I stumbled out of the walk-in freezer, flexing my hand experimentally. The crude lumps of iron that passed passed for my fingers bent and twisted to my will, clenching and opening. I reached over to the right half of my body, feeling the ragged edge where my torso had been torn open, hanging off me, useless. I pulled it back up, aligning it roughly where it normally was. I limped out of the kitchen I had been in, the gears in my left leg not yet realigned and therefore leaving the ruined mess of my leg to do all the work itself. It really was a miracle I managed to rewind this time. Having been brought back from the brink of death years ago, I was signifcantly more gears than anything else. It really wasn't fun, never being able to rest in piece, what with the constant rewindings.

Maybe I'll speak with Mahliss about dying today, I thought grimly as a chain in my body unraveled and dropped to the floor. I was falling apart, and it was likely affecting my thinking. Hadn't I volunteered to be rebuilt?

No, actually. They had resurrected me specifically against my wishes. The burns on my arm were testement to that. There was a dull thunk as I lost my grip on my torn body, the arm attatched to that chunk smacking the floor as I hobbled my way to the window. I placed my hand on the sill, looking out the window. The ship was floating off a few milles to the West. I couldn't make it, not in my state.

To Karz with it. I'll get as far as I can. I pulled myself out the sill so I just needed to lean forward to fall out. My glider wings began opening, the gears groaning loudly in the process. I was either going to die, or spend several hours on the operating table. I leaned forward and my wings snapped open. I glided as far as I could, gears tumbling out of my wounds, as far as I could before blacking out.

I awoke to a massive black pupil staring down at me, surrounded by a red iris. The red iris, which I now saw was filled with black bars, dimmed and brightened, Mahliss's way of blinking.

"And how are ve feeling?" Mahliss asked, his deep rumble of a voice carrying a slight air of worry. "Ve had to go out and find you, you know. You vere little if not dead. It is only thanks to Sarge you survived."

"Heh. Tell him I owe him a drink, if he comes to visit, eh?" I grinned slightly, before asking, "Why can't I feel my right hand?"

"What right hand?" Mahliss asked, confused. "I had to completely rebuild half of your body. You vere like a one-person airship vreck. And, I'm sorry to tell you this, but ve could not give you a new hand. Ve hope you like claws."

"Mata Nui, Mahliss. Do I at least have your permission to sit up?"

"Ja. Just... Be more careful next time. I do not vant to lose my favorite test bed."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. See you around, Mahliss."

I walked out of the medical bay as Mahliss began humming a funeral dirge for some reason. I shook my head, smiling, and walked up on deck to watch the night sky.

Hey. My conceptualized epic is finally coming together. =D