Alexis goes to the airlock with Unit 4. A crewmember is there checking the life support sensors. The pretty young looking woman flinches when the Warborg closes in by the door. She does squeak out, “It looks like you can breath out there but it is a bit thin.”
Alexis herself looks to her metal arm knowing it is the reason she can not do a proper, and safe space suit but gets an emergency cover and oxygen tank on her back.
Exiting the Classless Society lets Alexis see the base with her own eyes. A number of lights have turned on since they arrived but some areas are still pitch black. Few of the ships are docked in an airless section ready for launch in to the void of space. Docking arms go to the finished ships and the docked vessel she came in on. Heavy clear plates allow her to see three other vessels at various stages of construction.
The station itself has a few bits of degradation and signs of battle but oddly there is no small debris. She has to learn how to move in the micro-gravity of the place. The place has a chill to it but her uniform keeps her warm enough as long as she is moving. There are rails to grab on giving her help in controlling herself as she moves forward using only her flesh hand. Looking back She finds Unit 4 is almost comically having issues bouncing off walls.
Alexis signs, “Unit 4 if you are not able to control yourself maybe you should go back to the ship.”
The Warborg shifts its ocular sight to her. “This unit was not given programming on how to travel in this environment. No damage has been incurred and currently this unit is fully operational. This unit will upload data on how to do it at the command station.”
Alexis has a private smile seeing the war machine fails at some skills that while she is not great at she is much better then it is.
As they go down the passage that is part rock and metal there comes a sound. Both take out weapons and get ready trying to brace as well as they can on the rail. Alexis looks nervously back to the Warborg thinking she could hide behind its bulk for cover. In the end she holds her ground and focuses again up ahead.
Ahead the sound of rushing air increases and finally the culprit shows itself. It is an almost comically looking box with wheels. There is a suction devise going down and exhaust on top of it. A rather ingenious way to keep it on the floor in the light gravity and it can remove most small debris as it goes.
The Warborg breaks her thoughts on it with a comment, “Unit spotted target. It is a non-combat cleaning unit. Orders to engage.”
“No Unit 4 let it go.” She again travels down the passage gripping the rail to help when they finally reach an area that looks to have had a serious fight. There are several bodies or parts of such and the remains of one Warborg. The human bodies decomposed to just bones lacking clothing with only the large and heavier ones left. The cleaning unit must have had a field day slowly absorbing the clothes, flesh, and small bones of the deceased. The Warborg has no organic remains and is a twisted machine of just metal.
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Checking around the battle-site Alexis finds her brain is picking up minor clues to get what happened. Most of the humans were blocking the machine with metal tables while another used a heavy electrical wire to fry the machine. With all the metal around it likely also got the humans.
Going further along they find discarded empty weapons that size both for a Warborg and humans. The remains of a body here and there are passed by.
Alexis just knows the way to go and leads them through a number of blast doors that have been rend open by a Warborg. They find the main command post with a number of body remains including another Warborg that was defeated by gunfire. A few of the consoles were damaged or destroyed but it looks like most of the stations are operational.
Unit 4 scans the area after they enter. “This Unit detects an operational terminal. Permission to download data on what happened.”
Alexis stares around and offhandedly gives an agreement for the Warborg to begin.
Unit 4 goes over and one hand splits open to insert a plug. “Unit is downloading update on data and protocols.”
Alexis nods then realizes what it said. Her hand goes to the heavy weapon pulling it out. “Wait...”
The Warborg has its back to her and locks up for a moment before speaking. “Unit has new priority orders. Unit will now engage Military personal and execute them.”
Alexis whimpers as she open fires on the Warborg's back aiming for the cylinder that houses the AI of the machine. Two bullets fracture the metal before the next three go in to the delicate electronic brain of the AI.
The machine was turning its heavy gun and lets off a burst as its intelligence is destroyed. Sparks and control panels blow from the weapon the machine was trying to bring to bear on the only Military person nearby, Alexis.
Alexis stands there staring at the Warborg. Sparks fly from it and the organic part gives a whining sound. It keeps it going as Alexis drops the gun, “Damnit dad not him. Why did you force me to kill him...”
There is a strangled sound from the Warborg as the organic canine part finally dies.
“... The virus only would effect the ones that had updated. The virus likely was with the last batch of orders put in to the computer. I need Groerge to destroy it.” She looks to Unit 4 as tears drops. It takes her a minute to get herself back together. She had bonded with the murder machine over the last few months with all she has been through.
Alexis recollects herself and her gun, reloading it just in case. She checks the controls and calls the ship.
“Alexis to Classless. Do you hear me.”
Tirallo gives a reply, “This is Classless to Alexis. I hear you.”
“Good I am transferring information on the station to the ship. I want you to have all personal begin to come on to it and start repairs and get it functioning. We also have to have an inspection on Fateful.” She pauses thinking over the diskshooter that failed. “Not just the ship but the weapons themselves. The chemicals could have degraded.”
“Roger that. Who do I tell to give the order?”
Alexis blinks as she really had not given anyone else a rank. She smiles, “Tirallo you are now my second in command. Give a few others ranks as you see fit. I also need Groerge in the command center here to check the computers.”
Tirallo gasps, “Are you sure.”
“Yes I need Groerge.”
“No about me.”
Alexis laughs, “Yes I am. You have proven to be loyal to me. When I lead the Fateful back to Earth you will be in command of this station to prepare it and the other vessels in case I fail.”
There is another lapse of silence then the woman comes back, “Understood.”