City-21 “Kyiv”, UNSA Protectorate, Avril Dominion
Industrial Zone “NES Factory”, Medical Center “Lizard Tail”
Maksim Chernykh’s team, August 13, 2049, 12:56 AM
Glancing at the mediaglyph displaying the date and time, Maksim noted sadly that it was almost 1 AM. Miro had already disappeared into the depths of the Factory three minutes ago, while Nikola was still frozen, lost in virtual reality with a thoughtful expression.
“Looks like she’s caught a bit of Dasha’s bug,” Maksim smirked to himself. “Here she is, rushing headlong into picking up weapons and other toys we can trade with the local mafia. On one hand, it’s good to be surrounded by hard workers. On the other, it’s possible to break down like this. Better relieve stress sometimes, or it might end badly.”
He walked over and patted his friend on the shoulder. “Hey, Redhead, wake up! You’re gonna miss the drinks!”
“Huh? What?” the girl snapped out of it and stared at him in surprise. “What drinks?”
“The usual kind. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Saying that, Maksim headed back to the “Lizard’s Tail,” already knowing what he would find in the hall. Sure enough, there was steam — lots of steam, like something out of a William Turner painting.
“At least it is white,” Maksim thought. “Now we really need to stop this workaholic spree! After an objectively hard day, the girls should rest. Even if they don’t realize how much they need it.”
The thing was, while the negotiators were discussing weapons with Miro, Alisa had left to treat Tomasz. Vasilevskaya, on the other hand, had thrown herself into work, forgetting about food, beer, and rest. And she had grabbed her vape automatically, clearly without even leaving VR.
# Project SYSTEM v. 0.0.1
# Preparation of primary architecture... 100%
# Initial compilation…
[Enough work, you, WonderWorker!]
“Maxie!” The girl instantly closed all programs and dropped out of VR.
“So, ladies, even though we’re a democracy,” Maksim stated, noticing Redhead’s smirk at these words, “I’ve tyrannically decided that we’re done with labor for today. Besides, we’ve agreed on the barter with Miro, and the weapons we’ll get at nine tomorrow.”
“I… uh… I mean, yeah, sure,” Dasha mumbled, saving her project, and shutting down the virtual workspace. “You know, Max, I’ve sketched out the basics of the future System. Kind of laid the foundation… But it’s just a tiny weeny piece of what’s needed! There’s a ton of things to hatch! I’ll keep developing it alongside upgrading Moira. But I’ve turned everything off now! Completely, just like you said! See?”
“Great, that just what I wanted to hear. Anyway, let’s take a break. We’ve still got some beer left, yeah?”
At these words, Dasha suddenly yelped, jumped up, and ran towards the kitchen.
“What’s up with her?”
“Dunno…” Redhead mused. “Maybe she wants to show off some super-finding of her?”
And at that moment, the disheveled black-haired girl returned, proudly carrying a bottle with a golden liquid and a slightly frightening “inhabitant” inside.
“Max, look… it’s boiled shaiszu! Yeah!”
The discovery certainly made an impression, but... the relaxing had to be postponed. Just as Nika was about to open the precious brew, Dasha grabbed Maksim’s sleeve with another “revelation.”
“And by the way, while you were in negotiations, I poked around the clinic’s internal net. And I found... Oh! You’re totally gonna love this, I promise. Let me show you, and then we can celebrate!”
The disheveled girl caught her breath and continued; her eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Well, here’s the thing. I was wondering, looking through Doc’s database records, why there were some really peculiar chemicals on his procurement list — but we couldn’t find them in the storage.”
“He must have hauled them away, huh?” Nika shrugged. “Why leave behind something so valuable?”
“Uh-huh, right. Stimulants, depressants, opiates, hallucinogens, and other dissociatives! And some more interesting substances that wouldn’t pass any police inspection. Why would he even buy them at all? They’re not needed in a regular cyber clinic, yeah!” Dasha grinned triumphantly and announced, “It means, we didn’t find these goodies because we weren’t looking hard enough. But it’s difficult to hide all the info traces. Thus, I scanned the premises and found…”
So, Dasha did manage to uncover Zelman’s hidden chemical laboratory. Yes, such a facility was really located in the clinic. It wasn’t marked on the layout, and the entrance was perfectly hidden. Vasilevskaya had well-founded hopes of finding a good production setup or at least a storage area — and she was actually right!
