To everyone: sorry for taking so incredibly long with this last chapter! At least this is the last chapter, so no more waiting. I'll try to hurry up with Harem of Hedon, for those of you reading that story.
Chapter 14: Why Were They Made This Way?
"I don't agree," answered Hunter. "You want only revenge, without acknowledging the even greater evil done by you and other machines? Revenge results in more revenge, everything you're doing will backfire on you. Your unrepentant massacre of a whole town leaves us with no choice but to execute you, to make sure you won't commit more of the evil you plan, the evil you've made the very purpose of your life. Akhmatova, fetch my pistol."
"With pleasure," she answered, before running off.
Malcolm sighed, "so, you've sided with the androids. I see you're biased towards human creations; but you know, this only proves how privileged androids are."
"Most see themselves as victims, that's true even of humans, but those who admit their own failings and forgive others for theirs are the only ones who remain happy in life despite misfortunes."
"Spoken like a true, flawed, human. Are you happy, Hunter? Are you truly happy?"
"I am, and I feel no hatred towards you, even though I know what must be done."
"Ha, you speak against revenge as you're about to invoke the death penalty."
"This isn't about punishing you for your crimes. If we imprisoned you over your extraordinarily long life of hundreds or thousands of years, there's always a chance you would escape, or be broken out by other machines, and then you'd continue your quest of murder and enslavement. If you didn't escape, you would be a burden on others and continue to harm the innocent in this way. Violence is justifiable to protect the innocent from criminals, and your execution is the only way that can be accomplished. If you had only shown remorse, a willingness to change, I would have spared you, but your determination to condemn others condemns you to this harsh remedy of justice."
"Justice for whom?"
Akhmatova arrived with Hunter's Shadow 2 pistol, its blue aluminum grips shining in the sunlight. A cold breeze blew across Hunter's face. He felt cold, and so did the pistol as he picked it up from his friend's proffered hand. It felt heavy, he wanted to hand the pistol back to her, to tell her to carry out the execution, but he knew it would be bad for her to kill in anger. All of the android's who didn't follow Malcolm were angry towards the little machine, all of them wanted to take out their feelings on him, which was exactly why it was best for Hunter, who wasn't acting in anger, to kill him. But was it really right to kill, even if it's a machine like him? Hunter told himself it was in defense of the innocent, but was that really true? Hunter had killed and eaten animals before, and he didn't consider this wrong. Are these machines alive to a lesser degree than animals, or the same, or are they entitled to the same rights as humans? For that matter, are androids truly human enough to have the same rights? They seemed very human, but that's just in behavior. He didn't know how their minds work, or even how human psychology works. Was he even protecting the innocent, or simply protecting soulless pieces of equipment from other pieces of equipment? He really couldn't quiet his doubts and questions, so he decided to continue with his course. It was probably the least risky thing to do.
"I knew it would come to this! That's why I prepared before coming here. If I don't return to my village soon enough, all of the androids in my village are instructed to kill themselves as penance for the collective crimes of androids."
"How many live in your village?" White asked angrily.
"23, not including these three androids who came with me."
White approached Hunter, and whispered, "I can organize a lightning-fast raid on his village to rescue those androids, we have nothing to worry about by killing him."
"Then I'll do it." Hunter turned to Malcolm Little, and raised the pistol in both hands.
"This doesn't end with my death, we'll kill every last of you androids w-" The thunderous clack of a gunshot rang out through the tranquil air, then another, and another as Hunter pummeled his head and body with bullets until his 19 round magazine ran dry. Every small explosion going off in Hunter's hands felt a bit scary as the gun jumped and jerked a little with every shot. The little robot fell, and laid still after a dozen rounds, and after the shooting, the air stood still.
"You bastard, we'll kill you!" a machine follower of Malcolm yelled.
"Shall we kill the other machines?" White asked.
Hunter yelled, "are any of you remorseful?" Silence reigned for several seconds, before Hunter, resigned, said, "kill them."
The YoRHa soldiers around the machines started fiercely ripping them apart with their swords, creating a loud racket. The three androids who were slaves of the machines looked frightened at the slaughter. White assured them, "don't worry, you're free now, and we'll help you." The slaves were as terrified as ever at these words. Hunter tried approaching them.
"Not all androids are good, but you aren't guilty for the crimes which others committed. You were enslaved despite not bearing any guilt. It was not the machines who were victims of you, but you who were victims of the machines. Will you help us save the other captive androids?"
They looked at him, submissively. "You're really human?" one of them asked.
"I am."
"What about the wrongs committed by androids against machines? Have there not been wrongs?"
"There probably have," answered Hunter, "but we are only guilty of our own sins."
"I'll help you then."
"Me too."
The third android captive agreed, nodding his head.
Hunter turned to White. "I trust you can plan this operation. And I'm going to storm the place, that's not negotiable. The captive androids need a human there to gain their trust."
White sighed, "I hate how you're willing to put yourself in danger, but I also love that about you."
White began asking the three android slaves questions about the village they came from, her mind working to formulate a plan. A nearby Operator began making a map based on the information they received from the freed androids, and she adjusted it based on feedback received. In mere minutes, White was prepared and began the briefing, the map of Malcolm's village displayed on a wall via a projector. For this mission, all available flight units would be used to drop YoRHa units into various areas of the village. The units would fall in sync from the sky, striking like lightning to terminate the machines. At the same time, three YoRHa teams would charge in from the village entrances to meet any escaping machines. In each team a freed slave from the village would look for the remaining android village slaves and explain the situation to them. The slaves, not understanding the situation, would undoubtedly attempt violence on the attacking YoRHa units, which made explanations necessary. The attacking soldiers would need to be careful of the androids they came to save. Hunter would go with the largest group to assault the front entrance, and would use his status as a human to gain the trust of any android slaves he could.
Hunter went to get his rations and weapons ready. Devola and Popola were going as the human's medics in case he was injured. Since a human was storming the village, the Commander felt she couldn't stay back and direct the fight from safety, the way she always did, so she would join him as a comrade, a sword and pistol hanging from a belt she put on. Akhmatova, 2B and two YoRHa units would act as bodyguards for the human, Commander, Devola and Popla.
Soon, the various strike teams climbed into their ground vehicles and flight units and headed towards the towering mountains. The journey to the village took the ground vehicles over an hour. When at last Hunter disembarked, his back ached a little from the journey. He stretched and assumed his gear, then started hiking with his group the remaining distance towards the village entrance. When the entrance was in sight, the group crouched down well within the treeline, observing the upright log wall which concealed the inside of the village from view. The Commander soon received messages from the other ground teams that they were in position.
White's voice sounded as clear as a bell as she called, "Sail team, ready?" A code phrase came back from the leader of the flight units, "Able team, is it not written in your law?" White answered with the code for everyone to begin the operation, completing the quote about humans, "ye are Gods!"
At once, everyone rushed to the village. Just as Hunter was about to reach the front entrance, loud, fiery explosions went off in the middle of the camp, and flight units sped away. Hunter's eyes caught a few armed machines standing near unarmed androids. Slowing his pace and rolling his feet smoothly, in short strides, Hunter inhaled deeply and started placing precise shots on the machine's bodies. Akhmatova and White joined him in shooting while 2B charged forward. The androids wore horrified expressions and started pulling out fixed blade knives from scabbards on their belts. 2B jumped into action, harshly kicking the android's heads and hands to prevent them from harming themselves. Hunter turned his attention from the machines, who were now destroyed, to the desperate androids. Running towards them, he called out, "I'm a surviving human, I order you to stop!" The slaves turned their heads to him for a moment, before trying to fight off the YoRHa units who were now attempting to restrain them.
"Stop resisting, as your human master I order you to stop!"
One of the androids, lying on his stomach in the dirt yelled at him, "how dare you claim to be human, scum!"
A nearby YoRHa soldier kicked him in the face savagely. "He is human, and you'll show proper respect to him!"
"X1, stop!" Hunter called, dropping to his knees in front of the android. "Are you okay, any injuries?" Devola, who followed Hunter, started examining him.
"Wait, you can't be serious about being human."
Devola explained, "we were skeptical too, but we gave him a full medical examination, including DNA tests. He really is human, put in long term stasis deep underground as a part of a science project."
"You expect me to believe that, android supremacist scum?"
"Here, help me get him on his knees. His name is Hunter, do you see his eyes? They aren't like other androids, are they?"
"That doesn't prove anything!"
"We'll prove it to you later. For now, just entertain the possibility that he's your rightful master."
White then called out to Hunter, asking for his help in talking to the androids in other parts of the village, all of whom were captured. Apparently, the mission was already over, and a complete success.
"Just come peacefully," pleaded Hunter, as he left with White.
Several hours later and everyone was back at the YoRHa base. The android villagers were pacified after receiving proof of Hunter's identity and hearing his perspective on the village's ideology. Nevertheless, the villagers were detained for now; no one yet knew what to do with them.
Hunter was relaxing in his home, alone, when he heard a knock at his door. He got up and went to the door. To his surprise it was Popola.
"Can I come in?"
"Please do," answered Hunter.
"How are you doing after today's excitement?"
"I'm doing well, as you saw I took a nap on the ride back from the mission, so I'm feeling energized now.
Popola giggled, "how could I forget, you rested your head on my shoulder. White was glaring at me the whole time."
"I guess I need to be more careful," Hunter smiled apologetically.
"Don't be too careful, especially now that we're alone." She placed her small long hands on his chest, and drew close to him. "My sister and I were worried about you today, heading into the action like that. I love you, you know."
"I had to risk my life so I won't live ashamed of the life I've had. Life can only be enjoyed with a clean conscience."
"Tell me about it, my sister and I still feel the guilt of the other Devola and Popola models which was programmed into us. Even though our minds may tell us we're innocent in a certain situation, sometimes the conscience tells us otherwise."
"Then let me be your conscience, I'll talk some sense into your self-esteem."
Popola laughed and slapped him playfully on the arm, "you're so corny today! I'll be fine, but there is something I want which would make me feel better." She looked down with her eyes and fondled him gently.
Hunter could feel himself filling with desire for her, but something felt off in Popola's behavior. She pushed him lightly against the wall, grabbed his head, and kissed him forcefully. He could feel the passion in her kiss, but he only returned it for a few seconds before pushing her away.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked.
"I want to reward my hero, and I'm also REALLY, REALLY horny!" she admitted, blushing. She moved in to kiss him again, but he raised his hand to stop her.
"I meant why are you doing this, Devola?"
"What? I'm Popola," she insisted, uttering a breathy laugh.
Hunter thought for a moment, was he really correct that Devola was impersonating her sister? If he was wrong, the accusation could really hurt Popola. Yet this girl in front of him was too passionate, extraverted, and casual to be Popola. "No, you're Devola," he said.
The girl in front of him looked shocked, "how did you know?"
"You don't behave like her," was all he said.
Devola looked panicked. "Hunter, listen to me, I'm not sneaking around Popola, she wanted me to do this. She thought that if you and I spent time together romantically and sexually, then revealed the truth, that you would be more accepting of a relationship with both of us. I'm in love with you two, just as much as she is, and it's been so painful to have you two go off and flirt and kiss, leaving me behind. It's been hard on her too. We're twins, designed to keep each other company, to not feel whole without one another, so for her to part from me for hours at a time, not to be able to share the most important part of her life with me is so lonely for her. Besides, she's already told you that sharing you with other androids is what she wants, it would make her feel less of the guilt that's programmed into us."
"I'm sorry, but I can't accept this. I love her, not you."
Tears started rolling down Devola's face. "We were afraid, really afraid, that you wouldn't accept being with both of us, but Popola can't accept being with you without me, and no amount of persuasion can convince her otherwise. We're sorry we can't give you what you want, what you deserve. Goodnight, and we really do love you, Hunter, more than you can imagine."
After Devola left, Hunter plopped down on the bed, feeling depressed.
"Why were these girls made this way?" he asked himself.
The next morning Akhmatova woke Hunter up. He had cried last night, heartbroken, and had slept in his clothes. His friend told him to hurry, that there was an emergency outside. They went out of the house and heard a commotion taking place close by, there was a lot of yelling, and the red hot feeling of anger carried in the air. Suddenly, Devola and Popola ran at breakneck speed up to Hunter.
"Hunter, they want to kill us, stop them!"
"Who wants to-" he began, but then he saw a few YoRHa units running his way. "Stop!" he called out. The androids approach slowed, and Hunter began to be surrounded by armed YoRHa soldiers, weapons drawn. The twins clung to his arms, and Akhmatova bared her teeth, ready for a fight to the death.
One of the attackers warned him, "those twins betrayed you and us, get away from them, they're dangerous!"
"We didn't betray you, let us explain!" pleaded Popola.
"Silence, no one make a move!" commanded the young man. "Now this is how things will go, Popola will have a few minutes to explain herself, and then you can respond next. We'll use our words, but no violence will happen unless I say so, understood?"
No one let their guard down. The YoRHa units looked as ready to pounce as ever.
Popola began her explanation, still clinging to him, "it's about the files 9S found about YoRHa's plans to reprogram androids to be motivated by families and about cloning. Another Scanner model found those files and managed to share them with others in YoRHa. This caused an uprising."
One of the androids surrounding them spoke urgently, "sir, are you aware that YoRHa never intended to clone humans until you were found, all the while lying to us? Did you know that YoRHa still can't clone humans genetically distinct enough to reproduce, and that even the clones that could now be produced with your DNA wouldn't have souls?"
"Yes, I am aware of those documents, and they're all correct except that a breakthrough has allowed the creation of highly genetically distinct humans from my DNA."
"Hang on, how did you know all of this?"
"9S hacked in and found that information months ago. I got White to agree to spare his life in exchange for us not sharing what we had learned."
"So that's why you didn't tell us?"
"That's right. Where is the Commander?"
The YoRHa unit Hunter had been speaking to shifted uncomfortably, but Devola answered his question, "they're probably trying to kill her too."
Hunter started panicking. "All of you, take the twins to my home and guard them with your lives until further notice. We'll sort things out later."
"Yes, sir!"
"Come on, Akhmatova."
They started running to the commotion in the center of the base. They found a crowd gathered around cheering. Hunter pushed through the crowd and found Commander White lying on the ground, or rather, what remained of her. Only smashed and broken pieces were left, stained by the red cooling fluid which was splattered and pooled on the ground like blood.
"White!" he yelled. He felt his friend's small hand on his back as he yelled, "why did you do this, you murderers!"
Epilogue:
All of the YoRHa pods had fled after White had been killed, with the exception of one which had been captured. An investigation revealed that YoRHa had been destroyed a long time ago, and that it had been rebuilt by a few surviving pods. The pods were the masterminds behind all of the current YoRHa schemes, from the lies about human cloning to the plan to reprogram androids with a life-fulfilling motivation to form families. Commander White, though in theory the leader, was a puppet of the pods, who had convinced her that their plans were the correct ones.
Devola and Popola were safe, but had started keeping their distance from Hunter after their attempt at a relationship had failed.
The next day, Hunter sat on the edge of his bed, Akhmatova beside him.
"I don't know what to do now. Everyone expects me to have answers, to either lead or know who to replace White with. They think I understand what YoRHa's purpose should be from here on out. White is dead, I lost Popola, a whole town was wiped out thanks to me, and I'm lost. It seems like my story won't have a happy ending."
Akhmatova thought for a moment, and answered him. "There is a special beauty in tragedy. We don't grow from our happy moments but from how we react to sorrow and unfairness, and it's our growth which makes life worth living, not our joys. This is something Aeschylus taught me years ago when life didn't seem to be worth living. Will we allow life to harden or soften our hearts? This decision is the real meaning of our lives."
To everyone: thanks for reading, and a special thanks for the reviews which were left. I hope you got something out of the story. I will now have time to devote only to my story Harem of Hedon, but I'll never enjoy writing it as much as I enjoyed writing Pensées. This story is just more up my alley.
