Aegis:
Chapter Nine
[Rating: General
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Length: Very Long
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Genre: Mixed up, Serious]
[
Word count: (chapter: 3, 265·)
(total:22444 )]
[
Chapter One · Chapter
Two · Chapter
Three · Chapter
Four · Chapter
Five]
[
Chapter Six · Chapter
Seven · Chapter
Eight · Chapter
Nine]
Arrebnak scowled and reached toward the dark patch, muttering
“The things I do, Caliath.” On reaching it, he took hold
and pulled hard. Slowly the shape neared, revealing more
and more form. Finally, Arrebnak held it before him. On
ridding his tentacles of the last of the goo, Caliath
looked up to see what Arrebnak had caught. Unable to see
past his companion’s broad shoulder, he scuttled forward
and stood on a chair to get a closer view.
Lungs now taking in air and suit dripping with goo,
Aegis hung limply from Arrebnak’s grasping tentacles.
Caliath seemed quite excited. “Oh! Another human!” he
exclaimed. “That makes three. She must be in control of
that robot that patrol 243 brought in, judging from her
strange garb.” But Caliath’s words fell on deaf ears.
Arrebnak, face inches from Aegis’s had paled considerably.
His tentacles shook slightly, threatening to drop their
unconscious load onto the floor. He released a few of
them from her shoulder and propped her head up to face
his. With a groan, she stirred. As Arrebnak’s face came
into focus she let out a startled squawk and began to
struggle, unable to break his grasp on her shoulder. Caliath,
oblivious to Arrebnak’s sudden silence, prattled on about
how this was “their lucky day” and how “head command will
be pleased” until he suddenly felt Arrebnak’s claw about
his throat and a forced “Shut…up…”
Accustomed to Arrebnak sudden temper, Caliath quickly
ducked down from the claw and waddled to the door. “I’ll
leave it to you then,” he huffed with this he stumped
away down the corridor.
Ceasing her efforts, Aegis hung limply and asked, “You
speak my language?” Arrebnak didn’t answer but set her
down on the chair Caliath had been standing on. “Don’t
try to escape. You are deep within our stronghold and
would be caught immediately.” He reached forward and placed
the tip of his claw on her neck. “Forgive me,” he muttered.
A few seconds after feeling a slight prick, she began
to feel light headed, unable to think straight. Her head
drooped forward and Arrebnak caught it with surprising
care. Lifting her more gently then before, he strode to
the doorway and exited. Had any wandering hybrids seen
Arrebnak’s care as he carried her down seemingly endless
corridors, they would have not believed their eyes. The
stern and unforgiving soldier held her gently, without
using his claw whatsoever.
Waking for the second time, Aegis found herself lying
on a soft bed in a white room. Arrebnak stood next to
her, staring. “What…” finding her tongue uncooperative,
Aegis was unable to complete the sentence. All she could
do was look questioningly about the small room, searching
for answers to countless questions and gurgle. “I am sorry
for having to sedate you, but I could not have you struggle
when I brought you here. I am Arrebnak, member of the
Sraerman colonization unit 225693. I know who you are
– Aegis Argopoils, and I assume you are the pilot of the
strange robot that has been discovered.” Trying once again
to speak, Aegis choked. Wincing,
Arrebnak asked “You want to know how I know you.” Managing
a slight nod, Aegis slumped back. “It was thousands of
years ago. Your father was the ambassador for humans on
the sraer planet – I trust you know about the union –
and you and your mother lived there with him. I was young,
the same age as you. We were best friends until the rebellion
on earth sent raiding parties to sraer. “They came when
we were playing in a park and blasted the entire area.
It lasted three days, everything standing being destroyed.
Your parents were taken hostage and we would have been
killed had it not been for their pleading. I was left
to starve and was picked up by a hybrid rescue squad and
you were transported back to earth. I don’t know what
happened after that but I assume you somehow survived.
“Why have you not aged more than ten years?” he asked,
sitting lightly on the bed and helping Aegis to a sitting
position. “You can’t be thousands of years old, can you?”
Aegis asked with difficulty, ignoring his enquires.
“A few years after my rescue I fell ill with a rare form
of blood disorder. The doctors could not cure me. I fell
into a coma and was nearing death at a startling rate
so they put me into stasis and there I stayed until a
cure was found. The constant wars of conquest took the
scientists time and it took many years before they worked
on a cure. Even then, it was not for my good. As time
had passed, the disorder had become more common until
there were thousands of the ill in stasis. The war council
saw us as potential soldiers and workers so they funded
the research until the cure was found.”
