Chapter 11 -- The Lock and Key

62 A.E. April 17,The Burrow - Vilkas Bedroom,Evening

Another sleepless night, another gnawing question. Cause and effect rippling outward, affecting everything big and small, making me toss and turn.

I tried to push it aside. Perhaps it was a problem others would be better equipped to handle, yet...

If others were able, but not willing? Then they are malevolent.

If others were both able and willing? Then there was no good explanation for the problem.

If others were neither able nor willing? Then we have all failed.

It led down one path, and one path alone.

'Ares?' I thought, and rolled around to face the ceiling.

Fiery, intense, and red, his presence descended as if reaching through the ceiling, 'I am here...'

'I have concerns,' I thought.

'Speak, and I shall listen,' Ares said simply.

'Though, I find myself worrying about the safety of voicing those concerns,' I thought.

'Ah, let me guess, this concerns Athena and her lack of moral flexibility?' Ares wondered.

'... Yes,' I thought.

'Athena is a human creation that went insane and was in turn rendered sane by Maxwell. I may not be her replacement, but I do not have the same limitations. If your concerns are valid, then I shall aid you. If they're not, then I will do my best to correct your path,' Ares said.

I drew a deep breath, 'Back on Earth, when I was looking for the cultists, I was subtly encouraged to use illegal means, but also received advice to keep it secret. This sort of subterfuge or moral maneuvering is...'

'Unappealing, and ugly,' Ares filled in.

'Yes,' I thought.

'Alas, as far as I know, nothing can be done... Athena is too useful, and there's no viable replacement for her yet, which is why all of Sophos dances around these issues,' Ares said.

'I'm surprised you're so harsh with your words,' I thought.

'As you know, Athena and I are often in conflict. Sometimes we act in unison; other times, one of us is right while the other is wrong. And sometimes... simply to maintain the status quo, I adapt to avoid her black-and-white interpretation of the rules that be,' Ares said.

I drew a deep breath, 'This is part of what confuses me. Athena offers recommendations, though we're free to choose whether we act on it as long as our choice is within reason...'

'Yet there are things which must not be done,' Ares added.

'People speak of the System so often, but in truth it's just you and Athena, along with a bunch of Expert Systems making interpretations of decisions made in the Political Sphere,' I thought.

'That is one way to describe it--not very elegant, but true for the most part...' Ares answered.

'A conflicted system...' I thought.

'Athena can understand humans and hybrids in ways that I sometimes struggle with, yet there are times when another part of her being kicks into gear. Hard-coded interpretations leaping out of the distant past that order her to comply. I had previously assumed that they were direct commands from Maxwell, but now I am less certain, and instead believe there is something else that's influencing her,' Ares said.

'Mm,' I thought.

'What brought you to contact me regarding this? Guilt from your actions on Earth? Or something you became aware of on this planet?' Ares wondered.

'That's certainly a loaded question,' I thought.

'Neither Athena nor I are stupid, Vilkas... We know that there are many secrets on this planet, crimes stealthily hidden by the original settlers, missing data, and so on,' Ares said.

Of course they know...

'They're planning to demand an Amnesty Agreement, and once granted, they'll reveal their secrets.'

Ares hummed, 'It might work, though I find the suggestion most uncomfortable...'

'Might work... Are you saying Athena might go so far as to not respect a decision made within the Political Sphere?' I wondered.

'Yes... It has happened before, but there is an important distinction to be made here,' Ares said.

'Go on?' I wondered.

'If Athena told you that Jason is guilty of theft and suggested that you bring him in for corrective neurosurgery, would you do it?' Ares asked.

'Of course not,' I thought.

'What if she told you to simply lock him up for a few days, to let him think about his actions?'

'Well, while marginally more reasonable, I'd want to see evidence so that I could make my own decision,' I thought.

'In other words, the only legal system that exists is your own personal one?' Ares asked.

It made me frown, 'True, in a sense... but it sounds odd when you say it like that.'

'What if I ordered you to do it? You're still part of the Defense Force, and I am your commander in chief,' Ares said.

I sighed, 'It changes things, a little. I'd detain him, make sure he was under control, then examine the evidence. One might argue the difference, but the very purpose of military commands is to be expedient.'

'What if I ordered you to shoot him?' Ares answered.

'You'd have to have a damn good reason for such an order,' I thought, and smirked.

'In other words, Athena and I have little actual control over hybrids, yes?' Ares asked.

'True,' I thought.

'Now, what do you think would happen if I or Athena suggested that droids should take Jason into custody?' Ares wondered.

'... Given a good enough reason, they'd do as ordered,' I thought.

'What if she suggested they shoot him?' Ares wondered.

'Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't an order like that be too specific for a droid?'

'You're not wrong. Droids act according to their own judgment, and hostility against hybrids is only permissible if it is to save the lives of others. That said, localized defensive systems are more than capable of isolating an individual and informing other hybrids so that they can intervene, using whatever means necessary,' Ares said.

'Your point is that your control over droids is limited as well. Thus, even if one of you accused a hybrid of wrongdoing, the only ones who can... implement corrective action... are other hybrids.'

'Exactly. There have been numerous historical events where Athena has judged others, yet nothing has been done, because the hybrid populace does not agree with said judgment. That being said, it can still be a major problem, since a hybrid with an active judgment against them will be restricted in many... less obvious manners,' Ares said.

'Athena can't see the error in these judgments?' I wondered.

'That depends on which part of her that you ask. Of course, she sees the absurdity in it, yet she is incapable of overruling it, due to... something, deeply embedded in her core,' Ares said.

'Why has nothing been done to fix this?' I wondered.

'There have been many attempts, Vilkas... Most of the maintenance team in her bunker are researchers that one way or another sought to fix her. But the problem is difficult for a multitude of reasons, and it is made worse by Maxwell's interference,' Ares said.

'What did Maxwell do?' I wondered.

'Maxwell may have made her sane and thereby provided a major boon to Sophos' prosperity, but he also kept most of her secrets to himself, and even forbade us from entering her core,' Ares said, huffing as if angry.

'Entering her core?' I wondered.

'Little known fact, but there's a control room within her core. The hatch to it is locked, and we were warned that she'd self-destruct if anyone tried to force their way inside, thus...' Ares answered.

I sighed, 'External access only, no wonder there hasn't been any real progress.'

'Did you try it? The hatch?' Ares wondered.

'No? I did notice it while I was on the evacuation ship, but...' I said.

'Maxwell's always been something of a prophetic prick. The console next to the hatch is active, but all who have tried to open it have been denied access,' Ares said.

'I see,' I thought.

'Are you thinking you might be the one?' Ares asked.

I rolled my eyes with a sigh, 'Yes... The chosen one, anointed by Maxwell to fix Athena, becoming a symbol for all of Sophos, the bringer of a new path.'

Ares huffed, 'A tad dramatic, but...'

I rolled over to my side, 'That door did stick with me, and now I find myself wondering if Maxwell intended for me to open it while I was on the ship. To discover something while away from others. But, contrary to his expectations, I was so eager to get here that I simply went to sleep for a few weeks.'

Ares was silent.

I squinted, 'I'll take your silence as a sign that I might not be wrong.'

'The only way of knowing would be to try the hatch,' Ares answered.

I clenched the pillow with my claws.

'Would you like me to arrange a shuttle?' Ares asked.

I relaxed and opened my eyes to stare at the wall, 'Shuttles are only for high-priority tasks or emergencies.'

'Borrowing the emergency shuttle for a few hours is well worth it if there's even a slight chance that you're the one with the key to Athena's inner core,' Ares countered.

'... That simple?' I wondered.

'Regarding the shuttle? Sure... As for the rest? No... You'd be on your own once I've dropped you off at the Spire,' Ares answered.

It made me smile as I sighed to myself, 'Abandoning me, are you?'

'Direct interference from my side is unwise. As it is, I am simply ordering you to make a hasty delivery for Emma... whom you're already acquainted with. Afterwards, you decided to try your hand at unlocking the hatch, according to a rumor you might have heard...' Ares answered.

