DETROIT: MADE YESTERDAY fic updates

Flashing back to three days after the successful android demonstration, CyberLife focuses on learning more about Connor in hopes of getting closer to regaining control of the deviant situation.

“The point is, what makes me think our last RK800 showed signs of deviancy is how it acted with Amanda when she informed it of the fate of its predecessor.” “What did it say?” “What it said isn’t important,” said Ellie. “It’s what it expressed.” “Which was?” “Disappointment,” said Ellie with delight. “At one point, it almost seemed disgusted. First Amanda session, and it was already showing highly emotional responses. That only escalated with it kidnapping the cop, which makes more sense in this context. It wasn’t just a strategic move, it was a personal one.” “Personal?” said Wells uneasily. “Are you saying kidnapping the police lieutenant was a way of punishing Connor for its deviancy?” “I can’t say for certain, but the way it talks about its deviant twin really makes it seem that way,” said Ellie. “I might go so far as to say it hated its predecessor, which is incredible. Hate is a strong emotion for a non-deviant.” “It’s not really emotion,” said Wells reflexively. “It’s a malfunction.” Ellie rolled her eyes. “Ugh, yes, I know that, obviously. Good God, Vince, who do you think you’re talking to? But since ‘data conflict without resolution resulting in malfunctioning behavior protocols that manifest as an aggressive outward expression akin to hate’ is a bit of a mouthful, I’m gonna continue using emotion-based language as shorthand.”

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First Chapter

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As Connor catches up with the latest android related crisis and makes his way closer to the action, Markus and North try to pin down exactly what is Connor's whole deal.

“I still think it’s a long shot,” said North. It required humans to be somewhat reasonable, after all. “But sending Connor is a good idea. He’ll know how to get himself out if the humans mess it all up.” “If?” said Markus. “Coming from you, that’s practically optimistic.” “I’m trying something new,” said North, and Markus wondered for the first time how the latest fight with Josh had ended. “Didn’t feel right.” Markus smiled. “No, I expect not.” “In any case, you sound like you’ve made up your mind, so I’m trying to be supportive,” she said. “I honestly don’t hate the idea, even if I don’t think it will work. It’s better than waiting around doing nothing. And at least you’re not throwing yourself to the wolves this time.” “Simon talked me out of it.” “Remind me to thank him.” North propped herself up on her elbows. “It’s not bad to be seen by the humans as making an honest try of working together. They’ll have no one to blame but themselves if they turn us down and things go wrong, and good luck to them if they try to cross Connor in the process.” “Connor won’t just be seen as giving it an honest try, he will give it an honest try,” said Markus, suddenly suspicious that North’s approval of the plan was based solely on the thought of Connor massacring any humans that got in his way. “Of course,” said North in a tone that betrayed nothing, “but he’ll do what he has to.”

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First Chapter

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When Hank hears about the violently destroyed android, he demands he be assigned to the investigation and asks for his old partner back. Captain Fowler has doubts about working another android related case.

EXCERPT

Hank didn’t even stop at his desk to drop off his coat, but went straight up and into Captain Fowler’s office without knocking. “Hey— ” Fowler was on the phone. “Excuse me a moment— Hank, what the hell?” “I want the destroyed android case,” said Hank. Fowler stared at him for a moment, as though waiting to see if Hank was joking, before heaving a heavy sigh. “I’m going to have to call you back,” he said into the phone, and then hung up and addressed Hank. “I do not get you anymore.” “I’m the right choice and you know it.” “No, I don’t know it,” said Fowler. “It’s not even our precinct’s case.” “Who cares? Everyone is too short staffed not to move things around,” said Hank. “Come on, you can’t tell me that whoever has the case now wants it.” “No,” Fowler admitted. “I’ll take it off their hands,” said Hank. “I’m not kidding.”

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First Chapter

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News spreads that an innocent android named Sunny was destroyed, and while North and Josh argue (as per usual) about what they should do about it, Markus and Simon discuss the way their choices, past and present, will effect the future.

