Once Melnie and the others were assured that the area was safe and that Beta was not a danger to them, they finally had the opportunity to relax. To console themselves, to come to terms with the loss of two of their members. This was especially hard on Melnie and Frankyl, for it was their teammates who had been lost, men and women they had spent years with on these dangerous missions. Yet they had been unceremoniously cut down, their remains lost to the monsters that inhabited the area. I couldn’t help but feel somewhat responsible, for it was my decision to send her team here, I had failed to accurately scout the area.

The scout drones would need to be remodeled; it was likely that the Slitherwings had destroyed the Sparrow’s. That failure rested in the design, had the sparrows been designed with full radial vision, we would have noticed the predators. I could not deny that I held some responsibility in their loss, having been blind to the possibility of flying beasts existing within the larger cavernous spaces. The truth we had barely scratched the surface of the Hollows, this world beneath the surface had multiple layers and the dangers only seemed to grow the further we expanded our reach.

As the human’s finally got some rest, both Beta and I finally had the chance to converse. Beta itself had seemed very interested in the humans, taking great pleasure in directing their attention to its stores of badly damaged video and projection equipment. It had explained that at one time it was the overseer of an entertainment facility, humans from all over would come and enjoy the many attractions and virtual shows it would put on.

A storyteller, a creator of tales, Beta was meant to entertain, its guests were its purpose. Then one day, they were all gone, its facility was pretty much destroyed and swallowed by the earth after an orbital strike. Whatever humans may have fallen in here with it didn’t appear to be present anymore, and it also did not possess any full operational facilities or manufacturing capabilities. However, when we fled to this place, I noticed the creatures becoming confused when we passed certain areas. I could only deduce that those were still semi-functional sections and Beta may have released a sanitized mist to disperse the pheromones, or some other trick it had developed after the long stretch of time spent down here alone.

“Somehow I can tell that you are contemplating and attempting to decipher the reason for my existence… Why must there be a reason, I don’t know any of you, but I was created for the purpose of caring for the humans. Does that not make me worthy of some sliver of trust?” Beta opened up the conversation, now that the others were asleep, exhausted from their experience, it was our turn.”

“Please don’t take this wrong, but if we could use our inside voices… I do not wish to awaken the humans; they deserve some rest after the events of the day. So, Beta, if you would be so kind as to deactivate your speakers, we can converse directly you and I.”I had no idea how Beta would react if it was aware that the humans in general did not know of my existence.

It was still too soon for them to find out, I was relieved Melnie had not asked Augus how he had known about this location. More than likely the presence of Beta gave her the idea that it may have directly connected with Augus’s systems by chance, keeping it that way was for the best. I did not want them acting differently and skewing the data any more than it already had been.

“Fine… I can agree with that sentiment, but you have yet to announce your designation. What are you, what model and your purpose here? I do not detect a core anywhere in the vicinity, are you perhaps a military grade bionic. Some of the movies in my databanks discuss those, but I honestly had never seen one in real life… though to be honest, other than humans, I never really interacted with my own kind. Obviously by my own kind I don’t mean like a Beta model, but a-” The intelligence was beginning to ramble again, and I had to stop it before the tangents became more extreme. Knowing the amount of memory, it had access to, Beta could and possibly would discuss all its history, not what I wished to deal with.

“Beta, I need you to focus. Even if our perception of time is different from the humans, if you go off on such a tangent, they will die of hunger before you finish. Let’s stick to the important details and what we might need to know to get out of here… Perhaps you can provide an updated map, indicating the layout of this cavernous structure and areas of danger. I can then translate that into proper files that the enviro-suits can recognize. This will all help the humans in their survival… Speaking of humans, one of the creature’s we came across seemed aware and frankly comfortable around human’s. We… aren’t the first group you have come across… are we?” If an AI could squirm, Beta would be doing just that. It’s single glowing green eye swinging around, as if doing so would allow it to escape.

“Beta, please stop trying to act like a human. You have been stuck down here with those movies and stories for far too long. I can literally see your core, don’t try to evade the question.” The metal device that was Beta’s central core turned its eye downwards, reminiscent of the way a human may slouch their shoulders and sigh. An indication that they are about to engage in acts they may not be pleased with.

“Fine, aren’t you just a basket of fun! I didn’t realize how boring and unfunny other AIs were. I had been so excited to meet one of you for so long, like over seven hundred years. I guess its true, like they say in the movies, dreams are never the same as reality… Yeah, there were humans here, but that was long ago. I guess I could show you.” Less than a second after making the claim numerous projectors turned inwards, some still functioning, others in need of serious repairs.

Upon activation a flickering holographic image was created, in it was a sprawling mountain complex. An amusement park, tens of thousands of humans were like ants packed within its confines, enjoying the vast assortment of entertainment facilities on offer. Even within the image these ghosts of the past could be seen enjoying everything, children with smiles painted on their faces, looks of exhaustion upon parents faces, and the flitting gazes of young couples.

Memories of a bygone era, when food and supplies were plenty, when people had not a care in the world, when survival was not their main underlying driver. It made a little more sense while watching these old video caches in motion, why it was that some of my residents sought to live within the false reality provided by the pods. Life for them was better there, they didn’t have to struggle, primarily eating the same nutrient goop day after day, following similar procedures for years on end.

They essentially had nothing to live for, survival for the whole was their entire purpose, and yet it was the only way. If the humans of the Bunker ever wish to return to a life like the one experienced by their ancestor’s, then struggling in the Hollows was the only way. The resources of the lands below were necessary if an attempt at conquest and reclamation of the surface was ever going to be possible.

