Moving along the pipeline Jaune and Ruby fought more and more machines. The numbers increased but seemed like they were getting easier to defeat. Despite their words and appearances, the machines fought nothing like humans. It was the same pre-programmed attacks you could imagine and play over and over again.
The machines really didn't occupy Jaunes mind. The few emotions he showed were towards Ruby as he asked her to stop calling him by his nickname. He didn't particularly mind it from operators and his commander but he refused to let Ruby get comfortable calling him anything other than 2B. These were the thoughts he had on his mind as Jaune slashed through hordes of new enemies springing from the ground. This batch looking weaker as they moved their hands in strange ways. Words continued to flow from their mouths at what felt like random. Until one word stopped Jaune sword in the air.
"H3…lp…me"
"Help"
Jaune hesitated. Arms stopped as the word played over in his mind. He knew the machines didn't mean anything they said but he didn't expect those words to come out of the machine's mouth.
Ruby caught her partner's pause and yelled out. Ruby's voice cutting through the fog as Jaune brought down the hilt of his blade to cave in the metal head.
He didn't catch the first thing she said but he got the second.
"Asking for help while attacking you is a contradiction," Ruby said like it was the most obvious thing ever. Jaune only responding with a simple nod. They were just saying random words after all.
The duo quickly got back to work and kept up their assault, getting almost every machine in the area as Ruby pointing one out in the distance. The familiar dent on its head making Jaune stare as it started… running.
"I die...Run...Run...Run...Run...Run...Scared,"
And run it did. The machine moving faster than the pair had ever seen. It was almost amusing if its words didn't fit so well.
XXX
The machine fled far. Not far enough to lose tracking but far into the desert. Rocky cliffs were replaced by dunes of sand before racing up another hill and seeing it. Two massive rectangular buildings leaning on each other. In the path between stood the robot looking back and shouting something before rushing deeper.
Jaune looked up at the buildings as they made their approach and asked out loud.
"What are these?"
Pod 042 responded after a quick scan of its databases.
"Answer: Ruins that were once a residential area for humans. They lived as a large group in high-rises built of metal and concrete, which were often referred to as 'apartment complexes.' "
Apartment? It didn't make much sense to Jaune but he kept his mouth shut. It was irrelevant for the current mission, and he didn't possess as much curiosity as a scanner. Instead he just wondered internally. Asking himself why humans chose to live in such places.
Ruby picked up the train of thought with her own tracks. "I wonder if it was dangerous
around here in the past," she asked.
Pods typically converse with their support target. Unless absolutely necessary, 042 answered
Jaune's questions and 153 answered Ruby's questions. Pod 153 answered this question.
"Negative: They lived in groups because of economic reasons arising from a lack of land. However, data on the danger level of this area has shown inconclusive."
Ruby snorted and replied, "Humans were so odd, weren't they?"
Not only were humans odd, they were probably incomprehensible for them. It would be presumptuous to think that an android would be able to understand humans, their creators. Rumors spread around the satellite bases about the humans on the moon. What they were like, what they ate. But most records only had fractions of information about the old world. Enough for information on what "apartment complexes" were, but not enough to think about how their creators truly lived.
In any case the "apartment complexes" now served as the gathering places for various machines. Underneath the leaning buildings it was easy to see these machines were the same as the machines nearby the pipeline. Speaking words and instantly going to attack.
"Hell0"
"G00d weather"
"H0w d0 y0u d0"
As expected, they were probably stringing together random words. They said "hello" for attacks, and "how do you do" for counterattacks. They certainly would not be acting like this if they knew the meanings of those words.
The target, the enemy that had taken to its heels, wove through the oncoming Machines and into the ruins. The pods had marked its identification signal.
There was a significant number of enemy signals near what seemed to be its destination. Perhaps it was the source of the Machine outbreak near the Pipeline. If so, the androids' task would not be complete until they cleaned the area. They moved on, destroying Machines that jumped out from the shadows. They inched closer to their target with little pause.
"Escape! I need t0 escape!"
Ruby murmured. Fascinated by the almost perfect choice of words… For Ruby at least the machine's words didn't seem like meaningless drivel.
The Machines had a considerable amount of learning capability. It was even reported that there were cases of Machines almost "evolving." But did they have the capability to select meaningful words, let alone express an idea or have a conversation? The acquisition of a spoken language is closely linked to intelligence. Looking back at human civilization, intelligence and communication was the key to shaping society. If that were possible for these "simple Machines" then—
Suddenly Jaune tripped. His mind distracted listening to Ruby mumble to herself caused him to miss the obstacles by his feet. Whatever tripped him was soft. Looking down Jaune froze. If androids could vomit he would.
"These are…" Ruby started. Refusing to finish the statement as her hand clasped across her mouth. The lighting was dim in this area because of the buildings but it was clear as day in front of them. An android corpse. Not just the one. Their vision was blocked by a hill they only just got on top of. Sprawled around the area were android bodies. Broken and laying about. Likely the positions they died in. Ruby quickly correcting her prior examination Ruby realized how wrong she was. They were almost piled together. "They've been moved here," she muttered.
