Network Effect

If the humans cannot obtain the intel, I will enter the complex without it. This is the first retrieval I have performed without a governor module and I want it to be successful. I want to find the other SecUnit. I send a status update to Perihelion and it does not reply immediately. Then it sends, Hold position.

I tell it, I must proceed in order to complete the retrieval.

It said, SecUnit would be angry if I sacrificed you with no chance of success.

What?

Target Two: “They wanted to use the devices in the vault, the old devices. It became worse after that.”

Thiago: “Who decided to start using the implants?”

That disturbs the Targets. Target One: “What implants?”

My drones pick up increased signal activity, deep under the complex, but it is not localized enough to trace.

On the feed, Thiago sends, Ratthi, your analysis—

Ratthi sends a file to Perihelion. Its drone creates a display surface and begins to play video of an implant being extracted from a Target.

The Targets stare at the video.

Overse: “You see? They didn’t tell you about this, did they?”

All the other Targets look at Target Four, who says, “It helps the connection. It’s for protection.”

Target One: “Protection?”

Target Three: “How many of the others have these? Are you forcing them to obey you?”

Then Target Two turns back to the humans and says, “Eight levels below the plaza. They would have your friend there. That’s where the contagion is.”

On the secure feed, Perihelion tells me, I’m pulling the humans out. You are go to proceed.

I reply on the secure feed, Acknowledged, proceeding.

On the terrace, Perihelion’s drone says, Run. You have three minutes to clear the area.

Overse says, “Go, now!” and the humans run along the terrace toward the shuttle.

The Targets are confused, then turn and run down the path away from the surface dock.

Another pathfinder slams down in the agricultural field and explodes. Four more arc across the sky making disruptive screaming sounds. This is a distraction so I may initiate Stage 02 of the retrieval.

The Targets in the east side doorways around the installation’s plaza are disoriented and three run away, headed toward the causeway. I slip inside another doorway without being detected.

Murderbot 1.0

My performance reliability dropped but the spike of fear upped my reaction time and I whacked TargetContact across the head with my table part. The impact staggered it back but still didn’t damage the body. The effort I put into the swing made my wrecked knee joint give way and I hit the floor again.

I needed a bigger weapon. I needed help. I needed to get the fuck out of here.

The rough floor scraped at my palms as I scrambled toward the hatch. I managed to get upright and climb through the gap before TargetContact got to its feet. If it could catch me, this whole thing could start over, but with me down here instead of poor dead Central. I’d like to opt-out of that.

I staggered and limp-ran across the hangar bay toward the stupid gravity tube. (I know I said I didn’t want to use it but I didn’t have time to do the stairs and compared to what was behind me it was starting to look friendly. Also, with the feed dead it couldn’t be remotely shut down.) I heard steps behind me and flung myself in.

I twisted around as the gravity shaft pushed me up. I saw TargetContact less than ten meters behind me. I had to get out before it got to the tube. Two levels went by with me trying to get off the fucking thing without the feed, then I flailed into the unmarked stop zone. It spit me out at the next level and I tumbled into a shadowy corridor and fell on the floor again.

Ouch. I was beginning to lose control over my pain sensors, a sign of an impending system failure. And I think I’d been too late, I think TargetContact saw I’d gotten off on this level. I was terrified of an involutary shutdown; when I restarted I’d be targetControlSystem.

I was higher up in the structure, and had no idea how to get away. It didn’t matter, I had to keep moving. I got up and limp-ran.

The corridor curved to circle around the hangar bay’s shaft and was way too long. It was cleaner and had more lights, obviously used more recently, and there had to be a lift pod or stairs somewhere.

Then I picked up a brief contact. Like a ping. A familiar ping. Drones, there were drones down here. Not targetDrones, my kind of drones. I sent frantic pings back, because it wasn’t like TargetContact didn’t know exactly where I was, I could hear it behind me in the corridor.

Ahead I saw more light and a foyer for a stairwell. I lurched into the foyer just as an armored SecUnit dropped down onto the landing.