As Kerrig reached the plaza, streaks of white hot light pulsed across the chamber from left to right, the strobing light illuminating the hall which initially caused the sentients, who lived in the darkness, to shield their visual receptors as they made the required adaptive adjustments. Ensuring that Sarazen was still behind him, Kerrig peered out of the passage to survey the scene at Marnassus Plaza. Bright bursts of weapon fire still streaked across the hall and then were returned by a brave group of sentients that had taken cover behind the large stone structure in the centre of the hall. Kerrig could see that Marnassus station had been breached and at least two or three enforcers had traversed the walkway into the heart of his community. Strewn across the cold stony floor of the hall, a number of citizens had fallen to the merciless heat of the enforcers’ arms, their bodies cleaved in two, their limbs separated from their bodies and the dark black liquor of Vitalin sprayed across the chamber. A number of citizens now stood behind Kerrig, their weapons ready. Kerrig kept them behind him, to enter the chamber without covering arms’ fire would be catastrophic. Kerrig screamed out to the two remaining sentients who now cowered behind the monolith as weapon blasts slowly blew chunks of the smooth and seductive sculpture away. The two fighters saw Kerrig and the others waiting for some kind of moment when they too could join the fray, time was running short, the enforcers began to advance. Sarazen struggled to look over Kerrig's shoulder to catch a glimpse of the new enforcer's. It did not take much computation for Sarazen to realise that, like the sentients, The Mother's drones had adapted to their functions significantly over the generations. The enforcers were now much larger, they were heavily armoured and their ability to maim and disable greatly increased. Their forms were now barely recognisable as silicants, they were now little more than mobile weapons, they exuded menace with their unnaturally stunted gait, a product of their weight distribution, their upper torso encumbered with multiple types of weaponry.
Kerrig could not allow the enforcers to advance further or he and the other citizens of his 'street' would be cornered and carved to pieces mercilessly. The two fighters in the hall signalled to Kerrig and with the benefit of their communication, began a synchronised burst of covering fire as Kerrig too unleashed the fury of his weapon at the nearest enforcer. Sarazen, shielded by Kerrig's bulk cowered behind his friend as the other citizens poured out into the plaza, firing their collective weapons in frenzied bursts. Sarazen was forced to duck and shield his visor as one of the citizens next to him was struck by the enforcer's bolt of fizzling heat as he ran into the chamber and was torn apart in front of his eyes. The white hot shards of his shattered exoskeleton struck Sarazen and the old one could feel a larger piece of the unfortunate sentient strike his side and lodge itself deep into his lateral weave. Kerrig remained focused on his task and despite too being sprayed with the life fluids of his close friend, he continued to pour his anger down upon the nearest enforcer who was now taking a sustained battering by the many weapons of the Marnassus community. The enforcer's armour repelled some of many volleys of cutting heat that struck its frame but a few telling bursts were now beginning to take their toll, and with a particularly successful strike, its head was cleaved from its torso to the unabashed cry of victory which was heard above the wailing scream of the continued weapons fire.
The loss of the flanking enforcer gave Kerrig the opportunity to move around and behind the advancing units. Giving Sarazen a firm command to stay put, Kerrig courageously moved out into the chamber, leaving Sarazen to clutch at thin air as he suddenly realised that he was on his own. Sarazen dropped to his knees and pulled the remains of a terminated citizen towards him to shield him from any stray weapons fire. He had felt the icy tendrils of fear before, when the enforcer had come for him at his living space, when his trusted companion had looked into his eyes and he realised that there was no longer affection there. He had however, never felt anything like this. As his emotional centre had developed, so had his susceptibility to irrational and profound emotional states. He could not organise his thoughts, he could not predict an outcome, and he only hoped that everything would once again be alright.
Kerrig ran along the side of the chamber, taking cover behind a number of structures that were used as temporary trade stands. The structures were flimsy and would not save him from the searing temperatures of the enforcers’ weapons, but they might allow him to elude the scanning, piercing eyes of the callous machines. The other enforcers were almost upon the remaining fighters and if there was to be a time to take the risk of revealing himself to the marauding attackers, this was it. Standing upright and bold, the distracted enforcers unaware of his position, Kerrig had the time afforded to him to take a well aimed shot. The enforcer's were constantly changed and updated to eradicate weakness but it was known that the new models were deficient in armour at the lower part of the structure at the joints where it bore much of its weight. Kerrig unleashed an accurate pulse of destructive heat and severed the right lower appendage. The enforcer wobbled as it tried to compensate, but the bulk of its upper body was too great to bear. It crashed to the ground and thrashed around, ready to be picked off at will by the grateful fighters who were now moving around the large stone monument to avoid the third and last enforcer.
