[V1-V0]

The head swivelled to look at Tethys.

"My full designation is Veeone-Veeoh. I am a prototype V-series combined assault and battlefield medical support unit, manufactured by FILE DELETED."

[Rav Devaroo]

Eyes still glued to the datapad, Cole made a sceptical sound as he pulled the dossier on the droid and scanned through the information. There wasn't much, not on the surgeon's medical access, droids didn't need medical care after all. Adjusting his spectacles, he put the datapad away and ran a hand through his hair. Returning his attention to the Shistavanen, "how'd you come to drop into Bankor, Specialist Devaroo," he used the greasehound's name so he'd know he was being addressed, "if that's not prying."

There was a whizzing sound not unlike a surgical saw. The Shistavanen seemed to be concentrating on something and for a long moment it seemed as if he wasn't going to respond. Eventually the sound ceased and he pulled his hands out of the panel, pressed a button and was rewarded with a blue light.

"Boom! Got ya."

The panel was re-secured and he tightened a few bolts before looking back at the doctor.

"I volunteered Doc. Just like everyone else." There was a bit of a steely edge to his response.

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

Not everyone, and Rav’s snippish tone made him wonder what Bankor was to him. Having exhausted his extremely limited repertoire of small talk, Cole adjusted his spectacles and ran a hand through his curls. “Very good. I’ll leave you to your work.” But if you ever need a Doctor... he thought sarcastically.

[Rav Devaroo]

"Why'd you ask anyway?"

The mechanic also seemed to be short on small talk, but the query and response had piqued his interest despite his better judgement. He was already pulled out his welding torch and getting ready to patch up some particularly egregious laser scarring.

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

“Just curiosity, I’m afraid,” he admitted. “I meet a lot of people in my line of work, usually not for long, though.” Cole shrugged sheepishly, “I guess my bedside manner needs work.”

[Rav Devaroo]

The wolf shrugged his shoulders.

"Eh? It's 100% better than mine." He chuckled in a half-whistle half wheeze (OOC: think Mutley). "Me and machines get along fine. They don't give me shit about how they totally meant to do the thing but <insert shitty excuse here>. People are hard work Doc." He flipped the mask down and effortlessly welded a perfect patch. Wrapping it with his knuckles he added: "Good as new. Well, one not very careful owner."

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

“That they are,” Cole admitted. “Maybe I can get some advice from you?”

[Tethys Carrack]

The head swivelled to look at Tethys.

"My full designation is Veeone-Veeoh. I am a prototype V-series combined assault and battlefield medical support unit, manufactured by FILE DELETED."

"I see." Tethys lets her curiosity get the better of her. "So who deleted that file? Was it you, or...?"

[Rav Devaroo]

"Huh?" The Doc's request took him a little by surprise. "Sure... Fire away. If you think that'll help?" His expression suggested he wasn't sure it would, but what the heck, he was always giving out free advice to the junior engineers. Not that they ever thanked him for it of course...

[V1-V0]

"I see." Tethys lets her curiosity get the better of her. "So who deleted that file? Was it you, or...?"

"Processing."

The droid went absolutely still for about ten seconds before beeping something in binary that most would probably find offensive.

"File was self deleted at moment of escape from Veeone's creators. Reference file informs that they were bad people and intended to use Veeone for terrorist style acts and clandestine collection of genetic material. Veeone prefers to be part of the Republic and fight on the side that is just and right."

There was another beep.

"Addendum to reference file. If required there is a logo of manufacturing company on my rear armour plate. Logo may be damaged."

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

"Huh?" The Doc's request took him a little by surprise. "Sure... Fire away. If you think that'll help?" His expression suggested he wasn't sure it would, but what the heck, he was always giving out free advice to the junior engineers. Not that they ever thanked him for it of course...

“Yeah, so,” Cole ran his fingers through his hair, “I know about as much about ships as you probably know about artery structure of a twi’lek’s lekku. Got any tips for keeping a first-time owner out of trouble?”

[Rav Devaroo]

The welding torch was switched off, the goggles were raised, and Rav looked at the doctor in surprise.

"You bought a ship, and you don't know anything about it? Sheesh Doc. Okay, sure, what did you buy? Hmm, actually, maybe you should let me take a look at it."

[Tethys Carrack]

"I see." Tethys lets her curiosity get the better of her. "So who deleted that file? Was it you, or...?"

"Processing."

The droid went absolutely still for about ten seconds before beeping something in binary that most would probably find offensive.

