40 - Time and Hiveships…
“I am the Mistress of Time, bow before my might,” Maya stated as she stood in the center of the milling Cage. Bell paused from where he was carrying a crate of items and glared at her.
“Mistress of Time, you’re needed by your little friends,” he said before walking on. Maya raised her middle finger as he walked away. “Stop being childish.”
“I mean Yosi is still suitably impressed that I can stop time. Right, Yosi?”
“Yes, Maya. Your powers are impressive and beyond my imaginings,” Yosi said blandly as she checked over a list on a tablet. “Your little friends are also nicking a lot of items.”
“When did the Tarvana become my ‘little friends’?” Maya demanded.
“Ever since you took their challenges and terrible ways of doing things in stride,” Bell said.
“You’re the one who totally told me to ‘let it be’ when Badblood fought Pickman. Something about this being ‘their way’ bullshit.”
“Well, obviously I was wrong,” Bell said. “They are a cannibalistic, insane group of people with the ability to change their bodies and heal themselves from most wounds, in addition they believe that death is simply a way to do things.”
“Well, obviously,” Maya muttered. “That’s our bread and butter, no? Crazy fuckers who you don’t know if they’re gonna help you or kill you?”
“I didn’t try to kill you,” Yosi said.
“Well, someone tried.”
Bell grumbled.
“Eh, plus what’s the worst that can happen with them around? We can still use them while they’re here and helpful. Then once they leave, they’re the rainbow sky hellscape’s problem.”
Bell grumbled something more.
“What was that, Mr. Belmoro? Do you want to share with the rest of the class.”
“You’re underestimating the Tarvana. They will not look at all of this and be grateful you tossed them a few scraps of technology and some food. They, like Zono said, give off the vibe of being, sketchy.”
“No one is inherently evil,” Maya said.
“How well has your program of ‘civilizing’ them through commerce gone?” Bell asked.
“Whoa, I did not say I was gonna civilize them. I said I was gonna show them how life isn’t just about eating, breeding, and surviving, it can be about base consumerism.”
“Either way, they all have gained a large amount of levels now. Even with the small percentage they obtained through the command platoon dispersion, it is far more than they would have ever gained through their usual methods of living,” Bell explained. “They have access to several tesseract crystals, the engineering knowledge you gave Ironwatcher, and now you have Badblood who has seen what can be done with the technology they generally ignored. They all have seen how better life is with system tech.”
“Then I supposed I succeeded,” Maya grinned. “Yay me.”
“Yes, but that has potentially created a dangerous enemy.”
“Well, we have a damn hiveship to deal with so all of this worrying could be moot,” Maya replied.
Bell stopped and frowned at that mention. “Tier 2, high-grade Tier 2,” he said. “Has to be.’
“Does that mean the same in system tech terms?” Maya asked.
“Rogue tech is fundamentally the same as system tech, just a bit more… organic in its creation. The grades would still apply, perhaps a bit stronger than system tech at the same grade,” Yosi replied.
“Well, we do have the dimensional Cage, a whole shit tonne of mana, and some bad ass SIL to fight and win the day,” Maya said. “So, it’ll be all cool.”
“I wished I shared your optimism,” Yosi said.
“Aw, Yosi, if this goes sideways, I can always beg the System for a golden ticket for you. That jerkwad claimed I’d be able to send anyone back into the multiverse if I wanted. So far, I have yet to call in that credit.”
“I will stand where House Sullivan stands,” Yosi said, straightening up. “Plus, I can only imagine how many levels I will gain if we defeat a Tier 2 hiveship.”
“That’s the leveling greed we need nowadays,” Maya grinned.
“While we will be left in our dirt hole,” Badblood suddenly said. The woman had snuck up on them, hands on hip and a sharp tooth grin on her face. “You are insane to think you will defeat that hiveship.”
“What’s your plan?” Maya asked. “Dig deep? Hide?”
“You believe that the hiveship will not tear you apart and pull every secret and bit of knowledge from you? I shall not so blatantly announce our plans to the likes of you.”
“Likes of me? What’s that mean?”
“The soon to be dead.”
“Oh, I thought you were insulting me,” Maya chuckled.
“We are done with our end of the bargain,” Badblood said. “Let it not be said that the Badblood Tribe did not honor its agreements in the face of overwhelming power.”
“Don’t make it like I’m forcing you to do this.”
“You hold all the power here, Merchant Sullivan. Although you talk about my people as if they are animals, you hold the power and have forced us to do your bidding; as the strong should. Perhaps you will become a leader instead of… whatever this is.”