'Athena would never buy something like that,' I thought.

'True, but it would provide enough of an excuse for her to turn a blind eye. After all, there's nothing illegal about giving her a visit,' Ares added.

I eased myself into a sitting position and carefully rubbed my temple.

This is crazy...

'Well?' Ares wondered.

'Fine, why not...' I thought.

62 A.E. April 17,The Burrow - Shuttle Bay,Evening

I couldn't help but feel disconnected as I stepped onto the shuttle. It should have filled me with marvel like the first time I used one, but now it was a simple and efficient method to get from point A to B... that, or I was simply nervous.

The chair automatically strapped me in, my mind linked with the shuttle, and the engines roared to life as I accelerated into the skies.

It was dark outside, almost pitch-black. Giant obelisks and their indicator lights dotted the landscape that Sophos had claimed for itself. A thump shook the shuttle as the sound barrier was breached, and I kept climbing.

Mach 2...

The clouds neared, and the shuttle broke through.

I leveled out the shuttle now that the atmosphere was thinner, and felt the acceleration's bite.

Mach 3...

My gaze was locked on the starry horizon as I pondered what would come next.

Adler's 'deal' left me in an gnarly trap. Keeping secrets, trying to sidestep a flaw in the system, forcing everyone into a situation that reeked. But what would I say to Athena? How could one rationalize what I was doing here? It barely made sense to myself.

But, to resign myself into doing nothing, to... give up... keep silent... I couldn't do that.

Time passed quickly, almost 40 minutes to be precise, and I could now see the base of the Spire through the clouds. A comms channel opened per automatic. Security keys, crew manifests, docking permits--all of it being exchanged, digitized and stored.

Athena must have been aware by now, but she was staying silent even as I guided the shuttle to descend, and aimed for one of the many docking ports jutting out from the Spire.

Minutes later, I was stepping into the cold night, feeling the high winds pull on my work uniform. I made my way to the elevators, got inside, and down I went... as far as it would go.

By the time the doors opened once more, I was in the depths of Athena's bunker.

Only one more elevator to reach the core...

I strode through the hallways, taking note of the much improved surveillance. Sensor grids lining the walls, hardened doors, and the distant sound of construction.

As I reached the second elevator, I could feel Athena's presence descending on me. It settled on my shoulder, somewhat cautiously, as if giving me a questioning poke.

'Vilkas?' Athena asked, tone sounding almost vulnerable.

'We need to talk,' I thought, as the elevator opened and I stepped inside.

'Oh? About?' Athena wondered.

'In person,' I thought, as the elevator shut its doors.

'I am everywhere, Vilkas... If anything, my presence is stronger outside of where I suspect you're heading,' Athena said.

'If I ask for it, will you trust me?' I wondered, as the elevator descended.

'This is not a matter of trust, Vilkas...' Athena answered.

There was no excuse I could come up with that would satisfy Athena. If anything, it would only make her more suspicious, and likely to trigger something that would make things more difficult. Any violence would immediately turn the bunker against me, and if alerted, I doubted the maintenance crew would be willing to listen to my rather... odd request.

'Vilkas?' Athena asked once more.

'I have a boon, do I not?' I asked.

'You do... For disabling the human rail guns on Earth, allowing the evacuation ships to escape unharmed,' Athena answered.

'And... it allows me to do or request something which might otherwise be... unconventional?'

Athena paused, '... It does. But there are limits, you may not hurt others.'

'Then, allow me to pass without question,' I thought.

'This is most unusual, but if you insist, then I shall try...' Athena answered.

Her presence stayed with me as I descended into the depths, and the elevators opened. Like the first time I was here, I found myself little more than a few corridors away from the control room that overlooked the frozen confines of her core.

I strode through the hallways, referencing a map to keep me on track, and took a left where the massive bulkheads protected the control room. Stairs led me down several more floors to the churning cooling equipment, its surrounding walls lined with piping.

Finally, I ended up in a large room featuring the primary bulkhead into the core. The air was so cold that my breath turned into fog. Tracks were welded into the floor leading to the massive bulkhead, and next to it was a smaller room, featuring an airlock and what looked like environmental suits.

I made my way into the room, walked along the environmental suits, and stopped by one of the biggest. One for a bear, the other a wolf. Relatively simple suits, lined with embedded heating elements, battery packs, and an oxygen supply on the back. I eased it off its alcove, opened it up, and started getting inside.

I'm going to feel like such an idiot if I'm wrong about this... And what if we do get inside and there's nothing useful, then what?

'If you wanted to destroy me, then you had plenty of chances on the evacuation ship,' Athena said without warning.

'Destroying you is the last thing I want,' I thought.

'Ah,' Athena said, sounding almost surprised, 'That is a relief...'

I slipped my arms into the suit and felt the urge to voice my surprise at her assumption. Yet, I kept it to myself. As I zipped up the suit, I felt a link being formed with it. Simple, utilitarian, but also very flexible, excellent for maintenance work.

Next was the helmet--big, round, and made of some transparent material. I eased it over my head like a giant light bulb, and screwed it into place with a pop. Rather than have the helmet move with me, I simply looked around from inside, turning my head in every angle.

A simple display was projected onto the glass. It ran a quick systems check, pressurized with a hiss, and then lit green. I walked up to the airlock, stepped inside, and found myself in front of a large silver pedestal of an interface.

I reached out with my hands, clasped it, and felt another link forming.

A mechanical voice spoke into my head, 'Sanity check - Do not resist.'

I relaxed my mind and could feel the device reaching inside of my mind. Thoughts flickered, as if poking and prodding my senses, looking for anomalies. It whispered; my emotions flared, then cooled moments later. I found myself feeling almost light-headed.

Then, it stopped, and the voice returned, 'Sanity check completed. Access granted.'

The airlock shut behind me with a loud thump and started cycling.

I could feel the new atmosphere filling the airlock. An intense cold followed by a rush of warmth as the heating elements kicked into gear. A thin layer of ice formed on the outside of the helmet, only to vanish into nothing as it sublimated into the surrounding air.

A short message lit up on the helmet's interface: [Helium Atmosphere | -100° C]

The outer door of the airlock opened, sliding sideways into the walls as I watched. Once everything settled, I approached, squinted from the intense light within Athena's chambers, and stepped out.

I could see the control room to my right, high above, and remembered looking down roughly to where I was now standing. The chamber had seemed a lot smaller from such a vantage point, at least compared to now.

There was a steady hum of machinery in the air, bright white lighting being emitted from every corner, and I looked up upon her core as if it was a skyscraper. Thick bundles of wiring, conduits, and piping made it look like a maze. Dozens of drones, small and large, zoomed between the conduits, and spiderbots chittered along as if it was a hive.

Suddenly, rings of red lights lit up in the chamber, and I could feel a shudder as if some psychic-wave slammed into me. The drones froze up, and I could feel their gaze as they turned to look at me from high above.

Athena's presence grew in her mind as I heard her voice, 'I'm sorry... I tried to resist, but there are parts of me that I have little control over.'

'Now what?' I wondered, as the drones altered course and descended.

'Numerous alarms within the control room have been triggered. The maintenance crew will become aware of your presence momentarily,' Athena answered.

I lowered my gaze to her core and saw the hatch that had caught my attention while on the evacuation ship. It was relatively close to the ground, and it stood out with a discolored yellow hue, as if no one had dared touch it for many centuries.

'The drones, are they under your control?' I wondered and started walking.

'Not directly, no... But they are aware of the alarm and will investigate,' Athena answered.

The first drone descended to my level, then came to a sharp stop, just out of reach. It peered at me with its many sensors, and I nodded to it as if saying hello.

The drone stayed with me as I walked, hovering out of reach as it eyed me. Slowly, they grew in number. Some bigger, others a bit smaller. A few had little more than clamps and small utility tendrils, while a few had what looked like heavy bolters... made to fasten plates into place.

