Chapter 24

Log. 3001.a

I made more complex simulations. I put all my memories in there. And nothing. At least I managed to get the complete virus this time. Maybe it knows there is already a person with my memories... yeah, that could be it. Whether I like it or not, I had copies in the Cloud. This could be why. Anyway, I believe that the next step is slightly illegal and maybe unethical.

Qena and Koira were seen walking around together again. Qena was happy things were sort of back to normal, which was nice, and she stopped teasing Koira so much, for which the woman was glad, but a bit disappointed. As she had said, it made her quite curious, and maybe they could try something someday, when the vibe was right.

Work was rather slow that week, so Koira focused on finishing Tovu’s arm and legs, so they could be as good as possible for when he decided he was ready for them. Qena and Ana offered to help, Koira was a bit crazy, so it was fun being around her; but the woman often preferred working by herself.

Ana and Qena also talked, and the second apologised for making a storm in a glass of water over a misunderstanding, and Ana said she wasn’t angry with her; they hadn’t become friends before because the Chief Engineer was terrible at being social, but now things were changing day by day.

Koira liked having lunch at the hospital, because the food was good and nutritious, and she didn’t have to cook it, which was the best part, and since she worked with some patients, no one could find a reason she could not eat there.

Tovu wasn’t at the cafeteria with the others as always, so once she finished eating, Koira stopped by his room. However, she didn’t find him there. After asking around, she went to the playground and found the man with a book on his lap.

The place was mostly empty, since the little patients were having lunch, and she sat on the floor, by his side. He turned his face to her and asked:

— Koira?

— It’s me. — It was strange how he could recognise her with so little. — How are ya today?

— Oh. I’m okay. I was thinking about something I’ve read.

— Such as?

— Scars.

— Oh. — Koira looked at him, then at the book. He was getting really good at Braille.

— Do I have scars? From the ice, I mean.

— Ya do. Plenty, actually. — Koira didn’t know the art of being subtle. — The doctor had to do some skin grafts here and there.

— Do I… — He paused, not knowing whether he wanted an answer or not. He had scars from before, from his fight with the Immortal, places where his skin was ripped and teared from his body, but he never had burn scars before.

— Look scary?

— Yes. Ryth said something about them, and now I’m reading this book… I’ve seen people with burn scars before, though not from frostburn, and… — He shrugged. — Not that I have ever worried about how I look, but…

— The physicians did a pretty good job, I’d dare say. Do ya feel a lot of pain? — She had never heard him complain about that.

— Not really, which is why I was surprised when Ryth asked. I thought they would hurt more or feel numb. — Then took a deep breath; there was something else he needed to know. — How do I look like to you?

— Ya want me to describe ya or something? — She looked at him confused and curious. She had never thought of him as vain.

— Yes. If it’s not too much trouble. I know I’m… missing parts, but… if my eyes froze, I must have scars on my face. I… I can touch them, feel my own skin in patterns I’ve never felt before, but then, I’ve never paid too much attention to these things.

Koira took a moment to think. He didn’t look good, she would never describe him as handsome, not only because of the scars, but also because she pictured him as a monster for so long. Being impartial proved itself to be rather hard.

— Well, uhm, on your face, there are scars around your eyes and nose, it’s a bit shorter than it was before, I suppose, but it ain’t bad. Your ears got burnt too, the little curve isn’t there anymore. I think it can be fixed if ya want, but your hair is long, so no one can really see them.

— Can you, uhm, show me?

— I can try? — She wasn’t sure how.

Koira got up anyway, excused herself, and removed the bandana from his eyes. Delicate, as if she was working with porcelain, she held his fingers and touched his face with them. She followed the scars around his eyes, where stitches had held his eyelids shut.

She touched his nose, where fine lines talked about how he lost the tip in the cryo-chamber, and the physicians rebuilt it with some skin from his belly and thighs. Koira moved the hair out of the way, and touched his ears, where the skin was thin and the helix wasn’t as curved as before.

It was a strange feeling for Tovu, a mix of anxiety, excitement, the feeling of a warm hand on his, how careful Koira was with him; not because she was afraid, but because she was respectful. If warmed his chest, and made butterflies fly within his body. It was weird, in a weirdly good way.

— There are also some scars on your stomach and thighs, but I ain’t showing ya those. — She laughed. — Ya can touch ’em by yourself.

