Program Erin

by Alex Fall

  Crouching behind one of the trees, I examined the area intently. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, and spotted no signs of tracks. Where could the pilot have gone? Something is amiss. I stood to examine the area again before moving. Noise. I moved back out of sight before something hit me. When I peeked out again, I spotted a man aiming a weapon. Now or never.

  I sent out a fireball to neutralize him. It was a direct hit, but another bullet struck me in the armor. I growled and spotted the source yet again. Two scouts were aiming upon me, one as far as the building window. I sent up a small burn to provide some smoke cover, pulled my revolver and shot the two targets, but the farther one missed. A green laser sight glinted out of the smoke. What is with these split second decisions? I charged and released a beam of fire to knock out the enemy at the window. The collective pain knocked me to my knees. I spotted yet another person take cover in the trees. Where are these people coming from? How did they get out of the ship so fast?!

  Wait...the airship is still above my landing zone. This...am I fighting a trickster?

  I glanced back up to the window. Nothing. I glanced back to the first man I burned. Nothing. All this time, I have been burning myself and fighting illusions? But where is the actual trickster? I know he's got a gun, I got shot earlier. I have to escape. I can't win like this.

  I rose and stumbled from the area as quickly as my mangled body would allow. However, the airship turned and began to follow in my direction. No, no, no! Get away from me! I took a chance and lit up once again, sending enough fire into the airship above to knock it out of the sky. The ship pulled hard to the side, then began twirling to the ground and out of view. For my part, I dragged myself around a wall, then fell to sitting.

  I'm so tired…

  It hurts so much…

  My body throbbed. My arms ached. My body hurt all over. When will it all end? Will it ever end? Am I doomed to a life of pain? Am I doomed to be….a program?

  Movement nearby prompted me to get up once more. Footsteps were rapidly approaching, several sets of them. I have to get out of sight. I need to escape. Moving to the across the street took major concentration to overcome my pain and need for rest. I can't outrun them…

  Someone spotted me from behind, so reflexively I raised my right arm. The aching pain dulled my speed, so instead I used the Templar unit. I froze the pedestrians leg to the ground, causing him to shout in surprise. I continued my flight. Must escape. Must warn the others.

  I found myself heading between two buildings, so I turned inside one of them to throw of my pursuers. I limped through doorways, over rubble, and across the complex. I could hear them close behind. I don't know how prepared they were to find me either. Eventually, I found the rear of the building where the shippers would drop off whatever merchandise in large bay doors, so I approached the bay doors to escape. But something happened. When I reached the door, I ran into something invisible. I couldn't escape, but I couldn't figure out what was blocking me.

  “Found her. Should I engage?”

  I whirled around to see the remaining white mecha and a man following it who was touching his temple. No! NO! I turned around to bolt for the door. Except there was no door. There was nothing but a dark wall. The bay doors, sunlight, leaves that had blown in, everything was gone.

  “Terminate on sight. It’s our last chance,” a comm whined to one of the men behind me.

  No, I don't understand. Why, what is happening?

  I swirled around in anger despite all of my damage and pain, ready to fight. The world spun a little and flickered. My burns screamed at my, and my broken arm was twitching. But I can still make a stand. When I looked back, I saw it; The man in the back. The trickster. He tricked me into a dead end.

  The mecha rolled forward with unsettling speed, swinging its arms somewhat wildly to knock me down. I ducked and dodged, maneuvering behind it to find the trickster, but he was gone. Or rather, he was hiding. He must be stopped. I dodged another blow and fired a few remaining shots from my revolver where I thought the trickster was, but shortly afterwards I knew I missed. I turned to dodge another blow, but I was tricked again. The arm of the mecha was not where I thought it was and I ended up getting knocked to the ground. My arm hurt so bad, my whole body became unresponsive and tears welled up in me. I tightened my jaw out of frustration and terror. I have to stop the trickster. How do I stop someone I can't find? I destroy the area I know he is in.

  I let out a mess of fire into the room. Pain gripped me again, but for a moment, all was still. Did I scare them? Did they move away? A subtle crackling noise picked up, and suddenly, the ceiling gave way because of the fire. All I could do was roll over and shield myself as much as I could with ice. Crashing sounds boomed all around me and my ears began to ring as the room caved in on itself. Dust flooded the vicinity and I felt pieces of rubble get flicked past me. But when all was quiet, I opened my eyes to see daylight filtering through the debris and icy shield. Beyond the remains of the building settling, it was silent. Did I win?

  I couldn't pull myself free. I was blocked in by ice and rubble. Which means I have to make one last burn to escape. I sacrificed a patch of skin on my leg to cut a notch through everything. Commencing the climb out of here proved to be quite a chore. I had to take several breaks and it was far more complicated than necessary because of my arms. But at last, I pulled my broken arm free of danger and clamored up until I was pushing myself out of the trash.

  A horrible, nightmarish pain clamped down on my broken arm and something large finished pulling me out of the heap. I screamed reflexively as the white mecha lifted me by my damaged arm, but my vocalizations were cut short when the other arm gripped my abdomen. I did everything I could to free myself; freezing with the templar unit, firing my remaining gunshots, I even tried melting through the white armor. But this mecha was bigger and differently built. This time, the armor didn't give.

  “The ice isn't her, it's something on her arm,” the pilot’s muffled voice said.

