The Fractured World 5

by David Aries

  “Basically, every planet’s got a lot of mumbo jumbo that doesn’t quite convert properly,” Trez said, eyes focused on studying what parts she needed. “Sometimes, the translator's gotta fudge stuff to keep everything ticking and sounding good. If it says she’s an android, then it thinks that’s close enough to work.”

  That made sense. The odds of ‘mumbo jumbo’ being a term used on Free Bevis seemed small.

  Truth be told, I’d forgotten translators were the only reason we could communicate before what happened at The Core. It was a testament to what an amazing job they did, especially when compared to what we were like without.

  Hopefully, that will never be a problem again.

  DD had implanted me and Sylvetty with standard-issue translators. It was almost like we were civilized.

  “So are ya a magic golem, or ain’t ya?” Sylvetty said.

  Okay, maybe it takes more than an implant to be civilized…

  “If that is how you view me, who am I to disagree?” DD replied with one of her trademark bobs.

  Sylvetty mumbled as she leaned in close, eyes narrowed. “But ya don’t look like you’re made from rock or metal. Not even clay.”

  True enough. Besides her ‘ears’, she looked… soft.

  “That is because my metallic exterior is hidden beneath a synthetic material designed to emulate skin.” She offered a dollesque hand. “Would you like to feel for yourself?”

  Sylvetty hesitated before snatching hold and massaging her thumbs into DD’s palm. “Aye, this feels proper real—nice and fleshy. Yer telling me it’s a fraud?”

  “Indeed so; all an imitation. It even has the additional benefits of being resistant to fire, water, electricity, and punctures.” DD smiled and held her other hand my way. “Would you care to feel, Master Brandon?”

  I cleared my throat and glanced away. “Well, erm…”

  Damn, what am I getting embarrassed for? Haven’t I already taken her hand once?

  Then again, I’d been kind of in the zone. I couldn’t even remember what she’d felt like.

  “There is no reason to be shy. Lady Trez has already given me a thorough examination.”

  Trez jerked, spilling the pile of junk she’d been piling in her arms.

  “She did?” I said, giving a sideways glance to a suddenly evasive zulk.

  DD giggled. “Indeed so. It was quite the experience. Not a solitary inch of my body escaped her inquisitive eyes.”

  “Wait, wait, wait, wait!” Trez said. “What do you think you’re saying?”

  “Only the truth, Lady Trez; your thirst for knowledge was close to unquenchable. To think you would so thoroughly study my every orifice.”

  My staring eyes snapped to Trez, as did Sylvetty’s, and even the eavesdropping Po’s.

  Trez gulped as her cheeks brightened. “I-it’s… don’t look at me like I’m some deviant lezzer! She’s an android: a legit piece of engineering history. Of course I’m gonna check her out.”

  “Aye,” Sylvetty said. “And the first thing ya did was ask her to ‘spread them’ so ya could poke around.”

  “I didn’t pok—” Trez began before silencing herself with a bite of her bottom lip. “I mean… shut up! It didn’t happen like that. What’s it matter anyway? She’s an android, not a person.”

  “Hey,” I said.

  “It’s not like I’m trying to insult her,” Trez replied. “It’s just the truth.”

  “Lady Trez is quite correct,” DD said. “No matter how I may act or feel, the truth I am an android remains. All you see before you is an artificial shell controlled by an advanced AI.”

  I rubbed the back of my head. “That’s… but that doesn’t mean we should treat you as a tool. You’re looking pretty human-y from where I’m standing.”

  “Again, Master Brandon, this body is but a doll. If we were to find a computer sophisticated enough, I could easily move my consciousness within. Would you still consider me more than a machine then?”

  “Well…” I wasn’t going to deny a big reason for how I felt was down to her appearance. She just looked so real. Sure, she had her small quirks, but so did every alien I’d met.

  To an uncivilized being like myself, was an alien and an alien android really so different?

