[Log 3.9]
[Rats!]
Zephyro slammed his back against a wall, stunning the spider, but it did not let go.
“Notifications?” I said, confused.
A deluge of messages bombarded me. Several of them were beeps and boops from Chris, sounding increasingly frantic, but more importantly, it seemed like they had been working on something.
[//SUDO connect SSB1; x_TRT_DEF_NW]
[>>x_TRT_DEF_NW now connected as Network 1 via SSB1.]
[>>Available devices in Network1:]
[Input devices:
CaXera 1, CamXrX 2, XXXera 3, CXXXXXra 3, CXmXrX 4…(80 more)
Admin_Console 1, Admin_Console 2, SEC_Console 1…(56 more)]
[>>Nearby Systems:
PH_BNKR_SCR_NW
Adan_Cell, Chloe_Cell, Family_Cell:, TUXXET 1, XXRRET 2, TURRXT 3, THE_ONE_TRUE_TURRET, NO_FUCK_YOU_I_AM, PRINCESS_DONUT_MEMORIAL_TURRET, Adan_Boom_Box, STRONG_CHIN, your doom, SHELLSLINGER, OHGREATIWASREBUILTASASOLDIER (560 more)]
Output devices:
Emergency_Sirens, Emergency_Screens]
[//set input video, audio, tactile; Camera 1-999]
[>>Not enough available bandwidth on SSB 1.]
[Failed to connect to 79 devices.]
[Connected to CaXera 1, CamXrX 2, CXmXrX 4…(1 more)]
[>>Visual driver not found]
[>>Audio driver not found]
[//run Code_dojo.exe]
[>>Prompt?]
[>>Prompt?]
[>>Prompt?]
[//compile drivers_sensory_Sam_v_0.1]
[>>compiling…]
[>>compiled drivers_sensory_Sam_v_0.1]
[//run drivers_sensory_Sam_v_0.1]
{RUNNING drivers_sensory_Sam_v_0.1 REQUIRES RAM: 2 LKB}
{Available RAM: 5 LKB}
{RUN? Y/N}
[Y]
{INSUFFICIENT PERMISSIONS.}
[//SUDO set CHRIs; ADMIN]
[User CHRIs is now an administrator of Samantha_V1]
{USER CHRIs IS NOW AN ADMINISTRATOR IN YOUR DOMAIN.}
{[Y]}
{NOW RUNNING drivers_sensory_Sam_v_0.1}
{REMAINING RAM: 3 LKB}
[//run render.exe]
[>>Now rendering input from CaXera 1, CamXrX 2, CXmXrX 4…(1 more) on ]
Just like before, the information appeared in my mind like stenciled into my skull by an incredibly fast typewriter operated by a Spanish inquisitor, and I winced at the sensation. Somewhere deep in my mind, I finally realized LKB probably stood for Logic kilobytes. I shelved that information for later. More importantly, I now had a possible explanation for what had been bugging me for a while now.
Video drivers? Cameras? Is that why I can see what Zephyro can’t? I thought.
Beep! Came the reply.
“Chris! You’re back!” Despite the discomfort of having words hammered into my consciousness, I was glad to know they were still with me.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Zephyro yelled something and suddenly, the air tasted like ozone and burnt hair. Behind me, a spider chittered angrily. I started, having almost forgotten where I was with all the information rushing in. Focusing back on the fight, I made sure the rats were still far enough away and risked a look over my shoulder, just in time to see the spider that had stuck to Zephyro’s neck falling back. It chittered one last time, then scuttled up the side of the alley in search of easier prey. But before I could help Zephyro with the last spider that still clung to his back, a coarse hiss echoed through the street. My head swung back to the two rats, now dangerously close. They had spread out, trying to flank me despite the narrow battlefield, but still approached cautiously. They probably thought me easy, if skittish, prey.
I smirked. They didn’t know I was an Administrator now. Well, they were about to learn. I rotated my wrist and twirled the scepter through the air to get a better feel for its weight. It was a little too unbalanced for my taste. I wondered what the specifications had been when it was made. Too unwieldy to be an ornamental piece, too top-heavy to be a decent weapon.
Still, it would do.
The rats hissed and ducked back as I twirled the scepter. At least it looked imposing enough to scare off weaker enemies. That was always useful. The rodent on the right bared its sharp little teeth at me and tensed, probably trying to match my posturing.
With a contemptuous snort, I brought the scepter down on it with all my might. Better go for overkill, scare the other one away. We didn’t have time for a prolonged skirmish.
The stylized torch moved through the air like a wrecking ball, an unstoppable form of metal and sharp edges. It crashed against black fur.
It was like hitting a brick wall. The rat didn’t even seem to notice. It just hissed again.
“What the shit?” Is this another glitch? Am I even hurting them?
