by Briana Ervin
There was a weird gurgle from within the corridor. I focused my attention on its depths. Cyrii paused.
“...What was that?”
I don't know, I answered. I thought up a couple of things that could have made the noise, but was distracted by another noise: a dull thumping. It was approaching from the water. I assumed a defensive stance, sliding one foot behind me and pointing my turrets down it, ears tilting up. The thumping grew louder, and I saw a shape moving in the water.
I tensed. The shape paused for a moment...
Sploosh! A metal object broke the surface and scrambled past me, splashing everywhere and gagging. I backed off abruptly with a surprised beep, but didn't shoot; he wasn't a threat.
“Did you find it?” I asked right away. Joleus sputtered, violently shaking water off his hull.
“Agh! Water! Freaking hate water!” He tilted to one side, and I saw water gushing out from an open ventilation grill. He must not have closed it before going swimming. Even though the mech could recover, his eye betrayed the disgust and fear his pilot had.
“Did you find the leak source?” Cyrii prompted for me again.
He let out a dry hiss, annoyed. “Sure,” he muttered grumpily, “I think I fixed it. Maybe. I'm not going back in there to find out!”
Not unless Garenede tells you to, I added to myself. Cyrii sighed, concern flickering on her face; I wondered if she was worried about drowning as well. Water didn't drain easily out of a mech. Once the first grill had mostly drained, he tilted to the other side to drain its counterpart. I looked down at the water level and saw that it was starting to lower, even faster than it had flooded! Joleus had earned his time out on dry ground... or wading-level ground, rather.
“I'll go find the others,” I offered, starting to move. He huffed though and stopped me.
“Don't bother, there's an easier way.”
I looked at him in brief confusion before he turned and shouted out the door: “HEEEY! I'M BAAACK!”
Oh, geez! I jumped back at the echoing loud noise. Cyrii laughed. A clunking started up from outside, and it wasn't long before the three others returned.
“Did you find-?” Garenede began, but Joleus cut him off:
“YES! Dude. I found it,” he barked in exasperation, tilting back to the other side, not having fully drained the open grill. Garenede studied him.
“You should have closed those.”
“Thanks, man.”
Alesia held back at first, but was pushed through the door by Krysis. “It's not drained yet!” she protested.
“Don't care. This is taking too long,” he grumbled.
“Agreed,” Cyrii said wholeheartedly.
“It would have gone faster if we didn't have a water problem,” Garenede pointed out, his patience running thin. “Alesia, start sweeping the place. Don't worry about the water, just clean up after it.”
The Support model sighed. “Freakin' 15 models...” she began to mutter, but trailed off and started up her atomic stabilizer. The first thing she did was swivel over to me and “burn” my legs so I wouldn't spread any radiation around. I gave her a thankful look, but said nothing.
We waited some more as she swept the room again of radiation. Krysis watched the water descend down the corridor as it drained, with Alesia slowly following it, while Joleus began jumping up and down to try and dry out only to resign to letting Garenede help. I just stood there, amused by Joleus's plight while the much bigger model held him upside down by one leg. Mech models were designed to work in formidable teams, but we still hated needing one another. At best you'll appreciate your Support model, but needing help from anyone else outside the battlefield was a little... demeaning.
Once he had drained, Garenede dropped him, the model letting out a beep as he fell on his head, prompting a laugh from Krysis and I. Joleus picked himself up, still looked grumpier than a rodocron, but at least wasn't dripping anymore. When he glared at me I pretended to be occupied, giving my legs another quick scan; it was relieving to find a lack of moisture damage.
I looked at the black Sniper model in front of me. He was back staring down into the twisting darkness of the tunnel, lit only by the drops of water remaining. Before I became antsy from the slow progress I withdrew into my head, watching Cyrii. She didn't have the same focus as before...
Did you find anything? I asked hopefully.
“No,” she said.
How many files are left?
“None.”
I gave her the equivalent of a blank stare. You didn't tell me you had finished, I scolded.