  I exhaled. “Alright, you’ve got me with the body business, but that doesn’t make you a calculator. You’re still capable of thinking for yourself; you still have emotions.”

  “Only artificial replicas,” she said.

  “So? If you can’t tell the difference between the fake and the real thing, what does that matter? Surely having some processor telling you what to feel isn’t much different to a brain. One’s made from wires while the other’s made from mush—that’s all there is to it.”

  DD giggled into her hand. “Again, you flatter me, Master Brandon. I am glad to know you are as kind as you always appeared.”

  “Nothing kind about it. Just my genuine thoughts.”

  “Then I thank you for those thoughts,” DD said with another curtsy. “However, may I suggest you refrain from developing any form of attachment to me? I believe it shall make things easier when the inevitable occurs.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked.

  “Her destruction, obvs,” Trez said, like it was the most casual thing in the world.

  I jerked. “What?!”

  “I am an android; my existence is considered a danger to the universe,” DD replied. “When the proper authorities learn of me, there is no doubt they will take matters into their own hands.”

  “You’re trying to say you’ll die if you leave this place?”

  “That is certainly what is intended for me.”

  “But that’s…” My lips kept moving, but the sound stopped. It was messed up, that’s what it was. I couldn’t call DD a friend—even an associate was stretching matters—but that didn’t mean I wished harm upon her.

  That didn’t mean I wanted her dead.

  I shook my head. “Says who? If the authorities are a problem, we’ll just have to keep your hidden.”

  “Are you mad?!” Trez said.

  “What’s the big idea? You of all people shouldn’t mind playing fast and loose with the law.”

  “You can’t compare a bit of common piracy with harboring a damn android! You know what the APK would do to us if they found her? Forget ever seeing daylight again; they’d lock us up so damn tight ass scratching would be a privilege.”

  “Lady Trez is quite correct,” DD said. “Assisting me would be a monumental risk.”

  I chewed my bottom lip. Being branded some space terrorist didn’t sound like a fun time, but it was nothing compared to dragging my mates into the same scenario.

  Putting them at risk wasn’t an option.

  “There is no reason for the long face, Master Brandon,” DD said. “I shall assist you to the best of my abilities, no matter what the future might hold.”

  “Are you nuts?” I said. “Do you want to die? It’s like you’re trying to sign your own death warrant.”

  “I disagree.”

  “How?!”

  She closed her eyes and smiled. “Master Brandon, what do you think will become of me if I stay here?”

  “Huh,” I replied.

  “I am an illegal android programmed to operate a hidden facility on an immoral planet built by those striving to keep their identities a secret. If I stay here, death is inevitable. The only variant is how it will occur. Will I be destroyed when our observers become bored of watching us? Or will I be abandoned and forced to wait for my judgement day to arrive?” Her eyes opened. “Do you see, Master Brandon? There is no reason to feel guilty about leaving this place; this planet is not my salvation. I would much rather steer my own fate and assist those I have come to admire.”

  Not a word came to my lips. How could they? What she’d just said… it was madness. It was absolutely insane, yet I couldn’t comfort her. After all, I didn’t disbelieve any of it.

 
; DD had been built to serve a purpose, not live a fulfilling life. I didn’t imagine illegal androids had much in the way of retirement options.

  Something soft stroked my cheek.

  It was DD… or her hand, to be precise. Just as she’d promised, her skin felt like the real thing. If anything, it was softer, like candy floss.

  Was this what it felt like last time, or had I been too focused to appreciate her fully?

  “Do not worry, Master Brandon,” she said, smiling. “Right now, I am happy as can be. If I could choose between assisting your escape or an eternity spent in my role as an overseer, I would pick our current situation every time.”

  “I’d prefer if there was a third option,” I mumbled under my breath.

  DD giggled. “Your kindness is eternally appreciated, Master Brandon. However, please do not worry about me; I have already made my decision and will not let anybody, not even you, stop me.” She gave one last curtsy before turning away. “Shall we continue, Lady Trez? I am optimistic one of these additional parts shall serve to ease our current dilemma.”