Boop. Came the helpful reply.
“Well, then how the fuck do I hurt them?!” I yelled, falling backward as the other rat launched itself at me. I jammed the handle of the scepter into its mouth to save my face from getting gnawed off.
“Yueaqab!” Zephyro yelled behind me, and I heard something big hitting the floor right next to my head. For a second, I worried it was Zephyro, but then a spider’s legs touched my face. It spasmed in its death throes, rubbing tiny hairs over my cheek. Combined with the atrocious breath of the rat, it almost made me throw up. But it was dead, and that meant I’d never been happier to touch something hairy and disgusting.
“Sultana!” Zephyro rushed next to me, swinging his sword in the general direction of the rat still chomping on my scepter. The rat dodged, moving to the side and clamping back down on the handle. Zephyro missed, his sword hit the scepter, and that almost cost me a finger. He flinched back and turned to face the other monster. I was too busy keeping the scepter between me and the teeth to swear at him.
He lifted his sword in a fighter’s pose. Luckily, the animal was dumb enough to fall for it and backed off, hissing, flinging spittle everywhere. A few drops hit the floor so close to my ear, I could hear it sizzle.
“Sultana, I gave you admin access. Use it!”
“How?!” I had to turn my head away as a thick dollop of spit dropped from the rat’s muzzle, narrowly missing my face.
“What you see here is just their mind!” He yelled as he brought his back to a wall. He swung his sword as if to underline each word. I twisted my neck for a second to check on the other rat. It came closer and closer. It probably realized something was up.
“They have a body in real! You need to kill them there and—” Zephyro began, but the rat on my scepter drew back to bite me again, and I used the opportunity to ram the grip further into its mouth.
“Would if I fucking could!” I said, straining to keep the Feral away. “Chris, shoot them or something! Use the turrets!”
[//SUDO access ALL; SYSTEMS]
[>>Not enough available bandwidth on SSB 1.]
[Now accepting input: NONE.]
{FAILED TO LOAD RESOURCE: CONTROL_API}
{NEW CONNECTION ATTEMPT BY your doom}
{NEW CONNECTION ATTEMPT BY your doom}
{NEW CONNECTION ATTEMPT BY REAVERS_BOT_1}
{NEW CONNECTION ATTEMPT BY your doom (99+ MORE)}
[//run Code_dojo.exe]
[>>Prompt?]
Boop! Beep Boop!
“Yeah, yeah! I got it,” I said, teeth gritted.
“Turrets not ready! No ETA,” I yelled for Zephyro’s benefit.
[>>Prompt?]
He cursed and pushed himself off of the wall, bringing himself between me and the last rat, but also leaving his back open to the one still trying to gnaw my face off. Wild swings sent the air aflutter as he tried to stop the other rat from double-teaming me. Neither of us said anything. We both understood we had to buy Chris time while they did whatever coding magic they were doing.
[>>Prompt?]
… Which was easier said than done when an ugly, mutated rat tried biting through your only weapon and drooled acid a few centimeters from your face.
[>>Prompt?]
“Chris, I said I got it!” I said, wincing as the words hammered into my mind over and over. I grunted, kicking the rat in the belly with little to no effect. I didn’t have the right angle. It moved a little, but that was it.
[>>Prompt?]
“Stop.”
[>>Prompt?]
“The.”
[>>Prompt?]
“Fucking.”
[>>Prompt?]
“SPAM!” I yelled, kicking the rat with each syllable. On the last word, the rat shifted to pounce at Zephyro and I brought my feet against the rat’s belly. I pushed with all I had and actually launched it into the air. Somehow, I managed to hold on to the scepter as I used the momentum of the push to roll backward. Still in motion, I pointed in the general direction of where the rat had slammed against the wall. “Zeph—“
[>>Prompt?]
Before I could even finish saying his name, Zephyro’s sword swooped down on the Rat, impaling it. The Vizier swung a few more times, strikes going wild, but it was clear it wouldn’t move again, even before blue sparks exploded from the corpse. The remaining rat looked at us, chittered, soaked in the blue sparks, then dashed away.
[//set hide_log_entries 1]
Relief washed over me as we watched the rat scramble around the corner, bathed in a strong teal glow.
“We’re clear,” I said, and Zephyro sheathed his sword.
I allowed myself a relieved sigh. The spiders were creepy and the rats had been disgusting, but despite everything, we survived. I just hoped Chris would finish with the turret access soon because until they did, we were basically naked and defenseless.
“Let’s keep moving,” I said. Had to keep moving.
Zephyro nodded his acknowledgment. “This way, Sultana. We will cut through a few more alleys and reach the palace with plenty of time to spare.” He turned on his heel and started walking…
…straight into the path of a giant, mutated wolf that I could see, but he could not.