After the MTs abrupt departure from Rilleco, Argen and the remaining four troopers resumed the task of bringing sentience to the gendrones wandering aimlessly about the Build Station. It was an arduous job, and Argen’s seemingly inexhaustible patience finally ran thin. He decided to take leave of the planet and head for Point Lannoc.
Now that Argen was gone, MT-09, MT-27, MT-48, and MT-106 wasted no time; they quickly made for the edge of the Black Ruins. Something had been weighing heavily on them, and the time to discuss it had come.
“This isn’t right,” MT-09 stated as soon as his squad had assembled. One of the first MTs to gain free thought, MT-09 was a natural leader and easily assumed the role. “We should have received word from MT-01 by now.”
“We all know what it’s like out there,” MT-48 replied. “Sometimes you barely have enough time to repair the damage you took during one battle before you’re moving out to fight the next one. They’re probably knee-deep in corpses right now and too busy to call.”
Grunted affirmations arose from the group, followed by an unsettled silence. Each trooper feared that the MTs had run into trouble and needed their help, but MT-01’s orders were clear: remain on Rilleco to support Argen. Should they stay and continue their duties until Argen’s return? Or disobey a direct order and leave to find their brothers?
“With a few modifications I should be able to boost the strength of our portable receiver,” MT-106 suggested. “The troops could be operating out of our range on the other side of Glyos. Give me some time to do the work, and if there is a signal out there from our unit, I’ll find it.”