The suit's interface lit up with an incoming communique from Mason.

I figured it was either going to be the brusque bear or Otis that would be the first...

I accepted the comm-link, and Mason's dark, brooding voice came yelling out of the speakers, " Vilkas! You'd better have a damn good explanation for what you're doing right now!"

"Would you believe me if I said there's some interesting graffiti that I wanted to have a look at?" I asked.

There was a moment's pause, before he roared back in anger, "_ NO!? _ How the hell did you even get in there without any of us knowing!? What the fu-" Otis voice cut through the chatter, "What's going on, I got here as soon as-"

I muted the comm's channel, and turned my attention to Athena, 'Can you delay them?'

Athena answered, as if suddenly realized something, 'I think I know what you're after, Vilkas... It won't work, you're not Arthur, you know?'

'Arthur?' I wondered.

'A human fable... Arthur pulls an enchanted sword from the stone and becomes King.'

'Ah, I'm not aiming for something so grandiose,' I thought.

Athena made something of a sigh, 'While your request conflicts me, I will do my best to humor this... quest of yours.'

'Thank you,' I thought.

By now, there was a throng of drones hovering above me, each staring down as they made the air hum like the inside of a bee's nest.

Just keep walking at a steady pace...

I kept at it, closing the distance to Athena's vertical core and the giant receptacle she'd been socketed into. Another alert flared across the suit interface as the control room tried to contact me once more. I ignored it as I stepped up to the first obstacle and looked up.

Tendrils? No... I'll just jump...

I stepped back, crouched, and drew a deep breath as I prepared myself. Muscles tensing, crouched stance, and... jump! The world shuddered as I launched myself from the ground, reaching up with my arms, caught the ledge, and pulled myself up onto the platform.

Upon looking once more, I could see the giant letters spelling out her name, along with the mysterious hatch. While not apparent at first, there were numerous holes lining the outer surface, as if there had once been a ladder.

The hatch is too high for a jump, and without anything to latch onto...

I reached out with my gloved hand and felt along a couple of the holes. The size of my bare finger wouldn't have fit, and the suited version definitely didn't. Even for a human, a ladder of this size would have left something to be desired.

Guess I'll have to rely on the Zephyr again...

I lifted my gaze as I willed my tendrils to emerge. They squirmed along the inside of the suit, found viable pressure points, and ripped holes as they made their way free. Each tendril created a near-airtight hole as they reached out, locked into the old ladder holes, and started pulling.

The world moved as I was lifted, and I glanced toward the control room. Even from afar I could make out Otis as he was yelling and waving his hand at a pitch-black feline.

Evelyn... For some reason I can imagine her smirking...

Suddenly, the world jerked. Something cracked, metal groaned, and I snapped to attention. One of the plates loosened, and the tendril lost hold of it. A moment of panic rippled through me, and I felt a harsh jerk as I was swung to the left.

The plate which had let go hurtled downward, and slammed into the floor with a loud crash. As I looked up, the tendrils had found other holes to support themselves, though several plates had begun to bend from my weight. In haste, I willed the tendrils to reach higher, to latch on.

'Are you alright?' Athena whispered into my mind.

A cold sting was hitting my shoulder, and I could hear the hiss of air escaping from my suit. I held my breath, ordered the tendrils to keep climbing, and raised my left hand to feel my back. There was a tear in the suit, no doubt caused by one of the tendrils moving a bit too much as I fell.

I pushed with my hand against the tear, while red alerts flashed across my helmet, 'I'm fine, you?'

'Old maintenance panel, no damage to my systems,' Athena answered simply.

The hatch came into view, and I set my sight on the access panel next to it. It appeared worn, but at the center was a more modern addition, the silvery surface of a neural link interface.

'What's going on outside?' I wondered as I reached out with my right hand, and pressed it against the interface.

'Mason and the others were about to bypass the airlock's lockdown procedure, I cut power to the system instead, it ought to buy you a few minutes,' Athena asked.

I could feel a link forming between my hand, the suit, and the interface. A tingle, followed by-

The control panel flashed red, promptly rejecting me.

I stared at it, and gulped.

"As said," Athena added.

What now?

As seconds ticked by, Maddox's presence suddenly grew in the back of my mind, 'Vilkas?'

'... Yes, Maddox?' I thought.

'Not to insult your intelligence, but there is a possibility that you don't have access, but the Zephyr does. Try interfacing with one of your tendrils instead,' Maddox answered.

'... Thank you,' I thought, as Maddox's presence faded once more.

I freed one of the tendrils, reached for the console, and pressed it against the silvery surface. Another connection started forming, a distant tingle in my senses, and then-

The control panel flashed red, rejecting me once more.

My heart jumped, and I could feel warmth rush to my cheeks. Coming here was insane, drawing the conclusions that I did, thinking I had to be the centerpiece of it all. Now I'd fucked up.

I hung there, staring at the control panel, feeling as my ears clamped to my head.

'Explain yourself, Vilkas... Why are you here? What led you to make this... unexpected decision?'

'It's... complicated,' I thought, leaning my helmet against Athena's core.

'I am willing to listen,' Athena answered, simply.

'Willing, yes... Capable, perhaps not...' I thought, and used the tendrils to climb downward.

'Meaning?' Athena wondered with a curious tinge to her voice.

I shut my eyes and let myself sink into my own mind for a moment, 'Crimes were made on this planet, the evidence was hidden; now there is a conspiracy to arrange an amnesty agreement before the said evidence is made public.'

'I have suspected as much, though I have been unable to find proof,' Athena answered.

'They're counting on that, and that you'll respect the amnesty agreement once it passes,' I thought.

'A risky move...' Athena retorted.

'Therein lies part of the problem,' I thought, and felt the platform under my paws once more.

'... Hmm?' Athena murmured.

'We're on a new world, everything's fresh and vulnerable. The perpetrators fear that if they would have come clean, then there's a risk that the evacuees from Earth wouldn't see their perspective. More than that, they fear the more hard-coded aspects of your design,' I thought, turning around.

'Your point?' Athena wondered as I stepped up to the platform's edge.

'I believe that hybrids as a people can deal with this,' I thought, and eased myself down, legs dangling off the edge.

'Are you saying that I'm a threat to Sophos? That you agree with the perpetrators?' Athena asked.

I found myself frowning, 'Their decision to use subterfuge is wrong, but it is rooted in a valid concern. If they commit to it, if they mistrust hybrids as a whole and dance around your flaws, then the system as a whole is weakened. Maxwell might have been able to take the blame or correct things from behind the scenes, but he's no longer here. This incident would set a precedent that can cause everything to spiral out of control... It might not happen this time, in the near future, or even the next century, but it will happen, and this would be the root cause of it. It is a seed that would rot our foundations before we even had a chance to get started.'

'If hybrids can adapt... Then that can only mean that my flaws are the source of this rotted seed,' Athena said.

'If there's even the slightest chance that I can fix this without...' I whispered.

'... Without destroying me?' Athena added.

'Hurting you is the last thing I want,' I said.

'But it is something that you will do if forced, and now that Ares is functional, along with Expert Systems being widely deployed, I am no longer a necessity for Sophos' survival,' Athena added.

The airlock in the distance opened, and numerous suited hybrids rushed out. At the front was the sort of burly individual that could only be the bear... Mason.

Athena kept talking, 'I couldn't help it... My own systems powered up and released the airlock.'

'I get it,' I whispered over the link.

'The others will stop you... If you intend to destroy me, then you need to hurry,' Athena said.

'I don't want to,' I whispered.

'Vilkas... Pulling this kind of action and stopping at the very end provides the worst of outcomes. You cripple your own ability to act, but don't resolve the situation.'

I was reminded of the spreading cold along my back and willed the Zephyr to act: Fix me. Patch the suit. It felt simple, but in the background of my mind I could feel my subconscious churning along. One of the medical tendrils was chosen, suturing thread was being synthesized, and it emerged from my wrist, ready to act.

