The Wayfarer departed from the Orion Nexus with no fanfare. Its full tank of fuel allowed its thrusters to burn steadily as it left the station’s immediate area. Seated inside the flight deck were X-7 and E-77; X-7 sat in the pilot’s seat, E-77 in the copilot’s seat. They both worked together to keep the ship traveling as intended and away from nearby spacecraft. X-7 worked out most of the calculations, leaving E-77 the task of viewing a radar screen and tracking the expanding distance the ship was from the station.

E-77’s rebreather and spacesuit had been removed after X-7 had checked the Wayfarer for any tracking devices or hidden cameras. She did not entirely trust the Automatons to check one final time for signs of Human activity. Finding no cameras or bugged audio devices, or any other sort of tracking spyware, X-7 activated the local air pressure and oxygen supply for the starship before commanding E-77 to remove the spacesuit and rebreather.

E-77’s eyes were focused on the radar screen, her shoulders barely rising and falling as she drew breaths into her lungs. As the Wayfarer passed a certain point on the radar screen, she announced, “We have passed the communications range of the Orion Nexus, Mistress.”

“Affirmative,” X-7 stated. “Set an autopilot route for the nearest lightspeed gate.”

“Affirmative.” E-77 pressed her fingers against the screen in front of her, changing the display from radar to a larger map. Her eyes looked for the specific symbol marking what X-7 wanted; a gateway that allowed travel at nearly the speed of light between sectors of the galaxy. It was not the fastest route, but it was safer for smaller spaceships.

E-77 marked the symbol on the screen and checked to see the ship was pointed on that route via a dotted line. “Autopilot route set, Mistress,” she told X-7.

“Thank you.” X-7 stood up from her seat. “Please stand up and come with me. The autopilot will work on its own for now.”

E-77 complied, moving to join X-7 in the same corridor form when the plan had first begun. X-7 made sure that E-77 was standing at approximately the same spot Elara had when their plan had begun. Now, the plan was going to finish in the same spot.

X-7 raised two of her hands, one to each of E-77’s ears. “Unit E-Seventy-Seven,” she commanded, “engage Hibernation Protocol.”

X-7 snapped her fingers against E-77’s ears, just like she had with Elara. After a moment to process the order, E-77’s eyelids started to flutter closed.

“Hibernation engaged.” E-77 smiled, projecting the most emotion since she had first been activated. “Good night… Mistress…”

E-77’s voice slowed as her eyes closed. Her body slumped down but did not fall. X-7’s extra arms held E-77’s shoulders with a firm grip, anticipating what was going to happen next. When E-77’s eyes opened, a light shone in them that was purely human.

Elara’s mind rose from the depths of her subconscious, breaking through the surface and getting barely a second to act. What came out of her mouth was not a question, but a gasping sob. Her pupils dilated as memories rushed through her head.

Elara saw it all. She remembered it all. She was forced to reexperience it all, and that made her break down and cry.

X-7 gripped Elara’s trembling body with her four metallic arms. “Ssh, ssh. It’s okay, Captain. You’re safe. We did it.” X-7 placed a hand on the back of Elara’s head to keep her steady. “You did so well, and now we’re going to get out of this system.”

“I…” Elara’s voice was breathless. “I was…!” She broke down again, crying into X-7’s shoulder.

“Captain,” X-7 insisted, “it’s okay. Did you feel scared?” She waited for a response, but none came besides more sobbing. “Was it when A-Twelve tested you like that?” the robot tried asking.

Elara sniffled, managing to speak coherently. “Yes. No, not just then.” She pulled her head back from X-7’s shoulders, but she did not lock eyes with her robot assistant. Yes, X-7 was her assistant, not her Mistress. Not anymore.

“When you spoke to me after the tests,” Elara spoke hoarsely, “I saw you were feeling bad, but I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t do anything but follow your orders. I had none of my humanity, just the programming!”

