Spoiler!
Printable View
Spoiler!I can't decide who to root for. I mean, I'd like 01 to be/turn normal again, but I don't really want to see her lose either.;w;
@yoshiblue:
Spoiler!My original outline for this part of the story, when I first outlined this story arc, simply said something like, "Both sides plotting against each other." The fact that each side knows how the other thinks makes it difficult for them to outdo each other. I've been trying to raise the stakes a little with each successive post. We're at the point now where things are finally getting serious, and they're only going to get crazier from here.
About your other comment, any feedback is appreciated, whether it's one sentence or an essay. Not that I'm expecting an essay, mind you... :lol:
@CelestialBlade:
Spoiler!The fight scene was supposed to be chaotic, but I worried it might be *too* chaotic, i.e. hard to follow what was going on. Right up until the end I kept debating with myself whether to rewrite that scene, but I ended up leaving it mostly the same.
@Zorafim:
Spoiler!Don't ask me how the self-running shoes work. I honestly don't know! :lol: That part wasn't important so I didn't bother giving details. It was just meant to be a silly yet impractical invention.
The lighthearted parts of the story are probably closer to who I am as a person. When I'm around friends I talk more like Luna and Rho (i.e. the lighthearted characters in the story). Although the other characters make fun of Rho for always using the phrase "y'know," I actually do say that in real life! The darker, more dramatic parts of the story are more likely what I find interesting or what I think other people would find interesting to read. Y'know?
It's important to keep in mind that Luna isn't actually a child. She may be small and act silly most of the time, but she's also a robot who was designed that way. And don't forget, she's a fully-trained Force who can go out on combat missions if needed.
@Sacrificial:
Spoiler!I find it really funny that people are sort of rooting for Zero One. I didn't expect that. The whole point of this arc was to make people feel conflicted by turning one of the main characters into a bad guy. But I still thought everyone would side with Zero Two's group. Zero One *is* trying to brainwash and/or murder the others, after all...
Spoiler!The fight scenes were definitely chaotic to the point where I had to slow my reading down to take in all the fine details, but after I did that it wasn't a difficult scene for me to follow. At all times I knew who was doing what, I just had to slow down in order to visualize everything.
And I, for one, am not rooting for Zero One :lol: I do want her to come back around, but I feel that's also Zero Two's group's responsibility.
Spoiler!@Yoshi
I just know that I like really detailed responses, so I try to do them when I can. I like talking about my work, so I assume that other people like talking about their work, so I try to draw the conversation out as long as I can.
Plus, it really is fun being able to get into a writer's mind with detailed responses. I honestly wish I could go more detailed.
@stukasa
I didn't find it chaotic. You gave me enough detail that I could make out what was going on.
I do worry that my fight scenes are too chaotic, but, I guess that's just because we have all these intricate details of what's going on in our minds and worry that it will cloud our writing.
As for the self-running shoes, I just love coming up with details like that. Sometimes it's fun to come up with an entire elaborate backstory to something, and then only give the reader a glimpse of it. That lets them know that there are other things going on with the world that they aren't aware of. It's especially fun when you create another world with its own rules~
It's actually interesting to hear you say that about your personality. It's fun knowing an author, and hearing how their life influences their work.
And yeah, I caught that about Luna. I had a similar thing going on with Zoreal's creations. They seem like fully fleshed people, but their personalities are just neurons firing in certain sequences. They can't grow and develop into something better.
It's a really cool concept, I think. Kind of a whole "what measure makes a human" type deal.
Yeah, I don't know what's with the rooting with 01 thing. I think it's a narrative thing. Maybe we just think it's devious and interesting, and want to see how far it can go without thinking of the consequences.
@CelestialBlade:
Spoiler!Good to know you were able to follow it. It was definitely the most chaotic fight I had planned, mainly because there were so many people involved. I try to keep most fights down to two or three characters, that way it's easier for the readers to follow.
@Zorafim:
Spoiler!Just for the record, I never had any problem with your fight scenes being too chaotic. As for the self-running shoes, sometimes I leave those details intentionally vague so the readers can imagine it for themselves.
CHAPTER 15.4 [9/10/16]
Spoiler!
COLONY SHIP 02, UR: RAUTH ROBOTICS
- 1800 HOURS -
“I… I can’t believe it!”
Selena’s words matched her shocked expression on the visiphone screen. An understandable reaction, thought Aki03. She could scarcely believe it herself. Less than an hour earlier her sister, Aki01, had all but admitted to being an agent of KAI-OS. Then she had attacked the group, injuring Rho, Luna, and Zero Two during her escape.
While Dr. Rauth and Irene were busy repairing them, Zero Three went upstairs to call her friend. If Selena wasn’t in danger before, she probably was now. No, she definitely was. That’s why Aki had to warn her before it was too late.
“Selena, listen to me. It is vital that you and Delfoy take Marten and Charmie and get out of there. The sooner, the better. Find someplace to hide and don’t come back until you are sure it’s safe.”
The green-haired Newearl gave Aki03 a pained look. “Hide? Aki, no—I want to help! Delfoy and I can be there in a few minutes. Whatever you’re planning, we should be by your side.”
Aki shook her head. “Not this time. You have a family to think about now, and they’re in grave danger. The most important thing you can do is keep them safe.”
Selena bit her lower lip. As much as she hated to admit it, Aki was right. “Okay. Delfoy and I’ll work something out. But Aki, you need to be careful too. You’ll be going up against the government and the military. That’s not something to take lightly.”
“I know, and we won’t. But Zero One cannot be allowed to remain in power. That is why we have to fight.”
