Authors Note:
Greetings organics! It is I! Durlek!
Thank you for reading up to this point. My daily updates of chapters shall slow a little from this point. I wish to be able to release 2-3 chapters a week. With this length being ideal. Of course. If the chapter warrants being longer or shorter I shall delay or speed up releases accordingly.
I have planned ahead somewhat and know the direction I wish to take the story. But this will not prevent me from taking inspiration from my readers. If you have ideas that might help fluff out my story. Please share your input. Any improvement I can make to my story will be gladly taken.
I wish to thank posto for his review. It brought a smile to my inanimate face to receive one so early! And synthetic cookies to j0nn0 and Antkiller for being the first posters in the chapters! May much more be gifted upon my readers!
And now, enjoy chapter 3. I haven't had time to go through the entire chapter for quality assurance. I will fix this soon.
Chapter 3: Communication
As I return through the doors that close behind me I have five waiting guests. The first guests this facility has had in who knows how long. I really need to find out how long I have been buried. Though it has little to do with my situation right now. The officer of the team seems to stir determination and courage before approaching me.
As he nears we stand before each other. I am a head taller than them, slightly more bulk across my shoulders and chest. His head angled upwards to match each other’s gazes. He barks and hisses then drags his tail from behind towards me, then pointing the tip up towards me. I glance at the tail for a moment. I deduce this might be their form of handshaking or thanks. I activate my hologram to mimic his tail on myself and return the gesture. He seems a little surprised at first. Then a grinning smile appears on his scaled face. It is difficult to interpret their expressions. With limited knowledge, one cannot make accurate or correct assumption reliably.
I shift to the left wall closest to us as light comes from my sensory sockets, lighting up the wall in a projection. Their attention gets focused to the wall. I show images one of humanity’s greatest moments. Handshakes of the peace accords between the different factions when the united federation was born, setting aside the differences and grievances to work for a better united world without borders. The lizards watch in wonder at the records. This is probably their first time seeing humanity. I gesture to the handshaking and reach out with my hand mimicking the gesture. The officer grins and heartily takes my hand. Tapping my other arm copying the two greatest leaders. We separate and he points at the humans then towards me. Cocking his head to the side in what I assume was an inquiry. I project at tail onto myself and have it softly slam to the ground like I saw earlier. He looks surprised at the gesture. I then project to the wall part of my creation. The recording where Victoria created me. Seeing her again caused my steam to act up again. A few condensed droplets fall from my visor. The five lizards seems sombre at the display. Leader hesitated when he gestured towards Victoria. I assume he wondered what became of the creator.
I glanced at the wall and steeled my emotions. I took satellite imagery of the end of the world. I zoomed in to where we stood. So that they could see me standing there with Victoria. Then zoomed out so they could see the ignition of the cataclysmic event. The fire started in the darkened continent and then in a circular motion engulfed the planet in moments. They stood there aghast at the destruction wrought. After a long silence I shook myself out of our trance.
I then gestured at some of the experimental weapons stored around them. They looked about confused at the contraption hidden behind walls and hanging midair being held up from the ceiling by wires and robotic arms. Then I pointed to the blazing planet. Their purple skin on their faces seemed to turn pinkish. Paleing in the realization that the same weapons used could potentially be used to engulf the planet anew. I knew I need to keep these weapons out of anyone's hands. They should never be used unless in the most dire circumstances. They were made to fight a greater foe than humanity. Designed to be a deterrent if extraterrestrial life with superior technology were ever to wage war upon Earth. The Irony that whatever perceived threat would arrived to find the planet empty, with only remnants of ruins deep in the ground left behind. I start to wonder if I was left to safeguard these weapons. To use if there is a threat great enough for me to justify their usage. I could not fathom it.
But I will not let their legacy be claimed. I shall share the lessons that should be learned whilst safeguarding these creations. I take out the cloth momento. A stasis container arrives rolling on its mechanical wheels. Gently placing the cloth as the energies start to hold it into stasis preventing its deterioration. On the outside I etch with a small laser ‘Victoria Brunhilde - The creator’. It rolls away as the lizards watch.
I point at myself and the symbol on my chest. Voicing: “HH”. The lizards follow suit with the introductions. The officer called himself Shaar. There was a Rek, Zaara and one that sounded like growls. Last one I could not comprehend but recorded for safekeeping if I needed to call out to him. They were all very similar. The one called Zaara seemed to be slimmer and less muscular. I assume it was female for the difference in physique. Seems their culture does not view females as weak. Or maybe they don’t like wasting 50% of the populaces potential and workforce.
