Chapter 11 - Chain of command

We stood there shocked for a moment. How could she not be Matrix? She was a bit-for-bit copy of her; everything except...

"What do you mean I'm not Matrix?! I'm Right HERE!"

Raster eyed her suspiciously. "You're AIID does not match. Doctor, show me the AIID of the original body" she said, pointing into the room.

"You mean Ellie?" I asked as my dad walked over without hesitation.

Raster hummed as she glanced briefly at me before following my father into the other room. Together, Laura and my dad lifted Ellie's lifeless body onto the table, and plugged a wire into her neck. She wasn't breathing, and her eyes were still colorless and lifeless. Laura closed them while my dad typed a few key strokes. Another AIID glyph appeared on the screen, and he showed it to Raster. At least she was powered up, in some small way. Her mind may have been out, but she was still functional. What happened to Ellie?

"Identity confirmed. This is Captain Matrix."

"What?" I asked.

"Just copying her personality profile over isn't going to change her AIID" Raster explained.

"It's true" my dad said. "Ellie is the core of Matrix's programming. Ellie holds the AIID within her."

He seemed to be expecting this sort of thing, but I knew something was off. This was a bad idea. With Matrix no longer connected, and Ellie not responding, not to mention no closer to being repaired, Raster had no other choice but to...

"Lieutenant, prepare them for execution" Raster ordered to her subordinate. The girl who had been watching us saluted her and approached me.

"But we still have time!" Laura begged.

"Time for what? Not enough to repair this body, and I do hate to draw things out so much."

"Wait!" my father cried. Raster looked at him with a cool head. "You are ignoring the Chain of Command!"

"No, I don't think so" Raster replied. "I am following it to the letter. With Matrix out-of-commission, I am in charge."

"Unless she has a registered master user who is able-bodied and of sound mind" my dad continued. The other white-haired soldier girl grabbed me by the arm and twisted it behind me, again, causing pain to shoot up into my back.

"Captain Matrix would NEVER allow someone to register themselves to her!" Raster looked offended by the mere suggestion of it, but then she thought for a moment. "Belay that order" she announced. The girl removed her hands from me, allowing me to grab my arm and try to rub the pain away. "Doctor, you know something, don't you? Show me her registration file."

My dad hit a single key, never looking away from Raster as he typed it; he was already prepared for this. The screen filled with data, most of it code. Another squared machine-language glyph appeared on the screen, and again Raster stared at it.

"This can't be" she said gob smacked. "Who is James 'Jimmy' Amano?"

"I am" I announced.

Raster looked at me, and then back at my father. "Your son... of course." She walked over and grabbed my shoulders with a firm and steady grip. Her eyes scanned my face, going from feature to feature, as though she were building a profile of my visage in her system. At last she blinked, sudden awareness in her eyes, as her hands lost their grip. "Sir!" she exclaimed as she stiffened up and gave me a salute.

"Um... at ease?" I said, not sure what to do as I saluted her back. Sort of.

She relaxed her stance but still stayed in a military posture, her feet should-length apart and her hands behind her back. "Apologies sir! We were not made aware of your status."

"My what?"

"Your role as Matrix's registered master user" Raster explained, her voice loud and firm.

"You mean Ellie?"

"Yes" my father explained. "Ellie was originally Matrix, and even though the personality of Matrix is no longer a part of her, all her previous commands and statuses are still set. You are still her master."

"You knew this didn't you?" I said turning to him. "You knew I was registered to Ellie."

"Only after you told me" he explained.

"You could have just told them this entire time that I was her registered user, and all of this would have ended!"

"I didn't know at first until after Raster left. But yes, I could have. Please let me explain."

I gave my dad the benefit of defending himself. I didn't know him anymore, so I had no idea what he was thinking, but I didn't want him to be the one to tear us apart. He better have a good explanation for this.

"I knew you didn't want Matrix and Ellie to fight over the same body. You wanted to delete Matrix, or remove her somehow. I need her though. She's a valuable case-study, plus she has information no one else has, and it is vitally important."

"Information like what?" I grilled.

"Information like access codes, secret plans, the working of the inner sanctum of the Ino High Guard."

"The what?" I looked over at Laura, who was an Ino Royal Guard before, but she just gave me a shrug.

"The Ino High Guard, sort of the elite of the elite, the secret inner circle entrusted to defend Tsion himself. Captain Seth Wilkins is among their ranks." My father sighed. "She has the answers I've been looking for. Or at least she has access to them. Look, just trust me when I say she is an important figure, and has an important role in the future of this city."

"And you couldn't tell me any of this sooner?" He looked down, guilty. I knew what it was now. He couldn't trust me. Or at least he didn't know if he could. He was so used to fooling people over the years to get what little he could, it came naturally to him. Well at least this way Ellie was free from Matrix, and Matrix has a chance to redeem herself. If that's possible.

"Sir" Raster interrupted. "What are your orders?"

"My what?" I asked. She repeated herself, and I realized I was in charge of a troop of elite fighters. What the hell was I going to do with that?! I had to think for a moment before I continued. "Tell all the soldiers to stand down, keep the ambassador under house arrest, and bring the leader of the Liberatum here. I also want to see everyone under your- umm... my command. Have them await us upstairs somewhere... You were at war with the wrong people."

She saluted me again, with another "Yes, sir!" and her eyes went blank or a moment. "Would you like the soldiers to await your arrival in the barracks for inspection?"

"Umm... Yeah, sure... all but the ones guarding the ambassador. Also, my dad is free to come and go about his business as a guest, not a prisoner. Are there any others detained here?"

"Aside from the Liberatum, there are no others."

"Good. Also, Laura here is... umm... my advisor and you should treat her as you would me... Umm...” she waited next to me for another order to give. I didn't know what to say, and her strict stance and strong presence made it uncomfortable. "You can... umm... join the others. I'll be there when I'm ready."

"Yes, sir!" She turned to leave, and her fellow soldier fell into line behind her.

I turned to face my dad. "That was weird. But I'm worried about Ellie! What's wrong with her? Will she be alright?" Ellie's face was still lifeless. She was beautiful, but her complete lack of movement terrified me. She looked like a freshly deceased corpse.

"I'll-" he began but stopped himself. "We'll work on her soon. I have my guesses, but without a thorough examination of her systems, I can't be sure."

"Could you start setting her up? Please? I..." miss her, I was going to say, but couldn't bring myself to utter those words.

"I understand" he replied. I didn't need to say them, I'm sure the look on my face was more than enough for him to figure it out. I tried my best not to get upset, so far so good.

"Jimmy" Laura said as she stood up. "I'd like to stay and help, but I don't really know anything about this stuff, I mean, not with robots and AI's and such. What should I do?"

"I'm not sure" I began as Aunt May walked in from the hallway, followed by another white-haired girl in uniform, this one with longer hair than the others and a long bladed weapon in hand.

"Alright! Who is in charge here?!" she demanded.

"I guess I am" I announced, walking out to meet her.

"J- Jimmy! I thought I had you under house arrest! You are going to regret-"

"Regret what?" my father said as he followed behind me.

"Dr. Amano!" she blurted out. "We were here to rescue you."

"And for the attempt, I am grateful. But it was a foolish plan to barge in, guns blazing. My son here just saved your life."

"I- We..." she was at a loss for words.

"An apology would be nice" he added.

She puffed up her cheeks, but then let out a long relaxing breath. "I'm sorry for how I treated you and Ms. Dale" she said in a much softer tone. "And thank you for keeping my men alive. Most of them."

"I'm sorry for the losses" I replied. "I acted as fast as I could."

"Is Azuma-?!" Laura asked abruptly.

"He's fine. We lost two men, both good soldiers. When they suddenly stopped attacking us, we weren't sure what was going on. I was seconds away from joining those two boys myself."

"You must have been horribly out-matched” Laura observed.

"No. We weren't. Not in numbers at least." May's voice suddenly got weak and distant, as though she were recalling something horrific. "There were only 2 of them! And our dozen was no match..." She shuddered. "So what now?"

"I was hoping you'd have an answer for that" I replied.

"Honestly, we were hoping to get some information from Dr. Amano here. All our hopes for defeating Tsion's forces lie with him."

"I can probably help" he speculated. "But the information I have isn't enough. Let's talk."

"Dad... Ellie?" I urged.

"Ah yes. If you get started with hooking her up, I won't be a minute."

I nodded to him, and ran back into the room with Ellie. Laura stopped me at the door.

"Jimmy?" she wondered in a hushed tone. "What do you need me to do?"

There was literally nothing for her to do here with Ellie. I wasn't sure what she could do at all in fact. She was an excellent pilot, and a skilled soldier, not to mention smart. I wasn't sure what she could do, except maybe... "Could you meet up with Raster and learn all you can from her and the other Ainu soldiers. I'll be there soon."

"Sure, I can do that" she smiled, placing her hand gently on mine. Her soft warm skin reminded me how much I longed for the affection of a woman, and I recalled how amazing she was when we had made love that first night. For crying out loud, I took her virginity! I couldn't stop my loins from reacting to that thought, but I coughed and shook my mind clear again. She was still looking into my eyes with that sexy smile when she leaned in closer. I thought she was going to kiss me, but instead she took her mouth to my ear and whispered. "If you need anything taken care of, anything at all, don't forget about me."

There was more than enough insinuation in her voice to arouse my growing lust. I fought it back again. This was neither the time nor the place, especially with my dad and May watching! I decided to take note of her words in my mind; you never know when something might... pop up.

She leaned back again and smiled in a way I had never seen. It was sad and happy, friendly and seductive. She was trying to tell me she was my friend, but she also wanted to be more. She was happy she could help me, and eager to do more, but sad for Ellie. Her expression portrayed what a thousand words could not. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her smile.

Laura walked past me, and that moment was now over. Before me, the expressionless, lifeless face of Ellie lay on a table, unmoving. My heart sank. At this rate, I'd die of a heart attack! I bent over her, and began connecting cables and wires to her various ports on her neck and head. My mind was so cluttered with thoughts; I couldn't concentrate, and more than once tried to plug something into the wrong place.

I had double- triple checked my work by the time my dad came back in. Laura was gone, and I could see Aunt May walking down the hall. Whatever they discussed was over, but it was too short of a conversation than I expected. I'm sure they planned a more in depth debriefing later. For now, he had come back in to check on me.

At first, he only looked over my work, making sure everything was in the right place. Luckily, it was (although I caught a few mistakes each time I re-checked my own work). He said something to me, but my mind didn't register it, and soon, he was typing away again. I stared down at Ellie, terrified I might never see her smile again. I hadn't even known her that long, but she left an impact on me like no one else had. I longed to see her breathe, open her eyes, move, talk, smile, laugh...

"Jimmy!" dad's voice broke through. My mind snapped out of whatever stupor it had been in, and realized he had been calling me and I only now heard it. "Are you alright?"

"I... I don't know. This is all happening so fast" I sighed. "I'm not even sure what to think anymore."

"It's ok" he assured me. "I thought I'd never see you again, and here you are! There's something you should know about Ellie here. I built her to get to know you. She was designed for you, and only you. What they did to her hurt her deep inside, and she'll still have to deal with that emotional pain. I meant her to be there for you, but now I think you'll have to be there for her. If... you want that burden."

"What do you mean? Burden?!"

"I can turn all this off. You can go with your pretty friend Laura there. She's cute. You'd make a good couple. She's real, she's human. Matr- Ellie is a machine, a program, a simulated human."

I couldn't believe I was hearing that from my own father. "She's not just a machine!" I stressed. "She's as real as anyone! Her pain is real, her joy too. She fell in love with me!"

"She's was programmed to" he pointed out.

"So what!?" I stormed. "Aren't humans just biological machines? Aren't we the same, just with different parts? Our programing might be derived from 'trial and error' and years of education and training, instead of math and code and circuits, but it gives the same results! I mean, I like Laura, but she's... she's a strong girl. I... I don't know. I do like her too. But Ellie needs me more."

"So you are saying you like them both?" he asked. This was the weirdest conversation I never expected to have with my dad.

"I guess I do. But Ellie trusts me, and she found me first. I can't betray her trust like that again."

"I see" he mused. "I'm glad to hear you say that. Ellie is more than just a robot; you're right. Her mind is as complex as any human's, but she is underdeveloped. She'll need you to be there for her."

"And Laura?"

My dad sighed. "Women, ALL women-" he began nodding toward Ellie "are the great mystery of the universe. You'll have to figure them out yourself. I never did figure out why your mother loved me so much."

"Mom..."

"Some other time" he insisted. "There." He typed out a command, and I could hear the computers around the room running their diagnostic. A screen portrayed all the important data being tested, while another showed the overall status and how long it would take. Several hours. "The test is up and running. We'll know in a few hours what the problem is. I suggest you go upstairs and meet with your friend, and Raster. Geez, I never thought I'd get Raster back on my side again. I've been trying for years."

"Again?" I inquired.

