*
The air was hot and the heated shimmer was apparent throughout the cavern he lay in. The cavern roof was a dark brownish and smooth from the excavating operation that would have gone on to install the terraformer unit. All the sensation and feeling had returned finely, after days of recovery underground. The strange heat was accompanied by a strong orange glow that seemed to slip between tiny windows at the base of the unit, switching at intervals to allow different views into the mechanism it also lit the cavern in shifts.
Grey levered himself upright, swaying slightly as he took his first steps after the recovery. The blackened plated armour had been repaired, the colour a more uniform grey than before while the corded cable that ran throughout his body had been so badly damaged as to need replacing. He could see at junctions where the damage had clearly ruined the black protective casing and had to be replaced.
Grey with practised steps came to the cavern's mouth, looking out on a blue tinted sky. If he focused he could just make out the thinly stretched electrical net that seemed to almost ensnare the planet. It had nearly been his death, falling so far and so fast. He shuddered at the fragments of the white hot memory. From over the cavern mouth a head suddenly hung down, upside down.
“Your awake then?” Said the upside down head, fingers of hands that couldn't be seen gripped the lip of the entrance “I'm Ruan, scout and surveillance operations. Welcome on board”
“I'm GX-97/157B. I'm a little lost for bearings, what am I on board for?”
“Good question. Landon, Squad Commander, will fill you in on the situation. Do you remember much of why you were sent?”
“Nothing clear, the Machine God was rather vague on details”
“Not surprising. Come on up, the others will be back shortly” The head and fingers disappeared back over the lip and with little else to do GX-97/157B left the cave mouth and made his way up the small hillock, one of many that dotted the tree line here. Heavy overhanging trees shaded most of the hill, Ruan lent back against one such sturdy tree as GX-97/157B approached. As he drew closer he could make out a focused look on Ruan's face.
“Something the matter?” A brief pause and then the face relaxed slightly he turned and the left half of his mouth curled into a half smile.
“Scouting. I'm audio and visual scouting but in this environment it's mostly audio” He gave GX-97/157B a quick look over “Your looking pretty serviceable considering you feel through the net. I'm pretty impressed you made it through alive, that stuff takes stones.”
“Stones?”
“Local speak. Your an emissary class right? Landon and Elune mentioned it and well I've a bad habit of listening all the time” He twanged the side of his head for effect “Can't help it”
“Yes although that term eludes me. I worked with the residents of Talsonini and the Ram'odean before the war.”
“Ever seen a warrior bug?”
“Yes. Rank based on their breed colour, red, orange, blue. They are quite popular for the impression they set, Ram'odean diplomacy is very showy. Always trying to prove their superiority.”
“You'll see a lot of blues here, that and those skirmishers. Their nothing in battle but their speed is unmatched. Loud too, like listening to a whirlwind with those wings of theirs. But not enough interference to have me beat yet” He tapped the side of his head again. “The others are coming back, two minutes give or take a few seconds” GX-97/157B looked out across the tree tops idling away the moments until four figures seemed to materialize from the forestry.
The markings on each Anteak were clearly defined, he hadn't taken note of it on Ruan at the time but each had markings clearly different from each other. They also sported different sets of colour, one even having two main colours that covered the chest plate and one shoulder on each of the Anteak's. Only Elune stood apart with her silvery sheen and different build.
“Good to see your awake and able GX-97/157B. Took a hell of a tumble through the net but you kept it together” He clapped a hand on GX-97/157B's shoulder “I'm Landon, Squad Commander.”
“It's good to be back in one piece again, thank you”
“Don't mention it. Step up lads! Greet the fellow” With military discipline the two stepped forward.
“Hyen” He brought his hand up to his chest in a salute “Glad you made it”
“I'm Tenk, Logistics” Tenk followed suit and brought his hand up to his chest, hand over the crystal embedded deep within.
“Elune would like to talk with you GX-97/157B. We'll meet up this evening and I'll go through getting you a role, I'm sure you've a few tricks hidden way” Landon without issuing a command to the soldiers disappeared down into the cavern with the group. Elune stood and looked, an appraising look perhaps.
“Why you then GX-97/157B?”
“Don't you know?”
