Ch. 3
  
    Stepping out of the truck, 17 stared down at the ground for a moment. Then he started to pace. He had been waiting so long for an opportunity to talk about this, but now the words just wouldn't come. The sudden, quiet click of the passenger door told him that 18 had decided to get out as well, probably to stretch or enjoy the fresh air, or both. To do things that living, sentient beings did.
    This notion brought him back to the subject that had caused him to pull over in the first place. We're more than machines. I know we are. I can remember...
    As these thoughts ran through his mind, a flashback of himself and Juuhachi-preGero-in a meadow appeared and began to play with astonishing clarity. They were only about five or six, and were so happy and carefree that the memory brought tears to Juunanagou's eyes.
    The recollection was so vivid that he could almost smell the flowers in the field, felt he could touch the ones in Juuhachi's hair if he just reached out a little.
    Yellow lotus, he thought with a smile.
    Then the mental VHS ran out of tape and blanked out, leaving 17 with the same sense of loss that he'd heard in 18's voice a few miles back.
  
   ***
  
    "17 and 18 aren't exactly as Gero wanted them to be, Gohan."
    Piccolo had decided, without bothering to get Master Roshi's approval, to explain why they thought the androids wouldn't be causing any noticeable disturbances in the near future. "He wanted them to be perfect soldiers, beings that would obey his every command, without hesitation. Obviously, as Trunks told us, something went wrong."
    Re-crossing his arms, the green one continued his narration. "They murdered Gero and went out on a killing spree. But these androids are different from the ones in Trunks' timeline, and I'm not just talking about their strength and power levels."
    Krillin sat at the table, listening quietly, but was starting to wonder if Piccolo was going anywhere with this. As the namek paused to take a breath, he quickly interjected, "Look, Piccolo, we all know that these androids aren't the same as the ones Trunks fought in his time. But...well, what's your point?"
    Holding up a hand, Piccolo halted him and said, "I'm getting to that, Krillin." Taking a sip of water, then resuming his customary stance-perfect posture, folded arms, and furrowed brow-he picked up his train of thought and proceeded.
    "Now, I'm not saying they're not still evil, I'm only saying that they're different. Not quite as violent, not..." He paused, searching for the right words to convey his meaning, to get his point across. For most of his life Piccolo had lived and trained alone, high in the Tsumaitsubri mountains, seeing nor speaking to anyone. Sometimes eloquence eluded him.
    "The androids in Trunk's time destroyed his world, left it in ruins. These androids haven't even tried anything like that. It's almost as if all they want is a challenge, much like Vegeta. Think about it, their actions are very similar to his the first time he came to the Earth."
    He stopped then, having finished the explanation that Gohan had asked for. Roshi nodded in agreement and approval, then sweatdropped slightly, realizing that Piccolo had done a better job and made more sense than he could have. I'm gettin' old... he thought with a sigh.