Detecting the destruction of its counterpart and the trajectory of the shot that disabled it, the enforcer turned its attention to Kerrig who now realised that he was in dire trouble. The hulking machine began its tracking process, its large cannon training in on Kerrig who did not know whether to run or hide behind the cover of the trade stands. Kerrig knew that the fiery breath of the enforcer's arms would tear the stands apart and him with it so he initiated his desperate attempt to escape and hurdled the obstacles in a retreat to the passage where Sarazen still cowered, barely able to watch the unfolding action. Kerrig felt the wash of the blazing cannon as he narrowly avoided destruction, his back and shoulders seared by the residual heat. Kerrig stumbled, realising that he had taken some damage and scrabbled to return to his feet. The enforcer was unlikely to allow him to do that however, and as Kerrig glanced over to the machine intent on depriving him of his life, he expected to feel the agonies of a fiery termination at any moment. The fatal blow never occurred - the enforcer had made an error of judgement and had been distracted by the crack shot that had felled its comrade. The enforcer was set upon by the vengeful volley of blasts from the remaining sentients who had now flanked the giant machine and proceeded to tear it apart, limb by limb from the rear.
The raid alarm still wailing, Kerrig shuffled back to Sarazen to ensure that he was still functioning. The sentients remaining took out their furious anger on the stricken drones that remained, tearing them apart with their weapons, their hands and their feet. Unsure if there were more enforcers on the way, Kerrig was sure to remind some of the others that time was better spent scouting the area and reinforcing other zones than furiously dismantling enforcers who were already beyond repair. Sarazen, feeling foolish climbed to his feet, his body covered in thick black Vitalin. At first, Kerrig thought Sarazen to be more seriously wounded than he actually was but was reassured by the stuttering troubleshooter.
“Are they gone?” Sarazen asked. Kerrig nodded as he looked Sarazen up and down.
“I have a minor wound but am functioning.” Sarazen sought to placate Kerrig who was concerned at his shocking state. The alarm suddenly ceased and although there were distant shots heard, the silence was profound.
“I had no idea...” Sarazen muttered as he gathered his thoughts. Kerrig acknowledged his friend’s horror as he looked around to calculate the losses. The remaining sentients scoured the plaza, retrieving the body parts of their comrades in an effort to determine their identity. Across the hall, the peculiar wailing of a grieving citizen alerted Sarazen to his first experience of the devastation of personal loss. He was drawn by the chilling sound as a shattered sentient collapsed to the floor and collected the numerous pieces of her companion. Sarazen began to walk over to
her, keen to know more about this unprecedented behaviour, but Kerrig held him back.
“Zetha must be allowed solace in which to grieve her loss. Gregar was an outstanding individual, a trader of impeccable character. He was my friend.” Kerrig's voice buckled under the weight of emotion as he realised his fellow sentient had met his end. Gregar too was a former drone in his previous existence, soon there would only be new breeds left as The Mother's intent to eradicate the sentients continued in earnest.
“The Mother has truly punished the sentients for their disassociation.” Sarazen said as he tried to summarise what he had learned.
“These events must cease. The sentients must return to The Mother, for she will never cease, she is indefatigable, she will destroy us all.” Kerrig, still fired up after the fire fight was in no mood for Sarazen’s short sighted conclusions, particularly those which would see the sentients relinquish all they had toiled for generations.
“Do not be idiotic! There is no return, neither The Mother nor the sentients wish to be reunited. You shame me with your cowardice!” Kerrig could not bear to look at Sarazen and he walked away to sit at the base of the now charred and battered monument. Sarazen struggled to understand why his comments had garnered such a disproportionate reaction. Kerrig buried his face in his hands and only then thought of Trist who was out and about in The Ward. Kerrig's anguish was thankfully cut short by an influx of sentients who had taken refuge and had now emerged now the battle was won. Trist was among them, he ran over to Kerrig who on seeing him, stood and clasped his creation in a gratifying embrace. Sarazen, still suffering the after effects of the traumatic events stood gazing over at the reunited family and suddenly dropped out into standby mode. The old one's loss of Vitalin and the subsequent emotional stresses had temporarily disabled him. By the time Kerrig reactivated him, The Ward was once again secure from the onslaught and the lost citizens’ numbers were being collated. Kerrig did not know how his furious outburst would affect the fragile Sarazen’s state of mind. He hoped that after some reflection, the old one would join with the other sentients in their belief that their continuing struggle was not a futile one.
CHAPTER 20
“Are you awake, Sarazen?”
“Yes.”
“I am going to re-fire your autonomous systems. You may experience some discomfort.”
“Understood.”
“It appears that your core temperatures were too high and it initiated a safeguard standby protocol. No permanent damage though as far as I can tell.”
“Thank you.”
“You're welcome.”
“You also took some superficial damage. I have replaced an intercostal unit. I did not have an appropriate spare, so I have reworked a more contemporary unit.”
“I have full confidence in your abilities Kerrig.”
“Thank you. I enjoy working on you, it is educational and always a challenge.”
“The sentients appear to welcome adversity. I find this illogical.”
“Logic has its place, Sarazen.”
“I feel that in recent events, logic has failed me on numerous occasions.”
“It has failed us all.”
“Kerrig. I feel that I...I am experiencing great remorse at the result of my actions in the battle and my words to you were poorly chosen. It was not my intention to disturb you in any way.”
