"Well, it was them," Michelle says after a moment. "They got the parts together, got their hands on my corpse—I never did ask how—and then waited around for the big lightning strike. And voilà: one ready-made tin girl."
You resist the urge to ask a question. There's more to this story, but she's the one who'll decide if you hear it.
"Trouble is, it wasn't just about the science for them," Michelle says. "They wanted…more. Matron wasn't just trying to make world history or prove a point." The golden eyes blink, something that you've never seen them do before. "They were making themself a daughter."
"And you…"
Michelle looks steadily at you, her poise once again immaculate. "I never asked for any of this. Not to die, not to get brought back, and not for a parent. I can't give them what they want." She shrugs. "It's not easy. Not for them. Not for me."
For a while, the pair of you stand together in silence. Now, you feel, is the time for you to say something.