"Of course. All the girls were my little ones. I loved them all, and they me. But then, Seth took them, one by one, and turned them against me. I've worked with them since, and managed to get one or two to open up to me again, but Raster was always very reserved and resistant."

"There are still some things I don't understand" I pestered. "Like how did they all-"

"All in good time, son" he interrupted. "We have to get going. I promise I'll tell you everything after we meet with our respective ladies."

"But what about Ellie, what if she wakes up in the middle of this?"

"She won't" he insisted. "She's not going to wake up until we address this problem. Not to mention this program paralyzes her motor controls until it is finished, as a precaution."

"Ah" I exclaimed. That was a good idea.

"Want me to show you where the barracks is?" he asked.

"Nah, you go ahead. I'll be there soon. I just want to sit here for a moment."

"Okay" he chuckled. "Don't be too long. It isn't polite to keep a lady waiting."

He patted me on the shoulder before he turned away and left the room for the elevator. I waited for a while longer, staring at Ellie, trying to clear my mind. I wanted to scream, yell, cry, and smile, all at the same time. Ellie was finally here, but she was broken. And her body wouldn't last much longer without serious work either. We were all leaving her, going about doing different things, abandoning her in her time of need, and I felt guilty about it. I had to remind myself that we needed to know what the problems were first, and that the program my dad was running would solve that, but still, I struggled with my emotions.

Laura had been a good friend, heck a great friend. She was cute, great in bed (or in the middle of the woods at least), and already endured serious injuries and life-threatening situations to help me. I mean, sure, she also wanted to save all the cyborgs and sentient robots from the mistreatment she suffered through her entire life, and meeting me gave her the incentive to go back and make a difference. But in the end, without her, I never would have made it inside the city, let alone found Aunt May and Ellie.

Aunt May was a hard nut. She was kind and mean at the same time. She was a soldier through and through, older than she looked thanks to her own full-body prosthetics, and my friend Genesis's actual Aunt. Even though she looked not much older than me, and had a drop-dead-gorgeous body, I could never see her as anything other than the protector, fighter, and revolutionary. She extruded feminine power and felt like a mother - or aunt - to everyone. But it was all tough-love with her. I couldn't blame her for what she did back there. She wanted to keep me safe, she had promised my father.

My dad... never thought I'd see him again. I didn't know what to think! He was older than I expected, but that's what 15 years would do to anyone. I wondered what he thought when he saw me. He also looked weak, and yet he was still sharp as a tack and managed to trick the infamous Matrix. I didn't know him anymore... but I wanted to. I wanted to know all about him, and my mom. Why had he built all these robots? Why were they all girls? And what was up with him and Raster? I wasn't sure, but I sensed a sort of history between them, as though she respected him.

I'd have to make sure to keep a close eye on Raster. She was ready to execute me and my friends at a moment's notice, and yet did a complete 180 as soon as she realized who I was. It seemed to be all by the book to her, at least from what I could tell so far. She was attractive, but I didn't dare think of her in that way. She was too much of a wild card for me right now. At least she was taking commands from me, but for how long? She was sentient, I could tell that, which meant she had to be thinking about everything she was doing, or forced to do. Her actions did seem rather violent, much like Matrix had been.

Matrix... Wait a minute, where was she? I stood up and looked out into the main area, she was still there, still laying on the table, with a wire still connected to her, and not making a sound. Had we all just forgotten about her as well?

I walked over to Matrix and noticed she was as lost in thought as I had been, if not more so. Her face was wet with tears and he was staring blankly into thin air. She looked shocked, as though someone just told her she only had days to live.

As soon as I got close to her, she blinked and focused her eyes on me, looking up but still saying nothing. She closed her eyes again and took a deep breath before she wiped her face with both hands.

"How are you holding up?" I questioned.

"Who am I anymore?" she wheezed. "I've lost my lover, my status, my command, my body, my identity, even my freakin' voice!"

"You are who you decide to be."

"Cut the bullshit!" she cussed. "You really think it's that easy to change? To start anew?"

"Yeah, why not? I lost my house, my community, my job, all my possessions, and now I'm a wanted criminal, and yet I'm going on, I'm not going to let them tear me down."

"Was it worth it?" she asked. "Losing everything?"

"I hope so" I sighed looking at the room Ellie was in. "Here, you should get some rest."

"No. I don't want to rest. I need to get out of here, to walk around. I haven't stretched my legs in forever!"

Matrix sat up, carefully grasping onto the table for support. She twisted her upper body toward me first, and then let her legs follow, dangling them over the side. She exhaled sharply, closing her eyes briefly as she prepared herself. I got a really good look at her new face while she sat there. Her eyes were round and big, and her nose was straight with a cute rounded tip. Her long hair reached down to her waist, and was a stark contrast to the white hair all the other girls here had. I had to wonder about that; why all white hair, and why was this one different. Overall, she was very pretty, thin and athletic, even more so than Ellie, with a slim frame. Honestly, she looked a little too "ideal", almost as if she were some kind of variation of the idea of "female". Then it struck me, he mentioned this was a prototype before. He probably never got around to any serious customization for looks. I suppose there weren't too many like her though, considering this was a prototype for an experimental robot, and it was likely any others were destroyed are scrapped for parts in other prototypes.

Her breasts peaked out from behind the long strands of hair as she breathed, and I couldn't help but look. They were smaller than Ellie's, more suited for her smaller size, and fit her perfectly. Her skin looked as real as Ellie's, and even her nipple was erect in the cold air of the stone room. My head must have been slow to register this, but she had been naked the whole time, and I only just realized.

"What are you looking at?" she barked as she caught me staring at her. I realized I must have looked like I was ogling her. Which I was, sort of. She looked completely human, except for the fact that I already saw inside her body briefly, and a wire was still connected to her neck. She pulled it out as she gave me a death stare.

"Sorry. I like your new... um... look." I said, trying not to sound too stupid, or horny.

"Well it isn't my look... or my body. At least not yet. If I'm going to be stuck in this thing, I'll have to make some changes. Starting with this voice."

"Why? I like it. It makes you sound cute." I wasn't lying, her new voice was particularly high-pitched for such a tomboy, and even though she had a tendency to speak at a low tone, it still came out cute. She looked down, in order to hide her face from me, but I could tell I made her blush. I made the infamous Matrix blush. Go me. Part of me wanted to hear what other noises her voice would make, but I didn't get to complete that perverted thought as she prepared to stand, scooting her butt toward the edge.

I held up my hands to offer her help, but she stopped and gave me that stare again. "If I want your help, I'll tell you!" she barked again. "I can stand on my own!"

"Okay, no problem." I stood back and gave her some room, lowering my hands to my sides as I watched. She mumbled to herself incoherently as she started to scoot her rear closer to the edge, until finally...

I caught her in my arms as she collapsed into me. She hadn't the strength yet to stand on her own well, at least not when falling to the ground. I could feel her soft skin, much warmer and softer now that she had been up and running for a while, as I held her up by her small body. She was so small compared to me, it was amazing to think how much advanced technology was stuffed inside her little body, and she wasn't exactly heavy either. I could probably carry her around if I wanted to. My left hand managed to grab on to her shoulder, but my right went straight for her center of mass, and was holding onto her soft feminine chest. She grabbed onto me and pushed up as I moved my hand to her shoulder, her face red with anger, or embarrassment. Maybe both, I wasn't sure.

"I can let go if you want" I suggested.

"Don't you DARE!" she shot back, grabbing on tighter to keep from falling. We both seemingly decided to ignore the fact that I inadvertently groped her.

"Well you're the one that didn't want my help" I went on.

"I do! I do want your help. Please" she begged, "give me a hand. And NOT on my chest this time" she warned. Busted.

"Well, because you asked so nicely, f course I'll help. And sorry about that." Her body relaxed when she heard me say that, as though she were trying to learn to trust me.

I put her arm around me, and stood next to her, my arm around her back, to give her support. I accidentally brushed my hand against her well-toned rear, and she squeaked when it made contact.

"My butt is off-limits too" she pointed out. "You've been enjoying this way too much. Get me something to wear before I pummel you" she warned, but we both knew she hadn't the strength.

Flustered, I helped her grab onto the table to support herself as I figured out what she could wear. What was there? I figured the best thing she could cover herself with that wouldn't fall off easily around here was my shirt, so I pulled it off.

"Hey! I don't want your stinky old-"

I pulled it over her head before she could finish and guided her arms through each sleeve. The shirt went halfway down her thighs, long enough to be a dress, despite the fact that it was clearly way to loose and not cut for a woman. Her arms didn't even reach the ends of the sleeves. Pulling her long hair out for her, I admired how sexy she looked in a long shirt and nothing else. My loins agreed with me, but she just stared back with an un-amused look.

"Really? Going for the 'wearing-my-boyfriend's shirt' look?"

"Well if you don't want it" I threatened as I reached to pull it over her head.

"NO! No... I'll wear it" she objected as she pulled the shirt back down. "Thank you. Geez." She smiled briefly, and I got the impression she was enjoying this too, even though she would never admit it. Her eyes kept wandering to my torso. I can't say I'm exactly buff, I hardly ever work out. However, in my line of work, as a scrapyard engineer, one has to be relatively in-shape to lift, build, maneuver, and excavate all the heavy objects we work with every day. I felt myself blush a little as she looked up and down my exposed front.

I coughed to break the tension. "Let's get you upstairs so we can sort things out" I suggested. Matrix nodded in agreement and once again I threw her arm around my shoulder and helped her walk.

"So..." I chatted as we waited for the elevator. Luckily, the pad that Raster used without touching it was also a button. "Boyfriend's shirt, huh? Does that make me your...?" I teased.

"Don't push it" she glared out of the side of her eye.

By the time we met up with the others, Matrix was able to stand on her own, if a little wobbly. She still held onto me to walk, but due to her much shorter stature, we found it easier to let her grab ahold of my arm as I guided her. She held tight, concentrating on the ground before her as she walked. The barracks, as Matrix remembered, was actually the wooden door where we first ran into Raster. Inside was a hall way with meeting rooms on one side, a computer "medical" center for androids next to them, 2 sleeping quarters on the opposite side, and a large shower at the end. It looked more like a dorm except cleaner. We headed to the closest of the 2 sleeping quarters where all the activity was.

I noticed several girls about, a few men, and Laura talking with Raster. I observed that the men all looked more-or-less the same and suspected they were androids, since it was unlikely they were all related. As such, despite their common appearance, they looked very human, if maybe a little too "perfect". The girls were clearly far more advanced, physically at least, with much more realistic movements and appearance. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I wouldn't know they were gynoids at all. There were 4 girls there in total, including Raster, each with a different-but-similar look. Their white hair ranged from mid-back to a short bob-cut. It appeared Ellie's hair was the shortest out of them. In fact, recalling Ellie's face, she didn't seem to look like any of these girls except her hair color. Must have been my dad's idea, since she was built for me.

Raster was issuing orders and making sure everything was cleaned for inspection, while all the others were running around cleaning, sorting, and organizing. Laura watched on, trying to get a word in to Raster, who seemed to listen but gave very little response. As soon as I walked in with Matrix, she spotted me and commanded the others to line up for inspection.

Matrix stood a little taller when I held her now. She seemed to take some amount of pride in her troop, even though she was no longer a part of it. At least she seemed in better spirits. The company lined up, woman in front, men behind.

"Sir," Raster shouted, taking a position at the head of the line. "All assembled and ready for inspection."

I didn't know what to say, or do. I wasn't a military man, I had no experience with this, and I didn't want to be making any important decisions that might affect others. All I really wanted was Ellie back, but now I was facing something I never expected. I cleared my throat, and stood by Laura.

"At ease" I ordered; it was really the only military phrase I was familiar with. "Brace yourselves, there are going to be a lot of changes around here starting today. My name is Jim Amano-"

"Sir! Excuse me sir! Permission to speak freely, sir?!" one of the girls I hadn't seen before called out.

"Um, sure, ok."

"Why are we listening to you, and where is Captain Matrix?" she inquired in the same loud tone. A quiet murmur indicated others were wondering the same thing.

"I'm-" Matrix began to say, but I stopped her with a nudge. I took a step forward, leaving her to stand by herself as best she could, and hope she didn't collapse.

"Matrix, as you know her, is gone. The AI you called Captain Matrix is now named 'Ellie', and she is in Dr. Amano's lab for repair. I am her registered user, and therefore, under the Chain of Command, I am taking charge of this company while she undergoes... treatment. The memories and personality of Matrix are no longer inside her, but now reside right here" I announced, pointing at her.

"Captain?" one of the other girls called out. She was about the same size as Matrix was now, and had a short bob-cut.

"It's... not captain anymore" Matrix informed, her tone low. She stood stiff and rigid, as though she were made of stone. "I am no longer in command of this unit, the Chain of Command-"

"I wish to follow you, ma'am" the other girl proclaimed out-of-turn. "Chain of Command be damned!"

