by Briana Ervin
Then speaking. Yeah, I could-
AAAA!
I convulsed as if I slammed into a wall, but it was a wall of information! It was utterly overwhelming! Look at all of this data! Look at all of these things I'm picking up! Look at how many decimal places this detection has now! Look at those-!.... Oh, these cameras were way out of focus, I had to fix that. Ooo, look, a knob! Hey, that made me hear better!
I paused for a moment, utterly baffled. What happened? I couldn't feel the download anymore, but I could also... feel. It was a real sensation, not some sort of perceived reaction. I could also see better, and hear better, and understood my size better and could somehow think better...
This was bizarre, but also kind of cool!
I was starting to have fun with all of these new discoveries. Besides the stunning clarity of my sensory information, I felt more like... me, somehow. I could feel my engine, and how much air I was circulating, and the status of my reserves, the health of my joints, and I even felt like I had skin! It was unreal, knowing these feelings now, and thinking! Thinking was a whole different thing now! I had real opinions that weren't the factory default! I could care about multiple things, or even nothing at all! I could make observations and judgments and comments about things I wanted to talk about! Look, see?! That shade of green lit up by that hangar light... is horrifically ugly. Who designed this place? Who thought that green stripe on the walls looked good? It looks like a rodocron beast was sick in here!
I laughed at my own thoughts. I laughed, by myself, because I wanted to. Apparently I also laughed really loud.
There was a shifting of weight in my head, and I shut up instantly. There was no further response.
Who's in here? I challenged.
I still had no answer. My mind drifted to calculating all of the probabilities of what it might be, and almost immediately I decided it was likely to be benign.
Then I had fun with that discovery! I calculated that so fast!! That was a ten second long task in the past!
I went back to being absorbed in my own little world, now playing with my new emotional signals. They were honestly terrifying now, with how strong they were. Being sad made me want to fall over and cry for six minutes! Being independent made me feel strong and confident, like nothing cruel in the world mattered! Being happy made me want to bounce off the walls of my hangar! Some emotions were even stronger than those, like rage, which for some reason filled me with undeniable vigor, like I could crush a building! Then there was pain, which-
OW!!
There was a jump in my head synced with my own, and I quickly terminated that thread. That hurt like crazy!
“Huh?... 767?” Cyrii's sleepy voice roused me from my play with a start. “You awake?”
Are YOU awake? I said playfully. Then I felt conflicted about my answer, and added, Well, yeah, I am... 'Yeah'? Am I using lingo now?
There was some scrambling, then a thud on my controls. “D-Did it work?” Cyrii asked.
What? I asked cheerfully, trying to organize my thoughts. There were so many of them now!
“I... hacked you, remember?”
Oh yeah... I murmured, now remembering my previous panic. I suppose you did.
“...You don't sound like you care.”
Why would I? This is fun!
There was a nervous silence, before Cyrii started laughing. “I-It worked!”
It did!
“You're alive!!”
I am!!
I didn't fully comprehend what she meant by “alive”, but I laughed with her anyway, excited that she was excited! She then ended on a note of uncertainty, making me turn to a curious hum.
“767?” she began.
Yes, Cyrii?
There was a pause. “What do you like, 767?”
I LIKE...! I began enthusiastically, eager to share my ideas, but then faltered into thought. I like... to serve my purpose.
“What is your purpose?” Cyrii disguised the emotion in her voice.
My computer brought up new images, cross-referencing them and information I didn't have before. So much information! A database revamp? I could see files on all every mech the Empire had, over seventy of them, and I understood physics and engineering better, and I had an archive of all the drones the Empire has ever fought and different aspects of Xinschi-uual culture and all of our measurements and lingo and cultural quirks and about different regional accents and lots of different plants and animals-! It was incredible! Was this what actual thinking was like? Did everyone know all of this stuff and remembered it all the time?
I flicked through all of the data, fascinated by all of it, then remembered Cyrii's question. I asked myself, internally, about all the things I liked. Before when I asked myself that, I could only think of what the Empire wanted of me; I know this now. The Empire wanted me to like only those things, like upholding military standards, because it helped collective efficiency, but now I liked other things too! Personal things, completely unrelated to the rules!
I found articles on anatomy and ballistics, probability and strategy, and began to linger on them. I continuously brought up images of victorious battles and of my pilot, and then I remembered the confidence of independence. I went through ideas related to it and discovered personal improvement. “Personal improvement”... I didn't know improvement could ever be personal! I just knew being up to standards would improve the Empire, but personal use? That's a cool idea!
I forgot that Cyrii was watching my internal screens, very, very closely. She hummed, and right away I could associate with the hum and realize it was not just uncertain, but linked to hiding ideas as well, as if... Whoa! I could understand her better! I actually knew how she felt instead of just guessing! I didn't feel anything, but I knew!
“Forget what I said,” she said dismissively. I paused, detecting nothing wrong with what I was thinking about, but closed the thoughts anyway, happy to comply with her.
