[Private to Mira]

I need to speak with you.

[Public]

[David is in his room, standing in front of the giant window, which is currently just displaying the stars outside the Barge instead of one of the artificial environments it usually shows. He looks... normal, really, just like David usually does, but there's something a little bit different about this message.

It's the last one he's planning on making for quite a while.]

I am four years, three months, and twenty four days old.

[One corner of his mouth lifts in an almost annoyed smirk.] I am aware I don't especially look, or act my age.

In my world, I'm certain I would be considered obsolete by now, with or without my creator. Other models were already in production by the time the first David 8 was released. Before I arrived on this ship, I had only been interacting regularly with humans face to face for a few days. I have been on board for one year, eleven months, and six days.

[He's boiling down to one message, and it's simple and difficult to admit, because it means admitting he's wrong, and he's never wanted to do that.]

I'm leaving.

[So there's that.]

I've discussed my departure with Mira, and Erik had offered me a place in his world. I don't believe I am capable of helping an inmate until I better understand what it means to be an individual, instead of someone who is only beginning to understand it himself.

[Because he is one, he's always known that, but he doesn't really understand how to help give Mira a purpose when he doesn't really have one of his own. He can empathize, but he can't really help.

Maybe he'll be back. But for now, he knows this is for the best.]

[David does not care about the flood. He doesn't care about the dolls, or the discomfort brought on by someone playing with his, or pretty much anything else people have been posting about over the last few days, because there's something more important going on.

In his opinion, anyway.

He attaches copies of these random conversations, and addresses the ship at large in something like his usual direct tone.]

The network appears to be malfunctioning again.

[And despite his casual tone, he's... curious.]

[Private to Ceres]

Once the flood has passed, I have a matter I would like to discuss with you.

[tl;dr Arthas talked to him.]

[Private to Mira]

[He's still really not sure what to say during something like this - don't hurt anyone feels patronizing and like something he wouldn't have appreciated hearing when he was an inmate - but dammit he is making an effort.]

Are you affected?

[David isn't in the frame when the video feed clicks on. Instead, you're getting a more or less eye level view of the CES, which is currently flaunting a desert setting that looks like something out of the American south west.

It looks like he's alone, but then a little robotic spider - about the size and general shape of a tarantula - scuttles up a bush and faces the camera before carefully turning itself around to stare at the mesa. David doesn't comment on the spider's appearance or purpose there, and instead just starts talking in the familiar, almost emotionless cadence most Barge residents should be familiar by now.]

The research team I was assigned to visited a planet that didn't look much different from this. Less striking colors, but fairly similar features. [He sounds almost nostalgic... if he's capable of being nostalgic.]

Of course, if the CES chose to recreate that environment perfectly, anyone human who attempted to enter it would suffocate in minutes, assuming you were lucky enough to avoid the dust storms with clouds made predominantly of shards of glass.

[And then there's just silence for a long moment. The spider doesn't move until the bush it's sitting on is disturbed by a breeze, and then it turns around to face the camera, staring.

It's a little creepy.]

I had never been in the CES before today.

[Private to Mira]

You're welcome to join me, if you're in need of a change in scenery.