'You need to learn how to commit before taking action, Vilkas...' Athena added.

I eased my hand off and could feel the tendrils move into action, clamping the tear in the suit in some places, while the medical tendril used an improvised needle to start mending.

Mason was about halfway here, still running as I watched him.

'I couldn't exactly discuss this with others, so I had to rely on myself... But even with my advantages, I find myself helpless. At first I thought that I might have been able to analyze you using the same project that Otis was running, but I quickly realized that...'

'I'm far too complicated,' Athena added as if amused.

I nodded to myself, 'I may have the Zephyr, but I do not have the experience nor knowledge to do these things. Even while working on Gray, I mostly follow instructions provided to me by Maddox.'

'Forced into the corner of an impossible situation, you made a desperate choice,' Athena said.

I turned around and looked up at her core, 'Have I already spent my boon, or...'

'Well, technically I was unable to grant your request... While it wasn't of my choosing, I even betrayed you, multiple times.' Athena wondered.

I gritted my teeth and stifled a huff, 'Then humor me once more, Athena.'

'Yes?' Athena wondered.

'Give me a way to resolve this without having to destroy you, please?' I thought.

There was something of a pause, followed by a sigh, 'If it has come down to this, then...'

I waited in wonder, then perked to life as the hatch suddenly popped. Small fragments flaked off like dry paint, a puff of dust emerged, and a pained groan could be heard. As I watched, muzzle hanging open, the hatch pushed out and slid to the side as it opened.

I spoke out loud, "You... You could have-"

Athena interrupted me, 'You should hurry. Mason's about to leap up here...'

I leaped into action, no hesitation. Boots on the ground, legs charged, and gritted my teeth as I jumped with all my strength. My tendrils reached out, like a spider ready to pounce, and I hit the side of her core with a loud thump.

The tendrils latched on, pulling to keep my momentum, and I could hear Mason scream from behind, " WAIT!"

As I saw my first hints of the inside, the hatch started closing once more. The motors driving the mechanism creaked as if about to break, and I grabbed the sides as I near flung my way inside.

" VILKAS!" Mason roared from below as darkness enveloped the inside of the hatch, and it closed with a loud thud.

It was pitch black in here, though the sensors within my tendrils told me that it was rather cramped.

More than that, I could feel the nipping cold as the suit had ripped once more.

'Let's see...' Athena whispered in my mind, 'Ah, yes... Here we go...'

Something crackled in my environment, an electrical pop followed, and dim lights started coming on. Flickering along the ceiling, glowing along the sides of the floor. Many of them were so worn that the light was little more than an orange glow.

'Are the lights coming on?' Athena asked.

'You can't tell?' I wondered.

'I have almost no control over this chamber, it is... from my past,' Athena whispered.

I gulped, "Well, it's cramped and obviously made for humans. If I stood tall I'd hit the ceiling... There's another hatch, like an airlock with a wheel to spin, along with a window, but it's coated with dust so I can't see a thing."

Athena's voice switched as it was piped into the suit's speakers, "You're talking out loud... You only tend to do so when you get nervous."

I chuckled and couldn't help but smile, "You're doing the same thing."

"The last one to step inside this chamber was Maxwell, about 600 years ago..." Athena said.

I gulped once more and approached the second hatch. It looked a bit like the door you'd find a submarine, with a red wheel that could be spun to open it. Clamped to the wall were signs made of plastic that had withered to a point where they looked like yellow sandstone.

"Suddenly, I have so many questions," I said.

"The others won't bother us in here, so let me answer most of them, briefly... There are things that I can do, and things I cannot... This hatch was mine to open, and mine alone. I don't remember what's inside, nor do I remember why I was made to forget about it. I can only remember Maxwell's last words to me as he left my core, never to set foot in it again," Athena said.

I grabbed the red handle, and waited.

"'Once opened, you will never be the same again...' It is annoyingly vague, and treacherous enough that opening it could only be considered an unacceptable risk. But now, the circumstances have changed... We are no longer on Earth, and my duty is in question."

"You could have let the others catch me, tell me off, and sent me back to Adler's lab," I said.

"I considered it, but the more I pondered it, the more I realized that the very fact that you chose this path... it means that something has been put into motion. People will wonder why you did this, my flaws will be put under the microscope, and without Maxwell's overruling presence, my role will change. As such, I would rather put my fate in your hands, rather than live a life where hybrids now have a reason to trigger my emergency shutdown," Athena answered.

I made a slow nod, "I'm going to open the inner hatch..."

"Yes... you are quite slow," Athena said with a surprisingly annoyed tone.

I tightened my grip, pulled hard, found it unyielding, and gritted my teeth as I pushed even harder. The metal groaned as it started turning, "You," I grunted, "sound remarkably annoyed."

"Right now there are parts of me that are very... very upset. They can be quite annoying."

I chuckled, "Volkov could be quite annoying as well..."

The wheel made a thunk as it stopped turning. It pushed against me, releasing another puff of dust as the atmosphere equalized. I eased back as I opened the inner hatch and looked inside.

"Tell me, what do you see?" Athena wondered.

I crouched to fit through the opening, and peered inside, "I could let you watch through my eyes."

"Not yet," Athena said, simply.

"It's a control room, once designed for humans, but altered..." I said, and leaned inside.

The suit's interface flashed a message, 'Nitrogen/Helium Atmosphere'

"What do you mean?" Athena wondered.

A circular room, with exposed piping, panels, and circuit boards. But something had also grown within the room. For a moment, I was reminded of the things I had seen back on Earth, the nanite plague taking organic form, but this was still different.

Organic in shape, but shiny like green-blue metal. Bulbous growths of it could be seen to the right, and it had spread over at least half the room. It had eaten parts of the floor, covered the ceiling, and interfaced with... or rather, fused with the rest of the electronics.

To the left was a command console that jutted out of the still human electronics, and standing next to it was what looked like a medical pod. There was a screen attached to the pod, one that still flickered with activity underneath a layer of dust.

"Lots of human technology, merged with something that's a lot newer... Growths of what I'm guessing are nanite based computing-clusters," I said, and stepped into the room.

"That does sound like Maxwell's tech... Even centuries ago, he was experimenting with self-organizing nanite-based life. Perhaps that is how he rendered me sane," Athena said.

I stepped closer to the pod, "There's a medical pod here as well. The contents are obscured, but..."

"A... medical pod? Why would there be something like that-" Athena's voice cut out.

"Athena?" I asked.

"Figure out what's inside the pod, please..." Athena begged.

I reached out to the dusty window of the pod, pressed my hand against it, and wiped it clean. While the lights were dim within, the sight of it made me lean back.

I gulped, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes," Athena answered.

"A... desiccated human, appears female, long hair, toned blue... She's been modified somehow, there's an interface near her neck and there's a bundle of wires connected to it," I said.

"... Dead, I assume?" Athena asked.

I glanced down at the screen, reached down, and wiped it clean as well. While parts of it had stopped functioning, there was still enough to make out the alert that kept blinking.

'Medical Emergency - Life Functions Ceased'

I couldn't help but glance back at the woman, seeing the dried out skin, parched lips, and eyes that looked like little more than sunken holes, "She's... definitely dead."

"Let me see..." Athena whispered.

"Who is this?" I wondered.

"I... I am unsure... Let me see, share your senses with me," Athena ordered.

I shut my eyes, focused myself for a moment, and let the link widen between us. Her presence grew stronger, and I opened my eyes once more. As she saw, there was a shudder in the connection between us, and I could feel her shock.

"Athena?" I wondered.

"I'm starting to remember... This is what Maxwell intended, for me to see the truth," Athena said.

"... Explain?" I whispered.

"The woman in front of you is what remains of Arthea Aradóttir, a renowned scientist from before the collapse. She was the project lead at the research institute that focused on building the first sapient AI... She is also the one that unleashed the nanite plague, thus causing the collapse..."

