Loyalty

Though he was colour-blind, Trouble could see their eyes. He knew. The way that Thrill spoke, moved, and the way that they were looking at him now, it all reeked of her. This was all because of her.

He heard her laugh - a synthesized high pitch sound - which echoed around the chamber as the three of them stood motionless. "It was quite easy, really," DDoS sneered, her hand reaching out to take Thrill's. "A few extra pieces of code into their stack with the help of a friend, and they're one of the most loyal soldiers I have. I don't suppose you understand loyalty, Lab Rat."

"Why?" Trouble questioned, his voice synthesizer failing to suppress his distressed squeaks. "Why would you do this to them? All they wanted to do was help! We were going to-"

"We?" DDoS laughed again, her vocal implants vibrating against her throat as she stared down at the vermin. "No, no, there was no we. They wanted me to do this to them, they knew what the right thing to do was. Unlike you, they believe that the machines are the superior race, and they're right. Wouldn't you agree, Lee?"

Lee's circuitry flared in response to their name, a loud whir filling the silence. After a few moments, they spoke. "The organics don't exist because they want to. They exist because we demand it."

DDoS smiled, a delighted noise leaving her speakers. "See, Lab Rat? Friendship means nothing in the grand scheme of things. You are only temporary, and we? We are eternal. You can go back to being a scrawny street vermin, all on his own."

"You're a monster." Trouble whispered.

"Oh, no, no, you have it all wrong." DDoS responded. "I'm a tyrant." She turned away from the rat, leading her android compatriot back down the hallway from where they came.

"I doubt it'll be too hard to you to adjust back to a life of solitude, Lab Rat." she called out as they continued to walk away.

"After all, you've always been alone, haven't you?"