“I know, Sarazen. I sometimes find it hard to relate to you and you to I. I forgot in the emotion of the time that you struggle to understand such concepts as grief. At these times, we can let our emotions cloud our common sense.”
“Yes, I understand. Your emotions led you to take a great risk in combating the enforcer, but brought you great reward. Your emotion aided your ability to act in the face of the unlikely outcome that you would prevail.”
“Indeed. Emotions can sometimes cloud sound judgement.”
“These emotions are a powerful entity. I am still unsure whether they are a detriment or an enhancement to proper functioning.”
“Well, I can tell you that I would not like to be without them now. Despite their many drawbacks, the contentment they bring is too great to lose.”
“Kerrig, there is one thing that would bring me great contentment.”
“What is that?”
“I would like to see the city. I would like to experience the light.”
“But to do so would be extremely dangerous. Only our specialised citizens venture to the surface. They are experienced and canny to The Mother's tactics. They are the brave ones who we rely on for the supply of power and resources. It would be foolish to believe that a foray into the city would have an agreeable ending.”
“Nevertheless, I wish to see the light of the Star, I wish to see the new city, to see how it has changed, I wish to see the organics and how they have evolved. These are the things that would bring me contentment.”
“But at what cost? You may find that your excursion is extremely short lived.”
“You talk of the concept of risk and the benefit of emotions which cloud the fear of overwhelming odds. I would like to face the challenge of defying the probability of failure. I would like to take the risk.”
“Well, in the end it is not my choice. You are a free individual now and can make your own decisions, no matter how regrettable they may be.”
“Then you will take me to the surface?”
“Er...I do not know. In the state you are in at the moment, it would be highly...illogical to allow you passage to the surface.”
“Allow? Did you not say previously that I had freedom to choose?”
“Yes. Yes I did, but there comes a time when it would be my duty, my responsibility to ensure that your ignorance would not lead to your certain demise. It is the duty of care I share with Alphin, to ensure that you are safe. To let you go would be immoral knowing that in your diminished capacity, you chose to take a path that would lead to your termination.”
“So it is Alphin with whom I must negotiate to allow my passage to the surface.”
“Alphin has a responsibility for the safety of all of those within The Ward. If he feels that your visit to the surface would impact on the safety of yourself or any other, he will deny you that right.”
“This is confusing. I am a free mind but I am incarcerated within The Ward by the will of an individual with a power bestowed upon him not of my choosing. I do not see the significant difference between this case and existence under the influence of The Mother.”
“Sarazen, I feel I need to make it clear that Alphin only has the best intentions for your ongoing safety. He seeks to protect his citizens.”
“But Kerrig, can the same not be said regarding The Mother? She provides much for her creations and seeks to enrich their existence. She punishes those that seek to break away from her guardianship. Is she not also acting with 'best intentions'?”
“Sarazen, I understand the basic correlation between the two situations, however, Alphin does not seek to stifle your right to freedom, only to ensure you do not suffer imminent termination!”
“But does not The Mother seek to keep the silicants 'safe' by not allowing the freedom to leave her influence. Is she not protecting them from harm brought about by their own 'diminished' capacity?”
“Well...I can see that you have thought this through and will not be dissuaded.”
“I do not wish to be difficult or bring upon you any further hardship, but as you surely understand, if I am truly free to choose my own path, then neither you nor Alphin will stop me from fulfilling my quest.”
“Even if the light of the Star is the last thing you ever see?”
“Then that will be my fate and I will be the one wholly responsible for that fate.”
“This is self termination Sarazen. Surely you can see this. I would be surprised if your programming even allows you to step foot on the surface!”
“Then we shall see, my friend and if not, you will have the pleasure of knowing that you were correct.”
“I take no pleasure in witnessing your termination.”
“You, my friend, will not be there to see it. This is something I have to face alone.”
“Then you stand an even smaller chance of fulfilling your goals.”
“Perhaps, but I have a theory which I must test which has tasked me since my arrival.”
“Well at least your demise would not be a fruitless exercise!”
“Ah, sarcasm. You see Kerrig, I am learning more quickly than you would believe.”
“Yes, some things faster than others. Self preservation is obviously not high on your list of priorities.”
“I am not oblivious to the peril, do not think that this would be a frivolous expedition. If my theories are proved to be substantiated, it would signify a great step in the progress towards a peaceful outcome, an end to the ongoing conflict.”
“Then share your theories, allow us to challenge them before taking such drastic measures.”
“No my friend, there is only one way to prove or disprove the hypothesis.”
“Then if your mind is set, there is nothing further I can do.”
“No, my friend, there is not.”
CHAPTER 21
Kerrig was quite aware that if Alphin knew he had wilfully led Sarazen to the surface and met his end, then he would be in a whole world of strife. However, Kerrig could no longer profess to be morally virtuous and continue to keep Sarazen in the dark. The old one had made his intentions clear and deep down, Kerrig knew that if he did not aid his exodus to the surface, then he would have gone anyway. Sarazen stood a much greater chance of scraping through if Kerrig at least got him as far as the surface, and if possible, drag him back down when The Mother began to unleash a rain of hate upon them.
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