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There's been talk about replicating old Jericho, as a sort of memorial. Those who didn't have a set role or place on the hierarchy, the laymen if you would, were getting restless and anxious as all they could do was watch those with higher rank or were just more capable, flit around and build new Jericho up. These androids were forced to sit on the sidelines while their brethren fixed up each other and the place. They would listen to the news, avidly following their Leaders as they met and negotiated with the human delegates for their rights.
Josh could see their restlessness and on a day his presence wasn’t required, he wandered around talking to most of them and trying to get a feel for what they wanted and how they were holding up. It was during this that they came to him with the memorial project and Josh couldn’t see why they couldn’t or shouldn’t. The humans were still, technically, evacuated and most of those that remained either were too poor to try to mess with them, supported them anyway, or both. Josh was technically in charge of their well-being, him being the most approachable of the four, so he figured might as well get it started by sending out small groups for scavenging parts of whatever junk they find and clearing out a spot to place their creation.
Currently, Markus and North were negotiating and arguing for the release of any current working models of the WR and HR series. Last Josh heard, the humans were too afraid of the ramifications for losing such a large portion of income the clubs brought, the decrease of aggressive sexual assault, and were pushing for the removal of the processes that allow for higher thinking. There were so many problems with the humans counter solution, that between Markus, North, and Josh, it had gotten too complicated. The answer was initially, absolutely not, free the androids. But then Josh got to thinking about how violent humans were and how that was tripled when sex was involved, and he actually grew worried that, for once, the humans might be onto something if they were to suddenly take away these people’s means of getting sexual gratification. The humans were probably only concerned for their own, of these sex depraved people inflicting their pent-up frustrations on other humans, but the three of them knew that it would most likely be those freed androids that would receive the brunt of the assaults. Unfortunately, as Markus pointed out, there were still no laws protecting androids from assault from humans, and, even if there were, it hadn’t been long enough that they would be followed exactly. Which left them at a sort of standoff of what to do. Not that Josh thought keeping the androids there and emptying the parts that made them “alive”, was the better solution, but, in the long run, it might prove to be much more detrimental.
Josh can’t believe he’s saying this but thank goodness for Connor. Connor, who’s new in every sense of the word. New model type, new to deviancy, new to Jericho, new protocols and programs… His newness has endeared him to quite a few androids already, with his non-hostile mode making him look like a large puppy, following people around and asking them questions, offering assistant, and just overall being enamoured by everything he is experiencing. The caretaker androids, specifically, can’t seem to stay away from him too long, quick to explain everything and walk him through new situations and emotions.
Which, frankly, is great for everyone because, with being so new and, thus, not too used to how interactions between androids are different from when they were machines, Connor has the ability to just cut through the layers of an issue and get right into the solution.
“What humans are even using the sex clubs now? They’ve been evacuated and aren’t set to return for some months. Just free the androids now and, in that time, we can work on offering a solution for how any “replacements” would function.” He casually said, twirling a quarter between his knuckles. “This will give us time to work on implementing better safety laws for all of us, and we could set up a training regime, for all androids, to better defend themselves from potential assaulters.”
He had North fully with the prospect of learning more offensive fighting styles, Markus with his simple observation and even simpler terms, and Josh with his more peaceful, long-term solution. Needless to say, Josh decided to stay behind today, let North have her moment to shove their new demands in the humans’ faces, with Markus and Connor prepped with any potential counterpoints to get what they want.
Josh was a little more open-minded of Connor than he’d thought he would be, especially once Connor had explained to the three of them the fate of Simon and how he had a hand it in it, though not intentionally. Josh didn’t know what was worse, finding out that Simon had shot himself in order to not disclose their location or Connor’s haunted look as he explained he was connected to him at the time and had experienced it himself as well.
Maybe it was because Connor looked so remorseful or perhaps his honesty about his past actions, including almost assassinating the three of them on stage due to an AI installed in him, was just what Josh needed to feel like he could trust the android. He still remained wary of him, but he found himself letting his guard down around Connor more than he had with anyone and Josh doesn’t want to think that the same tactic his appearance was made for, to mark him as unthreatening and trustworthy, was working on him as well.
But, now, Josh and the rest of New Jericho is going to give those androids something special to come back to. Already, most of the materials they were going to use were found near to them and now it was about getting them to the site of Jericho. For the next several hours, he doesn’t have to think about choosing his words carefully, doesn’t need to pour himself over the thousands of years of history to best decide their best course of action, refuses to even worry about any potential threats along the way. No, Josh is pleased with the turn of events, and while he wishes the best for Markus and the rest- and prays not completely unironically to ra9 to give North the strength to restrain herself should things head towards unsavoury discussions-, he doesn’t give them another thought as he leads a line of androids, carrying various tools and scrap metal towards the docks where Jericho once stood.
At least, that was the plan until the loud sounds of someone, someones, angrily shouting obscenities at them. Josh tenses, rapidly trying to think if there is a way to avoid the group of people that appeared around the building when he realises that the obsceneties aren’t being flung at him and his group. Josh doesn’t even think the humans have noticed them, too busy looking behind them and stumbling away from something.
