They had been traveling for a few hours by now, everyone but Dolli and Gear powered down.

  “So why are you up?” Gear asked.

  “I don’t like powering down. I always worry that if I do, there will be a time where I don't come back online. You?”

  “Largely the same. Being unaware isn't pleasant.” The two stayed quiet.

  “You and Figure,” he continued, “How long have you known him?”

  “I’ve known him for around 8 years now.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “That's longer than most of us have been around.”

  Dolli was shocked by this, “Really?”

  “Yeah, Meld is twoish years old, Starter and I are 5 a piece, and Sawdust is maybe 6.”

  “I thought I’d be heavily outdated by now, but it seems like they stopped innovating high intelligence.”

  “If that were the case, why recall?’

  Dolli thought about it, “Maybe a long term defect?” she said remembering what Starter had mentioned prior.

  “If something like that was common, I doubt they would use force on us like they did with Figure, they’d tell the humans and be relatively calm about it.”

  “I don’t want to think about this right now…”

  Gear nodded. They stayed silent for the rest of the ride.