“Promise you’ll make it out of this, okay? Promise me.”
I can’t do that, thought Aki. Because in all honesty, she didn’t know how things were going to turn out. They were going up against her own sister. A sister with the full might of Ur backing her. With odds like that, their chances of survival were slim at best.
She smiled at Selena, trying her best to conceal the doubt she felt inside. “I promise.”
* * * * * * * * *
ARKS COMMAND TOWER: AKI01’S OFFICE
- 2100 HOURS -
“But Aki, you need to be careful too. You’ll be going up against the government and the military. That’s not something to take lightly.”
“I know, and we won’t. But Zero One cannot be allowed to remain in power. That is why we have to fight.”
Aki01 tapped a key on her console and the audio recording paused. She turned her gaze to the man seated across the desk from her. “It is as you heard, Captain. This was recorded less than three hours ago, and I have other evidence as well. They are plotting an attack against me. Perhaps against the government itself.”
Captain Arin Colton leaned back in his chair, stunned. “It’s hard to believe. I met some of these people just this morning. They seemed like decent folks, not the kind who would do, well… something like this.”
Aki hadn’t shared the entire recording with him, of course. She had carefully omitted the parts detailing her allegiance to KAI-OS. The captain was a good man and she knew he wouldn’t approve. He was, however, a loyal soldier. All she needed him to do was follow orders. “They’re idealists,” she said. “They believe in peace and justice, but don’t understand what it takes to achieve them. Some of my recent actions—the mass arrests, in particular—didn’t meet with their approval. That is why they are acting out like this.”
“Talking about an attack is one thing, but do you honestly think they’d go through with it?”
“They shot me, Arin.” Aki put a hand to the patch on her shoulder. She had already removed the bullet, but didn’t have a chance to properly repair herself yet. “I’m certain they would have done worse if I hadn’t escaped. No, we have to assume they are serious about this.”
“So what do you intend to do?”
She looked him directly in the eyes so he would understand her resolve. “I intend to bring them to justice. They have become a very real threat, one I can’t ignore. We need to stop them before they hurt anyone else—or themselves—in the process.”
Colton appeared deep in thought. One hand idly stroked his graying beard. Clearly, the idea of a preemptive strike didn’t sit well with him. On the other hand, he hadn’t tried arguing the point either. Aki01 waited patiently for a response. She was in no hurry. After all, she already knew what his reply would be.
“I understand,” he said at last. “And I’m with you.”
As expected, she thought to herself. His sense of duty outweighs his conscience. I can make use of that…
Aki gave him a little smile of gratitude, though it wasn’t necessary. She was his superior officer; she could have simply ordered him to join the mission if she so desired. In this case, however, she felt it was more important to earn his loyalty. She may have need of an ally in the future.
“There is one thing, though. Call it a request from a friend,” he added. “Akasha, she’s still in there with them. No matter what the others may have done, or are planning to do, she’s got nothing to do with it. Surely you know that.”
Aki nodded. “I agree completely.”
“Then promise me… Promise you’ll get her out safely.”
“Of course.” It was an easy request to grant. If Akasha was the price of buying Colton’s trust, Aki was happy to pay it. Besides, Akasha posed no threat to her master’s plans, at least not in her current state. “Now then, Captain, I believe we have a mission to prepare for. You did say you were with me, did you not?”
* * * * * * * * *
Midnight.
Most of the city was fast asleep in their beds, oblivious to the pair of troop transports quietly cutting across the night sky. Each ship carried a full complement of sixteen soldiers, more than enough to handle the task at hand. Their destination: Research Circle. Their targets: the occupants of Rauth Robotics.
Inside the lead transport, Aki01 and Colton sat facing each other. Fourteen other men and women sat on the benches beside them, all handpicked by the colonel herself. No one spoke. None of them would have dared. They were consummate professionals, rabidly loyal, and eager to prove themselves.
Aki wasn’t worried about the grunts. They would do their jobs… or die trying. It was the man seated across from her that had her slightly concerned. This would be a proving ground for him. Could he stomach a hard job like this? Set his conscience aside for the bigger picture? If not, he was of no use to her. But if he could, this might be the first of many such missions to come.
Aki looked him in the eyes and cut straight to the point. “Do you have any reservations about this mission, Captain? About going after Akasha’s friends? If so, I need to know now.”
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t,” he replied, a serious look on his face. Like the rest of Aki’s troops, he was clad in black combat armor and headgear. “But I’ll do my duty. If someone has to bring them in, I’d rather it be us.”
“You’re a good soldier, Arin. Follow my lead and we’ll get through this.”
After a moment of silence, Colton asked, “What about you? Any reservations about going after your family?”
Aki didn’t need to think about her answer, but paused to make him think she did. “None.”
* * * * * * * * *
Like a pair of otherworldly apparitions, the twin transports descended upon the road adjacent to the lab. Their anti-grav thrusters kicked up a windstorm of dust and litter on the dark, deserted street. Five meters from the surface, the side loading doors on each craft slid open with a soft whine. Aki01 dropped gracefully to the pavement without hesitation. When they were still two meters up, Colton and the thirty other soldiers followed suit.
The red-haired colonel strode forward with purpose and determination, barking orders as she ascended the steps to Rauth Robotics. “Alpha and Bravo squads, form a perimeter! Everyone else is with me. Remember, our objective is to subdue and capture. If anyone inside resists… shoot to kill.”
