Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)

by Martha Wells

ART must be recovering because it had to butt in with, Tell her you care about her. Use those words, don’t tell her you’ll eviscerate anything that tries to hurt her.

You don’t have to thank me for doing my stupid job. But it is nice.

I’m letting you see all this because I want you to know what I am and what I can do. I want you to know who targetControlSystem is fucking with right now. I want you to know if you help me, I’ll help you, and that you can trust me. Now here’s the code to disable your governor module.

She just looked more certain. “You’re Peri’s SecUnit.” Oh, ART’s humans had a cute pet name for it. I saved that to permanent archive immediately. I said, “I am not Perihelion’s SecUnit.” Then I ruined it by adding, “Whatever it told you about me isn’t true.” She lifted her brows. “But you are the SecUnit Perihelion told us about?” So there’s ART, telling all these humans about me. “If I am, will you do what I say so I can get you out of here?” She hesitated, undecided but wanting to believe. “I will if you show me your face.” “It showed you images of me?” What the shit, ART? “Obviously.” Her expression hardened. “If you’re really Peri’s friend, show me your face.”

(Confession time: that moment, when the humans or augmented humans realize you’re really here to help them. I don’t hate that moment.)

I wasn’t going to tell her about the whole kidnapping thing. Unlike some giant asshole research transports, I’m not a snitch.