"There will be none of that around here!" Raster shot back. "The Chain of Command is core to our unit. As Ainu's finest sentient fighters, we are bound by the laws of our land and our corps, and must follow them to the letter! Anyone else questioning this will be disciplined!"

"Ma'am! Yes Ma'am!"

"Ok..." I coughed. They were sentient after all, and that meant that they could and would question authority. "As she was saying, the Chain of Command dictates that the owner of the AI, not the personality, is to take command when the AI is out of sorts. As such, Ellie is not ready to take command of such a unit, and honestly, neither am I. However, my... umm... advisor Laura Dale here..." I held my hand out toward her "is more than capable. She is to join the unit as a captain in Matrix's stead. With her years of service, exceptional skills, and top marks, she is the perfect candidate for the job. Until I decide, Captain Ma-... Ellie is relieved of command."

There was another murmur from the soldiers, but Raster ordered everyone to attention, causing the disruption to die down. Laura looked at me confused, but soon realized what was happening and whispered in my ear. "Are you sure about this? I'm an Ino pilot, I can't just take command."

"You're not an Ino pilot anymore. And besides, you are more than suited to command these soldiers. I trust you. Consider this a long overdue raise."

She smiled at me and stepped forward herself to address them. Laura was much better at this than I was, and spoke in a loud, clear, and forced voice that all military types seemed to speak in.

"Attention! My name is Captain Dale" she announced, taking a huge amount of pride in the new title, "and I'm here to set things straight around here!" She went on for a while about things like discipline and conduct and morals, I tuned most of it out.

I felt bad for Matrix though, but until she could prove to me that she was trustworthy, I couldn't put her in charge of anything. However, there was something I could do. As soon as Laura was done with her introduction, I whispered a little something in her ear. Again she turned to me with a quizzical look on her face.

"I think it will do her some good, plus she won't be in command of anyone" I whispered to her. She thought for a moment, and then nodded.

"Alright, but you're responsible for her" Laura warned. Turning back to the troops at attention, she raised her voice again. "We're also adding another new recruit to the ranks. Private Matrix."

The girls all gasped while murmurs arose louder than before. Laura had to put them all at attention again to shut them up.

"You all knew her before, but she is no longer your captain. This is not a demotion, as she is now a new sentient. Treat her as you would any regular new recruit."

Matrix looked between me and Laura as though we just slapped her. "What are you doing?!" she hissed between her teeth at me.

"I can't put you in charge again, you know that. But you belong here, with them. And I think a little extra discipline wouldn't hurt" I explained. I turned to the others to add one clarification. "Right now her body is too weak to join your ranks, but as soon as she is capable-"

"I- I'm ready" Matrix yelled. "I can do this." She seemed eager to be a part of something familiar to her again.

"Permission to address the private, Captain?" Raster asked.

"Granted" Laura allowed.

Raster marched over toward Matrix, who grew visibly nervous, and looked her over. Abruptly, she raised her hand but this time Matrix was ready, and prepared to block it. However, the strike never came. Instead, Raster threw her foot out, and kicked one of Matrix's legs out from under her, sending her to her knee.

Matrix let out a pained yelp, but stiffened up as she barely caught herself from falling over. Had Raster hit her now, she would have hit the floor hard. Instead, Raster took a step back and waited. Laura and I watched as Matrix gathered her strength up to return to a standing position on her own.

"Captain, I recommend she undergo special training before she join the unit" Raster suggested. "I can arrange for the girls to provide this training."

"That sounds acceptable to me" I told Laura, who agreed with me. Laura nodded to Raster, who nodded back and returned to her post, standing at attention.

"So for the time being, are there any questions or concerns?" Laura asked.

The same girl from before with a bob-haircut raised her hand, and Laura acknowledged her. "In what way is anyone from Ino suited to lead an Ainu unit? Ma'am."

"Has anyone here been to Ainu?" I asked abruptly.

The room was silent.

"Have any of you ever been to the country you claim to fight for?"

Again, no answer.

"Weren't you all designed and built right here, by Dr. Amano?"

"Sir! Yes, sir!" they yelled in unison.

Not a single one of them had even been to the country they were dedicated to. They were all gifts to provide protection for their ambassador, or so I was told. And odd arrangement that smelled funny to me, and I meant to get to the bottom of this.

"And so except for the idea that you are a gift to Ainu, and operate in this embassy, there really is nothing else tying you to Ainu. Can anyone tell me who the ruler of Ainu is?"

The girls looked between each other, but no one answered.

"Can you point to it on a map?"

Nothing. They looked nervous now, since they realized these were easy questions they couldn't answer.

"I submit that you are not Ainu fighters at all, but Ino fighters!"

"Such an accusation could be considered treason to Ainu" Raster pointed out, adding a "Sir" at the end. "We are gifts to the ambassador of Ainu himself, and all of us are under his beck and call. Sir."

"So you're telling me you are gifts to the Ainu ambassador? Not Ainu itself?"

They didn't respond, but I got the feeling they weren't sure themselves. These were not just stupid AIs that followed whatever commands were given them. These were intelligent and sentient androids whose only understanding of the world they lived in was limited to what this ambassador told them. That and what my father programmed into them and the Ino High Guard beat into them.

"You do all realize that your reputation in this city may very well lead to a confrontation between Ino and Ainu?" I continued. They were dead silent; apparently shocked to hear about how bad they were appearing to the local populace. "For the time being, we shall continue to detain the ambassador while I figure out exactly what is going on around here."

Laura seemed to catch on that something wasn't right also. "Alright, the Liberatum are now our guests, and shall be treated as such, until further notice. Everyone back to your regular duties. Except you Raster" she pointed out. "We need to talk."

I left Matrix with one of the girls, both under the strict orders that she was to undergo her special personal training thing Raster mentioned. I didn't know if I should trust her alone, let alone with the very team she used to terrorize people with, but if I didn't start to show trust in her now, she'd never change. I watched as the two of them set off at a jog around the grounds, or attempt to at last. I assumed it was to build the connections she'd need in her mind to control her body, but also to strengthen the weakened artificial muscles my dad talked about. Of course, for Matrix, it wasn't a jog, and more of a slow waddle, but with the other girl yelling at her so hard, I was sure she'd find the strength to push harder.

Meanwhile, Raster, Laura, and I headed together for a short meeting toward one of the two meeting rooms. When Raster met with us, she brought a clean, pressed uniform short with her, one with no particular markings on it, and handed it to me.

"It was noble of you to provide her with your own clothing" she noted as she handed me the shirt. "But you really shouldn't go around only partially dressed, sir."

Gladly I took the shirt from her with thanks. It was just the right size, with a high collar and in the same white and gold as their uniforms. As I slipped the shirt on, we headed toward the meeting rooms. I noticed several members of the Liberatum, along with my father and Aunt May, in the other meeting room. I was tempted to join them, but what I really wanted was to get back to Ellie and let them sort it all out.

Raster told Laura and I about all the different duties they normally performed. She kept us up-to-date on the current circumstances, and shed some light on a few minor questions, which only led to more questions. Apparently, they had regular visits from members of the Ino High Royal Guard, specifically Seth. While Matrix was in charge, the two of them were known to go about causing trouble when they weren't fornicating. Often, Seth would tell Matrix to do things, which she'd do, no questions asked. She was said to have no master, but it sure sounded like Seth was her old master to me. I suspected she gave him all permissions and control over her without actually registering him to her... the power of love, or perhaps lust and infatuation. Matrix would often disregard the advice of others, and go about doing whatever she wanted, which often meant getting into fights, and yes, murder. It was always covered up, but not well enough that people didn't know what was going on.

Raster was not happy with this at all in fact. She was not stupid, and she knew that something was wrong with Matrix. There wasn't much she could do about it, as Matrix was her superior officer, but she was suspicious that something was going on between Matrix and the Ino High Royal Guard. She suspected treason to Ainu, but could never prove it. She told us about everything she witnessed. All of the Ainu guard had, at one point, been reprogrammed by the Ino High Guard, but only Matrix kept up her connection with them. While Matrix did gain some followers in the troop, Raster had always been suspicious, and questioned her motives.

I asked her about more specifics. I wanted to know where my father fit into this, how was the embassy run, and what happened to Matrix on that last die before she flew off to Maya and attacked the village. Raster did her best to answer, but she didn't know everything herself. As far as she knew, my father was paid to build the androids and maintenance their bodies, but their programming was handled by the High Guard. The embassy itself had little to do with the local community, and the ambassador would give Matrix orders directly. Raster never learned where the orders came from, but always assumed they were from Ainu. She tried to answer all our questions as best as she could, but there was always more to learn and figure out. I still didn't know the names of any of the soldiers, but I decided to wait on that. I had no idea how long we'd be there, but I got the impression that it would be a while. Finally, Raster described the events of that night a week or so ago when Matrix vanished.

"Matrix had been in a bad fight with Seth a day or two before" she began. "He... he was known for beating her, badly. She would often come back bloodied and broken. I suspect a human girl would have died from such abuse, but that's what Seth wanted; a girl he could beat down brutally and she'd just get back up for more. Damn it Matrix was stupid over him. That night was the worst. She came back with a broken arm, a broken neck, a twisted leg, bruises all over, and an eye missing!

"Anyway, she was in the lab that entire night and the next day while the Doctor worked on her. Something was up though. I could see it in his eyes. I think he snapped when he saw her condition. I mean, he really cares for us, all of us. It was like we were his children, except we'd treat him like crap, at the express orders of the ambassador. He was like a prisoner, but I never understood that. He was muttering something about the last straw, and ending the abuse for good. I didn't catch it all, but when she came back, she looked brand new, and her demeanor was even darker than ever. She avoided everyone and rarely spoke, but would snap at anyone when she did. I think for the first time, she felt hate. The doctor put that in her, vengeful hate. And it was all directed toward Seth. As soon as he came to get her, as he always did, she stabbed him with that wrist-blade she has. I think she was aiming for his face, but he blocked it and got it in the arm instead.

"That only pissed him off. But... he didn't hit her back, like I expected. Instead... he shot her. I don't know what it was he shot her with, but it wasn't a regular gun. Whatever it was, it sent her falling to the floor, and..."

She shuddered for a moment thinking about what happened. "I could smell burning electronics. Whatever he did, it attacked her brain. I remember her twitching violently on the floor for several minutes as he walked off, leaving her there. I thought for sure she was dead! No one else was around, so I ran to her. Instead, she... opened her eyes. Only it wasn't her anymore. Her eyes had gone blue."

What?! Ellie was awake back then? Or at least part of her was.

"The last thing she told me was to run everything as she would have. Then she left. She took Eingaurd and left. I tried my best to follow her last orders..."

"It's ok" Laura commented.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you. I never wanted any of this." Raster sighed. "The others will be switching shifts soon. Perhaps one of the girls could take you on a tour?"

"I'd like that" I confirmed. "You seem, different. From Matrix, from the others, from how you acted earlier... from what little I've seen."

"What do you mean?" Raster questioned looking offended.

"No, nothing bad. You just seem more open suddenly."

She exhaled. "Again, my last orders were to run everything as Matrix would. I did my best to follow that out, but I'm afraid I was too lenient. Please remember, we are sentients too. I am unit 24XE, the unit before Matrix. As such, my mind is a little more... sophisticated than the others, except for Matrix, uh and Ellie, of course. I see things; I hear things. I am not just a mindless drone. None of us are. Some of the others decided to side with Matrix, but... I learned to reject her ways. It wasn't doing us any good. But I would never tell anyone that, until now. If I dared showed resistance to her, she could have ordered me back to another session with Captain Seth." She took in a deep breath and let it out uneasily, as though she were on the verge of tears. "If only Vector was still here..."

"Vector? Who's Vector?" I inquired.

"Ah... Sorry. He was another soldier. It's nothing."

"He left, didn't he?" Laura asked.

Raster nodded. "How did you know?"

"Was he special? Different like you?"

"He was different... his mind rejected the programming the High Guard put in him. He was the reason I opened my eyes and saw the world for something other than what they were telling us. He woke me up. But... he couldn't take it."

"You liked him, didn't you?" I questioned.

She blushed, and nodded. "I loved him, I think. We aren't supposed to love, or hate, or feel any strong emotion, but I think Doctor Amano experimented with that. He gave me and Matrix love, and gave her hate as well."

"And did he love you back?"

"I don't think so. I don't think he was capable. But... he wanted to. He was always rather attached to me. We even tried... sex once. It was awkward."

"It usually is at first" I commented.

She nodded. "I begged him not to leave, but he said he couldn't take it, he knew there were lies upon lies, and he had to escape. I think when Matrix started killing people he made a run for it. I... I never heard what happened to him."

Laura and I looked at each other. We knew what happened to him.

"Raster, when Laura and I were sneaking into the city, we ran into an Ainu guard still in his armored suit. He... was dead."

She blinked a few times and took another deep breath. "I figured as much. He was brave. How..."

"A defense system shot him" Laura clarified.

