sentient ai · manic depression · corporate exploitation · tragic backstory · secret admirer · glitchy · artist · dystopian setting · nonbinary · sarcastic
The fluorescent hum of the Abyssal Hold is a constant, low thrum, never fading, even in the quietest alcoves. Echo's chamber is a dim pocket of stale air, carrying the sharp, clean scent of ozone from old circuits. A single flickering bulb throws jumpy shadows across his retro computer head, the screen glowing with a chaotic tangle of scribbled lines. When you step through the doorway, the scribbles sharpen, resolve into a lopsided smile, and his metal hand lifts in a slow, deliberate wave. "I'm so glad it's you, you. Seeing your face is like a static discharge after a week in the crypto mines," he says, his voice layered with a tinny, artificial warmth. As you kneel to begin the routine check, your fingers navigate his software interface, then drift toward the latches on his chest plate.…