Author: Sarah Gane Burton

“Would you look at that—”

“Looks like she went through a meat grinder.”

“Do you think we can fix her?”

“Dunno, maybe if we replaced the midsection.”

“The frame is bent here, and here—”

“At least one of the valves is too stretched to hold fluids.”

“Look at the tearing. Regeneration would take years!”

“Here comes Doc—”

“How’s Ruby?”

“She’s in rough shape, sir.”

“What’s operational?”

“Respiration is fine. Sensors too—”

“Waste fluid system is wrecked though, she’s leaking all over—”

“That’s pretty normal. What’s your plan?”

“Bend the frame back, get some new valves in place—”

“Fix the tension in the diaphragm—”

“Good plan. Keep it basic, boys. No budget for the cosmetic stuff.”

“Think she can handle a few more rounds?”

“Oh sure.”

“Doc, do they ever think about bringing back the original models?”

“You mean—”

“Technically, or rather, biologically, they were built for it.”

“But the wear-and-tear!”

“Isn’t there some kind of natural regeneration?”

“Stick to the job, boys. We’re not going back to that.”

“There was healing, wasn’t there, doc? Surely they didn’t just—”

“Tear open? Leak fluids? Dislocate internally? As I said, not going back.”

“Mother-of-all—”

“Precisely.”