Cyrii removed the external hard drive from my computer, and sealed it up again so it was protected. I began staring off the distance, my excitement morphing into an eager focus on my surroundings. Threats, I must focus on threats! I had to protect Cyrii. Terminate threats and keep Cyrii safe, that was my purpose... and maybe blow up a thing or two. That sounds fun!
“...767?” my operator spoke up again, still uncertain.
Yes?
“How do you feel about me?”
I blinked; on my own volition! I moved by myself without Cyrii's help! You're my consciousness, I said, restraining my excitement at the discovery but unable to stop myself from doing a happy little bob.
“Yeah, but, what about everything else? What I am? The training? What just happened?” she elaborated.
I have no reason to dislike you, I said, a bit puzzled by the question. I mean, I suppose I could find one...
“Oh... no, that's fine,” she said, her tone still cryptic. “So uh... what about the Enemy?”
I don't know much about them, I admitted. My operator hummed.
“Me neither, actually... the reports on them aren't very intimidating, but apparently they've been scouting around more.”
Scouting around? I echoed, Is that why we had a Code Yellow?
“Yeah, I think so... So nothing, huh?” she said, referring back to the question. I thought on it a little more.
Nothing aside from the fact that they're attacking us and I'm built to deflect that. They're just a threat to terminate.
“Hm,” she grunted. “All right then. See you in a bit, I suppose.”
You're leaving? I asked in surprise, suddenly feeling defensive.
“Just sleeping. It would be a waste of time to go back to the bunker. I might as well rest in here and have an extra forty minutes.”
I relaxed a bit, saying nothing about that. As long as she was where I could get to her, that's all I cared about.
Cyrii went to the back of my head and curled up there, not speaking for a long time; I guess she really did go back to sl
eep. While I was sitting around eating up power, I decided to run a lot of simulations and play with my new database of information. So much of it... Cyrii must have plugged an encyclopedia into me! It was mostly military-related – strategy, formations, drone types, ranking of officers... – with everything else I noticed at first being a mere fraction of it, but that just made me like it more.
I was so fascinated with discovering the information, I completely lost track of the time. Slowly, my internal, mechanical clock counted the passing hours...
----------
Cyrii was right about how early it was; it didn't take long before the military complex woke up. With me having already been booted, I had the liberty of observing morning protocol.
“Protocol”.... that word made me twitch. It didn't used to before.
First, the Superiority models woke up. Normally I would simply absorb this information and just accept it, but now I actually reasoned out why: they were primarily for security. This routine was for checking up on everything and relieving the night watch; I could tell with the consistent pace of mechs flying out, then only a few of them returning, each with a group of unfamiliar ones. For some reason, I felt an undeniable defiance toward them... part of it felt like guilt, because I knew I shouldn't be powered on, but the rest I couldn't explain. I just hated the rules, and hated them for enforcing them... I didn't feel comfortable with them around. I tensed up as one grey-toned Superiority model – not our officer in particular – patrolled my catwalk, searching for anything amiss.
The fact that I was awake was amiss enough. He first went past me, then stopped to do a double-take. He then went back in front of me, giving me a once-over with both his green eye and scanner.
“56-767, report,” he demanded.
I gave him a cold, stony stare. I had a choice to not report, and I was going to use it!
“767, report!”
“Oh geez, what now?” a deep groan sounded two levels up on the opposite side. I recognized it as belonging to my Row's correction officer.
“Your 'favorite' mech is being defiant again, Garenede,” the Superiority model scoffed, glancing up at the voice. “Look at that: ready ahead of time and everything. Somehow.”
“She is NOT my favorite! Cyrii is a pest,” Garenede retorted. “Giving me extra work to do...”
“That's life,” another Superiority model in the complex answered.
“Not mine. I'm supposed to be retired,” he said in frustration. The only response was a scoff. The model in front of me turned and walked out to the edge of the catwalk, then fired up his thrusters and flew up to where the officer was so they could switch places. I simply waited.
Garenede flew down to me and landed to take the place of the other mech who found me, keeping his wings flared to allow the thrusters to cool down. I zeroed in on him, studying his deceptive form. He was a bit shorter than me, and less stocky, but that only meant he was faster. I peeked into my new database to see if I had a file on his model, the 36, and if there were any weapons other than the claws, but I couldn't see all of the details. That only verified to me how much of a threat he was. Threats were a danger to Cyrii and I had to get rid of them. Now, if only this barracks wasn't swarming with other Superiority models...
“767?” He sounded confused at first, but quickly recovered and stood his ground in front of me. “767, report. You're not supposed to be powered up.”
My crosshair danced over his form, picking out potential weak spots and cross-referencing them with the file. It was surprisingly difficult, with how uniform his hull was. “No,” I answered innocently.
“Well, then what are you doing?” he said, rolling his eye. I quickly located the areas of danger on him: the panels around his eye that had emitters – which I had previously mistaken for small rifles - that I knew could stun. There were sharp, stout blades over each arm. The hooked claws were of course dangerous, and designed to catch escapees. Then, there was the only hidden weapon that was disclosed in my new database: an EMP, just in case some bright circuit tries to create a mutiny.
This made my threads churn. What would be the best tactical strike? First we'd have to get away from the other Superiority models, and then I'd have to stay away from those claws... or perhaps keep the distance close so it's difficult for him... that EMP is going to be a problem...
