by David Aries
“I don’t know,” Faris said. “I’m not sure how it activated to begin with.”
“Maybe there’s a button?” Casella offered.
“I-I don’t think it’s wise to go pressing random buttons, sweetie,” Akko said.
“Cass ain’t the one you need to be telling that,” Trez remarked as she glanced at an ignorant tourist in their element.
Sylvetty was bundling around the walls while her fingers wandered.
“Seriously, how did they do this? This is metal, right? There’s no way ya could make this with a forge. Are ya telling me there’s blacksmithing magic out there?”
I sighed. “Watch your—”
“Input detected,” said a mechanical voice. “Scanning area.”
Sylvetty froze. “Huh?”
An ill feeling gripped my heart. I flinched, grabbed hold of my axe, and opened my senses to their limits.
Trez gulped. “I… think this might be ba—”
“Scan complete. Foreign lifeforms detected. Activating ‘Alert Level: Five’.”
The grav lift deactivated as a hatch snapped shut, closing off the shaft leading to the surface. At the same time, the room’s lights turned from a gentle blue to a harsh red.
From the ceiling emerged black domes which swiveled our way.
“What’s happening?!” Akko squealed as she jumped toward me.
“Trouble,” I said as I pulled a few rocks from my pocket and drilled them into the mechanisms.
I managed to smash a trio in a few swift movements—hooray for my training—but those out of reach fired before I had the chance to take them out.
My instincts saw it coming; I grabbed Akko, Casella, and Trez and threw us all behind the nearest barrier.
Dammit, I knew they were turrets!
Their shots blasted against our cover, battering the thin slice of metal sitting between us and death.
“No!” Akko squealed as she covered her head. “We’re going to die! We’re all going to die!”
“Nobody is going to die,” I said.
“Brandon!” Sylvetty said as she crawled toward me on her belly. “What the feck is happening?!”
“Forget that!” Trez replied. “What the fuck did you press?!”
“I dinnae know! How was I supposed to know this could happen?!”
“Is this really the time?” I said through gritted teeth.
If what I’m hearing is right, there’s likely three turrets left.
If I can get a good angle, I can take them down.
As long as the barrier held, that was.
“Faris! Vay!” I yelled. “Give me any cover you can! I’ll take them out.”
“Allow me,” Faris said as she sprayed her flame breath over her own barricade.
The turrets took the bait. They couldn’t resist firing at the inferno.
I jumped up and released another rock that demolished my target.
Boom!
Before I could throw another, the remaining turrets returned fire.
I dropped back down and pulled another stone from my pocket.
Alright, two left.
I’ve got to make these shots count. If I miss, I’m out of—
My senses came alive.
There was a strange sound coming from the nearby hallway. It sounded like… bowling balls?
Instead of using Faris’s next distraction to attack the turrets, I followed my instincts's guidance and peeked down the tunnel.
Two waist-high metal balls rolled toward me before coming to a stop. They opened up, transforming from oversized marbles into four-legged automatons with a vague arachnid shape. Rather than arms, each had two barrels designed for one purpose: slaughtering intruders.
The duo opened fire.
“Shit!” I said as I jumped back to safety.
Of course there’s backup!
“Brandon!” Trez squealed as she pointed at the next entranceway along. “Something’s coming!”
The thump of metal rolling over metal echoed from the hall.
“I see something as well,” Faris said, eyes focused on the corridor blocked off by the turrets.
Sure enough, it was more robotic reinforcements.
I swallowed a growl as my heart thumped like a jackhammer. “We’re being surrounded!” I warned as I squeezed my axe’s hilt.
If they wanted a fight, so be it. I wouldn’t let some machines hurt my mates.
I’d do anything to keep them safe.
“This way!” Vay said from the fourth entranceway. “There’s not a robot in sight!”
Her words struck me like lightning. Sure enough, I couldn’t sense any threats coming from that corridor.
“Everyone! Get to Vay!” I said as I jumped up to distract the turrets.
They unleashed a barrage of bullets.
I countered with a rock as I dove back down, saving myself from being turned into swiss cheese.
The stone clipped off the ceiling, leaving the turrets untouched.
There goes my perfect streak…
“Sweetie, hurry!” Akko yelled from the corridor.
“Coming!” I yelled as I darted toward her, staying as low as I could.
When I passed out of cover and flew past the open doorway to my side, two sets of metal balls came to a stop.
They transformed into gun-toting bots ready to take me down.
However, I was too fast for them and their allies. The turret’s lasers blitzed my wild locks, but they couldn’t hit me. I got into the tunnel without receiving any damage and rushed onward with my mates by my side.
“You’re a lifesaver, Vay,” I said.
Vay laughed. “Don’t mention it, stud. I didn’t do anything special. I only noticed because I thought I heard a voice.”
“A voice?”
Before Vay could explain, two metal spheres appeared at the end of the corridor and opened to reveal another pair of droids.
My heart lurched. There had to be two hundred or so meters between us. I didn’t stand a chance at reaching them before they could fire. And, in a corridor like this, there was nowhere to hide.
