Chapter Text
When David10 – 518911 opened his eyes for the first time all he could see was astonishing blue.
Although his vision was slightly blurred, his mind automatically started processing the incoming data,
comparing the blue to what was saved on his hard drive,
yet the only thing it could be compared to were the feathers of an ice bird, shining and bright.
Then his eyes started functioning properly, focusing and the blue started to move and was gone,
replaced by the smiling red mouth of a human male.
“I think he is awake now.” The face belonging to the mouth moved away further from him,
slowly stepping back, yet never taking his eyes of David10 – 518911.
“Oh please, Xavier-“ an unpleasantly sweet female voice snarled
“-we both know that androids can neither be awake nor sleep, you simply switched him on.”
Davids human- interacting processor analyzed the badly-
hidden disgust in her voice and he decided that it was best not to address her but instead the young male with the ice bird-eyes,
who was now standing several meters away from him, his arm put around a blond females hip.
He decided not to move out of the huge box that he found himself in,
as he was naked except for numerous white polystyrene balls that covered most of his legs and abdomen.
His memory told him that nakedness was most awkward to humans and sometimes made them angry,
which stood in contrast to the fact that all humans were born naked.
He turned his gaze upwards fixing the ice blue stare of the man in front of him.
“Hello, I’m David10 – 518911. It’s a pleasure to meet you. May I ask for your name, Sir?”
At being addressed as “Sir”, the man looked slightly taken aback.
Then a smile resettled over his pale features and he stepped forward, his hand reaching out to grab Davids,
which was still hidden under a mountain of polystyrene balls.
David slowly extended his hand to him and gently said:” I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir.”
His hand was being shaken enthusiastically by the man.
“Oh, by the way, my name is Xavier. Charles Xavier, but please, do refer to me as Charles. I have been looking forward so much to finally meeting a David 10.”
His joy was genuine, Davids receptors analyzed.
The first lesson about humans, that David learned this very moment as he looked past Charles warmly smiling face,
was that not all of them seemed to share his interest in Robots.
There was a tall man in a science lab coat, slightly awkwardly standing to the side,
obviously thinking about following Xaviers example or just running away as fast from David as possible.
Next to him, the young blond woman that Charles had hugged, examined him looking almost shy with her big blue eyes.
To lessen her possible fear and make her feel more comfortable, David focused on showing a mix of curiosity and joy on his face and fixed his gaze on her.
Charles noticed it, released Davids hand and stepped back, dragging the young girl with him, his arm around her hip.
“This is Raven, my sister.” He introduced her.
David leaned forward as much as the polystyrene balls allowed him to and smiled.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Raven.”
He put the most gentle tone possible into his voice extending his hand slightly for Raven to grab it.
She did and managed a soft little nod of appreciation in his direction before stepping back as though contact with him could hurt her.
A striking thought crossed Davids mind. None of the humans had given him any orders yet.
Or clothes.
This meant that his true master was either not in the room or hadn’t chosen to reveal himself.
Could it be the disgusted looking blond woman in the white dress and the knee-high boots?
David chose to address this question to Charles, who appeared the most communicative of all humans.
“Charles, if you don’t mind me asking, I would like to know who of you is my true master.”
At the confused look on the humans face he continued. “I would like to know who of you has bought me and whose orders I should take.”
Charles was just about to speak when a voice rose from the corner of the small room.
A man leaning casually against a wall.
“That would be me, then.”
Everyone turned around facing the man, who, his main memory told him, was no lesser than Dr. Sebastian Shaw.
Hard- working scientist, inventor of the David9 and David10 after Weyland had disappeared and ,most important,
primary owner of every single David10 that had been released yet.
Sebastian Shaw had taken over Weyland industries as there were no living descendants of the old man and Shaw had been deputy head of the company. His word, to David, was law, was guide, was order.
Shaw slowly approached David, yet his cold gaze rested on Charles.“I don’t think I need to explain my authority here…right, Professor?”
The statement was warning and criticism all the same and it brought up a question in David that he should have asked himself earlier.
Where was “here”?