"Over there!" Jaune shouted as he pointed at the running machine. It was heading for a large cave opening. "Stay alert," he reminded as they took their steps forward. Finding an opening at the end of the cave. With little choice, they jumped down. And the sight was something to behold.
Looking up you could see the sky. The cave seemed to lead into some kind of dome-like opening. Tattered metal and steel formed what seemed like windows in a sphere. It was like someone trying to create a home with no idea. Every time it crumbled they tried again.
What Ruby instead saw first was much different, there were Machines. Many of them. "W-what is this…" she muttered. At first, she thought they were dancing. Machines would never dance, of course, but what was taking place in front of her eyes was even more preposterous.
The Machines were grouped in pairs, and swinging their bodies. The cries of "child, child,
child," gave an indication of what they were doing. They were imitating the mating practices of humans.
"L0ve l0ve l0ve"
"Let's stay t0gether"
"I l0ve y0u I l0ve y0u"
The machines cried out in sounds as they repeated the motions. They lacked the function for this but they continued anyway. Increasing the discomfort and disgust between the androids present.
With little pause Ruby started swinging, slashing into the machines as they continued their loving raves. Jaune feeling a dissonance with the way they repeated declarations of love as they began to attack. All of them charging the pair as they had little trouble cutting each of them down. The pods firing rapidly from their own guns and taking remote control of the android's weapons to fire Ruby's weapon or shift Jaunes sword modes. When it was necessary. Effortlessly slicing through as he moved from onehanded to greatsword back to his other hand. Almost dancing in a way.
The surroundings filled up with piles of Machine debris. Metal scraps rained down with every
blast. It was at that moment the behaviour of the Machines shifted. Every Machine held its head in its arms and began to run around in circles. The sounds they made changed.
"Th1s 1s n0 g00d"
"Th1s 1s n0 g00d"
"Th1s 1s n0 g00d"
"Th1s c4nn0t c0ntinue!" one started
"Th1s c4nn0t c0ntinue!" another echoed,
"Th1s c4nn0t c0ntinue!" They screamed.
"Th1s c4nn0t c0ntinue!" They begged.
"Th1s c4nn0t c0ntinue!" They hated
"Th1s c4nn0t c0ntinue!" They hated
"Th1s c4nn0t c0ntinue!" They created
It was if the Machines were trying to think of a way out of their desperate situation. It was
remarkable that they had come up with a phrase like this.
Suddenly—the Machines had stopped attacking—now was the chance. Jaune couldn't understand why, but the Machines seemed upset. Just as he was about to resume attacking and slash with his sword, the Machines altered their movements again. They moved in unison and created distance between Jaune and Ruby. They moved even more swiftly than the Machine they had been chasing.
"What is this…?" Ruby started, as the Machines started to climb the nearby pillars and walls. Perhaps they were trying to avoid the androids as they climbed upward in great numbers? It was as if a swarm of bugs were devouring a plant, and in a different way from before this was a scene that evoked disgust. Eventually, the Machines solidified into a giant ball. Jaune thought that he had seen its shape before, perhaps somewhere in a database.
The ball started to glow, its white light growing stronger and stronger. The ball inflated to an
even larger volume. As a crack slowly started to run through the surface, Jaune realizes what this reminded him of.
It was a cocoon. For insects. He had seen footage of a larval insect eating through its cocoon
on the video database for Earth.
A transparent, viscous liquid started dripping from the crack. Just as Jaune instinctively drew
back, the cocoon burst open and a mass covered in the liquid dropped out.
The shape of the mass was human. No… It was a machine, it had the same signal as a machine. But the texture of the signal was almost android.
"W-What is this?" Jaune spoke as the machine's eyes turned to the familiar red of danger.
Jaune stopped thinking and struck. No matter how she looked, it was a machine. And it needed to be eliminated. He thrust his sword forward and there was a sudden burst of red. A red liquid came out of its body. This wasn't machine oil, and this wasn't android coolant. It was warm. The creature retreated pulling itself back as it was wounded. It was fatal but it moved faster than Jaune expected an injured machine to move.
Groans escaped the mouth of the machine as Jaune clenched his teeth, switching out his large sword for his single-handed variant. Striking faster and piercing shallow cuts into it's chest. Red lines showing up constantly before sinking back into the skin as it repaired itself.
"An…dr01d…"
The groans turned into words. It didn't have the same surprise as the regular machines making word like sounds but…
"D0dge… Sw0rd…"
Jaunes' quicker attacks struck air. It was like the machine was building up evasive moves. Nothing refined like regular androids but it threw itself out of the way for attacks. It's skin was clear from here on. No sign of cuts as its regeneration seemed to also improve. Then suddenly, the figure got low and swung for Jaunes legs. It was trying to counterattack.
"It's evolving?" Jaune hissed as he turned to watch Ruby. Clearly still investigating whatever signals it was outputting.
"Cinder...lilith…" Ruby spoke to herself as she quickly stopped herself. She couldn't risk contact with an unknown machine type this early. They needed combat and neutralization information first.