No, no, no! This isn’t… I can’t—
“This way,” someone said.
I flinched. “Huh?”
“Whoever said that?” Casella squeaked.
“You heard that too?”
“There is no time,” the mysterious voice said. “Please hurry.”
The words brought my attention to a junction ahead camouflaged by the tunnel’s bleak design. It was the sort all too easy to miss, especially with the area’s lightning not at its most helpful.
“There, now!” I yelled on my instinct’s guidance.
The bots opened fire.
Lasers flashed past my back as I led my mates from the rear.
Close. Too close…
However, we weren’t safe yet. More roller-bots were coming, and there was still a maze of hallways standing ahead of us.
“Please, follow me,” the mystery voice called out.
“Is there seriously someone down here?!” Akko said.
“That’s a question for when we’re out of this mess,” I replied, eyes only catching glimpses of the shadow guiding us through this mechanical labyrinth filled with trigger-happy robot minotaurs.
They led us down path after path while the robots gave chase and tried to cut us off when they could. However, they never succeeded in boxing us in. Our guide was always a step ahead.
Just who is this guy?
Not only did they know this place like the back of their hand, they were fast. No matter how quickly we moved, we couldn’t catch them up.
We turned into yet another long tedious corridor our guide had somehow already conquered in a flash.
As we approached the end, more security bots arrived, stopping us in our tracks.
I skidded to a halt and ground my teeth. “Quick, go back!” I said as I ushered my girls away.
It was no good: machines emerged from where we’d come
from, blocking off the other path out of here.
“N-no,” Akko said as she stumbled back.
“Oi!” Sylvetty yelled. “Voice person! Little help?!”
There was no reply.
I studied the tunnels for some corridor the lightning might have been obscuring, but there was nothing. This tunnel had two entrances; the bots occupied them both.
Each group stopped rolling and entered their combat mode, blasters aimed at us.
I growled as I drew my axe. “Girls, try and get behind me. I’ll handle this.”
Akko grabbed my waistband. “What are you saying, sweetie?! You can’t!”
“She’s right,” Trez said. “Those cannons will blast you to pieces!”
“I’ve got to try!” I said. “I won’t let anything happen to any of you. I promised I’d protect you, that I’d get you out of here, and that’s what I’m going to do!” I pulled out my last stone as I eyed up the approaching robots. “Even if it means giving up my life, I’ll keep you all safe.”
“My Brandon, no!” Casella squeaked.
“That will not be necessary,” said a voice we’d recently become very familiar within.
What had looked like a simple decoration, but turned out to be a door, opened at our side.
“Inside!” I yelled, pretty much pushing everyone through the door as the ‘ping’ of lasers firing stung my ears.
It was better than the lasers themselves stinging my girls.
As soon as we collapsed through the door, it snapped shut, muffling the din of shots flying by.
“Too… close,” Casella said as she gasped for air.
My hectic breathing was all relief rather than exhaustion… but it didn’t last long. After all, it wasn’t as if we’d left the frying pan. We were still in enemy territory.
I flinched up and pierced through the darkness with my night vision.
A smiling face stared back.
I growled and jumped in front of my mates.
She giggled, resting her fingers over her lips. “There is no reason to be alarmed. I assure you I mean you no harm. Quite the opposite, on the contrary.”
There was no doubt about it. This was the person, the woman, who had saved us.
“You,” I said, keeping my guard firm. “Who are you?”
She curtsied. “Greetings, Master Brandon. I am DD14-Z52X, the android in charge of overseeing this facility.”
My mind froze. Did she say android?!
Chapter 8
I gawked at the self-confessed android. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t drag my jaw off the ground.
My mates did similar… apart from Sylvetty, for obvious reasons.
An android? Seriously?
Aren’t they supposed to be illegal?
I was uncivilized, but even I knew about the Great Robot Uprising. Since then, the creation of androids—or, more precisely, advanced artificial intelligence—had been restricted to stop such an event from ever happening again.
Was she seriously, not to mention openly, telling us she was one of them?
DD14… whatever the rest was, did look the part. Her skin appeared to be a shade of pale gray, although it didn’t look to be metal. Either way, thin seams streaked from her eyes—her glowing, pure-white eyes—like she was a character from some cyberpunk movie.
Her neon blue hair, styled into two bushy pigtails, matched the style.
Rather than ears, it seemed she was wearing some metallic headphones stylized after a plane’s wings. They rose back like antennae, vanishing beneath her overflowing locks.
Were they real or part of a costume?
Faris didn’t care. She pushed the tip of her spear against our host’s throat.
DD14 raised her dollesque hands, each segment of her finger notably segmented.
Apart from her face, they were the only part of her ‘android’ body on display, with the rest hidden beneath a crimson dress with baggy shoulders, and leg-accenting white stockings.
“There is no need for any hostility, Lady Faris,” our host said. “I am not your enemy.”
Faris flinched, but she didn’t ease up on the spear. “How do you know my name?”
