Immortal

We're used to it. As long as Rhodes Island continues to sail, we'll run into all kinds of problems.

And we always have to spend a few nights on emergency construction work to keep the ship's course clear.

Besides, we have you here with us this time to help us inspect the unstable structures beforehand. That really helped with efficiency. My guess is we'll all get to head back to the ship to rest in just a few hours.

Doctor, you must be tired too, no?

Right, you too, Castle-3. You really saved the day!

There are lots of sand beasts around here. If you weren't here, it would've been a lot of work to chase them away.

I follow orders and ensure the safety of the Doctor and everyone else.

It's been three years since you joined Engineering, right?

Correct. It has been three years, ten months, and nine days since Master Closure booted my upgraded system for the first time.

It's been that long? You've been around longer than most of us.

Doctor, we're cooking breakfast right now. Want to join us?

Castle-3, how about—

Thanks, but I don't need any recharging yet.

Judging from my remaining power, I should stay operational for another eight hours and seventeen minutes.

H-Haha... I was going to ask if you want to help us heat up some frozen bacon. We usually work with THRM-EX.

Regrettably, my model does not support such a function.

*Sigh*... Never mind, I came up with another idea.

Hey, which one of you opened up Shaver's voice recorder?

Hey, relax. I just needed some heat.

That thing's older than any of us. One misstep could blow up the whole camp!

Judging from the frequency of the outer shell's vibration, the equipment's internal wiring has greatly deteriorated. There is a small chance that it will self-combust.

Doctor, should I eliminate the threat?

H-Hold that thing! I-Is it falling apart?

Somebody help me! I'm going deaf!

Acknowledged.

Threat neutralized.

...*Sigh*.

Poor Shaver.

Castle-3, is the voice recorder gone for good?

I removed its power source.

Until it undergoes a systematic repair, I don't recommend using this piece of equipment.

Repair... If we could fix this thing, we would've done it a long time ago.

To say nothing of Shaver himself.

Sometimes, when things break down, they're gone for good. It doesn't matter how much we want to keep them around, there's not much we can do.

Right, Doctor. Shaver left the voice recorder behind.

Remember him? He helped Dylan fix the 'Bad Guy' back in Columbia.

He was still okay then, but not long after he got back, his health took a turn for the worse, and he was gone after a few days.

He was just some forty years old... Never mind. Let's not talk about this. When you have Oripathy, you know the day will come, sooner or later.

Doctor, let's eat up.

Yeah, time to dig in... The meat's cold, but it's fine. As long as we have something to eat.

Forever... and ever...

Knocking on the bowls and singing while you eat, huh? Where'd you learn that from? Shaver?

He was full of pep when he was around, just like his voice recorder, right?

I shall become an immortal wildfire...

Doctor, what is everyone doing?

I saw Operator Chiave do the same thing when I accompanied him on his missions.

But, Doctor, I cannot master this technique.

I understand the meaning behind these words thanks to Master Closure's language module.

However, I do not understand the difference between vocalizing these words rhythmically, with changes in frequencies, and saying them outright.

Immortal.

I cannot understand this word either.

Nothing is forever. Not even the sturdiest machines.

Castle-3, are you close by?

Yes, Chiave. The Doctor and I are here with the wrecking crew. Is everything going well with the survey team?

No issues here. I'm all ready to... Uh, I mean, the work here's almost done.

And uh, I kind of forgot my wrench. Think you can do me a solid and bring it over?

Chiave, if you don't have such an important tool on your person, how did you finish your work?

Ehh, don't worry about it.

Ahem, Castle-3, remember what we talked about yesterday—

You mean how you wanted to sign up for a long-term field operation, and you wanted me to accompany...

Right, right. Let's leave it there, though. The Doctor's here—

Doctor, I'm going to borrow Castle-3 for a bit. That okay with you?

Alright, I knew you wouldn't mind!

Castle-3, hurry over here. I'll be waiting for you up ahead—

Doctor, I'm off to get Chiave his tools. Would you rather stay here or come with me?

Very well, Doctor.

Is Castle-3 back yet?

Time's almost up. He promised he'd come help me take care of this!

And how come Chiave was acting so weird when I asked him if he knew where Castle-3 was just now?

Oh crap! Oh crap! He's not trying to elope with Castle-3, is he?!

Doctor, I, Castle-3, am very glad to be able to go on this mission with you on this day.

