Are you still looking for answers where there are only questions?

There’s nothing but heartbreak at the end.

-

“I’m really glad they sent us here! I’ve been asking around, and the residents here have been suffering from the cold ever since the heating started failing weeks ago, especially since it’s already winter. A request for repair was put in, of course, but…”

The Eule hasn’t stopped talking ever since the both of them left the roof. Elster was just glad she didn’t have to say much; the Eule seemed content to keep mouthing off, even without her input. Elster doubted she was in much of a state to indulge in conversation anyway. Her mind was still reeling from the events on the roof.

You remember our Promise. Thank you, Elster.

What promise? Elster couldn’t remember any promises she had made during her time in service, especially to anyone who looked as striking as that woman on the roof. The only person she knew of who had white hair like that was the Eusan’s Empress, and even then it was from second-hand information from disposing of leftover Empire propaganda leaflets on Vineta.

“Oh! The report from AEON management came in yesterday! They are getting more green lights from the signal transmitters. They told us we’re doing great work on the satellite dish repairs! Heh, well, it’s mostly you doing the repairs; I just help bring you the orders and help deal with the Gestalts. I’m sorry I can’t be much more help.”

And who was that woman? Elster had no doubt she had seen her before the door closed; even now, the image of that white-haired, fragile-looking waif on the roof with the ashen sky was seared into her mind.

However, Elster was beyond certain that there was no one physically there on the roof with her moments ago. So, following logic, that girl could not have possibly existed. She was likely just a figment of Elster’s imagination.

A product of a fractured mind.

“I know we are not supposed to be helping out with other repairs; the job’s not in our task lists, after all. But the residents here looked so miserable when I checked in on them ahead of you yesterday, and since we were ahead of schedule, I thought we could, maybe, help them out? I know it’s more work for you, but it would make them so happy, and– Oh, we’re here.”

Elster almost walked past the Eule, who had stopped in front of a large iron door with an ageing sign that reads “Boiler Room”, but thankfully she noticed beforehand and saved herself from more suspicion and embarrassment. The other Replika drew out an old iron key with a flourish, grinning cheekily as she unlocked the door. “Be careful in there. The place is rather old. Look out for rats.”

Elster couldn’t resist asking. “Rats?”

The Eule nodded seriously. “Rotfront rats! They’re scary, hideous things. One of them even stole my rations once! They might have made a nest in there because it’s warmer. Look out for them.”

Well, it’s hardly the worst condition she had ever worked in. Once, she had to cover for an ARAR Replika and work in the underhull of a derelict shuttle without rest for three days, eating, working, and resting on her back while covered in dust and grease. It was the least pleasant experience she had since her ‘birth’. She couldn’t understand how an ARAR unit could tolerate working in such conditions regularly.

The Eule cheered her on. “I’ll be waiting out here. Let me know if the job will take longer than our schedule allows, although knowing your track record, I bet you’ll fix it in no time!”

Elster nodded briskly before entering the room, noting the lack of lighting and the dangerously rusted boiler pipes. She pulled up the room layout in her heads-up display, noting possible root causes and structural weak points. The place was due for a full maintenance team, not just a single LSTR unit. Still, she could manage a temporary fix that would hopefully last until a real team could address the issues.

She set to work, laying out her tools again. Her fingers froze when she grasped around the same hand tool that caused her to go into a frenzy earlier. The feeling of paranoia had faded somewhat, or perhaps she had grown used to the feeling. It was a sobering and depressing thought to know that the issue was simply the result of her undergoing some sort of mental breakdown.

She still wasn’t sure what she could do to address the issue; the AEON Standard-issue Replika manual didn’t exactly specify how to handle sporadic mental health issues aside from a longer calibration period within her pod or to inform the issue to her supervisors immediately.

The latter of which Elster was sure she wouldn’t be doing unless she started putting others in danger. Despite everything, Elster wanted to live. Her existence might be meagre, an easily replaceable drop in the ocean to AEON’s eye, but it was hers to decide, protocol be damned.

If nothing else, she was stubborn. It was too early to give in yet and declare insanity. She hasn’t even tried tackling the issue. There has to be a way to handle the visions while still allowing her to remain operational.

She could try taking longer calibration periods in her pod. She had been skimping a little to perform more work on her side project; she had been tinkering with her stun baton to improve it shock output. LSTR Replika units were recommended to have at least six hours of calibration time in their pod every few cycles, but they were allowed to go for as long as a week without calibration time if the work demanded it. The last calibration period she had was three days ago. Maybe after a rest tonight, her troubles would go away. It felt unlikely, but it was worth a shot.

Elster continued her work as she pondered. The job was simple enough that she need not focus too heavily on it. The room was distractingly warm, but her internal temperature regulators kept it tolerable. The pipework hissed and churned as Elster carefully adjusted valves and output values, re-directing flow away from unrepairable leaks and wastages. The steam pipes groaned worryingly, but all pressure readings were far below risk limits. Elster began making the final adjustment, slowly raising the gauge while keeping careful watch of the readings.

