'What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.' Do you agree or disagree? Why?
The seabreeze was a welcome caress and he closed his eyes letting it wash over him, its cool fingers tracing patterns on his cheeks. It was quiet here, finally quiet. He let out a small, equally quiet sigh.
He wasn't alone, but the other presence on his deck wasn't a concern. The two of them had mended fences for the moment. A compromise pushed by the saving of life.
And the end of another.
He could still see the red light flaring up in the AI's eyes…anger of such a depth it defied his own. Perhaps he had more reason than Michael; perhaps he had finally gained that last bit of relief two hundred odd years of unrequited loss; perhaps he had simply been in pain.
Either way, the deed was done, for good or bad. They had survived.
Language knew how to lie.
And Knight was no longer Kitt.
Not that he ever really was, just in Michael's eyes there had been that representation, a call to all the mixed and pain-filled feelings the name brought to the surface. His thoughts danced across the subject like they always did and he shifted in his seat a little uncomfortably…which in turn set off the nagging twinge in his shoulder, life's latest memo regarding his mortality.
Knight was no longer Kitt, but the core, the heart, the soul of the AI he had known was there, different, but there.
And Kitt's soul purpose had been to protect his driver…
He could still hear Knight screaming his name.
Merritt hadn't had a chance.
It was Knight's turn to shift in his seat, but Michael didn't open his eyes at the sound. The AI was content to simply sit with him and watch the sun go down. Michael had a beer in his hand and Knight a mineral water on the table.
"You okay?" The sun's last rays of warmth fought with the cool of the breeze.
"I am well. Are you in any pain?"
Michael finally blinked and opened his eyes to look at his partner, his thoughts automatically venturing towards the healing wound in his shoulder. He could almost feel Knight's sensors crawling over his body. "No. No, I'm fine."
Silence reigned for another moment and Michael returned his gaze to the ocean. "You know, it's a little ironic."
"It is? In what way?"
Michael's top lip wrinkled a little. "The test that killed Kitt was the same one you faced, yet you survived. You made the decision and Merritt got his answer."
Knight blinked calmly at him. "It was not my decision."
The former driver stared at the AI.
"It was a decision made by my designers, Michael. One that places you above all."
"I know that. The point is that you faced it and survived its consequences where Kitt did not."
"It was not the first time."
Michael swallowed, but didn't comment.
"It would be foolish to think anyone in our profession had not seen their share of death."
True. "But purposefully?"
"Lack of choice makes the choice, Michael. You know that as well as I. I've done what I've had to do and I have survived it."
"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?"
"No, it makes you alive. The rest is up to you."
And Michael was suddenly struck with the age of the man across the table from him. This was no naïve AI, Knight was not Kitt.
"Thank you for saving my life."
Knight didn't look at him, choosing to stare out at the ocean once more. "You are welcome."
[ Michael Knight | Knight Rider originated | 'What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.' Do you agree or disagree? Why? (theatrical_muse) | 595 ]
He wasn't alone, but the other presence on his deck wasn't a concern. The two of them had mended fences for the moment. A compromise pushed by the saving of life.
And the end of another.
He could still see the red light flaring up in the AI's eyes…anger of such a depth it defied his own. Perhaps he had more reason than Michael; perhaps he had finally gained that last bit of relief two hundred odd years of unrequited loss; perhaps he had simply been in pain.
Either way, the deed was done, for good or bad. They had survived.
Language knew how to lie.
And Knight was no longer Kitt.
Not that he ever really was, just in Michael's eyes there had been that representation, a call to all the mixed and pain-filled feelings the name brought to the surface. His thoughts danced across the subject like they always did and he shifted in his seat a little uncomfortably…which in turn set off the nagging twinge in his shoulder, life's latest memo regarding his mortality.
Knight was no longer Kitt, but the core, the heart, the soul of the AI he had known was there, different, but there.
And Kitt's soul purpose had been to protect his driver…
He could still hear Knight screaming his name.
Merritt hadn't had a chance.
It was Knight's turn to shift in his seat, but Michael didn't open his eyes at the sound. The AI was content to simply sit with him and watch the sun go down. Michael had a beer in his hand and Knight a mineral water on the table.
"You okay?" The sun's last rays of warmth fought with the cool of the breeze.
"I am well. Are you in any pain?"
Michael finally blinked and opened his eyes to look at his partner, his thoughts automatically venturing towards the healing wound in his shoulder. He could almost feel Knight's sensors crawling over his body. "No. No, I'm fine."
Silence reigned for another moment and Michael returned his gaze to the ocean. "You know, it's a little ironic."
"It is? In what way?"
Michael's top lip wrinkled a little. "The test that killed Kitt was the same one you faced, yet you survived. You made the decision and Merritt got his answer."
Knight blinked calmly at him. "It was not my decision."
The former driver stared at the AI.
"It was a decision made by my designers, Michael. One that places you above all."
"I know that. The point is that you faced it and survived its consequences where Kitt did not."
"It was not the first time."
Michael swallowed, but didn't comment.
"It would be foolish to think anyone in our profession had not seen their share of death."
True. "But purposefully?"
"Lack of choice makes the choice, Michael. You know that as well as I. I've done what I've had to do and I have survived it."
"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?"
"No, it makes you alive. The rest is up to you."
And Michael was suddenly struck with the age of the man across the table from him. This was no naïve AI, Knight was not Kitt.
"Thank you for saving my life."
Knight didn't look at him, choosing to stare out at the ocean once more. "You are welcome."
[ Michael Knight | Knight Rider originated | 'What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.' Do you agree or disagree? Why? (theatrical_muse) | 595 ]