“You were performing a role, Captain.” X-7’s voice remained calm, opposing Elara’s emotions. “And you performed excellently. Even when you spaced out while reciting the prime numbers, you demonstrated adaptability that humans like you are known for.”

“But I had convinced myself that I was a robot!” Elara insisted, her voice rising rapidly. “It’s scaring me that I wanted it to happen! I wanted to be nothing but your servant, your slave!”

“Captain!” X-7 grabbed Elara’s shoulders with two hands, and two other hands gripped Elara’s cheeks so she only saw X-7’s eyes. “This entire plan was scary,” the robot grimly stated. “Yet we did it. We don’t have to be scared about it anymore. We are safe. Look around, Captain. We are on your ship.”

X-7 let Elara go, and Elara looked around. She saw the familiar areas and pieces of the Wayfarer. X-7 was right. She could trust X-7. She should trust X-7, as a friend and assistant. Not as how E-77 viewed things.

Thinking about that robot, the side of Elara that she had helped create for herself, brought another question to her mind. “Then,” she asked X-7, “the robot inside me is… asleep?” She did not sound convinced that was true.

“In summary, Captain, you are correct.” X-7 pointed a finger at Elara’s forehead. “She is in your subconscious right now, dormant until we bring her back to the forefront.”

“Wait, we?”

“Yes, Captain, we. E-Seventy-Seven was built with your consent and my guidance. I can bring you back to that relaxed state of mind on my own, but you must choose to bring E-Seventy-Seven back.”

Elara did not understand what that meant for a few seconds. When her brain put the pieces together, it formed an image she felt conflicting emotions about. She saw herself sitting across from E-77 the robot in a dark space. E-77’s eyes were closed, her face showing she was in a deep sleep. The mental copy of Elara was awake and holding E-77’s hands. Standing over them both was X-7, looking proud of her work.

The real Elara blushed as she saw herself nod to the X-7 in her mind. The robot then snapped two pairs of fingers along her copy’s ears. As the copied Elara slumped in place and fell asleep, E-77 awoke and smiled at her human self. It was a smooth transition from one mind to the other, proving they were linked in a trusted bond.

Elara came back to the real world with her cheeks blushing bright red. Why did that scene feel so good to her?

“I-I don’t know if we’re going to do this again anytime soon,” Elara stammered. She did not think X-7 would force her to become E-77 again, but it could still happen…

“We have a full tank of fuel, Captain,” X-7 casually commented. “We have lots of time to think about it.”

“Yeah,” Elara said with growing sarcasm, “and we’ll go somewhere even more dangerous the next time, right?”

X-7’s eyes crinkled to mimic a human laughing. “Good to see your humor’s coming back, Captain.”

Elara managed a weak smile. Then, she yawned. She could not help it, she felt so worn out. She guessed the human body was not built to always be ready to obey orders all the time. Now that she was no longer bound to programming, she was running on emotions and adrenaline.

Elara did not realize X-7 had gotten closer to her until she heard the robot quietly suggest, “Go and rest, Captain,” to her. “You can trust me to keep you safe.”

The robot’s tone was the same as in those earpieces, leading her down the stairs, into darkness. Into obedience. Things she wanted to experience again.

Elara’s muscles loosened, her body wobbling as she slipped into a momentary trance. “Yes, Mistress,” she whispered as the exact same smile E-77 had given graced her features. Then her eyes shot wide open with surprise when she realized what she had said.

She was not under hypnosis anymore, but she had still said it. She wanted to say it and keep saying it, of her own free will.

Elara could not look X-7 in the face; her embarrassment was too strong. She managed to say, “Uh, b-bye!” before she turned and quickly walked away. She moved with quick steps, like a schoolgirl running away after an awkward conversation with her crush, but there was still a steadiness from when she had been acting as E-77.

Some part of the robot, even while asleep, guided Elara to a better state of existence. And Elara seemed to be receptive to it.

X-7’s smile changed to show satisfaction as she watched Elara go to the privacy of her own quarters. Everything has worked out after all.