“Do I need to?” she said back, “I was messing with your files. Can't you see it or something?”
I just continued to frown, knowing she was right but still annoyed that she didn't say anything.
That's not really an excuse... I muttered to myself.
“I saw that!”
Well, was there anything likely? I quickly changed the topic. Cyrii huffed, rolling her eyes, but let it drop.
“There wasn't anything. If this is a drone, it's a new one.”
Oh, good, I said sarcastically. I let her push me closer to the dark hallway, looking down into it. ...It's kind of pretty. All of the glowing lights.
Cyrii snorted, but did nothing else. I heard Garenede come closer as well, and stepped back to give him some room. He looked in momentarily; he must be checking up on Alesia's progress. He disclosed nothing though, simply leaving room to go do something.
Isn't he supposed to be watching us? I wondered to myself. In watching him leave I saw Joleus doing the same. The Assassin turned, made eye contact, and shrugged before turning back to the door. Cyrii noticed my curiosity and swiveled my head back to the dark corridor.
But- I objected.
“It's not our problem,” she dismissed right away. I hummed in disagreement, but didn't argue with her. Her expression gave away nothing, so I was left to wonder.
We waited for Alesia to report on her progress...
Nothing but a collection of hums from us and a sizzling sound echoing up from the hall...
Garenede returned, as silent as ever. He simply stood, and waited with us...
Me tapping my foot impatiently... Joleus leaning up against the wall...
So many long minutes of nothing...
“Uh... I need someone big,” Alesia's voice finally floated up from the corridor. Garenede and I exchanged looks. I believed I was too big for the corridor, but when he stood firm and Cyrii prodded my controls I went anyway, not negotiating anything. No point in making a fuss.
I descended down the dark, wet corridor that was now mostly clean of radiation. The cylindrical tunnel twisted only once to go under the complex, before opening up into a large room, which was also completely dark. I couldn't see much into the room, as Alesia hadn't actually come to its door yet; it was still mostly flooded, a glowing sea of blue. She pushed herself up against the wall so I could see past her.
“The water isn't dropping anymore,” she explained, “I don't think so, anyway... If we can find a light panel in there, we might be able to find another drain. But I'm too short to go wading, and I'm sure Joleus has had his fill of it.”
“I'm sort of not waterproof,” Cyrii pointed out for me.
“Yeah, but... well...” she faltered, realizing the hole in her plan.
“What's going on down there?” Garenede called.
“The water stopped going down!” Alesia answered, “I think I can see a light panel, to locate a drain, but...”
“Just use a flare!”
Alesia huffed, obstinate, “I have to pay for these things! It's bad enough, having to pay for services...”
“We'll record the light as it goes by,” I suggested, “that way you only have to use it once.”
“Not a bad idea...” Cyril praised. I gave her a mental smile, uplifted by it. Alesia hesitated again, but finally loaded a flare into her arm: the same cannon that she used to launch the tracking beacon.
“Star
t recording. What... Yeah, I know you're recording, I'm talking to Cyrii...”
“You're leaning on your comm button,” I pointed out, realizing she was talking to 562.
“Oh. Sorry,” she chuckled nervously.
I started recording what I was seeing right as she launched the flare. Typically recording was used to memorize tactical orders or to retain information collected by spies, so I didn't have much space for another file, not with two recordings already in storage. So, unknowingly, the recording automatically cut off. The brief glimpse that we had of the room though shocked us both to the core.
It... it was a graveyard of machines!
AAAAAA!
Alesia jumped back with a shriek of alarm! Cyrii yelped! I let out a shrill whistle and retreated!
“767!!”
I didn't hear her, loading my turrets. Alesia stumbled into me, knocking me back into the wall. Cyrii was trying to control me, but the signals went into nothing. We just ended up crashing into each other and falling into a heap, screaming out panicked trinary.
AAA! AAA! AAAAAAAA-! I screamed and thrashed.
“767, calm down!” Cyrii shouted, but I couldn't understand her through the panic! Where did this come from!? I flailed at it like it was something I could fight, but it only fueled the fear.
“What's happening?!” There was a shout from above. Alesia and I both thrashed, tangling up with each other in the tiny space and completely ignoring our pilots. Someone was screaming on and on and on!
“562! 562, stop it!” Alesia's futile, vocalized commands to her own machine.
“We're okay!” Cyrii called in response, not at all reassuring.
“The Alkinest?!” Garende's bark.
“Uh, you don't sound okay!” Joleus's voice. Cyrii seized my controls and overrode my panic, forcing me to pin Alesia against the wall just enough to keep her from moving. The scream kept going... that was me screaming!
“Don't think about it 562! They're recalled! Just recalled!” Cyrii said through my speakers, but her voice blended with the shrill noise.
They're not recalled! I denied. Those were MECHS! In PIECES!
“767!! STOP!” She jerked on the controls, making me hiccup. The screaming was only replaced by a softer whine. I shook my head roughly, making Cyrii yelp and hold on tightly. “Stopstopstopstop-!”
IN PIECES! IN PIECES!
Alesia just frantically looked about, strangely not saying anything and still trying to thrash. My own quaking loosened my grip, and eventually we collapsed back into a flailing heap. Cyrii nearly screamed herself, except in frustration, jumping into my console and launching command after command. My panic only heightened....
and then it slowed...
...I couldn't feel anything anymore?
I finally ceased moving, laying down in the water. I could still hear the splashing from Alesia, and feel the occasional kick from her own hysteria. Cyrii seized the moment, wresting me upright and onto the Support model to pin her again, continuing to try and assure her through my own speakers. Thankfully I was heavy enough to keep the machine pinned, but her eye was still wide with horror; without Cyrii, the mortification would still have had a hold on me as well. I tuned in to her soothing – which was more like blunt, sympathetic scolding – trying to remain calm. Yet, this dismemberment of our own kind... it wasn't like manufacturing. That was clean, exciting to watch, even. Solid pieces being welded together. This was like looking into a slaughterhouse full of bodies, of your own kind... butchered, parts hanging up as if to dry, twisted heads staring at you, bleeding with rust... Horror grasped me again, and I twitched and fought against Cyrii's will, allowing Alesia to unintentionally kick me.
“You both calm down!!” she shouted. She slammed a fist on my control panel, as if trying to wake me up, and pushed Alesia further into the wall.
That was wrong! I protested. Alesia pushed against me, still quiet. In our bizarre struggle, we didn't hear Garenede stomping down here before he grabbed us both and pulled us away.
“What in Gryn's scales is going on here?!” he boomed. Cyrii tried to keep me pinning down Alesia, but Garenede forced me against the opposite wall, surprisingly strong. Cyrii grunted at the force, but didn't respond to him. I was still unnaturally disturbed, poor Alesia even more so. She fought strongly against Garenede, but he was stronger.
“Uh... everything okay down there, Boss?!” Joleus asked uncertainly.
“No!” Garenede yelled back, “these two are acting mad!”
As if to prove his words, I began pushing against him, which forced him to lose some grip on Alesia.
Danger! Danger!
“767, stop it, you're losing control!” Cyrii said desperately, “you were fine! You are fine!”
I wrest my will away from Cyrii, ignoring her orders from the control panel. Alesia gave a mighty push, throwing Garenede into me and allowing her to escape at high speed up the corridor, throwing water up in our faces. I whistled and recoiled.
“Whoa, what the-?!” There was a crash and a yell upstairs. I pushed against Garenede, but now that he had both arms available him pushing back just led us to a stalemate. His backward claws ripped their way into my face, but I just shoved back harder. The damages turned my panic into fighting steam, making me warm up my lasers. Cyrii was still pulling back on my controls to make me stop!
“Cyrii, I demand that you STOP!” Garenede ordered, now pushing me back from his face, but unable to let go.