Digesting all of this, Aegis thought for some time. They
spent hours talking and remembering, Aegis slowly regaining
her strength. She learnt that Arrebnak was a human sympathiser
and had been working undercover to sabotage the attacks.
He had helped Nerithia and Ashrak, hiding them and feeding
them. “I had managed to gain permission to be the captor
of any human prisoners prior to your friend’s capture.
It has most certainly proved useful. Your friends had
told me of you and I had thought it was another who shared
your name. I am glad that I am wrong. Nerithia and Ashrak
should now be within your robot, waiting. All that I ask
in return for my help is that you take me with you, I
don’t care where. I cannot bear this deception any longer
and I fear I will betray myself soon. My peers have not
yet seen that I am the saboteur, not seen past my facade
of hostility. Please…I can disable the magnetic field.”
And thus it was settled. They both rested, conserving
their energy for the planned escape. During the allocated
sleeping time, Aegis and Arrebnak snuck to black widow’s
resting-place.
The great robot lay spreadeagled across the floor, bound
down by ropes and wire cords. Though the space was huge,
the gymalef dominated the room. Arrebnak called to the
other pilots and the bedraggled pair stepped out from
hiding, still holding their helmets. After a happy bout
of “hello’s” and hugs, Aegis walked up to the gymalef’s
head. “Arrebnak, can you survive the temperatures outside?”
she asked, realising that he had no protection. He nodded.
“I can maintain my current temperature for about ten
minutes.” Using Arrebnak’s shoulders as a platform, she
opened the hatch and scrambled inside. “I’ll free it first,
then pick you up.” Activating it, the soothing red light
and weightlessness crept through her body. Beginning to
straighten, she felt the strong ropes and wires that bound
her snap like twigs, completely inadequate to hold back
the sleek metal of black widow. Soon it dwarfed the three
figures. Slowly and carefully, she scooped them up with
the flat of one of her scythe-like blades and gently raised
them to the gymalef’s right shoulder. Arrebnak, having
thought ahead, produced a rope from his robes and they
managed to tie themselves in a relatively safe position.
Ashrak and Nerithia donned their helmets. Both were startled
to hear Aegis’s voice near their ears, probably speakers
built into the helmet. “Ok, which wall should I break
through?” Nerithia relayed the message to Arrebnak and
he pointed to the wall before them.
“That is the outer wall. Beyond it is a thick wall of
ice – are you sure your robot can break through?” “Yes,
just tell me which one.” “The one to your right,” Ashrak
answered as Nerithia informed Arrebnak of the “Black widow’s
amazing functions”. She was cut short as they moved, swaying
as the metal underneath them rose. It was quite beautiful
to watch the black widow’s blades parting metal and ice
as if it were paper, moving in a furious and intricate
ballet. Shards of ice flew like rainbows in the nearing
sun and within thirty seconds Aegis had made a neat archway
and had passed through. Remembering that her cargo did
not have unlimited time in the cold, she extended the
blades and skated quickly toward the co-ordinates of the
rhino.
Moments later, she crouched low and her charges untied
themselves. Gently transporting Nerithia and Ashrak to
the head of the rhino via scythe-blade-services, she waited
until they boarded. Disengaging and opening the hatch,
she pulled a rather blue-looking Arrebnak into the cabin.
Slowly his skin returned to normal in the red glow. Establishing
a com-link with the rhino, Ashrak informed her that they
had enough water for their needs. “You go first,” Aegis
told them. “We had better wait behind in case we are followed.”
Four sudden spurts of blue from each of the rhino’s feet
established that Nerithia and Ashrak agreed and soon the
large metal beast was no longer in sight. “What now?”
Arrebnak’s voice sounded from behind Aegis, reverent and
respectful.
“I guess we wait until they are back in the craft, then
follow.” Aegis replied, somewhat surprised at Arrebnak’s
tone. Within minutes, Aegis’s wait payed off. Lumbering
slowly toward her, she could make out four large shapes.
“What are they?” she asked Arrebnak, squinting forward,
forgetting that only she could see through black widow’s
eyes. “All I can see is a red glow and your back,” Arrebnak
murmured. “Describe them to me and I may be able to tell
you what they are.” Obligingly, Aegis strained her eyes
for a minute. “They seem humanoid, and from what I can
tell they are - ” she was cut off by black widows’ computer.
“Warning. Hostile hybrid mecha approaching. Recommend
either evasive or defensive action.”
