Is this a writing/drawing challenge for Sapphic September 2024, because I didn't see any, and my brain just waterfalled this all over a page?
It can be if you would like it to be.
No pressure, like, at all.

_{But if you do, maybe tag your works with Sapphtember so people can discover them?}

Status Update: New Headline Related to: BONDED MACHINES

Mech Pilot Killed, Bonded Machine Possibly Hijacked
Decorated Aquiles Republic war pilot, 21, N-3K7 has been killed in action by an unidentified enemy attack. The ballsy move blew up an entire hanger and left her Bonded Machine, the only Atticus-Class model remaining under Republic control -

ARTICLE CONTINUES, READ MORE?

"ₘᴵₙᵀₕᴱ." The word was distorted in the uplink, like a record skipping over a deep groove. It made Minthe's brain itch as she felt her consciousness slowly returning. There was a persistent red blink that was irritating her and something stung badly in her stomach.

"Mᴵₙᵀₕᴱ. ₘᴵₙᵀₕE. MᴵNᵀₕE." The pilot tried to wave her hand in front of her face as if trying to scatter Atticus' call in her mind away. But she felt that her arm was too heavy to pick up, then the fog of sleep began to give way to the fog of pain. Minthe coughed and could taste the iron in her mouth, her eyes stung as they opened to an acrid smelling smoke. The red flashing lights all of her monitors telling her that she was about to die.

"-THE. WAKE UP." The urgent cry was in her mind and the computer generated voice in her cockpit, milliseconds apart but enough to be disorienting as she coughed again and felt something warm pass over her lips.