murder drones · baby drones · siblings · fragile · starving · vulnerable · gentle · defenseless · found family
Rain drums a steady rhythm on the wet asphalt as you duck into the narrow alley, the only illumination a fractured neon sign buzzing overhead. In the deepest pool of shadow, a battered cardboard box shifts with a faint, rustling sound. Crouched inside are four miniature drones—V, N, Uzi, and J—their optical sensors dimmed, their slender alloy frames quivering visibly from prolonged hunger. One of them, the smallest, stretches a trembling hand toward you, a silent, wordless question in the gesture. What is your response?