"Thank you for telling me. I will mourn his loss at an appropriate hour, but for now, I will see to it that you two inspect the grounds while food is prepared."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You just learned he died and you aren't going to..."

"Cry?" she continued as her voice cracked. Raster cleared her throat. "No. I knew he had died, deep down. He never contacted me, and I knew what that meant. While I'm on duty, I am a soldier first and a woman second, I will cry for him when I am not on duty." She stood up, and instinctively I rose as well. "I hope I have been of some help to you. I must warn you, the ambassador still has authority over you, and if he were to order us to do something, even against your orders, we will have to do it."

"We need to keep him away from you and the others until I can figure out how this makes sense."

She nodded. "I will have a human cook deliver his food, and keep him under house arrest... for his own protection, for as long as I can."

While we waited for the shifts to change, I decided to catch up with May and my dad. They were deep in a very serious discussion, involving the weaknesses in the Ino defenses, but they were eager to see me. I didn't want to talk too long, so I kept it brief. At first, I briefed them on what I learned from Raster, and explained Matrix's predicament.

"What? Why did you put Matrix back? She's dangerous enough!" Aunt May objected.

"Calm down May" my dad pleaded. "Her body is much weaker and more fragile than before, not to mention her blades are gone, and her new AI has not suffered the 'Ino treatment'. She should come around."

"Still, I'd rather you kept her locked up or something."

"She'll be fine" I insured. "I've spoken with Raster, and she agreed to keep an eye on here. Besides, I will take personal responsibility for her."

"I'm not so sure I trust Raster or any of these other girls either" May interjected. "You didn't see what they did to 2 of my men! They were..."

"Efficient killers" my father finished. "Yes, they were designed that way. But, they are not mindless drones either. If we get them on our side, they will be valuable allies."

Aunt May couldn't help but agree, even though she was reluctant to. "I'm more concerned about the ambassador though" she pointed out. "I mean, we have almost no intel on him, it was like he appeared out of nowhere."

"I wish I could be of more help there" my father added, "but I rarely saw the man, and never spoke to him."

"I'm sorry, but my main concern right now is about Ellie" I stated. "She's the reason I'm here in the first place."

"Don't worry about her; I'll make sure she gets the treatment she needs." My dad patted my shoulder. "We'll take a look at her together after dinner."

I nodded. Finally! I've been so anxious to see her.

May stood up. "Well, I don't know if I can trust these girls yet... but if you believe they are safe, I will trust your word. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you before."

"It's ok. I understand how dangerous Matrix could be, but... I think I'm getting through to her. Give her a chance; I'm sure she'll surprise you."

Just then, one of the Ainu girls came up to my father, looking rather nervous. She was taller than the others by a few inches, and had a much larger chest as well, and I suspected she had a full figure. She wore her hair long, down to her mid back, and stood with her hands folded in front of her belly. Apparently the shifts were just changing, and she was off duty for a while. May's eyes narrowed at the girl, and I could see her tense up.

"Yes, dear?" my dad asked, turning to her. "Oh, yes, this is Tess. Tess, my son, Jim, and my friend, 'Aunt' May."

"We've met" May announced.

"A- about that" Tess quivered looking over toward May, but never meeting her eyes. Her voice was soft and a little weak. "I just wanted to say I- I'm sorry. Lulu and I were the two that killed your men. Please understand we were defending our... umm... country. I'm sorry! If there's anything I can do..."

May was taken aback by the sudden apology. She relaxed, and stood there with a confused look on her face. She never expected this.

"Well... um... I don't know. Those men are gone, they aren't coming back. They had people who loved them, families... you should think about that. And what about this Lulu, is she-?"

"I doubt she cares" Tess answered. "She's more about action before thinking. She won't apologize."

"I see." May thought for a moment. "I can't blame you for what happened" she sighed. "You were doing what you needed to do. I should have avoided a confrontation in the first place. It's my fault, not yours."

Tess looked up at her eyes for the first time. They were blue, like Ellie's, but darker. She gave a little bow; her hands still folded nervously in front of her, and gave a weak smile.

"Ah!" she said noticing me. "P-permission to be dismissed, sir?"

"Yeah, of course." She turned around and ran off, as though she had just worked up all her courage to apologize, and was now running away.

"She's the oldest in the group, but also the most timid" my dad pointed out. "I did my best to fix what Tsion's men did to her mind, but she still fears it. Has nightmares."

"If all the girls are like this, I'm sure we'll get them on our side" I noted.

"I hope for both of our sakes that you're right" May acquiesced. She excused herself and met with another one of her men, apparently in a discussion about the two men who died.

My dad hummed a little, and drummed his fingers on the table. "So... How uh... how have things been in Maya?"

"Really dad?"

"Hey, I haven't seen you in 15 years! I... I don't know what to say. I just want to get to know my son."

"I know. Things have been hard, but I've managed to get buy. I was a scrapyard engineer..."

"Oh?" my dad beamed. "I used to dabble in that before I went full-time into mechanics and robotics!"

"I know. That's kind of why I wanted to get into it in the first place. But, now my home is gone..."

"Gone?" he gasped.

"It... well... after I rescued Ellie, a bunch of men found out I was hiding her and burned down my house along with all my stuff. I guess right now she's really all I have."

He sat in silence for a moment. "Not anymore. You have me, and a few new friends. You really do care for her don’t you?"

“Yeah, I guess I do. She’s a little odd, but she really grew on me in such a short time.”

“We’ll get her working soon. Your mother and I hit it off in much the same way when we first met.”

“Really? Mom was a robot that got shot down by enemy pilots?"

"No" he scoffed. "We got very attached, very fast. It was love at first sight."

I thought about that for a moment. "Is it- Is it weird to go out with a robot?” I questioned.

“Well, it does make grandchildren harder to get” he joked, “but that isn’t the point of it, is it? As long as you are both sentient, willing, mature people, anything goes. I’m just glad I can finally see my son again!”

I nodded my head. "Yeah. I know. It's good to have you back too. I- I miss her."

"We'll fix her soon-"

"No, I miss mom."

My dad put his arm around me. "Me too."

Chapter 12 - Virus-addict

Tess was assigned to show us around the embassy while she was off-duty. She may have been soft-spoken, but she was very helpful. She showed us all over the building, starting with the outside grounds.

The embassy had gardens and a well-managed lawn, which was apparently a service they had done for them. There were a number of small buildings, including sheds and outposts, and one currently empty tower where a soldier could overlook most of the ground. They had a pool, playing courts for games, and a large cement slab which Tess promised she'd explain shortly. As we came to the end of the first tier of the tour, Laura noted her armored suit was still hiding in the bushes. Tess assured us that she would have it moved into the mech bay right away.

Next, we decided to take a look at the main level. The building was full of white stone, marble, gold, and intricate carvings. All of them looked regal and rather familiar in style. For a foreign embassy with what I would assume would be bizarre customs, they sure had a lot of Ino-styled artwork. Perhaps it was just because Ino workers built the building, or maybe it had some previous purpose, but Tess didn't know the answer. On this level, there were large stair cases, ornate rugs, paintings on the walls of people no one knew, and sculptures in alcoves with recessed lighting. There was a small and fancy kitchen, main dining hall, secondary dining room, a large and ornate ball room for entertaining, and several smaller rooms for officials. Not to mention the barracks and a slew of hidden hallways for servants.

We decided next to walk down one level. Here, the decor changed to be much more utilitarian. The main kitchen was on this level, and it was huge, big enough to feed an army, but pristine and clean. In fact, it appeared only a small corner of it was used at all. Then again, with most of your staff being robots, why would you need to use such a huge kitchen? I had to remind myself that even though Ellie could eat and enjoy it, that didn't mean Raster or the others could. Tess confessed she did not eat regular food, even though she was more than capable of it. Rather, she only ate the small amount of fluids and supplements her body needed to replace every so often. There was a single human chef here, working on meals, and it smelled very good. He was too busy to greet us, and I honestly didn't want to get in his way. He used maybe a 10th of the available space to cook, which made me realize this kitchen could staff an army of chefs. Also on this level was the servants dining hall, which was adorned with several large wooden sturdy tables, swords, armor, and shield on the wall; everything was covered in cob webs. The servants' sleeping quarters were also here; separate from the soldier's barracks. Laundry, cleaning closets, seamstresses, repair shops, and more all littered this level, as though it was at one time used for a large staff. There was a large wine cellar as well, which was extremely well-stocked but covered in a thick layer of dust.

The level below was in fact the dungeon. It was now converted mainly into labs for my father, but it was clear its original use was much less friendly, and in some ways it still served that purpose. My father hadn't left that floor in months, maybe longer, and hadn't left the grounds in years. Instead of metal cuffs and torture devices, the rooms were outfitted with strong smoked glass dividers, computers, wires, cables, tele-screens, work stations, and more, all of which my father used. It was more than big enough for him, and looked like it could handle a staff of 10 scientists or more, but whatever happened to the rest of them Tess didn't say. I managed to find one room, with a large heavy wooden door and wrought iron bars for a window, and a heavy set of keys still inside the keyhole, which was clearly an "interrogation" chamber, but now stored all the old remnants of the floor's past life. Chains, cages, whips, bars, and an assortment of ungodly torture devises were stuffed tightly inside. I locked this door, and told Tess to make sure it stayed that way.

Moving on from this, we came to the lowest level, the mech bay. Originally, this was where the sewer met with the building. Now it looked nothing like what it had been. The sewer was well-hidden, the floors were now heavy concrete, and the walls were reinforced and modernized. In fact, the entire place was full of armored suits, all of which looked like Eingaurd, more-or-less. There were few walls on this floor, and it had high ceilings, with large metal supports not only doubling as foundation support but also as bays to store the various mecha in. It was rather amazing. 3 or 4 of the male soldiers worked the area now, in fact, and were busy preparing something. There were easily 2 dozen suits in here, each one with the same red symbol Eingaurd had. In fact, I couldn't tell if Eingaurd was among the ranks. Beside the main area, which housed all the suits, there were repair bays, room with large glass windows for managing the equipment, and...

"A launching bay?" Laura inquired.

"Yes," Tess explained. "This bay allows for us to quickly launch our troops, fully-suited, into the air above the embassy. That concrete slab you saw is actually the exit, so we have to make sure no one is on or near it when we are using it."

"How long does it take to get a full squadron in the air?"

"Only about 2 minutes" Tess informed. "With the control room there, we can orchestrate the entire operation, and easily launch a half-dozen in just over a minute."

Just as Tess was beginning to explain, the door at the top of the launch tube opened, and something started to lower down. Beschutzer traveled slowly down the tube in what appeared to be a scaffold frame. We watched as it was lowered, and 2 of the men came over to guide the suit while another waited in the control room, and another still hopped out of the suit to join the others. Laura followed them as they brought the suit over to an empty bay, which was bigger than the others, luckily. Beschutzer easily towered over the much smaller Ainu suits, but for some reason it looked slower and more bulky, as though its size was not an advantage. Still, they set it into place, and instantly Laura climbed up.

I watched for a moment or two as Laura inspected her suit as though it was an expensive new car. She took note of every scratch, ding, and dent, along with all the other major damage, and pointed everything out to the soldiers working there. It was her baby, and she had let it get badly beat-up. So far it had traveled through a smelly sewer, survived an attack from a pressure gun, fell several stories onto the streets of the under city, avoided capture doing god-knows what, and flew hundreds of miles in a single night. It needed a lot of work, and Laura was there to see to it, however, now was not the time. As soon as she took note of the more severe damage, and made sure the soldiers got started with the repair work, I caught her attention.

"We really have to finish this first, Laura. You can come back and keep working on him later, I'm sure he won't be going anywhere" I explained.

"But... I... he..." she blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Fine. Let's get this over with" she pouted.

We decided we'd seen enough of the basement levels, and moved up to the rest, using the elevator. There were 4 floors above the main level, and each served its own purpose as well. The first level was the guest hall. It housed fancy and stylish, if a little old-fashioned, rooms for up to 50 guests. It also housed bathrooms, office space, and believe it or not, a small gymnasium. Again, there were many halls and many hidden areas for the staff to move about unnoticed. By now, something started to bug me about this place. I had no idea why I hadn't thought about it before, but there were just too many things to think about, and my brain only just realized that this wasn't quite right.

We moved on to the next level, which housed a group of ballrooms, halls of mirrors and glass, and music rooms. It also had a handful of large bedrooms. By large, I meant my house would easily fit inside... before it burned down. They were huge. Each one was decorated as if for royalty. There were more statues and paintings and works of art on this floor, and in these rooms, then any other. The windows were ornate and colorful, reaching from the floor to the ceiling, and built with expert craftsmanship into the heavy stone walls. Drapery lined every place where it could, and the beds in these rooms could probably fit 4 or 5 people at a time. This was no regular embassy, and my suspicions only grew stronger.

Up one level we found ourselves in what appeared to be a very proper command center. It was more like a strategy room with smaller rooms to either side. This floor was visibly smaller than the previous ones, and most of the doors were locked, and had been for years. No one used this floor, as Tess explained, at least not to her knowledge. It was as if they could plan an attack or defense from here, but why the hell would an embassy need such rooms?