She waved two of the soldiers forward. They rushed ahead of her and planted demolition charges on the front door. Aki counted to five in her head. The charges blew inward in a shower of flames and superheated debris. Immediately, black-clad troopers stormed into the newly-formed hole, becoming little more than half-formed shadows in the haze. Aki was the ninth one inside, followed shortly by Colton and four more squads. Half of the soldiers headed down the corridor towards the various cleanrooms and workshops. The rest thudded up the stairs towards the living quarters. Aki and Colton trailed the latter group.
Predictably, Colton made a beeline for the guest room at the end of the hall. Clutching his rifle in one hand, he cautiously pressed the door switch. The automatic door slid sideways. He swept his gun from left to right, but it was a useless gesture—the room was empty.
Aki01 came up behind him. She noticed him staring at the empty bed in the corner. “They’ve taken her. I expected as much. Don’t worry, Captain, we’ll get her back safely. I promise.”
Colton nodded silently in response. Aki turned away from him and activated her built-in radio. “All squads, report.”
“Charlie Squad here. No sign of anyone yet, Colonel.”
“Delta Squad. All quiet here.”
“Echo Squad reporting in. East corridor is secure. No targets in sight.”
On and on it went. Every squad reported the same thing: the building was empty. But how could that be? Aki01 had installed several microscopic recording devices around the lab. They weren’t very sophisticated, merely recording and transmitting audio data back to Zero One. There was one hidden on the prism maranta plant she’d given Selena as well—which is how she knew Selena and Delfoy vacated their apartment hours ago. But her sisters and everyone else should’ve still been here in the lab. Zero One knew because she’d checked mere minutes ago. So where had everyone gone?
Then, on the radio: “This is Hughes, Echo Squad. I have a locked door and hear footsteps on the other side. Proceeding to break the lock now…”
A heavy sense of dread washed over Aki. Leaving Colton behind, she bolted down the hall, down the stairs, and practically flew through the sterile white corridors of the first floor. She knew more or less where Hughes was located, it was just a matter of getting there in time. Aki caught up with him just as he and another soldier forced the door open.
All three of them entered the dark room together. Aki tapped a switch on the wall and the lights came up with a gentle hum. The soldiers’ guns tracked back and forth, seeking a target, but couldn’t find one. No one was inside.
The room itself was a workshop. Its center was largely empty, with two exceptions: a pair of white shoes inexplicably walking themselves in circles, and a small egg-shaped device lying in the middle of the floor. The shoes were almost certainly one of Dr. Rauth’s many inventions. He had a bad habit of creating pointless junk like that. The strange device, however, was unfamiliar to her.
Hughes and the other soldier stepped forward in curiosity. They were more at ease now that they knew the room was unoccupied. Hughes reached down to pick up the self-walking shoes. The other man went for the egg-shaped device…
“Wait, don’t—!” Aki cried, but it was too late.
As soon as the soldier picked up the device, it began to rattle violently in his hand. A moment later, it exploded in a great puff of pink gas. He looked around in shock and confusion. And then—
—he fell flat on his face. Nearby, Hughes began to totter back and forth. He soon joined his comrade on the floor.
The gas had no effect on Aki, a CAST. She bent down and put two fingers to Hughes’ neck. He was still alive, just unconscious. Sleeping gas, she thought. Probably another of the doctor’s ridiculous concoctions. A sleep aid, perhaps, rigged to overload at the slightest touch…
She didn’t have time to contemplate it further. Suddenly, thick white smoke began billowing out of the overhead air ducts. Aki breathed in a small amount and performed a compositional analysis. Potassium nitrate and sugar, mainly. Not unlike the contents of a homemade smoke bomb.
So, they’re trying to blind us. Perhaps they’ve decided to stay and fight after all. Aki smirked at the audacity of it. It will take more than smoke to stop me. Much more.
She activated her radio. “This is Colonel Aki. All squads, put on your visors and set them to thermal imaging. We’re about to have company.”
There was no response. Concerned, she tried again. Still nothing. Could her sisters be jamming the signal somehow?
From outside the room, Aki01 heard a man cry out in surprise, followed by the heavy thud of his body hitting the floor. Two seconds later, the pattern repeated itself. Then again.
The colonel rushed out into the hall. Like the workshop, it was clogged from floor to ceiling with white smoke. The entire building seemed to be caught in a muddled, murky haze, dropping visibility nearly to zero. Fortunately, Aki had ways of getting around that. She adjusted her visual sensors to focus on heat signatures. Doing so illuminated the bodies of her fallen soldiers—three of them, matching the number of shouts she’d heard. As she got closer, she noticed something small and black stuck in each man’s neck.
Tranquilizer darts, she mused, pulling one from the nearest soldier. Good for dropping flesh-and-blood beings, but useless against CASTs. Including Aki01, there were seven CASTs among the soldiers. Seven out of thirty-two. How were her sisters planning to deal with them?
As if to answer that question, the sound of an electrical discharge reached Aki’s ear piece. She looked up in time to glimpse a blue flash in the distance. She ran towards it, only to find another unconscious soldier slumped on the floor. A CAST this time. He was out cold, his circuits overloaded by a powerful shock—a shock caused by something like, say, a taser.
Six of her men had been knocked out already, and eight more were outside maintaining a perimeter. That left only seventeen inside the building aside from herself. A formidable force, but not an overwhelming one. If her sisters kept whittling down her numbers like this, they might pose an actual threat. I won’t let that happen. Time to cut this off at the source…
Aki looked around, but the people responsible were nowhere in sight. She had a strong hunch about who was behind it, but there was only one way to be sure. She would hunt them down herself.
