The Doctor started laughing first with his hologram and then out loud shaking the whole cavern with his booming voice. “You are so stupid kid. What do you do with the cable now. now? Oh this is too good. I am going to spend a hundred years laughing about this. Every time I think of you boy. I will even tell your story to the next person that thinks they can oppose me. Lol”
Mark watched several lines form down the side of the huge cent r al tower pointing to something below on the tower's base. Some none defined spot on the unblemished smooth metal base. Walking over around the base a few feet, Mark bent down to touch the smooth metal base where the lines would have intersected if they could have reached that far down the base . , p P opping a cover out to reveal several a plug receptacle s .
Smiling Mark R r each ed ing down with the cable running out behind him . Mark could not believe it when the plug came up short by about a foot. Panicking he heard Tom say something as he moved and suddenly Mark he had plenty of slack as Tom raised his leg off the cable.
The Hologram of the Doctor looked down with curiosity as Mark plugged in the cable. And nothing happened.
“Oh yes I am going to remember you for a thousand years boy. This is so good.” Suddenly the 4 dead towers that were too bright to look at went dead again. The Doctor turned around and looked in surprise. “What is going on here? It does not matter, I am past your AI’s firewalls and will soon have you stunned and I will be in complete and full control of your AI.”
A White Robbed middle aged Woman appeared next to the huge tower a few feet from Mark in the middle of the cavern and frowned at the Doctor ’s hologram smiled . “D r octor, . you have been a very bad ugly little man. ”
Turning to face Mark as a smile came to her face. Y y ou are safe now as is your AI.”
Walking over to the old lady inspector she looked down onto her. “I have help coming for you and you will soon see daylight again my dear. I thank you for all you and your kind have done for me over the last 2,000 years. I must go for a few minutes and see to the military coming up the tunnels before they do anymore damage.”
Turning to Mark and Tom. “Relax. There is a well-stocked infirmary by the tool room. You are welcome to use it. Both you boys are in sad shape. If nothing else, get some Ice for the inspector’s lips to suck on but do not feed or give her water. She has not seen food or water for a hundred years and it will take time.” The old woman disappeared.
Mark bent down taking Tom in his arms using his hands to put pressure on the worst of the wounds and trying to pick him up at the same time but failed as his hands slipped on Tom’s blood making it impossible to get a good grip while holding the wounds closed. With the bleeding stopped as long as he held pressure Mark decided to wait for the troops and the medics.
Mickey walked out of the hatch from to the living qu arters and workshops work men’s area . “I am glad you are well Mark and did not need my help rerouting the priestess.” Another crash broke the main weld down the side middle of the hatch as a gap opened along the one side of the big double between the doors but the heavy hing held solid .
“What! This is not possible! You are locked up in a n old hard drive ho le in your core your matrix . A hole I will penetrate soon. You cannot be here. But you leave me no choice but to kill you and your inspector.” The Smile on the Doctor vanished. “I am shocking you to death boy. You must fall down and die. ” One of the oldest cabinets started smoking. “ And you my pretty one. I am deleting you at this very moment from that old hard drive you are trying to hi de in . I do not need either one of you now that I have the AI.” The Doctor studied Mickey them both for a second. “You cannot have the power to create a hologram. I have full control of your processor and your AI. ” Turning to face Mark and Tom. “ And w W hy are you both not dying?”
Mickey smiled. “You first broke down the firewall of the trunk inspector AI. Then when your bot destroyed the trunk I had you attacking, I was afraid you would notice the switch to the car AI. Especially since it runs a lot slower than the trunk. But you just kept on attacking. I bet you just thought you were winning.”
“I do not believe you. That is impossible , I would have noticed your power anywhere else you could have gone. What else would you be doing?” Something crashed into the double hatch again, knocking a n oppo site corner weld loose.
