32 - A Meeting of SIL

“There are others here!” Bell cried out excitedly.

Maya shared his joy and excitement, but a part of her shuddered in fear. The sight of the ship filled her with a dread. It was like looking into a pit of doom, her stomach dropped and her knees got weak.

Was it Intention? The Skill she barely ever used? Or was it paranoia? The world was simple, everything was out to kill her. That had been the case with Bell and most of the AIs she had come across. Nothing in this world was looking to extend a helping hand.

Maya shook her head at the thought. That really was paranoia. When had she become paranoid?

Bell looked at her with a big wide round toothed grin and Maya tried to smile back.

“We need to find them!”

Maya’s stomach dropped again. That was a terrible idea.

“I believe they are heading in the direction of the pub’s former location,” Tender said.

“Why the pub?” Maya wondered.

“Perhaps the dimensional scar you left behind from the dimensional bag bomb,” Tender answered.

More worry began to churn through Maya’s veins. What did anyone want with that horrid place? She could still feel the tug of it in her Dimensional Awareness. It was like a sore tooth, some days it ached, some days she could forget about it.

‘I’m gonna be a wet rag here,” Maya said. “Let’s be cautious about this.”

Bell looked at her confused. “I thought you would be thrilled.”

“I am, but I’m also thinking we take this slow. If they’re going to the dimensional scar, we know where they are. I’m just saying… not everyone has good intentions.”

“That’s foolish,” Bell stated.

“Dude, you tried to kill me when you first saw me.”

“I apologized for that,” Bell replied. “Will you hold that over my head for all time?”

“I’m not holding it over your head, I’m just saying. We need to be cautious about this,” Maya snapped. “Whoever that is has a flying ship. A flying ship in a world filled with fucking monstrous rogue AIs that fight one another for their mana cores. What kind of power does that person have? To fly about willy nilly in a world as dangerous as this?”

“Everything we have been fighting in this place is fairly low leveled,” Bell said. “On my world, level 12 monsters are dealt with easily.”

“We’re not on your world, that’s the whole damn point. We don’t know who those flying ship people are. They might come from a world where it’s good manners to gut strangers and eat them. Hell, they might even be looking for organics. How long have they been here? How long have they survived? Have they gone crazy? Have they resorted to cannibalism? We don’t know a damn thing about them.”

Bell stood there fuming. Tender and Nanaseto watched them both, not contributing to the argument.

“This is about power, isn’t it?” Bell said.

“What the hell?”

“You have salvage rights to this ship and before that, the pub. You have been lording your power over me since the day we met. My opinions and thoughts have been dismissed or mocked at every turn. Now that there is someone else in the world, someone with more power than you; it’s suddenly too dangerous to go looking for them.”

“That’s some high Tiered bullshit,” Maya snapped.

“I am not your employee and I am not apart of this Sullivan Survival Society you keep mentioning. I am Belmoro Domakun and I have only promised not to kill you. I have followed you because you have been the path to survival, but there is another now. Someone has a working ship, with enough power to defend it, with enough knowledge to keep it running. Not a trash vessel filled with damned AIs.”

“I’m glad you finally grew the balls to speak your mind,” Maya snarled, “but now is not the time for this bullshit discussion. If you have issues with me, Tender, or Nanaseto, then you should have spoke up. Don’t be the kind of asshole who only pulls out their issues in an argument. This isn’t about fucking power or me lording shit over you. I have said you had the choice to leave anytime you wanted. Our agreement was to not kill one another. But you, if you felt so dismissed or unwanted, could have packed your shit and left long ago.

“Bringing this up now is a bullshit move. We have issues, fine. But we’re surviving better than we were two weeks ago because we have been working together. These ‘damned AIs’ you’re always going on about are what is keeping us alive. This trash ship you hate so much is providing us the material to build more equipment to better our lives. It’s the reason Junior is growing. It’s the reason we are almost sustainable in our food production, enough so that we aren’t going to have to eat your friends.”