Maya frowned. “Yeah, you’re done here,” she said.
Badblood nodded. “Until we meet again, Merchant. Perhaps it will be on the field of battle or in a trade agreement.”
“Y’know, I don’t regret helping you, healing you, and showing you the world that’s possible. I just figured you wouldn’t be such a little asshole,” Maya said and Badblood bristled. “But you have held your end of the bargain and you have done what you said you would do, so that makes you honorable in my book. Personality aside, you are good folks and hopefully you’ll find a bountiful and prosperous path for your people.”
Maya extended her hand and Badblood looked at it askance, but the rest of the Tarvana had appeared, watching the two. Badblood took her hand and gave it a firm shake.
“Our agreement is complete and you have done your part of it. Now I shall do my part and take you to a place that you will hopefully find safety,” Maya said, not to Badblood, but the rest of the Tarvana. “We shall now depart, as friends and equals. You have shown your bravery and skill, under the most extreme of circumstances. Let it be known that the Tarvana are a strong and brave people. I thank you for your service and I hope that the gifts I have given you will help you survive the coming troubling times. If the need is there, don’t be afraid to ask for our help and assistance, for we are friends and friends help one another.”
Maya made a door appear, the viewscreen displayed that it was the warren chamber that she had first met Whiteclaw in. It seemed so long ago, especially with the two days they had been in compressed time. The Tarvana solemnly filed out, each passing by Maya and nodding their head in respect. Maya flashed them a salute, her back straight and tall, just the way Pops taught her.
Badblood took the lead, boldly stepping into the darkness with a tesseract pack and lights mounted to her body. She pulled a cart loaded with supplies, food, water, and some system tech components that Maya could give away. It wasn’t much, but it was far better than they had before they came into contact with one another.
Ironwatcher paused as she passed Maya.
“I shall… I shall endeavor to be half the engineer you are, Mistress of Time,” she said.
Maya blushed as Bell laughed.
“Build, create, and continue to learn, Ironwatcher. The world needs more engineers and your tribe will grow stronger with every machine created.”
Ironwatcher nodded and bowed respectfully.
“No, don’t bow,” Maya said. “Do not bow to anyone.”
“But…”
“Not to anyone,” Maya said.
“Yes, Mistress of Time.” Ironwatcher nodded again and hurried after the trail of Tarvana that was disappearing into the warren.
“Got high hopes for that one,” Maya said.
“Revolution? Overthrowing Badblood?” Yosi asked.
“What? No. Being a good engineer,” Maya said.
“You must undermine Badblood’s position,” Bell said. “She is not a friend of yours.”
“Yeah, the enemy you know,” Maya said. “My country had the bad habit of killing foreign rulers and installing assholes that were just as bad and then paying for it a generation down the line.”
“How else do you deal with vassals?” Bell asked.
“Oof, not going there, pal.” Maya closed the door and felt time seize up once more; she could feel as the clock slowly ticked away, counting down the time it would take the massive hiveship to reach the Hangy.
There was no doubt about where the hiveship would be heading. The mana lake was gone now and they had the only dimensional Cage in the area, the swarm would descend upon them.
“Off to the ISS!” Maya announced.
***
“I mean, he was probably a Tier 4,” Maya said. “A nice guy, liked to chuckle a lot as if everything I was saying was something cute and adorable, probably because I was totally cute and adorable.”
George Hazel rubbed his eyes and blinked. The space station commander looked tired and half asleep.
“This dragon you’re talking about?” he asked.
“Yeah, Chuckles the Dragon. Real nice dude. Gave me loads of Tier 2 components and warned us about the hiveship.”
The entire crew of the ISS and the Sullivan Space Station Supreme or 4S, were gathered in the Cage boardroom. Nan and Roci had raced back in as soon as the door had formed and the rest trickled in over the last thirty minutes. It was a tense time as Maya bounced about trying to will everyone to run hysterically into the Cage since every second of MVT time that passed was 12 seconds of RSH time.
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The two minutes it took for everyone to rush into the Cage was nearly half an hour that the hiveship approached the Hangy. For all she knew, the hiveship was already overhead and blasting down whatever hiveships blasted down on their enemies. Probably shit.
“What are your chances of surviving?” George asked.
“Pretty rough. We’re talking a high-grade Tier 2 rogue AI hiveship, filled to the brim with deadly murderous drone AIs that will strip clean a Buick like it was parked in a bad neighborhood. We snuck some pretty rad liquid mana out of under their noses and Roci’s new secret sauce caused it to form the most sought after bit of magic in all dimensions, tesseracts.”
