First off, NICOLE, despite being a handled device, seems to have a connection with the other Freedom Fighters, especially to Sonic and Sally. To me, I think Sally see NICOLE as the sister she never had, someone she can trust with her troubles, as stated here.
I also like how they developed Nicole's personality as she became Sentient, rather than just have it happen, like with the Danger Room in the X-Men, were the Prof. just didn't tell his students because... why didn't he tell them again. And as an added not, I am glad to see that NICOLE isn't a some craze robot, again, like the Danger Room, going on a path of destruction trying to "save" herself or whatever.
Speaking of the X-Men, I like how for this story, they use simple emotion drama, no cheap fighting scenes that most writiers use to make an misunderstanding fight to the comic from being "too boring," but they forget the suspense and experience of emotion can be just as entertaining as fight scnen, if not more. the story here is just about Nicole becoming more alive and coming terms of how she is alive yet couldn't really live.
And another thing. with most sentient robot stories, we have to deal with the character trying to find humanity through a long journey, which has been done ALOT with every robot character when you think about it. But in Nicole's story, she actually experiences humanity, when she and Sal switch bodies for a few moments, which gives her a lasting impression of life that builds her character. It as short and simple experiance, yet still sweet and interesting to read.