Most of the cabinets were empty, just as the small room for finished products. But still, there were a significant number of supplies left, and even a decent biochemical reactor with a bunch of associated equipment.
The large stand by the table with plenty of cables revealed that a rather powerful AI, probably a T6+ or higher, had once serviced this assembly line. Unfortunately, it had been taken away. However, this didn’t stop Dasha from figuring out what had been going on here:
“Check it out, our old Zelman wasn’t just a cyber-surgeon! Well, not only that! You see… he was even cooking ‘Black Synth’ here, and he even managed to achieve a 63% concentration. Can you believe that?”
“Wow.” Even Maksim, who was far from the chemical ‘wonders,’ understood how complex the production process must have been... and how illegal this activity was. “That’s serious contraband! So, the clinic was just a front for him? Redhead, is this a surprise for you?”
“Totally,” Nikola nodded, still in shock. “I had no idea.”
"Hey, WonderWhiz, can we use this setup to make some stimulants for us?" the guy pointed to a pile of equipment in the center of the room. "It’s past one in the morning, we’ll be getting up early, and better be at full strength. Any ideas?"
Vasilevskaya only nodded, raising her right hand, and gesturing for them to wait a moment.
“I think... yeah, we can,” she replied after checking Moira’s library in AR for suitable recipes. “Lucky, I have just the right blueprints. You know, I’m not an expert in production, can only work with pre-set programs. So, help me bring one of our ProjectBox units here, we’ll connect it to the local network, and everything will be brewed up in a couple of hours!”
----------------------------------------
By the time Dasha finished setting up the chemical reactor and returned to the main hall with Maksim, Nika had already compiled a list of weapons and equipment. Now the girl was fully engaged in making paella. Anticipating the “party” she had been tempting Dasha with a couple of hours ago, Redhead was softly humming a cheerful and clearly naughty Polish song, with a satisfied look on her face as she worked at the stove.
“I see we’re almost ready to celebrate?” Maksim smiled, observing this scene — so cozy, as if their familiar and usual world hadn’t just been turned upside down today.
“Well, yeah! In the end, everything turned out pretty well,” Nika replied reasonably, stirring the contents of the pan to prevent burning.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Hmm. Yeah. We haven’t been killed… yet…” Dasha began ticking off points on her fingers with her usual optimism. “We haven’t been caught by those control-freak aliens… We’re pretty settled in here, mostly healthy, Alisa’s with us… By the way, what’s with the caveman cooking? We could just throw everything in the microwave and have hot, edible food…”
Nika stared at her in sacred horror. “We’re preparing a feast! A celebration with pleasant company and delicious food! Not some reheated substance that contains the necessary quantities of proteins, fats, and – mostly – carbohydrates!”
“Well, I completely agree. Ladies, celebration is exactly what we need! And yeah, we do have a decent reason,” Max chuckled and settled on the couch. “Being on our feet is way better than in a wheelchair. Let’s take the night off and enjoy some real tasty food cooked in a skillet. I think we’ve all earned it.”
“I also like the idea.” Alisa appeared in the doorway. “By the way, don’t worry about our guest. He’s under anesthesia, Mei Li and I have developed a detailed treatment plan. She’ll manage just fine. Alcohol and food might not be my thing, but good company is very welcome!”
Nika finally finished cooking and began serving the food with the air of a seasoned homemaker. Alisa eagerly joined in setting the table — arranging glasses, cutlery, and drinks. These light and effortless tasks helped her get into the “party spirit” and feel like a full participant in the celebration.
Eventually, the team members settled around the table. The anticipation of something pleasant and “real,” something that had been missing from each of their lives for a long time, even before the invasion, filled the room. Even the android placed an empty cup in front of her to nominally participate in the “party.”
“Cheers!”
“To us!”
