and nodded "Yeah let's get our supplies."

Kay nodded and waved farewell to Asher and John and headed off to go get their supplies then. Matt followed along.

Shane followed them, playing with his tablet and watching the video from earlier.

Kay busied himself with their shopping list.

Matt hung back a little and looked to Shane. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Shane nodded and looked at Matt "Yeah, I guess so."

Matt frowned. "what's up?" he glanced at the screen. "you worried about the androids?"

Yeah, I wish we could help them more." Shane said then sighed "Or at least free her."

Matt patted Shane's shoulder. "I know, it sucks they get treated so badly. " He shook his head.

Kay glanced back. [They're safer if the terrans don't think they're a threat right now. Until they have protection and rights, freeing them will only endanger them and we can't just adopt every android we meet, no matter how much we want to.]

"Why not? Vestia's huge, we could have a whole damn colony!" Matt declared.

Kay smiled sadly. [I don't want to see them hurt any more than you do, but there's still so many who regard them as objects, not people. If they rise up, they'll be slaughtered well before they can achieve anything. What the terrans have done and continue to do is horrendous, but we have to be careful how we handle all of this. They will be free, but they need to be safe as well. Until they have recognition as people and not malfunctioning machines, the best we can hope for is to play on their material value. ]

"how can they delude themselves that much?" Matt shook his head.

[You once did. I have no doubt those who spend an extended time with them are well aware of their sapience, or at the very least will be unsurprised by it. But for those who have only encountered them in passing? As subservient docile workers? It took speaking to Asher privately to convince you that he was more than a machine, and others will see that... some day. At this juncture, letting it be known the laws can be removed, that the androids can have complete free will, will only put them in danger and result in recalls and stricter harder to crack laws. we could, in trying to help, make their chains even harder to break.]

Matt lowered his head. "I hope she's okay... "

[she has her brothers and sisters here, they'll do what they can. I have faith in that. ] Having seen James and Asher's relationship and how they spoke of their sisters, he got the impression androids always looked out for one another. They were family, that female would just okay. He had to believe that she'd be okay.

Shane sighed quietly then looked away "Yeaeh, I guess so. I don't like leaving her here though."

[She isn't alone, this station has countless androids... and the engineers look after them apparently. Like it or not, she's probably safer here than with us. ]

"That giant spider lady was right, this place is so corrupt. " Matt shook his head. "I can't wait to get out of here."

Shane sighed then shook his head "I know."

"Let's get this stuff and get back to the ship. I totally promised Stellan a drink anyway." Matt sighed.

Kay nodded. [Try not to get him too drunk]

"aww but I really wanna see what he's like drunk!"

Kay shot him a stern look.

Matt nodded. "I'll be careful."

They'd get their shopping, which Matt would dutifully disappear into pocketspace.

Shane would take the pictures as he had promised Ellie, then would follow them back to the shuttle to return to Vestia