  Without warning, both loading clamps that were holding me began tightening. Air was forced out of my dangling body and my arm's pain overloaded my mind. Tears streamed from my face. The pressuree became to much. The templar unit's protective plating gave and the unit was crushed along with further breakage of my arm underneath. My waist and spine felt like they were ready to snap as well. In my pain crazed state, I felt the ghosts of the Directorates watching me.

  This is their final test. They want to know my limit. Am I ready to admit defeat? Or will I self destruct to achieve victory. My neck was losing strength, causing my head to roll back. I gripped the appendage crushing my body with my seared left arm, but to no avail. I have no more equipment, I have no allies, I have no options. It's just me versus the final remnants of the Greaters. This is it…

  This is how I die.

  I always knew it would be because of battle. I knew I would die fighting. Keegan knew it too. He tried to stop me, but it has to be this way. I won't get to see him again, and the last memory I have of him is lying in a hospital bed. No dignity, no personality, no hope. I won't get to see him or Sharon play together. I won't get to see my crew again. I don't even get to see the Board.

  My vision flickered and I heard the Directorates around me, whispering their opinions. They want to know. They want to see what I will do. They have the mastery over me, and all they want are results.

  I won't do it. Not for them. Not for the Board, not for my crew, not even for Lenburg. Sharon maybe. I'll do it for Keegan, even if it means breaking my promise. It's the price I'll have to pay. Alright, Directorate *cusses!” So what if I'm a program? You want to know I'll do it? You want to know if I'll call on my power to win, even if it means death? Watch this…

  I charged. I charged my power more than I've ever charged. More than when I knocked down the building, more than the most hardcore test burn I made. I charged enough to guarantee this sector of the city would be reduced to ashes. I charged enough to breach an
y fireproof material in the area, and kill anyone who was hiding behind them. I charged up enough to guarantee my own death the moment I released it.

  My only regret is not being to be with Keegan one last time. I'm sorry, but I hope I make you proud. I craned my neck forward enough to send am honorary death glare at the pilot, gripped the mecha as best I could with my left hand, and then…

  I released my charge.

  Epilogue

  Sadness and loss.

  Desperation and fear.

  Anger and wrath.

  Happiness and...Keegan.

  I paused playing my cello and opened my eyes. Emotions stirred strong within me. It felt strangely soothing to be able to express them through music, and I mentally congratulated myself for practicing enough to reach this point. This room has crap acoustics though. The fifth floor of a magistracy office is a joke for practicing. I set let my arm drop enough to where the tip of the bow was resting on the floor, and I straightened my back. The large glass window overlooking the Decapolis reflected my blue eyes back. I hate my reflection. I broke gaze and found myself looking at the floor.

  “Is that noise coming from you?” Gus asked, rather than announce that he was entering the room. Even one other person makes cello practice stiff and uncomfortable. I thought I would be alone for a while longer. “Since when do you play the cello?”

  “I'm surprised you even know what this instrument is,” I retorted.

  “I'm surprised YOU know, much less know how to play. Sounds good though.”

  An awkward silence passed between us. “Its bad news, isn't it?” I prompted.

  Gus sighed and leaned against the doorway. “I still don't know. The Magistracy can be slow, and decisions to limit you are not passively thrown around.”

  I faced the city through the window again. “I don't blame them…”

  “But amazingly there are still some sympathizers for you.”

  “What's the result?” I snapped. I immediately cursed myself for the lapse in anger, then cursed myself for cursing myself.

  “I don't know, the Board is not involved in your legal punishment. It could be deportation. It could a little slap on the wrist. There's no telling. I mean, you're sort of a unique case.”

  I remained silent while my emotions stirred once more.

  “It would probably help if you could give us more detail about your last encounter in Lenburg. What actually happened? I mean, your report was pretty vague,” Gus commented after another awkward silence.

  “Can you leave me alone for a bit?”

  “What?...I, uh-”

  “Please?...”

  My manners must have caught Gus off guard. He replied with a simple “sure…”

  Once alone, I glanced at my arm. What actually happened indeed. Even I don't understand it. All I know is that it didn't happen how I intended it to happen. This scar on my left hand. It wasn't there before then, and now it never goes away. Its more than a scar. I can melt anything, ANYTHING with my left hand. Yet, I no longer take injury.But its only my left hand. And if I try anything besides melting, I burn myself. This spot is more than a scar. Its the reason I’m here now. Is it what the Directorates were aiming for from the beginning? Is it...magic?

  I shook my head to dismiss my thoughts. I looked over my cello again. I miss him. I miss him so much. Why isn't he awake? I just want to see him.

  I moved over to the only sofa in the room and put my cello back in it's case. I decided to visit Keegan the only way I know how; in my dreams. Who knows how long before the court decides what to do with me anyway? A sleep pill later and soon I was in Ilavoan.

  It felt familiar and welcoming, beautiful and warm. Plants that exist only in dreams and creatures that only my imagination has witnessed filled the country. I was on a balcony of a house, overlooking the beautiful area. I was awaiting my silent companion. The countryside felt more welcoming than normal, more refreshing than usual, warmer than expected. Has it been that long since I've been here? Do I miss Keegan that much?

  Footsteps approached from behind. It feels so real. If only it were…

  “Bonjour Erin.”

  Joy swept over me, and for the first time in too long, I smiled.