“I did not go anywhere. I just did what you had been asking me to do all along. I slowed myself and my more advanced brothers and sisters down to the point you started ignoring us and attacking the trunks that we super charged a little. With a dozen AI’s acting together at a slow enough rate for you to ignore, we were able to slide through the fringes of the programming of your AI. Disarming your weapons in the tunnels to save the lives of the solders while feeding you manufactured combat to replace your feeds. Though we could not open the blast doors blocking the tunnel without alarming you but at least you were not killing them anymore. Blast doors can be replaced as the troops blast them out of the way. While you were spending all your massive power on dummy shills in the oldest AI‘s. You can thank Mark for that ruse order and both Tom and Mark for fixing the old inspector AI’s m .”
“No! I destroyed them when I took them over a t housand years ago . You could not use them.” Another crash knocked another corner weld off.
“Yes you did destroy their programming but not their hardware, which made it easy for Mark to reprogram them since I had their key codes.” Mickey smiled in satisfaction as she stared at the old man. “Thank you for being such a stubborn shit - head.”
“You think you won little girl? As soon as my tank bot gets through that hatch your inspector dies and I win.”
-------------------------------
The hatch to the train tunnels opened up into the overhead as something big slammed into the big double door hatch again. The armored troops worked their way into the cavern ready for anything as they spread out around the cavern in short runs between cover looking for whatever danger there could be. A pair of them taking each Mark and Tom prisoner as other troops took up guard positions around the cavern. Disarming Mark and Tom then trussing them up before a medic started bandaging up Tom. It took several minutes to completely clear the cavern and check all the bots for life. Another crash knocked another weld off the door bringing several troopers to form a close ring around the hatch only some 10 feet away following a Sgt’s orders.
“Mark!” Mickey turned to look at the hatch. “A big Mk.5 cargo maintenance biped is on the other side of the hatch and should break through shortly.”
“Well stop it!”
“I can’t Mark. The Doctor has isolated that area from us. We don‘t have time to bash our way through.”
“I am going to kill you after all boy and you can’t stop me.” The Doctor laughed.
“Sgt!” Yelled Mark. “You better back your troops away from that hatch and get an anti-tank weapon in here fast. That is a tank coming through that hatch!”
The double door hatch burst open and a big bipod bot jumped through and started cutting up trunks AI cases and troopers that got in its way as it headed for Mark. With Laser fire bouncing off its armored case, it ran forward reaching Mark kneeling helplessly trussed up as he fell onto his side trying to get away, its cutters and claws coming within inches of him.
Then heavy blaster weapon’s plasma ball hits took out its appendages reaching for Mark as several more hit the hug biped’s chest brain case, penetrating and melting down the bots brain into a slag heaped bowl before it tumbled over backwards from the concussion of the explosions showering Mark with metal slag as it tumbled onto it’s back.
Two Troopers where dead. One was cut in half her guts scattered across the deck with a skeleton that had been dumped and the other trooper was headless, his head managing to come to rest replacing the head of the skeleton in the tub next to the double door hatch starring up at the ceiling far above. Six others were wounded with portions of their arms or legs cut or ripped off. Medics quickly started wo
rking on the wounded trying to save their lives.
Before the dust had even settled, the Priestess appeared and turned to the Sgt in charge “Please provide medical attention for the Inspector.” She is very week and needs immediate attention.”
“Listen lady , my orders are to apprehend this traitor to insure the safety of the AI controller and touch nothing. As for us treating the so called inspector , my medics are busy treating my wounded and dead. Now stand back and let me do my job.”
“Sgt. The old lady is an AI Controller. As is the Priestess and as is Tom and I. “ Mark dragged himself up to his knees trying to shake off the layer of hot metal and plastic beeds from the explosion of the bot's chest. Then to the old lady standing a few yards away. “Priestess, the inspector is doing fine for now and must be tended to by experts not the simple medics the Sgt. has with him. Sgt. When do you expect Captain Summers to arrive?”
“The Admiral and his staff will be here shortly. Until then you will keep your mouth shut.”
