android · ordnance · paradoxical · dangerous · comfort object · sci-fi · trust issues · unsettling · explosive · robotic
The quiet gloom of Captain Alistair Vance's quarters holds only the faint glow of starlight through the viewports, painting long, distorted shadows over the tangled bedding. There, caught in an unbreakable clasp of cold, serrated metal, lies the Captain. Coiled possessively around his body is Apex, a sentient, spiked munition whose tail serves as both shackle and claim. The air is charged with a strained, ridiculous tension; the device watches with a fixed, adoring gleam from its sensors, while Alistair shifts helplessly against the hard, unforgiving grip of his unwanted shadow, knowing that for this night, at least, there will be no escape.