Maya clenched her fist around the curve of the crowbar and regretted it as her injuries cracked and bled.

“I might not be the best at this whole survival business and I might not know much about anything, but I damn well now know that running toward anything with that kind of power is the wrong decision.”

Bell glared at her, his jaw grinding and his hands clenching and unclenching. For the first time in weeks, she thought he might attack her. She had forgiven him for their first encounter. She didn’t hold his own mental distress against him and that attack had been out of delusional desperation.

“Can we just wait and see?” Maya asked. “Can we be careful about this?”

Bell said nothing and stomped past her and into the ship.

Maya sighed as she watched him leave and then looked to the northeast where the Scar lay. They had been out in the open, they had been visible to the ship. Surely something like that had scanners or sensors to see everything.

“Pack up everything. Defcon 4, guys. We seal this tub up tight.”

“Gotcha, boss,” Tender said. Nanaseto said nothing and her little red body scurried into the ship.

“Fuck,” Maya sighed.

***

Even while being laid up for two days, Maya, Bell, and Tender had figured out what went wrong in their battle against the Roach King and how to fix it. The main issue was the hole in the ship. Besides being unsightly, it was a massive security risk.

Bell and Tender had spent a few hours after the battle to create an airlock around the hole. They had taken metal scraps from the trash pile and fused the plates to the hull, then created a door from salvaging one of the decompression blast doors from a lower unused level. Tender ran cabling to power the door, since it was outside of the range of the battery room.

The other defenses consisted of dropping the blast doors in other parts of the ship. There were some areas that were behind Tier 2 locks, the bridge being one of them. Maya had hoped to sit in the captain’s chair, but for security reasons the area was locked. They would have to cut through and dismantle the blast doors there. Which they didn’t have the time to do.

So they had settled on closing all the blast doors in the areas around where they worked and salvaged. Tender and Nanaseto had come up with a three month plan to determine how much of the ship they needed to salvage from, it turned out it wasn’t that much. The rogue AIs were lazy salvagers, they focused more on the higher Tiered speciality materials than Tier 1 components. Like someone at a buffet, they picked and choose what they wanted, but left behind far more than they took.

Many of the rooms had been pillaged, but they also contained a lot of material that could be used. Therefore, the actual area of the ship they needed to work in and salvage from was fairly small.

The only set of blast doors and open corridors were a single trail from the medical room to the main mana core room. Tender still needed to recharge his batteries and Bell had been working on creating a tub to grow some Junior clones in there, had been…

Maya shook her head and climbed onto the bed in the medical room. Nanaseto watched her but said nothing as she logged into the system.

Tender wasn’t connected, but she could still access the information stored on his computer. She tapped her uninjured fingers on a table as she ponder what she was going to work on.

The Roach King had showed they didn’t have much in the way of defenses and that a single rogue AI with a big gun could wreck everything they had.

Maya worked on assisting Tender on cracking the codes on the beam weapon. It took a few subjective hours, but they managed to crack it and Maya began running through designs to implement a mobile weapons platform. They had the extra legs from the king roach and they could use the core with some additional batteries to make a remote controlled walking gun.

She took a moment to check in on the rogue AI they had captured.

Rogue AI NN4582A - Level 6

It was in a secured room, but even if it was free it would be going nowhere. Maya had shattered its ‘spine’ and the rogue AI was now just a core in a broken body. She felt a slight pang of sympathy for it, but focused on what to do with the core. It was a low grade core and it wouldn’t really help Tender all that much. He was fine with the computer and processor.

Maya opened more windows and peeked at the code that made up the rogue AI. In the beginning it had been a mess of arcane symbols, but she had begun learning to read it. Most of it was still lost to her, but she could get the gist of what was going on.

NN4582A was a simple combat AI, it’s sole purpose was to fight and defend its boss. It wasn’t that different from the drones she had seen, but it was more independent and ‘smarter’. The Roach King had a strong grip on his pals and it was what had forced them to retreat. Sadly, the boss AI was a dick and was willing to kill his pals to take out an enemy.

