“Home sweet home!” I exclaimed joyfully upon seeing the familiar mine entrance. The engines of the trucks cut off abruptly, and I was finally able to step out and stretch my legs. Behind me, my robots started unloading all the cargo I had brought from Ocaephis, including Morgaine. While she was still restrained, I had decided to use more specialized implements instead of the makeshift metal cord I was forced to make do with originally. Her hands were now trapped in what were essentially giant metal mitts, along with her feet. Thick metal bands kept her limbs locked tight against her body, but that didn’t stop her from trying to tear her way free.
“WHEN I GET OUT OF THESE, I’LL RIP THE FLESH FROM YOUR BONES AND SUCK THE MARROW OUT OF THEM!” She screeched through the muzzle that covered her mouth. I rolled my eyes and motioned for the robots to take her away. She had been screaming and threatening me like that the entire way back, and it was really starting to get on my nerves.
“I wonder what changed?” I contemplated quietly. A few weeks ago, Morgaine was extremely reasonable, even chatting with me amicably when I decided to remove her gag. But over the last couple days, she had begun to become more and more aggressive. She had even managed to tear the hand off of one of my robots, prompting me to have the muzzle she now wore put on her.
“[Her mental faculties have severely deteriorated. It will likely worsen if we do not find a solution soon.]”
“Evan!” A familiar voice came from behind me. Spinning around, I only saw a blur of dark brown hair before I felt something tackle my midsection. I barely managed to balance myself, only to realize that it was Aurea.
“Please, try not to hurt him,” a raspy voice said in an exacerbated tone. Looking up, I saw Mors walking carefully down the slope, hands clasped behind his back. “It is good to see you, my lord.”
“Well hi to both of you,” I replied cheerfully.
“Why in the Mother’s blessed name were you gone for so long?!?” Aurea asked angrily. “What happened to ‘oh I’ll just be gone for a few days’?” she said in a mocking tone.
“Hey, I wasn’t planning on staying that long either! It’s just that there were some…uhh…interesting events that happened.”
“My lord,” Mors interrupted, “While I would quite enjoy hearing about what occurred in Ocaephis, I would like to know why you brought that thing here,” he nodded at Morgaine, who was still raving about devouring me and trying to wriggle out of her restraints.
“Oh yeah. Her. This is Morgaine, although Venari said she's better known as “The Ghoul of the Black Blade.”
Mors’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Is it truly her?”
I shrugged. “Yep. Actually, she seemed like a pretty cool person. But a few days ago she started being all ‘ima eat your heart and drink your blood-y’, so I have no idea what that’s about.”
“Hmm. Am I correct in assuming you haven’t fed her anything recently?”
“Uh, no? Pretty sure dead people don't get hungry.”
“While that may be true, the Undead are something else entirely. They must feed on the flesh of sentient beings, lest they regress to a more feral state.”
“Shit, really? Well that would definitely explain it,” I said, taking another look at Morgaine.
“Eve, any chance we could grow some human tissue?”
“[Specialized lab equipment would be needed, but it is possible.]”
“Ok, go ahead and get that started.”
“[Understood. Estimated completion time: 1 day, 42 minutes.]”
“By the way, I assume everything that I wanted made a while back is done?”
“[Correct. All 200 Replete mobile charging stations, 40 Custodial robots, 300 Mag-Trac mining robots, 4 pairs of Identification lens glasses, 2 pairs of Scale-Tech gloves, and 7 thermoblade knives have been fabricated.]”
“Why don’t you guys head up to the cabin and let Vulre and Aleathra know what’s going on?”
I suggested. “There’s still a few things I need to take care of, but I promise to see you as soon as I’m done so we can catch up.”
“Very well, my lord,” Mors said respectfully.
“Aww, but I haven’t seen you in weeks!” Aurea whined. “Why can’t we talk now???”
I was about to respond when Mors grabbed Aurea by the ear and started pulling her away. “That’s enough out of you, child.”
