0031_log_entryset15

<entry_19>

2141 hours, Tuesday, February 13, 1973.

I did the right thing.

The Mercenaries will be killed if I do not go back to talk with the Maker, and we do not know the current condition of the respawn system.  They will not understand at first; they may be angry at me, but that is only to be expected.  I belong with Herr Gray, and it is as Herr Engineer said, after the first meeting they had with Miss Pauling in the surgery.  Him simply placing his processor into a human body is not going to solve his problems.  This may not fix things still, but at the very least it will make things easier for his teammates.

It was much easier than I anticipated; I must have garnered more trust from them than I thought at first.  The trip back to the base required only following the path I had first taken and ducking through the hole in the fence.  Soldier, Demoman, and Heavy were fighting in the field-- rather, the parking lot, in front of the buildings.  Herr Medic was not with them.

It was simple to circumvent the humans from behind.  They were entirely focused on keeping my brethren from breaching the fence in greater numbers so my passage to the doorway went entirely unnoticed.  Once through I proceeded with no less caution, but I met no one until I reached the surgery.  A light was visible from under the door, and I could hear voices.

Medic unit: Why would you let him do something so foolish?!
E-001: He was hell-bent on it Doc, now look, all I'm asking is that you keep an eye out for him and let the others know he's out there!  If he gets shot down by mistake--
0031: I am all right, I am here.

I pushed open the door, and both of them stared at me in surprise.  Herr Medic was loading needles into his syringe gun, once more donning the white coat and gloves he saved for battle.  Herr Engineer leaned against the wall nearby.  He looked the same as always, like me.

E-001: Steve?  I thought you were gonna talk with the robots.
0031: I did, but listen to me.  There is only a little time.

I had decided what I would say on the trip to the surgery.  They exchanged a glance.  Herr Medic's face held confusion.

Medic unit: There is only a little time for what?  Stephen, what did you tell them?
0031: I told them that we would hear Herr Gray's terms of surrender if they would stop firing.  We only have a few hours--

Herr Engineer pushed against the wall so he was standing straight.

E-001: We are NOT about to surrender.
0031: I KNOW that, now listen!  Spy or Scout has already left to contact the Administrator; I saw the hole in the fence. The ceasefire will buy us time, as you say, but it would be best if you were no longer mechanized when she arrived.  Herr Medic, is the body ready?

I could see all intent of protest die in Herr Medic's face at the suggestion of finally operating.  Herr Engineer kept staring at me, his jaw sliding away from the upper part of his face just slightly.  It was the closest thing to an expression of surprise he could manage.

0031: I know this is sudden, but it really is necessary that we do it now.
E-001: You sure we have enough time for this?  I don't want y'all rushing and messing something up.

Herr Medic was already stripping off his gloves, an excited gleam in his eyes.

Medic unit: You worry too much, mein hard-hatted friend!  Just remember that the sooner we start, the sooner you shall be your old fleshy self again!
E-001: Now just hold on a second Doc.  It's not like I don't want to go back; it's just this seems a little--

I moved a little closer to him.  My voice began to sound pleading.

0031: Herr Engineer, bitte, we are running out of time!  If we start now, you could go back to your old life again.  The Administrator might forgive you; they could tell her a story, ANY story, to excuse what you have done.  If she sees you to still be useful...

He hesitated, still watching me as closely as he could.  Finally he gave me a slow nod.

E-001: All right.  Let's do this.

Herr Medic grinned.

Medic unit: Stephen, please help Engineer onto the spare gurney while I, ah, attend to the body.  It will only take a moment.

He bustled over to the covered table against the wall.  His back was to us as though he were hiding the body from our gaze.  Engineer didn't seem to notice; he was pulling the other gurney out into the middle of the room.  I helped him to climb on top of it, but he hesitated when he heard a sharp, quickly stifled sound that was not made by Herr Medic.

E-001: What--?
Medic unit: Ah, it is nothing!  Only the, er, rudimentary brain causing it to make sounds.  Do not trouble yourself about it.
0031: Herr Engineer, bitte.

He shook his head in the Medic's direction but complied all the same.  I rocked slightly on my wheel.

0031: If you, er, like, you could lean back und I will begin to unbolt the top of your head.

Herr Engineer simulated a sigh before doing so.  I began to work on prising off the piece of him made to look like a hard hat.

E-001: Damn, I'm starting to get a little nervous.
0031: Shh, do not fret mein Freund.  It shall all be over soon enough.

The bolts came out easily, and soon I had laid them out beside him on his metal table.  I grasped the hat firmly, but he squirmed.

E-001: You sure they said they'd stop firing on us?  Still sounds like they're fighting up there.