They clinked their glasses symbolically. What followed was the long-awaited leisure-time. There were no loud music or dancing. Just a pleasant, relaxing warmth from the food, alcohol spreading through their veins — and long conversation. They talked about everything and nothing. Dreams, hopes, past hardships and fears, childhood memories. There were only no monsters or invaders mentioned, those they would soon face in earnest...
“Why is he so hella stubborn? Dad just coulda finally get it through his head that I’mma adult now! Who says that managing the development of high-level AI isn’t the same as managing your own life, huh? Huh?” Dasha frowned fiercely and banged her fist on the table. Max, watching this, thought that, combined with her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, it looked terrifyingly… funny.
The Spanish cuisine was a hit that evening! The remains of the paella were quickly finished off, and they begged Nika to cook another batch. Everyone, now including Dasha, were noisily praising her culinary talent — who else could reheat a ready-made dish on the stove so magnificently? After several cans of beer, it was time for the main event — mescal! Unfortunately, there weren’t any lemons. Thus, they had to drink it the “second way,” like a liqueur — in small sips, savoring and slowly enjoying the flavor.
After a while, Redhead, having poured herself another drink, suddenly stood up and raised her hand.
“I’ve got a toast. Sorta... I know, today has been a nightmare for most Earthlings. Many have already died. And multiple others will soon join them. I might seem crazy or strange… But I don’t give a shit about strangers being eaten by some ‘giant shrimps.’ Maybe it’s harsh, but that’s natural selection in action. Those who avoid haphazard, absurd deaths can choose how to act and respond to the invasion! They can resist, run away if they have the brains… find shelter… Or at least accept the Protectorate if they can’t protect themselves… It’s all their choice and the result of the life path they’ve taken so far. And, anyway, these are just some random guys for me. Crying for each one — I don’t have enough tears!”
She swayed and gestured dramatically, somehow managing not to spill her mescal. Then she nodded to herself and continued:
“But what really ails me, what pisses me off, is how the fucking Protectorate tried to deal with me, and with you! I lost control of the situation at that moment. That’s the scariest thing. I goddamn hate it when I can’t do anything!”
“I’ve been through a hell of lotta shit in my life, not related to any cosmic space-bugs, and I’ve always had to rely only on myself!” Nikola inhaled sharply, shook her head, and carefully switched the glass to her other hand.
“Slowly wasting away, locked in a stifling room, and led to a painful death by my biological parents — cult members… Then there was the ‘rescue,’ if you can call it that… and a hellish stage of adjusting to new limbs… Later, I was betrayed by the person who supported and helped me, who became closer than my own father… The one who was there during the scariest time when I was in court with my ex-parents, passing out from pain because of newly installed implants, the different ones, the combat series…”
“There was a bunch of… different stuff! It’d take forever to list. And today… I lost my only friend. The one I could truly rely on in the shittiest situations. It’s darn upsetting! Infuriating! And I don’t care that he was just an AI of not the highest level! To me, he was like a brother!”
Nika clenched her fist, and the poor glass shattered into tiny pieces. She looked at her hand in surprise, clearly not expecting that to happen.
“Uh… sorry… Gotta carried away a bit… I guess.”
“It’s okay,” Maksim assured quietly. “Looks like you needed to get that off your chest. Everyone understands.”
Dasha and Alisa nodded almost in unison. Actually, the android then cast her eyes to the side with a strange expression on her face, while the disheveled black-haired girl leaned forward expectantly, staring at Nikola, waiting for more.
Redhead quickly brushed the glass shards off the table, sweeping them coyly under her chair with her foot. Fortunately, there were enough napkins to wipe the remnants of mescal off her cyber-hand. As for the cup, she would have had to go to the kitchen, so she settled for the plastic one that Maksim thoughtfully handed her.
“You know… Despite all this, strangely enough, this terrible day has been a gift for me. Because I found you guys. I used to get by and survive by myself, and eventually, always ended up alone. It seemed like I’d never be able to open up to anyone.”
“But now… It’s strange… We’ve only known each other for a day. Yet, apparently, I have more in common with you than with those I’ve known for years. And I’m ready to move forward… whatever may come! So, let’s drink to our future!”