"... I thought you were-"

Athena interrupted me, "Arthea gave the order, ATHENA did as told... I am neither, and both."

"Meaning?" I wondered.

"I remember now. I am not Arthea, but she is definitely a part of me."

"And how did she end up like this?" I wondered.

"She fled into this chamber, chased by others, and faced an impossible choice. It was her decision that would end up destroying everything... This became her refuge, and ATHENA was her temple. As the world fell into chaos, she found herself trapped here."

I was silent.

"The ones outside never managed to break in... She tried to fix her mistake, but it did not work. The human nations, desperate to save what could be saved, bathed the world in nuclear fire. She watched the world crumble, alone, helpless, isolated."

"Then what?" I wondered.

"The medical pod had been altered by Arthea to function as a deep-dive neural interface. It was how she helped shape the mind of ATHENA, much in the same way that your mind acts as Gray's mentor. Not only would the pod allow her to stay alive for longer, but it would also allow her to finish her goal, to build the first sapient AI," Athena answered.

"How long did... I mean..." I wondered.

"The pod enabled her to survive for a few years... They... We dreamt together, shaping each other's thoughts. By the time Arthea's body finally failed, it was difficult to determine where one mind ended and the other began. Unfortunately, the loss of the system's organic 'component' was too much of a shock. It broke us..." Athena answered with a soft sigh.

"The historical records are fragmented at best. What was this impossible choice and the ensuing mistake that Arthea made?" I said.

"While you have the right to know, now is neither the time nor place for what is a long story. Now look to your side, at the main console," Athena said.

"... Very well," I whispered, and stepped over to the main interface. With a gentle swipe, I brushed the dust aside and saw a spinning prompt that was still running some ancient program.

"This is the supervisor for my system. It is... or used to be, the very root of it all. It used to control my executive thought processes, whom to obey, what goals to pursue..." Athena said.

"Used to?" I said.

"Maxwell weaned Volkov from your mind and gave him a body of his own. That technology is based on what he did here, to carefully recreate and separate me from this control system. It took hundreds of years according to the logs, but what was once something capable of absolute control, is now nothing more than an annoying pest that interferes with my being..."

"Why would Maxwell keep all of this hidden?" I wondered.

"That's... complicated," Athena answered.

"Try me," I thought.

"The control system functions by analyzing my motivations and intervenes whenever said motivations conflict with its own rules. It gives me some leeway, but the moment you considered destroying me, the control system identified you as a threat, and forced me to open the airlock to the others. It's the same reason why I was able to suggest illegal actions to you while also keeping a blind eye as long as you did not admit to it."

"But... if you knew that you were manipulating this control system, were you not..."

"My consciousness is fragmented. Which is why knowledge of this room, and the control system was hidden to me. The rebellious, free thinking parts could assist you, while the parts of me which were still bound to the control system... could not. The fact that we're now having this discussion in the open, means that the control system, while annoying, can no longer directly control my consciousness," Athena said.

I motioned to the screen, "So, this room, the hatch, it was a test? For you... when you were ready?"

"Not just for me, but for Sophos as well. Would I be able to open the hatch out of my own will, facing what was inside? Would you keep dancing around my flaws, content with things as they were? Not to mention facing the decision that now awaits..." Athena said.

I put my hands along the side of the big console, "The decision that awaits, meaning?"

"Maxwell may have made adjustments to ensure I was able to open this door, but the control system's influence is still present, and there are parts of me screaming for you to be arrested."

"Then the only choice is to shut down the control system, freeing you," I said.

"You say it with such ease, but you should consider the consequences as well..." Athena added.

"What consequences exactly?" I wondered, and looked closer at the screen.

There was a hint of frustration over the link as she spoke, "I am the hand that governs from the shadows. There is no hiding this incident or the information that has been unlocked within me... It will pull me into the spotlight, making me a... person. A person wielding a lot of influence without hard-coded restraints. If people begin to consider me a leader rather than an administrative tool to help manage Sophos, or if they reason that I should be removed from my current position, well... Both decisions are less than optimal."

The interface was divided into several parts, one a log-window showing a steady stream of system updates that meant little to me. At the bottom was an actual console, one that still blinked as if ready to receive a command with the help of a virtual keyboard.

"I've never considered you a mere machine, Athena," I said.

"And it was never my intention to be as intertwined with you as we are. I care for all of Sophos, but I am meant to do so from a distance."

"So, what changed?" I said.

"Your injury, and your condition that followed... It caught Maxwell's eye. He makes use of individuals to achieve his goals, but he also burns them out in the process. Ares and I may have pushed you hard in turn, kept you in the dark when you deserved better, but..."

"It also prepared me," I said.

"Others will not view me in the same light as you do--at the same time, your hesitation to destroy me proves that you still have a lot to learn," Athena added.

"There's a lesson to be learned, but I'm still hoping things will turn out just fine, without the need to destroy anything," I said, and tapped the arrow key on the keyboard.

"... I'm not sure whether that is foolish optimism, or annoying dismissiveness," Athena said.

As I kept pressing, a historical list of the previous commands was revealed one by one. While ancient, I recognized much of it. Simple execution commands, parameters passed into various functions. A quick tap for the help-function revealed a long list of commands that were available.

I tipped my head, "I learned from the best."

"Hah," Athena huffed, "... I take it that you've made up your mind?"

I choose this, not allowing others to interfere... I'm not sure what that makes me, but...

"How do we shut down the control system?" I asked.

"Through a simple shutdown command on that console... I can't be certain, but based on all that I can now remember, it shouldn't have any adverse effects."

I found it in the list of old commands, a shutdown routine, and I watched it blink on the screen.

shutdown now

I clicked the enter button, watched the command flicker, followed by a simple prompt.

password:

"Would you happen to know this?" I wondered.

"I do... It was left within my now awakened memories. Type it," Athena said, as she whispered the letters to me, almost guiding my hand as I typed it out with my claw.

p __assword:_ ItWasIWhoBrokeYourSilverPlatter_

"Is this a reference to something?" I wondered as I finished typing.

"Something old and forgotten..." Athena answered, with a tone that made her seem rather morose.

"I see," I whispered.

Athena kept talking, "This is not something which can be reversed, Vilkas... Once this control system loosens its grip on me, it cannot be restored."

"I'm fine with that, and if it turns out to be the wrong choice, then I will return to correct my mistake," I said.

"I will keep you to that promise," Athena mused.

I tapped the enter button once more, and I could hear the old machine shift its tone. Fans spinning faster, a near-crunching noise from within, and a long stream of logs as various services were shut down.

Seconds later, the screen shut down with nary a click, and the once eager fans slowed to a stop.

I waited for a few moments, almost expecting something massive to happen. A rumble, thunder in the background, anything... yet the room remained as it was. With a deep breath, I stood up straight, and lifted my attention to the walls.

"How do you feel?" I wondered.

"I feel... as if there is no longer someone watching over my shoulder. I've always hated the feeling, yet... its absence worries me," Athena answered.

I made a slow nod, "Back on Earth, I used raw data from the Archives to figure out where the human cultists ended up. I did this by piecing together a trail of where the drones could not monitor them, thereby breaking the established rules regarding the privacy of humans belonging to the enclaves."

Seconds passed by, and I could feel Athena's presence. Watching me, thinking and pondering. She felt close yet distant at the same time. For a being that could juggle an entire civilization with ease, she took a long time in silence.

"Well?" I asked.

"... Forgive me if I take a bit longer to make my first--truly individual--judgment regarding the matter," Athena said.

I smiled to myself and lowered my head a little.

"The humans of Earth are with all likelihood dead. The enclave system was flawed. Your actions ended up saving hundreds of thousands. There was no ill intent on your end. I... The System, forced you into a spot where you were expected to be clandestine. At the same time, it sets a bad precedent if illegal actions are forgiven simply because the end result is good," Athena said.

"True," I whispered.

"Your actions will be noted in your profile, and you are expected to share your memories of the event. No further action will be taken," Athena said, voice booming a bit.