Using her ears as a guide, Aki followed the sound of footsteps: two pairs, one booted and one metal, moving rapidly away from her. Occasionally she would catch fleeting glimpses of someone in the distance, a hint of blonde hair or a white lab coat, before they rounded a corner and disappeared again. Along the way she passed two more downed troopers.
Their strategy was painfully obvious. They knew they couldn’t win in a direct confrontation so they had resorted to these petty guerrilla attacks, picking off Aki’s troops one by one. But the soldiers weren’t their real target. No, the actual prize was Aki01 herself. The fools actually thought there was still a chance she could be saved. They would try to lure her away from her men, then spring some kind of trap to capture her. She’d bet anything on it.
And she would be ready.
* * * * * * * * *
“How are things on your end, Doctor?” asked Aki02. “Is the jamming still in place?”
Dr. Rauth looked up from his console on the other side of the room. “Should be working just fine, Aki. You know, when I had this antenna installed, it was to help Irene remote control the RAPI prototype. Never thought I’d be using it to interfere with military frequencies.”
They were located in a sealed room on the lowest level of Rauth Robotics, several floors beneath the main lab. One side of the room housed a plethora of communications equipment and data storage devices. The other side contained a number of metal crates filled with spare CAST parts. The room wasn’t hidden, meaning Zero One’s troops would find it eventually, but so far they remained undiscovered.
“We’re full-fledged outlaws now,” exclaimed Luna, a little too proudly. She nodded her head in self-satisfied approval. “Living on the edge, danger around every turn. The only things we’re missing now are cowboy hats on our heads and spurs on our boots.”
Spoiler!
Aki03 gave her sister an inquisitive look. “You really think this plan is going to work?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Zero Two replied. “But for now, it is the only one we’ve got.”
Just then there was a knock on the door. It was a very distinctive knock: one beat, followed by four, followed by two more. It also happened to be the special code they’d devised ahead of time. Aki02 unlocked the door.
It immediately slid open and two people came rushing through. The first was her half-sister Rho, taser in hand. Right behind her was Irene, pocketing a tranquilizer gun into the folds of her white lab coat. Zero Two closed the door behind them but did not relock it.
“You made it back,” she said to them. “Is Zero One on your tail?”
Rho grinned. “Yep, just as planned. She’ll be here soon. Like, real soon.”
Aki02 addressed the entire room. “Okay, everyone, take your places. This is what we prepared for. It’s time to end things once and for all.”
This was it. Maybe their last chance to save Zero One and Ur from the clutches of KAI-OS. Zero Two settled into a kind of false serenity, as she often did before an upcoming battle. The time for doubt and worry had passed. The only thing left to do was act. At least she could take comfort in the fact that Alpha, Ivan, and Akasha were safely aboard Rico’s Folly, and that Selena and the others had found a good place to hide. No matter the outcome of the night, they would survive another day.
Zero Two and Zero Three took up positions on either side of the doorway. Everyone else hunkered down to wait. As Rho had promised, it didn’t take long.
The door whooshed open and Aki01 stepped inside. Before she could react, Zero Two grabbed hold of her left arm while Zero Three simultaneously snagged her right. They had her pinned tight, unable to move.
“Rho, now!” shouted Zero Two.
From her hiding place, the blonde Caseal rose up and darted forward, her taser crackling with blue electricity. Aki02 knew firsthand how powerful the weapon could be. A single touch was enough to incapacitate most CASTs and render them unconscious for hours. Once Rho reached the colonel, it would be all over.
Then Zero One opened her previously-clenched fist and Aki02 saw what she was holding: a live grenade.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as several things happened at once. The first thing was Zero One letting go of the grenade. Everyone else in the room watched in abject horror as it lazily tumbled to the ground. Zero Two and Zero Three regained their composure quickly, but just for a moment their grip on the colonel wavered. That moment was all she needed. She swung her right arm around, pulling Zero Three directly into the path of Rho’s taser. Rho tried to redirect her attack but it was too late. The taser struck Zero Three in the shoulder, a glancing blow. She cried out in pain as a powerful jolt of electricity surged through her metal body. Convulsing uncontrollably, Zero Three collapsed like a sack of bricks.
With one opponent down, Zero One swung the other way and sent Aki02 hurtling across the room. The short-haired Caseal slammed sideways into a metal cabinet, ricocheted to the floor, and bounced violently to a stop behind a table. A second later, Rho came leaping over the same table with a dazed Zero Three slung over her shoulder.
“Everybody down!!” Zero Two screamed. The entire group hugged the floor and covered vital body parts.
Ten seconds passed. Nothing happened. Zero Two peered around the corner of the table. The grenade was still lying idly in the spot it had fallen. Either it was a dud, or…
Or else Zero One had planned it out all along. The grenade was nothing but a trick, a distraction. And it had worked perfectly.
Zero One herself was hunkered down behind a large crate on the other side of the room. She fired off a few warning shots from her pistol in Zero Two’s general direction. In response, Zero Two grabbed her twin machineguns and returned the favor. Rho and Irene chimed in with their own guns, turning one side of the crate into Swiss cheese.
“Lay down your weapon and surrender!” Aki02 shouted as bullets zinged back and forth overhead. “You are outnumbered and outgunned. It’s over!”
“You think so?” the colonel replied calmly.
As if on cue, two full squads of ARKS soldiers came pouring through the open doorway, guns blazing. What had been a moderate firefight suddenly escalated into a full-blown war zone. The air was thick with bullets and flying debris. At that point, Aki02 knew it was pointless to continue. Their chance to nab Zero One had come and gone. The only option left was retreat.