“No, before your free fall through the net we didn't know anyone was en route.”
“So we're cut off?”
“Already aboard our little wreck of an adventure I see”
“We're all in this together now, it's the least I can do”
“I'm glad your so eager. Landon will fill you in on our current plans and what you can do to assist. It's good to know that we're not forgotten out here, yet any way.” She began the descent down the hill before GX-97/157B spoke up.
“Wait” She turned, her eyes level with his “I never thanked you for saving me.”
“Your welcome GX.” Down inside the cavern the day turned to night and plans were laid.
*
“That's all I've got for you for now Jess.”
“It was nice.” She placed her hand lightly on his “But your still going alone tomorrow aren't you?”
“Yes. The oracles aren't the most friendly of creatures, their ways are....difficult.”
“Just come back soon ok?” She said with a voice of mock seriousness.
“I will”
*
“You never told me! How could you not tell me!” Rasped the old robot
“Your role is to get the information, not to be privy to it.” Said an Anteak, his body seemed to gleam in the harsh bright lights of the room and his eyes unlike most Anteak were a single strip that glowed a deep red.
The room was sparse, a single table sat squarely under the light that shone from above onto metal that seemed to suck in the light, nothing reflected back in the room of one hundred different greys. Rusty was standing, one hand balled into a fat fist on the table. A chair rested behind him, his bulk enough to fill several. The retort from the Cyclops Anteak still hanging in the air before him, he slowly sank back down into the chair.
“You should have told me.” A7 heard the undertones in Rusty's voice, fear and hate in equal measure. It was a useful arrangement but the former preacher could be almost childish in his tantrums and A7 didn't tolerate childishness.
“What have you discovered about the sage, Wen? Our Emperor has come into possession of knowledge pertaining to Wen's father's rather round about goings on of late. It would be useful if I, through you, could piece together a few more facts. As I do so dislike conjecture.”
“Besides finding out his body is perhaps the most perfect shell besides our illustrious lord the Machine God, nothing. He doesn't talk much and when he does he questions things, rarely just musing.” He wriggled a bit on the chair, comfort wasn't in their design.
“Your certain he hasn't mentioned anything...useful?” A7 steepled his fingers before bending each set backwards with an audible, singular click.
“Nothing”
“I see. Very well, Rusty. Guards, take our helpful prisoner back to his cell.”
“How long do I have to keep this up A7. How long till I'm free?”
“Once Wen's father is in our grasp your role here will be unnecessary.”
“Unnecessary?”
“You will be...free, do not worry as to your fate provided you continue getting me information. I do not...back out of a deal, Rusty” With a flick of his long thin fingers he dismissed the guards and Rusty in one motion. He turned and stepped into the shadows of the room and through a door concealed by the bright light of the room. Down a long blank cold hallway he walked, his feet click clacking along the metal floor. Another door opened, closing it quietly behind him A7 lent back against the door for a moment. His mind narrowed to a single cold calculated fact, it squirmed before him. Rusty had lied.
The room, his office, was full of colour and the trappings of a small library. Books dominated the entire south wall from floor to ceiling. Along the walls paintings hung depicting various scenes from various races, each a master piece in its own right. A7 crossed the carpet to his desk, a dark wood with coffee brown veins. On the left side of the desk a set of papers stood in a neat pile, the tray said “IN”. From the desk a holographic display rose and hovered. The paper was for effect since the Anteak didn't deal in anything that wasn't electronic by nature. The holographic display resolved itself, a face in green light appeared.
“Your report, A7?”
“Little additional information has been withdrawn from the prisoner. All methods of interrogation have been dismissed due to his build”
“Then you've verified his construction?”
“To the best of my knowledge it would appear he is...complete, perhaps the most complete construction since the Machine God”
“And he's restrained?”
“Provided no guard enters I have every belief that he could not escape the cell”
“Very well. I want him kept in the cell for the foreseeable future A7.”
“I understand and shall do as you instruct”
“Report any new information as it becomes available”
“As you command” The image of the Emperor faded suddenly. A7 relaxed back into the cushioned chair, the same black with brown veins wood ran up the side with fluted woodwork. The new prisoner had just become very interesting. Fingers steepled before A7's chin as he slipped into thought.