Suddenly remembering the computer was there, Aegis asked,
“Identify”. “Humanoid combat models, similar to black
widow in technology.” Reaching out, Arrebnak grasped Aegis’s
shoulder. “Yaetum. Unmanned robots programmed to destroy.
The settlement only has these four for protection. Once
they acquire a target they will not leave it until either
they, or it, have perished.” Nervously, Aegis asked, “Can
we beat these things?” Arrebnak answered first, “We have
no choice.” “Possibility of victory – unable to compute.
Not enough data to complete equation,” the computer droned.
“Looks like we go in blind, then,” Aegis murmured and,
fighting down the knot of panic in her stomach, she straightened.
Now in single file, the mecha paused. After a minute,
the nearest to black widow slid on.
“They plan to gauge our ability, typical strategic programming,”
Arrebnak stated, still holding her shoulder in a firm
grip. “Don’t fight with all your skill – just enough to
defeat the first and nothing more.” Heeding his advice,
Aegis struck the robot with the flat of one of the scythe
blades with medium force. The robot crumpled down and
lay still on the ice. “What happened?” Arrebnak asked.
“I hit it gently and it fell,” she replied, confused at
how easy it was. “Don’t be fooled, it’s a diversionary
tactic. Once you fight another it will come at you from
behind.”
“Should I tell you what is happening as I go?” Aegis
asked, sure it would be a lot easier.” “Yes, perfect idea,”
Arrebnak replied. “You haven’t changed a bit.” “To deactivate
the Yaetum, you must destroy its inner core, located mid
torso.” Arrebnak said.Raising her scythe blades, she soon
had shredded the entire torso of her foe. As soon as she
had finished, she looked up to see the remaining three
had slid into action. Pandemonium – shreds of Yaetum flew.
Adrenalin flooded Aegis’s body, blinding her to anything
other then the thrill of slicing. Oblivious to Arrebnak’s
questions and suggestions, she slashed at air and ice,
unable to control the need to destroy. Her brain beyond
sense, she smiled cruelly and skated back the way they
had come.
She felt herself slipping. Her surroundings slowly darkened.
She was aware of her body’s movement but had no control,
back in the terrible blackness and could feel herself
sliding outwards again. Again she realized her mind was
in pieces. Her entire being was escaping into the blackness.
The shell of her body, full of adrenaline and aggression
slashed onward, oblivious to the horror of her mind. As
soon as her rogue shell reached the settlement she released
a payload of black widow’s explosive charges, enjoying
the sight of the crumbling building, relishing the thought
that it was full of her enemies, hundreds of them.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Arrebnak’s voice finally reached
her and he spun her to face him. Black widow spun around
too and yet more explosives speared into the barren ice.
Gritting her teeth, she tried to re-align. Almost complete,
she was snapped back to reality. Though she reached out,
she could not catch the final piece. She was incomplete.
She blinked at him, staring at his shocked expression,
a loss for words. “Why?” Arrebnak whispered, horror and
fear choking him. He was answered not by Aegis but by
the computer “Malfunction 2240. Pilot Aegis’s psychology
was unable to cope with such a sudden influx of adrenalin.
Warning – magnetic field will re-engage in approximately
five minutes.” Explanation now given, Arrebnak felt the
negative feelings rush away, leaving just a void of numbness.
“Now I can never return,” he stated, voice cold and empty;
eyes to the floor. “Warning, magnetic field will re-engage
in three minutes, old time.” Looking up, he saw silent
tears erupt from Aegis’s eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she mouthed.
“I lost it. I’m so sorry.” Numbness fading, Arrebnak could
again see his old friend, confused and hurting at what
she had just done. “Warning, magnetic field will re-engage
in two minutes, old time.” “Don’t cry, it wasn’t your
fault,” Arrebnak murmured. “Wasn’t it? I just destroyed
hundreds of innocents and I…I enjoyed it!” she spat the
words venomously.
“Warning, magnetic field will re-engage in thirty seconds,
old time.” “I think we had better go,” Arrebnak offered
and turned Aegis back around. With a burst of blue light,
Black Widow was on its way home. Now the ship had ample
water, everything had almost returned to normal. Though
sceptical at first, Tablek soon befriended Arrebnak and
the computer was programmed to complete his instructions
as well. Aegis, however, had become more like a shadow
then a human. She drank very little; she ate even less.
Shying away from the others, she stayed in her quarters
for most of the time, venturing out only in scarce intervals.
