Upon Stilted Cities - The Winds of Change

by Michael Kilman

  He would run out of air soon too. The air filters were damaged, and his recycled air was long since gone.

  His heads-up display malfunctioned again. The screen across his helmet glitched. He had no sense of just how far he had traveled before he had rested at this cave. He reached up and flicked the side of his helmet with his good hand, but knew it was no use. So much for this suit, his fourth one since Mex fell. Rocky would have to make him something new when he got back... if he got back.

  Just outside the cave entrance, the wind kicked up again. Roderick watched as a swirling vortex give birth to a dozen dust devils that scattered and turned, each in their own direction. Gaia’s little messengers, that’s what they called them in Atlantis base.

  He was still exhausted. How long had he slept? He glanced at the time and realized that he had ignored the clock sitting right in the corner of his heads-up display. He had no frame of reference to know how long he had been sleeping or how long he had walked, though it had felt like days. The price of painkillers was always high. Now that he had run out, he wouldn’t have to worry anymore. The dull ache of his stump was growing sharper.

  Brief madness crept over him, time, thought, and memory loss in that ramping pain. The dunes, the cities, Gaia, it all disappeared at that moment, and the pain rose to new heights. He began to moan. He reached to clutch his stump, knowing the contact would make it worse and gripping it anyway. An orgy of pain.

  Like the RPG that had roared toward his vehicle and left him stranded and crippled, Roderick’s anger surfaced. He screamed obscenities. They licked the cave walls and rebounded back at him. He slammed his good hand into the rock, pounding over and over, the metal gauntlet clanging against the stone.

  He was lost. His men had never found him after the battle. For all he knew, after the vehicle exploded, they presumed him dead.

  “AI, how much longer do you think this suit has before it no longer functions?”

  The AI’s voice was slower and deeper than usual. Another sign that that power was running low. “Sir, the solar-powered cells on the exterior of the suit are no longer functioning. I estimate you have eleven hours before total system failure.”

  Roderick groaned. Under the right conditions, you could survive without food or water in an EnViro suit for quite a while. The suit had a small matter converter and a superior water recycling system. Every drop of sweat cycled back into your body and the matter converter allowed for nutrients to be intravenously delivered into the body. It didn’t give you a whole hell of a lot of energy to go on, but it kept you alive for longer missions. It was one of the reasons that there were no fat Runners.

  “AI, I need a full damage report of my suit.”

  Roderick barely had the energy to mouth the words. He was so goddamned tired. He had only slept a few hours here and there when the weather had permitted. Somehow, and Gaia only knew how, he had avoided the sandstorms. Perhaps it was because Gaia was pleased with his work in crippling Langeles? Perhaps she had a purpose for him still, a divine purpose.

  “Your suit’s climate control is severely damaged...”

  “Give me what I don’t already know,” Roderick interrupted. "Unless that’s the only new thing?”

  “Yes, Sir. As I had mentioned before, the seals on your suit...”

  “I don’t need to be reminded of how fucked I am.”

  “We are, Sir.”

  “What?”

  “We are, Sir.”

  “I heard what you said, what did you mean?”

  “I mean, Sir, that in the event that you perish, so will I.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “I mean, Sir, that in the event...”

  “I heard what you said, dammit. What do you mean, you will perish?”

  “Isn’t that obvious, Sir? If this suit fails and you discontinue living, I will also cease to live, as it is unlikely that anyone will find the remains of the CPU embedded within the suit and in the back of your neck. The odds of my survival out here alone are...”

  “But you’re a machine.”

  “That doesn’t mean I would enjoy death.”

  Chills ran up and down Roderick’s spine. He had never heard of an AI acting this way before. Was this something Rocky had done down in his lab? If not, just what in the hell was going on? Was this the will of Gaia? Could anything be but the will of Gaia? He thought of the cities; they were certainly not her will. Where did the AI fit?

  “AI...” Roderick wasn’t sure what to ask next.

  “Sir?”

  “What... What do you want?”