After introductions I led them through some of the facilities. Amusingly enough, I myself have barely visited any of the dozens of rooms that should exist within. My connection to the Azure network lets me learn everything about the facility’s infrastructure within moments. But it is not the same as experiencing it first hand. I wonder how the surface looks like. We stop at the recreational room. The lizard stand there confused what all the different tables and machines are for. Playing another video showing people playing ping pong, pool, tennis badminton and many different sports. Shaar seems amused pointing at the pingpong table and flicking his tail as if it was a racket. I assume they had a similar sport that used their flexible tails as rackets.
I feel frustration at the slow and limited communication. It would be so much easier if I knew their language. I wonder if there is a way to learn it fast. Like a data transfer I received when I was created. I suddenly find out that my body is able to interface with machinery. Adapt to foreign systems at a staggering rate and assimilate information required. It would seem I will require to use of their networks to gather the information. Well it sure beats not being able to communicate and the crawling process of learning through observation.
I lead them to the final room housing my fellow armors. I only let the lights light up the first rows instead of the countless others behind. If and when they return to their comrades, I wish them to feel like I am not alone. But not be intimidated as if I had an army at my heels. Which I don’t, since all they do is stand there, empty shells awaiting a vessel to inhabit them. Organic or not. I gesture to myself then at the row of armors. None moving an inch. Their heads move between me and the armors in wonder. Slightly intimidated by the numbers and the thought that there are more of me. Considering their conventional weapons did not even scratch me.
Suddenly I get a notice from the cameras, I briskly turn towards where we came. The guests seem to notice my change in attention and posture. Are they up to more mischief again? Haven’t they learned anything by what has happened?
I start walking forward with purpose at a heightened pace. Gesturing for them to follow as I do so. We arrive at the doors soon after. Opening the doors enough for the five of us to walk through. The guests pale at what they see. Two mechanical walkers stand out from the lizards gathered ahead of me. There is a new leader that seems to have arrived. This time having a larger feathered hat and both shoulders feathered. His clothes are much finer and dark red instead of the dark purple outfits the rest of the soldier wear.
He stands proud as his head is focused on me shifting slightly to assess the soldiers I saved. I walk up towards the line I had made. The two walkers jerked to life. The pilots visible through the tinted glass. They were encased in a boxed cockpit where the legs sprouted from, chicken like claws digging into the dirt below. Heavy ordinance was at its side and at the lower middle of the cockpit, a minigun sticks out menacingly. I wonder if they are energy weapons or projectiles. The minigun must be metallic projectiles whilst the heavy ordinance at the sides are unknown. Too much distance between us to scan. They aimed down towards me.
Both my arms moves from my sides to the giant cannons in reaction. A hum is heard as they sprout to life and aim at the opposition. Two can play at that game. The lizards in front of me seem visibly hesitant at my blatant threat of “I have the bigger ordinance”. That the engines of war at my sides haven’t had time to charge up or reload is something I do not need to tell them. If they only knew what weapons were inside the facility. It would make every organic run from this planet and hope I don't leave with them with ill intent.
The guests move in front of me in panic, gesturing wildly to cease the hostilities. They are frantically communicating to try to stop violence from occurring. Could also be due to the doors still being open. A stray missile hitting the cargo in there could have… apocalyptic consequences. Closed the doors in afterthought. One of the guests notices and sighs in relief. Yup. Spot on.
The leader and Shaar have short bouts of conversation. I think he’s describing how I untied them and invited them in. Probably also describing what I have shown them. The leader listens intently from his position. Then suddenly starts moving past the defences placed down. Obviously, any idiot would know that when fighting with these types of powerful weapons, sandbags will cover you.