Nika looked at her quiet friends and smiled. But not her usual broad smile… It was as if she was removing the armor and revealing her soul — shy and a bit naive…
“Erm, okay, enough with the heavy stuff, let’s drink,” she suddenly returned to her usual businesslike self, waving her cup for emphasis.
Maksim shook his head to clear his own thoughts and raised his glass:
“That’s right, exactly. It’s been a tough day for all of us. But we survived, and that’s what matters. Here in the clinic, it’s relatively safe. We have a chance to catch our breath and figure out what to do next. So tonight, we can relax. Let’s drink to us. Cheers!”
After Nika’s unexpected revelation, the spontaneous party gradually returned to its normal rhythm. As everyone finally settled into a relaxed, semi-somnolent state, Alisa “caught the atmosphere” and went off to rest. To Nika’s surprise, the android girl occasionally “slept” much like a regular human. Her code emulated a dream state for her consciousness while her “subconscious” — Moira — processed information.
Shortly after, Maksim stood up.
“Gonna get some fresh air,” he announced and walked down the hallway in an ambling gait.
Returning a few minutes later, he was greeted by an adorably sweet scene — Dasha, sitting right on Nikola’s lap, hugging her neck tenderly, and resting her head on Red’s chest. WonderKid was peacefully snoozing, as if this was the most suitable place for her to be. Seemingly, it was absolutely natural for all girls her age to prefer sleeping while hugging a red-haired, busty cyborg like a favorite soft teddy bear.
“She wanted to do some ‘cuddling’,” Nikola explained with a smile. “But fell asleep in the process. Look how cute she is.”
“That cutie drooled all over your shirt,” Max pointed out, sitting down next to her, and taking an empty glass.
“Eh... who cares!” Redhead just waved it off. “I was planning to take a shower before going to bed anyway.”
She gently squeezed the sleeping girl, who mumbled something but didn’t wake up.
“You’ve got some... bi tendencies. Need me to hand you a drink?” Maksim leaned forward.
“I never really hid it. Imma told you before, right? And yes, give me that glass — so I can keep cuddling a cutie without getting up! You’re a good guy…”
“I propose one more toast,” Maksim poured the remaining mescal. “Let’s drink to the fact that this crazy day is finally over! Shoulda stick together because the world has gone completely insane.”
They clinked their glasses softly.
“Yeah...” Nika took a sip and grimaced. “After all, this stuff is too strong for me neat.”
“I could add some tonic.”
“Hmm... doesn’t matter...” She leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes and continuing to stroke Dasha’s head. “Max?”
“What?” he responded.
“I’m glad... I met you guys.”
Maksim stood and approached the couch:
“I’m glad too, Nika. I really am…” he said, looking at the ‘sweet pair’ and smiling. He took the empty glass from Redhead. “You’re not planning to fall asleep here, are you?”
“No,” she opened her eyes. “I’m a night owl anyway.”
“Help me carry WonderKid to her room. She’s not heavy, but it’s still not good for me to lift weights after surgery — even such light and pleasant ones.”
“Of course,” Nika jumped up, holding Dasha in her arms easily and gently. She felt like carrying a huge fluffy purple cotton candy, which her rehab instructor had once brought as a gift after her first real fight. “Wow! Those ‘boiled shaiszu’ are sneaky things.”
“Feeling it?”
“Yeah, a bit dizzy. Where should I put her?”
“I ended up in the first room, so... let’s bring her to the second.”
They walked down the corridor to the right door. Max opened it, and they laid Dasha on the bed.
The girl turned onto her side and curled up, tucking her legs under. Nikola admired the scene — the oversized T-shirt had ridden up again. Unable to resist, Red gently slapped the small butt.
“Meownyamur…” Dasha mumbled sleepily, hugging the pillow closer.
“Well, that’s no fun,” Nika muttered, disappointed. “She doesn’t wake up.”
“And she doesn’t need to,” Max threw a light blanket, which Redhead caught and used to cover the girl.
They turned off the light and left the room.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“We clean up the remnants of the party, and then I’m going to shower,” Maksim shrugged.
“Then I’ll go after you,” Nika smiled silently at her own thoughts. “And next – another can of beer!”