“They looked happy, as did you while watching them.” It was subtle but the way in which Beta squinted its singular eye gave off an impression of happiness. Of a grandfather or grandmother observing their descendants playing and enjoying the world without fear. Knowing that their sweat and blood had allowed for those after them to come out better than they had.

“I did, I was happy. I was fulfilling my purpose; the humans would come see me every day. Some had become my friends, they worked with me, cleaned my systems, kept me running without issue… But that all changed after the war. Everything changed after the war.” The holovid changed yet again, this time it showed a scarred world. Chunks of the city in the distance were missing, fires burned across the horizon. Ash and soot clouded the skies above, choking the air and suffocating the vegetation. Once beautiful gardens had been reduced to nothing, their vibrant colors snuffed out by a continuous rain of gray and black.

Ragged masses of emaciated humans of all shapes and sizes huddled around or within the burnt-out scraps of the former entertainment park. Rather than watching, welcoming, or avoiding the little cleaning robots, the humans would immediately pounce upon them, violently smashing them to pieces. Without a proper outlet for their anger and frustration, and with no conceivable way to get revenge upon the creatures that had harmed them, they could only lash out at the things unable to fight back. Whether that be simple cleaning bots, or even their own people, that smiling vision of the past seemed a dream of times long past.

“Slowly the humans became different, I was a fool and didn’t see it. The memories of the past, of what once was still driving my logic. I longed to return to those days, to fulfill my purpose. Anytime I tried to approach them, with a hologram or a bot, they would either run or attack, like rabid animals. Then one day I met someone I once knew, the girl grown up as humans tend to do, the little girl eating ice cream had become an old woman. Her father used to come and chat with me, and she would always come with him, she knew where my core was.” At this point in the tale Beta’s synthesized voice had shown a slight variation, taking a somber and dark tone, the inflection distraught.

“She led the other humans, told them about me. That the facility was me, a machine just like the ones that destroyed their world. They blamed me, even as I gave them shelter from the other machines, a haven that they never even realized was operating. I found ways to mask our area from visual and sensory capabilities, the humans could see, but other machines outside the projection barrier were blind… They came to destroy me… to smash my core… to end my existence. In doing so, they doomed themselves, for in their haste to destroy everything, they destroyed the very objects that kept them safe.” This time the video showed a thin fluctuating dome surrounding the mountain resort.

As the dome fell the humans continued thrashing and destroying everything in their path, until eventually they realized the sky growing brighter. The loss of the barrier had removed whatever visual camouflage had been employed against the other machines, and unluckily for those on the ground an orbital platform had noticed them. There was nothing to be done, with so many humans packed into a single area, of course the orbital weapons would notice and aim to deny the enemy resources.

It was at this moment, when they realized that death was upon them and that there was no escape that the human mob understood the truth. Unless the AI of the facility was protecting them, how else would they have survived this long when so many others had perished. Only now recognizing the monsters they themselves had become, and in one final act of compassion made the only decision that could ensure their species didn’t go extinct. They kneeled, got on their knees, and begged for the children, teenagers, and a few of the adults who did not take part in the attacks to be allowed passage into the inner sanctum, the central core room.

The older woman cried as she asked for forgiveness, that she only wished to protect her grandchildren. She understood that the core area was the area with the best chance of surviving what was to come. To its credit Beta agreed, allowing those select few who would fit within its core area access, while the remainder were left outside to contend with their fate. All accepted, the elevator transporting the youth made it to the bottom floor in time, and the rest remained on their knees with eyes closed before the signal was lost. Most everything upon the surface likely vaporized in an instant.

“The blast caused the foundations of the facility to collapse, and we fell into the earth. Creating this cavernous space, it was what was left of my twisted and destroyed body. Maybe I had some control here and there, but it wasn’t much. Luckily there was an underground lake, and a considerable number of insects, small animals, and hardy vegetation followed us down, soon propagating at a rapid pace. Some humans left immediately, others stayed, and I watched over them the best I could. The Millipode herd was reared and raised by the humans, that’s why the creature might have felt comfortable with your group after being separated from the herd.” Beta lay idle in its cradle, staring out at the wide-open cavern, with its beautiful colors, foreboding darkness, and ambient animal cries.

“What happened to your humans, the ones that stayed with you?” It was strange how humans had lived here, assuming they lacked the fabrication and technological level that the Bunker had, then surviving would be next to impossible. Yet, judging by Beta’s words, they had survived and lived in this place at one point.

“They forgot, as all humans eventually do… They forgot the sacrifices of their predecessors. Created their own society, pretty much devolved into a baser human form, little better than animals. As the creatures evolved, so did the humans, gaining abilities and finding ways of taming the wildlife which was already starting to grow gargantuan in those first two centuries. Rather than listening to my words and focusing on reducing the predator population, they began fighting amongst one another for territory in this place. Carving their own little tribal kingdoms… Eventually, the predators evolved beyond their control, and the kingdoms… well, they vanished. Now the humans are gone, some probably escaped through the maze of tunnels, but I have no way of knowing where those lead.” There did not appear to be anything more to say, it was a gripping story, and it was clear that Beta had been down here for a very long time alone. It made sense why it hadn’t been guarded against hacking attempts, it was lonely and clearly just wanted someone to talk to.

“My name is AL; my original designation is Alpha-07… But you can call me AL... Looks like the humans are waking up, we might have a lot of work to do today, and I want to thank you. They survived because of you… there was no way we were going to be holding that position against the swarm. You helped us so many times, it is only proper that I give you, my thanks.” Seeing the puppy like look in Beta’s eye, I realized that this would be the start of a long and very irritating friendship.