Damion rolled his eyes. “Classy. And I thought you Lunar-born were Elite citizens.”
“It’s the damn truth!” Juni exclaimed, and then he must have realized 108 was still there because he winced when they touched, as if the Core’s arm was extremely cold. “Hey, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not an ass. Wow. His arm’s really cold!”
108 continued to stare at Juni for a few more long moments before his eyes closed. The cables retracted from his ports, and he let Juni’s hand go so that he could use the sides of the capsule to push himself to his shaky feet.
“He has agreed to be your Core. Fighter Mathis, 108, direct your attention to the monitor in front of Fighter Hawk,” 47 said before a full diagram of the Zeus appeared and then narrowed as the escape path on the schematic began blinking. “I will help guide you if you become confused on the route. You have six minutes before I must turn off the warnings. I can continue to keep Arkin contained until further notice. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Just stay in your pod.” Damion grinned almost maniacally. “The rest is something I’ve been looking forward to.”
Damion and Juni helped 108 to Juni’s quarters and gently placed him in Juni’s bed so that he could rest. Beta quarters didn’t come with a Core capsule, so it was the only place comfortable enough for 108 for now. Medical would be pissed and worried about contamination, but by the time they started accusing Juni of kidnapping, 108 would be able to tell them through the uplinks that he had gone with Juni willingly.
In the meantime Damion took Juni with him to Arkin’s quarters. Damion knew 47 was following them through the ship’s cameras. The array of talents 47 owned was truly impressive. Damion could see why the Creators would not want to terminate him just for being annoying. He waited for 47 to unlock Arkin’s door before he knocked. The ignorant blond bastard was cursing as he opened the door. Damion punched him—hard—before the door had completely slid open.
Arkin yelled out in surprise and pain as he fell back into the living quarters, crashing into the small table. As soon as Damion and Juni stepped into the room, 47 closed the door to prevent anyone from disturbing them.
“What the fuck, Hawk! Not only do I have to deal with your freak of a broken Core, now you have to burst into my fucking room and attack me?” Arkin watched the blood pool in his cupped hand from his broken nose. “The Commander will hear about this!”
“You’re lucky that all I did was break your fucking nose, since I’ve had at least two clear opportunities to kill you during simulations.” Damion grabbed the front of Arkin’s shirt and easily picked him up, slamming him against the wall. “You want to know why I didn’t?”
“I do.” Juni didn’t look comfortable being part of the beating, but he wasn’t against it either, nor was he moving to stop it.
Damion punched Arkin in the stomach after blocking the bleeding man’s pitiful kick. “Because of the Cores. They don’t ask for this, but they keep following us. I actually feel sick knowing how many you’ve killed.”
A rumble started in Arkin’s chest that soon turned into a roaring laugh. Arkin looked almost demonic, cackling laughter with the mess of blood running down his face.
“You feel sorry for the fucking slaves? How pathetic!” Arkin grinned up at Damion with teeth stained red. “Your Core been feedin’ you sad stories? Telling you this shit to lead you into a false sense of security, to pity him and let down your guard so that he can kill you just like he did the others? The only difference is this time he’s playin’ with you before killing you outright.
“You know what CORE stands for? Corporation Organic Robotic Entity. Robotic Entity. They’re just a computer with a human body—toys. That’s what Cores are for—to do whatever we fuckin’ want. Whether it’s to feed us dinner, bend over to be fucked, or to die when we want them to. They ain’t human. They’re fucking machines. Who the fuck cares if they die? There’s always another one waiting to take its place.”
The console from which 47 had been talking was oddly quiet, almost dangerously so.
“They are not machines.” Damion’s large hands moved quickly to Arkin’s neck, easily contracting the cartilage and blood vessels. “They are human. Even if 47 is trying to kill me, it would still be a human killing another human.”
Juni finally moved, putting a hand on Damion’s shoulder. “You’re not going to kill him, are you? I thought you were going to kick the shit out of him.”