As the lizards behind react, his vanguard moves to guard him. They are equipped with shields and some lances. judging from the energy at the tip they can be used both as melee weapons and fire projectile energy blasts. As he approaches he stops six steps away from us. The guests stand at attention and do a salute. Right fist bumping chest and tail curling around their right leg. He replies with a quick chest bump and hisses a feeling of “At ease” to where the guest soldiers pose at casual attention. The officer approaches him and starts explaining in detail. The leader says something to the officer. Then he replies with a few short hisses and barks.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
The leader looks at the officer. Removes his feathered hat and holds it in place on his chest and he takes a few steps closer as his focus is towards me. I take a step closer and we stay out of arm's length. He reaches out with his hand in humanities form of greetings. I take it and shake the clawed hand. Our sensory sockets locked to one another through the entire procession. The guards throughout the ordeal seemed to be on hyper alert, eyes twitching at the smallest of gestures. Fearing for their leader. I tap my chest voicing: “HH”. He replies with the same gesture. “Shazath”. We release our hands. I power down the giant magical cannons on the side. The lizards behind the pitiful sandbags all visibly take in a breath of air. Seems many hold their breath in stressed situations. Shazath proceeds to mince hisses and barks with gestures. Not understanding I hold my hand out in a waiting gesture. Palm first. Then point in front of me as I start a hologram. It shows me standing talking words no lizard understand. Then it shows a lizards standing there talking words I do not understand. Then the lizard hands over a machine. Looking like a datapad or an interface panel. I hook up and it visually shows how something is absorbed by me. Then my hologram voices recorded patterns of hisses and barks which form their words.
I hope this explains that I can learn through absorbing information from their educational programs. Or I could compile large mass of coherent text to let it decipher over a little longer period of time. The leader seems to contemplate for a moment. Then he shouts something over and signals for somebody to approach. A female lizard (or just slim) walks towards us. Wearing a white outfit instead of the usual mass of purple and black. Her complexion was a lighter hue of purple. On her head she wore a veil covering the front of her face. It also looked as if she had hair. Unusual since none of the lizards around had any hair.
As she reached us I take note that the coords going down her back were not hair but wires. She hands one out to Shazath. It would seem he is offering me to connect and use her as an interface. He offers me the coord. This is risky. I have no idea what capabilities or technological wonders they have conceived. If she manages to hack me she could potentially take over the administration rights to the facility. I hesitate briefly as I contemplate the risks. My emitter shoulder pops open causing the guards to jerk. But they hold their positions. I take the offered coord and connect myself to her.
As I start to send data requests to her. I receive unknown protocols. Using instinctively things I learn from my pool of knowledge I manage to sort out our communications smoothly. She then proceeds to hand me everything I asked for. I receive lectures on the language. But nothing outside of the subject requested. Secretive of them. Considering I showed the five soldiers some of the threat that I pose. Well, no matter. I will eventually have access to some form of network. I will gather all other common knowledge, culture and science then.
They seemed to have three primary languages that are most commonly used. Basal with emphasises barking. Shherik which has its focus on hisses and Grege which is lastly mostly growling. Thirty seconds pass. One of my firewalls reject an injection attempt into my database. Annoyed at the crude attempt at adding administration rights over me I copy and send it back. Doing the same. Her head jerks back and growls at me. Growling back with stronger connotations on how she has no right to complain after her pathetic attempt. I could have bombarded and overpowered her mind. It probably would have broken her though.
I snap the cord severing our connection prematurely. I have gotten what I needed, and I do not want to be connected with this woman for another microsecond. The ones around me were taken aback at the action. Her veiled face tightening at the loss of a cord. Apparently installation of those seem either expensive or a painful experience. Her glare was attempting to pierce me as I matched it with my immovable face.
“Now that this unpleasant experience with little miss “Take over my systems” is over with and I have managed to acquire your language we can converse, and with less risk of you trying to destroy me.” She pales at how quickly I have assimilated the information. Normal decoding everything to fit systems take a few days for the best in their fields. But my algorithms and the power of the facilities behind me added to my efficiency and processing power.
Shazath seems to visibly be annoyed and waved the tech girl away. She bowed and started walking back agitated. “It is good we can now talk. I heard you were aggressive and had attacked our men.” He responded.
I let out a laughing hiss. Hologram forming the tail I am missing to fill in the gestures to complete my amusement. “Did that feathered fool describe it that way? How about this then, as proof. I gestured to the hologram I played out. A recording of my experience earlier. Now with my added comprehension.
The view of me awakening and the surprised lizard hissing out in an equivalent of “Holy shit!”
Murmurs of the lizards watching me get out of the rocks. The arrival of the soldiers. My grief and then their attack. “What I was holding was the last remnants of my creator. They risked to ruin my last memento of her with an unprovoked attack.” The video continued on to when the five guests were being tied up to the bombs. Shazath’s face turned grim, his tail whipping in agitation as he observed. When I freed them and had them retreat to the doors. He gestures that he’s had enough. “I thank you for saving my subordinates. It is clear that you are not the aggressor. I apologise for the actions of my subleader. He will be taken into custody and held in trial for abuse of authority. The last thing we want is to start an intergalactic incident.” He states to assure me.
