[A strange answer—Arid had assumed he had been manipulating some part of her programming in order to enforce his own parameters, but if this ability is even more effective on humans, it suggests otherwise. She wonders if this is another example of that advanced technology Tina calls “magic.”

It is, ultimately, irrelevant. Arid does not need to know how his power works to know it is a threat. Slowly, she lowers the needle to her side, though her grip doesn’t let up on the human’s throat. If anything, it tightens—after all, she doesn’t need him to respond to this next part.]

From now on, you will limit your use of this ability to humans and other organics. If I find you have been forcing your parameters on any synthetics... [Her grip squeezes hard enough to bruise,] you will learn what state passes for death in this system.

[She does not bother to ask if he understands. If he does not, the outcome will still be the same. Without another word, Arid opens her hand and lets the human drop to the ground.]