— It’s fine, thank you, Koira. — He took a deep breath once she sat on the floor again. He wondered if his face was red; it was burning. He lowered the bandana over his face once again and stared ahead. — So I’m not nightmare material, then?

— Oh my sun, of course not! — Koira laughed out loud, surprised with such a question. — I ain’t lying and saying you’re the most handsome man around, but ya ain’t nightmare material, not anymore!

— Not anymore?

— Shit. — Koira had the habit of not giving much thought to what she said. — I mean when ya were hunting me, I used to dream of ya finding and killing me, or killing Séra. But now I ain’t afraid. Now I even dare say we’re friends.

— Oh. That’s a part of my life I wouldn’t mind forgetting.

— I think it’s good to remember. Then ya won’t ever do that again.

— Once again, you sound quite wise. — He shared a shy smile. — So, uhm, about the prosthetics. — He wanted, needed, to change the subject. He coughed to clear his throat, yet his voice sounded hoarse and insecure: — I kept thinking about it, and, well, I suppose we could try.

— REALLY?? — Koira jumped up and almost hugged him.

— Yes. — He laughed with her excitement. — But, can you promise me they won’t turn me evil? Like a Machine?

— I can. I made them myself, so I know every little thing about them, and nothing in there will turn ya into a Machine. I promise ya.

— Thank you. Koira, you’re too nice to me.

— Eh, I try to be nice with everyone. — She shrugged, but all Tovu could hear was the happiness in her voice. — So, ya’ll need to do some exams and such before the surgery to attach the bases, and once those are fully healed, we can test the prosthetics. It’s not a fast process, quite on the contrary, is long and it can be painful sometimes. Are ya ready?

— I am. More than I’ll ever be.

— Let’s go inside then, and talk to the doctors, before ya change your mind! — She laughed and he was forced to laugh along. — Want me to wheel ya?

— It would be pleasant, but only if it won’t bother you.

Log. 2700.d

The results were... strange. The virus entered the system and scanned it. Then it just turned itself off! I wonder if my simulation wasn’t good enough. I think I might need a guinea pig.

Séra was still thinking of the skeleton. Shards for ribs. She imagined it could have been a very — very — strong punch. From something bigger than a human. Bigger hands or whatever it punched with. She couldn’t help but picture something similar to the Immortal back there, but made to fight, not “analyse”.

The tunnel kept going, and neither Séra nor Resha could tell how long they had been in there for; probably too long, since their stomachs were starting to complain. Resha said they should have brought water, to which the woman couldn’t disagree.

— But I guess it’s too late to think about it now. — Séra complained.

They found a few more skeletons along the way. All of them, as broken as the first. Séra really hoped the first was actually the last; that would mean the thing responsible for their deaths had exploded in the bunker. But she couldn’t be sure.

She started pausing Resha and inspecting the bones, something should tell the direction where the blow came from — with cars, it wasn’t so hard. Séra didn’t find much of what she wanted, but one of the skeletons was still wearing a jacket.

— Hey, leave it there, it’s gonna turn to dust if you move it. — Resha scolded her. It wasn’t right to disturb the dead like that.

— I don’t want the jacket. I wanna check if there’s anything in the jacket. — At this point, touching the old, dry bones wasn’t a struggle anymore.

With as much respect as she could, Séra excused herself and removed the jacket from the deceased. Part of it did turn to dust, but most of it remained. It wasn’t wearable, far from it, but the engineer could see a few bumps.

There were pocket on the inside — “Which could have protected them somehow”, Séra thought — and three showed signs of not being empty. In one of the pockets, a small one, there was a lighter. It was dark and dirty, but Séra was almost certain it was silver.

On the second, she found a weird, probably broken metal thing. It had a tube from one point to the other, and what could be a screw or bolt right beneath it. It wasn’t very long, and it had a small trigger on what she assumed was the grip. It was heavy, and she only put it into her own pocket because she might get bored later, and taking it apart could be fun.

On the third, however, jackpot: she found a notebook (and an old, dry pen, which she also put in her pocket). The year surprised her, it was more than a thousand years ago. She would have to ask Ganen how something could be preserved for so long. She thought of turning a few more pages, but Resha stopped her:

— This time, it is gonna turn to dust. It’s paper. Keep it safe, we can tinker with it later.

— Yah, you’re right. I’m nervous, that’s all. — Séra got up and looked ahead. — I mean, this shit’s endless!

— Do you think we should go back and regroup? — Resha suggested. — We can keep the cable like this and follow it once we’re rested.

— Do ya really want to?