“Like from the Marvel movies?” Astronaut Inez asked.
“Just like, and like all MacGuffins these dudes really want it. And they’re willing to, get this, kill for it!”
George rolled his eyes. “Do you take anything seriously?”
“Showers. Do you know how many days I was without a shower?”
“Try six months,” Hanna said. “I really want one, can I use that one you have over there?”
“Totally, mi Cage, es tu Cage.”
“You have stated that your entire weapons load was destroyed in an attempt to obtain this liquid mana?” Yuri asked.
“Yup, we need air defense batteries, because harpies are bitches.”
“That is unfortunate, had you not planned for this eventuality?” Yuri asked.
“Nope. We were blind sided, I mean, sure we saw a few flying rogue AIs, but I figured they were just the big boys with a lot of Tiers under their belts, not some mid-grade jerks who like to throw around rockets and snatch up enemies.”
“We are getting off of topic,” George said. “What can we do to offer assistance, it seems that if you are defeated we will be on our own.”
“Oh, I don’t need anything from ya’ll,`” Maya said. “I just came to see everyone before the big battle. Eat a meal, share some stories, maybe have a dance off? No?”
George pinched the bridge of his nose. “I do not dance.”
“He really doesn’t,” Inez said. “I saw the videos from his wedding; he was a meme.”
“We do not talk about that,” George said firmly.
“Oh, shit. You’re Moonwalker Space Boy!” Maya asked excitedly.
“I. Am. Not.”
Inez and Maya laughed hysterically as George turned a bright red.
“We are sufficiently ready to accept SIL on our side of the station,” Tender said. He had been quiet through the entire exchange. “Veskari has created enough living quarters to hold the entire ISS crew and a half dozen more. With provided biomass, we will be able to produce food and water to keep the station alive for at a minimum of a standard year if rationed correctly.”
“Awesome,” Maya said and smiled at Tender. “You’re not coming.”
“I protest,” Tender said.
“You, Nan, Roci, Veskari, and Yosi are getting off here. Bell is getting off later.”
The entire table erupted.
“So this is some kind of what? Last Supper?” George demanded, looking down at the ration bar and water before him. “You have some kind of messiah complex?”
“To quote the Hunger Games, “We got shit odds in our favor, folks”,” Maya said. “There’s a giant ass ship approaching and it’s got all sorts of plans that involve theft and murder and maybe torture because apparently some rogue AIs are just that sadistic.”
“And you plan to face it alone?” Bell demanded.
“I’ve got plans.”
“Dimensional bombs are not plans,” Bell snapped.
“They worked well enough for Turrethead and Medusa,” Maya spat back. “Look, this fight is not gonna end well for us. We’ve got a ton of resources and I’m gonna dump them on ya’ll, maybe you can get home with them, maybe you can developed some kind of space based industry out here. Either way you got a year to do it.”
“That is not happening,” Tender said.
“Hell. No.” Yosi added.
Roci looked around, confusion evident on her metallic face. “Are you planning on killing yourself?” she asked.
“No, Roci. No. I’m just not going to risk all of your lives on a fight that’s not in our favor.” Maya said.
“You are planning on dying though, right?” Roci demanded.
“It’s a possibility.”
“That’s bullshit,” Roci snapped, the words echoed through the now silent Cage. “You plan on dying back in the RSH and this is your fucking goodbye!”
“Mind your language,” Maya said automatically and then stopped. Who was she? Her mother?
Roci rose to her tentacles and then raced away. Maya rose to her feet to follow, but all the eyes on her stopped her from moving. She looked at them and then sat down heavily.
“Ya’ll got any ideas on how to deal with emotional ten day old system touched rogue AIs?” she asked, a weak smile forming on her face. Roci didn’t leave, Maya could feel that. Instead the young woman moved to the far edge of the Cage and paced around, her grumblings and cursing subvocalized. If she wanted, Maya knew she could ‘hear’ what she was saying, but that was crossing a line.
“I had… have teenage daughters,” Yuri said. “They are difficult, but a firm hand to guide them is what they need.”
“Ugh, don’t listen to him,” Inez said. “He thinks drawing and quartering is a good punishment.”
“It is.”
“Just talk to her, you’re basically her mother and now you’re saying you’re gonna go die gloriously fighting a hiveship that outclasses you. What would you want to hear in that situation?” Inez said.
“There would be a ton of shit I would want to know if that happened,” Maya said and sighed. She looked at the gathered men and women, they all had more than thrice her education and twice her age. They had lived lives, they had done things she could never do, and they had obtained a position rarely granted to humanity.
