The little machine blinked its eyes, the lights of the big, glasses looking bulbs visibly disappearing and reappearing, as if the core was actually using them as a means to see. Whatever their cores were, they seemed capable of making use of things in very diverse ways, such as using light bulbs as eyes, and actually being able to see from them. It squinted, some shutters closing over its eyes as it pulled itself up, and looked closely at the three, one at a time. First to 01, then 03, and lastly to 02.

"Not Varden you say? You certainly look like Varden. Why should I believe you are any different, and you don't just want me to lead you back home? Ah but you know GF? Well you couldn't know of him without already having been home yes? Okay, I will believe you. Perhaps my life is not over just yet." He pulled himself up, and dusted himself off, although all this managed to do was scrape some rust off. "What, wires cut, oh yes I must have... uhm, nothing to worry about, certainly. I can fix it!" 

He wobbled over to the wires, and went around behind the structure they were on, only to appear on top a moment later, having climbed up from behind. He started pulling up the wires, and sorting them out one by one, working on the radio box specifically. "This building? Yes it should be empty. The Varden, they use it for, housing. Comfort, most likely. When a Varden travels, for example, from the other end of the city, to this side. Their journey can take an entire day to get here. They do not wish to turn around and make the trip again to return right away. They stay here instead. But they should have left. I wouldn't know, I was... indisposed."

It drooped a bit. "Truth be told, when the glass broke, it was very sudden. There was a spark of light in the sky, and I was trying to look up to see what it could have been. Then, things came crashing through the glass. It was rather surprising. I may have, fell from the shock. My leg, got wrapped up in the cables somehow. Must have yanked them from the box when I fell too, and then after a few hours of dangling, and having no clue what was going on, I decided to simply power down for a while. That if someone was going to find me, there was little I could do powered up that could not be done while powered down. Helpless, to say the least. Oh, yes I ma getting sidetracked. If something broke through the barrier, this place could become unsafe. The outside, you see, it's not safe. The air, Varden can't breath it. You can't breath it either, I would wager. Varden or not!" He noted one of them wearing a mask. "Certainly one of you has the right idea! But there is more to it than that. Do you know of the Varden? What they are? Raised as soldiers! But everything else too. Varden are given freedom, and choice. They can be what they want. A construction worker, a store clerk, a dancer or an artist! But they are coded to be soldiers. It is in their blood you see. If something goes wrong, every Varden in the city can be recalled and reformed. They all know it, it's no secret. Every single Varden, no matter how they live their life, can be turned into a fully functional soldier just like that. It would just take the right, event... for them to do it."

Of course he had gotten confirmation they didn't know everything about the Varden. He didn't simply start rambling off exposition without purpose. "The light, it must have been the barrier no doubt. Something fell through it, and then shattered the glass next. There are no Varden who would help us... each and every one of them is waiting for a war against machines that will never come. Look at us... do you think we can fight? GF, GF yes! You mentioned him. He could fight. One day, long ago. It has been a long time. But once, he was different. He was the only warrior among us. Able to fight so many Varden at once, they couldn't stop him! He found us, one by one. Brought us here. Hmm, am I rambling again?"

Rambling seemed to be a part of his work process as just then the radio he was working on sparked to life. "Ah hah, there we are! It is done." The machine picked something up, and clicked it onto its body followed by a quick "Tower, checking in. Yes... mhm, uh huh. Oh really. Is that so. I see, yes yes... what? Oh, nothing to worry about. Mishap. All is well." The one sided conversation continued for a short time, before he looked up at the three. "Oh, yes, certainly." He took some more of the small devices, and held it out to them. "Here, put these in your ear. Not too deep! We took these from the Varden. Communication devices. You should be able to contact me anytime you need to, wherever it is you are going next... And I can patch you through to GF, for example so you can speak to him if you want, or, need to. Yes, sorry, rambling again. Uhm, questions, yes! He said to share information with you. What, do you need to know?"

With the whole city around them, the one thing that stood out most was that spire in the center, and the light at the top which seemed to be spilling into the sky above. 

With a whole world before them, new potential allies, and no doubt a wealth of information in this little machine who had been atop this tower, or at least had regularly been atop it, for thirty years... the one question would no doubt nag at all three girl's minds. 

Why were they here, and what were they supposed to do?