  Trez almost jumped out of her skin. “Oh! S-sure. Just lemme…” She dipped down, snatched all the junk she’d dropped, and rushed back to her work station with DD following behind.

  The only ones remaining frozen in place were myself and Sylvetty.

  “Was she serious about what she said?” Sylvetty said.

  “I don’t see why she’d lie,” I replied.

  “But… that’s stark raving bonkers! Not to mention plain unfair.” Sylvetty nipped her bottom lip. “Even if she’s just a golem, it doesn’t sit right with me.”

  Me and her both.

  But if there’s nothing I can do about it, there’s nothing I can do about it.

  Or so I tried to tell myself, but it didn’t do much to ease the uncomfortable feeling churning in my guts. Hadn’t I wanted to become strong in the first place so I could protect others? So I could stop people from suffering losses like I had?

  Was this really all I could do?

  I’m such a joke…

  Someway, I had to figure out how to help DD. From this moment on, she was a member of the Ulium family, and I wasn’t prepared to leave anyone behind.

  Chapter 13

  Another day slipped by, followed by one more.

  With every cycle of the planet’s sun, our shuttle came a step closer to being space ready.

  My contributions to matters remained slim to none… not that being useless stopped me from making regular trips to the clearing. I used any excuse I could to pop my head in, no matter how flimsy.

  With the evening sun beaming through the trees, reflecting off its orange equal, I saw my moment once again.

  For the first time since Trez had parked the shuttle down, the clearing was quiet. There was no sign of Po, DD, or any nosy sods coming for a peek.

  Said the biggest nuisance of them all.

  However, I knew this place wasn’t empty; I could sense life inside. And I had a major hunch who it might be.

  Sure enough, Trez was alone in the cockpit, fiddling with the wiring.

  “Sup, Muscles?” she said, head buried under the main console.

  “Good guess,” I replied.

  “It wasn’t exactly hard with how often you visit. Plus you sound like a damn steamer compared to DD.”

  “In my defence, so does anyone. I mean, she’s got built in Heelys. How am I supposed to compete with that?”

  She popped her head up and flashed me a grin. “Oh, my heart does bleed for you, Mr Zerrin’s Mate.”

  “Touché,” I said with a small chuckle. “How are things? The ship’s looking good.” I didn’t remember seeing any holes on my way in.

  “That’s because our patch up is done. She’s a lick of paint from looking factory fresh.”

  My heart thumped. “Does that mean—”

  “Don’t get too excited,” Trez said. “There’s still something I need to do.” She stared back into the console. “Remember how half the ship’s functions were busted? Well, I’ve got them all working again… sorta. There’s a catch, obvs. They all work fine, just not at the same time.”

  I cocked a brow. “That doesn’t sound too different to not working.”

  “It’s totally different! I mean, sure, the end result is kinda the same… but it’s different, trust me.”

  “What’s the issue exactly?”

  “The damn flight and security systems ain’t syncing up. If I hook the engine to the main thruster, the damn turrets and shields won’t work. Do the inverse and, bang, we’re safe but immobile.”

  “That does sound like a major problem.”

  “You’re telling me,” she said, grumbling. “The turret’s ditchable, but I ain’t bombing at the atmosphere without a shield. Damn shitty herix design, sticking all their security tech on one circuit. And why the fuck does it take so long to switch the connections?! How am I supposed to test when it takes half a fucking year to change over?”

  I grabbed her shoulders. “Calm down. All this stress can’t be good for you.”

  “Stress is good for anyone?”

  “Not everyone is pregnant and has been working their tails off for the last few days.”

  Trez groaned. “Here we go…”

  “I’m just saying! Can’t you leave this to DD?”

  “She’s busy charging.”

  Most ‘modern’ machines could draw power from the sun, but not DD. After all, she’d been built to operate underground. It left her with no choice but to hook herself to a generator to keep her body from zonking out.