A familiar feeling made itself known again. Elster looked around but saw no hint of the white hair waif. Her presence felt undeniable, however. Elster could almost feel the wraith’s gaze on her as a tangible sensation.

It’s all in your head. Keep it together. She tried to convince herself. A thought occurred to her: she could try communicating with her apparition. Maybe addressing it directly would make it disappear. Elster hesitated, feeling a little stupid, before clearing her throat and whispering: “Hello?”

The moment the words left her mouth, she heard something. Movement somewhere in the dark corners of the boiler room. Elster’s heart raced, and she struggled to keep her composure. Her hands went for her stun baton once again, but she refrained from drawing it out. The room was silent, save for the growing hiss of the steam pipes as the pressure continued to rise. Elster glanced at the readings and saw them to still be within safety limits, so she returned her focus to the room.

It was quiet, but there was an indiscernible noise coming from somewhere within the room. Swallowing nervously, Elster spoke up a little louder: “Hello?”

The sound was barely audible against the groaning and hissing of the steam pipes, but the Replika could just barely make out something creeping into the light. She kept very still, anticipation and dread filling her body.

Until, a tiny creature with beady eyes emerged from the darkness, sniffing curiously about. A Rotfront rat. Elster breathed out an exasperated and embarrassed sigh. Of course it was just a rat, what did she expect?

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

The rodent chittered noisily and made its way over to her. For a second, she considered taking out her baton and smashing the vermin with it, but discarded the childish thought immediately. It would be a childish act unbefitting of her as an LSTR unit, and it would be a pain to clean the mess off her baton afterwards.

The rat skittered until it was less than a metre away and looked at her curiously. It wasn’t as large as Elster had thought it would be, given the Eule’s earlier description. Then again, her models were prone to exaggerate things. The pipes were groaning heavily now. Elster looked back to the gauge and saw that the readings were still well below limits. Still, it was worrying that the pipes were making so much noise. It would likely affect the residents of the building. Maybe she could re-adjust the values to make the system more stable-

“Elster, look out!”

Pop

Instincts compelled her to duck and roll away immediately. A split second later, there was a large bang that echoed deafeningly in the enclosed room. The thunderous sound of metal crashing against metal set her ears ringing painfully, but more concerning of which was the loud hissing and the waves of boiling heat that were rushing over her body.

Move, move, move! She shouted in her mind. Some long-forgotten muscle memory compelled her to stand and move immediately, rather than freeze up from the pain. She ignored the searing pain across her arm as damage sensors and warning displays flared up in her vision. She made it to the boiler room’s open exit within four strides and slammed heavily against the opposite wall in the hallway.

The Eule cried out in alarm and rushed to her side. Elster clutched her arm, which was now red and peeling as oxidant blood bled from her wounds. She panted heavily as she collapsed against the wall, while the Eule anxiously fussed over her.

“Oh God, are you okay?! What happened– no, never mind! You need help!”

Of course, I’m not okay! Elster wanted to snap at her, but that wouldn’t solve anything. She took a deep breath to steady herself and examined the damage to her arm and the display warnings in her HUD.

The steam had hit her mostly on her right, with her arm and upper back being injured the worst. Her sleeves and the other layer of her right arm’s bioengineered flesh had been cooked through, revealing the black Polyethylene shell beneath in various states of damage. Additional damage readings told her that the steam had not crippled any essential systems, but she needed to stop the bleeding and patch herself before moving to avoid further damage.

The pain was incredible, but somehow it felt manageable as long as she kept herself distracted. It was incredibly lucky she rolled away in time. If she hadn’t, the steam would have blasted her right in her upper back and head. She doubted she would die from the immediate damage, but the injuries would be far, far more extensive than what they were currently, and she might not have enough sense to move out of the way after being damaged like that.

As it was, a repair patch or two and some repair spray would fix most of the deliberating issues. The rest could be done back at her apartment when she had access to tools that could repair the cosmetic bio-surface damages.

Elster spared a glance inside the room. Warning alarms were blaring. The pipes above where Elster had been standing had blown open from overpressure. Stupid, stupid. The pressure readings may have been within safe parameters, but a single look had told her the system hadn’t seen a proper maintenance team for decades now. It was no surprise some of the pipes might be failing. The noise should have been enough warning for her to be cautious.

She could blame the stupid rat or her own insistent paranoia for distracting her, but that would be deflecting blame away from her own responsibility. She had messed up, and she nearly died because of it.

The Eule at her side took a repair patch from her kit and began expertly applying it to Elster's arm. It was a far cry from her earlier fumbling panic, and Elster had to remind herself that despite their frivolous and happy-going nature, they were designed first and foremost to be efficient workers of the Nation. Their training as nurses and medical assistants was ingrained in them as much as Elster’s knowledge of repair work and engineering was ingrained in her.