— No. — They admitted. — You?

— No, not deep down. Which kinda sucks, I must add. — She crossed her arms, upset.

— It does. But, hey, come on. — Resha offered her the most encouraging smile: — Maybe the exit is just little ahead.

— And Ganen says I’m the optimistic. — But Séra laughed of that whole situation. At least they weren’t lost.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Their light hit another wall, and they turned to the right quite hopeful, but the end of the tunnel still lacked any sign of an exit.

Ganen looked at the long cable they had crafted, it was almost ending. She called Misha, and screamed they needed more material. The matriarch poked her brother and signalled him the same thing, and soon they were both looking for anything they could use.

The researcher was getting nervous; if the place didn’t have any other entrances or corridors, Séra would be fine; however, if not, she needed the cable to find her way back. Ganen started to think of solutions; she could get into the tunnel as well, which, on second thought, was a terrible idea.

— They know Morse Code! — she whispered to herself. Misha could send Resha a message; if Ganen felt the thugs on the cable, so could Séra and Resha. — And in this case, entering the tunnel would be acceptable. Only far enough to get them the message.

After a few anxious minutes, Gayo came back with many extra strong bag straps; he pointed to a wall full of metal tubes, which made Ganen even more confused; she didn’t understand why people needed such strong straps to carry some pipes around.

It didn’t add much length, but at least he had also found some sticky tape, which he used to make sure the straps and the cables wouldn’t break. Ganen watched him go back to where he was; she was worried. Officially worried. They needed to find something, and fast.

— Lucky pot! — Misha said a bit louder. — I found some rope. I think there’s a lot in here, so we can chill for a while.

— Thank the leaves. — Ganen sighed.

She helped them tie the rope on the straps, and Gayo put some more tape around it, just in case, and went back to adjusting his crossbow. At least a few hours had gone by, and Ganen wondered if Séra and Resha were alright. She didn’t want to think about it, but if there was another Immortal, it could be intelligent enough to kill both of them and keep pulling the rope.

— We should eat something. — Misha sat by her side, with a ration brick. — Do you think we need to cook this?

— I have no idea.

— There seem to be some instructions, but it’s too dark for me to read. Can you try? — Misha was trying to distract Ganen. She knew being nervous was worse, and after saying her goodbyes to Finnian and Nika, she was feeling numb, back to her responsibilities, back to keeping everyone together.

— Lemme try.

Ganen held the brick close to the light, and it said to open carefully. So she did. The brick opened in a few packages, potatoes, peas, beans, peanut paste, and travel biscuits. Underneath it all, there was a thick plastic with a “WARNING HOT” written on it. Ganen turned it around, and there was one instruction: break to heat.

— Should we open it to break it? — Misha asked.

— I don’t think so. Maybe if we just, uhm, bend it a bit…

Misha offered to do it, since Ganen’s arm was still hurt, and a few seconds after bending it, the plastic started to get hot.

— Okay, that’s done. — Misha was surprised. — Now what?

— Guess we pile the things we wanna heat on top of it? — Ganen was flipping the package, looking for further instructions, but if there had been some, they had long faded.

— Sounds good enough. A bit dumb, though, but let’s hope it works.

Ganen nodded, and they put the potatoes, peas, and beans on top of the heating bag. For their surprise, it didn’t take long for the heat to spread. The perfume of food was slowly filling up the bunker, and Gayo approached, curious and hungry.

“Is that any good?” he asked.

— We’ll see. — Misha answered with voice and signals.

They opened the packages and sniffed them. After exchanging a few looks, Ganen got a potato square with her fingers and put it into her mouth. There were no salt or seasonings, but it tasted good enough. She nodded, and got another one.

— Could be better, but it’s not bad.

In dreadful silence, they ate as the cable kept being pulled away. Ganen wondered if Séra and Resha were also hungry.

Log. 2689.e

I got a sample of the virus/independent programming. Can I even call it “sample”? It’s not a bacterium or tissue... it doesn’t really matter, does it? The important is I got a lot of its code and put it on a simulation, then I copied some of my own memories and also left them there. Let's see what happens. I want to write down the results.

Koira had had a long day; she had been lying awake for a few hours now, and sleep was nowhere to be found. It was like she was just waiting for something to happen. She was worried about Tovu, that was true, his surgery would happen that next morning, and maybe the thing she was waiting for was receiving a word from the surgeon, saying Tovu had given up.

