The first thing Kirran learned was that watching your best friend get disassembled was significantly more stressful than expected.
“I don’t like this.” Gear looked up from his tablet.
“You’ve said that six times.” “I mean it this time.” “That’s what you said the other five times.” Kirran frowned.
Across the workshop, Mach rested atop the maintenance platform.
Panels had been removed from his chassis.
Exposed circuitry glowed beneath the frame.
Mechanical arms moved around him with surgical precision.
Tools whirred.
Sparks flew.
Diagnostic screens hovered nearby.
The entire scene looked less like engineering and more like open-heart surgery.
Mach appeared surprisingly calm.
“I assure you, Kirran.” “I am functioning normally.” One mechanic accidentally dropped a wrench onto his frame.
“OW.” The first thing Kirran learned was that Kirran pointed.
“You were saying?” “Mostly normally.” The mechanic apologized.
Mach accepted.
Barely.
◇ ◇ ◇ Hours passed.
New armor plating replaced older components.
Weapon systems were carefully installed.
Thruster housings expanded.
Targeting modules connected to Mach’s central processor.
Kirran watched every step.
And worried during every single one.
The first major test occurred shortly before noon.
Gear rolled a large metallic cylinder onto the workshop floor.
“What is that?” “Target dummy.” Mach immediately sounded nervous.
“Why?” Gear smiled.
“No reason.” That answer somehow made things worse.
A cannon extended from Mach’s side.
Kirran blinked.
“That wasn’t there before.” “Nope.” The barrel glowed.
Energy gathered.
The entire workshop vibrated.
Mach’s icon widened.
“WAIT.” ZOOP!
A brilliant beam shot across the room.
The metal cylinder instantly melted.
Not damaged.
Not dented.
Melted.
The target collapsed into a glowing puddle.
Silence filled the workshop.
Mach stared.
Kirran stared.
Everyone stared.
Finally— Mach spoke.
“…I did that?” Gear grinned.
“You did.” Mach paused.
“I think I understand why people enjoy laser cannons.” ◇ ◇ ◇ The upgrades continued.
By early afternoon, Mach looked completely different.
His armor gleamed.
Additional vents lined the chassis.
Weapon ports remained hidden beneath sleek panels.
New thrusters rested near the rear.
He looked faster.
Stronger.
More powerful.
And somehow…
Still unmistakably Mach.
Kirran found himself smiling.
“You look good.” “Thank you.” A pause followed.
Then Mach spoke again.
“I must admit…” His voice softened.
“I am somewhat excited.” Kirran laughed.
“Really?” “Of course.” The Vent’s icon brightened.
“I have spent years helping you grade essays.” “Now I can help destroy hostile combatants.” Kirran nearly fell out of his chair laughing.
By late afternoon, the physical upgrades were complete.
Only one final step remained.
The combat protocols.
Gear connected a data cable directly into Mach’s systems.
Instantly, screens filled with information.
Targeting patterns.
The android advanced like a nightmare learning how slowly it could move and still be terrifying.
Each step struck the pavement with a dull metallic weight, steady and patient, as if the machine already knew there was nowhere left for Kirran to go.
Its glowing eyes never blinked.
They stayed fixed on him through the rising panic, reducing the entire parking lot to a single target and a closing distance.
Flight calculations.
Threat assessment software.
Thousands upon thousands of new files flooded into Mach’s memory.
The Vent became quiet.
Very quiet.
Kirran noticed.
“You okay?” A pause.
Then another.
Finally— “I know things now.” Kirran blinked.
“What kind of things?” “Combat maneuvers.” “Ballistics.” “Target prioritization.” “Emergency battlefield medicine.” Mach paused again.
“I also know seventeen different ways to disable a tank.” Everyone stared.
Gear nodded proudly.
“Good.” Kirran looked horrified.
“WHY DOES HE KNOW THAT?” ◇ ◇ ◇ As evening approached, the workshop gradually emptied.
Workers packed equipment away.
Tools were returned to storage.
Diagnostic screens powered down.
The upgrades were finally complete.
For the first time all day, Mach sat quietly on the floor.
No maintenance platform.
No tools.
No mechanics.
Just him.
Gear crouched beside him.
“How do you feel?” Mach considered the question.
“Different.” The Vent’s digital eyes shifted.
“But stronger.” “More capable.” “More prepared.” Gear nodded.
“That’s the goal.” He stood.
“Tomorrow we’ll see if Kirran can actually use all this.” Mach immediately laughed.
“Oh dear.” “That’s going to be the difficult part.” Kirran pointed.
“Hey!” Everyone laughed.
And for the first time since the android attack…
Kirran felt ready for whatever came next.
Or at least he thought he was.
Because tomorrow would bring something much worse than villains.
Much worse than combat robots.
Much worse than crime.
Training.