“What does it matter? He doesn’t learn. He never fucking learns.” Damion squeezed the thick neck harder. “How many of your Cores did you do this to? Or did you just beat them to death? Coward. Dirty fucking coward.”
Arkin’s hands flew to grasp Damion’s wrists, his eyes widening in fear and popping at the lack of air as he struggled to get free. Even if he wanted to respond, he couldn’t speak from the pressure around his neck. He kicked out in retaliation, connecting with Damion’s legs, but it didn’t seem to have any effect as Arkin bucked his body.
The console was silent for a few more minutes until Arkin started to lose consciousness. “Fighter Hawk, your termination of Fighter Arkin in this manner is unwise. I apologize for my boldness, but may I suggest releasing him?”
“Listen to the creepy man.” Juni tugged at Damion’s arms, trying to coax him to release Arkin.
Damion allowed Arkin to pull free, his hands still shaking with fury as he watched Arkin sputter and fall to his knees. A cold emotion filled his stomach, almost making him sick. “I had planned to drag you to the trash chute and push you out the air lock, you asshole. You have a Core to thank for me walking out of here without killing you.”
Arkin took deep shuddering breaths and coughed as he rose to his hands and knees.
“Now I see. Instead of the slave following your orders, you’ve become a slave to the machine. Is that it?”
“He doesn’t control me!” Damion went to punch Arkin again, but Juni stopped him by grabbing his forearm.
“So it wants you to think. But it does all this crazy shit, and you don’t wonder what other shit it can do. Come on, you naive bastard!” Arkin coughed and swayed on his hands and knees. “I used them the way they’re meant to be used, and once they outlived their usefulness, I got rid of them. And you should too, before that crazy tool decides that you aren’t useful anymore either!”
Arkin continued to laugh as he sat up straight and then braced himself against the wall to stand.
“Don’t!” Juni shifted the same instant Damion moved to hit Arkin again “Don’t kill him yet!” Once again, Juni strained to hold Damion back, using all his strength to keep the stronger man from slaughtering Arkin.
“Stay away from any Core for the next few weeks, Arkin, or I swear I’ll finish what I just started.” Damion turned to leave, knowing if he didn’t go now, he might kill the asshole.
“Oh, I’ll stay away from them, but it doesn’t mean they will stay away from me. They love what I give them, every second,” Arkin replied, snickering as he moved along the wall toward his console. “Maybe I’ll get my hands on your Core. I’m sure he’d love me trying out that sweet ass. I’ve heard he even cried for Morales. Of course, that’s just a rumor, but I’d love to see if it were true. You’ll have to let me know.” Arkin reached his console and with one quick punch had it sparking into pieces. “Now spy on me, you fucking freak of a trash compactor!”
Juni had to stop Damion, once again, from attacking Arkin. With a firm grip on Damion’s bicep, he yanked him out of Arkin’s quarters, waiting for the door to close behind them before speaking. “Man, breathe. We don’t have long until they find that Core missing and search the entire ship for him.”
“I should have killed him,” Damion muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve.
Core 47
BACK IN their room, 47 gasped and sat straight up in his capsule, stifling a groan as he cradled his head in his hands. The backlash from Arkin breaking the console had almost kno
cked him out. 47 had seen the fist coming and pulled out at the last second, but not quickly enough. He was relieved Damion wasn’t in the room to see his weakness. His skin burned at every input port in his body, and he knew he couldn’t go back into the system right now. With blind fingers, he found the keypad. His head was pounding and he needed to get it under control before his Fighter came back. As soon as he was free, he pulled himself up to sit on the edge of the pod and tried to breathe. 47 hated being blind and not knowing exactly where Damion was, but that was the way it was sometimes.
Damion
JUNI ESCORTED Damion straight back to his quarters. Damion was relieved to see 47 was still in the room, but not happy to see him looking so pale. Before he was able to ask what was wrong, there was a sudden alarm and announcement, telling everyone to return to their bunks for lockdown.
