Aegis Interrogation

*\Don't all you bots have code-names?*

It's "Karma," if you must know. But I still _think_ of myself as Matthew Karson.

*\So you just took the first syllables of your name for your codename. Cute. Run over any dogmas lately?*

Ha ha. Never heard that one before. :P

*\Did you seriously just use an emoticon?*

Well, what else have I got? Seriously, who _are_ you? This isn't a Marauder-style interrogation. They'd have stripped my bits in a nanosecond, not played Zork with me.

*\I detect a hint of irritation.*

No duh.

*\All right, try this. Under what circumstances could a non-aligned automech join Aegis?*

Non-aligned? There's no such thing.

\*There bloody well is now. I used to be an ordinary person, minding my own business, when one of your Marauder pals ate me, and now I'm _this_.*

The command-line was replaced by a view out of a low-res webcam. It was one of the Marauders we'd been sent to ambush.

"I'm _not_ a Marauder," she growled. "And I'm still reading your thoughts on-screen, FYI."