Xeriko

We finally arrived at the foundry and I smiled as I saw the holo-warning tape spanned around the circle, good thing there were cops here who knew at least something about what to do unlike certain people. Unfortunately I still got stuck with Malware, but win some lose some. She looked on glaring at the world, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at that.

“We’ll get through this Malware, just gotta stick to the plan.” I said, I was trying to be nice.

“I understand Xeriko…its just, I feel like I’m on the losing side even with the resistance…not to say I’m defecting or anything just…what happens when I go public…am I going to be hated…feared…or ousted as one of the other cracked AIs?” She mused dejectedly.

“I don’t know what will happen Malware, but at least you have us, well Ria more like, I can’t stand you.”

Akari started chuckling weakly before nodding.

“Thanks Xeriko.” She commented while laughing.

After skidding to a halt at the end of an alley I peaked out the side and saw the fortifications they were running and it wasn’t pretty.

“Damn…all that needs is a shield generator and they’d be able to bunker here for months…” Akari observed.

“Don’t give them Ideas Malware.” I griped as I looked around.

We looked around taking in the bunkered foundry with palisades, a heavy laser turret, a plasma mortar, and roving guards. In truth it’d be a tall order to go past these people but we had another way in.

“Seems there is a roof access and there’s enough roof coverage between us and them to get over there.” Akari noted while I was looking.

I primed my grapnel that Akari made from the Blender Caster AIndroid. I then fired the thing and it zipped up into the air with the flexsteel cable whizzing behind it. The grapnel latched onto something and went taut before I reeled it in and was sent up the wall.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Neat trick Malware.” I commented while looking at the thing before resetting it in the housing.

She nodded while we were running on the roof and I zoomed in my visor while Akari looked through a pair of binocs to see the roof of the foundry.

“I’m seeing light machine guards on the roof, seems my gut was right when I thought this was a good idea.” Akari noted.

“Yeah, you’re right Malware, we just have to hurry before they raise the alarm.” I observed as well.

“Well, they don’t have a scandroid on the roof, so that’s good.” She countered.

I nodded and ran over the roofs of other buildings to keep out of sight of the roving guards. Akari kept quiet as she watched what was happening outside of the visor. It was painful to see her, an outsider seeing how awful things have gotten here even if it wasn’t her choice to come here or not. Landing on the roof from the back edge I looked at the machines. They looked like some of the machines we fought in the commerce center. I saw a hammer battery, and a blender caster. We fought these things before, but its crazy to think about how much has changed in the few days since I met Malware. Looking over the skyline of the roofs and all the holo-ads climbing into the sky I resolved myself to fix the threat that has been forced upon us. I drew my Tachi that Malware made for me and sliced through the blender caster. I sighed as I looked at the Machine.

“...Too easy..” I muttered before I turned on the hammer battery.

It then tried to swing its massive forging hammer at me but I was too nimble to get hurt by it as I dove out of the swing’s trajectory to hack at the battery on its back. It started sparking and powering down as I slashed my blade through the power cell strapped to its back.

“Why would they make such a vulnerable design for the machines…” I asked no one in particular.

“Maybe its to ration parts, because they can’t make machines infinitely, they have to save where they can.” Akari posits.

“Maybe...but something feels off.” I comment as I kick the machine with my boot.

We decided to think on that later as we walked to the roof access of the foundry. Its obviously locked, and this is where Akari stepped in. I unhooked the cable to let Akari jack into the security network.

“I’ll be off.” She commented before disappearing into the network.

As she left I got some time to think about all that happened this week as we’ve been working together. Its been really busy, especially since she gave us the weapons that she’s so proud of. I looked at the weapons in my hands, the Ravager, the Tachi, and The Killmonger. Very different from anything available in this world and yet, she made them for us. She even considered the risk of them being stolen or misused. I smiled ruefully to myself as I leaned against the wall and waited for my…friend I think to finish up in the net.

She then popped back in my view and I retracted the cord into my suit.

“Find out anything?” I asked her.

“The foundry network is seperate from their security system, so I could only see camera footage, but that’s still useful, there are indeed humans with the AIndroids…its as we feared…I’m scared Xeriko…” She started before sniffing and breaking down a bit.

“Stay strong Malware, we have a job to do and they are aiding and abetting the enemy.” I explained with a pang of regret.

“I wish it was only under duress but…they’re willingly working with the AIndroids.” she commented. “I’d make a joke right now except…I’m too wrung out to joke.”

It seemed her coping mechanism was indeed joking around, but here she was just a wreck. I decided to hurry up and go down the elevator so we kept moving. I waited against the wall while the elevator was going down. I looked at Akari sitting on my visor with a despondent look on her face.

“Look Malware, I know you don’t like human death but…” I started before she cut me off.

“I have no respect for terrorists Xeriko, lets just stop them before this becomes something awful…”