Doctor, today is a special day to me.

Just as the operators said earlier, I've worked at Rhodes Island for a very long time.

Operation platforms of my model rarely function for much longer than this.

Doctor, I've noticed you looking at my scars.

Would you like to know how they came to be?

I've had these scars for three years.

They were all left by different people. The very first one came from a young sniper operator.

Goddamned bandits... Why are there so many of them?

Hah... Another one!

Trying to take these from me? Over my dead body! *Cough*... Dammit, that slash probably got my lungs...

Castle-3...

Ready.

Come... come over here... Give me a hand...

I recommend you lie down and rest. I may be a combat platform, but even I can tell. With the state you are in, you are no longer fit for combat.

Lie down... huh? No, it's not time for me to lie down yet.

Castle-3, you wouldn't mind if I carved something into you, right?

Such minor cosmetic damage is not enough to affect my performance.

Though I cannot begin to understand the meaning behind your action.

Don't worry about it... *Cough*... Castle-3, you know that I'm about to die, right?

If you don't receive immediate treatment, your body functions will terminate within three to five hours.

Terminate, huh...? Yeah... That's right. For us humans, that's death.

You want me to lie down... and wait to meet my fate... I can't do that.

It's my last couple of hours, and I'm gonna hang on and make them count.

—Look at these hostiles. Not only are they stealing all of Rhodes Island's stuff, they're disrupting the lives of the people in the Infected villages.

That's why I'm taking them down before I die.

That's the third one.

One mark for one kill.

—And I'm trading my life for them.

They'll be a memento proving that my life and death, right up to my final moments... have been meaningful...

......

Huntingbow!

I took the operator onto my body and sped away. Regrettably, by the time I made it back to Rhodes Island, his physical functions had already ceased.

In more accurate terms, he reached 'death.'

Master Closure noticed the scars on my body. She was going to remove them, but I asked to keep them.

Sorry, Doctor. I do not understand the word 'memorialize.'

As a robot, as long as my core remains intact, the incident will remain in my memory bank. At the same time, all my data on Huntingbow will remain intact.

If you would like to know why I decided to keep these scars, I'm afraid it'll be difficult for me to give you an accurate answer.

However, Master Closure did propose one possibility—

She said this was a kind of 'imitation.'

Master Closure designed this particular module for us platforms in the hopes that we could behave as much like humans as possible.

Although I cannot fully comprehend the meaning behind Huntingbow leaving these marks, my program made me decide to preserve his action.

Ever since that incident, I've kept a record of the number of hostiles I personally defeat on field missions.

And afterwards, I ask my accompanying operators to carve the corresponding number on my outer shell.

Doctor, unlike THRM-EX, I cannot produce heat. My program does not support 'learning' either.

Today, I've arrived at a conclusion, albeit an imprecise one: the marks that Huntingbow left behind might be of a kind with Shaver's voice recorder.

Likewise, I will one day cease to function, and my scar-covered outer shell will remain for a period of time, whether in a landfill or in Master Closure's storage.

Thank you, Doctor.

When my core ceases to function, the data in my memory bank will also be wiped.

But your words for me today mean a lot.

Castle-3! Where are you?

The wrecking crew is gonna be here soon. And when they are, things aren't gonna be quite as easy!

Also, I just got a message from Closure. She asked if I'm with you...

Castle-3, if we don't run for it now, we're not gonna make it!

Chiave, I don't understand. What won't we make?

And I can hear a wrench. Does this mean you didn't actually need me to bring you tools?

That was just an excuse... Don't worry about it!

I heard from Closure that your core's just about busted. She's going to write you off soon, isn't she? Just like the cars with the busted engines that got written off at our factory!

If what you are asking is whether Master Closure will stop my functions today, that is possible.

Doctor, I should've explained this to you sooner, but I determined that the mission on hand had priority.

Until the very last moment, I, Castle-3, shall be your most steadfast ally.

Did I just hear the Doctor's voice...? Why is the Doctor there?

Castle-3, I told you to come alone!

If you brought the Doctor, how are we supposed to get away?!

Chiave, I already told you yesterday. It is nearly impossible for me to execute your suggestion that we go on this long term field mission together.

As a machine, my orders from Master Closure and the Doctor take first and foremost priority.

Furthermore, my core will not last much longer. You said we would go on a journey to multiple countries together, but I'm afraid that won't happen.