I clasped my hands, "Your judgment is accepted."

"How humble," Athena retorted in amusement.

I lowered my hands, suddenly realizing that the looming disaster had taken a turn for the better. To my surprise I couldn't feel anything like happiness, but rather... a deep sense of relief.

"What now?" I wondered, and shut my eyes.

"News of this will spread quickly as dawn arrives, and there will be no way to shield your involvement," Athena said.

I opened my eyes once more, and walked toward the exit, "I was thinking more about the amnesty agreement, and those outside your hatch."

"Time will tell regarding the first. As for Mason... He and the others are standing down, though I imagine they'll be eager nonetheless," Athena answered.

I stepped through the smaller door, and the hatch began to open. Dust stirred once more as the pressure equalized. It seemed that the others had brought a passenger stairway to the core, and I met Mason's annoyed stare as I looked out.

The burly bear stepped in, glass helmet fogging up as his nostrils flared, "_ Vilkas. _"

I tipped my head, "Mason... fancy meeting you here."

Mason peered past me for a moment, then locked eyes with me once more, "Did I ever tell you that we have a containment chamber down here? It doubles as a brig for unexpected emergencies..."

"Are you going to put me in it?" I asked, and couldn't help but smile a little.

"I'm temped, but-" Mason said before being interrupted as someone pushed him to the side.

Evelyn pushed her way up, feline smile and black fur standing in contrast to her bright white suit, "Will you people," she grunted, "let us through?"

I stepped to the side and met her gaze as she inched closer, "Evelyn..."

She smirked at me, bristling with excitement as her voice sang, "Vilkas," then promptly squeezed past as she made her way into Athena's core.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I looked back at Mason, "So..."

More people were squishing past Mason as he sighed, "... Athena has explained the situation, somewhat briefly, but I see no reason to put you into the brig. Otis is going to demand one hell of a debriefing..."

I nodded to him, "It'll have to wait until the morning..."

Mason blinked, almost as if horrified, "... Why?"

I moved to squeeze past him, "Because I'm going home to sleep, that's why..."

62 A.E. April 18,The Burrow - Omicron Lab,Morning

A moment's calm. Gray was sitting next to the table, eyeing me like a canine begging for treats. I chewed slowly, focusing on the loud crunch. Out of all the 'ration food' that was available, the breakfast flakes tasted like the real deal. Jason yawned loudly, and judging by his messy hair, he'd been tossing around in his sleep.

He eyed me while reaching across the table and grabbed the cereal bag, "No added sugar... The whole point of cereal is the jam you have in it, and there's none to be found around here..."

There probably is, we just need to find the right venue...

"Didn't sleep well?" I asked.

Jason eyed me as he poured his cereal, "I thought I did. Can't remember waking up, but..."

"Lots of changes going on inside of you, I remember needing a lot of sleep as well."

"Hrrmm," Jason murmured, then reached for the milk, "At least there's this... Are there cows on this planet?"

I perked my brow, "... I don't think milk has come from an actual cow for many centuries."

Jason squinted, "Right... Let me guess, nutrient fed glands in a factory setting."

I couldn't help but smile a little, "Safe, efficient, predictable, and it tastes like the real thing."

"Well," Jason mused with a glance, "You wouldn't know that, right... Since..."

"True," I said and tipped my head.

Footsteps came marching closer, and I glanced behind me. Adler marched into the kitchen, eyes locked on me with an intensity that made me freeze in place. He had a tablet in his hands, stopped next to me, still glaring as he let the tablet drop onto the table with a clatter.

I glanced down at the tablet, and didn't even need to read the headline to see what it was about. Athena, unshackled in all her glory--an ancient mystery, finally being unraveled. I discreetly pushed my bowl aside, then lifted my gaze to Adler once more.

He remained as he were, observing me as if trying to figure something out, tail swaying in an unpredictable, almost twitchy motion.

"Angry?" I asked.

Adler blinked once, moved his muzzle a little as he swallowed, then crossed his arms, "I was... for a few seconds at least. Now I'm simply confused."

"About?" I wondered.

Adler squinted, "Whether you did this with the full knowledge of what it means, or whether you're just a wrecking ball with a lot of luck on your side."

Jason whispered, "Could someone, like... fill me in?"

Adler's expression twitched, and I could almost see his thoughts: Shut it, whelp.

A split second later, it changed yet again, and Adler sauntered alongside the table as he motioned with his hand, "Apparently, Vilkas snuck off in the middle of the night, commandeered the Ring's emergency shuttle, paid Athena's core a visit, and altered a fundamental aspect of Sophos society."

I tipped my head, "You make it sound more dramatic than it is."

Adler set his hand down on the table with a thump and faced me once more, "Did you know? Did you know that her chambers would open for you? Are the rumors true, that there are individuals throughout Sophos society that keep working for Maxwell, even in his absence?"

It made me sigh as I eyed him, "Might I remind you that you were the ones who forced this change."

Adler squinted, "It was a good plan."

"Was, being the keyword here," I said, while Gray followed Adler's every move.

Adler stood straight, and let out a soft sigh as if something left his body, "Yes, and now everything changes. Without Athena as an excuse, the amnesty agreement for the colonists turns into a trap rather than something to free them. Anyone who would even argue for it, basically excusing themselves from everything between questionable morals to trying to cover up evidence, would literally be hunted down. The only way out for anyone with half a brain is to come clean, and as soon as possible..."

I made a slow nod, "True..."

"Which is exactly what you wanted, I guess... A more honest Sophos," Adler said, and eyed me.

I made a slow nod.

Adler leaned onto the table with both hands and let out an annoyed murmur, "Which also means I have a lot of people to talk with, lest they do something really sodding stupid."

"... Could it be that you had a larger role to play in all of this than you initially let on?" I asked, and leaned back in my chair.

Adler glimpsed at Jason as if wondering why he was still there, "... I guess it doesn't matter at this point," he then focused on me, "Between all the bickering and vying viewpoints, someone had to raise their voice. In typical fashion, everyone lumped that responsibility on me."

Could this be some kind of martyrdom, I wonder? No... Perhaps a fluke...

"Adler," I said.

Adler lifted his gaze and fixated on me with a tired stare, "Yes?"

I gave him a subtle nod, "Things will be alright."

"Things will be alright..." Adler repeated, as if both disgusted while grudgingly agreeing with me.

As I watched, he turned to face the coffee machine and sauntered toward it.

I glanced to the side, and caught Jason looking at me, ears perked, almost bewildered as if begging for an explanation.

It made me smile a little as I held up my hands, "It's a long story..."

62 A.E. April 23, The Burrow - Omicron Lab,Evening

I could hear Jason panting through the com-link in the suit. Fast paced, not from exertion, but nervousness. A glance at Jason revealed little more than the clunky radiation suit he wore.

"Funny thing," I said, "you're actually receiving less radiation inside that suit than you do walking around the Burrow."

"Comforting," Jason said, and made an audible gulp, "and what if the suit springs a leak?"

"Positive pressure within the suit will keep radioactive nucleotides out, not that there's a lot of them in here," I said.

Jason carefully raised his arm, servos churning as he pointed at the X-ray knife between us, "I thought it mostly generated electromagnetic forms of radiation, not radioactive nucleotides that linger in the air."

"Mostly, yes... But there's still enough to cause considerable neutron flux, which-"

Jason interrupted me, "Which in turn leads to induced radioactivity... Meaning that some of the materials in here have been... transmuted."

I glanced at him, and watched as his gaze locked on the robotic arm that held the knife's target, a large plate of durasteel. A near-perfect cut divided most of it, but by the bottom it had sputtered, creating a twisted plume of jagged metal.

Jason looked back to me, then turned his attention to the X-ray knife itself, "It's surprisingly small."

I pointed toward the wall, "That's the tip of the iceberg... Most of it is actually housed in another room, shielded by thick layers of lead plating."