She pushed away the thought and got up. Maybe a glass of tea — or a shot of tequila and a cigarette — would help. She crawled to the kitchen and put some water to boil, then caught a glass bottle and a small glass, and sat at the table.

She poured herself a glass, then groaned, got up again, and started looking through the kitchen drawers. In the third, she found the small bag with tobacco, some rolling paper, and filtres. She rolled a cigarette, which didn’t turn out pretty, once again sat down, and took the shot. She would try them all, just in case.

She breathed out the smoke, it shone a bit with the light of the stars. The water was soon boiling, and as she opened the cabinet to choose a flavour, someone knocked on her door.

— It’s Qena! Are you awake?

With a smile, she walked to the door and opened it.

— How many times must I say: ya can just come in. — She pointed to the kitchen. — I’m making tea. Want some?

— Yeah, I’d like that.

Both of them sat on the bed — the living room had become a studio of some sort — with cups of tea, a bottle, and cigarettes, though Qena didn’t smoke.

When Koira joked who Qena had quarrelled with that time, the woman stared at the inventor for a few seconds.

— Would it be a surprise if I just wanted to see you?

— At this time in the morning? — Koira scoffed, trying to hide her embarrassment.

— I also had a very good idea, and wanted to share it with you before I forgot it. I don’t know if it’s possible, but…

— Tell me about it. — She took a sip of the tea, feeling a bit calmer.

Qena explained there was a map of the power line supplying the Underground City, it was a panel, with lights and switches to turn things on or off, in case of maintenance or problems. And a radar also mapped the energy sources and printed them from time to time.

No one knew exactly how it worked: somehow scanning the area for large amounts of energy, or maybe a component of the cables, no one understood, but when the paper was put over the map panel, the printed dots matched the transformers and deep wells.

However, there had been a recent change. A few days after the blackout, a new source of energy was being printed. It could be a geothermal source, for example, but it could also be something dangerous, like a gas build-up, or even friction on the ground. It had to be looked at.

— From what I’ve checked, there isn’t supposed to be anything there. — Qena mumbled, after her third shot. — It’s too close to one of the big transformers.

— So, what’s your idea? — Koira was a bit ahead of her.

— Maybe, if we can figure out how the radar works, we can find out what that is and be more prepared to it.

— I see. Ya wanna find a manual for it somewhere?

— No, Koi-koi. — Qena held her face. — I want you, to open it and understand how it works. What is detects. You’re the most suited for it.

Koira put her glass on the bedside table, and looked at Qena’s face for a long time. The deep brown eyes sparkled in the dim light, her hair was a universe around her face, each curl, a galaxy coming to life. She was as beautiful as always. But Koira wasn’t sure she wanted to take the risk of breaking an ancient piece of technology no one knew how to fix or replace.

— Oi, ya sure ya have the right person? — Koira asked.

— Can I kiss you? — Qena asked at the same time.

Koira looked at her speechless. She wasn’t sure of what she’d heard.

— What did ya say?

— I asked if I… if I could kiss you. — She swallowed hard; that probably wasn’t the best time to ask, but Koira was looking at her like that, and she just couldn’t help it. But as she started to apologise, Koira interrupted her.

— Yah, I think ya can. If ya want, but I told ya already, I don’t know how it…

Qena didn’t want to hear the rest. She brought Koira’s face closer and kissed those never-before touched lips. Koira gasped, surprised, and took a moment to close her eyes. The warm hands on her cheeks were so comfortable, she could melt.

She felt Qena’s tongue touch her lips, and opening them felt like a good response. The feeling was strange at first, but it soon became exciting. A hand slid down her neck, rested on her waist, and pulled her even closer, while the other kept holding her hair.

Koira slowly lost her embarrassment, and held the woman’s face, touched her hair and breathed her air. Butterflies flew in her chest in beautiful dances, and her blood felt hotter than before, burning her insides for more.

And then Qena stopped. She got back a little, and breathed. Koira still had a hand on her cheek, their eyes locked on each other. And this time, it was Koira who pulled her closer. Their lips met again and it felt so good, an explosion of light on her skin, dandelion seeds flying through the wind.

She wanted more of that pleasure, so simple, yet fulfilling. So when Qena lifted her face and let her own lips travel down Koira’s neck, the woman shivered, surprised, full of desire.

Log. 2599.z

Today I surfed through the Cloud. It all starts there, so there must be something! I found what appears to be traces of a virus or some independent programming. I am sure The Great Government is covering up the whole situation, because, if they’re not, how has anyone not noticed this yet?! The worst part is I can't even go out and ask questions. They have eyes everywhere, whoever they may be.