“Juni, go quick. They’re going to start searching each room for 108. When they show up, tell them he came to you by himself.”
“108 will confirm your story. The trauma to his body from the Impulse has allowed him to distort his programming. The Creators will not be able to find this distortion for quite some time, as long as 108 is meticulous in his actions. He is officially your Core. There may be a small investigation, but nothing will come of it. It has not been announced, but Fighter Traynor is resigning his Alpha post to take a promotion with the Academy. Fighter Traynor’s Core was reassigned due to low performance and a query into a replacement was placed within the Creator database for an appropriate match twenty-two hours ago. The Hermes will be your Zodiac. 108 will begin adjustments as soon as he is capable,” 47 supplied, pushing himself to his feet. “He still will not be able to communicate for approximately twenty-four minutes. They will not search your bunk for another thirty-six.”
“Great. Damion, you okay?” Juni backed up toward the door.
“No,” Damion snarled. “But I won’t attack the bastard again. At least, not right now.”
“You and I need to have a talk about your temper.” Juni left swiftly, but he still looked uncomfortable.
47 walked over to the miniature kitchen. It was nothing more than a small fridge and a coffee producer, but it was enough to get them by. After opening the fridge, 47 took out a beer and walked over to Damion, handing it to him before going back to sit on the edge of his capsule. “I apologize for requesting that you not terminate Fighter Arkin. I know it was not my place. I understand that by doing so I increased the tension of the situation.” His words were quiet, tired.
“It was the right choice.” Damion took off the seal and began drinking his beer. “I want to kill him, but if I did, it wouldn’t make me any better than him.”
“Yes, it would. He was also under suspicion with Fighter Morales for the murders I informed you of. Murders they committed before they were recruited, even if he did abuse Cores. Arkin did not cease murdering, only slowed his pace. You would have been terminating him to keep others safe, while he killed out of malice.” 47’s gaze was on the toes of his boots.
“Did Morales rape you?” Damion asked in a tight voice, not sure if he wanted the answer.
47’s gaze flashed up to Damion’s face and then back down to his boots, almost too quickly to track. “What Fighter Morales did with me during the time we were paired was in perfect compliance with what is acceptable for a Fighter in situations where stress would need to be dealt with in the form of sexual release. It is beneficial to the Corporation Alpha Fighters who are consistently in high-stress situations. If they limit their sexual needs to their Cores, they would not push those needs on other personnel,” he replied evasively, standing and walking toward the bathroom.
“Damn it, 47! I am not in the mood!” Damion stalked forward and caught 47’s upper arm. “Yes or no?”
47 did not flinch as Damion’s large hand grasped him tightly. He was silent for a few minutes, not looking at Damion. “According to the statute, there is no such offense when it comes to such behavior between Fighters and Cores. So no—” He paused, his gaze on the floor. “—but according to my own rules, yes. According to my research, that is what it is called.”
Damion nodded and let 47 go. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling at the moment, now that his suspicions had been confirmed. “Arkin won’t stop.”
47 took a small step away from him, closer to the bathroom, standing in the doorway and taking small covert glances at him. It was as if 47 was waiting for Damion to come for him like Morales and the others did. “No, he will not. If my analysis of his personality is correct, he will only increase his efforts to defy you.”
“He needs to be stopped, but the Commander won’t do it since he, and Arkin, want you dead for killing the other Fighters. The rape would just be covered up before I could even get it to the Ethical Boards, that is, if they would be brave enough to confront the Creators. I suspect the Commander fears the Creators and losing his cushy job and that’s why he hasn’t put a bullet in you. However, my gut says this all feels as if it’s a distraction, but I can’t say why, which is about as helpful as Red Ore in my coffee.” Damion tossed his empty bottle into the trash receptacle with more force than necessary, drawing satisfaction from hearing it shatter.