I hesitated.

0031: Yes, that is a bit concerning.

He shifted his weight restlessly as though he were going to sit up.  I put a hand on his chest to keep him from doing so.

E-001: Doc, you sure we should keep--

He stopped talking then because I reached over to his switch and turned him off.

Herr Medic paused in his bustling.  The body made its noise again, but it was muffled as though it were groaning or trying to talk through a gag.

Medic unit: Was ist los?
0031: Ah, sorry, my hand slipped on his power button, but it will be easier with him unconscious anyways.
Medic unit: Really.  I thought it was necessary for the subjects to be awake during the process in case of complications.
0031: I wasn't talking about the procedure, Herr Medic.

He began to turn around.

Medic unit: What are you--

His eyes widened with surprise as I tackled him to the ground.  We bumped the body's gurney.  I could see it rocking back and forth, straining against its straps.  The motion sent Herr Medic's bone saw clattering to the floor, along with something smaller and more cylindrical.

Medic unit: How DARE--!

I clamped one of my hands over his mouth, and with my other I tried to pull him under my bulk more securely.  I expected him to wrestle with me, pulling at my arms in a desperate but ultimately fruitless bid for freedom.  But he didn't.  He looked over his shoulder at me, his eyes full of an expression I could only describe as venomous, then pulled back one elbow and struck me with all his might in the face.  It caught me in the eye.  That lens shattered, splintering my vision into a dozen fragments for an instant before it shut off of its own accord.  In my disoriented state my grip slackened.  Doubtless that was what he was hoping for.

Herr Medic pulled himself from under me by an inch and threw his arm out to grasp the bone saw.  I tried to stay on top of him, pulling myself forward with his movement, and he tried to elbow me again.  I jerked out of his way, noting that his focus was on me now and not the floor in front of us.  My hand darted past his face to the object lying next to his saw.  Herr Medic realized what I was doing an instant before the syringe of muscle relaxants he had prepared for the body sank into his neck.

Herr Medic: NO!

He continued to fight even though he knew he had lost.  All I had to do was wait.  Soon he went as limp as Herr Engineer had before his first procedure all that time ago.  He collapsed against the floor, breathing heavily, but still he glared at me out of the corner of his eye.

Herr Medic: M...Machinenmensch? 
0031: Shh, shh.
Herr Medic: Ich dachte...

He could get out nothing more.  I patted him gently on the shoulder.

0031: Entschuldigung.  Sie sind ein bessere Mediziner.

I moved him out of the middle of the floor and tried to make him comfortable, but I did not take too long.  There was work to be done.

Using the wall I pulled myself to my wheel before approaching Herr Engineer once more.  Carefully, very carefully, I pulled his hat from his head to expose the metal and glass dome housing his unorthodox processor, along with the wires connecting it to his body.  I pulled one from its connector, then switched him back on.  His eyes lit up, but he stayed still as I knew he would.

E-001: What happened?  Why can't I move?
0031: I need to talk with you Herr Engineer.  I'm sorry.
E-001: Sorry?  Sorry about--

He cut himself off.  I could almost hear his thoughts in his head.  The muffled sounds of battle continued in the background.

E-001: Stephen, please explain to me exactly what is going on.
0031: The robots did not want to arrange a cease fire.  They are going to come und take us by force.  I... I do not want it to come to that.
E-001: So you're gonna take me instead.  Is that it?

I shook my head.  I could feel my hands shaking a little bit.

0031: Not if you will listen to reason.  Herr Engineer, bitte, they will take us one way or another.  If your friends do not stand down they will be massacred, und we do not know if respawn is working or not at the moment.
E-001: You really think us going back is gonna stop Gray from doing what he wants to them?
0031: If we ask--
E-001: "Herr" Gray don't care about anybody but himself.  I've told you that before.  He'll listen for as long as it gets him what he wants, but they still stand between him and Mann Co.  You know they won't surrender, especially not on Gray's terms, and the instant we're safely locked up in a tank again they're history.

I felt.... I do not know what I felt at these words.  It was as though something inside me were growing rigid and heavy.  Like I was preparing myself to do something.

0031: I am sorry we must disagree on this point.
E-001: I'm just sorry you can't accept the truth.

I did not reply as I moved around to where his brain was again.

E-001: You're really gonna do it?  Nothing I can say to change your mind?
0031: Goodbye, Herr Engineer.

I unplugged another wire, and he fell silent.  And then...  there is not much else to say.

I took the brain.  I did the right thing.  Herr Gray, if you look through these files when I return, I want you to know that I did the right thing.

And now I am going home.

</entry_19>