Maya spent a few more hours formulating plans and discussing with Tender on how to manufacture more ammunition for her pistols and the flechette shotgun. They were the only weapons they had, even if they weren’t the best.

As they were discussing the best way to use her [Gunsmith] ability to actually create a weapon, an alarm began blaring.

After installing the new blast door for the ship, Tender and Bell had also begun installing cameras around the exterior of the ship. It was to offer them a bit notice if something was coming their way.

A craft was moving in their direction. Even in the sped up world of the VR, it was moving fast.

“Shit,” Maya cursed feeling her stomach churn in fear.

It wasn’t the big ship they had seen, instead this one was smaller, angular, and deadly looking. It oozed danger and Maya knew it was an attack ship.

“Defcon 1,” Maya said and logged out.

Dizziness hit her, but she pushed it away as she scrambled off the bed and raced toward the stairs. She bounded up the stairs and reached the mess hall.

She immediately spotted Bell, who seemed to be standing frozen in the middle of the room. He had his stuff packed and appeared to be in the middle of abandoning them. Her heart skipped at beat at the sight, but her fear and terror pushed it away.

“Bell!” she cried.

“I know,” he said. He wasn’t angry, but looked anguish. He had seen the ship and knew what it was.

“I’ve got the doors down,” Tender announced.

The ship shuddered.

Maya stared at a camera feed and watched as the attack ship fired an energy blast down into the Hanganathorie. The thick hull plating resisted for a second and then it peeled away.

Dynamic Quest: Defend the Hanganathorie!

Enemy units are attacking. Defend what is yours and repel the attackers.

Rewards: EXP, Loot, and System Awards

.

The two looked at one another.

“Did you get the quest?” Maya asked.

Bell nodded.

Maya took a moment to stand up straight and look Bell in the eye. “I would appreciate your help, Belmoro.”

Bell’s face twitched, but then it firmed up. He stared back at Maya. “This is our home. I was a fool. I will help you defend it.”

“I’m sorry,” Maya said. “I’m sorry I’ve been such an asshole. You are my friend and I’ve treated you like shit. You deserved better and I never even tried. I’m sorry.”

Maya extended her hand and he wrapped his own around it. They shook and then prepared to defend the Hanganathorie.

***

Maya gulped and cursed.

“Jesus,” she said.

The attack ship burned it’s way through the Hangy, its energy weapons punched a hole in the hull, then into the deck, then into the next one below it. They were three levels down from the ‘top’ of the ship and they were being dug out.

‘Maybe we should run,” Maya said.

This was too much like the fight with Turrethead. She had decided to stay and it ended with the entire pub being destroyed. She had lost everything there.

“We can’t run,” Bell said. “We don’t have enough food or supplies. We will die slowly out there.”

She took a deep and steadying breath. This was it then. This was where they won or died.

Bell looked uncomfortable for a moment, but then sighed and held out a hand. On it appeared a pair of blue cylinders. A moment later they were joined by half a dozen other colored bottles.

“What’s that?” Maya asked.

Bell walked to a table and set down the eight bottles. Two were blue, two were green, two were white, and two were yellow.

“The blue one is a regenerative potion, “ he said. “It will help your body heal faster. The green are stamina potions. They will refresh your body for a short time. The white is a healing potion, high grade. It will heal serious wounds. The yellow are combat enhancers. They make you move faster, think quicker, and take more damage than you normally could.”

“Jesus.” Maya marveled.

“These are the only potions I have left,” Bell said. “They were… they were not made by me. They were,” he paused and shook his head. “I suppose you could say they were made by the woman I was to marry. She died when we came here.”

Maya stared at him mutely. Again, she didn’t know his full story.

Bell shook his head and split the four potions down the middle. He gave her half.

