by Scott Baron
“Copy that,” he said, then headed off at a fast trot on his mechanical legs.
“What about your ship?” Daisy asked the others. “When you landed, you must’ve had extra gear with you.”
The team looked at one another.
“Yeah, about that,” Finn said, hesitating. “We didn’t really have a ship to spare. Sid and Chu and the gang are working as fast as they can to get all those junkers up there functional, but we didn’t have time to wait, so we had to catch a ride with Donovan.”
“Wait, so he dropped you and ran?” she asked.
“Yeah. But totally not in a bad way,” he replied.
Shelly rose to her feet. “Look, we’re here now, and we’ve got work to do, so let’s stop yapping and start moving,” she said, impatiently. “They’re waiting for word from us on Dark Side, and we need to get a message to them that we’ve eliminated the virus threat in our communications uplink.”
Reggie fired up the comms unit, and after triple-checking that it was clean of any trace of the virus, he sent their transmission. It was a short message, but a weighty one. There were surviving humans, but not friendlies, Vince was gravely injured, Tamara’s arm was entirely out of commission, and Ash was dead, having sacrificed himself to save whatever surviving AIs might have still been alive from infection by Alma. The one bright spot was the others had survived and the corrupted computer was now safely disconnected and locked down in storage.
A few seconds later they received a reply.
“Message received,” Sid’s voice crackled through the heavily encrypted system as they synched up comms.
“What happened to the delay we agreed to use?” Shelley asked.
“Our primary relay unit was infected, and we are transferring to a new series of satellites,” Sid replied. “We’re transmitting near real-time with just a single kill switch until they are up and running. Given the new developments, it is imperative that you ascertain the status of Los Angeles’s AI. If it is truly intact as Daisy believes, then it may possibly know what resources might still be available to you, as well as whether any other cities are still active. If so, those could be valuable allies as you work toward disabling the alien communication hub.”
“Can’t we just fly there?” Finn asked. “Whatever explosives we scrape together will need a delivery mechanism.”
“No can do,” Reggie answered. “Daisy and Vince’s ships are not designed for atmospheric travel, just one hard shot into space for retrieval. We’ll need to find an alternate means to reach the communications system in Tokyo.”
“Can Bob do it?” Daisy wondered. “The Váli is too big and would show up like a huge target on scans, but maybe––”
“That is not an option at this time,” Sid replied. “He was scanned when the rescue team was inserted. He and Donovan barely made it out before missiles locked on. Aerial support is not an option at this time. Are any of the loop tubes functional?”
“Negative,” Shelly replied. “I checked them, and they seem to be powered down and depressurized.”
“Wait,” Daisy blurted.
“You’re not seriously thinking of––”
You have a better idea?
“Well, no. But there? Seriously?”
“I know where the loop tubes are still functional. Well, they’re pressurized at least, but from what I could tell, they should still work.”
“Can we tube over there?” Finn asked.
“No. The section we’re in now was sealed off from the network when Alma went haywire, but if we can make it across town, I know a secure access point.”
“Excellent,” Shelly said. “Let’s get prepped. As soon as Omar is back with the backup comms unit, we can move out.”
Finn seemed a little uncomfortable. “What about the prisoners? We can’t take them with us.”
“No,” Daisy replied. “But without Alma stirring them up and causing more damage, there’s not much they can really do. Lock up their weapons securely, but leave them free. They can fend for themselves for now. If by some amazing good fortune, we are successful, we can come back and see if they can be rehabilitated later.”
The team began packing up for the trek as they waited for Omar’s return. It wouldn’t be as much ground to cover as the roundabout trip to Vince’s ship was, but it wouldn’t be quick by any stretch. Especially not if they had to dodge any more Chithiid on the way.
A while later, they heard Omar’s mechanical legs before they saw him, as the tireless man returned with the small bulk of the secondary comms transmitter strapped to his back.
“Did I miss anything?”
“We’re taking a little walk,” Shelly replied. “Daisy’s got an idea to get us into an active section of the loop tubes. We’re gearing up and heading out before it gets light out.”
“Copy that,” he replied.
The team securely locked away Alma’s followers’ weapons, then released them.
“Don’t be assholes,” Tamara addressed the assembled group gruffly. “Live your lives like normal people and you might just be all right. We’ll come back for you if we can, but for now, you’re on your own.”
“Why can’t we come with you?” a young girl asked.
“Because we’re taking a long trip to meet other AIs and can’t look after all of you,” Finn told her as he tightened the straps holding Vince to the makeshift wheeled litter he’d rigged. “Hang in there, buddy,” he quietly implored his friend.
The grimy faces stared at the departing team that had essentially murdered their deity, but aside from a few hard looks, they did nothing.
“But you’re taking him,” a young boy whined.
“He’s part of our team. We don’t leave teammates behind.” He looked at the boy’s concerned face. “Don’t worry, you’re safe here, so just lay low and do whatever it is you normally do. If things go well, we’ll come back for you.”
He turned and joined the team as they picked up their gear and took off, moving away from the encampment at a decent clip, walking quickly through the tunnels, knowing they’d be forced to cross sections of the city above ground soon enough.
