I marched over to the thing walking over to us, using my thermal vision I saw that it wasn’t totally human. It was far too cold to be human or fully machine, whatever this thing was it was a new species. Just having been nearly decapitated at the hands of a massive steel machine I was cautious. Twirling the ax that was becoming increasingly common in my hand, I felt the others start to approach.
“What is it?”
“I am not sure. But it does not seem hostile, it is moving loudly and deliberately. It wants to be known, it may be a sign of passiveness or a distraction.”
“Is it more of the robots or what?” Nate had the old black and gold sword that Niki used to save my life. As the others gathered around with similar questioning looks on their faces.
“I'm not sure, just be cautious and ready. It does not need to be as loud as it is, I barely noticed its presence before it passed into our territory.” It had moved like a deer, before quickly switching over to a more bumbling human gate. So it was being so noisy on purpose, and it was definitely capable if not dangerous.
We headed into the woods as I could feel the questions piling up on Cat and Liz. They were unfortunately the two least augmented of the group. They were reluctant to do anything not human, so while in peak physical form they weren’t combat capable. Rein and Scarlette were also at their peak, but wouldn’t reject any changes that may need to be made in the heat of battle. While Nate, Niki, and myself were far beyond the human limits of our bodies.
“Hello, I am ‘Iyyov, a member of The Flock. I have come as an emissary of my Saint to greet you and open a line of communication between our two species.”
“I am John, what is it that your Saint wants? We stayed this far out specifically to isolate ourselves from other species, just because the main one was human does not mean we wish to be bothered.”
“I understand but both of our little groups are the target of a much bigger threat. One that you have already proved capable of pushing back, however, I am sure you understand that…”
“Yes, they are factory made, there will be more sooner rather than later.”
“Exactly. My Saint believes that although we may not get along as our views are not in alignment. We may still need each other's help when it comes to taking down a threat like the XT-489’s.”
“I am listening.” Whatever these things were they have far more knowledge than we do of the robot’s species. That or they are lying and just wish to try to bleed anything that we may know about them.
“There isn’t much that we know. We know that their species is robotic in origin, we also know that their factories are somewhere in South America. We also know that the species is both capable and desires to wipe out all other life on Earth, then move on to the rest of the galaxy.”
“That seems like a wealth of information, how is it capable of knowing all of this?”
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“Well as I am sure you are capable of telling I am not human.”
He swept aside the long coat he was wearing in a flourish of dramatic flare. Revealing a body that was barely human. His right arm was completely taken over by strange metal contraptions and tubing that pumped fluids around his body. The contraptions spread up his shoulder and covered a large portion of his chest, neck, and stomach. They didn’t push down into his legs, but were already working on his left arm.
“I am a species that calls itself The Flock, we follow the God-Emperor with total devotion. We were formed by the first to touch our capsule, he is our current ruler the Saint. The origin of our species is unknown, but within the capsule was a strange piece of machinery that held within it memories. It is what we base our rules and laws on, it is why we follow the Saint. It is also how we spread our species around.”
“So how many strong are you?”
“We are but few in number, nearing thirty now. However, when we are infected it takes time for the transformation to overtake. Even now I am still far from being complete, the technology of Earth limits our capacity to create. However we are getting off topic, the purpose of my visit is to leave you with this.”
Reaching into his chest, he pulled out a small silver looking band. It looked like it was made from a single piece of metal, until he slid a small section out and showed us the inside.
“This is our form of communication, it is clear, strong and incapable of being heard by anyone else. We wish for you to take it, and when the time comes. We wish you will follow us into the fight to wipe out the machine that attempts to kill off so many others.”
“I still question your reasons, I understand that just because you are part machine you may not believe in their message. But I can’t believe that you are not going to stab us in the back when the matter with the XT-489’s is finished.”
“We understand that we will never be able to get along, the time may come when our species may need to fight for dominance. We do not wish it, as we are not a violent species. We wish to create and make this watch that I am wearing…”
He pointed to the massively complex piece of machinery on what once was his wrist. It was gold, with tubes that flowed blood moving through its rim. The gears were so minute and complex it actually took a decent amount of focus to try to see how they were all connected.
“...it is the culmination of several weeks of my time. When I was first infected, it was like a rush of imagination and creativity flooded over me. Our true leader helped our original species to survive an apocalypse, although many did not listen. So your species connection to nature, we may not understand but we do know that it is not in our interest to fight. Once there are enough of us, we wish to take to the stars and explore the cosmos. Trying to perfect our form with a balance of organism and machine.”
He looked down at the ground as if blaming the Earth for creating the gravity that tied him to this planet. Then he looked back up with a dangerous glint in his eyes, he was ready to fight us off if he was forced to.
“But we need to survive to do so, and you may not agree with the methods we wish to take. We do not know how you as a hivemind will grow, from what few visions we have of your species it is a violent and dangerous one. However, we are willing to believe that you could be better than that. So giving you the benefit of the doubt we will leave you in peace as long as you do the same.”
I looked at the creature in front of me, it filled me with disgust that something barely existed without machines to provide for it. I also knew that it was mostly Myc bleeding through our connection, his species saw machinery as essentially a sin, a taboo, a spat in the face of the environment that created the being that uses it. However, this was far worse than the fact that technology made life easier. I grabbed the band from his outstretched hand.
“Very well, we will allow your kind to exist. And if the time comes that you find the source of the machines we will join your assault to wipe them out. Although I do believe that you are right, the time may come one day that we are fighting on opposite sides.”
The creature turned and left, its mood satisfied at completing its mission. But with a disgust similar to my own in its mouth at seeing something so far from its own ideals. I watched as he slowly left, picking up his pace till he was dashing through the forest like a panther. Dodging trees and flitting across the forest floor with ease, their species may become a force to be reckoned with one day.
“Come on, let’s return to camp. The threat will not come today.”
***
“This is ‘Iyyov to command, I have handed off the communication device to the hivemind. It was not pleased but willing to fight, the Saint was correct, it appears that this species may not leave us in peace.”
“Message received ‘Iyyov, you can proceed back to home base. Blessed are The Flock.”
“Blessed are The Flock.”
Closing the communication band on my wrist, I turned to listen as the hive proceeded to leave our meeting spot. It was a shame, if they were willing to work with us we could easily become the perfect unison between man and machine. It was the only time I had wished the Saint to be wrong, before meeting them I believed that we may be able to coexist. Even to form a bond that would allow us both to advance, but the hive mind was as cruel and single minded as the Saint described. We could never coexist with them, we either had to leave this planet or fight for it.