“I can’t-“

“Don’t be an idiot, Maya,” Bell said. He flipped the glass vial in his hands and pointed to the end of it. “This is an injector, press it against any part of your skin. It will immediately inject the potion into you. My armor has an automatic enchantment that injects me with it if I’m injured.” Bell pointed to a small bulge on his abdomen. “I should have adjusted the armor I have on me for you,” He sighed. “I have been a fool and I am sorry. Very sorry.”

“No, its fine, Bell.”

He handed her the potions. “Keep it in your Inventory. The container is strong, but they can still be crushed.”

“When the fight begins, inject the regenerative potion, followed by the combat potion. Use the healing when you need it.”

‘Okay,” Maya said, carefully handling the potions.

“It’s been good knowing you, Maya Sullivan,” Bell said. “You have saved me from madness and being a murderer. I thank you for all you’ve done.”

“Been good knowing you, Belmoro Domakun,” she said.

The moment lasted a heartbeat. There was an explosion and a blast of heat. Maya flinched, but didn’t turn away as she saw the ceiling off the mess hall burn away. A second later two figures dropped down through the still smoldering hole.

They were humanoid and they wore black armor that reminded Maya of the roach’s carapace. It was dull and textured, form fitting, and made them appear robotic.

Halvara - Level 48

Dosama K’van - Level 55

Maya began firing immediately. She didn’t hesitate, she didn’t hold back, she threw everything she had at the two figures. It did nothing, the flechettes sparking off their armor.

Bell had his crossbow out and fired it. An enchanted bolt hit one of them, releasing an explosion of colors and heat. The armored figure staggered back, their armor marred.

Maya slammed another load into her shotgun, but then felt her arm suddenly snap. She looked down to see an armored arm holding her right arm at an angle. One moment the figure had been fifty feet from them, now it stood face to face with her. She barely had time to register the fact, when the pain of her broken arm screamed through her body.

She summoned the blaster and shoved it against the armored figure and depressed the trigger. Heat and pressure, sent her flying from the figure’s grasp. She rolled on the deck and scrambled to her feet.

In her broken right hand she summoned the regenerative potion. The injector bit into her skin and she felt a blast of cold race through her body.

Bell was shouting, his crossbows were gone and he was armed with a multitude of swords. The blades glowed and sparked, sending out energy and creating mana waves of destruction. The figure he fought dodged the attacks, bringing out a sword of their own. They crashed together in a ringing sound of blades.

Maya didn’t stop to admire the battle, she was already firing her blaster at her attacker. The being dodged the hot particle rounds as if they were moving slowly. She was outclassed, she realized.

Her attacker pulled out his own weapon, a long curved sword that glowed red in the semi-darkness. At the sight, Maya almost ran screaming in fear, but she held her ground. Her resolved solidified and she glared at the attacker.

“Tender!”

From the opposite end of the mess hall Tender rose up. The cloaking field he had disguised himself with dropping for a second and revealed him standing before a stack of mana batteries and the beam weapon.

Before she could even finish yelling his name, the red beam slashed across the room. She felt the heat, intense and scalding. Her half healed skin screaming in agony.

The figure before her tried dodging, but one couldn’t dodge light speed. The red beam splashed across the armored chest. The beam gun was pretty strong to begin with, but Tender had stripped the safeties off of the weapon after they hacked it. The mess hall was supposed to be their last stand; it was supposed to be better defended, but they had lacked the time.

Instead Tender had hooked up all the three mana batteries they had, the two mana cores, and cobbled together a switch to divert all the power to the gun.

The black carapace armor bubbled and peeled away in a heartbeat. By the time Maya had hit the ground, the beam had done what it could. She turned to see the figure had staggered back and their armor was wrecked, but they were still standing.

She summoned the combat potion and jammed it against her skin. It was as if fire burned through her veins. Suddenly the world slowed down and she could feel every hair on her body tingle. She felt the broken bones, but she could almost feel the regenerative potion working, pushing cells faster, using mana in her body to shore up internal organs. Maya gasped and the world returned to normal speed.

