Week 62, end of week: Cybernetics 102

"Never been in space for pleasure, before. Might be nice with a view, actual bed..." Hugo sighed, but it wasn't exactly wistful. He seemed a little wounded. "I dunno, I just spent a week being in nice beds with good views. I don't.. know if I'm feeling it any more. Might be nice to rough it for a while." He sounded.. weird, voice shifting a little awkwardly as he spoke.

Coraline raised her eyebrows as she looked up at her friend. Well now, that tells me something else about you. "Mmm there is something to be said for roughing it, but I've yet to get a new bed in Phoenix so I've had the opposite. Plus, never been to space before at all on my end. At any rate we've a while yet before then, maybe you'll be feeling it again by then." The plague doctor carefully unhooked each of the wires that lead to the core. Coraline removed each set with practiced ease and began unscrewing the bolts which held the core secure. She kept her eyes on her work as she waited for Hugo's response.

"Maybe," was Hugo's vague sort of reply, with a little added shrug. He didn't want to talk about it. His massive, rough hands helped Coraline disassemble the robot, and he watched her move, keeping himself quiet.

Coraline was ignorant of Hugo's observation as she prized the core up and out. She held it up and twirled it around in her hands examining the thing. Undamaged, the faint smugness in her grin died as looked at her friend, If only it were so simple with people. "Not much left now, just a basic dismantle and then pack it all away. Anyone else Hugo, anyone else I'd ask them not to be too hard on themselves." The plague doctor put the core away and searched for something else to say.

"Why, think I deserve it?" Sullenly, the huge agent watched her put the core away after so happily presenting it. He didn't add anything else, but began to pull a few supporting wires out of the way.

The plague doctor looked utterly taken aback and hurt, almost like a child. "No, sweetie and I have to say... that I think you are projecting to think that of me. After all you have not said one single thing to me yet that could make me think that of you, much less why Silvia forgetting has hurt you so. Considering I may well be at least partly to blame, you have also been remarkably unwilling to accuse or apportion blame to me. For you to lash out like that now, I do want to know why, Hugo. And no honey, I don't think you deserve it. I just think you can take anything you would do to yourself. Thought." Coraline didn't return to her work, instead titling her head and wincing in anticipation.

Hugo didn't raise his head to make eye contact, but instead continued delicately moving wires with practiced gentleness. He licked his lips before speaking, and his voice was barely above a mumble. "I wasn't lashing out at you, encantadora. And I don't think you're to blame. I've taken a lot more while being a lot less augmented. And small as she is, Silvia is.. tougher than me. Better, with.. less. Maybe she doesn't want to remember. I don't know." He shrugged, feeling heavy. "I don't know."

The little cyberneticist looked down, back at the fruits of their work. One 3/4's dismantled battle droid. She held one of her hands in the other briefly before getting back to work. Coraline kept her eyes down as she spoke."I'm sorry sweetie. I didn't.... realise. Whatever else you do, need to do, you should find out why. It is doing this to you so, I think you need to. And if I can help in any way, just say okay? Okay?" The plague doctor knelt and although she wasn't now much closer to the ground now than before, the mule tech was withing reach. Coraline began to put components into pockets and wrap others in bags.

"...Okay. I already did what I needed to do. But.. thanks." He sighed, moving to help her with her various bags and pieces. He didn't seem to need to add much more, rolling a shoulder back. Coraline was so nice, but there was nothing she could do to help now.