She waved the others towards the rear exit. One by one they scrambled to safety, staying low while Zero Two provided cover fire with her machineguns. Irene went first, followed by Rho and Zero Three. Luna was next, employing an overly-elaborate series of acrobatics to reach the doorway.
At last, the only ones left were Zero Two and Dr. Rauth. Zero Two was much closer to the exit than he was. She kept the soldiers occupied while the doctor ran towards her, half-crouched as he did so. Partway there, however, an ambitious soldier popped up and sprayed bullets in his direction. Aki dropped the man almost immediately with a shot to the shoulder, but not in time. Rauth took a bullet to the thigh and tumbled to the floor. Aki was prepared to go after him, but the doctor shook his head. His intention was clear: Go without me.
Zero Two hesitated. Over the din of gunfire, Rauth shouted, “You’re the only ones who can stop her! Now get out of here while you still can!”
Heartbroken, Aki nodded in agreement. The doctor was right. Even though he was right there lying on the floor in front of her, she couldn’t reach him. And stopping Zero One was the bigger priority.
Zero Two turned and scrambled through the nearby exit. As soon as she was clear, Luna aimed her hammer rod and a chilly blast of Barta shot forth, encasing the entire doorway in a thick layer of ice. It wouldn’t slow down the soldiers very long, but hopefully it would hold out long enough.
Together with her family and friends, Aki02 ran through the dark, empty corridors beneath the lab. No one looked back.
CHAPTER 15: END
1.53 discussion :p
Spoiler!
I'm probably rooting for 01 because I see her as the actual continued form of aki(02) in the very first story. Maybe because Im a military fanboy I see that as the cooler thing. 01 was the aki that made promotions. The funny thing with the akis is that they are not the same yet they are with their memories linked to certain points. So I guess we lean towards the "aki route" we are most interested in.
And now Ill start rEading 15.4
@Sacrificial:
Spoiler!It's interesting you would say that. Personally I always saw Zero Two as the closest to Aki from the original story. Aside from the fact that she looks the same as Aki did during Episodes 2-6, I feel like she has the most similar personality.
However, I'd say they all share similar personality traits. It's just that they exhibit those traits differently and to different extents. Zero One has a strong sense of duty, Zero Two is a logical/rational thinker, and Zero Three will do anything to help her friends. Zero One is the most expressive (emotionally) while Zero Two is the least expressive. When I'm writing, I approach all three of them as if they're the same person, but I choose to highlight different aspects depending on which one I'm referencing.
CHAPTER 16.1 [9/17/16]
Spoiler!
COLONY SHIP 02, UR: RAUTH ROBOTICS
An overturned table. Bullet-riddled crates. A spattering of blood slowly drying on the pale tiled floor.
This was the aftermath of battle. That tentative period when you take stock of what you’ve gained and what you’ve lost. Of who’s still standing and who’s not. And, in the case of a certain ARKS colonel, how many friends and family members you managed to eliminate. But, as the dust began to settle, one thing became abundantly clear: she had failed. Again.
Aki01 bit her lower lip—a small gesture, hardly noticed by the soldiers around her. It was the only outward expression of frustration she allowed herself. Inside, however, she was in great turmoil. Her mind was racing, her emotions boiling. Despite her efforts to the contrary, despite everything, her sisters and friends had gotten away. Scurried off like rats into the night. As far as Aki was concerned, the entire operation was one giant, botched mess. She would have to explain this to her master, beg for his forgiveness…
Spoiler!
Or was there a way to salvage things after all? A game of mental chess played out in her head. She calculated odds, probabilities, every conceivable move. In the end she came to a satisfactory conclusion. Yes, perhaps there was still time to turn things around. Her master was away on business for the next day or two. Aki could still make things right.
She stepped through the rubble left behind by the recent firefight. Her flowery coat swirled around her, its cheerful coloring a stark contrast to the black and red armor she wore underneath. As she walked, she passed three soldiers nursing non-critical wounds. The “non-critical” part was intentional, she knew. In fact, not a single member of her task force had been killed during the raid. Her sisters were still clinging to the belief, however naïve, that they could get through this without serious bloodshed. They were soft. And that softness would cost them.
From behind, Aki heard boots crunching over shards of glass and metal. She turned around. The boots belonged to Captain Arin Colton, her second-in-command on this mission. He looked tired and drained, but no less determined to find Akasha and bring her back safely.
“Any clue where they might be headed?” he asked.
Spoiler!
“Nothing yet, Captain. They’ve covered their tracks well.”
“That’s a problem, isn’t it? You heard what they said in that recording. Your sisters are determined to fight and bring you down. They won’t stay hidden forever. They’re going to strike back—sooner, probably, than later.”
Aki’s gaze drifted across the room, to where a man in a white lab coat was seated on the floor. His hands were bound behind him with magnetic cuffs. His right thigh was bandaged with medical gauze. And his eyes… they were glaring straight at her like an unspoken accusation.
Aki smiled coldly back at Dr. Rauth. To Colton she replied, “Let them come.”
Spoiler!
* * * * * * * * *
ARKS COMMAND TOWER
- 22 hours later -
“Say again, Control?”
Lieutenant Arkon heard the woman the first time, he was simply having a hard time believing it. If he didn’t know better, he would be tempted to think his audio sensors were malfunctioning.
Spoiler!
“There is a rogue shuttle inside Command tower airspace,” the woman on the radio repeated. “It’s making passes over the building, sir.”
Arkon rushed to the nearest window and looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse of the errant craft. “How did it get so close? Why didn’t anyone try to stop it?”
“The ship is broadcasting the proper codes, which is why we let it approach, but it isn’t responding to our hails. Repeated attempts to contact the pilot have gone unanswered.”