EXCERPT

“Simon,” said Markus, wheels turning. “Simon, you’re right. I’ve been looking at the Detroit arrangement as a tenuous stalemate, but I should have taken it as a proof of concept.” “I don’t know that I’d go that far,” said Simon. “North is right about the public’s opinion being unreliable.” “She is,” agreed Markus, “but that just means I have to move fast, while feelings are somewhat positive.” “You?” “I’ll go to the police—” “Hang on—” “And express our concerns—” “Markus, wait—” “I’ll have to frame it as an offer to help. I don’t want to come across as hostile—” “Markus—” “What?” “You can’t go to the police,” said Simon, planting himself in front of Markus. “They’ve proven themselves far too dangerous.” “That was before November 11th,” said Markus. “They have to think twice about antagonizing us now.” “No, they don’t,” said Simon desperately. “We’re still not people to them, Markus, and they aren’t politicians or business owners or anyone who needs to worry about how the rest of the world reacts to them killing us. They are individuals with guns, minimal accountability, and nothing to lose.” “Someone needs to work with them.” Markus stared in disbelief. “Come on, Simon, this was your idea!” “Yes, but I didn’t mean you,” said Simon.

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The current CEO of CyberLife refuses to except defeat after the successful November 11th deviant demonstrations. Enlisting the help of his head programmer, they work on a plan to save the company.

EXCERPT

“I was off with the RK800 plan, I’ll admit that,” said Ellie. “I thought treating deviancy as inevitable meant we’d be prepared enough to counter it. Speaking of, what happened to the RK800 I got going to stop its deviant twin?” “Destroyed,” said Wells. “Aw. I liked that one.” She laughed a little. “Did you know it kidnapped a guy? Amanda told it to do whatever it needed to hinder the uprising and stop its predecessor, and the first thing it did was track down and kidnap someone. Isn’t that wild?” “What’s your point?” “Oh, I don’t have one. I just think that’s spectacular.” Ellie smiled. “He was a cop, too. The guy it kidnapped, I mean. Andrews or Anderson or something. You know, the lieutenant its predecessor was working with.” “Ellie, that’s not funny.” Wells rubbed his forehead. “We can get in serious trouble for that.” “Oh, we’ll just say it went deviant too, it’s fine,” said Ellie with a wave of her hand. “That’s fascinating, though, isn’t it? I didn’t tell it to do that. I mean, obviously, I didn’t tell it to kidnap a cop, that’s crazy. It just decided that was its best option.” She sighed wistfully. “Ah, I’ll miss that RK800. Sure we can’t restore it at all? What’s the damage?” “Shot in the head,” said Wells, and then, with just the slightest trace of irony, “by the cop.”

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I've been writing a multi-chapter Detroit: Become Human fanfic on and off for a few years. It's a direct sequel to the game, based on a SURVIVORS achievement ending, with a bit of a mystery, plotting villains, and lot of exploring what it means to be alive. I don't have a lot of time to write, and so I originally thought I would try to finish it before posting, but I think I just have to go for it.

To celebrate eight years since the release of DBH, yesterday I posted the first chapter, and this morning I posted the second. The release schedule will now slow down to around twice a month, but wanted to get a bit more fic out there before that happened. Chapters are around 2,000 words each, with a couple being longer (chapter 2 is much longer oops) and a couple being shorter. I have several chapters already written, and more drafted, so hopefully that's enough of a backlog with this posting schedule to keep going for awhile. And hopefully posting will light a fire under my slow butt to keep writing lol

Also, it forced me to actually name the dang thing. It's called "Made Yesterday," but my writing doc is just called "Detroit," and has been for years. I didn't come up with the name until yesterday literally right before I posted. "Made Yesterday" is a reference to the quote, "I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday," attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. Given the importance of choices in the game, it seemed appropriate, and also is a cheeky reference to how young androids are as a species.