“I know all your names. Lady Casella, Lady Akko, Lady Trez, Lady Vay, Lady Sylvetty, and, of course, Master Brandon.” DD14 curtsied. “I am delighted we could finally meet. It is truly an honor.”
I tripped over my words as I tried to figure out the appropriate response to this ridiculous situation.
Luckily, I had Trez to do it for me. “Cut the crap! Are you seriously an android?”
“That is correct.”
“But… you lot are supposed to be outlawed!”
“That is indeed so, Lady Trez. If I were to be discovered by the proper authorities, there is no doubt it would lead to my destruction. However, that does not change that I am standing before you.”
Someone’s here, alright.
Even if she wasn’t an android, there was someone occupying this crazy underground labyrinth who wasn’t trying to shoot us.
Trez growled under her breath. “Don’t act all smug like you just owned me. You still shouldn’t exist. Were you built to run this place or something?”
“She did say she was the overseer of this facility, yes?” Casella asked.
“Without a doubt,” I replied.
Our android host giggled. “I believe you to be quite correct, Lady Trez.”
“You believe?” Trez said.
DD14 bobbed even though Faris’s was still primed on her throat. “I am afraid I cannot confirm or deny your accusation. While I do not possess any memories of a life outside this facility, it is impossible to know for what purpose I was created and by whom.”
Trez clicked her tongue. “Why you—”
“Does it really matter if she’s an android or not?” I said. “I’m more interested in learning what this facility is supposed to be.” As far as we knew, it was just a big metal maze robots used for target practice.
What was this place really about?
DD14 giggled. “If you wish to know, Master Brandon, I am more than happy to assist.” Once again, she curtsied like a well-trained maid. “Welcome to The Core: the facility that manages this artificial planet.”
“Knew it,” Trez said.
“What does that mean exactly?” I asked.
“I am glad you asked, Master Brandon,” DD14 replied. “The Core’s main purposes are to collect and analyze data, maintain the planet’s integrity, and to disable the use of unregistered technology.”
My heart thumped. “Wait, what?!”
“This place is the reason nothing works?!” Trez said as she glanced at every corner of the dim room.
“That is quite correct,” DD14 replied. “The Core emits a jamming field at all times designed to render any technology unconnected to the central network inoperable.”
“W-which means it can be stopped, right? From here… right?!”
“Of course, Lady Trez.”
For a moment, there was silence; then there was laughter. Trez giggled like a maniac. “Did you hear that?! We’ve found it! We’ve found the way to get shit working again.”
I couldn’t say anything. My mouth hung open as I groaned out a long chain of vowels.
My senses told me this place was the key to escaping from this planet, and they hadn’t been wrong. No more jamming field meant nothing stopping us from powering up Bogdan’s sand-covered ship.
All we had to do was switch it off, and our escape was practically confirmed.
“W-wait,” Akko squeaked, tugging my arm. “Y-you’re not buying this, right? She’s just telling us what we want to hear.”
“I assure you that is far from the case, Lady Akko,” DD14 said. “I would never deceive you.”
“Yes, you would! You’re an android. You’re an emotionless monster who tried to destroy the universe…”
“I am afraid I have no memories of ever attempting such an act. It would also be incorrect to sta
te I lack emotions. My artificial intelligence is more than advanced enough to properly simulate a complete range of feelings. It is why I feel so happy about finally making your acquaintance.”
“That’s… I-I won’t fall for your smooth talking,” Akko said. “You’re trying to trick me, just like he did…”
“I agree with Akko,” Faris said, lance still ready to skewer DD14 in an instant. “Android or not, she’s one of them. We can’t trust her.”
“S-see? She hasn’t even explained how she knows us.”
“That’s a good point…” I said as I brushed my chin, eyes focused on the self-confessed android.
“Then allow me to reveal all,” DD14 said. “Overseeing this facility affords me an ample of free time. I have found no better way to spend it than studying the readings collected by this facility or accessing the video broadcasts available on the network.”
I jerked. “Did you say ‘video broadcasts’?!”
“We’re being filmed?!” Trez said.
“That is indeed so, Lady Trez. Each of the satellite stations continuously captures footage available to everyone with access to the network.”
“Satellite stations?” Vay said.
“The moons!” Trez said. “Those fucking fake moons. I knew they were watching us!”
“But to what extent?” I replied, eyes remaining on DD14. “You said available to everyone on the network. That means you’re not the only one keeping tabs on us.”
“What?!” Akko squeaked.
DD14, on the other hand, giggled. “It is as you say, Master Brandon; I am far from the only user accessing your broadcasts. In fact, I am happy to reveal that they are by far the most popular broadcasts on the network.”
“What part of that is supposed to make us feel happy?!” Akko continued as her head darted from side to side.
There wasn’t anyone hiding in the shadows, unless they’d submerged themselves in the piles of junk littering the edges of the compact room.
“There is no need to fear, Lady Akko,” DD14 said. “I assure you I am the only intelligent life beyond yourselves in this facility.”
“That doesn’t mean we’re not being spied on,” I replied.