Resha was almost right: the exit was a few kilometres ahead. In the path, after so much time looking for it, Séra found some traces of what could have killed those people back there: there was a large heavy metal ball lying on the floor. It had a loop made of the same material, and a broken chain was attached to it.

When Séra tried to lift it, her arms started to shake with the weight. She let it fall from her hands and the thud echoed through the tunnel.

— I don’t think you can take that. — Resha smiled.

— Yah, I don’t think so. I wanted to check if the size matched the broken skeletons we saw back there. I was hoping it was the same Immortal, but…

— You think it’s outside? — The smile vanished, overthrown by concern.

— I ain’t thinking anything, but I sure hope not.

They looked at each other, and Séra held her wrench tighter. They would rather not fight; however, if it came to it, she wanted to be ready.

Both started checking the floor for footprints, something as heavy as an Immortal should leave some, even after many, many years. They did find some strange markings on the ground, which resembled bird feet. Weird huge bird feet. Séra swallowed hard; she didn’t want to meet that thing.

They kept walking nonetheless, there was nothing else they could do. Séra started to wonder if they would have to go all the way back or if they could call the others somehow. She thought of pulling the cable, since the Farmers knew Morse Code, but there had been so many turns, she wasn’t sure the message would go through. And there were also the heavy bags.

— Oi, I think once we get to the exit, we should rest a bit. — Séra broke the silence.

— That’s for sure. — Resha agreed. — But we can rest whilst they get here.

— How are ya planning on calling them? — She was quite curious.

— I have a whistle. — They got it from a pocket and showed it to Séra. It was metal, so shiny and polished she could see her reflex on it.

— But won’t that awake the Immortal?

— Oh. If it’s not broken, it might.

— I was thinking, we could rest, go back, rest a bit more, then go through the tunnel again.

— That sounds awful. — Resha really didn’t like the idea, but Séra had a point. Whilst they weren’t sure there was no danger, making too much noise was a risk they weren’t willing to take.

— I know. Perhaps I’ll think of something else once we get out. — Séra smiled.

Resha chuckled; making plans was difficult when they didn’t have all the pictures. So they kept walking, ever so careful not to wake any other monsters hiding in the shadows.

After who knows how long, they found another heavy metal ball, and the engineer thought that was a good sign: if the Immortal was anything like the other, it probably had two arms, and only that pair of metal balls, so maybe it was broken.

They left it behind after a few minutes and kept walking, but there was no light to be seen, only a few more broken skeletons with nothing of interest in them. A small group of bioluminescent moss was growing on the walls, and it reminded Séra of all the hours she had spent in the tunnels underneath Sand City, whether it was playing, working, or hiding.

Her hand tightened around the wrench; there were so many things she didn’t remember, and the ones she wished had stayed like that, insisted on going to the surface. Séra didn’t want to fight. It was strange how Resha, Misha, and Gayo seemed so well after killing the Forest People.

It was — mostly — self-defence; however, killing Ori was also self-defence, and she couldn’t get it out of her head. Sometimes she closed her eyes and saw the red goo she had turned him into. She tried her best to hide it, she didn’t want to bother Ganen with it, and there was no one else she could talk to.

She kicked a pebble on the floor, and it sounded different from before. It took her a moment, but she realised there wasn’t as much echo. Séra and Resha exchanged a look, surprised with the burst of energy, and ran.

For a moment, they forgot about the Immortal, the deaths, the hunger, all they wanted was the possibility in front of them. The tunnel started going up, and in a few minutes, they found themselves outside, under the delicate glow of the moon.

— Dear Sky, I never thought I would see it again! — Resha laughed and laid down on the grass.

— Gosh, how long were we in there? — Séra sat beside them and started to think. — We came here at night, we fought, fought again, then spent a long time looking for a way out.

— Is this the next night?! — They were startled by their own words.

— I think so… Unless we were super fast, and simply thought we were slow. — But Séra herself didn’t believe in that.

— Now what?

— I guess we can rest a bit before going back, since we can’t send them a message.

— We could. — Resha sat. — Let’s take a look around here, find where we are. If we don’t find the Immortal, or find it broken, I can use my whistle.

— Beats going all the way back. — She was tired. — Maybe we can also find something to eat.

Resha agreed, and after a few more minutes of resting, they got up to look for food and threats.