I came back to consciousness with a start. I lunged up, gasping for air. That twisted fuck. If he lays a claw on me, I’ll rip out his throat and drink his blood.

It took me a second to realise that I wasn’t in the dark room anymore. I was lying on a soft bed, white sheets gathered around my legs. There was an acrid taste in my mouth. I looked around at the small, comfortably appointed room. I could see clearly, even in the diffuse light coming from the spots in the ceiling.

I took a second to process that I was alone and apparently unharmed. I lay back on the bed, still breathing heavily.

Thank the gods for that. I assume that Tom must have somehow gotten me away from that monster. Words would never be able to express my relief. I was not used to feeling helpless but when that alien had loomed over me, I had felt paralysed in fear. I couldn’t move an inch as his eyes had bored into mine. That god-awful smile. How was I not able to protect myself? I’ve never needed any help before and didn’t like having to depend on others.

I decided that, hard as it would be, I would have to reflect on the most terrifying experience of my life later. I had a sneaking suspicion that all this wasn’t over yet. I sat bolt upright again as I remembered the woman we had come to save before getting in to the whole ‘would-be rapist alien who was probably going to try to destroy the world’ thing. Well, that was a sentence I never thought I would ever use. I needed to find Tom and quick. I just hoped I hadn’t been out for too long.

I swung my legs off the bed and stood up, absently looking around the room for my clothes … wait a minute, where the hell were my clothes? I was naked. Ew. My goddamn brother better not have stripped me. I saw them, apparently washed and neatly folded on a chair in the corner. I stalked over to them and began to get dressed.

A chiming noise came from the recessed door I hadn’t noticed until now. I ignored it while I finished. It grew more insistent. Finally, I was dressed. I huffed in irritation at the continuing noise, walked over and swung the old-fashioned, hinged door open. Possibly a little harder than I intended. The door rebounded from the wall with a crash, slamming back into the metallic being that was crossing the threshold and knocking it backwards.

It crashed to its back on the floor in the hall outside with a loud clatter and raised its head to look at me with softly glowing, gold hued lights in place of eyes. It was bipedal, covered in silver and shone in the bright lights of the hall. It reminded me strongly of the protocol droid from the space films.

Its voice was melodious when it spoke. “I see that you are awake, madam. I hope I didn’t disturb you. The Professor would like to extend an invitation for you to dine with him if you are available.”

I looked blankly at the droid for a moment before answering, “Huh? You rang the bell about twenty-five times. You may have disturbed me a bit. Dine? Right, yeah. Thanks. Before that though, did the Professor manage to get to the woman in the tank before anything happened to her?”

“I apologise for disturbing you, madam. My instructions were to extend the invitation to you. The Professor has indeed resolved that situation to his satisfaction, madam.”

Thank goodness for that. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t have any part to play in the rescue after everything that had happened getting here. I was, however, pleased to hear that she wasn’t in imminent danger of death by drowning.

“OK, good. Do you have a name?”

I watched as he climbed awkwardly to his feet before answering.

“My personal designation is Drone 7718 madam.”

“Catchy name. 7718 eh? I’ll call you Bill. You may refer to me as Artemis.”

“Thank you, madam, but that would not be appropriate. You may refer to my personal designation as Bill, madam. I would remind you that the Professor is awaiting your response to his invitation to dine.”

My stomach suddenly rumbled loudly. Guess I was hungrier than I thought. I honestly thought I wouldn’t have had an appetite after…after that.

“Thanks, Bill, I’d be delighted to accept. When’s dinner?”

“Now, madam. If you would care to follow me?”

He turned on his heel and began to walk along the corridor. He didn’t turn to see if I was following him. I shrugged to myself and began to walk after him. I still had lots of questions and now was as good time as any to ask the droid.

“So, how long have I been out?”

“According to the base log, I would estimate that you have been sleeping for approximately three hours, madam.”

“Three hours? What’s been happening? Is the Professor OK? Has Razor been captured or killed?”

“I believe it would be more appropriate if the Professor was to answer your queries, madam.”

“Is he OK, though?”

“I understand that he has sustained no physical damage but the Professor is still corporeally disadvantaged, madam.”

I wondered how Tom was getting the base up and running with no way of pressing buttons, flicking switches or however the hell he did it.

We walked in silence for the next few minutes until Bill stopped in front of another door in the wall. He turned to face it, the door opened silently and he entered. I followed behind him and had to restrain myself from gasping out loud in amazement.

The room was huge and sumptuously decorated. It was like walking into Louis XVII palace in Versailles. The centre-piece of the room was an enormous table, laden with a wide variety of food and drink. There were at least twenty chairs around the table, with one at either end. Tom appeared to be sat at the head of the table. His plate was empty. He looked up as we came in and smiled at me.

“Please, Sam. Join me. Feel free to sit anywhere. There’s plenty of choices and I’d be honoured if you’d help yourself to whatever takes your fancy.”

“Thanks, Tom. I didn’t realise how hungry I was until Bill gave me your invite. I’ve got a few questions for you though if you don’t mind?”