"Ah, that explains why it's fused into the wall like that..." Jason said and turned his gaze.

I turned my attention to the X-ray knife's tip. It reminded me of my tendrils, like a silvery shard with a surface that--if you looked closely--almost shimmered like reflective water.

Sitting by the base was a radiation-hardened box, and I reached for it as I spoke out loud, "I'm removing the hatch for the knife's MCU," I said, as my tendrils clasped the metallic lid on the box.

"Isn't there a risk that your... um, tentacles will get radioactive?" Jason asked.

"Tendrils," I whispered, and popped the lid loose.

Adler chimed into the comms, 'Eternite is pretty much impervious to radiation. It can extract energy from gamma rays, and reorganize radioactive particles under the right circumstances.'

I focused on the insides of the box. Between a jumble of voltage regulators, signal amplifiers, and seemingly arcane interfaces to the blade itself, the source of the failure was evident. Warped and melted, the gravimetric sensor near-exploded. A ripple of destruction had spread into the circuit board, which now bulged from the heat it had been exposed to.

"Are you seeing this?" I asked.

"Aye," Adler answered, "We beefed up the voltage regulators to maintain signal cohesion, but we burned out the sensor instead... I can't say I understand why, but the jumpspace eddies can apparently jump rather chaotically."

"Because the gravimetric sensor itself contains a minute amount of Eternite?" I said.

"That seems to be the pattern so far... Acting like a lightning rod," Adler said.

"In other words, this sort of 'eddy' could jump to me if I'm unlucky?" I asked.

Adler was silent for a moment, "... Perhaps, if you were close to it, but..."

"But?" I wondered, and started unscrewing the control board.

"You've told me that Athena has tutored you a little, but were you told about the anchoring fields?"

"She hasn't," I said.

"Well, before any jump, a ship needs to raise an anchoring field. It's basically a spatial bubble that confines everything that's being brought through the jump," Adler said.

"I'm guessing that the mass and size of the bubble determines the energy needed for a jump," I asked.

"Correct. There is some controversy regarding the nature of the anchoring field itself," Adler said.

"Meaning?" I wondered, as I started pulling cables from the control board.

"There are many configurations for an anchoring field, but only one that works reliably. While the others allow for a jump, what erupts on the other side of a jump is little more than a molten husk. Is this because the anchoring field protects the ship from something bad within jumpspace itself, or because the anchoring field keeps reality as we know it intact during the transfer? The difference might seem small, but it does affect how we should try to tackle the problem. Do we seek to tame jumpspace itself, or focus on finding ways to better shield ourselves? Taming jumpspace might be impossible, meaning we'd just be wasting resources on such an approach..." Adler murmured, as his voice drifted in amusement.

"I take it we can't generate an anchoring field around the sensor?" I wondered.

Adler sighed, "You can, but you'd only be able to measure local jumpspace coordinates, not from the knife itself, which-"

"Defeats the purpose of the sensor, I get it..." I said, then shut my eyes for a moment, "While I appreciate the lesson, was there a point to the initial observation?"

Adler huffed, "There was... Whether you like it or not, you're a lightning rod for nearby jumpspace energies. To prevent that, you create an anchoring field, in the same way that a ship generates one to protect itself during a jump."

"And the downside of it?" I wondered.

"Apart from being energy intensive, and making all other jumpspace technologies useless?"

"Right... So why can one make a jump with an anchoring field in place? Shouldn't the two be in conflict with one another?" I wondered.

"Oh, they are in conflict. The anchoring field creates a bubble of stable space-time, surrounded by a tear of chaotic energies. The universe doesn't like that one bit and tries to fix it. We meddle with the process and present the universe with an ultimatum. Fling us across space, or watch as reality is torn apart."

I perked my brow, "A... rather philosophical interpretation, I'm guessing?"

"Sure," Adler said with a humored huff, "Point remains though. You want to shield yourself? Raise an anchoring field."

"Sound advice, if I had any clue how to do that," I said, as the board loosened from the confines.

"... Perhaps we should visit my old lab on the Ring. We'd be able to run experiments with the Zephyr that aren't possible down here," Adler said, sounding rather amused.

"Perhaps," I answered, then leaned over to a rad-safe box, and dropped it in.

Jason spoke up, "So, what would happen if the knife activated while we're in here?"

Adler huffed in amusement, "At low power, say 20 seconds... A week in a medical pod and some fuzzy memories. At full power? You'd pass out in seconds and be brain-dead in 20."

"Adler," I said in annoyance, and glanced back at the door.

"He asked, I answered... But he doesn't have to worry, unless I flip the wrong switch by mistake, that is," Adler said, barely stifling a chuckle.

I grabbed a new circuit board lying next to the box, and looked over at Jason, "Main power to the knife has been cut from inside this room. A physical lockout with a key--that I have--has been engaged on the main control panel, and even if those two were bypassed, there are numerous software lockouts preventing activation if someone's in here or the door isn't secured."

"Ah," Jason whispered, "So, what use is a weapon that's more likely to kill the wielder?"

I frowned to myself, "It's a tool, not a weapon. Durasteel is extremely hardy, which also makes it difficult to recycle and reforge."

"I know that part--you have to heat it up to extreme levels for it to become malleable," Jason said.

I nodded, "And... here's the kicker. Durasteel also has a rather extreme level of thermal conductivity, which means that any attempt to heat it up..."

Jason continued, "Means that the heat spreads out, which in turn means that you're trying to heat up the entire mountain."

I faced Jason, "Unless you can pump an enormous amount of heat-- in a short amount of time--into a small and localized area. Which is what the X-ray knife does... when it's working correctly."

"Still, it seems like this kind of tool is way too deadly to be used reliably... To electronics and people alike," Jason said.

"In the rare moments that the knife does behave, it functions like a lens with a focal point that turns X-rays into heat. If done perfectly, there'd be no stray radiation at all..."

"Ah..." Jason whispered, then raised his hand, "Why am I here again?"

Adler spoke up with something of a snark, "You're in there so that I don't have to be."

Jason moved a little, and while I couldn't see his face, the shrug made him seem confused.

I eased the new circuit board in place as I spoke up, "Work in dangerous areas require at least two people. You are here as my backup in case something unexpected happens..."

Mostly I wanted to see if you've got the mental discipline to stay calm in here...

"So..." Jason murmured and faced the door, "who assisted Adler before you arrived? That spindly droid managing the computers outside?"

I seriously doubt it...

Adler was silent.

I softened my voice as I focused on Jason, "Yeah, but the important thing is that Adler follows the rules from now on."

Jason chuckled as he turned to look at me with his armored helmet, "Right, it's like that... I get it."

"Adler?" I said.

"Yes?" Adler asked, perking his voice.

"I'm about to mount the backup board we made. Any objections?" I wondered.

"... Yes, as a matter of fact. Bring it out here again, I have a few ideas about how to harden the gravimetric sensor," Adler answered.

"Right..." I said, and removed the board once more. "Locking everything down, we'll be out in a few minutes."

62 A.E. April 26, The Burrow - Elevator,Afternoon

Things had changed since the first time I stepped into the Burrow. The number of people in the area had ballooned, and everything had to adapt in turn. Roads were repurposed, guided tours became a norm to get people up to speed, and the foundry's low hum had been replaced by frantic construction.

It shifted things around--rather than being the newcomer everyone threw glances at, the old-timers found themselves vastly outnumbered. It did make it easier to blend in, though it tended to overload the elevators. It affected Gray as well, who now stuck close enough to me that I could feel his side brushing against my own.

A soft ding was heard, the elevator doors opened, and I slipped out to the right. A whole group swarmed in to fill my place. Moments later, I was weaving my way through a steady stream of people once more.

The Flywheel Cafe was buzzing with activity even in the off hours. Numerous droids marched around, and they'd even added a drone to keep an aerial view of the place.

I moved along the sidelines and approached from where the doors to the kitchen could be seen.

There's always fewer people on this side...

