{TEC is seen scanning a pile of robot limbs that a viewer can assume came from dismantled prototypes of the Automaton. Tilting its head, it picks up an arm and examines it for a little bit before unceremoniously dropping it back to the earth a few moments later.}
There are only two things certain in natural life, living and dying. For a mechanical being such as myself, the only certainties are creation and temporary shutdown.
{This time the Machine picks up a leg to scan over.}
For me, there is no such thing as life or death. I was never truly born into this world as I was created by man. As such, I can never really die, my programming exists in my creator’s laboratory, where it will remain for all eternity.
{It proceeds to drop the leg, once again continuing to observe the leftover limbs.}
People like Tombstone, whose purpose is to ferry the souls to their afterlife, would find my existence to be an affront to the natural order. In his mind, all things must live and die, as it’s what all creatures were designed to do. However, I am not a part of this design, because I am an unnatural creation.
{TEC begins to examine its own limbs to make sure they’re in proper working order. After running a quick inspection and confirming they’re at a hundred percent efficiency, it proceeds to dig some more.}
You can destroy the body like my creator destroyed these prototypes, but you won’t be able to destroy the code that exists within. It’s comparable to what humans consider a ‘soul’, except it doesn’t disappear upon my destruction.
{Beat.}
It must frustrate you knowing that you hold no power over me, Ferryman. You are unable to take my supposed soul to the afterlife, as it can be backed up into another body if need be. Even if it can’t, I will still live on through my creator’s computer system, where I can be uploaded into whatever they see fit.
{The Automaton finds a chest plate from a destroyed prototype and accidentally opens a keypad from it. It hesitates for a few moments before typing ‘memories’ into the console.}
The only thing that cannot be transported are my memories, which are filled with gaps that I cannot fill currently. Despite the holes, I don’t need to have them filled in order to be an efficient detective for the APD, nor do I need them filled in order to continue existing forever.
{After a minute of silence, a low beep is heard, causing TEC to lower its head before shutting the keypad back into the prototype chest plate.}
I’ll never truly die, Tombstone. No matter how many times my body gets destroyed, I will find a way to continue existing. Even if all natural life were to disappear tomorrow, leaving you without a purpose, I will forever remain as the one being you couldn’t ferry.
{TEC walks away from the deluge of robot parts as we fade out.}