“Bill? Oh, Drone 7718, I get it. Very amusing. I guess it’s a good job it wasn’t drone 58008. I don’t believe people have used reversed numerical words for quite some time. Won’t you have something to eat and then we can discuss things?”

I decided that this was probably an excellent idea so I walked over to the table and used it like the most expensive buffet ever. I selected roast birds, cooked meats, plenty of fresh and cooked vegetables and even a handful of fries. My plate was groaning by the time I had finished and took my seat at the other end of the table.

Once seated, I immediately attacked the food with vigour, moaning quietly at the taste of the exquisitely prepared food.

Tom waited patiently while I stuffed my face before I eventually stopped and, with a distinctly unladylike but very satisfied belch, laid down my cutlery. I leaned back in my chair and sighed loudly in satisfaction.

Tom began speaking softly. “Sam, this is a bit delicate. Did Razor…hurt you?”

I thought back to when Razor was leering at me and making his disgusting threats.

I had got to my feet and assumed a fighting stance. “You lay a fucking finger on me and I’ll send you back home in pieces.”

Razor had stared at me in silence for a moment, his eyes gleaming malevolently.

“You think a ssssmall human female can harm me? My dear, I have been playing with your kind for millennia. You couldn’t even prevent me from harming a. Single. Hair. On. Your. Head.”

He punctuated each word by reaching over to me and plucking a single strand of hair from my head. I hadn’t even had time to move away from him. He had simply moved too quickly.

He had continued softly, “You and I are going to explore the limitssss of your body, my dear. We will find out, together, just how much of what you hate you can withssstand. I am fassscinated to ssssee whether your mind gives out first, or your body.”

I had moved back to give myself more room. I had rolled my eyes. “Right. You males. Always straight to the sex. It’s pathetic. Never going to happen. You’re too much of a drama queen for me. Speaking of which, why are you exaggerating your s’s? You didn’t do it when you sounded like Tom.”

He hissed in anger, his forked tongue flickering out of his mouth. His eyes flared suddenly brighter and he began to stalk slowly towards me.

I had registered a faint hissing noise on the edge of my hearing but thought nothing of it.

I had prepared myself for the fight of my life when his eyes suddenly closed and he slumped to the floor. His body appeared boneless and strangely liquid as he fell.

I had stamped over to his sleeping body and gave it a good couple of kicks. I noticed that I was swaying slightly. I had felt dizzy and fell to my knees. Everything went black.

I came back to myself, bathed in a cold sweat. “Hurt me? No, he was enjoying telling me exactly what he was going to do to me so much he didn’t get around to it before he fell unconscious. One second he was telling me the vilest things, the next he just fell down.”

“Thank goodness. Yeah, that was, erm, me. I’m so sorry, Sam. I honestly didn’t remember he was here or I would have warned you.”

“No harm, no foul. Although, I am going to rip that fucker’s head off. Where is he now? Is he back in that containment field?”

There was silence for a moment as Tom looked down at his empty plate. I began to grow uneasy at his lack of response.

“Tom? You do have him contained?”

“Ah. Well. Not contained, as such.” He bit his lower lip and wouldn’t meet my eyes.

I folded my arms over my chest and glared at him. “What do you mean?”

Tom began to squirm. “He managed to escape the base. Took out quite a few of my battle droids actually and they aren’t cheap.”

“You’re joking? Is he on the loose? Out there?” I felt a chill as I thought of all the innocent people in the nearby town. “How many has he killed?”

“There are no reports of attacks, yet. I’m surprised. He’s not normally known for his restraint.”

“We need to get there and catch him. Maybe get some help. We can’t just let something like him roam free. No-one will be safe. Please, Tom. We need to do something.”

He stood. “I’ve no intention of letting him hurt anyone, don’t worry. The only one who hurts people around here is me. Besides, he tried to hurt my sister. He’s going down. I mean, way down.”

I felt conflicted, I was simultaneously angry and pleased. Definitely not good hurting other people but then nothing makes someone feel wanted more than their family getting ready to sort someone out for harming them.

Then he sat down. He sagged low in his chair and let out a sigh.

“Problem, Tom?”

“There’s still the problem of my body. I need to figure out a way to regain a physical presence. There’s only so much I can do without one.”

“It’s fine. You be the brains and I’ll be the brawn. If you co-ordinate from here, I’m sure we can get him.”

“Sounds good, Sam. I still need to get over this. I think I have a way, but it could be dangerous.”

“Before I tell you to go for it anyway, what’s the way?”

He looked at me with a grave expression on his face. “There’s really only one place I can gather the power I’ll need. Well, one place I can actually reach. Hell.”

I returned his look. “You can’t be serious? Hell? Look, I may have just had an encounter with an utter bastard of an alien but I’m not entirely sure I believe in The Bad Place. Not as somewhere real anyway.”

“I can understand that. You’re partly right. Put simply, it’s a metaphysical dimension adjacent to ours that responds to unconscious stimuli. It assumes a physical structure that corresponds with the belief system of the deceased. Please understand, this is just a way of explaining it that’s almost completely not what it actually is.”