I cock my head to the side. Intergalactic? Does that mean they are not native to the planet? “It would probably not have been an intergalactic incident…” I say whilst looking down at the cavernous floor. “I am HH. Short for Humanity's Heritage. The human race once native to this planet perished. I bore witness to the cataclysmic event that enveloped the planet.” My voice, quivered at the end. Why do I hold so much emotion for a world I barely knew? A flash at the memory of the beautiful sight I saw together with Victoria. “Has the planet recovered?” I ask hoping for its former beauty to be restored.
He seems shocked at my revelation of my origins. “You mean to say you are the remnant of the lost race and civilization that thrived on this rock eons ago?” He asked without thinking. Realizing his reference to the destroyed world in such an undesirable way. My head shook slightly as a sigh escaped my lips. I gesture towards the place I set the hologram. Showing the world as I knew it. The earth, the beautiful green and blue planet that shined in an empty space devoid of life from millions of lightyears away. The hologram shifted to become my view together with Victoria, the hologram expanding to encompass us in a 360 degree angle. Her smile bright towards us, everything seemed more full of color in her direction. Her tears visible in her eyes. Shazath gazed in amazement upon the holographic sky. He walked around Victoria. Taking in every detail. “Amazing, we have never found any recoverable imagery left behind. Only some remnants of bones. Our understanding of how the Kazraka looked is nothing from our digitalization from genetic markers.” He gasped as he looked to the horizon behind me. I glanced behind and remembered. That is where the end came from. Still too early to understand it. The red in the distance illuminating in a false beauty that makes my circuity itch. “Magnificent” he exclaims. Annoyed I continue the video. Suddenly the brilliant view of the world shifted. Continuing in real time.
“The world is ending. Nothing organic will survive this.” Victoria spoke in speaking english. Shazath changed his focus from his horror in the distance and he looked at Victoria’s serious gaze as it shifted from determined to the last happy smile I still have etched into my retinas.
“I… I want to know you more. Understand you more.” My recorded voice played. Again, steam start pouring out of my helm. Enforced this time. Remembering events from eons ago. A nightmare so fresh and so real. Droplets hit the floor.
“You don’t have to show this.” Shazrah consoles. I tap the ground with the holographic tail. “I must. I must show this. This is her final moments. My creator's final smile. In a world with so much beauty.” The hologram suddenly pauses. Images from all across the globe start popping up, outside of my control. I gesture with my arms, naming every location. Every city. Every landscape, ruin, forest full of wonders. It takes minutes, minutes turns intto an hour. Shazrah completely captivated with each individual image. More of the lizardmen have come into the hologram to share in this world's former beauty. No one saying a word. I am now kneeling. My fist clenched. As the final image shows the dominion capital I name the final location of beauty “the Dominion” my words filled with spite the hologram clears. Leaving Victoria standing in a world of half beauty half destruction gazing at my kneeling self in the center. I stood up, facing her the same way I faced her then. Then the hologram continues its tale.
As she starts her final speech. A consoling speech. I reach out to her in the same manner I did. Reaching for her coat. As the sudden shock wave hits us. The audience stare in horror as she turns to ash before their eyes. I stand there kneeling in the same position as when it happened. The vapour from my helm had turned acidic and was eating the floor and ceiling. My grief plainly shown. Silence lasted exactly 28 seconds. I got up after recovering from my anguish. Shaking my head. “I am the last heritage of humanity. I wish to spread the lessons taught so that nobody will ever walk down this path again.” I turn to Shazrah. Everyone was stunned. Their tails are standing straight up and quivering. An emotive reaction to sadness and shock. “This facility was the technological and magical research facility for the united federations.” I state gesturing with one open palm. Waking everyone from their stupor. I enquire Azures records on how long I have slumbered. It matters not how long. Victoria is still deceased. It still felt like yesterday. To me it only happened yesterday. “I was born 2.8 million years ago using this planet's yearly cycle around its sun. I am the last technological and magical wonder of my creator Victoria Brunhilde, Daniel Brunhilde and their team. Created to last. With the goal to be humanity's heritage should they end. So here I stand. Survivor of a cataclysmic event. Born from the ashes of a dead race. I hope our previous encounter will not make our future interactions awkward.