“Ow ow ow ow! You’re gonna rip my ear off!” she complained, backpedaling rapidly.
“Oh, well now you know what your little village friend felt like! If you were my daughter, I wouldn’t have hesitated to tan your backside for doing something like that!” Mors said harshly. I chuckled as their voices faded into distance before my expressions turned serious again.
“Ok, back to business. Daedalus, how’s the construction going?”
Daedalus: Construction progress: 97.12% complete.
“Ok, ok. There been any problems with security?”
Boar: No signs of danger present in the immediate surroundings.
“Good to hear. Now Daedalus, let's take a look at that base you built.”
Walking towards the entrance of the mine, I noted that the area was noticeably more open, with much of the foliage having been trampled by the robotic traffic. There were still a few bushes around the area, but if one looked closely, you could see a camouflaged Sentinel in each one, constantly scanning the area for any threats. Looking around, it appeared that the mine was gone, the place where it was before having been covered with dirt and grass.
Boar: Clearance level 10. Access granted.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Suddenly, I heard a hissing sound from the slope. A large opening slowly sunk into the hillside and then slid to the side, revealing the tunnel leading deeper into the earth. Electric lights on the ceiling flickered to life, painting the smooth walls and floor with light.
I walked into the tunnel, the robots and their cargo following closely behind. While I made my way deeper and deeper, I asked Daedalus to tell me more about the design of the underground headquarters.
Daedalus: "The current blueprint comprises 20 tiers. This structure is engineered for extended durability, even if pathways to the surface are obstructed. Levels 1-5 serve as residential zones, accommodating up to 50 occupants comfortably, or up to 150 in emergencies. The 6th level is repurposed as a fitness center, housing a gym, pool, sauna, and shower facilities. The 7th level houses medical amenities, equipped to address injuries and illnesses, alongside diagnostic tools. The 8th level functions as a recreation hub, featuring a small theater, game room, and bar. The 9th level operates as the central communication and security outpost, overseeing base operations. The 10th and 11th levels host water purification and electrical power facilities, respectively. The 12th level serves as a testing and analysis facility, with containment measures for various life forms. The 13th level houses the fabricator. Levels 14-16 are designated for food and perishable item storage, while floors 15-20 are allocated for raw material storage. It's worth noting that the base is designed with future expansion in mind."
My jaw dropped in shock. When I had requested Daedalus to construct a headquarters, I hadn’t expected anything on this level. “Look at me, I’m moving up in the world!” I thought cheerfully.
Daedalus: There are also 5 emergency tunnels, constructed every 4 floors. Each one leads to a different exit, where a vehicle and supplies are stored in case of emergency.
“Smart,” I praised. “Anything else I should know?”
Daedalus: No.
“[Now that we have returned, I suggest that all Enforcers be recycled. They have outlived their usefulness.]”
I winced from Eve’s blunt suggestion. “True…but they’ve been pretty helpful…”
“[The materials they are made of can be put to better use.]”
“Alright. As soon as they finish unloading all our cargo, have them report to the fabricator to be scrapped,” I sighed.
“[Understood.]”
“Now, let's go take a look at my new home!”
At the end of the tunnel, I saw a room with several large elevators installed on each side. The one in the center was the smallest, and I assumed that it was for normal people to use. The other elevators were much larger, with caution and danger signs plastered all over, leading me to believe they were for transporting large amounts of cargo and robots throughout the base.
Stepping in front of the small elevator, I heard a monotone voice announce, “Identity confirmed: Evan Vonlichten. Welcome.”
The doors slid open with a smooth hiss. I walked in and looked at the buttons on the wall. I decided to work my way down from the top, starting with the residential floors. Pressing the button for floor 1, I felt the elevator jolt slightly before it started to descend. Only a few seconds had passed when the doors opened, and I took my first look at my new room.
