The next few days passed quickly. I spent most of the time making Enforcers, and now had enough components to assemble 25 of them. The drillbots worked diligently to bring me more materials, and I actually had more iron than I could use. Interestingly, the drillbots also managed to find aluminum ore, technically called bauxite. With this, I decided to work on a new type of robot, called a Falcon. The Falcons were first invented in the year 2026, and were used to pursue criminals and fugitives. They were incredibly fast, using lighter materials than Enforcers, so as to more effectively give chase. The speed came at a price, however, as they were much more susceptible to damage than Enforcers. And due to the speed, they were also unable to hit targets effectively without the use of advanced AI systems.
Normally, they were equipped with handheld tasers, but I wanted a bit more lethality. Using the aluminum the drillbots mined, I made several Falcons, but like the Enforcers, I made my own modifications. The hands were replaced with a blade made of iron, while the feet had small spikes added to the bottom for extra traction. I didn’t make any other changes, as I wanted the Falcons to remain as lightweight and agile as possible. While this was all happening, Aurea slept. I wasn’t worried, as I knew that proper rest and recovery was the best for her wound. Every so often I would wipe the wound clean with disinfected water to make sure infection wouldn’t take hold. During the time she was awake, she taught me simple words in her language. Although I couldn’t make sentences yet, I could name the objects and things around me. I did try to find out what her last name was, but if I understood her correctly, she didn’t have one.
“Any idea why that might be, Eve?”
“[It was common in certain societies for those lower on the social ladder to not possess surnames.]”
“Huh. Didn’t know that.”
Year 0, Month 0, Week 1, Day 7, Hour 14, Minute 24
Aurea was leaving. To be completely honest, I was somewhat sad. I had grown to enjoy her company, and when I tried to pick her up and carry her back to her village, she pushed me away. She tried to use a simple walking stick to help her move, but I took it away and used the fabricator to make her a proper crutch. I made sure to add extra padding on the top, and she seemed touched by the gesture. As she was leaving, I waved goodbye to her. She yelled, “Goodbye Evan! Thank you!” before she started walking back to her village. Now that she was gone, I could finally begin on my next project: A special Enforcer and Falcon, just for me. The unique units would cost all the resources I had accumulated up to that point, but it would be worth it. The Enforcer was especially expensive, as I planned to make it 3 meters tall. Due to the size, I would need a large battery to power it, as well as improved sensory capabilities. I made sure to give the head and joints extra protection, as the head would be where I stored the data banks. In addition, I made an oversized mace and shield for this new Enforcer to use. The mace was simple, just an iron rod with a spiked head, while the shield was shaped like a kite to better protect my legs. The Falcon I kept normal size, as I wanted it to stay maneuverable. Like the Enforcer, I made sure the Falcon had improved sensory capabilities, but unlike the previous Falcons I gave this one hands. The wrist slots underneath had a blade a bit under a meter long that could retract and extend. The legs had added hydraulics and shocks, and the feet had claws that could dig into hard surfaces to aid in climbing.
Year 0, Month 0, Week 2, Day 6, Hour 8, Minute 47
It took several days to construct both the units. But when they were done being manufactured, I only had to add a few finishing touches. Using some natural paint made from plants I had found around the area, I painted the Enforcer a deep red, while the Falcon got a camouflage color pattern. I stepped back and looked with pride at the incredible machines.
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“I should name them. After all, these aren’t just any run of the mill Enforcer and Falcon. Got any ideas, Eve?”
“[I do not.]”
“Let me think then…The Enforcer will be called Boar, and the Falcon will be called Peregrine. Sounds good to you?”
“[These names are acceptable.]”
Satisfied with the names, I turned to the squad of drones I had built, activating them and ordering several to scan the surrounding area. The rest I sent to observe the village, as I wanted to gather more information on them, especially Aurea. As my drones approached, I noticed something strange: there was much more smoke than I remembered there being last time. Taking control of one of the drones, I zoomed ahead. As the village came into view, I saw the reason for the smoke. The forest around the village fields was burning.
“Oh my god…”
Zooming in on the fields around the village, I saw a battle going on. It appeared the village was under attack. Coming in closer, I studied the attackers. They were a ragtag yet numerous group of people, with rusty weapons and leather armor. They didn’t appear to have any semblance of teamwork, but the sheer number of them made up for that fault. The defenders were losing the battle, and losing it badly. I guessed that they were farmers just trying to defend their homes, but they were untrained and weak. There was one individual, wielding a hammer and buckler, who was able to hold his own. I watched as one of the farmers was stabbed through the gut, collapsing to the ground in pain. At that moment, I heard a familiar voice, screaming out in grief. Turning to the village, I saw a small wooden palisade had been erected, behind which was Aurea. Through the gaps in the wood, she could see the old farmer being stabbed again and again and again. Grief was evident in her face and cries, and the only thing that stopped her from climbing over the palisade were the other village women holding her back. The hammer wielding human called out to the other farmers to retreat, and they sprinted back to the gates. Interestingly, the attackers didn’t follow.
“Why aren’t they keeping up the assault?”
“[It is a possibility that the attackers need to bandage and care for their own wounded.]”
I felt an imaginary heart beating hard in my chest. Seeing the gruesome scene made me nauseous, and I was certain that if I had been in my real body, I would have vomited.
“[Detecting host distress. Temporarily suspending host emotion.]”
A sudden sensation of calm came over me. Without the burden of my emotions, I was able to see the current situation in a more objective light.
“I can’t just leave them there to die,” I thought to myself.
“[Aiding the villagers will in all likelihood provide no benefits.]”
The human part in me disagreed. Even if the logical choice was to ignore their plight, I knew I would feel guilty for a long time if I just turned a blind eye.
“I’ve decided. Activate the Enforcers and Falcons. I’ll take control of Boar. Divert all your processing power to controlling the rest.”
“[Understood. Initiating activation procedures.]”
I stopped controlling the drone, and assumed manual control of Boar. A high pitched whine started coming out of my body as the electrical components powered up. Behind me, the small army of Enforcers and Falcons, along with Peregrine, booted up with the same whine. I marched out of the mine, and behind me, my small force followed. The Enforcers took the lead, keeping the pace at a fast jog. They trampled all the foliage, giving the Falcons a clear path. I ordered Eve to control Peregrine and get to the village first, and ensure Aurea’s safety. Like a ghost, it shot off into the distance, disappearing into the trees within a moment.