“You can’t trust me because I can’t trust you!” Qira spat, tears streaming down her eyes and onto the stone floor. “I won’t ever trust you sentinels, I don’t care what your ‘primary directive’ is.”

“Miss, surely we can come to an arrangement, we both need to get to the Bastion, and–” S-Lune was cut short as Qira bashed one of her arms against the metal construct, flaking off chips of a once luminescent silver coating.

“If you keep talking I’ll turn you to scrap! LEAVE! NOW!” Qira’s whole body was trembling, horrible remembrances and regrets wrapped their twisted claws around her mind. It was another sentinel, another wretched construct designed to annihilate those deemed impure or unfitting of mankind’s lineage. She knew what their kind was capable of, and dared not tempt fate again.

“I…” Despite their mechanical origins, their voice faltered as if alive, “I understand Miss. I shall leave you be.” S-Lune turned to the cavern exit, and reluctantly departed. As if on cue, Qira dropped to the ground, clutching her gut with one arm and her face with one wing like appendage and another limb, almost half way between the two.

Qira wasn’t human, or so she had been taught all those years ago. Nobody was anymore. Mankind was nearly wiped out over 2000 years ago by some anomalous event, and those who remained had to adapt, quickly, lest they too were left to rot.

Forced remembrances of days long gone and tales eroded to time clouded her thoughts and better judgement, blocking out any recognition of her damp surroundings.

The screams and pleas in her mind overwrote the growls coming from behind her, the scent of charred wood and flesh fit right in with the putrid odor of the gaping maw slowly preparing its pounce behind her. If not for the drops of saliva falling upon her back feeling just different enough from the water dripping from the cavern ceiling, she would have never noticed the horrific beast that had climbed above her, prepared to claim a new morsel.

At the same moment, S-Lune returned from the outside world, carrying some strange cephalopod in their arms as a potential offering. Mere moments after spotting the beast above Qira, S-Lune leapt into action, a serrated blade bursting from their left arm. They gripped the beast by what they assumed to be their throat, and tackled it to the cavern floor. It let out a wretched shriek, filthy saliva erupted from its toothy maw and landed onto S-Lune’s metal exterior, capable of transmitting sensory information to the machine. After flinching in disgust, the sentinel took their blade, and with a single, messy swipe, severed the creature’s head from its many legged body.

Onlooking, Qira couldn’t help but feel… confused.

“Why?” she stuttered, wiping tears with her bat-wing-like arm, “Why did you save me? I’ve done nothing but threaten to tear you apart, to take your metal heart and use it as a lamp, to take you apart and reconstruct you just to tear you apart again. Why?”

“I told you before Miss,” S-Lune reached out their right arm, their metal hand seeming ethereal in the rays of moonlight piercing into the cavern, “You are human, and it is the Primary Directive of all sentinels to protect humanity. No matter what form, no matter what source.”

Qira sat speechless, tears still streaming down her cheek. Frills, like those of a young salamander, drooped on the side of her head, as her lip continued to quiver. She took S-Lune’s hand, and carefully pushed herself off of the ground, almost falling over.

“Here, let me get you something. Please, take a seat.” Using their open hand, they pulled a large stone towards Qira’s makeshift campfire, and sat her down slowly. They temporarily left the cavern, but soon returned with a carved bowl of berries, and in the other hand the squid-like creature from before.

“Take these berries,” S-Lune handed the bowl to Qira, whose breathing became more and more steady, “I’ll prepare the squid for consumption.” It let out a surprised squelching noise, and tried to wriggle out of S-Lune’s grip.

“Wait!” Qira shouted, trying to reach out to the creature, “Please don’t kill it.” Her voice quietly pleaded, as her throat was sore from shouting.

“Hm?” S-Lune’s head turned, their eyes oriented in a slight confusion, before returning to normal, “Understood. What would you like me to do with it instead?”

“I don’t know, just…” her voice trailed off into nothing, but her face said the rest, memories flickered just behind her eyes.

“Here,” S-Lune dropped the squid onto Qira’s lap, “You may have it. I’ll see about making a meal out of the enlarged arachnid.” Indeed, the beast which had nearly attacked Qira was some form of giant, hairy spider, born of the new world’s plagues and challenges. Its legs curled up above its headless husk, almost seeming to be guarding its internals.

After an hour of hacking meat from its exoskeleton, and trying to cook what little pieces seemed safe for consumption, S-Lune seasoned the dish using rocks within the cavern and delivered a stone platter of meat on a makeshift table to Qira, who had been holding and petting the squid. Using her most “human” hand, Qira took a small slice and dropped it into her mouth, sharp fangs near the front of her mouth easily serrating the piece of spider guts. Despite its origins, this was the best meal Qira had ever tasted, somehow rich and savory, yet with a lingering saltiness from the cavern walls.

“Was this meal sufficient for you?” S-Lune formally questioned, acting as if they couldn’t see Qira practically in awe of the meal.

“Are you kidding me?” she shouted between bites, “This is the best meal I’ve ever had! Where did you even learn to cook like this?” A slight smile formed on S-Lune’s face, seeing Qira’s glee.

“I am glad to hear of your enjoyment, Miss.” S-Lune sat on the stony ground next to her, not quite letting their guard down, but more relaxed than a sentinel should be. “As for my learning, I was programmed this way. It was more than expected for a specialized unit.”

“Specalized?” Qira barely got the word out before taking another bite.

“Yes, I was part of an order from the 17th House. They were a rather wealthy family, I believe they used to be considered royals.” S-Lune began to rummage through a compartment in their gut, quickly finding a photograph. It had been encased in a resin-like substance, and because of that, it seemed as if it hadn’t aged a day since humanity’s collapse. “Right here is Claire, the eldest daughter of the family. I had been assigned to assist her with whatever duties were required of me; cooking, cleaning, sparring, games of chess, whatever suited her preferences.” Qira noted how S-Lune appeared more somber speaking of her while gazing at the photo, yet still carried an air of fondness for those days long gone.

“Of course, those days are long gone now. Even without…” their eyes looked down towards the stony floor, seemingly searching for the right word, “unfortunate complications, she never would have made it to the modern day. It has been many, many years after all.” Qira felt as if S-Lune was keeping the full story from her, but decided not to pry any further. She knew how painful those recollections could be.

S-Lune pushed themself off of the ground, faking a stretch. Their mechanical limbs popped in and out of place, and a plate of metal coating shook and nearly came loose, before being jammed back into place. They placed the photograph back into the compartment, slightly struggling to reopen and close the hatch.

“I digress, those memories still weigh heavily in the consciousness gifted to me,“ they turned to face Qira directly, and took a bow, “it was a pleasure to be of service, Miss.” S-Lune turned to leave, but before they could walk away, Qira grabbed their arm.

“Please, just call me Qira.” She smiled up at S-Lune, and for the first time saw not the mechanical parts whirring within, but rather a warm smile looking back at them.