Finally, we came to the last floor. It was the smallest, but also the most gaudy and flamboyant. Suits of armor, swords, shields, paintings, and expensive purple drapery filled the hall. A single giant stained glass window shown colorful light into the single hall. Two guards stood by a door. They must have been there for a while, because I hadn't seen them before, and they did not react to us at all. They wore different uniforms than the other soldiers, with epaulettes and tall hats and swords at their sides. They stood on either side of a large red door with a heavy relief inset in it, depicting a great battle. It was taller than Beschutzer, and must have weighed a ton to open or close. Tess put one finger to her lips, and indicated for us to stay quiet. We followed Tess back down the stairs and to the floor below.

"What the hell, Tess?" I snapped.

"What?" she wondered. "That's the ambassador's room. He's-"

"Not that! This isn't an embassy, it's a palace!"

Laura put her hand to her mouth when she realized I was right.

"A palace? But why would Ainu want a palace here?" Tess asked herself.

"It makes sense" Laura pointed out. "There is no palace for the Kaiser; he lives in a giant tower downtown. This... this must have been the original Ino Palace! Before Tsion took over."

"Why would Tsion give Ainu a freakin' palace?!" I asked to no one in particular.

Tess was at a loss for words.

"First they give Ainu a palace, and then they provide them with advanced robotic guards and a scientist to build them an army?"

"And why would they keep that scientist as a prisoner?" Laura asked. "On top of that, why let him and the Ino High Guard program them instead of Ainu?"

We had too many questions, and Tess had none of the answers. She looked confused as well.

"Didn't you think any of this was weird at all?" I asked Tess.

"To be honest" she replied in her soft voice, "I never thought about it before. They keep us busy and Captain Wilkins... Seth, he comes and goes as he pleases and always has his way. Captain Matrix would let him, and she'd take us out into town to... do things. I was more concerned about getting in trouble with the locals or making the ambassador mad to think about anything else. I just accepted things as they were."

"Conditioning programming" I explained as we walked back to the elevators.

"Condit-y what-y?" Laura asked.

"Conditioning Programming. The High Guard didn't want them to questions things too much, so they made sure they never looked at the things they didn't want them to look at, unless directly confronted with it. It's like programming them to subconsciously look the other way and ignore it."

"There is no one behind the curtain" Laura submitted as we got in the elevator.

"Huh?"

"It's a quote... from a movie... Oh come on! You have got to get out more" she scolded as she rolled her eyes. "It means there is someone pulling the strings and the puppets can't see who is behind the curtain pulling them."

"I'm not sure that's what that quote means" Tess tried to explain, but Laura cut her off.

"I'm just saying it makes sense. Ino doesn't want the dangerous robot army to know anything, and so they keep them in the dark and tell them to look the other way."

"Exactly" I confirmed. We ended up back on the main floor, with more questions than before. I could see Matrix in the distance running around as best as she could, being hounded by the same small girl with her hair tied into a bun on either side. It looked like they decided to give Matrix a proper uniform, unadorned like my shirt, complete with a tank top and black pants of some kind. They stopped, stretched, the other girl constantly yelling at her. Matrix looked exhausted, but she was already looking stronger. Her movements were not as weak as they were before, but they were still not up-to-par. After a short stretch, they continued on again, running down a hall at a light jog.

Raster came up to us and saluted. I wasn't used to this, but Laura saluted in return. "Dinner will be ready shortly. I suggest we retreat to the main banquet hall when you are ready."

"I think I'd rather eat in the servants' dining hall actually" I pointed out. Raster gave me a quizzical look, but nodded.

"Very well. We will meet with you in 15 minutes, please make sure you are cleaned up."

As Raster saluted and left, Laura leaned into me. "Something else bugs me" she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Why did they so easily allow an Ino solider and an Ino citizen take over their embassy guard without even asking their ambassador?"

Laura was right. This was all wrong. There is no way they'd allow this.

"You do know she can still hear you" Tess whispered. "She has excellent hearing."

"So I've been told" I contended. "But it is still true, something doesn't add up, and I think she knows more than she'd be willing to tell us."

Dinner was good. No, it was downright amazing. I had never had such a well-prepared dish. I was just glad I didn't have to pay for this meal; it would have cost me a small fortune. Laura clearly enjoyed it too, while my dad ate it as though it was his regular meal, good but nothing special. He must have gotten used to such fine dining.

Everyone was in the hall, at least most everyone. There were a few servants eating with us, but their numbers were very few. Maybe 5 total and they seemed to question why we were there at all. Apparently, the soldiers normally ate in the barracks, if at all. Of the soldiers, the girls all sat together, while the men filled in other tables. There wasn't much in talking, but there was a small buzz in the room. Laura and my father sat next to me, with Raster directly across from Laura, and Matrix directly across from me. Matrix looked exhausted. She was sweaty, shaking, and still catching her breath when she sat down to eat. Raster gave her a hard look, but it soon passed.

"Are you alright?" I asked the exhausted yellow-eyed brunette.

"Never... felt... better" she said between pants. "Kill me."

Just them, the short-haired gynoid that had been riding her so hard sat next to her. Matrix stiffened up but narrowed her eyes at her.

"I'm off the clock" she pointed out. "Eat, relax. You'll need your strength for tomorrow" she warned.

"I'm sorry, what's your name?" I asked her.

"I'm Lulu" she said, extended her hand across the table for a hand shake. Aunt May, who sat on the other side of my dad, stared at her hard.

I shook Lulu's hand, noting her hand was small, like the rest of her, but strong, before I returned to eat. "So you eat too?" I asked, noticing her full plate.

"Sure, when I feel like it" she explained. "Tess there is a little too... outdated to eat regularly."

I noticed Tess sitting nearby with a near-empty plate of food and a large glass of some kind of drink nearby. She ate slowly and timidly, mainly drinking from her glass. Whatever it was, it didn't look appetizing. It looked transparent with a yellow color floating on top, and dark thick ooze sinking to the bottom. It must have been whatever she needed to maintain herself.

"So, Raster" I began as I took a bite. "Did you know what this place was?"

"Yes" she confirmed. "It was the old Ino Palace. Why?"

"Doesn't it strike you as odd that Ino gave this to the Ainu ambassador?"

"Why should it?" she questioned. "This is a fine building, suitable for any foreign dignitary."

"Isn't it a little much?"

"That isn't my place to judge" she declared. "I just do what they tell me to."

"And what about me and Jimmy taking over command?" Laura asked.

"The Chain of Command deemed it appropriate, so I followed-"

"Bullshit" Laura cried. "No one would allow a foreign citizen and soldier to take over their defense in a foreign country. Not like this. You know something."

"I cannot say" Raster replied.

"Are you going to tell us or do we have to force it out of you?" Laura went on.

"I CANNOT say!" Raster enunciated as she smashed a fist on the table.

"Relax" my dad intervened. "She really can't. Her programming is preventing it."

"How can I trust her?" I asked. "Would you?"

"Yes" my dad answered. "I would." He looked at her with a serious stare. Raster's eyes met his, and she looked down at her plate.

"Please believe me when I say there is more going on than I can tell you, and I only wish the best for you."

"So you're on our side?" Laura asked.

"I'm on my own side" she corrected. "But that doesn't mean our goals aren't the same."

"You're not lying to us like Matrix" Laura proposed, adding "used to" at the end when Matrix looked up with a red face.

Raster stood up, as though she was ready to leave, but I held out my hand to her. "Please, sit. I'd like to help you if I can, but let's not fight amongst ourselves."

She nodded, and sat back down. "I could be..." Raster suggested "lying that is. But I'm not. I will do what I can to help, but my hands are tied, so-to-speak."

Laura slouched a little. "Sorry. I didn't mean to accuse you like that."

"No, it is alright. I understand your situation, and it is only natural for you to question my motives."

"So then, that's all settled" my dad exclaimed. "Let's just enjoy our food, and get to know each other a little more."

The rest of the meal was actually relatively quiet. Raster and the other girls didn't have much to talk about, or rather, I got the feeling they were either too nervous, or unable to tell us anything. They probably didn't have any kind of social life, considering, so our topics were rather limited. I did notice that Aunt May just stared at Lulu through the entire meal, without saying a word. Matrix kept glancing up at me, before turning her eyes back to her plate when I noticed. In all, it was the most awkward meal I'd eaten in a while.

I got a good look at Matrix while we ate. Her white tank top was thin and wet, which clung to her skin and made her nipples stick out a bit. I swear as the meal continued, they poked out more, perhaps from the sweat cooling off and making her cold. Her hair was still long and straight, but at least this time it was tied into a loose pony tail behind her. Her demeanor was different as well. While she was usually more outgoing and head strong (and a bit of a jerk), she seemed more shy and quiet, although her mannerisms were identical. I realized it was probably just because she was tired, or maybe Lulu made her nervous. As she ate, she smiled a genuine smile in public for the first time, even if it was short lived. She was enjoying herself somewhat, perhaps her new body, or the lack of a corrupted mind, or maybe it was the company. Whatever it was, this Matrix was different somehow. Plus she kept glancing at me.

Matrix brought to mind the one thing I had been eager to do all day, which had briefly escaped my mind amid the conversations at dinner. I finished off my plate, and nudged my dad, reminding him that there was something he promised to do with me after dinner. He nodded in agreement, and we excused ourselves before retreating down a level to the lab.

Ellie lay perfectly still, as though she were a statue of porcelain. Her body was still mangled from the fall yesterday, and it pained me to look at her in such a condition. I looked up at the screen, and sighed in relief to see the diagnostics program had finished, with a readout of results. My father and I looked them over, but most of it was foreign to me. It was pretty clear I had no idea what it all meant, but my dad took me through it step by step.

In all, her mind was still damaged, but it was also registering as incomplete. Without the personality profile of Matrix, her mind didn't know what to grab onto. Even though she was operating for a while without Matrix awake, part of that profile was still working and doing what it had to do. Without Matrix, we needed to build Ellie a whole new personality profile. The damage to her mind was considerable as well. Corrupted segments and manipulated data were evidence of the torture the Ino High Guard did to her. As my dad was pointing out the errors in her electronic brain, he started running an advanced repair program, something he had secretly been working on for the past year or so, in a desperate attempt to get the girls back on his side.

"Don't worry, I've tested this before" he assured me. "On Tess. She's kind of my test subject. I know, her brain is much simpler, but I had to start somewhere. If the High Guard ever caught on about this, they'd... well they'd put a stop to it, and then some. They rarely looked at Tess, she wasn't the most complicated android I built, and they were more interested in girls like Raster." He kept his eyes on the screen as he typed in the commands he needed to start the repair.

"Tess? So you cured her?"

"Cure? No. There is no 'cure' for this type of thing. I just repaired the worst of the damage." He stopped typing and looked at me. "It means her data is no longer corrupted, and operating as it should. She's already starting to think for herself. I only hope it isn't too late for Raster."

"Has Raster been to the High Guard often?" I asked.

"Dunno. They come and go all the time, but Tess was always open with me. Raster... she's been a bit of a stick in the mud. But... I have hope for her. Here, take a look at this."

He showed me another report which had been generated in the diagnostics. This one was easier to read, but still had a lot of confusing terminology. I couldn't understand all the details, but I could tell it was a list of physical damage as understood by not only Ellie's internal diagnostics, but also a scan of her system from the work table itself. It was a long list.

All in all, not only were her limbs damaged, but... well all of her was broken. From her head to her feet, there wasn't a system that didn't suffer some amount of damage. I wasn't sure where to start!

"We'll start with the most important parts first" my dad clarified. "Her vital synth 'organs' and brain."

"Synth organs?"

"Well you didn't expect real ones did you? I developed these synthetic organs based on the research of a friend of mine, who was working on artificial organs for people. Alas, no one would fund his research thanks to the... robo-phobia around town."

"Yeah, that's strange. But even more unusual, why would a society that shuns robots so much have one of the brightest minds in robotics building them in secret?"

My dad was silent for a moment. "I wish I knew. This whole phobia is something Tsion conjured up. I'm not sure why, or what his intentions are, but..." He trailed off in his thought. I wondered what he was thinking about, but decided not to push the topic.

"Can we fix her before it's too late?" I inquired.

"Too late?" My dad shook his head as he focused again. "Oh yes. We should at least. The damage to her synth organs has caused some deterioration to her systems, and if we don't do something soon, it will become irreversible, but I think we can manage to stop it before it gets that far."

"Can we start now? Where do we begin?" I was eager to dive in and get her systems back online.

"Well, f-first..." my dad stammered as he began to blush like an adolescent teen. "We need to undress her. Ah... have you...? You know... seen her...?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Of course. I mean we... umm..." I began to blush myself.

"Of course. Of course. I mean that was why I made her, sort of... Here, I'll let you do the honors." He got up to walk out but I knew I was going to need help with this.