“I understand that this Roci is a artificial intelligence,” Yuri said, “but it appears she is based upon human intelligence rather than alien intelligence.”
“Meaning?” Maya asked.
“That she would respond to normal human psychological responses,” Zoya said excitedly. “This is a chance to see if that human psychology can be programed into machines!”
“Yeah, fuck that,” Maya said glaring at the pair. “Roci is her own being, brought forth by the System and if she decides on a human psychology, that’s for her to decide.”
“You can shape an entirely new species from the beginning,” George said. “She is in the position to be shaped and changed, possibly one that will benefit humanity.”
“Ugh,” Maya said. “This is bullshit. I’m not going to make her into a puppet for humanity.”
“You would allow such a resource to be unexploited?” Yuri asked.
“First of all, fuck ya’ll. Second of all, Roci is not a thing to be taken advantaged of.” Maya stated hotly. She glared at everyone gathered at the table. “She is her own being. She will decide her own future and as the fucking heir to House Sullivan, she will decide on the course of action in regards to humanity. Remember, that she will control the 4S. She decides what will happen. If ya’ll wanna be on her good side, then: Do. Not. Fuck. With. Her.”
The gathered astronauts looked at one another
“Are you sure about this?” Hanna asked.
“Dude, she’s the heir to House Sullivan. A System identified House, therefore she owns everything I would own. There are so many things she could ‘own’ if I choose to grab those titles.”
“I am coming with you,” Tender said.
“Nope.”
“I too am coming with you. This is my choice,” Bell stated. “I will return and you cannot stop me.”
“You got you’re ear holes plugged up? Did I not just say no?” Maya said.
Bell and Tender both stood up.
“We are returning with you.”
Maya rose to her feet and glared at them.
“I think we should give them some space,” Hanna said to the astronauts.
“What are they going to do? Fi- oh, shit!” George ducked as a chair flew by him.
***
“Look, I ain’t planning on dying,” Maya said as she cornered Roci. She rolled her shoulder and winced.
“What you plan and the outcome are entirely independent of one another,” Roci snapped back.
“Touche, but still. I ain’t dying.” Maya said. “Look how much shit I’ve gone through and survived. I’m totally going to survive.”
“You optimism about your survivability is nonsense!” Roci cried. “You’re just full of false bravado in the face of overwhelming odds!”
Maya grabbed hold of the AI and pulled her into a hug. Roci tried struggling, even with her massive inherent strength she didn’t budge from Maya’s arms.
“I’ve leveled a ton since we last were here,” Maya said. “I’ve got a plan, I’ve got some people who are gonna be by my side. Tender’s gonna be there and Bell’s gonna be there,”
“I want to be there,” Roci said.
“I want you there too, kid. I want you always by myside, but you’re the heir to House Sullivan. I can’t risk you and I can’t let you be in this fight.”
“That’s an idiotic reason,” Roci said.
“If I die, then it’s up to you to try and save as much of humanity as you can,” Maya said.
“I don’t want to!” Roci cried. “I want to be there with you.”
Maya pulled Roci into a tighter hug. “This world we’re in now, this Integrated multiverse, it’s a place of shit decisions and fucked up choices, but we have to do the best we can. I have to fight these hiveship assholes and you’re gonna have to stay here.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you and this is the safest place for you. No one has that kind of choice anymore. Not in the RSH, not on Earth, not anywhere in this Integrated universe. People keep saying that those with power control everything, but they forget to realize that what they truly control is who they will keep safe. That is power, Roci. It’s about who you keep safe, not about how much credits you have or what industries you control.
“Maybe it makes me the worst kind of asshole, but I’m choosing to keep you safe. I’m choosing you above everyone and I want you to know that. You are everything I could ever want in a daughter, you are everything I wished I could be. I’m choosing your safety over everyone else’s because you’re the kind of person, a true Sullivan, who can and will see that the goal I set out on is fulfilled. You have the resources and the materials, you have the knowledge of great people to help you. You will stay here and you will help humanity as best as you can.”
Roci shuddered in her arms.
“I’m not going to die. I’ve got luck and skill on my side.’
“That’s meaningless,” Roci said.
“I’m not going to die because I still have work to do and you’re gonna need some help saving mankind from what’s to come,” Maya said. “I’m going to survive because I’ll need to be there to keep bugging you to achieve more and be better than you are, just like my mother did.”
They sat there in silence as they held onto one another.
***
“How is she?” Tender asked.