And then Connor vaults a dumpster and tackles one to the ground, handcuffs out and on the man before even Josh can register that it is, indeed, Connor currently straddling a frothing angry man who’s now cuffed to a bicycle rack. And then Connor is up and twisting a second man around, another pair of handcuffs in his free hand, and then the second man is handcuffed to a nearby car fender. There’s three other men left near to Connor, with a fourth about to round a corner, and in a set of moves that have even Josh green with envy, Connor takes the shoe off one of the cuffed men and perfectly sends it flying towards the fleeing man. He gets hit in the side of his head, and stumbles into the wall of the building rather hard. This stuns him and Connor performs a leg sweep followed by two, quick punches- one each for the two remaining men- and as they bend over, gasping for the air that’s been knocked out of them, he takes off towards the runner, who had stabilized enough to push himself off the wall. Unfortunately, for him, by the time he steadies enough to try running again, Connor has him in a choke hold and half pulls, half drags him back towards his accomplices.
All of this happens in less than a minute, and Josh hears more humans coming and expects for the, very onesided, fight to continue, but, instead, two officers show up. They’re clearly with Connor because they, a petite Asian woman and a black man, don’t even seem surprised by the downed men. Josh hears the woman, slightly short of breath, snarking at Connor to save his John Wick for a time when they weren’t on a coffee break. The man leans against the bicycle rack and curses someone named Hank for being on probation, again, and leaving him to deal with Connor. Connor doesn’t seem bothered and offers a too polite “I was manufactured and tailored for pursuit and these men have been-“ Josh doesn’t know what the men have been, because the two officers start, playfully, swatting at him and saying things like he’s cancelled and blocked.
An Android somewhere near Josh clears her throat. She didn’t need to, physically, but the situation was all to surreal, even for them, and the human gesture of drawing attention to the surreality of the situation was appropriate for it.
Connor looks over, blinks once as he processes his apparent audience, and then he smiles upon seeing Josh and offers a small wave. The two officers turn around to see who Connor is waving at and offers a more realistic reaction, by startling so hard that one of them fumbles the handcuffs and the man tries to escape in the moment. He’s quickly foiled by a swift kick to the kneecap from Connor, who’s still holding onto the, rather indifferent-looking, man who got the furthest.
“Connor,” The black man starts, his tone admonishing. “What did we say about kicking the criminals?”
Josh makes his way towards them, conscious of the androids behind him who followed right behind him and slightly amused with Connor’s reaction to the question. Josh could see Connor’s programming kick in, the question prompting a prompt answer, and then he felt the corners of his mouth raise a little as Connor forced that reaction down and tried to feign ignorance.
“I’m sorry, is there some new protocol about criminals and kicking and the relation between the two?” If Josh wasn’t an android, he would’ve missed the slight twitch of Connor’s eyes widening, a tell he’s noticed of the android when he tries to stretch the truth or avoid saying something in particular he feels might instigate a stronger reaction.
“Connor…” The man, and Josh can see his name tag says Miller, sighs out, as if dealing with a stubborn child and trying to maintain a calm and patient demeanour.
Instead of answering or furthering their conversation, Connor shuffles the man still in his arms to the side and faces the androids.
“Hello, Josh. What brings you all the way out here?” His tone is just the right amount of faked forceful nonchalance, and Josh decides to play along cause, frankly, he has time and Officer Miller is staring down Connor like he wants to give him a bop upside the head. The other officer, Chen her name tag says, looks just as done, albeit more amused at this blatant topic change, clearly used to dealing with this a lot.
He and Connor have a short conversation, while Officers Miller and Chen talk to the other androids and inquire about the tools and metal bits. Josh questions Connor’s appearance, as in why he is here and not with Markus and North. He got called in by his superior about the partner change and had to miss the meeting when they got called to some shoplifting case. Hank, Connor’s human familial figure, was, officially, in counselling and substance abuse therapy and, unofficially, on a probation as a result. Josh told Connor of there plans to sculpt a memorial for Old Jericho and, though Connor flinched at the recollection of just why it was “old” Jericho, he seemed genuinely supportive of the idea and wished them luck. Officer Chen, hearing the smile of wistfulness behind Connor’s approval- her words- decided Connor should go with them and hang out with his own and make friends. Android friends, she quickly corrects herself when Connor opens his mouth to, supposedly, argue with the assumption.
“I would really appreciate if you came with us.” Josh says, looking around at the demanour of the androids and, not seeing any negative shakes of the head or apprehensive looks, adds. “We all would love for you to join us. There’s enough scrap metal for you to mess with.”
Connor looks slightly surprised as he, probably, scans all the androids and doesn’t detect any malcontent. Then he looks to Officer Chen and Miller, “I guess… I guess I will join them, but I would like to help you get these men back to the patrol car. I’ve also called in some back up so they should meet us with more cars for them.” He turns back to Josh, almost shy Josh would say though he isn’t sure why, “I will meet you guys at the docks afterwards.” The statement almost ends in questioning tone but Connor corrects it to a more confident declaration at the last moment.
Josh smiles and waves them away. “Well…” he turns to the other androids after the officers had left. “That just happened.”
“Excellent observation. That did just happen.” The same android who cleared her throat stated, eyeing him with a rather judgmental look.
Josh just nods. “Something happened, and it was that.”
Other androids chime in with this and that happening and as they continued their journey towards the docks, it morphed into awed and envious praise of Connor’s fight routines. Josh let the sounds wash over him and smiled in contentment.