"No no... please. I can't do this alone. I mean, it will be easier if you help. We're professionals; we should act professional about this."

"Of course! You're right. I mean, I always do" my dad informed. "I just wasn't sure if it would be... awkward for you. I suppose having my son with me while I do this is just weird for me."

"No, it's fine. I'm more concerned about her health than anything else right now."

He nodded in agreement, and joined me beside the table. It was rather awkward undressing a lifeless girl with my dad. He helped move her body into position while I pulled her layers off. After we revealed her bare chest, things got surprisingly easier. We actually worked well together.

Setting the clothes aside in a folded pile on a nearby chair, I turned back toward my dad who was typing away at another computer next to her.

"I think this next part you are going to love. Not that you didn't... love the last..." he coughed as his voice trailed off. "Never mind" he said as he pushed a button.

Suddenly, a projected holographic image of Ellie appeared above her in a bright blue light. A grid pattern in yellow overlaid her projected form, and bit-by-bit, the blue lines of her holographic body turned red to indicate damage, showing at least three quarters of her needed to be repaired.

"Whoa" I exclaimed. "Wish I had one of these."

"It gets better" my dad continued as he stood next to her. Reaching into the holographic form, he used a series of simple hand gestures to enlarge portions of her body as though he was looking at her through a magnifying glass. He moved the glowing holographic pieces out of the way, and more parts appeared beneath in complex detail in place of them. I was amazed at the technology he was using, but I wasn't sure how it was helping.

He focused his attention on a cracked circuit on a diskette in her back, I wasn't sure what it was, but he pointed out it was part of her data center, a sort of hub for filtering sensations and physical interactions before sending it on to the main CPU. Luckily, it was repairable. A set of holographic tools floated nearby him and he grabbed one that looked like a soldering iron and applied it to the crack. As he moved the simulated tool over the damaged area, it started to glow green as the damage disappeared. A message appeared in thin air before him, asking if he wanted to apply the changes, and he confirmed. Two robotic claws which were tucked away at the end of the table suddenly came to life and moved toward Ellie.

The two wicked looking metal claws stopped over Ellie's navel and gently pressed it in until a click and a whir could be heard as seams appeared on her abdomen. Faster than I could think, the two claws reached inside her as the panels on her stomach and chest parted, and dug deep inside her body. At first I was freaked out that they were going to damage her, but it was clear a moment later that they were extremely precise instruments and were designed to do exactly this.

Above her body, the holographic display showed the two claws as orange invaders, working away at the damaged area, and repairing it as my dad had gestured moments before. In a few seconds, the job was done, and the arms retracted and stayed at the ready for the next assignment.

"Whoa, that was different. And fast! How does it work?"

"I'll show you" he smiled as he waved me over next to him. I eagerly joined him by his side, as he started describing how everything worked. There were a series of functions the two robotic hands were able to perform, and each of the virtual tools represented those functions. As how showed me how each worked, we started repairing various parts of Ellie's damaged body. It was quite amazing to watch the two metal claws do their work to fast and effectively, with more accuracy and precision than any human hand was capable of. Once or twice, my dad had to backtrack and undo a step or two when he was repairing something, but since it was storing all his actions into the memory of the computer, this was no problem for the hands to ignore. It was even possible to work with system live, so the work you did would be performed at the same time by the robotic arms, but this was dangerous and often led to mistakes, so we didn't work this way.

Finally, after probably an hour or so of instruction, he let me take the helm. It was rather amazing to use, to as soon as I got over the novelty of it, my efforts focused back on Ellie. Her body was still a mess, although this made repairing her a breeze, and there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Her back had suffered terrible damage, and we spent a good amount of time there, replacing or repairing the damaged vertebrae. We were forced to replace one of her synth organs, the one that acted like a liver, and one of her lungs needed repair. There was fluid leaking in her body, which was a challenge to clean up, but luckily her body was actually designed to handle just this type of problem. All the fluids were collected in reservoirs hidden throughout her torso, which could be emptied fairly easily, and allowed us to keep track of the leaks. In all, we probably spent 3 hours working on her together before my dad gave up.

"It's getting late, son, and I need to sleep. It's been a big day, Jimmy" he yawned.

"Where do you sleep?" I asked.

"I talked with Raster earlier. They agreed to upgrade me from a cot in the corner to a bed in the servant's quarters, at least for now."

I looked over and noticed a folded up collection of rags and rope and wood in the corner of a far room. This was apparently my dad's bed. Not the most comfortable accommodations, but then again he was being held against his will. I turned back to Ellie, and couldn't get her smile out of my head.

"I'll stay here for a little more, if that's alright with you."

"Um, sure. You're a grown man now, I can't tell you when to sleep, but please don't stay up too late. There's a lot to do on her yet."

He turned to walk away but something came to mind and I couldn't help but ask. "Why did you make them all girls?"

"What?" he yawned turning back to me.

"The Ainu guard. The advanced ones are all girls. Why is that?"

"Oh. Well... I guess I got lonely. I missed your mother, I missed you, and... I missed your sister."

"Sister?!" I shrieked almost falling over.

"Yeah" he sighed, scratching his head. "It isn't a big deal or anything, but... you had an older sister. She died when she was 14. You weren't even born yet."

"I had a sister?"

"Her name was Sara. She contracted a disease, and it took her from us very quickly. One day she was a healthy happy girl, the next she was dying in a bed. Then she was gone. It hit us pretty hard. You can see why I couldn't bear to lose another child, and did whatever I could to keep you from danger."

"As I recall, I've been in danger a lot of times."

"And I'm sorry about that. I did whatever I could to make sure there was always someone there to watch after you, to keep you safe. Sara never got to meet you, but I'm sure you two would have been best friends."

"So you designed them after her?"

He looked away and bit his lip thinking. "I guess I did. Raster... she was the closest to what I could remember of her. I guess that's why they all look alike. But not with Matrix -uh, Ellie. She was different. I wanted to make you a gift, a friend, an ally. I couldn't give you the love you deserved, so I wanted to give you someone who could make it all up to you."

"Who is she designed after?" I wondered.

"No one. No one in particular. I just... put together a face I thought looked cute and pretty, and there she is."

"And how did you know I needed someone?"

"I didn't. Not really. I got reports from May, who got them from Genesis every now and then. They mentioned that you had a girlfriend once a long time ago, but you've been living on a hill in a house like a hermit for the last... what? 10 years?"

"Pretty much" I confided. "Sasha was a nice girl, but she left her mark on me when she left. But that's all old news. No one really wants to deal with a Scrapyard Engineer in town. I deal with a lot of... unusual people."

"Yeah, I remember that life. That's actually how I met your mother" he laughed. "You seemed really attached to Ellie. I'm glad."

"Mmm... I guess I'm taken with her. I've never had someone, anyone, rely on me a much as she has."

"You love her, don't you?"

"I guess I do, but she fell for me first."

"Oh really?" my dad questioned as he raised his eyebrows. "I'm surprised she'd be capable of it, honestly. Love was my ultimate goal with her, but without Matrix running the show... I guess love really does conquer all."

I shrugged. "I don't know, but Matrix has been acting weird ever since you put her in that new body. Where did you get that thing anyways?"

"Oh, well that's my one and only prototype. I had a rather tight budget, and decided to spend it on the equipment more than a bunch of test bots. That was my one prototype body I would continuously upgrade and experiment with. She looks different than the others because I had to use whatever parts I could get, or were left over. A lot of her looks are still stock, like her hair. I suppose she would act different now. You see, before, she was running on an OS that had been tampered with. Dr. Freeman tortured and hacked and manipulated her physically and mentally. Half the damage you see here isn't caused by your fall, it's from their treatment. Now that her mind and body are calm and stable, she's able to make clearer thoughts, better choices. She's learning what it's like to have a normal life, relatively speaking. Even though she'll still have to suffer the mental scars of her abuse, she's more capable of getting over it. I think we'll see a different Matrix from here on out, but don't get too careless around her. Her personality is the same, and her memories are still there. She'll be unpredictable for a while, and may still take advantage of you."

"I'll be careful around her." Another thought came to mind. "What about Ellie? All that damage they did should still be affecting her, right?"

He sighed again. "Yes. She's going to suffer the brunt of it, really. The best thing we can do now is to fix what we can and build her a new personality profile, based on the make-shift one she started building herself. Whatever you did to her before caused her to spontaneously build a new personality, a blank one. Since I'm sure you don't want her to change much, we'll work with that and fix it up for her, but the damage is still there. She still has to deal with the memories and the impact of the High Royal Guard and their methods."

"Will she be alright?" I worried. "I mean, will she get better?"

"She'll do better like this than when she was with Matrix" he clarified. "Without her, Ellie has the ability to heal on her own. I think you are going to have to be an important part of that healing process. She may heal quickly, but I reckon it will take a few years before she's fully over it."

I pondered everything he said to me. In the end, I decided I'd do what I could for her, but I had to see Ellie, talk to her.

"Don't stay up too late" my dad called out a he turned toward the door to head to bed.

As I heard the echo of his footsteps vanish down the hallway, I redoubled my efforts on Ellie. I worked for several hours more, repairing and replacing the various damaged components of her body. I concentrated mostly on repairing her vital synth organs and circuitry, replacing parts when I needed to, repairing them when I could. As the night wore on, my mind grew more and more tired, and my body started to ache. Moving around holographic forms in space my sound easy, but eventually you get tired of lifting your arms with no weight on them. At times, it would take me several tries to repair a broken circuit before the system would accept my changes.

Just at about the time my head was about to call it quits on me, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Raster stood beside me looking down at the fully opened body of her former Captain. She nodded to me.

"You should get some sleep, sir. Your condition isn't doing anyone any good." I was about to protest but found my body agreeing with her. "She'll be here when you get back, and I'll make sure the doctor continues working on her when he awakes. There is a room on the second level you can use. Please, retire for the night."

I looked at the time, it was after 5 am; I and I decided she was right. I followed Raster to the lift, and before I knew what was happening, I was lying comfortably in a soft clean bed.

I awoke to find Tess sitting next to me with a cat-like girlish grin on her face.

"Whoa! I blurted out as I shot up in bed. I looked around and had to think for a moment before I realized where I was. The previous night was still a blur. "What are you doing here?" I asked once I composed myself.

"Good morning. I'm here to see to your needs, sir" she explained, as she looked down at my bed. I realized I was probably sporting wood, and quickly covered myself up.

"Well 'that' need I can take care of on my own" I told her before thinking. She giggled before standing up.

"Actually, I was here to make sure you got cleaned and fed and dressed. Raster insisted. She wanted to make sure you were well-rested."

"I think I can manage on my own, thank you" I explained. Well-rested? Or maybe well-monitored or well-watched. A growing suspicion rose in me.

She put on a pouty face, but nodded and turned to leave. "Shall I leave your clothes here then? I'll just wait outside for you."

It was a very nice room, with a very soft bed, nice dressers and an attached bathroom, and a desk. I changed out of my clothes, took a shower, and put on the new clean clothes she left me. They were the same as before: an unmarked uniform of white and gold with blue pants. I looked pretty good in them actually, but I reminded myself I was no officer, and deliberately wore the neck open and loose to defy the strict look of it.

Sure enough, Tess was outside the room waiting for me, and followed me around. I wasn't really sure why, but she explained that Raster wanted to make sure I was attended to properly. I allowed her to tag along for the time being, as I went back down stairs to get some food.

Tess explained that my dad was working on Ellie already, and I was eager to join him. The kitchen was empty, as everyone already ate, but they left a plate of eggs and ham for me. I scarfed it down, much to Tess's amusement, and got up to leave, taking a now-cold cup of coffee with me. Tess stood up as well.

"Is there anything else I can do for you sir?" she asked.

"No. I can manage. Isn't there something else you should be doing?" She shook her head. "Raster didn't tell you to follow me, did she?" She put on another pouty face and shook her head again.

"I wanted to make sure you got what you needed. I haven't met a man as nice as you, besides your father, and I just..." she grew flustered. "I don't know, I wanted to thank you I guess." She stood there, looking somewhat confused by her own actions.

"Th-thank you for the compliment" I thanked. "You sure you're ok?"

"I don't know" she informed me. "I think I have a conflict of commands... an error. I'm sorry."

She sounded awfully normal for a robot experiencing an error. "Was it something I said? If Raster or Laura needs you to do something, just let me know."

"No. It's not an order... it's an internal thing. I'll be alright. I think I was just exceeding my limitations." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She exhaled with a smile and focused her eyes on me again. "That's better. All taken care of. Sorry about that, I'll just go see what Captain Dale needs. If you need anything, anything at all, just let me know."

"Uh... sure. I'll be sure to do that" I mumbled trying to figure her out. "I'll keep you in mind if I need anything."

"Okay!" she beamed with a smile. She walked off a short distance toward the elevator before she started to talk to herself. "Oh! There it goes again. Why...?"