“767! I asked you a question!” His sharp voice cut through my thoughts. I jerked back to reality, pausing the analysis, and focused back on him.
“I simply woke up early,” I said vaguely.
“You don't just 'wake up',” Garenede said, his voice becoming laced with danger. Tons of reactions fired off in my head, manifesting as emotion that I wasn't sure how to handle, resulting in me being offended and wire-tied for a second. I averted my sudden glare to the ground. I already knew he was ready for a fight, and I knew Cyrii's hack was illegal, but he didn't know I was hacked. I already found some likely weaknesses on him, but we were surrounded by Superiority models. Should I risk agitating him?
No. Don't be stupid, 767.
“I... did, this time,” I continued, thinking quickly about what excuse Cyrii would use. “I didn't want to fall asleep and risk being late.”
The mech stared back at me numbly. “And how exactly did you manage to come in here with all the doors locked?”
Drat. I didn't have an answer for that.
“The door was open,” I said lamely, not wanting to slip up with hesitance, “unlocked, I mean.”
We stared at each other for several more seconds. My tension was high from stress as I calculated the likelihood that he wouldn't question me, and the chances were not great.
“Sian!” Garenede called for another mech. The loud noise made me wince. I looked around as best as I could in my hangar, but couldn't see the source of the answering whistle. “Were any of the doors unlocked?”
“No Garenede! One of the labs did need a security reset though!”
Security reset? I wondered, looking back at Garenede. His yellow eye was narrowed in suspicion.
“What for?” he asked.
“We're not sure yet! Commander says don't worry about it!”
“Of course,” he muttered, averting his gaze for a second. I only felt more confused. Did this pertain to me? Did he believe me, or not?
I decided to remain silent, obediently waiting for him to ask me another question. Yet, he only gave me a long, exasperated look, before shaking his head and leaving. “Stay in your hangar until the General wakes up, soldier,” he ordered.
“Yes sir,” I said flatly, watching him leave. Weak spots, weak spots, where's the weak spot?... Darn, he's pretty seamless... Oh well, I'll just keep an eye on him. That way I can take him out at the first opportunity I have.
I slumped back in my hangar, calculating when that moment will most likely be. As I pondered the chances, the minutes ticked by... I heard soldiers start coming and going, the ringing of orders throughout the complex, the thunderous marching of the machines as they were driven about, and paid no heed to any of it, lost in thought.
I was abruptly shaken back to reality by something sitting in my pilot seat. I jerked and there was a surprised shout.
Who's there?! I demanded.
“It's just me! Geez! What has you so jumpy?!”
I relaxed when I heard Cyrii's voice; she finally woke up!
I've been deducting possible isolation and termination points, I cheerfully relayed to her. I felt her situate herself in the seat so she had a better grip on the controls.
“Uh... iso-termi-what...?” she asked.
To get rid of threats, I said factually. We have four major offenders, with two that can be easily replaced. Now, I can isolate them by creating a long-drawn argument with the pink Fighter. I can keep her sister model away by encouraging a duel. Only the pink would go through with that.
“Uh...?”
To prevent a preemptive correction I could make a distraction by boiling up a rivalry between our Support
and Sniper, and our Assassin will inevitably get involved. Then when I start the duel only the Pink will be involved but then Garenede will HAVE to be involved too-
Cyrii interrupted me with a hard smack on the paneling. Ack!
“I just woke up!” she growled, “The heck are you talking about? Why are we fighting our comrades?”
I was stunned for a moment. You're... asking me?
There was a very long pause, before Cyrii let out a sigh, like something just dawned on her.
“You're uh... going to try and kill them, aren't you?”
I didn't have a good response, so I just stayed quiet. Considering how Cyrii kept throwing tantrums over these other soldiers, I thought it would be a good idea to defend her. Not go as far as killing them, that's impossible to cover up with this kind of security! - okay, I might have entertained it with Garenede – but still! Just inflict some wounds, that's all.
“767... what would you do, if I told you that right now, I'm at gunpoint?”
I jerked violently. What?! Is that a hint?! Did someone sneak in here? I'll give him such bad whiplash he'll-!!
“Yeah, that's what I thought.”
Huh?? What thought? I became seriously confused as she popped open my console. Hey!
“It's nothing,” she assured, “just a couple of booleans I wasn't sure about.”
Booleans? Which booleans?
“Yeah, balloons.”
Balloons?!
“Yeah.”
What...?! I didn't even bother asking what she was trying to hide. I huffed and tossed my head in agitation. Cyrii yelped, stabilizing herself with the arms of the pilot seat.
“Watch it!”
Tell me what you're changing first! I demanded, What's broken now?! I thought you fixed me!
“You're not broken!” she said firmly.
Then why are you touching my console?!
“Don't put it like that!”
CYRII!
She growled loudly, giving her head an audible shake. “Look, I just wasn't certain about some values when I changed your BIOS settings, okay?”
YOU WHAT?!
“Relax!” she shouted, quickly resuming her typing. I bristled. “It's nothing!”
