Work Text:
If KI2T had eyes he would be sobbing. His youngest son, KI3T, his namesake, was dead. KI3T had been through a lot in his life. He had overcome a Trojan Horse only to be taken down by an infection that no counter programming could get rid of. Sarah had done all she could along with Billy and Zoe. But by then the damage had spread too quickly and nothing more could be done.
KI2T had finally realized that Michael was right. Mechanical parts and computer technology aged much faster than humans did. While KI2T was chronologically 44 years old, in human years he had celebrated his 98th birthday at the end of March, just one day before his son's death. The April Fools joke that turned out to not be a joke. The atmosphere had gone from celebrating to mourning in the space of one day. KI3T had turned 65 human years last New Year's Eve. Chronologically he was 17 years old.
KI3T's CPU was placed in a locked metal box and brought to the Foundation mansion to be buried in the Knight family plot on the grounds. The entire SSC team had come, along with the now retired Team Knight Rider and their vehicles to meet Michael Sr and KI2T, who was too old to do much traveling. As everyone passed the grave markers, they silently read the names inscribed on them. Wilton Knight. Devon Miles. Stephanie Mason Knight. Charles Graiman. Kyle Stewart. Garthe Knight's cenotaph. A memorial stone dedicated to KARR, KARR-E, and Goliath. A simple grave with a marker that read "Kitt Knight Jr" with the designation "Knight Industries 3000" underneath, along with KI3T's "birth" date of December 31, 2007 and his death date of April 1, 2025, would be KI3T's final resting place.
Mike Traceur Knight gave a short eulogy, talking about the adventures he and KI3T had while working together. Sarah, Billy and Zoe also shared their stories of working with KI3T. Sarah remembered how KI3T had been the one to tell her Charles had died, referring to Charles as his father too. It was then that Sarah had realized KI3T saw her as his sister and she felt very comforted by that.
After the short memorial service, the metal box was placed into the grave, and KI3T was laid to rest. The grave was filled. Everyone stayed for a while afterwards, hugging, crying and talking. KI2T and the five TKR vehicles, his remaining children, were given pats on the roof or hands run along their hoods as everyone gave their condolences to them. Then the humans went into the mansion to eat the meal prepared by the Foundation cooks while the AI vehicles parked close by.
It was decided then that the Knight Rider project would be discontinued until further notice. The funds that Charles Graiman had left behind when the Foundation had been revived, a very substantial amount of which still remained, was equally distributed among all of the employees who had worked for the Foundation as a thank you.
Zoe went to work selling luxury real estate. Billy worked at a Ford dealership, where seeing the Mustangs in the lot brought back fond memories of KI3T. Mike and Sarah finally married and chose to retire.
What will happen next is anyone's guess.....