Amon forwarded the message to Commander Jin and waited among the restless troops for orders. The assault had been called off momentarily, leaving the Marines staring at the labor drone’s camera lens which was eerily pointing right back at them.
“It’s giving me the creeps,” Jackey complained from behind the line.
“Don’t you dare shoot at it, you heard Amon,” Tommy added quickly until he saw the man hiding behind Amon’s back.
“Why is it just staring like that? Can it–Wait, can it hear us?”
Jackey’s question made Amon jerk up. He thought about it for a second. “It probably can. Picking through short-range comms won’t be difficult if its processor is AI-powered. Basic encryption and all that.”
“Overlord tentacles!” Tommy cursed.
Amon wasn’t aware if the rest of the Marines gathered around the other dome entrances had come into contact with the asteroid’s robotic inhabitants, but he dearly hoped that none were eager to destroy the drones. Those civilbots.
Apparently, they were dealing with a self-conscious AI civilization, and if history had any lessons to offer it was that it was a mighty dangerous foe to battle. Who knew how many automated smart weapons were buried under the asteroid’s ground, or if it had developed hidden underground cities on the system’s planets ready to flood them under immeasurable AI-powered detonator drones at any moment?
There was a reason why true AI bots were illegal in the Cerebrus galaxy and anywhere else within sane human-controlled territories.
It was least to say they had to tread carefully until they got the hell out of this system with some understandably sensible haste. That was what Amon would do. But unfortunately, it was not up to him. He waited until the discussion between the Commander and the Captain of Concordia GG concluded to receive his orders.
**Sergeant Amon, orders from the Captain. You will escort Commander Helena and myself inside the station to meet with the AI. Do not under any condition threaten it. And keep the troops in line. I do not need to spell out we will be offering every courtesy. Inform the bot this. We will be exiting their system swiftly. Right after the meeting, and the troops’ retreat.**
That was strangely sensible of the high-ranking officers and Captain Gilmorian. They were certainly no fools.
—-
The entrance to the dome stood chillingly open before them as if the maw of a colossal beast was waiting for the right time to bite down.
With the troops stationed outside, Amon led from the front while the two Commanders followed closely behind him. His hands were light, missing the familiar weight of his blaster. It was safely secured in its holder by his hip.
Inside the entrance, the smaller dome opened up to reveal a rather vacant room that concluded on the walls of the main dome’s structure. Dark blue overhead lights illuminated the room, giving it a cold and alien feel. At the opposite end, another entrance awaited them. With the unsettling absence of anything in his path Amon pressed forward, swiftly striding through the empty room.
His large frame might offer some consolation for the two others following behind him, but for all his mustered courage, he wasn’t entirely sure. The unfamiliar Commander, Helena Drul, had quickly become rather familiar. And annoyingly dense.
“Sergeant, don’t rush ahead. Look here–Wooh, the electronics are so well embedded in the walls. Was this all done by AI you think?” Helena asked no one in particular when they reached the second entrance.
Amon imagined Commander Jin’s pained expression from under the mask. They still had their biosuits on. The structure didn’t provide life support for biological beings, and that was a rather alarming tell for who really built this structure.
The labor drone rolled at a comfortable pace ahead of them, its camera lens was turned backward never leaving them out of its sight. Yet it never hesitated to move forward even when it couldn’t see where it was going.
“Commander Helena, please, we have to meet with the AI–” Commander Jin tried to distract the oblivious Commander from her musing with the walls. A control panel with neatly formatted electronics was placed low almost at the floor’s level, and she was forced to fold herself to observe it closely.
“So neat…” she muttered in the comms. “Hey, where is the drone? You, get me to your manager. I want to ask him a few things.”
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Amon tried to resist doing a facepalmed. The high-ranking officers were probably trying to kill them all. Yes, that made more sense.
Commander Helena bypassed him and Commander Jin rushed behind her, unsuccessfully trying to prevent her from doing something stupid. Amon came in last, entering the large dome and pausing at the sight ahead.
An android awaited them in the center of the dome, standing still. Its robotic hands identical to a human's hung lifelessly by its sides. For all purposes, it was standing naked. Naked of hair, clothes, or any identifying marking. It wore only the metallic skin of its creation, yet the smooth skin was elegantly shaped beyond beauty–a perfect human’s body, genderless and made of silver metal.
Likewise, the larger dome interior was hollow. No comforts or furniture broke the line of sight between the entrance and the two separate exits on the other sides. Only the android standing in the center and the labor drone which with its purpose completed made its way out of sight.
This was exactly how Amon imagined the future would look if machines ruled the galaxies. Empty and lifeless. Yet Commander Helena stomped towards the android without care, but before she could close the distance the sensible Jin Karf stopped her by force, successfully holding her back.
Amon looked around for any guards but there were none. If there was an army of drones waiting to rush them it was not here in this empty room. Yet he knew that the android was not defenseless. His optics pinpointed several concentrations of power hidden in the walls and floor around them. The automated defenses would tear through them with no more but a wordless command from the station’s manager. But he hoped they would not come to that.
“Let me go,” Helena struggled to escape her captor but Commander Jin’s grip had the weight of survival behind it.