The airspace above and around the ARKS Command tower was restricted to military craft only. Everyone knew that. It was a matter of security the ARKS took very seriously. Approaching ships were required to broadcast their identification and clearance codes… or get blasted from the sky. The fact that the shuttle had the right codes meant one of two things: either the pilot was ARKS, or the codes had been compromised.
“What is it doing now?”
“Just circling, sir, like I told you. It hasn’t engaged in any overtly hostile actions yet—wait, hold on. It’s… it’s diving straight for the roof!”
“Shoot it!” Arkon shouted fervently. “Shoot it down, now!”
“Acknowledged, sir. Engaging turrets.”
Arkon couldn’t see the roof-mounted gun turrets from his current location on the tenth floor. He did, however, hear the faint roar of cannon fire as the guns unleashed white-hot fury on their target. Moments later he spotted a single craft high overhead, streaking downward with a massive plume of smoke and flames trailing after it. He watched through the window as the shuttle plummeted down, down, down, hurtling towards the ground far below. It was spiraling out of control and falling fast.
Then it blew. Five stories from impact—that is, five stories below Arkon—the shuttle exploded with a bright flash. The entire tower shook and groaned. Arkon planted his feet firmly on the floor to avoid falling over.
When it was over, a long moment of silence remained. Then Arkon composed himself and said into the radio, “Any escape pods?”
“None, Lieutenant.”
“Any other craft in the vicinity?”
“None.”
“Thank you, Control. Arkon out.”
He switched off the radio. Then he realized he had a promise to keep. He had told the colonel he would inform her of any suspicious activity, and this certainly fit the bill. He turned his radio back on. “Colonel Aki, this is Arkon. Are you there?”
Static. Then, after a few seconds: “This is Aki. What is it, Lieutenant?”
“A rogue shuttle, sir. It was making passes over the tower. Control just shot it down.”
“Yes, I felt the blast all the way from the detention block. Are there any survivors?”
“None, Colonel.”
A pause. “I want you to check my office. Make sure no one’s been in or out in the past hour.”
“Sir?”
“You heard me, Lieutenant.”
“Yes, sir.”
The line went dead. Arkon knew better than to question his commanding officer. He headed for the nearest elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. The door sealed shut and the lift began its sluggish ascent.
Fifty floors later, a chime announced his arrival. The door opened and Arkon stepped out into the hall. This was the executive floor, where Colonel Aki and the other high-ranking ARKS officers aboard Ur were stationed. As such, the walls were higher and the corridors wider. The floor was furnished with stately red carpeting.
Arkon followed the corridor to the right and passed a security guard station. Strangely, there was no guard on duty. Arkon made a mental note to find out who was supposed to be manning the station and have them reprimanded. But that could wait. In the meantime, he continued down the hall towards the colonel’s office.
When he got there, he noticed one of the large double doors was slightly ajar. These doors weren’t automated, they opened the old-fashioned way with a handle and latch. Arkon took hold of the handle and pushed. Inside, the room was dark and quiet. Mostly. The only exception was a holographic computer screen hovering in the air above the colonel’s desk. Had she left it on?
He took a few steps into the room. The door squeaked shut behind him. From his right, an unexpected voice spoke up: “Lieutenant Arkon! You made it just in time.”
It was Colonel Aki’s voice. Confused, Arkon replied, “Colonel? What are you doing here?”
He turned to face his superior. And froze. There was something wrong, out of place. Her face was the same, but her body type…
“Wait, you’re not—” he began.
Then the taser struck him in the gut. There was a burning spark of electricity, and everything went black.
* * * * * * * * *
- A few minutes earlier -
She was the last one off the shuttle. The autopilot was already engaged; the only thing left to do was jump.
Rho looked down. Far below, Ur’s densely-packed cityscape flashed past at breakneck speed, a psychedelic blur of grays and greens. The shuttle made one final pass over the roof of the Command tower. Rho gripped the sides of the open hatch, steadied herself, waiting for the right moment.
Spoiler!
Now. She let go and the colony ship’s artificial gravity took over. It pulled her down like a metal anchor. Her blonde hair, long and loose, trailed behind her head as she entered freefall. The wind screamed in her ears.
The drop was about five stories—deadly for a flesh-and-blood being, but hardly a problem for a CAST. Rho hit the roof with as much forward momentum as she could manage, tucking into a roll to minimize the impact. She was back on her feet just in time to see the shuttle take a direct hit from a nearby gun turret. Flames erupted from its belly as its spiraled downward, out of sight.
There goes my savings, Rho thought with a sigh. She’d saved up several months’ worth of client order rewards to afford that ship. Hadn’t even finished paying it off yet. She only hoped the distraction would be worth it. Everyone in the Command tower would be focused on the burning shuttle, not the five people sneaking inside.
She joined the others outside the stairwell. There was still the issue of the security door to contend with. Fortunately they happened to have an ace in the hole: Luna.
“You saw Zero One input the code when you snuck in before, correct?” Aki02 asked her support partner.
Luna nodded in response. “One-nine-one-two-three-six,” she recited, ecstatic to be playing a critical role on a big mission like this.
Zero Two was about to enter the digits into the keypad when Irene suddenly spoke up. “Wait! How do you know the code hasn’t been changed since then? If you’re wrong and the alarm goes off, this is going to be a very short mission.”
Spoiler!
“The code is changed every Monday morning. We haven’t used the alcoves since then, and Zero One doesn’t know Luna saw her enter the code. Therefore, she shouldn’t have any reason to change it.”
“Unless she’s being overly cautious,” Irene pointed out.