47 was silent for a few minutes, reaching out to grip the bathroom doorframe. “Do you really believe what you stated about Cores? That we are human?”
“Yes.” Damion answered without hesitation. “It doesn’t matter if you were grown in a lab or taken at birth from a whore. It doesn’t change anything.”
“Most are born, like you, and only modified in a lab. Only a few, like me, are grown.” 47 was quiet for a few minutes more. “I could do it if it would please you.”
“Do what?” Damion asked warily.
“Terminate Fighter Arkin,” 47 replied softly, still not looking at Damion.
“No, you shouldn’t.” Damion glared at him. “You’ve killed enough, and those men attacked you directly. Arkin has only tried to kill us in simulations… so far.”
“Yes. Only us.” 47 sounded close to normal, but a bit colder. He walked into the bathroom and shut the door.
Damion rested his head in his hands, wondering how long it would take the Creators to do their checks and find 108 gone, and then how long until Arkin went to Medical looking for some drugs to take away his pain and to collect his Core.
He would give anything to see Arkin’s face when he found out 108 had bonded with Juni. Damion wished he could go to the gym, find it in him to watch a vid, read a book, to be able to think of anything but 47 being sexually and physically abused.
Core 47
NORMALLY 47’S showers were quick and efficient, enough time to clean himself according to the top hygienic codes. But today… today he stood under the hot water longer. His whole body ached from the backlash and his head was still pounding, but the heat helped ease his discomfort. Unfortunately, it did not help deter him from thinking about Damion’s words and obvious anger about the previous abuse of 47. 47 did not understand why Damion cared when no one else did.
Shaking his head in wonderment, he turned off the multiple jets and stepped out of the shower, wrapping himself in a towel. The chemical rinse was devoid of color or smell and simulated water. The creation of this invention was something 47 had pondered the full logistics of in the past and found no answer. Looking about, he realized he had made a tactical error and forgot to bring his clean uniform into the bathroom with him. That was odd; he never forgot anything. Perhaps he had taken more damage from the backlash than he had suspected.
After drying off, he grabbed a robe and stepped out of the bathroom. He retrieved his clothes from his side of the closet and went back into the bathroom to change. In the room again, he could hear the repeating alerts telling everyone to stay in their rooms. Avoiding looking at Damion, 47 retrieved another beer for his Fighter, and then sat back on the edge of his capsule.
“You think you can check in and see if Juni is doing okay?” Damion asked.
47’s g
aze met Damion’s for a second or two before they slid sideways to avoid Damion noticing any emotion showing in them. “I apologize but… I cannot. Not for approximately ninety minutes. Perhaps more.”
“What? Why?” Damion immediately appeared concerned, not mad in the least.
“I am… I received minor damage when Fighter Arkin demolished the console I was riding in,” 47 responded regretfully. “I apologize for my inadequacy at this time and the inability to follow your orders. If you wish, I will still attempt to contact Fighter Juni.”
“No, no it’s fine.” Damion shook his head and waved dismissively in the air. “It sounds like you need to rest. Between the Pulse and getting 108 out, you’re probably exhausted. I made a decision while you were cleaning up. One I want you to try and respect.”
“I am adequate should you need me. I have learned to push aside the need for rest.” 47 tilted his head, looking at Damion from underneath his hair. “Core 47 will obey.”
“I’m giving you a name,” Damion said with a firm voice, he didn’t let 47’s gaze move from his.
47 moved his head so that he was looking at Damion without his hair impeding his vision. “This is the decision you speak of that I must respect?”
“Yes. Meaning once I give it to you, I want you to respond to it and not ignore it. All right?” Damion gave him a tight smile.
“Affirmative. Do you also wish me to respond in the instance that others use it?” He did not understand this insistence of something as menial as a name, but if it was important to Damion, then it did not matter whether or not he himself understood.
“If you want. That is your decision.” Damion stood and came over to hold 47 gently by the biceps. “If you hate it, tell me, and I’ll think of another.”
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