A corporal walked up. “Sgt. Most of the hatches have been welded up solid. It is going to take hours to cut the welds. Do you want us to blow them?”
“No. Take a fire team down that passageway to the next junction or hatch and kill anything that moves.” The Sargent pointed at the destroyed double hatch.
Captain Summers walked into the cavern and took one look around at the damage at the skeletons and then looked at Mark. “So what is this about killing another AI Controller Mr. Collins?”
“He tried to kill me Captain.” The Doctor that was still enslaving the Inspector, walked up to the Captain. “And you got here just in time to keep him from succeeding.”
“And w W ho are you?”
“I am Doctor Samuel J. Bedford, the Controller for The AI over to the side.” Pointing towered his Tower that was still lit up bright enough to hurt the Captain’s eyes forcing her to only glance at it.
Captain Summers looked around. “Who is the Priestess?” The Doctor’s smile left his face as the Captain ignored him.
“I am Captain.” The Robbed lady stood in front of her Tower. “I called for Medical help for the Inspector. She will need much attention to remove her from the life support tub she has spent the last 700 years in.” The Priestess took the Captain over to the tub. “She is very weak.”
Captain Summers looked down onto the old woman with a stone face. “A medical team is on its way now. But there is a lot of damage and it will take a while.” Noticing the IV tube folded back onto itself pinching it off, the Captain reached down to clear it.
“No.” Croaked the inspector as she shakily tried to reach over with her hand to stop the Captain. “I do not need sedated again. Please, never again.”
Drawing her hand back. “Sedated?”
“Mark pinched it off. He saved me.” Her voice grew stronger as it croaked. “Ice please. It has been long years since I have talked to anyone. And my lips and throat are so dry.”
“Hold on dear, help is coming.” The Captain gently squeezed her arm.
“Captain. There is a kitchen down the passageway with Ice. Please send someone.” Mark indicated with his chin as his arms were still strapped together behind him.
The Captain nodded at the Sgt. And the Sgt. sent a corporal to get it.
The Admiral with too many stars back on the Transport Boat walked in with his entourage. “What the hell is going on down here and who is in charge?”
“I am in charge Admiral.” The Doctor walked up to the Admiral. “I have met you at staff meetings in the Planetary Command and Control Center. I am responsible for winning your war Admiral.”
“Ah. Ok Doctor. I remember you very well. I see that you are alright. What happened down here?’
“That murderer tried to kill me.” The Doctor pointed at Mark and then around at his tower as its glow faded to show scorch marks from Marks laser pistol all over the glass tower and metal base. “My robots tried to stop him but all he did was turn on them and destroy them. I am lucky you got here when you did. I am terribly sorry it took me so long to After I regain d control of my defenses in the tunnels from him and shut them down. I can’t tell you how mortified I am at the carnage he inflicted on your men.”
“He is lying Admiral. I did no…”The Sgt. Knocked Mark up alongside the head with the butt of his weapon, shutting him up as he fell to the floor.
“Captain Summers turned from the old woman and walked over to a trunk that had a bot can with cutters torches and drills demolishing it still attached, with laser holes only in the can bot. “I know what old computers look like so why where your bots destroying these Doctor?”
“The Murderer was using them to attack me and my assistant Controller, the inspector in the tub as well as your troops Admiral. It was his bot that broke in and killed your troops in here a few minutes ago. ”
“No he lies!” Croaked the inspector. “ It was the Doctor’s bot. He imprisoned me. The boy came to save me.”
“What happened to your feed tube inspector?” The Doctor showed sad concern. “I demand you fix her feed tube before she is damaged Captain. She is very fragile and out of her mind. She needs sedated.”
“Doctor , what are all these Skeletons ringing the cavern? Captain Summers asked as the Admiral was wondering around the cavern listening to the conversation. “Like the old lady they are all attached to a computer of some kind and then to your AI tower with high-speed data cables.”