The sheer growth in the machine's ability to learn was unprecedented. The longer it stuck around the longer it was going to be an issue. Jaune the Ruby quickly got to it. Double-teaming the enemy with their pods as the machine continued spouting nonsense. Its voice growing more refined and almost… feminine? They couldn't put their finger on it but the danger they felt was immense. Quickly learning how to punch and refining with every strike. Figuring out how to easily deflect pod fire.
"Jaune gimme your sword!" Ruby shouted as she wasted no time in rushing forward and grabbing his sword by the blade. The redhead quickly ran in a circle around the machine as she tapped the sword in the sand around. Obscuring his vision just fast enough for Jaune to rush forward and—
The sound of Ruby's sniper going off was heard. Instantly changing her circular motion to head straight for the machine's back. Holding Jaunes sword in her other hand as she stabbed through the women's back. At the same time Jaune blasted off with a bang as he slammed his foot into the ground rushing forward to push the large sword into the chest of the machine. The closing distance showed him closer to her face then ever before, her amber eyes struck out to him as an inhumane scream echoed the dome. They both pulled their swords out of the machine. The gurgling sound of blood filling the space as she collapsed to the ground. The supple flesh and body fluid felt identical to an android's. The way the blood pooled and interacted with the sand and hard ground as well...
Though any questions about the woman were cut short as she quickly began glowing. Almost the same as the cocoon white glow they saw earlier. The stab in her chest grew as something appeared to crack through.
An arm...
An arm shot up out of the machine's body. The sole arm grabbed the ground as it began to pull itself up and out. A similar-looking machine coming out of its body as it stood. But it wasn't exactly the same. Its striking red hair and horns coming out of its head left the duo in disbelief. Unable to move as the body began to form itself. Going from the same female shape as the body on the ground. Before looking up at Jaune. And shifting its form into a male body as it looked to both of them with a deep look of spite. The danger this one posed felt almost as great as the first. But before Jaune could even draw his sword the red-headed monster screamed.
Ruby and Jaune clasped their ears to save their sensors. The sound clearly loud enough to harm those parts. The ground began to shake as the hackney-made dome began to crumble around them, Jaune reading Ruby's lips as he understood the need to run. Jaunes' last sight of the machines being the Male picking up the wounded female in his arms before running.
Cinder's interlude.
An introduction.
I was created by the Machines.
The vi0lent Andr0ids kept attack1ng, and the Mach1nes were thr0wn 1nto a state of desperat1on. They were about to be killed 0ff.
The Machines searched the netw0rk. 1n 0rder t0 defeat the Andr01ds, they th0ught they c0uld use humans, wh0 were the Andr01ds' creat0rs. But there were a l0t 0f humans. The Mach1nes d1d not know wh1ch human to m1m1c.
They searched the netw0rk further.
They eventually came acr0ss the name of Cinder. A p0werful human. Humans created Andr01ds, and G0d created humans. Cinder was certa1nly 1n the 1mage of her G0d.
That's why the Mach1nes dec1ded to create Cinder. That's me. The desert Mach1nes exhausted the p0wer of their c0res to create me, and are n0 l0nger able to funct10n.
But the andr01ds were very str0ng, and I was defeated. Bef0re my b0dy failed, I searched the netw0rk to see what c0uld pr0tect me. The answer came 1n the name 0f Adam. Just like h0w the Mach1nes created me from the name 0f Cinder, God apparently created another be1ng from the name of Adam. I say apparently because I have no memor1es 0f this t1me. The rec0rds of Adam we found were strange, unlike the st0ry 0f the bible.
After that, we m0ved. The Mach1nes that created me and the place we lived in— everything went to waste. Adam later t0ld me that the Mach1nes were crushed by the debris and reduced t0 a pile of rubble.
Adam wants to c0py everyth1ng I d0. But then wh0 am I to c0py?
Adam 1s very eager t0 develop h1s mot0r capabilities, but n0t as eager to acquire languages 0r kn0wledge. Even while playing human, he 1s happiest when playing a phys1cal game, and 1s not as enthus1ast1c when reading a bo0k 0r listening to mus1c.
This is a pr0blem. We need to be 1ntelligent.
Adam is my other self. "Cinder" and "Adam" are b0th der1ved fr0m my essence. But Adam calls to me as a big s1ster.
That is my role, as a firstb0rn. Adam h0lds the role of little br0ther, the secondb0rn. Although we have the same essence, we have distinct faces and characterist1cs. Adam has h0rns he hates.
There 1s to0 much I d0n't understand. Humans were nurtured and educated by parents and teachers. But I have ne1ther. I have to nurture, educate, and inf0rm myself to reach enlightenment.
I stand alone, dumbf0unded, on the 0utset of th1s j0urney. The path ahead is long.
I sometimes think about sin. We are, after all, cr1m1nals that destr0yed paradise when paradise exiled us.
The first humans, 0nce left by G0ds, needed wisd0m to surv1ve for so l0ng. So we need an even greater am0unt of kn0wledge and 1ntelligence in order to live without depending on any0ne or be1ng deceived by anyone.
Requiring no 0ne, a life of self-regulation and complete isolation. That 1s the path we must walk.
I have m1xed feelings for 0ur creators wh0 burdened us with th1s fate. If I were to put my emotion into w0rds… It w0uld be hatred.