The first thing that jumped out at me was the large bed. Its size astounded me, and I estimated it to be at least two and a half meters long at least. Walking over, I brushed my hand over the blankets and pillows, admiring the softness of the synthetic fibers.
A long table made of glass sat in the middle of the room along with four chairs, each one placed one one side. On the far end of the room was a couch, complete with a small coffee table and rug underneath. Poking my head through a doorway, I took a look at the bathroom. In one corner was a tub that almost resembled a hot tub, while the other corner had a shower with stained glass walls. A sink along with a marble counter had been built along the wall, and I noticed that toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other toiletries had already been provided.
“This place is pretty nice,” I praised.
“[Daedalus simply followed blueprints for luxury hotel rooms, with a few modifications.]”
“Still, this is a pretty nice place.”
Heading back to the elevator, I went to the fitness center next. It was pretty much what I had expected, with the first room having various kinds of exercise machines. The pool was surprisingly large, and I could almost smell the classic scent of chlorine in the air.
The medical facility was up next, and when I first saw it, I had flashbacks to my time in the hospital after having Eve merged with my consciousness. Gurneys and beds with wheels lined the walls, each one having a white curtain placed around them for privacy. The next room over was filled with different types of gadgets, from microscopes to centrifuges and chemical analyzers.
The 8th floor was exactly how Daedalus described it, but the 9th floor was what really drew my attention. When the elevator door opened, it took a moment to register what I was looking at. Hundreds of monitors playing live camera feeds covered every inch of the walls, giving me an unobstructed view of every part of the base at once. A row of control panels stretched across the room, each one having countless buttons and switches across their surfaces.
Daedalus: This is the security room. From here, you can control all the defense and infrastructure systems.
“Defense systems? What kind of defense systems?”
Daedalus: Defense systems include: Turrets, blast doors, hidden traps, lethal and non-lethal gas canisters, and intentional tunnel collapse.”
I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “So what you’re saying is, people are going to have to go through hell if they decide to attack?”
Daedalus: Correct.
Taking another look, I noticed an ominously big button in the center of the control panel. It was bright red, and covered by a thick piece of clear plastic.
“What does that thing do?”
Daedalus: The final contingency: Activates all defense measures at once. Only to be used as a last resort.
“Oooooooooh.”
As soon as I heard that, a small part of me felt tempted to slam the button right then and there, but I suppressed the urge. Continuing the tour, I checked out the rest of the floors. Nothing else really stood out to me, but when I reached the level with the fabricator, I noticed that it looked a bit different.
“Has this been upgraded or something?”
“[Yes. The new fabricator is more energy efficient, compatible with a large range of materials, and has improved precision.]”
“Huh. Cool.”
Suddenly, I heard the sounds of marching feet from behind me. Turning around, I realized that it was the Enforcers that were going to be scrapped. As far as I could tell, the only one that was missing was Boar.
Fuxi: Beginning recycling process…
“Hold on. I want to say something first.”
I waited until all the Enforcers had organized into orderly lines before clearing my throat. “Alright, I’m going to keep this short, because I suck at speeches, and also because you are machines that probably don’t care. I just wanted to say thank you for your service. You absolutely crushed it, quite literally in some cases. I don't think I could have gotten to where I am today if not for you. Even though your time has passed, I promise I’ll remember what you all have done for me. Actually, now that I think about it, isn’t recycling you into something else basically just reincarnation? I mean it’s the same materials, just a different machine, right? Wait, no, I’m getting distracted. Anyway, good job all of you. Good luck!”
Deafening silence was the only thing that greeted me.
“[Are you done?]”
I sighed. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“[Understood. Beginning recycling process.]”
With a loud hum, the fabricator came to life. The first Enforcer walked up and laid down on the platform, and I watched as the fabricator systematically disassembled each piece of its body and sorted the parts. The process only took a few minutes, but with the large number of Enforcers, scrapping all of them would take a while.