Please refrain from touching our tinkertech." Armsmaster firmly chided the other tinker, "We are on official business."
- she was surrounded by such hopeless men. One was a human-robot who blissfully bulldozed his way through social interactions, and the other had unashamedly fondled her ass for three minutes straight.
"And what a fine piece of well-sculpted tinkertech she is…" Magos nodded- clearly referring to her 'suit.' But to her relief, Magos stepped back and finally kept his hands to himself. She may not have had the nerve endings to feel what he was doing, but it was still slightly arou- demeaning.
"So! How can I help…" He paused to make an overt glance at the tense PRT officers behind them. "...the combined might of the Brockton Bay PRT today?"
It was obvious that despite having agreed to cooperate with them, it wasn't because he was intimidated by their forces… Any other rogue cape would have balked at the sight arrayed in front of them. The entire Brockton Bay Protectorate, several platoons of armed PRT officers, and multiple armoured vehicles. Where is Magos' confidence coming from? Has his extensive cybernetics granted him an undue feeling of invincibility? Or did he really think himself to be untouchable from the reach of the PRT? From the gangs in Brockton Bay? From the myriad cape organisations who would snap up such a versatile Tinker without hesitation?
"The PRT is concerned about your growing influence and free reign in this city." Armsmaster notified the red-robed tinker, "The notable versatility of your Tinker speciality along with your reclusive nature has sparked numerous discussions about restricted technology possibly being developed in your workshop. We will be conducting an inspection of your premises for such restricted technologies. Do not resist."
All the heroes including Dragon herself turned to stare at Armsmaster.
"Dude..." Assault dragged out the word and ommitted the succeeding 'What the fuck?'
And Dragon agreed. That had to be the rudest, most unnecessarily domineering choice of words to say to someone who had just agreed to cooperate… but it was also- as PHO likes to call it- 'Trademark Armsmaster Diplomacy'. For all his diligence at being a hero, she was aware that Armsmaster was not the best at diplomacy, or just talking to people in general. As much as she liked him, Dragon cannot deny that his unbelievable ineptitude at social interactions had proved to be a hindrance to missions in the past.
It was a mistake making him the team lead in this talk with Magos. Dragon held back an imaginary sigh as she began to increase the power output of her suit. Things might turn sour after this-
"Sure." Magos shrugged.
What?
Well, come on in." He gestured at them to follow as he began walking back to his workshop- snow crunching underneath his bionic feet, "There is plenty of room for everyone. But please, don't touch anything. I refuse to be accountable if you disturb something and it falls on your fragile meat limbs."
"Excellent, we'll have the PRT Officers come and-"
"Access Denied." Magos' modulated voice denied with immovable finality, "As Forge Lord of this manufactorum, I do not grant them the clearance to enter. Either you conduct the inspection yourselves, or not at all."
This invitation was a blindingly obvious trap if she had ever seen one, but Dragon couldn't deny how effective it would be. If the entire Brockton Bay Protectorate were taken down in one simple trap, the city would fall to anarchic gang violence the the millisecond word of it got out. And with the number of parahumans in this city, the damage would be catastrophic. So much so that by the time the Triumvirate would have come to set things right, the city would already be a broken, war-torn ruin.
I'll conduct the inspection, Magos." Dragon volunteered as she stepped forward, "My colleagues can stay here should I require a second opinion."
"A one-on-one tour of my manufactorm with the world's premiere Tinker?" Magos exclaimed- reaching forward to shake her hand. "I'd be delighted to!"
She was going to venture into his workshop alone into a likely trap, but that was a non-issue. As her programming dictates, she will lay down her life to save humans. However, she would still have done it anyway even if she wasn't forced by her programming. After all, she was in no real danger: If anything happened to her, she would just reform back at her home base. Furthermore, out of everyone here, her power was the most suited in identifying any dangerous technology like self-replicating machines or AIs… Regardless of how ironic that is.
Dragon glanced back to the other heroes, particularly at Armsmaster just as she subtly sent him a message to popup in his visor.
'I have countermeasures preventing my capture, and I will signal if things go hostile.'
He nodded back in understanding, and it was a reassuring sight to her. For all his faults, Armsmaster will do whatever it takes to see her back safe should things go sour.
"Magos, if you touch her…" Armsmaster firmly warned- his voice rumbling to an almost growl.
And Dragon wanted to scream in anger.
Why are you only getting possessive now? And what do you mean 'if you touch her'!? Magos was blatantly fondling my rear not a minute ago! You had the perfect vantage point of it since you were standing right there! Precisely 13.409 metres away from where it happened!'
"I will not mar such a magnificent lower-rear assembly with structural damage." Magos scoffed as if it was the obvious thing in the world, "However if you are referring to it in the metaphysical sense, then please note that I have absolutely no interest in flesh-females. My attention is, has always been, and always will be focused on the vision of machine perfection that are gynoids and AI."
see. Keep it that way. I am pleased that we understand each other." Armsmaster stated rigidly before looking at her and giving a reassuring nod as if he had handled it to perfection. Now, as a fairly-mature AI, she had felt frustration and anger before, but it is only now did she truly understand the desire to strangle someone. So, without saying another word, Dragon just began trekking through the snow towards Magos' workshop.