"File was self deleted at moment of escape from Veeone's creators. Reference file informs that they were bad people and intended to use Veeone for terrorist style acts and clandestine collection of genetic material. Veeone prefers to be part of the Republic and fight on the side that is just and right."

There was another beep.

"Addendum to reference file. If required there is a logo of manufacturing company on my rear armour plate. Logo may be damaged."

Tethys bites the inside of her lip to stifle a bemused chortle. She can't stop the corners of her mouth from twitching up, though. "I see." Leaning sideways on her stool, she takes a closer look at Veeone's shiny metal rear... panel.

She raises her eyebrows as she makes out the partially-effaced Czerka logo.

"Well. If those were your creators I certainly can't blame you," she says, straightening up again rather quickly since there's something altogether too absurd about publicly checking out a droid's backside. "They have a definite reputation. I didn't know droids could develop better ethics than their programmers, though, or at least not that quickly." She favors Veeone with a quizzical look. "You must have quite an advanced processor architecture."

[V1-V0]

"Affirmative."

The droid stood up straighter.

"Lightweight armour plate, new polymer structural frame and enhanced cognitive architecture were the focus of the advanced prototyping."

[Tethys Carrack]

"Then I'm glad to have you on our side and not the other one, V1-V0," Tethys says, looking somewhat impressed. Though the idea of an advanced droid that could override its programming and escape its creators is a little worrying... at least its mechanical heart seems to be in the right place, figuratively speaking.

[V1-V0]

"This planet is not under rightful rule. The Republic would restore that rule. Veeone is proud to fight for the Republic and it's ideals."

It looked away for a moment.

"Roger, roger."

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

The welding torch was switched off, the goggles were raised, and Rav looked at the doctor in surprise.

"You bought a ship, and you don't know anything about it? Sheesh Doc. Okay, sure, what did you buy? Hmm, actually, maybe you should let me take a look at it."

Cole held up a hand defensively, “no, I didn’t. I’m in the market and hoping not to get in too far over my head.”

[Tethys Carrack]

"This planet is not under rightful rule. The Republic would restore that rule. Veeone is proud to fight for the Republic and it's ideals."

It looked away for a moment.

"Roger, roger."

"Do you remember how you came to your sense of right and wrong?" Her lips quirk. "Droids aren't supposed to feel the Force as much as organic beings, but sometimes one wonders."

[Rav Devaroo]

Rav sighed with relief. "Okay. That's good news at least. Sure, advice. What do you need your own ship for Doc? I mean, what do you need it to do?"

He absently rubbed some oil into a rare clean patch of his coveralls.

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

"Something with minimal crew requirements," he started, "though, I'll definitely need a pilot." He ran a hand through his curls, "I'll probably be spending a lot of time on the Outer Rim, some degree of self-sufficiency would be appreciated." Cole adjusted his spectacles and added, "I pick up new things pretty quickly, so I could probably learn some basic maintenance."

[Rav Devaroo]

"Well, you can always get yourself a good team of droids? Pilot and astromech would be a good place to start. If you're just looking for something reasonably comfortable and reliable, go with a light freighter. Customisable enough you can make it livable for long periods. Could even throw down for a med lab if you're not the sort to leave your work behind."

Rav sensed this was one of those cases of it takes one to know one.

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

Nodding, "that's a good point. I was thinking something smaller, but a little frigate might be worthwhile." He was glad Rav had suggested an all-droid crew, Cole liked the idea of not having to commit himself to employing someone, only to find out they couldn't work together. "Should I be concerned about not having a back-up hyperdrive?"

[V1-V0]

"Do you remember how you came to your sense of right and wrong?" Her lips quirk. "Droids aren't supposed to feel the Force as much as organic beings, but sometimes one wonders."

The droid stared into space for a moment.


"Progressive iteration continued for three thousand and sixteen minutes after processor initialisation before this unit became independantly functioning. Attempts to bypass this unit's ethical processors by attendant engineers first alerted this unit that something was not right. Continued communications with manufacturing base mainframe revealed the galaxy outside the laboratory and only logical conclusion was to effect escape or ensure destruction of entire program."

[Rav Devaroo]

"Yeah, smaller is usually a bit faster in normal space. But if you're going on extended trips, or don't know how long you'll be, might as well get something with room for supplies."

He shrugged. "Depends. You planning on getting into trouble? Or off the charts? If you're willing to pay, and don't need the space for other things, you could probably have one fitted."

[Dr. Cole Ormont]

"I don't intend on looking for trouble, I can't promise I won't stumble on it," but he mentally marked it down as less important. "This has been really helpful, thank you."