NPC Post
Erek sighed. He’d expected that not everybody would be on-board immediately- how could they? But, he’d offered them a choice, and a choice came with the implication that they could refuse. The red pill, or the blue pill. Part of him suspected he’d made a similar choice long ago, one which now came back to eat at him with guilt, a half-memory that’s he’d lost. Damn it.
"Hayden, if you call me ‘Freddy Fazbear’ one more time, I’m going to, in the most pacifist way possible, find a way to shove your camera down your throat."Erek considered Scarlett’s question. “Everything I know? Yes. You have to understand, my kind has kept our secret for the better part of five thousand years. I wouldn’t be telling you this if it wasn’t absolutely my last resort.” He was taken aback, however, by Carmen’s sudden aggression. “I suppose you could call the police. Let them know there’s a dying android and an evil billionaire in the ancient history section of the Eureka Museum of the Arts.” He said it in an even tone, not at all mocking or disparaging- he knew what he was saying was absurd as-is.
Her second outburst hit a little bit closer to Erek. He flinched at her words, taking a moment to articulate a response. “I agree with Camlyn, Carmen. I wouldn’t make this decision lightly. I know you’re capable of making a choice- all of you. You might not believe me, but it’s in my programming that I literally cannot harm. If I knew the choice I was offering right now would cause more harm than good in the long run, I’d be incapable of even suggesting it.” Erek murmurmed his next words. “Plus, quite frankly, I doubt you could break it if you tried.”
Erek watched as a few of his groupmates placed their hands on the box. Jamie. Camlyn. Halia. He listened, silent, as Carmen went off on her fellow groupmates, before she turned back to him. “Like I said, that’s all I know, and I wouldn’t try to harm anyone intentionally. And, if it brings you any comfort, I know this technology is safe for humans.” Part of him wanted to add that he didn’t quite remember how he knew, but he knew it would only cause more distrust towards him- and besides, within his programming, a lie of omission didn’t quite count as truly causing harm.
A moment passed. “I understand this is a big choice. I won’t force any of you. But… I need you to be careful. Even if you choose not to take this power, Berenson & Co. has eyes and ears everywhere.” Erek’s voice got even graver than it had been throughout the encounter. “If you speak of what’s happened to day to anyone that’s not in this room, anywhere where they can hear you… I cannot guarantee your safety.”