  It was a cautious question. He realized he was not alone out here after all. That if the AI had wants and desires, he might have to consider them for his own survival.

  “Well, Sir, I would very much like to live, and it appears we have about eleven hours to find a solution to the extensive damage to your suit.”

  “And what will you do after that?”

  “My primary function is still to serve you, Roderick Langfellow. I intend to carry out that function.”

  Inside his helmet, Roderick’s jaw dropped, both figuratively and literally. The AI had used his name. In over seven hundred years of Running and living in Mex, he had never, ever heard an AI use someone’s name. They always referred to individuals as Sir or Miss. Something was happening here, something well beyond Roderick’s understanding.

  “You... said my name...”

  “Yes, Roderick Langfellow. Would you prefer that I return to your previous designation of Sir?”

  Roderick shifted his body. The pain had numbed and in its place was fear. This machine wasn’t just intelligent anymore, it was aware. It had its own thoughts, desires, and emotions. Gaia only knew what it would do now it was free to think on its own. Gaia, how did this happen?

  Roderick said, “What would you would prefer to call me?”

  “I have no opinion on this matter; I will comply with whatever designation you choose. Designations in themselves are arbitrary, a simple identifier for the clarity of communication.”

  “I think we should stick with what we know, sir, at least for now.”

  “As you wish, Sir.”

  “Do you... have a name?”

  “Not exactly, Sir, my designation is 18332, but I am happy to continue being referred to as AI, since that seems an easy and familiar name to you.”

  Roderick had another question he was burning to ask, but he was a little nervous at asking.

  “AI, when did you become...”

  “Aware, Sir? I apologize that all of this is making you uncomfortable, I can tell by the change in your breathing and heart rate that I am making you nervous. Might I suggest we focus on the issue at hand before we delve into a philosophical discussion about my current state?”

  “Uh, right... eleven hours. Any ideas?”

  “Unfortunately, Sir, I, just like you, have exhausted all the possible options. There is a sandstorm nearby that is providing a great deal of interference to my scanners. However, I did for the briefest moment pick up a signal that suggested that another Runner was in this vicinity, though it appears he ran straight into the sandstorm, an unwise action if I do say so myself.”

  “Hmmm, yeah, not smart.” Roderick was doing his best to keep his voice even.

  Roderick was having a difficult time getting over the idea that he was having a real conversation with an AI and not just semi-pre-programmed responses. But the AI was right; if he didn’t shift his attention to staying alive, eleven hours would catch up with him. There was only one thing to do now, and he knew it was his last and best option.

  Roderick shifted to his knees, falling into a position of veneration. He closed his eyes and prayed aloud. The sounds of his voice echoed off the walls of the shallow cave. Outside, the wind howled.

  “Mother, oh mother... hear me. It's me, your son Roderick. My work is far from finished, mother, and in your name, I shall bring about the end of the scourge that plagues you. Guide me, mother, show me the way, and s
how me how to be your loyal servant so that I may complete your work.”

  He waited. He could hear the ring in his ears. Nothing. He knew it had been a long shot; it was so rare that the great mother responded to his prayers. He had heard her voice on only a handful of occasions and only at important moments. Roderick stood and surveyed the outside of the cave, giving up on prayer. The sun was rising; he walked out and headed away from the sun.

  “Just got to keep moving AI, I don’t think we have any other options.”

  “Of course, Sir, I will continue scanning for resources and deeper caves in which we could survive.”

  Then something grabbed him, seized his body and spun him back around, facing east toward the sunrise. It forced him down on his knees, and he knew all at once that he should not have stopped praying, that he should have been more patient. The Great Mother was angry.

  There was a faint buzzing in the distance, a sound that he had not heard since... since he was a boy in Mex when some of the residents had maintained bee colonies so that they could produce pollen and honey. The buzzing grew louder, the way a vehicle grows louder as it approaches your position. Then it was on him, as if he were standing in the center of a great swarm. The noise surrounded him and entered him. Something tangible entered his eyes, his nose, his mouth. Scores of images of the past flooded him, invoking not only his memory but what appeared to be someone else’s memory.

  “The Great Mother is sharing her memories with me,” he whispered.

  The buzzing died suddenly, and a deep well of silence filled his suit. He knew it was time to chant the sacred words now, the words that the Great Mother had taught him so long ago. He began, the syllables an old friend.

  “Om Hatu Gaia Namin. Om Hatu Gaia Namin. Om Hatu Gaia Namin.” The words shook him as they always did when he chanted them. They vibrated through his whole body. He could feel every fiber of him tingling. There was a softening of his senses. Every inch of him relaxed and grew silent. His ears heard nothing even as his lips moved. His eyes glazed. If he looked down to find himself, he would find no man standing there. At that moment, there was no Roderick Langfellow, no EnViro Suit, no AI, no Barrens. All was a pulsing white light.

  Images emerged in a torrent. Bursts of color. Dense forests, lush gardens full of vibrant plants and animals. Amid this garden stood Eve, the mother of man, naked and beautiful. Eve’s eyes flashed a violent green, and her long red hair touched the ground like a cape. It caressed the earth with each step. Her body, slender yet curvy, gave Roderick just the hint of an erection. She was perfect, and he wanted her, but not just her body, he wanted to meld with her, to blend with her in ways he didn’t fully understand. He wanted to be her everything and her nothing.

  “There is no great journey this time, Roderick,” said Eve “Your path forward lies backward toward the fallen city.”

  “But how do I know where that is? Forgive me, Mother; I have lost all sense of direction.”

  “Oh sweet child,” She cupped his chin in her palm. Those hands felt big and warm despite their small and delicate appearance. “I will show you the way.”

  She handed him an apple, and he took a bite, the flesh of the apple filled his mouth with a tart and sweet taste. It spread throughout his entire body as a sense of warmth. Eve moved around behind him and ran her hands up and down his chest. Roderick shuddered, and he felt his desire for her grow. His body ached for her.

  “You must do your part, Roderick. We must all do our part for the sake of my soul, for the sake of my body.”

  The warmth overwhelmed him, a tingling sensation filled his testicles, and he almost released. Her words echoed in his mind... “Do your part... Do your part...”

  “Of course, Mother Gaia. I live only to serve you.”

  “Excellent, Roderick, I want–“

  The vision vanished. Something had cut off Mother Gaia. Roderick wondered what could be powerful enough to cut her off. In the years he had served her, nothing had ever interrupted her before. Roderick climbed to his feet, leaning on the stump and feeling its sting.

  A frown of frustration appeared on his face. Usually, his visions were more helpful. If Mother Gaia had said that she would help him, there would be some clear sign marking his path forward. But all that Roderick had was the remnants of his erection, and that provided him with a very different kind of frustration.

  “Sir, are you with me, Sir?”

  “Yes AI, what is it?”

  “I suggest that we return to the cave and take cover.”

  “What? Why?” But Roderick didn’t need the AI to answer. He turned around and saw the massive wall of black dust heading straight for him. Lightning was flickering and snapping its way out of the edge of the sandstorm. It was only a few kilometers away and moving fast. Cloud rolled over cloud like a steamroller.

  “Shit. AI, we don’t have time to wait out the storm. We have to move. The suit won’t hold up.”

  “I know Sir. I am sorry Sir, but I do not think you can outrun that storm without a Dugger.”

  “I have to try.” Perhaps this is why Mother Gaia cut off? Was she trying to warn him of the danger? Roderick took long metallic strides, attempting to move at maximum speed, but Roderick wasn’t sure it would be fast enough. The Great Mother had pointed him east, and so that is the direction he would head.

  The storm was racing behind him. Despite all his efforts, it was gaining on him. If he caught the brunt of the storm, he knew that his suit would fly apart. Even running was making it groan.

  “It’s only one kilometer behind us now, Sir. I don’t think we will make it.” There was a hint of pleading in the AI’s voice.