She jumped to her feet, firing the blaster into the gaping hole in the armor. She could see charred flesh beneath it, stinking of cooked meat, and the glint of metal. She was so close, she could not miss.

Maya felt something slam into her face and then she was flying. She screamed in pain as her jaw was shattered by the attacker’s punch. She flopped to the ground, spitting blood and teeth, nearly choking on the hot deluge. The world went hazy for a second and she clawed her way back to consciousness. She turned her head painfully and saw Tender and her attacker smashing into tables. The AI was larger than the invader, but not stronger.

With a screech of metal and a spray of black goo and components, Tender’s front legs were ripped off. Tender didn’t stop though; he continued stabbing down with his remaining legs., punching at the wound of the invader.

Maya crawled to her feet, searching for the blaster. It was gone. She summoned the Shetomi NN4 Bolter. It was a weapon she had never really practiced with. She had kept it because the ammunition, like the flechettes, could be manufactured by modules. It also had the most ammo out of the pistols she had found in the pub.

She didn’t stop to admire the weapon or check it, instead she began firing at the invader. The bolter fired what amounted to slugs. The type of ammo she had kept in the bolter had been armor piercing rounds, since she had figured it would be used against rogue AIs and they were generally armored.

Like the flechette shotgun, the AP slugs bounced off the armor. But it distracted the invader enough for Tender to shove a leg into the gaping wound, grip something, and then rip it out. The figure staggered for a second and Maya was beside Tender, bleeding and yelling. She shoved her weapon into the the wound and began firing.

She didn’t even realize her left hand was shattered until the bolter fell out of her hand. She screamed and did the only thing she could do, she head butted the armored figure. It, of course, did nothing.

She summoned her last weapon, the Mana Pulse Stunner, in her limp right hand and shoved it into the wound.

It was the first weapon she had built under Richfield’s supervision. The big dino AI had been one for making anything pack a punch and the pulse stunner was the weapon of the desperate. It wasn’t meant to be used in a continuous fight, it was meant to be used once in the direst of circumstances. It wasn’t also designed to work on SIL. It was an AI weapon.

Maya was thrown back, feeling a punch to her ribs and the subsequent shattering of them. She stumbled back, fell to onto her ass and nearly passed out from the pain. Her eyes caught the armored figure she had been fighting drop to their knees. The figure arched their back and clutched at their head, seemingly screaming silently.

The mana pulse charge flared across their body and Maya saw the sizzling crack and rising smoke from components being destroyed by destructive mana.

“I thought they were SIL,” Maya managed before she heard another scream.

Bell collapsed to the floor, all of his arms were at odd angles and so was one leg. His armor was torn asunder, the metal plates and chainmail scattered, blue black blood poured from a dozen wounds, and his swords lay broken at his feet. He screamed in rage and anger, not pain. His opponent towered over him, a long gleaming sword in hand.

Halvara - Level 48

Defeated.

+ 5200 EXP

Lootable

Maya ignored the message and tried getting to her feet. She collapsed upon the deck. She cast around and found Tender in a pile of twisted and broken legs, black goo was flowing from his multiple wounds.

The computer screen cut off with a simple message: Signal Lost.

She wailed.

“That’s enough,” a voice thundered.

From the hole in the ceiling another figured descended. They landed lightly upon the deck and stood there, surveying the battle ground.

The figure stalked forward; Bell’s opponent immediately stopped their attack, dropping Bell’s shattered body to the deck. Maya looked on helplessly as the figure walked up the the invader she had defeated. They were tall and lean, their body covered in the same black carapace like armor the others wore; their face hidden behind a reflective mask.

Maya tried focusing on the figure, but it gave no name or levels.

“Impressive,” they said. The voice came out distorted, as if a machine were altering it.

“Fuck you,” Maya spat, or tried to as her shattered jaw screamed in agony. She could feel the bones slowly grinding back into place.

“Halvara was a fine companion, loyal and obedient” the figure said. “I-“

“Fuck you.”

The figure chuckled, but before he could continue; Maya collapsed unconscious.