It turned out that the first order of business for the Gods was to get Jack's bore-bot body fixed. Apparently, they didn't know the finer details of mechanical bodies and the magic behind them. Jack suggested finding the bore-bot trio, who were presumably alive and well. However, Jack learned an important fact at this point, the human God was just that; A God of humans. The deity could not see, locate, or teleport to non-humans. It hadn't really come up on Earth because everyone Jack had needed to see and talk to was human.

  There were exceptions to this rule, but they weren't clearly explained to Jack. But his first meeting with the Gods was one example, the beast God teleporting Alpha to the nukes was another. It didn't really make sense, but both Gods were fairly certain that they could not search for, or reliably find the bore-bots quickly. Riniox was with them, but she was non-human as well. Jack didn't know what other mercenaries survived and were still with the group either, so he had to resort to using butterflies.

  Jack had lost the ability to see through screens when he had given up his status as a minor God, but the butterflies in the white void still seemed very affectionate of him. They directed him toward the right screens, then relayed the surroundings of the bore-bots.

  "What is happening here?" the beast God interrupted. "These butterflies...how are they in two places at once?"

  "It's apparently a function of the screens themselves. The copies in front of us are the main screens that exist all the time, the screens everyone else have exist in front of them, just invisible and intangible. The screens are...the same? It's all very weird and complicated, but as best as I could figure it's not that the butterflies exist multiple times, but that the screens are locked together through space or something. When they rest on the screens, they can see the surroundings of that person."

  "Well, that simplifies things." The beast God snorted, hot air billowing out of its nostrils. "I can take us to the location of the butterfly looking at the screen."

  That did simplify things. However, Jack did have another concern. "Umm, I'll be a ghost still...is that fine?"

  The human God shook their head. "It isn't, not long term. This place is meant to hold souls together until they can be dealt with. Existing outside of this place, a spirit would rapidly deteriorate unless bound properly. The God of beasts and I have very limited knowledge on the matter, though I could likely turn you into a bound spirit if necessary."

  "So, should I just stay here?"

  The human God considered, then nodded. "Perhaps it would be best. We shall go and command the others bore-bots to build you a new body. Once we have finished, we will return here."

  Jack sent a quick message to the bore-bot trio on their status screens, indicating that he had returned and that they were about to receive some visitors. He idly thought to himself that he could have done this all along, but realized that he really wanted to get away from the Gods of Earth for a bit.

  The two Gods left, and Jack fell back into a chair made of blue screens. Butterflies hovered around him, flitting this way and that way as they tried to emanate good vibes to him. He smiled lightly at their attention, reaching out to let them perch on him. Plexion and Jeler were gone. It was a harsh blow, but he had gotten over loss before.

  Jack thought of his family and friends from Earth. He had never even tried to contact them when he had been traveling to prevent the destruction of Drowl; not that there had been time really. He hadn't asked the human God about them though. He didn't know why. Was it because he could only live as a robot now? Or maybe it was because his experiences had changed him so much.

  He sighed, knowing the real answer already. It was because he had died. His family and friends would have mourned already, and if he suddenly came back as a robot, with the whole world in chaos...it would be a lot. Jack was dead, that was the simple truth. Even as he tried desperately to hold to the life he was building on Drowl, he knew that passing on was the natural way of things.

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  He let the butterflies drift away from him as the two Gods reappeared. The human God was the spokesperson, as usual. "The bore-bots indicated that they will need to find a lab and resources. Considering they are on the run from the church and their home country, it will be difficult to pursue any large ventures for the time being."

  "So what does that mean for me? Will I just be stuck up here, waiting?"

  The human God shook their head. "I was asked not to tell you this, but another bore-bot was with them. It was named Abac. He offered to let you borrow his body, as it would be sufficient to house you for a time."

  Jack was stunned. Abac was awake? And...was offering his body? "I don't understand. He would have just woken up for the first time when all the souls were reincarnated. How can he be offering anything at this point?"

  The beast God grinned a nasty grin. "We told him that he only existed because you found a way to fix things. The other bore-bots got mad, but what could they do?"

  The human God shook their head. "It was a bit of a manipulation, but Abac seemed very clever and humble. Informing him that he could perform a small sacrifice to aid you seemed like the perfect way to get what we wanted."

  "How DARE YOU!" Jack was furious. "Those bore-bots have helped me more than anyone. All they wanted was to see their offspring, to wake him up and have him exist. And you just want me to- to body snatch him?"

  "Exactly."

  "I won't do it! That's crazy. I can't take Abac away from them, not after he's just been turned on."

  The human God smiled, their face shifting through all manner of races and colors. Every single smile was a malicious one. "If you don't, then chaos will erupt on Earth. A race to the new planet, armies and conquerers coming to take and pillage as they please. We don't especially mind. But you do, and your friends do."

  The human God was right and knew it. Jack needed a body, and Abac was volunteering. He ground his teeth, sick of being manipulated by these crazy Gods. "...Fine. How do we do this?"

  The human God smiled.

  Jack was back on Drowl the next moment. He was staring at Riniox and the three bore-bots who had built his original body. He looked down at his hands and saw stark differences in design and function. He let out a sigh and was shocked when a voice greeted him in his head.

  (Hello, you must be Jack. I am Abac.)

  Jack jumped, and the bore-bot trio stared at him. "Jack? Is that you?" Glimm was the one who spoke, her voice full of hesitance.

  Jack felt like the world was spinning, and held out his hands to forestall them for a moment. "Abac? Are you in my head?"

  Everyone else stared at him like he was crazy, but Abac responded. (It appears so. How curious. I wasn't expecting this development when I volunteered myself.)

  Reph stalked toward Jack, his face twisted in anger. But Riniox stopped him, holding him back and looking into his eyes. She looked...pained. "Is...Jeler?" She didn't need to say anything else.

  Jack nodded, and Riniox's face went through a series of emotions before she gave a sad smile. "Well, that's that. You got to say goodbye?" When Jack nodded again, she clapped him on the back and walked off.

  Jack looked at their surroundings. They were traveling obviously, carts and wagons loaded with goods and people were traveling down dirt roads in an environment Jack didn't recognize. Riniox had gone off to resume the trek, all the wagons having stopped, presumably because of the Gods. He saw clouds lazily drifting up above and wondered if Bob knew he was back.

  Jack returned his attention to the bore-bot trio. Reph was now being restrained by Dirge, the former looking very annoyed at Jack and his partner. Glimm put on a small smile. "Jack, it's good to see you again, even given the circumstances."

  "Thank you Glimm. I'm sorry that circumstances require me to use Abac's body. He's still here though, in my head somehow." Jack tapped his new head.

  (Tell them, thirty-six percent.)

  Jack was a bit confused but did as asked. Reph calmed down considerably at the words. "It's our little code phrase," Glimm explained. "Abac is thirty-six percent clockwork. We all have different numbers."

  Dirge let go of Reph, smiling at Jack. Reph dusted himself off, then took a moment to visibly collect himself. "So. What is so important that you needed to steal the body of our son?" His tone was harsh, but at least he wasn't yelling."

  "I need to go and meet with a whole bunch of people to broker peace between my home world and Drowl. Abac will be coming with me for periods of time to meet various world leaders. And...we have to go visit the bore-bot capital."

  Reph grew more furious with each word until his gears were spinning so fast that he made humming noises as they cut through the air. "OH YOU MOTHER F-"