Raven stood at the top of the ramp knowing that leaving would rob her of recently acquired body. She wouldn't mind the loss but she wanted to enjoy it while she could. She looked back at Ice and nodded as she allowed the nanofield to dissipate losing form as Ice walked towards the gates of the factory. Alpha the last of his combat drones followed close on his heels. At his sides were Drake and Brigham, the former navy soldiers of the empire.
Ice entered the factory weaving his way between automatons intent on building more automatons.
Eventually the small group arrived at the door to the small office Francis resided in. Ice as usual knocked at the door. It felt like it had been a very long time since he had spoken to the AI and they had a great deal to discuss. All of them did.
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Emperor stood on the bridge of Tinkers Rage, the automaton dreadnought ready to hunt. Surrounded by his fleet of ships manned by his clockwork soldiers he would find Ice and finish the testing. He wouldn't mind having to cull the various species in this universe to do it.
He entered the command code for System Central Station on the console in front of him. His brass fingers clicking loudly on the plexisteel keys. Now no one would be able to take control of the station while he was gone. Not without fighting through the automated defenses designed to hold a Theriope warfleet at bay much less anything the pitiful remnants of the so called empire could bring to bear. Emperor knew he would be back. Nothing could stand up to his or his armies as he had proven time and again when he put down rebellions to his authority. Nothing mattered except fighting the Theriope and ruling the universe. Even if he was the last one in it.
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Drake stood next to Ice flexing the black nano prosthetic around the hilt of his sword as he stared at something he never thought he would see, a brain in a jar. "Hello Captain. I understand I have you to thank for helping to bring my new friends Ice and Raven back to me safely. If there is anything I can do for you please ask and I will do all in my power to help you." Came from a series of speakers arrayed around the room.
"You might as well say they brought me here safely. I understand your name is Francis? As in Clockwork's Francis, The Automated AI?"
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"I have been called that before, yes. Why?"
"If you're here…. And I am assuming the brain is Clockwork?"
"Yes, this is what remains of the Clockwork Emperor."
"Did you say Emperor?" Ice interrupted.
"Hang on Ice I'll get to that." Drake placed a placating hand on Ice's shoulder. "Then the man currently called Emperor, the last of the System Users, and the universe's last barrier against the Theriope is…?"
"Most likely the clone we sent off during our last stand here. We weren't able to complete the transfer so he is operating with only a partial AI… I thought he would have killed himself without the emotional suppressant."
"Oh no he's just an insane tyrant that's hunting us down and murdered my entire crew. Alice quit suppressing my rage. I won't let this be taken from me."
"Oh ah that can also happen with enough time … I suppose…" Francis for once sounded unsure of himself.
"Good to know the Hero of the Capital Worlds wasn't always mass murdering scum. I suppose." Drake's knuckles were turning white from how hard his fists were clenched.
Brigham reached his one good hand forward and placed it gently on his friend's shoulder. "We will get vengeance Capt… Drake. One way or another."
"Yes we will Brigham… yes we will. We also need to find a Ripper for you. We will need you to get modded."
"A Ripper? Sir those are illegal on all the civilized worlds the last one known is in that prison on Belaraphon."
"Then that's where we will go. I won't have my right hand man missing his well … right hand."
Ice nodded as the two men went off to plan. "Francis I take it you know something about this Emperor? He used clockworks similar to your own. But they seemed much stronger."
"Oh yes. I believe this Emperor is the clone Clockwork sent off before we fought that … thing… Then it is only a partial memory scan and incomplete AI kernel, maybe only the computing part with no AI.. and depending on how much of the memory scan… Clockwork was a good man Ice he really was… but he had dark moments all of them did." Francis sounded desperate to have Ice believe that his friend hadn't been the evil scum they had met. "I will help you stop him…. But maybe … I don't know if it will work… but if I could finish the download I might be able to …. Fix him? I don't know but Clockwork was powerful in his own right and we need all the help against the Theriope we can get."
"About that…" Ice began.