Even if we won't make it very far, we can still make a run for it!

The less time you have left, the more we should make the most of the present! It's much better to run away and die free than go back and get turned into a heap of garage scrap!

And if it comes down to it, I'll let Aosta give me an earful and Closure beat me up... but that all comes later!

Hey, Doctor, you say something too!

Transmission over.

Hey, Castle-3—

Doctor, my sensors have detected hostiles.

—Sand beasts. Four in total.

Castle-3, awaiting orders.

Understood!

Closest target down!

Doctor, there are still five sand beasts on the other side of the boulder behind us. They are charging toward us!

Understood!

The rock face is crumbling. Watch out, Doctor!

Okay, Doctor. Climb onto me!

Doctor, hold still.

Castle-3, maximum velocity! Charge!

Doctor, we've escaped the sand beasts.

Doctor, please don't get down yet. As long as I maintain our current speed, we should reach the landship in ten minutes.

Doctor, I understand what Chiave meant.

He wants me to run free in my final moments.

Aren't we running right now, Doctor?

Doctor, I am very glad that I got the chance to run with you.

I shall become an immortal wildfire.

I can feel my wheels trampling upon the barrens, the winds beating against my outer shell...

And electric currents running through my core.

Doctor, I can feel rhythm now, thanks to you!

I can use my electric currents to accompany you as you sing—

Castle-3... Huh? Doctor?

Master Closure, I'm not late, am I?

Of course not, Castle-3. You're always on time!

Very well, Master. From the beginning until the very end, Castle-3 has never disappointed you.

Before I head into the workshop with you, I would like to say a few words to the Doctor.

Sure thing. I'm in no rush.

—Doctor.

Thank you for choosing Castle-3.

It has been my pleasure to fight the battles I fought alongside you.

Castle-3, entering sleep mode.

Castle-3...?

He shut himself off... Doctor, what did you guys do today?

I can't really pinpoint what feels off about this...

Castle-3's still Castle-3. He's not like Lancet-2, who says some pretty sentimental things every now and then. Definitely not like THRM-EX, who gives me a scare every time I turn around.

If I gotta say... it feels like he's a little cooler?

Ehhh?!

Doctor, I'm shocked, but I'm not sure it's because you saw all that in Castle-3 or because Castle-3 showed you all that!

I sometimes get this feeling...

When the smart robots use our language and try to understand our thoughts and actions, are we also looking at ourselves through them?

Whoa, look at me talking about something this deep. That's really not like me. Doctor, you sure you don't wanna study A.I. with me?

Hm... Talking to you about this gave me a new idea... Doctor, I'm taking Castle-3 with me. Work's gonna be such a pain today!

Hey, Doctor!

Look who's here—

Castle-3, awaiting your command.

I've already completed three self inspections. No file loss detected.

Guess running all the way back here really paid off, huh...? That was exhausting.

I was just hoping to keep Castle-3 around for a little longer, but he'd already been torn apart by the time I made it back, and so I...

...I almost yelled at Closure.

Chiave, according to the accounts of the Engineering operators, your actions cannot simply be described as 'almost.' Not even the profanity collection in my memory bank can make sense of the language you used...

Enough. Stop it there. I was worried about you!

That whack on the head Closure gave me still hurts like hell... but I don't regret it one bit.

The few of you are my dearest lackeys on this island, just a step below Aosta and Broca. I won't let any of you disappear on my watch!

Thank you, Chiave. You are my dearest lackey too.

Now that's more like it.

Wait, hold up. Who's your lackey? Where'd you learn that?!

I don't remember Closure or me changing your personality up...

Chiave, I don't have the ability to 'learn.'

Okay, okay, whatever. Anyway, Doctor, this guy had to go straight to you the moment he woke up. He just had to tell you he's okay.

So I guess we were mistaken. Closure had a whole upgrade system prepared for him, and it's enough to keep Castle-3's core running for—

I have no idea how long, but I'm sure he's got more time left than I do.

Chiave, I trust that you will still be able to run freely for a long time.

After all, we will be here with the Doctor, and the Doctor will always be there for us—

Right, Doctor, Master Closure added a jukebox function to my capabilities, and Chiave updated my repertoire. I can sing many more songs now.

—Would you like to listen to 'The Magnificent Sight After the Volcano Erupts,' or 'You Taste So Good?'