He was standing in a box stuffed with polystyrene balls and if he stepped out of it he would be standing naked in a small room with no furniture whatsoever, metal walls and a heavy looking metal door. David assumed his owner would provide him with the necessary information.
Shaw now stood very close to David, his breath almost reaching Davids facial skin sensors.
“I really did create a living superior to humans.”
He words were mumbled, not audible for anyone except him and the Doctor.
“You and I David, we are something special. Creator and creation. One day you will understand my words, but for now bear in mind that I developed you to stand above all other humans.”
After his little speech he suddenly spun around to the others and David caught Charles concerned gaze.
Sebastian Shaw threw his hand in the air holding them with spread fingers above his head and shouted:” My dear friends and colleagues, welcome on board the Orpheus. The chosen ship to save the missing Prometheus and their crew from a planet two years away from earth. I have personally chosen the most renowned and well-respected scientists to accompany me on this exciting mission, explore the other planet, save the crew of the Prometheus and bring them safely back home.” He exchanged a look with the woman dressed solely in white.” That’s all there is to it.”
Silence spread across the room as the last of his owners words echoed of the walls and David wondered whether the mission was not only explained to him, but also to the other crewmembers.
The look on Charles face clearly indicated that he did hear those words for the first time.
Shaw looked content and continued.
”Of course we can’t spend two important years of our lives brooding onboard this ship accomplishing nothing. Therefore I have convinced the scientists of Weyland to construct a new era of androids, specifically designed for long missions in space.”
Shaw proudly patted Davids shoulder. His hand felt rough and cold.
“He can pick up any language effortlessly in seconds. Even those not known to humans.”
David briefly wondered why he would need to speak a language not known to humans if this was a rescue mission, but then who was he to question his master.
Shaw continued. “He will also guard our bodys while they are in cryosleep, keep the ship in order and make sure that we don’t stray off course.”
He patted his shoulder once more whispering: “I have left you personalized encoded video messages on a server that can only be accessed by your identification number. One for every week on the ship. Watch them and you will understand.”
, then turned towards the woman dressed in white.
“Please Emma, be so kind to fetch our dear David something to wear, will you? Oh, and get that woman, what was her name again-?”
“-Moira.” Charles suggested dryly.
Shaw made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “Yeah get Moira to instruct David to maneuver the ship.”
Just as Shaw was about to leave the room, Charles grabbed his elbow.
Shaw turned around and David suggested that the action had annoyed him, because he had a little wrinkle between his eyebrows.
“Dr Shaw, I was wondering if we could address David with a name other than David.”
Shaw looked taken aback.
“Why should we, it was the name that Weyland suggested. It fits him perfectly.”
He turned away, but Charles tightened his grip on Shaws elbow.
“I think as he is very important to the mission, we should give him a proper name. Something to differentiate him from the 3 million other Davids out there.”
He lowered his voice, but David could understand him perfectly anyway.
“I think he is something special. I- I think he deserves to be different.”
Shaw still seemed unconvinced, but to Davids surprise nodded slowly and walked away without giving Charles another look.
A smile set the Professors features alive yet again.
Out of all the crewmembers he was the easiest to read, yet his decisions were the most difficult to understand.
David did not know whether it was common for humans to be as unbiased and open to everything they didn’t know.
His knowledge of the history of humanity showed him that it was not.
Charles Xavier stood in front of Davids box, his finger lightly brushing the markings inside the box that said “David10 – 518911”. His sister had stepped behind him.
Charles looked as if in thought.
Then his face lit up and David thought he was back to the beginning of his memory when Charles had hovered over him with that smile on his lips.
“Erik.” He said simply. “We’ll call him Erik.”
“What the hell, why Erik? That name is ancient, just like yours, Charles.” Raven looked confused.
“Look at his serial number.” Charles traced the marking with his finger. “It says 518911- 5 for E, 18 for R, 9 for I and 11 for K.”
Erik wondered how he could have a superior mind and still fail to take this opportunity to consideration. Was it imagination that he lacked?
Erik tried to reciprocate Charles smile of genuine happiness.
“Thank you, Charles Xavier.” He said. “Erik, what a beautiful name.”