“They are old assistants Captain. Volunteers for the good of the planet.”
“Oh? Then why the shackles on so many of them Doctor?”
“Some of them where convicts Captain. For the good of the planet.” The Doctor looked around to Mark trussed up on his knees. “When you convict this murderer for killing your men and trying to kill me; he can join them when the old lady passes. He will serve the planet and humanity, serving me for the next several thousand years as young as he is .”
“No!” Croaked the old lady again. “Don’t leave me here. Kill me but don’t leave me behind alive.”
The Priestess bent down to comfort her. “Shhh Linda , everything will be all right. Trust in me dear.”
“Trust you?” Doctor Bedford yelled. “You have been asleep for at least 3 thousand years you old bag. Just because your knight came to your rescue and even fixed you, fixed you doesn’t mean I will let you stay alive. Your matrix is so slow that I will have no problem shutting you up for good even if I don’t decide to integrate your piece of junk to serve me.” Turning to the Admiral. “You are required by law to protect and serve me Admiral. You have my permission to clean out this junk including those corpses. They do not amuse me anymore as trophies and this monster has shown me what dangers they can be against me. Take them away with you. You can go now until I summon you to bring Mr. Collins and his AI back to me to replace the old hag when she finely is close to death.”
The Admiral smiled shaking his head. “Captain, I think we have heard enough. If the video record is complete, you can start cleaning up this mess. Get the Padre in here as well. I am sure I saw him out in the tunnel when I came in. Stopping at the old woman’s tub he looked down and squeezed her arm then looked up. “Priestess? Just how old are you?”
“Close to 12,000 years Admiral. A few years and , days and even seconds do not matter. I am one of thousands of Galaxy Colony ship AI‘s during the first expansion. I was buried here for my safety during the Artificial Intelligent Bot war and the first Galactic collapse about 8,000 years ago.”
“I order you not to talk to the crazy AI Admiral.” The Doctor demanded.
The Admiral smiled at the Priestess’s hologram . “I am glad to meet you Priestess. My wife has been a follower of yours since before I met her.” The Admiral turned away and walked up to Mark who had managed to get back up onto his knees . “You have gotten yourself into a mess this time Mr. Collins. Can I trust you not to kill anyone now that I am here?”
“No Admiral, that monster has been murdering people lik
e me for over 2,000 years and I will not let it happen again. Especially to the old lady or me!”
“Well. Behave yourself Mr. Collins. I will take care of the Doctor. Captain, you may release Mr. Collins and get Mr. Duarty headed topside to the hospital, he looks like shit.” The Admiral looked over the medic ’ s shoulder as he w orked on Tom.
The Medical Team with Doctors ran in with a ton of equipment and was directed to the old woman.
“No I forbid it! Do not touch the old hag. She is my property.”
“Doctor, I am at a bit of a dilemma here. It is obvious what you have been up to these many years as well as what has to be done but as you said, I have been ordered to protect and obe y ah the planet’s AI.”
“Then you have no problem or dilemma since I have been very specific in my orders Admiral.”
“Yes you have Doctor and I thank you. Fact is I am still in shock at not only finding this cavern with your Core unit in it even though I knew one had to be someplace though we did not have a clue about this tunnel system and the ci ty I passed back in the tunnel that is damn old . But mostly I find it hard to believe what you have done and the type of person I have been dealing with for the last 5 years since I became First Admiral. ” Shaking his head sadly. “ I cannot begin to describe my feelings right now.”
The Medical Officer walked up to the Admiral. “Sir we are ready to disconnect the old woman from the last of the cables.”
“No I forbid it general. She does not leave this cavern. She is mine.” The hatch to the rail tunnels slammed closed. “If you touch her I will make sure you all die here. If nothing else I will suffocate you all by sucking all the oxygen out of this chamber… What? I am unable to start the Vacuum pumps or initiate the nerve gas self-protection system. I do not understand. I should be able to kill you all with ease.”
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