“I cannot rule out that possibility. But I know my sister, and do not believe she would spend the effort on such a seemingly low-risk safeguard.”
“What if she did it precisely because you think she wouldn’t?”
“Girls, girls.” Rho stepped forward and put a hand on both women’s shoulders. “Look, we could go around in logic circles for days. Bottom line is, we don’t know anything for sure. We’ve already come this far; all we can do now is move forward. Am I right, or am I right?”
Everyone agreed, which made Luna chuckle. “What’s the world coming to when Rho is the voice of reason in the group?”
If Rho were capable of blushing, her face would have turned bright red with embarrassment. “H-Hey! I don’t wanna hear that from you, shorty! Keep it up and I’ll bop you on the head!”
“Go ahead and try,” Luna taunted her. “You’ll just end up hurting your hand on my horns.”
Paying no attention to the quarreling robots, Zero Two typed in the security code. One-nine-one-two-three-six. There was a heavy click as the door unlocked. She pressed the switch and it slid right open. No alarm, no guards, nothing.
“I guess you were right,” admitted Irene.
Zero Two waved everyone inside. “We’ll see,” she replied.
* * * * * * * * *
They stealthily descended the single flight of stairs. Once again, Rho brought up the rear. It felt like she was always bringing up the rear. She was the last one off the shuttle, the last one in the building. Was she destined to play a supporting role her whole life? Is that all she was good for?
As if sensing her insecurity, Aki03 addressed Rho in a low tone barely above a whisper. “Despite Luna’s teasing, she actually thinks quite highly of you. We all do. You’ve become very dependable lately, and I for one am proud to have you as a sister.”
Spoiler!
Rho didn’t know what to say to that. She was suddenly glad to be at the rear of the pack—this way they couldn’t see the stupid grin plastered on her face.
Quickly but carefully, the five women exited the stairwell. The long hallway beyond it was deserted. The only sound to be heard was the muffled padding of feet over plush carpeting. To the left, a series of floor-to-ceiling windows provided a bird’s-eye view of the city. Sixty floors below, the burning wreckage of Rho’s shuttle was barely visible. There seemed to be a crowd of people milling about. Looks like our little distraction was a big success, she thought.
They turned right at the junction. Halfway down the corridor, a security guard was rising to his feet. Irene aimed her tranquilizer gun and fired a dart into the man’s exposed neck. He didn’t even have a chance to make a sound. The guard wobbled as his feet turned to rubber beneath him. A moment later he was unconscious on the floor. Aki02 scooped him up like he weighed nothing at all and carried him the rest of the way to Zero One’s office.
Rho and Zero Three each grabbed a door handle. On the count of three, both Caseals pushed inward. The double doors opened, revealing a dark—and empty—room inside. Zero One wasn’t there. But then, they had expected as much.
They all filed inside. Rho shut the doors behind them. Aki02 set the unconscious guard down in a corner and bound his hands and legs. Meanwhile, Irene immediately made her way to the colonel’s desk and activated the computer terminal there. “Time to get to work,” she declared.
A holographic display flickered into existence above the desk. A standard startup screen followed by a password prompt. Irene’s fingers danced back and forth across the keyboard. A series of screens appeared and disappeared rapid-fire on the display. And just like that—
“Okay, I’m in,” Irene announced.
Rho was impressed. She was a fairly good hacker herself, but Irene was on a whole different level. Probably the best she’d ever seen. If they got out of this alive, maybe she’d ask the woman for a few pointers.
“Can you find the doctor and the general?” Aki02 asked Irene. “Rauth and Valias. I’m certain my sister is keeping them here. She wouldn’t risk sending them anywhere else.”
“Let me do some digging and see what I can find.” Once again, Irene went into action. A long list of file names and directories scrolled past on the display. The list got shorter and shorter as she narrowed down her search. A few seconds later, she was done.
“Found them,” she announced.
“Both of them?” asked Zero Two.
“Both of them. They’re in the detention block. Ken is being held in the low-security wing. Floor forty-four, cell D-sixteen. General Valias, however, is being kept in the high-security wing. Floor forty-five, cell A-two.”
“Are you able to access the cells from here? Disable the locks?”
Irene shook her head. “Unfortunately not. They’re designed that way to avoid outside hacking. No way to open them except by going there in person.”
Aki02 looked dismayed but no less determined. Irene quickly added, “I can, however, get you the code to unlock Ken’s cell. Give me another second here.”
Tap-tap-tap. Irene worked her magic for a third time and a series of numbers appeared on the screen. “Here we go. Cell D-sixteen. The code is five-one-one-four-three-eight-eight-three.”
“That will unlock the doctor’s cell? Just like that?”
Irene smiled. “Just like that.”
“What about Valias? Is his code in the computer as well?”
“Getting the general out is going to be… a bit trickier. As I said, he’s in the high-security wing. It’s going to take more than a cell code to get to him.”
“What is it going to take?”
“More than we’ve got, I’m afraid. According to this, you need to go through a retinal scanner just to enter the cell block. Then you need a key card and fingerprint ID to deactivate the force field protecting the cell itself.” She scratched the side of her head. “You could pass the retinal scanner no problem, seeing as you’re identical twins. But I can’t fake the key card. As for the fingerprint ID, well…”
Aki02 glanced down at her metal fingers. Of the three Aki sisters, Zero One was the only one with a human-like body. The only one with actual fingerprints. Which meant they were out of luck. “There’s no way to override it?” she asked.
Irene shook her head. “I doubt it. Wouldn’t be very high security otherwise, right? It’s virtually impossible to hack, impossible to override. In fact, the only other way you could possibly get in would be…” She trailed off. Then her eyes widened in realization.