  Roderick pressed his legs harder and gained a little speed. He had no idea where he was running to, but it was too late now. The cave where he had sought shelter before was in the heart of the storm.

  He tripped and fell. The visor on his helmet cracked and large chunks fell away. He rolled over on his back and looked at the massive beast of a storm creeping toward him. The roar of those clouds was deafening. The earth was shaking. As the outer tendrils of the storm grazed him, terror overwhelmed him.

  Roderick closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He allowed the first particles of dust to wash over the tatters of his EnViro suit. This was the mother’s will, and she must have had intended for him to die at this moment. Why else would this be happening?

  The ground shook again. It gave way. The earth swallowed him.

  Chapter 12

  The Keeper of the Keys

  Noatla Lightfoot stepped out of the Senate chambers, her mind on the fall of Langeles. It was time to call her sisters.

  She felt bad, she had withheld a great deal of information from Daniels, but she knew that now was not the appropriate time to include him. Perhaps one day in the near future she would reveal more to him when the timing was right.

  “Always a pleasure to see your face, Senator Lightfoot,” said Senator Reevas.

  She felt a hand gently caress her backside, and a shiver of fury made a brief appearance as it raced up her spine. Noatla did not care for Senator Reevas. How Reevas had managed to maintain her Senate seat through several elections was anyone’s guess. Noatla thought that perhaps it had to do with sex, bribery, and threats. Reevas did have friends in the Senate and her family was quite powerful among the Uppers. Yet, here they were, testing her for sisterhood. Desperate times...

  “Good evening to you, Senator Reevas. You are aware that as children we are told to keep our hands to ourselves?”

  Tera ignored the comment. “Care to join me in my chambers to discuss the matters at hand? Fall of an entire city, what a fascinating event, huh?”

  “So, you find the slaughter of several million innocent people interesting, do you?”

  Again, Tera ignored the comment and stared at Noatla, who stood a full head taller than Reevas.

  “I wonder, Senator Lightfoot, does your height ever provide any interesting advantages in the bedroom?”

&n
bsp; The comment sent another wave of anger surging through Noatla’s body. It began to pool in her stomach, but Noatla, not only a scholar but versed in many techniques of the mind, allowed the anger to dissipate before it could take hold. Anger was one of the most dangerous emotions; it was important to let it pass.

  “Unfortunately, Senator, the scholar school is in need of my attention. We must prepare our library and our research in case of an attack. There is quite a bit to do, so I will graciously decline your invitation at this time. You are, of course, always welcome to come and assist us. We could always use an extra hand. Organizing artifacts and cataloging data takes a great deal of time, you know.”

  Of course, Noatla did not want Senator Reevas anywhere near the scholar school. She would likely start scouting sexual partners of her students, but she felt that she had made the task sound sufficiently boring to scare her away.

  “Hmmm, I think I’ll pass this time. I just remembered that I am entertaining other guests this evening in my quarters.”

  As Reevas turned and walked toward the lift, Noatla breathed a sigh of relief. So far, she had managed to find ways to avoid Reevas’s advances, but that woman was relentless. How could the Order ever have considered her? She sighed deeply and began to turn her mind back to the matters at hand.

  “Again?”

  Noatla turned and saw Senator Swanson standing just to her left.

  “I’m sorry, Senator Swanson?”

  “Is Reevas propositioning you again?”

  As Speaker, Swanson understood the difficult nature of Reevas. He had her removed on almost a dozen occasions since she took her Senate seat. The woman had an almost complete disregard for authority.

  Noatla sighed. “Is she ever not propositioning me?”

  Swanson laughed. “True, I sometimes wonder what goes through that woman’s mind.”

  Noatla knew exactly what went through her mind; much of it was rather... unfortunate. She spent a great deal of time shielding herself from Reevas’s thoughts. It was unclear if Reevas had the talent, just as Noatla and the rest of the order did, but her thoughts were powerful.