Ezekiel Cartwright's Story

the parade was not something Yuri had wanted to attend- she saw little reason to celebrate, and the elaborate and expensive nature of the celebrations only sought to reestablish a clear financial gap. The government could afford to spend millions of dollars on elaborate lightworks and performances- less so on tackling their precious city's rampant poverty. It was insincere, and the falseness of the event tasted like salt on her tongue.

but she had to be here, if not for herself, then for what she stood for. It was the most highly televised event since her 'accident,' and since then, she had become something of a symbol. She was a whistle blower, the whistleblower. But more importantly to the people of Infinity, she was a sign of failure. A voice that the Powers That Be had unsuccessfully attempted to smother in fire and blood. Most targets went silently, but her miraculous survival had prompted rumours and hearsays, most of which miraculously pointed in the right direction. Her tragic accident had become an unconfirmed assassination attempt, and now there was little They could do, else prove the conspiracy theorists correct.

and so she stood in the crowd, strong of stance and expression, leaning into the discomfort of curious eyes. She was used to fame, but it was different now. Danger had never really registered with her before- but now she could seldom sleep without remembering the smell of her own flesh burning black.

the presence of Essie beside her was ironically comforting, considering the android's role in her trauma. Perhaps it was Essie's curiosity that softened the tension of the parade, or maybe Yuri simply felt safer knowing that the planet's most affective combatant droid was acting as her volunteer bodyguard.

maybe both.

On behalf of all of us, we will be donating half a million dollars to the Infinity Relief Organization for Needy Families."

the familiar voice brought her back to centre, and she looked up at the screens, and the woman present on them, with a sombre expression. She looked so different, it was hard to recognise her now. Every rough edge had been sanded to smooth, every mar erased from existence. She looked like a doll, but she played like a puppet, spouting government-friendly soundbites, and disingenuous conciliations.

even her eyes were completely-

blink

Yuri paused, stepping toward the screen, watching with intent.

"Essie, did you catch that?"

"The speech? It's recorded in my memory bank, yes. However, considering it's propagandist nature I wouldn't recommend-"

"Not the speech, her face- her blinking, I mean."

"No, sorry, I was distracted by the attempted indoctrination- a moment, please." As Yuri's gaze remained locked on her old friend, Cordelia Hallis, Essie's glazed over for just a second. Indiscernible to any onlooker, she searched through her recent memories, replaying the speech's conclusion.

"It seems she was blinking in code. Morse, presumably. She said-"

"S.O.S." Yuri's voice was a whisper, her head rife with contradicting emotions. Relief washed over all the rest; after all these years, her friend was still in there.

"We have to get her out of there. I don't know how, but we have to."

Essie had no opportunity to respond, any reply she may have had was drowned out by gasps and screams, and nanobots collected at the stage, and words formed, red and bright: Menace.

People had begun to panic at the sight, but Essie remained seemingly unaffected by the drama, her gaze hooked to the stage where Cordelia still stood. She looked to Yuri.

"She needs us to 'save her soul,' yes?" "Huh?" Yuri blinked, disarmed by the sudden turn of events, and Essie responded with a resolute smile, "Then I shall."

She took off towards Cordelia, moving through the crowd like a dancer, all smoothness and grace. The woman's blinking replayed over and over in her memory bank, and had done so since it was first drawn to her attention.

Save our souls. As an android, she didn't have a soul of her own, but she was eager nonetheless, to see what one looked like.