  I guess that’s one time she very much seems like a robot.

  “And?” I said. “There’s no rush. You don’t need to overwork yourself.”

  Trez pulled her head back out of the console. “Will you stop treating me like I’m some moron who doesn’t know her own limits? I got knocked up, not fucking lobotomized.”

  I chewed my bottom lip. “I… it’s not like I’m trying to be a nuisance. I’m just worried. You know what I’ve been through—how I didn’t act when I should have done and lost someone precious to me. I can’t help fearing… what if that happens again? What if I turn my back and something awful happens to you?”

  “Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”

  “I know that! I should know that…” I sunk into my clasped fingers. “I trust you, I really do, but I also didn’t think anything would happen then. I thought things would blow over and everything would return to normal.” I shook my head. “You never know what could happen until it’s too late. I never want to go through that again. I never want to lose someone when I could have done something to save them ever again…”

  For a moment, not a solitary sound filled the shuttle.

  After an appropriately pregnant pause, Trez exhaled. “Seriously, Muscles… sometimes, you’re too much.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Damn right you’re sorry. Here I was, raring to get this ship ready ASAP, then you had to come hit me in the feels department.” She shimmied back. “Alright, buster, you want me to ease off on the work? Fine, I’ll take a break.”

  I perked up. “Really?”

  “Yep.” She bumped into me. “But you have to make it worth my time.”

  “I do?”

  “Mhm,” she said, taking my hands and guiding them to her shoulders. “I like working with tech and all, but damn does it leave you stiff. Think that’s summat you can take care of?”

  I smiled. “They don’t call me ‘magic fingers’ for nothing.”

  “Pff! Name me one person who’s ever called you that.”

  “Akko does.”

  “She does not!”

  “Oh, yeah. Big time. Can’t get her to stop calling me it.”

  “Please. I’ve seen her stories; she’s more the type to start rambling on about how your fingers were ‘divine tools born to pleasure to her shoulders’.”

  I pressed down. “You mean like this?”

  Trez jerked
with a small squeak, but her tension soon vanished as she relaxed into my hands. “Now that’s the good shit.”

  “We’ve been mates for… what now? A year? It’s only natural I’d know your weak points.” My kneading thumbs danced over her back, digging into the knots born of her hard work.

  She melted into my touch. “Hmph… has it seriously only been a year? It feels longer.”

  “I know what you mean. Thinking of a life without you feels wrong.”

  “Right? Damn did I luck out running into you.”

  “Not as lucky as me.”

  “Don’t gimme that; you were already shacking up with Cass by the time I jumped on your D. Me? I was one lonely zulk with a history of chilling with the wrong crowds. Who knows what sorta scumbag I might’ve ended up with if you hadn’t swept me off my feet… or what monster might’ve eaten me?”

  “Well you don’t need to worry about either of those things anymore,” I said as I worked the tension out of her shoulders. “I’m not going to let scumbags or monsters alike take you from me.”

  She moaned. “I gotta say, sometimes your protective shit can get grating… but lines like that will never not be a winner.”

  “You call it a line, I call it the truth; I’m never going to let you go.”

  Trez growled under her breath. “You damn stud, you. If you were trying to get my panties wet… well, it worked.” She pushed her hips back, rubbing against me. “That summat you’re gonna take responsibility for?”

  “Here?” I said.

  “Why not? We’re all alone, this place is pretty soundproof, and it’s got a bed in the back.”

  “Bogdan’s bed.”

  “And? All the more reason to use it! Imagine that creep rolling in his grave knowing we’re sullying his sheets.” She rubbed her hips from side to side. “So… what do you say, Muscles? Wanna gimme the best damn dose of stress relief you can?”

  My body reacted as it should have done. Blood pulsed to my loins, leaving me dangerously erect.

  I growled under my breath as I stared my seductive mate in the eye.

  She really knows how to get her own way.

  “Come here!” I said, scooping her into my arms.

  Trez giggled. “I’ll take that as a—”