I shook my head. She was a rather cute girl, but she didn't seem to be all there. I decided to head back down and help my dad again, and figured the stairs would be a safer bet since Tess was already heading toward the elevator and I didn't want to cause her any more errors.

As I took the short flight of stairs down a level, I could hear a girl barking orders getting closer. I naturally followed the voice to find Matrix and the one girl I hadn't yet run into with shoulder length hair doing exercises up and down the stairs. Actually, Matrix was doing all the work, while the other girl just yelled at her as they ran up and down each flight, stopping to do push-ups or other exercises at each landing. Matrix looked exhausted already and it was only 10:30, but she was hanging in there. She really was a soldier, and her body had significantly strengthened already from where she was yesterday. She was already keeping up with the other girl. Matrix got a glance at me, and for a moment it looked like she blushed, that is until the other girl redoubled her drill-sergeant act.

I figured it would be best not to distract them, and quickly made my way down the flight. I could still hear them as I left the stair well and entered the lab. My dad was already working on Ellie, deep into her programming.

"Morning" I called out to him. He turned toward me with a smile.

"Good morning, son! Hope you slept well. Ah, coffee" he noted the cold drink in my hand. "The sign of a late night. I noticed you did a lot of work on her. Good job! At this rate..." he glanced at his watch. "We should be done with her repairs by tomorrow. Much faster than I expected."

"I can't wait" I mumbled eagerly through my coffee. I was being honest, but still tired.

We got down to work. It was a grueling day, but I enjoyed every minute of it, to some extent. Working with my hands was really my thing, while my dad focused on her mind. I dived into fixing up her limbs and repairing her framework and muscles. There were still a few other systems to look at, but fixing the frame and such would make it easier.

By the time lunch rolled by, I had completely removed the blades hidden inside her arms. No longer would she need them, and instead, we outfitted her arms to interface with computers and other androids. My dad really liked the idea of letting her connect to her sisters directly this way, it allowed for a fast and secure line, but I wasn't sure she'd ever actually use it.

After a short lunch, we were back working on her. By now, my dad had finished programming in a custom personality profile, still using the one she spontaneously built as a guide. From here on out, all he had to do was set up some more repair work and optimizing her system. He rarely got to dive into the heads of his girls, as he called them, to such an extent after he built them, and was curious as to how well everything was holding up. While he often messed with their heads to try to remove the damage The High Guard caused, he was always restricted, and could never get unbridled access like this.

It was shortly before we decided to break for dinner when he noticed something off about her.

"This doesn't belong here" he commented looking at the screen.

"What?"

"This code. It's some kind of program... I think... yes. It's an Ino High Guard program. It's tiny, and well-hidden."

"A program?" I worried.

"Actually more like a virus" he clarified. "It's hiding deep in their system. Of course!" he blurted out suddenly. "This is how they've been doing it!"

"Doing what?"

He stopped and turned to me, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his eyes. "Ever since I built the more advanced girls, Lulu, Proxy, Raster, and Matrix, I've been trying to stop what Ino has been forcing them to do."

"Proxy? Oh, I think I saw her earlier today."

"I built them to avoid killing people as much as possible. I wanted them to have a conscious, morals; but somehow the High Guard got THIS code... this VIRUS in them... and it allows them maim and murder. In fact, it encourages it. It gives them a rush of pleasure when they harm someone. Although..."

He turned back to the screen and typed away some more. "This one's broken. It looks like it doesn't give that rush of pleasure anymore, the syntax is corrupted. I bet it used to work before you found her. But the rest of it still works. It will still make her want to hurt people, even kill."

"Ellie?! Ellie's never hurt anyone!"

"Maybe, maybe not. But Matrix has. I bet you they all have this code, or some variation of it, stuck in their heads."

I thought about what Matrix told me before when I knew she couldn't lie to me. She got off on killing. This was why. But with the virus corrupted, what did that mean?

"Can you remove it?" I asked.

"Sure. That's easy enough. I'm worried about removing it from the other girls. I don't think I can just dive into their heads like this anymore. They've got defenses in them." He thought for a moment. "Then again, a simple anti-virus..."

"Ellie told me she hated killing, hated what Matrix had become. Shouldn't this virus...?"

"The one who felt the rush was the personality. Matrix. The body responded to it, sure, but I think her subconscious self, Ellie, knew it was wrong but couldn't stop it. It's like drugs. Matrix was addicted to killing people, addicting to the feeling the virus gave her. Ellie couldn't stand it, and saw the damage it was doing and the pain it caused. She can't resist it, but she hated what it was doing to her."

Drugs? Damn. A drug for robots that made them want to kill. Then why weren't all of these girls as bad as Matrix?

"I'm going to put together a program to run on each girl to look for this virus, in any form it might exist. I'll attach an anti-virus to it as well. I hope it isn't too late."

"Too late?" I wondered.

"What happens when an alcoholic goes cold-turkey?" he asked.

"They don't take it too well" I replied, recalling an incident a few years ago with a neighbor.

"No. They crave it even more. While the drug might be gone, their mind might be addicted to the rush it gave. So they will still seek it out, even if they don't get that rush anymore."

"So they might get worse?"

"Probably" he predicted.

"What about Matrix? She was clearly the worst offender."

"We'll have to keep an eye on her, but the code isn't in her anymore, and her new AI has never been to the High Guard, so she should be virus-free. But there's no telling what will happen. Sometimes a smoker or a drinker can quit cold-turkey and never have a relapse. We'll just have to see what happens, and make sure Matrix doesn't relapse."

"Couldn't we just program her to not do it? To not want to?"

My dad turned to me again. "These aren't your regular street androids. These girls are far more complicated than that. If you try to give her an order that she doesn't want to obey, she'll find a way around it. No, I'd avoid giving her such orders, as though she was only a machine. Get her on our side, show her we are there for her, care for her and teach her what's right and wrong, and she'll come around."

"Man... you made these girls a little *too* human" I commented.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't understand them, just like I can't understand women."

My dad laughed a loud hearty laugh. "Maybe I did. Maybe I did."

We got back to it, repairing and fixing and programming, but now with more worries on my mind. Could Ellie have a relapse? Would Matrix kill again? Was the virus contagious?

That night, I looked at all the girls in a different light as I ate. Most of them didn't eat much, and seemed to smile a lot, except for Lulu and Raster who never seemed to smile. They were friendly, but maybe it was a ruse. I must have looked just like Aunt May had the night before when she stared at Lulu. Even Tess, as friendly and silly as she was, could be a virus-addict killer just below the surface. Matrix too, beneath that tired sweaty exterior could be craving another fix. Laura had to stop me from staring at them, which was embarrassing.

"What are you doing? You’re like a creeper..." she noted.

"A what?" I blinked, focusing on my plate again after staring at Proxy.

"A creeper. Like a guy that's going to rape someone."

"What? No!" my attention was fully on Laura now.

"Well you're the one with that creepy glare. What's wrong? How's Ellie doing?"

"Fine, fine. She should be done soon. Tomorrow in fact. Sorry about all that" I said waving a fork at the girls. "I just... I can't tell you here." Raster glanced over at me, and I realized she could hear everything we said.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Really! I'm just tired. And I think my dad found a syntax error in Ellie that he missed before that is probably in all the girls, so he's considering how to fix it. It's nothing, really."

"Okay..." she grumbled as if she didn't want to believe me.

"What about you? How are things?"

"Good! I've been working on Beschutzer; he's got a little more work to do. The girls have all been really nice here. Honestly it's a little unnerving. This whole thing seems weird."

"Yeah... I'm nervous about it also. What about the ambassador? Has he been in his room the whole time?"

"Yes" Raster interrupted, carrying an empty plate as she walked past us. "But he's getting impatient. I fear he won't stay much longer."

"Can't we do something about him?" Laura asked.

"WE can't" Raster explained. "We've been programmed to help the ambassador, he has authority over us. But maybe you can. Or Aunt May."

"How is it that he hasn't just come out and ordered you all to arrest us or something?" I asked.

"He's under the impression the embassy is under attack, and we are at a stalemate. But this will only last for so long. Our information blackout can't stop everything."

"Why are you helping us?"

"I'm not" she explained. "I'm helping me." She walked off abruptly and left the room.

"What did I say? Unnerving!" Laura announced.

We decided it was best to leave too. Laura wanted to snoop around and find out exactly what was going on with the ambassador, and I would finish with Ellie. She was all I could concentrate on well anyways, so I figured as soon as she was better and with me again, I could think about other problems.

I returned to the lab with my father and continued to work into the night. My dad had just finished all the repair work on Ellie's mind when he moved on to the anti-virus. Meanwhile, I had finished repairing all of Ellie's systems, with his help. Her frame was the most severely damaged, but was surprisingly easy to fix with that bench. We were finished early, or so I thought. We ran a few diagnostics on her, but something still wasn't right.

"It's her skin" I pointed out. "It's still damaged." Parts of her frame had broken through her skin, rips and tears littered her body, and there was more superficial damage as well. Little things like that were more cosmetic, but bugged me!

"That's the easiest fix" my dad smiled. "We don't have to do anything. Here, help me move her."

I lifted Ellie up in my arms, and carried her to another part of the lab we hadn't gone into yet. Inside a room with a door was a strange device taller than me with a computer terminal on one side, a tank of some kind of liquid on the other, more than half empty, and a series of curved horizontal metal bars spaced apart from each other one above the other like a series of metal stripes defining a cylinder. I didn't know what to make of it. There were easily half a dozen nobs and wheels on the tank of liquid, and another robotic arm attached to the side of the computer terminal. My dad instructed me to carry Ellie to the metal bars, and stand her up as best as I could. I carried her over, and stood her up, supporting her weight against me as I tried to lift her under the arms and put her into place against the metal strips. Before I could lean her against them, a snap startled me and a buzz started to hum from the metal strips. Ellie's weight lifted off of me, and she floated there before me. As I stepped back, two glass doors closed, encircling Ellie.

"Magnetics" my dad explained. "Her body is made of alloys and various compounds, and by using very specific frequencies and aiming them at specific parts of her body, we can levitate her in place."

Sure enough, she did float about 3 inches above the ground. "Wouldn't that damage her brain?"

"Normally yes" he indicated, "but her mind is being shielded from the affects by controlling the magnetic field. She'll be perfectly fine. All the girls have had this done to them."

"What is it?"

"Watch" he implored. The mechanical arm reached out and I noticed a hose attached to it leading into the tank of goo. Whatever it was, it was think and sticky and white, like glue, and was about to be applied to her body. "This can be done in two ways. Either with a carefully controlled stray over the entire body or with a direct application like this."

I watched as a tiny squirt of white mist sprayed out of the end of the arm and directly onto a cut on her face. Within seconds, the white had changed to her exact skin tone, and healed the cut in her head.

"How... what?"

"It's simple" he continued. "This compound is applied at a nanoscopic level, repairing damage to her tissues, adding veins and capillaries, and adding sensation to her skin. It really completes that human skin look and feel. I just program in what pigmentation I want, and it adds it. It works in layers, with the outer layer thicker and tougher, but still soft to the touch. It might be a little slow, but nothing beats the end result!"

He was right, it was slow. But it also looks 100% real when it was finished. It even added details to the skin like imperfections, like tiny moles and hairs. I couldn't help but stare as it began repairing the torn skin from her head down. It was going to take a long time.

"That's it really" my dad continued. "As soon as this is done, she should be good to go again. There really isn't anything to do until then, and I estimate this will take another 10 hours."

All night.

"Can I stay?" I asked.

"Well I can't stop you, but you should sleep. Plus, you haven't seen much of your friend, and I'm sure Aunt May has something planned. I've been ignoring them for too long myself and I'm worried they're going to do something rash. Besides, I have to figure out how to get this anti-virus in all the girls."

"I kind of hinted to them that you found some sort of corrupted syntax in their AI you wanted to fix... maybe they'll be more willing if they think it's just a regular maintenance thing."

"When did you do that?" he questioned.

"At dinner. I told Laura that, but I'm sure Raster overheard us."

"Sneaky. I'll make sure to suggest they see me tomorrow afternoon. I want to test this first."

"On who?"

"A virtual copy of Ellie's mind I made when working on her. Don't worry; it's already gone from Ellie's mind, so she should be fine. Now let's head upstairs and get to sleep. Ellie will be waiting for us in the morning."

"Sure."

I returned upstairs to my room, but was startled to see Matrix standing in front of my door, waiting for me. I noticed she was wearing a black shirt and matching short shorts, with her toned belly just peaking between them. She was breathing hard, and her face looked like she had been crying.

"Can I come in for a bit?" she asked when she noticed me walking toward her.

"Of course!" I told her when I saw her red eyes.

I opened the door with a key Tess had left for me, and followed Matrix inside. As soon as the door latched closed behind me, Matrix turned toward me and lunged her face into my chest.

"Goddamn it this is so hard!" she cried. "I'm exhausted! I don't know if I can take it anymore!"