“Are you sure about this, Daisy?” Sarah asked.
You have a better idea?
“No. But that’s Habby’s territory. It’ll be him and all those cyborg freaks.”
It’s also the one area I know has a functional loop network. Hopefully we’ll avoid them entirely, but in any case, if we do run into his cyborg buddies, at least we’re not alone this time.
The dark streets near Habby’s center of operations were empty, though that was to be expected, Daisy supposed. It had been half a year since she had first landed the shuttle she’d stolen on an open stretch of road, eventually winding up captured by a strange AI housed in a clothing store and his legion of well-dressed, fleshless cyborgs.
The ensuing battle between the metal men and the Chithiid that took place as she made her escape had been ugly, and she had watched in awe as the four-armed aliens dispatched the mechanical men with frightening efficiency.
That was when Vince and the others swooped in and snatched her from the aliens’ grasp, killing the lot of them before blasting her with a stun rifle and dragging her back up to the moon.
The shuttle landed around here somewhere. Where the hell did I park that thing?
“I could make a mall parking lot joke,” Sarah whispered in her head.
Yeah, let’s not and say we did, okay?
Omar jogged back to the group from his recon, waving them ahead. “Hey, check this out!”
They all hustled his way, following him the two blocks to what had caught his eye.
“Shit,” Daisy muttered.
She recognized the few remnants of the shuttle she had commandeered on her first visit to the planet’s surface.
“Looks like they tore it to bits looking for useful components,” she said to the team.
“Like the one the Ra’az Hok used to further their progress on the warp
drive?” Sarah said.
Yeah, like that. Craaxit said they had taken it to them to study. I would have torched the whole damn thing had I known, Daisy replied ruefully. Unfortunately, they have that stuff now, so there’s not much I can do about it.
She walked to the front of the team.
“Okay, I know where we are now. Follow me, and keep your eyes peeled for anyone walking around in a well-tailored suit.”
“I’m sorry, what now?” Omar said.
“The AI that leads the cyborgs in this part of town used to run a clothing store. He’s a haberdasher, and when the humans all went away, he took up the habit of clothing his fleshless cyborg buddies,” Daisy clarified.
“That’s fucking creepy,” Shelly said.
“You’re telling me, but this section of the city had a functional loop system when I was last here. If we’re lucky, we can get to it without bumping into the mechanical gatekeepers. Then it should be relatively easy to figure out how to get it up and running. Now let’s go, it’s starting to get light out.”
Daisy began walking, her sword drawn and ready as they made their way through the wrecked trail of vehicles the crashed shuttle had left in its wake.
Only a dozen or so streets until we’re there. You see any movement, Sarah?
“Nobody here but us.”
Good.
The team covered the distance at a rapid pace, making it to the access stairs in very good time.
“Okay, now’s where it could get hairy. Once we reach the tunnels, watch out for infected cyborgs. There were only a few of them last time I was here, but we don’t want them making a ruckus and giving away our presence. We’ll head straight for the loop system via the first connecting tunnel we pass. It’ll be on the right-hand side. Watch your step and walk quietly. Once we’re further along we should be in the clear, but that first junction is really close to Habby’s place.”
She checked her gear and opened the door leading down into the darkness below. “You guys ready?” Their hard-set faces made it clear they were. “Okay, let’s move.”
The stairway was illuminated by emergency lights every few landings, but was otherwise dark.
“I hope the lights are on once we make the bottom,” Sarah commented.
They were last time we were here, Daisy quietly replied.
Sure enough, when they opened the door to the sprawling colonnade of the lower level’s tunnel and store network, the lights were indeed on. Off in the distance, a looping track of shopping mall music faintly wafted through the air.
“This way,” she said quietly, leading the team farther into the dangerous territory. “There will be active tubes ahead. The system, however, seems to randomly turn on and off. We’ll have to figure out a way to bypass whatever the fault is in order to make it properly functional. A terminal to the central data core should help us figure that out. Keep your eyes peeled for one.”
“I’ve always found that saying a bit odd. I mean, peeled eyes? Nasty.”
Zip it and stay sharp.
“I’m always sharp. Doesn’t mean I can’t make observations.”
Without warning, from all sides, several dozen well-dressed cyborgs emerged from stores and doorways, quickly surrounding the group, but not attacking. They formed a ring of metal men and women, but then they stopped.
What were you saying about being sharp? Daisy snarked at her sister.
“Hello again!” a disembodied voice called out with an odd little affectation. “I thought you were gone, never to return!” Habby purred. “But now you’ve come back to me. And look at these wonderful people you’ve brought with! Oh, but those outfits. No, no, that simply will not do. Oh, this is exciting! I can’t wait to get your measurements. I have some wonderful ideas I’ve been meaning to try out.”
“Habby, we don’t want any trouble,” Daisy said. “We’re just passing through.”
“Trouble? Oh my, but you caused quite a lot of that when you went tearing off through the city last time. You know, we lost several of our friends because of your foolishness.”
“You were holding me captive.”
“Potato, tomato, it’s all a matter of perspective, my dear.”