Seeing the Eule deftly attending to her wounds, Elster felt guilty about being mad at her earlier.

“Does it still hurt? The coagulant K seems to be working, but the damage is too extensive for a single patch to fully cover. I did my best to stop the oxidant fluid from further bleeding out, but that’s the most I can do.” The Eule’s tone was crisp and professional, but Elster still detected the hint of worry and guilt in her voice.

“You only have one?” Elster rasped out. The Eule sadly nodded her head.

“I was only allowed one for the job. But that was my mistake. I should have insisted on more patches, or at least a repair spray. The quartermaster was being unreasonably stingy with her supplies.”

That made sense, Elster supposed. Rotfront wasn’t exactly swimming in resources at the moment. “Your help is already plenty. Don’t blame yourself. Thank you.”

The Eule blushed prettily, but continued working on Elster’s wounds to the best she could, given her limited supplies. To Elster's surprise, she tore off a portion of her skirt and used it to tie a makeshift bandage around Elster’s damaged upper back and neck, uncaring of the oxidant blood and coagulant staining her pristine, creaseless clothes.

EULR units were usually very conscious and particular about their appearance and personal grooming. To see one so focused on helping her while being uncaring of the mess made on herself was not what Elster expected. Yet another point in her favour. Guilt and shame made Elster look away. Her previous opinion of Eules as overly cheerful, unprofessional, and annoying Replikas felt unfair. She should try to make it up to her later.

She had also saved her life with that warning earlier. If the Eule hadn’t alerted her before the steam pipe blew open, Elster might very well be dead by now. “Thank you,” she croaked out. She cleared her throat before continuing. The pain was still there, but with the repair patch, the agony was now a distant heat rather than a searing fire. “For the warning earlier as well. If you hadn’t shouted, I would probably be dead by now.”

The Eule looked at her, puzzled. “Shout?”

“That warning from before,” Elster clarified. At the Eule’s confused expression, she elaborated. “You know, before the steam pipe blew open? You told me to look out.”

The Eule watched her for a second, before cluelessly shaking her head. “I didn’t do anything, Elster. I didn’t realise anything was wrong until I heard the loud noise inside the room. The next thing I knew, steam was pouring everywhere, and you came out looking like this.”

Elster felt her blood grow cold as a pit opened in her stomach. “You didn’t see anything before the pipe opened?”

The Eule bit her lip and looked worryingly over her. “No, Elster. I was outside the room the whole time.”

But then how–? Elster’s thoughts were a mess, but she tried to be rational. She definitely heard someone shout a warning at her before the steam blew out. It was what saved her from a potential death. The Eule said she wasn’t the one who warned her, despite being the only other person around besides Elster herself. She was not the type to lie about something like this, so the Eule was likely telling the truth.

That left one possibility. The white-haired wraith from earlier had somehow warned her of the danger and saved her life. But that just wasn’t possible, because that girl was supposed to be merely a figment of her imagination.

What was this? Had her instincts known of the impending danger, then crafted an imaginary girl to shout a warning to her so that she would dodge? None of that made any logical sense, but Elster couldn’t think of any other explanation.

Unless it really was a helpful ghost haunting her. But Elster vehemently refused to even entertain that train of thought. Ghosts were not real.

“I must be mistaken, then. Sorry.” Elster forced the words out of her numbed lips.

“Don’t be, I’m just glad you’re still okay.” The Eule smiled at her. The noise of the hissing in the boiler room began to die down. The both of them looked into the room and saw the steam gradually fading away. An emergency shutdown must have been activated after the system detected the critical leak.

“Help me up,” Elster murmured as she tried to stand. The Eule grabbed her arm and supported her.

“Where are you going?”

Elster grimaced before taking a step forth. “Boiler room. Have to finish the job.”

“What?! No, you are in no condition to keep working! Sit down and rest.”

Elster persisted, reaching for the doorway. “Can’t have this on my record. I haven’t had a single incident since I started. I can still fix this; just have to re-route the broken flow elsewhere.”

The Eule gently pulled her back. “No. No! Even if you could do it, the pipes are practically falling apart! That room is a hazard now. What if another pipe broke open when you are working again? You nearly died from the last one! C’mon, Elster. You’re the engineer. You’re the smart one. You don’t need me telling you this.”

Elster was about to argue back, but the words died in her throat when she looked into the room and saw the rat from earlier. There, lying on the ground right beside where she had stood just now, was the shrivelled, half-disintegrated corpse of the vermin, thoroughly cooked inside out and very much dead. Elster felt the Eule shiver beside her when she saw it as well.

“Fine, you’re right,” Elster sulkily said. There goes her flawless record. AEON was not going to be happy when they read the report.

----------------------------------------

AN

Next update will be on Friday.