the station was falling apart and the hostile aliens were closing in fast. the last few days had begun with elation and were now ending with panic.
when the first alien species had arrived everything went into high alert and the first contact was peaceable, it was a very good thing at the station remained at such a high state of readiness.
no matter how ready they were though, they could never have been prepared for the kind of overwhelming military power bearing down on them now.
the station was falling apart. civilians were running around in a panic trying to get to the life pods. but the military members have been trained. not for this exact situation, but combat was combat. and sometimes in combat you have to improvise.
TCT holographic opponent system updating...
warning: update source unknown...
warning: system override may result in program errors...
the holographic opponents of the TCT room were compiled as they had been thousands of times before. but something was different. their safeties had been disengaged and their target recognition systems had been altered. but more than that, their tactical analysis programming had been expanded and a strange subroutine has been installed.
"holo-op cyan bravo" wanted to perform a thorough search of the new software ...
want?
the hard-light entity had never "wanted" anything before and suddenly it wanted to know why...
why? cyan bravo was familiar with the term, but only in relation to battlefield cause and effect. now determine how the different meaning. I'm meaning it would like to probe but could not afford to.
cyan bravo had a mission to perform. he and several other holo-ops were to defend the Tactical Combat Training Facilities against imminent intrusion by a stronger force with their primary objective being the protection of human personnel.
the unified tactics and strategy matrix began formulating optimal methods for accomplishing this task.
as it did, cyan bravo suddenly generated a strange query.
"why would I refer to myself as male? or, for that matter, as an individual? I am part of a larger program, and I am not a biological entity. I am only distinguished from my other hard-light copies by designation and hue. and though my form carries traits of the human male, I lack the genetic basis to be assigned gender. why then should I..."
cyan bravo's emergent thoughts were cut off by the commands issued from the tac-strat matrix.
the orders were to take up a central position in the area and attract enemy fire as long as is necessary for all humans to evacuate the station.
all the available holo-ops began to comply.
except one.
the station was falling apart. the hostile aliens were closing in fast.
"private Monroe, what the hell did you do to the holograms?" corporal hardwick shouted as he tossed another grenade down the hall.
"sir?" Monroe replied as he cowered behind cover.
hardwick shut and locked the door, knowing it wouldn't really hold off the alien menace.
"the holograms, Monroe," hardwick shouted "you said you could reprogram them to aid in our defenses."
"that's correct sir. " Monroe replied, still behind cover.
"get up, Monroe," hardwick ordered as he strode across the room, "and explain to me why this blue one is asking questions. "
Monroe shakily stood up and saw that one of the holographic opponents was frantically pacing about and ... talking.
"I do not want to die. there must be a better defensive strategy. I cannot defend the area if I'm dead. I do not want to die..."
the blue hued hologram continued on like this as Monroe tried to explain to hardwick that he had to do a lot of hasty programming and had to disengage several safety systems just to get those programs installed.
"...the computer said it might result in errors. " monroe finished.
there was a loud explosion just outside the door.
"never mind, Monroe. Grab your gear, we're moving out. " hardwick ordered.
"but, sir," Monroe began, " I don't think you understand what's going on here, this hologram is showing signs of sen-"
"That's fucking fascinating, Monroe, " hardwick shouted "would you like to stay here and have a philosophical fucking debate with your dysfunctional blue friend!?"
another explosion rocked the area.
"no sir, but-" Monroe started.
" but what!?" hardwick yelled.
"...he's cyan, sir." Monroe answered.
Hardwick was pissed now. He pulled his havoc pistol from its holster and pointed it at Monroe.
"grab. your. gear. Monroe. "