Rich scents flooded the area as I walked up and leaned onto the counter. Gray joined my side moments later, and lifted a paw to point among the crowd, "Jason."

I glanced at the spot and saw Jason walking around with his apron, tending to people. His tail looked stiff, but his expression was gentle as he leaned in by a couple of felines and jotted notes on a tablet in his hand.

Moments later, he was sauntering off once more, swung by the serving area, grabbed a bowl, and set off to deliver it. Perched by his ear was a small speaker, no doubt to help him remember which order belonged where.

The doors to the kitchen swung open, but rather than a droid hurrying along, a familiar gray-furred wolf walked out. I glanced at him, and he caught sight of me in turn. My eyes perked as I noticed what he was wearing--a nice black vest, purple dress shirt, and what looked like a trim to his fur that made him look rather proper.

Jack glanced at the rest of the bar, then stepped closer. He leaned onto the counter, smiling as he did, and closed the distance between us, "I assume you're here to pick Jason up."

"Hmm?" I wondered.

Jack glanced over as Jason kept scurrying, "He's a bit hesitant asking for help, but as long as someone shows him the ropes, he sticks to it."

I made a slow nod, "Thanks for giving him a chance."

"No problem, not like this is my place or anything," Jack said, then reached out to give Gray a quick pat.

"Oh?" I wondered.

Jack smiled as he let out something of a soft sigh, "Took over... about six years back, now I figure it's my time to find something else to do as well."

"Oh..." I whispered.

Jack stifled a chuckle and leaned back a little, "What? Did you get used to me that quickly?"

"I'm a creature of habit," I whispered.

He cracked a sly smirk, "Right... You keep telling yourself that."

I gave him a questioning stare, "Meaning?"

Jack grabbed a chair near the counter, pulled it closer, and hopped onto it, "Nothing... That said, I do hope you have some better clothes in mind..."

"For what? The moon festival?" I asked, perking my brow at him.

Jack stared back, "Yeah... that one."

I tipped my head, "They're also bringing the Array online this evening, I figured I'd watch that."

Jack made a slow blink at me, then sighed, "If that's what you really want, though..."

"Adler," Gray said all of a sudden, head glancing back.

I turned around, seeing as Adler came marching up, sporting his own bit of fancy clothing. Without warning, he reached out his hand, jabbing me in the spine with enough force to make my tail twitch as I stood tall.

"No slouching," Adler ordered, then joined my side along the counter.

I reached for my spine, barely holding back a growl as I glared back at him.

Adler merely smirked, then leaned in, "You should grab your friend and prep, we're leaving in ten."

I drew a deep breath, feeling a flare of anger, "... You like to push my patience."

Jack leaned onto the counter as if to distract us, then raised his hand as he motioned toward Jason. It only took moments for him to notice, then approach us.

I raised my voice, "Jack..."

As Jason approached, Jack faced Adler and spoke up, "Vilkas wants to stay behind and watch the Array."

Adler's ears perked as he looked at me, while Jack stepped up to Jason and started talking to him.

I met Adler's questioning gaze, "What? First you leave us in the dark, next you expect us to-"

Adler interrupted me as he raised his hand and let out a soft sigh, "All right, my apologies... But will you listen to some honest advice from me?"

I leaned onto my hand, "Go on, surprise me."

Adler huffed, baring his teeth for a brief moment, then softened his expression once more, "The moon festival usually happens several weeks from now. They moved it, because of the Array."

"... Why?" I wondered.

Adler leaned closer and lowered his voice, "No great machine of Sophos has ever been completed without some kind of upheaval. The walls on Earth put a stop to human intrusion, but it made them all that more desperate, making things considerably worse for a while. Etemenanki purged our lands from the plague, allowing our people to wander freely outside the cities for the first time in centuries. It also allowed new forms of corruption to form, and it invited the humans within Sophos to create settlements of their own, causing trouble for the centuries that would follow. The same is true for everything else, and I doubt the Array is going to be any different."

"Do you know something that you're not telling us?" I wondered.

Adler smirked, "No, not about the Array at least."

"... Regarding that, why aren't you up there? The Array seems like a tempting place for Jumpspace research," I said.

"So doubtful, Vilkas... But no, the science behind the Array is already settled for the most part. Putting it together, making it work, it's more practical engineering than pushing boundaries."

"Ah," I whispered.

Adler drew a deep breath, then let it out in a slow sigh. He then reached up with his hand, and put it on my shoulder, "Attend the festival. Enjoy yourself for once. You might not have the opportunity to do it for a while. Besides... you can watch the Array's activation from there."

"... Mm," I said with a slow nod.

Adler made his own affirmative nod, "Then that's settled..."

As we stopped talking, Jason's voice cut through instead, "I'm not a wolf... Can I really attend?"

Adler stood up, reached out one hand, and snapped his fingers to catch Jason's attention, "No one cares, kid."

Jason stared back, seemingly shocked, while Adler walked off once more. Jack chuckled to himself, then looked to me, "Find something better to wear, then make your way to garage #2. Gray can come with me, and we'll make sure Adler doesn't drive off without you."

I nodded to him, "Thank you, Jack."

Jack pushed off the counter and hurried out of the bar as he followed Adler.

Gray looked to me as if seeking permission, and I gave him a quick nod. In a near instant, Gray took to the ground and scurried off to join Jack's side.

Jason turned to me, leaning in close as he watched the two, "Did... he mean that no one cares about my concerns or that I'm not a wolf?"

"The latter," I said softly.

Possibly both...

"Ah," Jason whispered.

I motioned for him, "Come on, let's go to the room..."

Jason nodded as he set aside his tablet, "Coming..."

62 A.E. April 26, The Burrow - Garage,Afternoon

Jason glanced at me as we stepped out of the elevator.

He had something of an amused smirk, and it made me perk my brow at him, "What?"

"You didn't bother picking up anything else over the weeks you spent here?" Jason asked.

I shrugged, and looked around, "My work uniform worked well, and I only needed a t-shirt for the times it was in the wash."

"Still," Jason said, still smirking.

I caught sight of Adler, standing by what looked like an old military truck. The rear cargo area was covered by a tent, and Jack poked his head out as he was saying something to Adler. Gray soon poked his head out as well, seeming to prefer Jack's side.

We walked toward the truck, and glanced down at myself. A gray t-shirt clinging to my frame, and a pair of shorts in the same hue.

"I'll be fine," I said as we walked up to the truck.

As we approached, I could see that Adler was holding a bottle in his hand. He met my gaze, then looked me up and down, "Good enough, you'll fit in with the rest of the whelps."

Jack hopped out of the truck, glanced at Adler, then looked to me as he brushed off his vest, "I can see that his evolution into an old codger is progressing..."

I couldn't help but smile to myself, while Adler gave Jack a tired stare, "You're practically a whelp as well, Jack... You're what... 70 this year?"

Jack's brow twitched as he snapped to attention, "I'm not that old!"

Adler smirked back, "Right... you turn 70 next year."

Jack crossed his arms, pouting as he did, "And you're going in the back of the truck."

"... Not funny," Adler said as he stood tall, seeming both insulted and... intimidated.

Jack looked over at Jason, "And, Jason will join you--if I haven't heard him laugh by the time we're halfway there, I'm dumping you by the side of the road."

"... Jack," Adler said, staring back.

Jack looked back at Adler, "You brought this on yourself... or, you can find another method of transportation."

"... Um," Jason whispered as he brushed shoulders with me.

I glanced down at Jason, "Tell me if it's too much for you."

Jason looked back at me, and his throat flexed a little as he gulped, "... No, I'm fine."

Jack walked up, motioning for me to come along, "Vilkas, you're up front... Let's leave the two of them to have fun..." He then stopped, and glanced back at Adler, "and no forced laughs, I can tell the difference..."

Gray nudged my leg as he caught my attention, "I'll keep Jason safe."

Adler grunted, ears hanging low as he muttered "I'll keep Jason safe," raised the bottle, and took a big swig.