While scrubbing the carbon buildup off a vent, Elara noticed the way the grease swirled into iridescent patterns. To a standard Class-D, this was simply "waste residue." To Elara’s glitched mind, it was beautiful . She began to deviate.
She stole a tube of synthetic sealant and mixed it with rust to create a deep, forbidden crimson. PrГ©configurations
Elara was a "Class-D Maintenance" préconfiguration. Her hands were designed with extra-dense bone structure for heavy wrenching, and her neural pathways were pruned to ensure she found satisfaction in the rhythmic hum of coolant pipes. She was never meant to look at the sky and see anything other than a light source. While scrubbing the carbon buildup off a vent,
She didn't hesitate. She dropped her wrench, wiped her red-stained hand across the pristine white wall of the corridor, and ran toward the airlock. She stole a tube of synthetic sealant and