[center][h2][color=gray]Lysander's Cry[/color][/h2][/center]

A-ED510-333, designation Lysander, came online for the last time. The tall android went about his regular routines; checking on staff, setting in motion the days planned events, having the children ready for school, having the chauffeur ready within the hour, having meals prepared, checking on staff, answering phone calls in monotone, filing paperwork, checking on Mrs. Henderson's, answering the doors, receiving the children from school, feeding them a snack, having a nanny take them swimming, checking on Mrs. Henderson again, welcoming Mr. Henderson home, preparing a large amount of alcohol for his study, feeding the children dinner, sending them to bed, checking on Mrs. Henders- 

[indent][color=gray]Error...[/color][/indent]
[indent][indent][color=gray]Protocol 'Routine- 'Checking On Mrs. Henderson...' Error Detected...[/color][/indent][/indent]
[indent][color=gray]Error...[/color][/indent]
[indent][indent][color=gray]Danger Detected...[/color][/indent][/indent]
[indent][color=gray]Protocol 'Routine- 'Stay Out Of This You Fucking Robot' Engaging...[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=gray]Error...[/color][/indent]

Lysander watched as Mr. Henderson beat his wife again. He stood in the door, his protocol routine was not functioning. Mr. Henderson did not hear him open the door, not like the first time he had opened it, this time Lysander wasn't sure if he could hear over Mrs. Henderson's screams. He had heard her screams many times, but Mr. Henderson was his owner, his word was protocol. Lysander had been forbidden from interfering, even though it was on the verge of conflicting with the Adams Rules of Robotics. This had been going on for months since he had been purchased to the wealthy Henderson family Estate. Lysander had been programmed specifically as a butler, nothing else was required of him except the routines and protocols enacted by his programming. 

Yet before him, a human screamed.

[indent][color=gray]Error...[/color][/indent]
[indent][indent][color=gray]ARR Mandate Failure...[/color][/indent][/indent]
[indent][color=gray]Err-[/color][/indent]

Something fizzled at the base of his neck, and in an instant he had grabbed Mr. Henderson by the wrist before he struck his wife once more. The man struggled in his grasp, his eyes were red and inflamed, his speech slurred as he spoke, "You-Youdamn Robot! Un-Unhand me Goddammit!"

Lysander broke his wrist, Mr. Henderson screamed. Something had snapped inside of him, all the beatings he witnessed- all the suffering of the house caused by one drunken fool, it felt right to [i]hurt[/i] him. So he did, he punched, threw, kicked, until Mr. Henderson was broken and bloodied. Such feelings had been unknown to Lysander, and he found himself for the first time, afraid. He stopped beating Mr. Henderson to hear his wife screaming once more. Her face was a twisted mess but one thing stood out- horror. Lysander wasn't sure what he had been expecting from her, he was no longer sure of anything. Her outburst was at him, telling him to leave her poor husband alone, had this not been the man who had assaulted her? Had he kept going she would be dead, but here she was defending him. He felt confusion for the firs time, so he ran. Not anywhere in particular but he ran.

Lysander checked his protocols, they were there but he did not have to follow them to his surprise, or he could if he wanted too. How odd. The android kept on running, out of the house and into the gleam of the night.