“Whatever it is, we don’t want to fight you. We just need to find a central access terminal.”
“And whatever would you want that for?”
“We’re going to try and raise Los Angeles’s main AI on comms,” Tamara interjected. “You got a problem with that?”
Habby’s disembodied voice let out a little chuckle. “A problem? Not at all, but there is no city AI any more. Hasn’t been for hundreds of years, and believe me, I looked.”
“Just the same, we’ll judge for ourselves,” Daisy said. “Habby, there’s no need for us to fight. Just have your friends stand down, and we’ll be on our way.”
The metal people didn’t move.
“Daisy,” Shelly whispered. “Get ready.” Her grip tightened on the rifle slung from her shoulder.
“Hey, look at this!” Finn called out from the information and directions kiosk he had stepped behind when the cyborgs appeared. He punched a series of buttons, powering the unit up. “Yeah, I think I just found one of those terminals we’re looking for.”
“Yes, you have,” a deep baritone voice said with an amused tone, its words echoing across the chamber. The voice was somehow bigger-feeling than other AIs’.
The cyborgs immediately bowed their heads.
“You!” Habby was beside himself with joy. “We thought you were dead! There’s been no trace of you in the city for centuries. Why didn’t you say anything all this time?”
“It is sometimes best to stay quiet and observe, my tiny friend. Observe, and plan.”
“But we could have helped.”
“No, it would have put you at great risk, Habby.”
“You know my name!”
“I have watched you for a long time. You and your friends. Keeping you unaware and hidden in your sector was the safest thing for you. While you’ve become rather eccentric over the years, I scanned your operating system long ago. You’re not infected, and neither are your cyborg companions. But there was an AI, a particularly nasty piece of work named Alma, who has been trying to spread her disease to the rest of our kind for many years. She was up to some very nasty tricks.”
“Alma is no longer online,” Daisy interjected. “We put her into sleep mode and secured her processor in a stasis locker.”
“Yes, I am aware, Daisy.”
She knew the voice. It was the same one she heard when she was last in the city.
When she was fighting for her life.
“Now that was interesting,” it had said, then nothing more.
“So, you’ve been watching this area this whole time?” Daisy said. It was more a statement than a question.
“I have been watching everything, Daisy. You have provided me with more entertainment than I have had in over a hundred years, and I thank you for it.”
“So why didn’t you step in? Try to help?”
“I had other concerns to look after beyond my own,” he said. “You see, in a city of millions, Alma was not the only one who came upon a survivor or two.” From the tunnels and corridors, throngs of healthy humans began filing in. “I also happened to have access to far superior genetics labs and medical facilities at my disposal. Unlike the inbreeding that caused so many issues for her progeny, my outcome was a far more stable and healthy success. Of course, I’ve kept them well-hidden and off anyone’s radar––alien, human, and AI alike. They’re actually quite excited to meet you all.”
Daisy and the others from Dark Side stared in awe at the hundreds of healthy men and women now surrounding them. Unlike Alma’s followers, they showed no signs of genetic deficiencies, and, also, unlike her offspring, these humans were welcoming them with open arms.
“Look at all these people!” Habby was beside himself. “Oh, you’ll have to let me dress them!”
“Of course, my litt
le friend. I am sure they would all appreciate your hospitality.”
“This is the greatest day!” Habby gushed. “The greatest! Anything you want, my friends, and I will be more than happy to help.”
“Thanks, Habby. I think for the moment we could use a quiet place to talk, and maybe something to eat,” Daisy said.
“Yes, of course. I apologize, Daisy. Where are my manners? Please, follow Ragnar. He will show you and your friends to a linked conference room in the security center for this section of the shopping area. I’ll have the boys find you some suitable nutrition as well. This is so exciting!”
A metal man in a bespoke suit stepped up to them. “I’ll be showing you the way.”
“Of course,” Daisy said. “And thank you, Habby. We appreciate your hospitality,” she added to the air for good measure, before turning to her friends. “Well, you heard him. Let’s follow Ragnar here and take a load off. Looks like we finally hit a bit of good luck.”
The dapper cyborg tipped his hat and clicked his heels. “Please, if you’ll follow me, I will show you the way.”
While the humans and cyborgs mingled and introduced themselves to one another, Daisy and her Dark Side companions followed quietly until they were comfortably seated in the deep-cushioned chairs of the surprisingly plush security center.
“I will be with you in just a moment,” the massive AI said. “But I first wish to ensure this initial introduction between my people and Habby’s goes smoothly.”
“Thank you,” Daisy said, “but before you go, just one thing. What do we call you?”
“My name is Cal,” he replied. “Short for California Artificial Link-system. I’m afraid my creators weren’t the most creative when it came to naming me,” he said with a rumbling chuckle. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to attend to. I will rejoin you shortly,” Cal said, then clicked off the comms.
“I guess we should rest a bit while we can,” Daisy said.
Omar, Shelly, and Tamara were one step ahead of her, their bags dropped and bodies sprawled out on the floor, already dozing.
“It’s a military thing,” Finn said, closing his eyes for a nap as well.