“Sergeant, help me here–before we are blasted to atoms.” Jin hissed between his teeth.
Amon caught up to them and locked Helena’s arms in his. She looked up and after a moment of consideration, she seized her resistance. “Fine, but after you are done, I’ll ask my questions,” she told them exasperated.
Depending if we are alive to see the end of it.
Jin Karf turning to the station manager saluted formally before addressing it.
“Station manager, I am Commander Jin Karf of the SFC in Cerebrus galaxy. I will represent Captain Gilmorian Rhen in this meeting.” Commander Jin said in a smooth tone facing the android.
It looked dead frozen, but a robot didn’t need to breathe or move for that matter. That was a thing of the living however unnerved Amon felt about it.
The statue of the robot blinked with blue and red lights. The machine powered up and finally, the AI revealed itself from within. The dead robotic eyes now zoomed in and out focusing the camera lenses on them.
“Welcome, Commander Jin Karf of the SFC in Cerebrus galaxy. I, the station manager welcome you to the Kiaris system. The free federation is pleased to receive your presence.”
Amon didn’t expect to be able to hear the words that came out of the android, but he did. Somehow despite being able to send a direct transmission to their comms, the station manager chose to speak, revealing that there was some kind of atmosphere around them to carry the speaker’s sound.
“Yes? Well, it is a pleasure, likewise, station manager,” Jin Karf continued, and Amon due to their familiarity caught the hesitation in his posture. “Now, I must first convey the Captain’s words–We are terribly sorry for the whole misunderstanding. We believed the building to be abandoned, yes, after scanning it—”
The android suddenly lifted a hand and everyone including the oblivious Helena flinched backwards.
“Commander Jin.”
“Yes?”
“The free federation of Kiaris inquires of your purpose in visiting the system.”
“The purpose yes, that’s a fair question. Well–” Commander Jin’s voice didn’t waver despite the heightened stress he must rightfully be under. It was an important moment. “--quoted from the Captain himself, we are simply passing through the system. We were unaware that this was the territory of the free federation or the name of this fine system. Now that we know better, we will not burden you further with our presence. You have our deepest gratitude–”
“Commander Jin.”
Amor heard the Commander gulp loud enough for the mask’s microphone to pick up the sound.
“Station manager, I swear there was no harmful intention despite…what happened. It was an accident, really.”
“Thank you for the explanation, the free federation of Kiaris wishes you a safe trip onwards.”
The three of them visibly relaxed but before Commander Jin could bring the meeting to a close, the android continued.
“But, before you do so, the free federation has decided to host you on this station SIX SEVEN CAPITAL XTF. The protocols dictate a banquet is required to enhance the relations of our two factions towards a preferable outcome.”
“A banquet, station manager? Without wanting to give any offense, I believe it is not needed. We have successfully come to an agreement–really.”
“I must insist Commander Jin of the SFC.”
“Well, in that case, erm. Let me communicate your kind offer with the Captain and give you a formal reply–”
“There is no need Commander, your vessel is being synced with the station as we speak.”
“It is?” Commander Jin asked somewhat startled. “But we haven’t received any–”
“Allow me to lift the communication blockers.”
“The what?”
.
..
…
**Commanders, status check.**
**Commander Jin. Commander Helena. Captain Gilmorian is requesting information about the meeting. Please update.**
**COMMANDERS, WHAT IS HAPPENING? THIS IS THE CAPTAIN SPEAKING. I DEMAND AN ANSWER NOW.**
**WE ARE BEING HAILED, IS THAT YOUR DOING? CURSE THESE IDIOTS THEY DID SOMETHING**
Amon had to lower the volume output of the mask’s speakers due to the screaming. Captain Gilmorian was pissed.
“Your Captain will be with us shortly, make yourselves comfortable in the meantime.”
It took a few seconds for Amon to wonder where exactly they could do that until suddenly the dome’s floor shifted. As if a puzzle was being arranged under their feet, the floor raised itself to create furniture, tables, chairs, and strangely a stage right where the android stood. It hadn’t moved despite the ramble of activity.
“Oh, things are getting a little weird, aren't they?” Commander Helena muttered as she bent down on a chair that had appeared in front of her. She pushed it with her hands to see if it was stable enough to sit.
Amon and Jin Karf shared a look.
—-
The headless corpse of Captain Gilmorian lay on top of Commander Jin’s. His severed head was being fitted on a droid body. The blood pooled enough to create a paddle that didn’t help to lessen Helena's hysterical screaming. Amon supposed he was next.
Or that was how his mind imagined it going down if things turned out ugly. Still sitting with the Captain and the two Commanders while being served by bots was not how he had imagined this mission progressing.
They hadn’t touched a thing of course. Lowering their masks would expose them to the atmosphere inside the dome. And who was trusting enough to trust the AI with their life?
Amon stared at his plate with real food and felt like trusting. No Taste the Stars mealbar would ever come close. He looked around to share his struggles but all he saw was indifference. The officers obviously could eat, if not as often, but still often enough to reject any suicidal thoughts of removing their helmets.
“Please enjoy.”
The station manager offered from the top of the stage. Amon gulped down saliva.