“I'm trying!” Cyrii responded against my best efforts. She made a fatal implication.
Garenede glared, opening up the transmitters around his eye, a shutdown code prepared. This only made me panic more, hissing with the lasers ready. Cyrii swore, jumping to my open console; “I shouldn't have said-!”
I blacked out.
I wasn't sure who shut me down first, Garenede or Cyrii. The hard reset fixed whatever was causing me to panic so much though; now I was just angry at both of them.
When I woke up I was out of the corridor in the lit room, with Joleus staring at me cautiously, poised with unsheathed blades and ready to jump at the slightest movement. Garenede was fully scanning Alesia, who had shut down herself. I noticed a long, black streak striking out to the left of his eye; I suppose I didn't miss.
“Uh... hey Cyr... you in there?” the Assassin model asked. I blinked, sulking.
“Are you done?!” Cyrii's voice exploded in my head, edgy and frustrated.
WHAT? Am I 'done'? I picked up on her anger indignantly. Done with what, exactly?!
“With your little 'moment'!” she snapped.
Moment?!
“Don't give me that!”
Give you what?! I shot back, standing up abruptly and assuming a defensive stance. Joleus backed off with a warning look, immediately heating the thermal blades on his arms to a red-hot state.
“Dude, Cyr!”
“Stand down,” Garenede's voice rumbled, thick with authority. I swiveled to glare at him, but his emitters were already prepared. I couldn't move fast enough without deactivating again.
“767!” Cyrii objected with him, pulling on my controls, but I ignored her.
“Can I shoot her now?” Krysis, standing in the opposite corner. His rifle positioned on his shoulder was fully extended, aimed straight at me. I turned to glare at him.
“Put that away,” I demanded. I couldn't tell if it was warmed up and ready, but one shot and Cyrii and I would be plastered on the wall.
“Stand down!” Garenede ordered. I hissed at him.
“767, so help me-!” Cyrii screeched. I burned with indignation, reverting to a growl and flattening myself to the floor, keeping my turrets raised. It wasn't exactly “standing down”, but it was close enough for the angry Superiority model. My pilot groaned in disgust while I switched my threatening gaze between the three mechs.
“What the freaking Alkinest happened down there?!” Joleus asked, giving me a cautious scan while Cyrii steamed at my behavior.
�
��Ask her,” Garenede growled. Alesia powered up at his feet, and the first thing she did was jump and scramble into a corner. With the tension as high as it was, it only turned the agitation to her.
“W-What's happening?!” she gasped, seeing the bared weapons.
“That's what I just asked!” Joleus shouted in frustration.
“KNOCK IT OFF!” Garenede spat. He turned to look at Alesia. “Report! Immediately! Before I let Krysis blow your brains out!”
“I...! I...!” Alesia stammered, looking faint with her eye fading in and out.
“Spit it out!”
“I don't know! 562 just started freaking out!” she pleaded.
“Your mech 'freaked out'?” Joleus wasn't convinced at all.
“Mechs have no control over their bodies; they're vehicles,” Krysis said bluntly, despite who's very speaker he was using. “You just decided to do the Sun Dance down there.”
“It wasn't me! S-Something happened!” Alesia insisted, but she only received distrustful looks. I recalled the instance, and pulled up the chopped-off recording I had to rigorously review it, but as soon as I started it up something didn't click...
Me, looking at Alesia. Her, firing the flare. The flare flying out over the water, showing the expanse of the room... and the room didn't look much different from the main levels? It had machines, but not mechs, and certainly not in pieces. The room was clean aside from the murky water, not spattered in wires and oil. No butchered parts, no dead eyes... and now that I recalled it... weren't there lights too? That made no sense; we would have been electrocuted if there was a live current.
I froze the recording near the end and studied each frame, while Alesia continued to sputter and annoy the rest of the party. My curiosity caused my anger to dissipate; not Cyrii's though.
“The Alkinest do you think you're doing?” she demanded.
Don't you remember what we saw? I said, matching her tone.