It was three weeks later that, while Aegis, Nerithia and
Ashrak were sleeping, Arrebnak and Tablek sat down and,
over steaming cups of coffee, began to talk. At first
their conversation was nothing more then polite banter,
but it soon turned to Aegis’s condition. “We must do something,
Tablek,” Arrebnak said forcefully. “Discovering that she
still existed was one of the happiest moments in my memory,
but I feel I have lost her again. She will not even speak
to me!” Downing his mouthful of hot liquid, Tablek thought
for a moment.
“You said she lost control, destroyed your old home.”
“Mmmhmm,” Arrebnak confirmed this, though is mouth was
full. “Though this could be what ails her, I do think
there is another factor.” Arrebnak, puzzled, stopped examining
his cup and looked up. “What do you mean?” “Notice how
she stays in her quarters. At first I thought that it
was simply avoid us, to avoid sharing her guilt. One night,
I came past with a hot drink for her – I wanted to talk
and try to convince her that it wasn’t her fault. When
I went in though, she was sleeping. Somehow she had set
up a screen on one of her walls and it was showing her
old home. Draf and Alia were both there, sleeping too.
Thinking nothing of it at the time, I left the drink and
exited.”
“You think she misses her friends? Surely that isn’t
enough to cause…” Trailing off, Arrebnak realized that
he wasn’t sure what was going on in her troubled mind.
“Not entirely, yet I’m sure it is a contributing factor.
Put yourself in her place – you realize your entire life
was nothing but an illusion, you discover your race is
almost extinct and, for no apparent reason, you kill countless
innocents and enjoy it.” Tablek, voice grim, continued.
“I think we owe it to her to make things better. I propose
that we create Draf and Alia.” “How?” Arrebnak, now completely
confused, yet again took refuge in a large sip of coffee.
“This ship, long ago, did not only contain humans. There
were multiple AIs, about ten to be exact. Though they
didn’t physically have a body, they could interact with
the human crew through androids modelled on a human shape.
They were there to make sure everything ran smoothly,
helping the human crew in all they could. Due to an unfortunate
encounter with a rouge asteroid, they had to be erased
from the ship’s memory so the ship could continue functioning
properly. I do believe that we, after multiple repairs,
have the power to create at least two AIs.”
And thus it was decided. Every evening, Arrebnak and
Tablek set to work, programming and engineering. Within
a week, they had completed Draf and Alia’s shell – the
android bodies looked identical to that of their virtual
counterparts. Aegis continued to fade away, both physically
and mentally. She made no attempt to grip onto her sense
of reality. Thinner than she should be, she sat hours
on end watching the screen, remembering her past happy
life, before she had killed…Had she killed? If so, was
it her fault that she had? Too many questions for her
vexed mind to answer. Losing her sense of time, she was
unsure weather it had been hours, days or even months
since she had seen Tablek and Arrebnak. She found herself
thinking of them too, though the memory of Arrebnak still
hurt. Unaware she had fallen asleep, she woke to find
four faces peering at her. Great. I have gone completely
insane, she thought. Alia, Draf, Arrebnak and Tablek all
smiled at her. “Ok, I am now officially crazy,” she whispered,
looking from face to face.
“Will you re-join the land of the living now?” Arrebnak
asked. “It’s been awfully dull without you.” To her surprise,
Aegis found she could look him squarely in the face without
flinching. Her guilt had finally evaporated. “Aegie,”
Alia called, having never learnt Aegis’s proper name.
“Look what I got for yoo!” She handed Aegis a flower.
Draf, chuckling, suddenly wobbled and with a surprised
squawk, fell over. Tablek, now also chuckling, helped
Draf back to his feet. The blackness that had obscured
her thoughts for the past few days shivered. Now, she
was not afraid. Confidently, she reached out… “Why couldn’t
I have gone crazy before?” For the fist time in three
weeks, she smiled, beyond caring if she was insane or
not – the fact that they were all there, together, was
all that mattered. Standing up she looked about. “Last
one to the food room is a rotten pie!” she cried, and
disappeared. Alia and Tablek grinned and disappeared to
join Aegis. Tablek, helping Draf back to his feet again
asked, “I guess you must be rather confused by now?”
“Nope. As long as Aegie is happy, everything is easy,”
Draf replied, having picked up on Alia’s nick-name for
Aegis. He too then disappeared, leaving Tablek alone.
“Aegie?” he muttered and finally left the room empty.
[
Chapter One · Chapter
Two · Chapter
Three · Chapter
Four · Chapter
Five]
[
Chapter Six · Chapter
Seven · Chapter
Eight · Chapter
Nine]
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