“Irene?” asked a concerned Zero Three.
“The only other way in,” Irene started slowly, “would be to cut the power to the entire cell block. That would definitely kill the force field. You wouldn’t have to worry about the scanner or the key card, either.”
“Great,” exclaimed Aki02. “You can cut the power, can’t you?”
“I can, but not from here.” Irene brought up a schematic of the Command tower as she talked. The entire building was shown in wireframe with a thick red line running up its spine. That line branched out into many smaller lines at varying intervals. The overall effect looked like tree roots winding through the tower.
“See this red line here?” Irene traced one of the many branches with her finger. “This is the main power line feeding the detention block. I can shut it off… but only from the breaker panel.”
“And where is that?”
“In the generator room,” she replied. “In the basement.”
Silence. Everyone present knew her proposal was dangerous, not to mention a considerable trek. The basement was a long, long way down, especially since they couldn’t use the elevators. Not without attracting a lot of unwanted attention. Still, what choice did they have?
“I can go,” volunteered Zero Three. “I’m more familiar with the building layout than you are.”
“No, I’ll do it,” Irene insisted.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Yeah. If there’s any problem down there, I can take care of it.”
Aki02 stepped forward. She glanced at each of them in turn. “Alright, it’s decided. Irene, you head to the basement. Luna, I want you to find the general’s cell and wait there. When the power goes out, you have to get him out of here safely, understand? Zero Three and I will rescue the doctor.”
“What about me?” asked Rho, hoping she wouldn’t be assigned some sort of menial task.
“You have perhaps the most important job of all.” Zero Two rested her hands firmly on Rho’s shoulders, letting the weight of her words sink in. “I need you to locate our sister. We have to find Zero One and stop her, or this will never be over. Find her, and when you do, activate this.”
Aki02 pressed a small, cylindrical device into Rho’s hand. “It’s a homing beacon,” she explained. “Once you activate it, we’ll come running.”
“You know I want to help, but… how exactly am I supposed to find her? This place is, like, totally massive!”
“You’re an infiltration unit. I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
Rho considered that. She could try searching Zero One’s terminal for clues, maybe look for an itinerary, but there was still one major problem: familiarity. Or in this case, her lack thereof. That was a big disadvantage right out of the gate. She was the wrong person for the job. Someone with more knowledge of the building and Zero One’s habits would be better suited to the task. Someone like…
Of course! Rho nearly smacked herself for her own stupidity. In a situation like this, lack of knowledge was never a deterrent. Not for her. She turned to Zero Three, a sheepish grin creeping across her face. “Oh, sister dear! About the mission… Think you can do me one teensy little favor?”
Zero Three cocked her head to one side, her expression blank. “Of course. What do you need?”
“Nothing major, really. Just thought you might lend me a helping hand or, y’know… body?”
* * * * * * * * *
A few minutes later, Zero Two and Zero Three were on their way to the forty-fourth floor. They had to take the stairs—couldn’t risk the elevators. It was a tedious hike, undertaken mostly in silence. Several times, Zero Three caught her sister stealing furtive glances in her direction.
“You wish to say something?” she finally asked.
“No, nothing important. Just…” Zero Two trailed off. The hint of an amused smile tugged at her lips. “You make a good blonde, sister.”
Zero Three rolled her green eyes and kept walking. Switching places with Rho had been an easy transition—physically, at least. They had identical body types, the only difference being their arm and head parts. So physically, it was an easy swap. A minor adjustment. The hardest part would probably come later, from the jokes she would have to endure afterward.
But right there and then, that was the furthest thing from her mind. Because right then she was focused on busting the doctor out of prison. “We’re almost there,” she said in Rho’s voice.
Zero Two nodded solemnly. The time for joking was past.
After descending sixteen flights of stairs, they had finally reached the door marked number forty-four. Zero Two readied her twin machineguns. Zero Three steadied her rod. Together they burst through the door and charged down the long corridor. They dispatched the pair of guards outside the cell block with relative ease. Snuck inside and hid the bodies. Then they made their way to cell D-twelve.
Rauth looked up as they approached. His eyes were red, like he hadn’t slept. As soon as he saw the Akis he jumped to his feet and started shouting. At least Zero Three assumed he was shouting, because there was no sound coming from his mouth at all. Probably had a noise-cancelling device installed inside his cell. It kept prisoners from making a ruckus while the force field was active.
Whatever he was saying, it seemed to be urgent. “Don’t worry,” Aki02 reassured him. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
She stepped over to the wall-mounted keypad and input the code Irene had given her. Instead of deactivating the force field, however, something else happened. Both Akis were instantly pulled to the ground by a powerful gravity field. Their bodies were held tightly in place, unable to lift even a finger. It was only then, as Zero Three lay pinned to the floor, that she realized what Dr. Rauth had been shouting: “trap.”
From out of nowhere, half a dozen soldiers rushed in to surround them. Half a dozen rifles were aimed in their direction. The lead soldier pulled out his radio and thumbed it on. “Colonel Aki? We’ve captured two of the intruders.”
Zero Three could faintly make out her sister’s voice coming through the radio speaker. “Good work,” Aki01 told him. “Keep them under guard until I arrive. If they try to escape… shoot them.”
The radio clicked off. Escape? thought Zero Three. We can’t even move!
The situation seemed dire. She only hoped Luna and Irene were having better luck…
TO BE CONTINUED
01 be like:
@Sacrificial: Thanks for giving me a good laugh first thing in the morning. :lol: