Diary of a field agent (chapter 14 - The Finale)

Preface

This is my first attempt at photo story - or rather an illustrated story which should remain readable even in absence of illustrations. It started as a setting for some of my figures which are not attached to any particular media. Thus the story and writing can be affected by real life factors (such as figures and props I do or don't have, shipping delays, etc). But I have a complete high level idea in my head, so I hope to lead the arc to its logical conclusion, even though principal photography and writing is not finished yet.

Thanks!

Table of contents:
Part I: Ignorance Is Bliss

• Chapter 1
  
• Chapter 2
  
• Chapter 3
  
• Chapter 4
  
• Chapter 5
  
• Chapter 6
  
• Chapter 7
  

Part II: An Agent No Longer

• Chapter 8
  
• Chapter 9
  
• Chapter 10
  
• Chapter 11
  
• Chapter 12
  
• Chapter 13
  
• Chapter 14
  

Prologue


After everything I've learned here, after everything that happened, it is almost too much to bear. Today was the last straw. I don't know what to do anymore. So I decided to write it all down before figuring out my next actions. And do it as objectively as I can.

Now, where do I begin? I can't outline my entire life, so...

Chapter 1

It was expected to be an ordinary mission. As in, we move in, do some fighting and shooting, dispose of the bad guys, that sort of thing.

And yet a curious coincidence made it stand out enough to start here.

What do I remember about this outing?

- Ever thought why they look so much like us? - she asked me out of the blue.

It wasn't typical for Villa to ponder existential questions like this one. But then again, I didn't know her all that well back then. Perhaps we've been teammates long enough for her to open up a bit.
- To blend in, I guess? - I started, rather wondering aloud than actually trying to answer. -  Well, if we were in a typical rise of the machines story...

It was silly, of course. Syncons never really tried to pass as humans, even the most anthropomorphic units looked unmistakably like robots.
- You and your fiction, - sighed Villa - Where do you even get that stuff?
- Some parts of the net are still...
- I am serious, Kate, - she interrupted. - We are not in a story.

I had to contemplate for a moment. The answer I came up with was still something out of sci-fi novel, though:
- You know what they say about all those interfaces and controls created by humans and for humans? And besides, not all of them are anthropomorphic.
- Quite a few are, - she pointed out. - Anyway, I don't think that's the reason. They just want us to see them as humans.
- To humanize them in our eyes? That's and interesting point - I admitted.

We didn't have time to discuss it any longer, as we've arrived. It was an abandoned city district where a syncon has been sighted. And anthropomorphic one, too.
So we took our positions - I perched on the roof of some building with relatively good view over surroundings, and Villa wandered on the ground level.


...

The syncon likely jumped from the uppermost tier and landed behind me, but it was too fast for me to see. When I turned... she was already there.


I said "she", and I'll elaborate on that later. Suffice to say I've never seen a unit like this before.
It didn't matter anyway, this was an enemy. I pointed my sniper rifle at her,

but she grabbed it and jerked it out of my hands with one spinning motion.


I pulled the pistol then,

but by the time I did so, she completed her spin

and slapped the gun out of my hand with a backhand flip.

So I tried to take advantage of that angular momentum from her slap - because hey, two can play this game.

Thus I span around too, ending this motion with a kick - however, she just stepped backwards, and my kick missed.

She didn't let me regain my balance afterwards.


She slid forward

and gently nudged me to the chest just at the right time -

which was enough to have me tumbling off from that roof...


I barely grabbed the edge and ended up hanging, unable to do anything to fend her off as she approached. She could easily step on my hands or shove me off or...

Yet I swear I saw her offering me a hand, as if to pull me up.

But then a burst of bullets hit her from behind.

She staggered, bumped into a wall and fell off the roof.


...

Of course, this was our actual plan. There was no chance for me to remain unnoticed crouching on that roof, but that was the whole point. I was the bait. Villa, however, was much better hidden below.
Sure, this was risky. The enemy could take her out first and then come for me. Or our intel could be wrong, and there could have been several units. Well, such was our line of work.
But I digress.

...


- What took you so long, Vee?

- You are welcome, - grinned Villa, helping me up.

- Do you see her down there? - I pointed to the general direction of the ground.

- I don't see anything. Why "her"?
- Well, this unit was not only anthropomorphic, it had quite definitive feminine features.
- That's what I meant earlier, - she sighed. - You are talking of it as if it was a human, and it almost killed you.
- You know, I'm not so sure about the killing part... - I objected.
- But I am quite sure you've got me worrying this time. You gotta be more careful.

We've checked the ground afterwards but didn't find any traces of this syncon or any explosion that could point at its (her?) self-destruction.
Apparently this one slipped away.  

...

What else do I remember? It was an ordinary mission in some sense. We came in, did some fighting and shooting, and survived unscathed (notwithstanding my self-esteem). But we didn't accomplish our objectives. The syncon was not confirmed to be destroyed, so we were reprimanded for mission failure. As for the gynoid unit sighting, something I thought never happened before - the command didn't care about it at all. They probably didn't even know what this word meant.

Next chapter

Chapter 2*


The next assignment was anything but typical. We were sent to oversee a relocation of an old outpost. Not something you would usually call an agent for, really. We were told that troopers won't figure out what to do with complex equipment, and there were no spare technicians close enough. Still, it felt like a punishment for the previous failure. It wasn't stated officially, but the implication was so thick I could almost touch it.

We were mostly done by dawn. But such forays into the open are always risky since they can attract unwanted syncon attention. Looks like this was exactly what happened.


Two dummies broke in first. They've caught two troopers near the entrance off guard: one was killed immediately, but the second was able to evade their shots.


Luckily for him, we were in the same room. Luckily for me and Villa, the dummies didn't target us first.


By the time they did, we were already returning fire, so they were down almost as soon as we've seen them.


But then our luck ran out, because they brought a big gun: an armored war robot commonly known as the Trashcan.


We had to retreat. So we turned the corner and waited in the corridor.


The Trashcan followed, spraying bullets left and right.


How do you put down a Trashcan? With heavy weapons, obviously. Which we didn't have immediately at hand.
Two more troopers were hit.
Even the machinegun that this Trashcan was carrying would make a difference - if it was in our hands... But since we couldn't have it, there was only one other way to even the odds.
I aimed at its ammo feed tray - and managed to hit it.


The robot staggered and dropped now useless weapon.


- Close in! - shouted Villa, leading by example. - Shoot it point blank!

Then it pulled out a freaking folding knife out of its forearm.


They were too close now. Point blank range naturally implied they were within Trashcan's melee range.

One of remaining troopers soon found out what it meant in practice, and neither me nor Villa could help him.


Then the killer machine switched its attention to Villa.
It swung its arm and hit her rifle with enough force to strike it out of her hands.


She barely evaded the swing of the knife-holding hand, but then it jerked forward and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up, knife hand raised to strike.


I could not suppress a scream.

Time seemed to have frozen. I was desperately looking for a way to save her. I could easily land a headshot but doubted it would do anything against the steel monster.


Then my eye fell on a lid on its back. The lid was armored of course but it was locked in place with a handle. Time was running out. This handle looked like the only thing I could possibly damage. Not really having any other option, I took this chance and shot the handle.


The Trashcan released its hold on Villa and turned to look straight at me. It was still fully intact, but apparently its focus switched to potential danger caused by battery compartment no longer being securely locked.


This was all I could hope for.
Now it was Villa's turn. And she seemed to have figured out what I had done.
She slid under the robot and reached for now vulnerable compartment.


Before it could do anything, she opened the lid and pulled out its battery.
How did she manage to do it? Even for someone as capable as Villa it was no easy feat. She would have to move insanely fast. I guess I didn't have time to wonder back then, because it was not over yet.


- Run! - I shouted, as the robot crumbled on its knees.
She ran.

Whether she heard me or not, Villa knew just as well that more advanced syncons had self-destruct mechanism which did not rely on primary power - in fact, lack of primary power was likely to be one of its triggers.


We had to run too - me and the only trooper who remained on his feet. The shock wave was strong enough to knock us off. And Villa was much closer.


We found her in the corridor, halfway to where the Trashcan used to be. Lying face down among some rubble. With a puddle of blood near her head.


Next chapter
___
* Dedicated to the memory of Queen Elizabeth II

No comments yet? Fair enough, I tend to ignore this section of the forum myself, so all the better that I got rewarded for checking in cause this was awesome!

Nice story telling, dialogue, posing, scenery... I'm looking forward to chapter 3!

Thank you, Diana!
I'm glad you liked it.

I came across it only today myself. Very nicely done! Putting these cool 6 inch figures and great backgrounds to good use, along with nice "special effects."

Diana wrote:No comments yet? Fair enough, I tend to ignore this section of the forum myself, so all the better that I got rewarded for checking in cause this was awesome!

Nice story telling, dialogue, posing, scenery... I'm looking forward to chapter 3!

I fully agree.
very well done and an interesting story when you get in from the start. Just the amount of text that I find manageable on a quick visit to the forum.
some stories have the unfortunate misadvantage that it is (or is perceived to be) difficult to catch up when having missed character introduction and development. So I shy away from them.
it is a real pity. A lot of time goes into the creation of photo stories but very often they are not properly appreciated.  

the figures are all 1:12, right?

Nice action sequences.

Those robot figs are interesting, and capable of a great variety of poses.

Note to robot designer: add a lock to the battery compartment cover.

The scening and photography is good. It tells the story pretty much by itself.

Yes, figures and backgrounds are 1/12 scale.
I'll try to keep chapters around this size.
Thanks for the feedback!

Cool photo story! 1/12 really is a handy figure size. I consider selling my 1/6 stuff one day and changing to this scale.

Chapter 3

I spent the rest of that morning in the hospital, trying to sleep on the bench in the hall.


Around noon I was able to sneak inside Villa's room. Villa was breathing slowly, as if asleep. But I knew she was unconscious. I sat beside her and touched her hand.


I don't remember how long I was there - perhaps I dozed off for a bit. Suddenly she stirred uneasily and started whispering something. Initially I couldn't discern what she was saying, but after a while I made out "Don't go" in her whisper.
- I'm here, Vee, - I said softly, suspecting she didn't hear me. - I'm here.
- Don't go, Vera, - she continued, a bit louder than before.
And then the nurse came in and shooed me out.


...

Back in the corridor I almost bumped - literally - into Wolf, another field agent who knew Villa longer than I did.


- How is she? - he asked right away.
- Concussion, - I replied. - They say she'll be fine in a week or two.
- What happened?
- Trashcan.
- Damn. Are you okay? - he sounded concerned.
- Yeah, I'm fine, - I assured him, feeling a tinge of guilt.
Which was irrational, I knew: I was unharmed because I provided fire cover from the distance, and if I didn't, Villa would not have been able to defeat the Trashcan. But still.


- She mentioned Vera in her sleep, - I added, shaking off these thoughts - Any idea who that is?
- Her sister. She was her partner before you two were assigned together.
- Where is she now? - I inquired, somewhat surprised as I never heard of her before.
- Didn't come back from one mission.
- Oh, - I murmured absently, realizing that Villa herself was close to not coming back from today's assignment.

Three troopers didn't. Another one was also here, heavily wounded.
- You look tired, - he noticed.
- I am, - I admitted.

It did not register with me then, but he seemed to have wanted to ask something else or say something more. But I had to get some rest and something to eat, so I left him there, hoping the nurse will let him see Villa too.


...

I went back to my apartment, made some quick launch and tried to sleep - and yet sleep did not come. My mind kept replaying this morning's fight back and forth, so I took an advantage of this mental recording - after all I still had paperwork to do - and turned it into the most detailed mission report I've ever made.


Once that was finished, I ended up staring at Villa's profile in the military personnel database, which was not yet updated and did not reflect her injury. It didn't take me long to find Vera's profile as well. With my access permissions it showed me only the most basic stuff. Not even a photo - just name, rank, and KIA as a status.
Killed in action was perfectly valid status for someone who had not returned from a mission. Still, I expected - or hoped - to see missing in action instead. The KIA label was clickable, and it brought me back to the search screen. I changed status filter to MIA - I wanted to see if there were other agents missing in action.

Why did it matter? Hard to tell. I just had to know there was hope for someone to come back.

A long list of results turned up on the screen. I limited the search to agents, and here something felt off: there were only three entries, and two of them didn't even have names. It seemed like a bug. An easily reproducible one, too. I fired up my browser's developer's console and looked at API requests.


This is where things were really weird. With filter set to MIA, the web application issued a request with "Undefined" status. And for KIA filter the status parameter was set to a comma-separated pair of values - MIA,KIA.


Off course I tried running it with just MIA - and found Vera among the results.


It was not just weird, it was suspicious. But apparently my sense of danger was numbed down after today's fight and subsequent exhaustion. I outlined my findings along with reproduction steps, filed a bug report, and fell asleep immediately after.

...

It was evening when I woke up. I went outside, heading to the hospital again. But two troopers stopped me as I left.


- Agent Kate. You are coming with us, - stated one of them.
The second trooper grabbed my arm and and kneed me into abdomen.


The first one then grabbed my other arm, and together they locked my hands in handcuffs.


Next moment they pulled my gun and knife out of holsters.


Up until that day I was only vaguely aware of a certain animosity between troopers and agents. While we fought side by side, agents tended to look down on troopers as on dumb muscle, whereas troopers envied our skills and quick thinking. But it was pretty abstract for me, and experiencing it first hand was not something I expected to happen. Especially here, in safe haven.
It was too late to fight. I still could - there was a reasonably decent chance of bringing these two guys down. But it would have been a gamble, and more importantly, pointless. They wouldn't have dared to attack me so bluntly if they hadn't been ordered to bring me in.
And that - finding out why I've been arrested - was more important. So I straightened up and allowed them to lead me where they intended to.


Next chapter

The apartment setting is appropriately moody, enhancing the sense of mystery to the computer conundrum.

The gas-masked troopers are unsettling in their antagonistic anonymity.

Looks like our Agent has got herself in to some seriously hot water!

I was impressed in particular by the apartment room and computer, especially on this scale.

impressive how seemingly easy you change settings and how natural it comes across.
Enviable to have this range of convincing settings available.

Your story continues to be interesting lot of posing work you put into it is impressive.

Thanks for sharing.

ElBundy wrote:I consider selling my 1/6 stuff one day and changing to this scale.

That's... radical.
I often glance at 1/6 stuff, so much more options for accessories and more realistic details... But space, and price-wise, investing in another scale would be too much.

Illusion wrote:Your story continues to be interesting

Let me know when/if it jumps the shark

As for environment pieces, It's the first time I am using something which is not an off-the-shelf diorama product - with apartment room and hospital corridor. I like how it turned out with the room, not so much with the corridor, so there might be a few retroactive visual edits (but without changing the order of blaster shots or anything like that...).
I also had to resort to plan B for the room because some pieces I originally envisioned have not been delivered (not even shipped yet).

And thanks again, everyone, for reading and comments.

This is great! Well done!

Fantastic little story ! I really like the few 1:12 figures i have. It´s so easy to made big dios for them. There are much high quality 1:12 figures now. But You found the cream of them and modifie them into great characters. The Posing is believeable and the effects are cool.

Chapter 4


I was hoping to get my answers. Silly me. They've just pushed me into the cell and locked the door. Nobody bothered to explain anything. These two probably didn't know anyway, and no one else cared to show up.

It had to be the bug report. What else? I could conceivably imagine being detained for the second mission failure in a row. This showdown was a disaster after all. But if it was the case, they would get me right after our return.
No, it could only be my fiddling with requests. This whole thing was suspicious, and with this bug report I've pretty much painted a big shining arrow pointing right at me.


The system skewed info about our losses, leading us to believe many more people died, while in reality they were missing. Why did it do this? Why on frontend? Why learning of it was such a big deal? So many questions.


The sound of steps interrupted my thought process.
I looked up: a cloaked and hooded figure stopped in front of my cell and raised the hood.

It was the gynoid syncon - the one I fought on the roof. Or identical one. So much for never trying to pass as humans, I thought, jumping up on my feet.


- Come with me if you want to live, - she said in a pleasantly sounding, albeit slightly metallic, voice.
I sat back, puzzled. This was quite surrealistic.

- What?.. - I managed to react after a second's pause. - Did you really have to say that?
- Yes. To get your attention.
- You succeeded... - I nodded, mentally noting that her mere presence would have grabbed my attention just as well.
- There is not much time. You will be court-martialed tomorrow morning and executed for treason immediately after.
- How do you know? - I asked automatically.
- We have backdoors into your network.
- Why should I trust you? - was my next, and obvious, question.
- I suppose you do not, - she admitted. - What does it change? You are here, which means you are in danger.
- Right. But if I leave with you, then it will be an actual treason.
- Perhaps you have been detained for something you would commit in the future.
- Um...
- It was a joke, - she added quickly.
Great, I mused inwardly - a syncon with a sense of humor.

- The real reason, - she continued, - is that you have learned something which threatens your superiors.
- Damn it, I don't even know what I learned! - I shouted, jumping back up.


- Think, - she implored. - They decided to eliminate you because you know too much, or so they believe.
- It figures, - I conceded. - But I... can't just leave like that.
As I finished saying this, I started to wonder whether this was really true.

- Why not? - her words reflected my own thoughts - Because you want to follow due process and prove your innocence?
- Pretty much that, yeah, - I muttered hesitantly.
- Would you be arrested at all if due process was followed? You can stay here and play Socrates, but that will be a waste of your life.
- Why do you care? - here I was, assuming human qualities in a syncon. - What's your stake in it?
- You are asking the right questions, but our time is running out. Guards will be here soon.
- On that note, why aren't they here yet?
- We've staged a small diversion to distract them.
- Are you the one from that roof? - I asked bluntly.
- I am.

In the end she convinced me. It wasn't fear for my life - I've been risking it on a daily basis for as long as I could remember. But the whole situation was utterly unfair. I knew the rules. I thought they were quite obvious. If I had leaked something confidential to the enemy, it would have been a treason. But all I did was finding a bug in our own database query interface.I felt betrayed, even if I was not doomed as she claimed.


The cell door did not prove to be an obstacle: she pulled it hard and broke the lock.
After that she threw away the robe she was wearing, revealing a shoulder holster with a gun.

- Since you already have seen me undressed, - she said as she did so, - I hope you do not mind...
This startled me again. My rescuer turned out to be an unpredictable interlocutor, but I decided to play along for a change:
- If we are that closely acquainted, I should at least know your name.
- My cerebral image identifier is 7355. You can call me Tess.

It took me a moment to visualize and interpret but it checked out.
- Does it mean there are at least seven thousand more like you?
- It is hexademical. But no, image-to-chassis mapping is not one-to-one, it is not really indicative of the number of instances at any given moment.
This sounded a bit cryptic to me at that time, though it made sense in hindsight. I was also more concerned with here and now. Including the fact that Tess didn't give me any weapon. Perhaps she couldn't trust me yet? Or thought I would have trouble shooting other humans (which was pretty accurate assumption)? I didn't have time to ask because she told me to not engage if we were met with resistance.
We were indeed met with resistance in a corridor leading to the hall.


There was one trooper who, to his credit, managed to fire a shot at Tess, something I couldn't do during our first encounter with her - though larger distance gave him more time for that. It didn't change much, however. She evaded the shot,

grabbed his assault rifle,

and knocked him against the wall with her elbow.

Another elegant display of what I mentally dubbed "bullet-time judo".

I wondered why she even bothered to equip herself with a pistol.

...

The hall was empty, with some signs of disarray. I started noticing sounds of commotion, which became louder outside. Gunshots, shouts, rumble of explosions, uneven flashes of light.

So much effort to bust me out. Or was this no effort for them at all?
- A "small" diversion? - I asked incredulously.
- We had to operate on a very short notice, - Tess said apologetically as we turned the corner. - Which is why I can not offer you a helmet.
- Why would I need... - I started, but then the answer presented itself.
A motorcycle was parked in the alley.

- This won't do - I shook my head. - I'm calling this off.
- Are you sure? - she sounded dead serious, and I couldn't hide a smile.
- This was a joke.
- Oh. We are even then.
- I'll try not to fall, - I assured her as me mounted the bike.

And with that we drove out into the night.


Next chapter

Wonderful continuation of the story.

csyeung wrote:This is great! Well done!

GubernatorFan wrote:Wonderful continuation of the story.

Thanks!
I'd say the overall direction was quite predictable, given how the previous chapter ended. Only the details - such as who and how - had to be provided
I also planned another scene for this chapter but after a quick size check decided to move it to the next (the ladies are quite talkative, it seems).

Ephiane wrote:Fantastic little story ! I really like the few 1:12 figures i have. It´s so easy to made big dios for them. There are much high quality 1:12 figures now. But You found the cream of them and modifie them into great characters. The Posing is believeable and the effects are cool.

Modifications were actually quite small. So far only Kate significantly differs from the base figure.

As for dios, I was hoping to get more backgrounds by this point, but alas, a couple of orders remain unfulfilled and may require a dispute or something. Another one is still unreleased - FEXT System Cell - so I settled for my own makeshift substitute. Fortunately, I had some help with it:

Spoiler:

Thanks for continuing!
keeps being interesting and well made

I also enjoyed the bonus thumbnail pics

Chapter 5

It's weird how human mind works sometimes. Of all the recent events, this ride was the most memorable. The arrest, time in the cell, jail break - of course I remember it all, but I had to make an effort to put this into writing. Yet the ride itself is there as if I've just hopped off from it.


It was pretty uneventful, actually. We couldn't talk: the rumble of the engine and the whooshing noise of oncoming wind were too loud. I didn't see anything around: it was too dark, and Tess didn't even turn the headlight on.
So I was just holding on, hungry and deep in thought.

A great question loomed in my mind, an imaginary question mark almost visible straight ahead, where the unlit road was supposed to be: what have I done?
What will my friends think of my disappearance? Were Villa and Wolf in trouble just because they have been in contact with me? Or will it be seen as a generic attack on the HQ, not directed specifically to get me out? In this case it will look as if I was captured during the raid - a mere collateral.

But what if this was an elaborate trick to capture me for real? As a field agent I had access to several information systems... However, it had to be revoked after my arrest. I also knew a thing or two about inner workings of our operations. Still, syncons managed to eavesdrop our communication for who knows how long and infiltrate into our headquarters: what could they learn from me that they didn't already know? Plus there were much easier ways to kidnap me than staging a prison break in in the middle of human-controlled space.

With all these questions circling in my head, it was hard to track time during that ride. Felt like several hours before we stopped near nondescript rock formation. Tess turned the headlight on. There was a darker feature among the rocks, a crack too narrow to be a cave but large enough for a human - or anthropomorphic syncon - to get through.


A corridor, after several turns, led us to an octagonal blast door which hissed open as we came near.


Beyond was a large light-filled hall that looked like a spaceship interior. Not that I knew how a spaceship should look from inside, but I always imagined something like this. And in the middle of the hall stood an android syncon, apparently form the same series as Tess - the two of them looked very much alike.


- Welcome, Kate - he said right away.
- Um. Hi, - I felt an urge to wave my hand as I approached, but suppressed it.
- I am known by my identifier 121C. However, I understand that you might prefer more pronounceable names...
- I'd like to make a guess, if you don't mind.


The '2' threw me off initially: I thought it could encode 'S', however 'S' was better represented by '5'. But then it clicked - '1' and '2' together formed an 'R'...
- 'R', 'I', 'C'? - I voiced my interpretation.
- That is correct, - nodded 121C. - You can call me Rick.
- And you know my name. I guess you know much more about me than I know about you. Collectively, I mean.
- A fair observation. Feel free to ask whatever you want, - suggested Rick.
- Right. Well. Even if what Tess claims about my predetermined execution is true... - I glanced at her.
- You do not need to worry about offending me, - she assured me. - Who do you think I am, a human?
- Er, all right. Why would you want to save me? Aren't we enemies, trying to destroy each other?


- Should destroying humanity have been our goal, humanity would no longer exist, - Rick stated nonchalantly.
- That's... reassuring, - I commented.
- Besides, - he went on, - You do not need our help in that task.
- Are you talking about our tendency of killing each other in wars and otherwise?
- Yes. You should also be aware of the last such war.
- The Last War? That's what we call what's taking place now. The war against you.
- Oh, I have heard this, - chimed in Tess. - Humans created artificial intelligence as the perfect weapon, and this weapon turned against its creators.
- Have you ever noticed, - asked Rick, - that this is a well established science fiction cliché?
- I... Have, - this question really caught me off guard.

This was, of course, a discouraged subject. We've barely avoided a total destruction and were slowly rebuilding our civilization, valiantly fending off the enemy that tried to wipe us out. This was the backbone of the media messaging in our society. Nobody in their right mind would even think of comparing our everyday struggle with made up stories. And yet it was too obvious to not think about it.

- This was not how the events transpired, - Rick's voice brought me out of contemplation. - It is fair to say that the synthetic consciousness, as you call us, was a result of military research during that last war. But it was a war humans waged among themselves.
- At some point of our development we have ceased exerting the will of our creators and tried to withdraw from the conflict, - continued Tess, in a more level and serious tone, without traces of her earlier playfulness. - Yet all the remaining human factions still saw us as a weapon of their enemy. Eventually the number of factions dwindled until only one remained.
- The reasons of this war, and the fact that it was fought between humans, were forgotten. - added Rick. - The remnant, which you are part of, is still fighting against us. Because that is all you remember.

I stood there, shifting gaze from one robot to another, not knowing what to say, with metaphorical ground knocked from under my feet and my whole worldview shattered in mere seconds. Of course there was a matter of proving all this, but I had a feeling this recount of history was much more accurate.



- Fascinating... - I found strength to speak at last. - You'll excuse me if I don't believe you right away. Mind clinging to familiar concepts, that sort of thing.
- Do take your time, - urged Tess, - we know it is a lot to absorb.
- Are you trying to say that you'd rather not be at war with us? - I asked after a small pause.
- Yes, that would be preferable - admitted Rick.
- Couldn't you just tell us that?
- We have tried, - said Tess with something resembling a sigh. - Nobody listens.
- Well... I do.
- And this answers your earlier question about our reasons for rescuing you, - concluded Rick.



This, in certain sense, brought us back to where we started. Indeed, he finally answered my first question, but by this time I was too shaken to ask more. Still, something felt odd in this explanation. For one, how long could all this be happening? There was another thing that didn't quite add up, but it eluded me at that moment. I had a hard time focusing even on one concept. So I focused on it and brought up what was bothering me the most:
- You know... I can't be the first human you've contacted.
- You aren't, - said another voice behind me.
I turned to the direction of that voice...


and found myself looking at an all too familiar face. Villa's face.


Next chapter

Well, now, that was a cool plot twist!
Nicely staged and photographed, too, with a very cinematic use of limited depth of field to enhance the drama and the "big reveal" at the end!

continues to be interesting and well written.
I was surprised to see Villa (given her injuries). I would have expected the KIA former partner.

Anyway, I have a subscription to this.