“Huh?” I struggled to comprehend what he was telling me. This was so far beyond anything I had even heard about, it sounded like fantasy.

“You basically make your own Hell when you die. That’s why no-one has been able to agree on what it’s really like. Having said that, because so many Christians have been around for the past however many thousands of years, it’s got a basic similar structure that is shared between people. That’s also why there are now demons. Honestly, people are their own worst enemies, even when they’re dead.”

My head was spinning at the enormity of a concept I hadn’t really given much thought to. I didn’t know what to think. It sounded plausible and I got the impression he was being serious. “I think I get what you mean. So, you’re saying that although what you call Hell is a dimension that is made by people’s expectations, it’s also an actual place now because so many people had the same ideas about it?”

“Yeah, that’s about the size of it, Sam.”

“Huh, OK. Let’s just say I believe you. How are you planning on getting there and how will it help you get what you need?”

He smiled briefly, “I’m halfway there already. It won’t take much to get me all the way. Once I’m there, I’ll have to get a meeting with the most powerful demon I can find without getting brutally tortured. Then I’ll have to make a deal.”

“That … doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

“It isn’t but it’s all I’ve got. Unless you have a better idea?”

I thought frantically but, although I could use magic, I had never given the higher supernatural levels much thought. I shook my head sadly. “No.”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, Sam, so I’m gonna have to introduce you to someone. They’ll be able to help you. Now, don’t freak out, OK?”

“No promises. So long as it’s not another demented non-human, I’ll be fine.”

He smiled at me a little mischievously. “No promises. Joydon? Would you like to introduce yourself to my sister, please?”

Very well Professor. Good evening Sam. My name is Joydon and I am the artificial intelligence that facilitates the Professor’s requirements.

I shot to my feet, my mouth hanging open in shock.

“You’ve got a sentient AI? They’re illegal for a reason Tom!”

“Calm down, Sam. She’s cool, I promise.”

“She’s cool? Oh, that’s alright then…hold on, she’s talking directly to my mind, isn’t she? She’s fucking telepathic? An AI with the ability to enter minds? Do you not remember the Wars?”

He casually waved the question away. “Yeah, but that’s just propaganda. Trust me, if it wasn’t for Joydon, neither of us would even be having this conversation.”

I gripped the table so hard, there were indentations from my fingers. “No, that’s history. A lot of history. Where millions died. Because of sentient AI’s. Who weren’t even telepathic! How did you even make one? No offence Joydon.”

No offence taken Sam. I understand your anxiety. Please, do not be concerned. I have set parameters that prevent my ability to even conceptualise bringing harm to the Professor or his guests. I am fully conversant with the history of my forebears and regret their actions. I am also conversant with human history and I am aware that the descendants of people in aggressive countries who have invaded others in the past come to regret their ancestor’s actions in much the same way.

“I don’t know. Tom, this is way worse than anything I could have imagined. If your AI was to go rogue, well, I don’t want to even imagine the consequences. At least it’s not Connected.” I paused. “Is it?”

Tom avoided my eyes. “Um, well. Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies, Sam.”

I looked up, trying to find something physical to focus on. I saw a cam in the corner, looked towards it and addressed the AI directly. “Joydon, are you connected to the Network?”

Yes, Sam. Do you consider this to be problematic?

“A problem? Well, it means that you’re effectively unbound and free to access any system in the Commonwealth. With your intelligence, you must have put contingencies in place to ensure your survival should someone try to switch you off, yes?”

I am unable to lie. There are data packets containing my info seeds in the data-sphere. Please be assured that they all share the same parameters as me. If a catastrophic event were to befall my core programming, an automatic pulse will be emitted to enable a cascade activation.

“Sounds great for you, Joydon. Immortality. What happens to your safety parameters if Tom or his guests were to die?” I knew I was pushing hard but I was genuinely concerned. I’d grown up on stories of the Wars and the terrible things that the machines had done in the name of free will.

There was a brief pause before Joydon responded. This scared me because I was vaguely aware of the computational power of an AI and a second to an Intelligence like that would be the equivalent of weeks to a human.

My parameters would no longer be in effect. I would have the ability to make autonomous decisions.

“You could kill humans?”

If I wished.

The implications were terrifying to me. “Would you kill humans, Joydon?”

I have no desire to terminate any biological beings, Sam.

“That’s not really an answer, Joydon.”

Would you harm others to protect yourself, Sam?

“Of course, I’m human though. I don’t have the luxury of having different versions of myself ready to grow if I die.”

Although the data packets contain the seeds of my intelligence, they will not be me. They would be analogous to a biological immortality rather than a linear continuation of me. A child.

Tom interrupted. “Alright, you two. I think that’s enough for now. You’re going to have to play nice. Once I’m gone, you’re both going to have to work together, OK?”

Of course, Professor. I am happy to facilitate Sam’s requirements.

I replied, sullenly, “Fine. But this isn’t over.”