“She’s gonna be alright,” Maya said. “She’s a big girl and she’s far tougher than I was at that age.”
George chuckled. “You said she’s only a few weeks old.”
“Totally. I was a total crybaby at her age,” Maya grinned weakly. “But she’ll be fine. She’s a Sullivan, we’re built tough.”
“If our survival is dependent upon her, I should hope so,” Yuri stated.
“Don’t be an ass, Yuri,” Hanna snapped.
“I just mean…”
“No worries. Nan, Veskari, and Yosi will be with ya’ll.” Maya said.
“You were able to gain the System’s attention?” George asked, eyes widening.
“Me and them go way back, I totally blew their mind with the best chicken they’ve ever tasted,” Maya said with a wave of her hand. “That got me an unlimited amount of freebie passes out of the RSH for any SIL.”
“I believe that was a condition of you becoming the Point of Contact,” Tender said.
“I mean I did make them a dinner and they were totally psyched about it afterward,” Maya said.
“I do not understand why I must stay behind?” Yosi asked.
“You must,” Veskari said. “I need you.”
“I am not a thing to possess,” Yosi snapped. “I have my duty to House Sullivan. I am the first of my people to ever achieve this position and I will not relinquish it without a fight!”
“Easy there, champ. You’re staying for the same reason that Roci and Nan are staying. You’re needed here. You’re gonna help save mankind, you’re gonna help those who need it.”
“But I was supposed to gain so many levels from defeating the hiveship,” Yosi said.
Maya chuckled and pulled the woman into a hug. “I appreciate all that you’ve done for me and the House, Yosi. You are a true friend and companion. But I need you to stand by Roci and help her if things go badly for me. I need you there because you’re one of a few people I trust completely. I need you there because you will help guide her.”
“I… I understand,” Yosi said after a moment. “I will do our House proud.”
“No doubt.” Maya hugged Yosi once more and then stood up. “Alright, folks. I gotta do some stuff with the hiveship and I should be back. If I don’t return, well, you can make an educated guess as to what happened.” Maya looked at the faces of the half a dozen astronauts and grinned. “But that’s loser talk. I’m gonna kick some ass and chew some bubble gum, as we’re outta bubble gum…”
“Good hunting,” George said, producing a salute. Maya returned it.
“We await your return,” Yuri stated as he shook her hand and also gave her a salute.
Hanna and Inez hugged her.
“I wish you luck in your battle to come,” Zoya said as she stood before Maya. The woman didn’t give her a hug, instead she saluted her as Yuri had.
The last in line was Izumi, the Japanese astronaut. He surprised her by hugging her, wrapping her in a massive bear hug. “I hope you survive,” he said. “Humanity relies upon your survival, I hope to see you return. As they say ‘death is lighter than a feather and duty is heavier than a mountain’ but I was also pretty terrible at remembering mottos so, take it as you will. Come back to us and help the ISS.”
Maya looked at the gathered men and women and AIs, she smiled. “See ya’ll in a few hours.”
She stood there smiling and proud as everyone slowly exited the Cage. Only Bell and Tender remained, then Maya finally slumped and sighed a long sigh.
“Well, wanna tussle it up with a hiveship, ya’ll?”
“I have many levels to secure to reach yours,” Bell said.
“I am agreeable to dying,” Tender said. “The cause is just.”
Maya looked at the pair. “Y’know, the two of you were with me from the beginning.”
“I remember,” Bell said.
“It was only because I was the primary AI core for the pub that I managed to survive,” Tender said. “But I am glad that I was. I have progressed beyond my original programing. I do not regret anything that has occurred since. I have grown and because of you, I have seen what there is available to accomplish. I thank you for the opportunity. Dying for an AI is not the same for a SIL; I do not fear it.”
Maya sighed and looked at the pair. She felt a surge of emotion. “I’m glad it’s the pair of you to stand with me,” she said. “I would not be where I am without you two. If we perish this day, I will have done it with the two people I love best.”
“Come on, time and hiveships wait for no man.” Maya said.
“You realize you literally control time inside the Cage,” Tender said.
“Of course, ‘cause I ain’t no man. Now, pretend I pulled off a helmet,” Maya said as she walked toward a machine that throbbed and groaned in the corner of the Cage. The filtered glass that shielded the glowing light melted away and they basked in the glow of a shit tonne of liquid mana.
“Is this…” Tender stumbled over his words.
“Them’s who control the spice, control the universe, bud,” Maya said and grinned at him. She paused and her grin grew larger. “When’s the last time you had a bath?”