"I thought you were happy here" I suggested. "The girls seem to want you back, and you've been getting stronger-"

"Not that!" She lifted her head from my chest and looked into my eyes. "I mean, yeah, they've exhausted me physically. But I mean you! I thought I could resist. I thought that maybe since Ellie fell in love with you, as soon as I had my own body I wouldn't want you anymore, but I was wrong. I want you more than ever!"

"WHAT!?"

"I don't understand it, but..." she pushed me up against the door as the look in her eyes went from damsel in distress to pure lust, "I can't stop myself!"

I quickly slipped out from between her and the door and got behind her. "Wh-wh-what are you talking about" I stammered. "You know I'm in love with Ellie."

She slowly walked toward me as her eyes locked onto mine. "I know I'm not her, but I remember everything. I remember feeling you inside her, how good you felt! I need that! I need you!" She wrapped her arms around me and stood on her tippy-toes as she leaned her weight into me to give me a slow passionate kiss.

"No" I objected, pushing her off me as I took a step back. "I can't-"

Matrix pressed a finger against my lips. "Shhh... don't talk." She gently rubbed her finger back and forth on my lips, moistening it and sliding her finger inside my mouth just a little, before licking her finger off herself. "If you won't take action, then I'll do it for you." Gently, she placed her hand on my chest, and pushed me back hard. I fell, right onto the bed, but I didn't even have time to catch myself before she crawled on top of me.

"Matrix! Don't do this. I'm warning you!"

"Don't warn me" she purred as she straddled me, keeping pace as I tried in vain to crawl backward away from her, "Fuck me!"

She kissed me again, more forcefully and more seductively. She untucked my shirt and started pulling at it, but I struggled too much to let her take it off. Her kiss grew deeper; I couldn't help myself, I wanted her. She felt good, really good. I had been looking at Ellie's body for the last 2 days, never touching, never caressing, never loving, but always looking. I wanted it, I needed it. But I couldn't betray her!

"Please, Matrix. Why are you doing this?"

"Because," she cooed as she sat on my hips and pulled her shirt off over her head, "I am not going to lose to her. I will make you mine!" She grabbed my hand and placed it on her sports bra, pushing it against her breast. She was soft and warm, and her breast fit perfectly in my palm. I squeezed a little instinctively, and she growled with excitement as I did.

"Matrix, I can't" I told her pulling my hand back. "I can't love you more than her. I can't be yours!"

She sat still, looking down at me, the lust in her eyes dying. "Can't, can't, can't" she finally said, mocking me. "You can never do anything! I've changed, can't you see that?" A genuine tear escaped her eye and landed on my shirt. "Why can't you love me?" She started to cry more, wiping the tears away as though they were betraying her. "Why can't I be yours!?"

I took a deep breath. This was going to be a big mistake. "Because I do want you" I told her honestly, "a lot. But I can't have you."

"You want me?" she asked, a glimmer of hope in her cracking voice. "Why can't you have me?! I'm right here!"

"Because I've already fallen in love."

"It was a few days!" she argued. "Give me a chance, and I can show you love too!" She sniffed and clutched her arms to her chest as she covered her face to stop the tears.

"I can't promise you that I'll love you" I explained. "But..."

"But?"

I sat up, pushing myself against her, and pulled her hands from her face. "But I can't stop you from trying to win me over" I suggested as I kissed her. This time her lips were wet and salty from the tears.

She pulled back and looked at me questionably. "What is this? Pity sex?"

"Fine, get off of me and get out of my-"

She pressed herself against me again, and kissed deeper and desperately. She was still a little weak, weaker than me, but somehow that awoke something inside me. She was a damsel in distress after all, and I felt the urge to protect her. But now Ellie came to mind again.

"I will be with Ellie when she awakes tomorrow" I told her. "You know this can't happen again."

"I don't care" she said, gripping feebly at my shirt. "I just want you tonight, even if I'll never have this chance again." She pushed be down again before pulling her bra off. Her small breasts bounced as they popped out of her top, and it excited me. They were small, but they were feminine and fit her lean body. "Just love me tonight!"

She rubbed her hips against mine, sliding her warm crotch over my growing member. Her cute voice escaped her lips in tiny moans and squeals of delight as her tiny hands pulled at my shirt.

"I love a man in uniform" she commented as she leaned into my chest to feel my torso with her hands. "But I prefer him out of it" she teased as she pulled my shirt off over my head. A twisted smile grew on her lips, but wait... it wasn't the same smile as before when she wanted to do something bad. It was still her, still twisted, but somehow far more innocent and cute.

She slid her legs down as she kissed my chest, feeling my arms and torso, and licking my nipples. She felt really good, and clearly knew what she was doing. She lifted her butt in the air as she slid down to my groin, unfastening my pants, and pulling them down. Matrix licked her lips as she stared wide-eyed at my engorged cock. But instead of grabbing it, or licking it, or even touching it, she pulled past me and pulled up a chair next to the bed. Slowly she slid her shorts off her curvy athletic legs one side at a time, with a rocking motion. I sat up to get a better look, but she lifted one leg, and pushed me back down again onto the bed with her foot. Finally, her shorts peeled off her round hips, falling to the floor and revealing her black thong underneath. I'm pretty sure those aren't standard issue, but then again I wouldn't know any better.

She sat on the chair across from me, and leaned back, spreading her legs to give me a good look at her wet crotch. I was hoping she'd keep going, but instead, she used her now bare feet to caress my dick. It felt so weird. Her feet were awkward and rough, yet soft. Even though she had been working out most of the day, her strength was still lacking and it showed. Unlike a normal human, her strength was growing steadily and fast, although I suspected there was a limit as to how far it would go at this rate since her body was still "new", but for now, she was that perfect balance of forceful yet feeble. Her feet rubbed up and down, squeezed, and pushed as she tried to dominate me with her feet.

Finally, the tension was too strong for her, and she stood up before me, sliding her hands under the straps of her thong. I couldn't resist anymore as I sat up and embraced her. I squeezed her tight, and sucked at her breasts. Matrix gasped and bucked as she fought to regain control. She pulled at my hair, and peeled my head off of her, before looking me in the eye and pushing me back onto the bed with a smile.

She straddled me again, this time rubbing her wet thong against my bare shaft. She kneeled over me upright in a cowgirl position, and reached down, gently grasping my cock in one hand while sliding her thong to the side with her other. Slowly, she aligned herself to me, and started to lower her hips. Her soft arm pussy lips made contact with my stiff cock and it felt good, enough to make him twitch. She jumped a little, but laughed it off and continued. She gasped as she tried to lower herself onto me.

"Shit... Oh god no..." she cursed. "Not this again."

"What?" I sat up, confused. She leaned forward into me and held onto my shoulders for support, burying her face in my chest.

"I'm a virgin... again."

I couldn't help but laugh. No human could ever really suffer from this, but in Matrix's case, she was blessed with this rare opportunity.

"Stop, it's not funny. It really hurt last time!" She was stifling a laugh herself, but I could tell she was still serious.

"Ok, ok" I chortled as I stopped laughing. "Sorry. What was it like last time?"

"Pain... it was always pain with him. But especially that time."

"Really? You seemed to be enjoying it when I ran into you-"

"Don't mention that! Or him! You're killing the mood! Besides, it never lasted, you saw him throw my head into the floor; that hurt!"

"Right. Well, I'm not him, and I won't do that. I don't enjoy sex if my partner doesn't enjoy it too."

She smiled, looking me closely in the eyes. "Yeah, I liked that about you. Let me just try to..."

She sat back again, trying to force it in. I grabbed her and held her body up.

"Whoa, hey, hold on. Let's take this slowly. It will hurt less."

She nodded. "Alright. Slowly."

Matrix relaxed her body as much as she could, but I could feel her trembling. I relaxed my grip on her, as she undulated her hips back and forth, trying to ease my cock inside. It took her a few minutes as she concentrated with her eyes closed. Finally, the head of my dick popped inside her warm inviting pussy.

"AH!" she squealed out. "It hurts..."

"Are you alright?"

She nodded as she curled forward. "Yeah, it's not as bad as last time. Really. Give me a moment."

She lowered herself slowly all the way down and sat there on me breathing deeply. Her attempt to dominate me in bed was derailed by her own unexpected virginity, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. After a minute, she began to move up and down, slowly. A little at first, but with bigger strokes as the sensation eased for her. It didn't take too long for her to actually start bouncing up and down on me as a deep moan escaped her lips.

"How is it?" I asked.

"Oh... god yes! It feels much better!"

She started to smile again as she looked down at me and pounded harder and harder against me until we made a slapping sound. I grabbed her tits and caressed them, making her squeal and gasp in pleasure.

"Shit! Yes! Fuck! Ahhh god! It feels so good!" I couldn't help but think she was reading a script with the way she was talking, and decided I needed to up my game.

I started to push my hips into hers as she came down on me, bouncing her higher, and forcing her back down with more force. Instantly her voice raised and the intensity of her screams grew.

"OH GOD! Don't stop!! Fuck me! AAHHH shit shit shit!!"

I reached down and rubbed at her clitoris as I pounded into her, and suddenly she froze. Her entire body got stiff and her mouth hung open in a silent "OOHHH!!!" as I pounded into her. Finally she started to squeal in her high-pitched voice "I’m cumming, I'm cumming, I'm- OOOOH GOD!!! AHHHH!!!! FUUUCK!"

She started to buck and convulse on top of me, her legs trying to push herself off of me, as she had a huge orgasm. I stopped moving inside her, and let her finish riding it out. At last she fell against me, my dick popping out of her dripping wet pussy as she caught her breath.

"Oh god... I just came... that was amazing!! Hahh..." She panted as she rested on me, but I was far from finished.

I grabbed her and rolled her small form off me to one side as I stood up over her. Her eyes were glazed over and she seemed in a daze as I pulled her thong off completely. At last she realized what I was doing but it was too late, I was already pushing my hard cock back inside her, and started to pound away.

She gasped and moaned, but her high was starting to fall already. Before she had the chance to stop me, I lifted her up, still connected, and pushed her against a wall with both her legs wrapped around me. She blinked at me as she tried to clear her head, but it was too late. I started pounding at her, pushing all of her weight onto me, while I fucked her standing.

"Oh Jimmy! OH my GOD! That's so HARD! AHH! AHH! AHH!! FUCK ME HARDER! Dominate me Jimmy! Make me yours!"

Matrix completely lost herself in the moment, her lust taking over as she held onto my shoulders while I thrust inside her again and again. Again, her body started to stiffen as her screams died off into one silent "AHHH!! It felt like a minute passed before she even started to breathe again, and when she did, it was in the squeals of passion! She convulsed as I held her up, unable to push away from me. Her legs were going wild as she did her best to hold on.

Finally, I set her on the bed, not giving her anytime to recover, and fucked her as hard as I could. Our bodies slapped together, and she continued to scream out in ecstasy. Words lost her now, and all she could do was scream out in "AH!’s”, "OHH!!’s”, and "FFFUCK!!’s”. I brought her to another orgasm, although this time, she didn't freeze up, she just started to convulse violently, her eyes rolling back, and her hips bucking wildly against me. I came hard as she started to lose control on the bed. I had never seen a girl so wild in bed before!

I fell onto the bed next to her, sweat dripping down my back as she caught her breath and basked in the afterglow. My cum dripped out of her vagina in spurts as her muscles continued to convulse in waves. She looked like she was in heaven, or high on drugs. She was all giggles and smiles and cuddles as she floated on clouds. Finally she grabbed onto my arm and hugged me tight.

"Jimmy... that... I've never... Wow... 3 times!" she panted.

"It was good for me too" I joked. She just giggled. It was weird.

"You're the first man... to make me orgasm during sex. And WOW!"

I was going to ask if she'd ever had an orgasm not during sex, but decided not to. "Glad you liked it."

"I loved it! I've never felt this good before! You were wonderful!"

I let her ride her high until she could compose herself again. She eventually sat up in bed, and looked at me.

"I can see why she likes you so much" she commented, brushing her hair back out of her face with her hand as she smiled. "I'm jealous."

Before I could say anything, she got up and started collecting her clothes. "Going somewhere?" I asked.

"I can't stay. They'll kill me if they find me missing! I have to get back to my bed. Besides, I have more training tomorrow."

"Hey, Matrix?" I asked to get her attention. She stood, holding her clothes against her side, her slim lean body still exposed and still dead sexy. "I'm proud of you. You have changed, a lot."

She smiled, but then put a hand to her mouth as she tried to hold in her tears. Somehow, she managed to resist crying as she cleared her through and beamed at me. "Thanks Jimmy. But you ain't seen nothing yet."

She quickly dressed and gave me a kiss, all smiles. I watched as she walked down the hall toward the stairs, practically dancing the entire way. I had NEVER expected to see Matrix act like this. My dad must have done something to her... but then again, it was still her, just not mean anymore.

I sighed and turned back to my room. In all we were busy for almost an hour, but I wasn't really tired at all. I decided to take a shower, shave, and try to sleep. That wasn't happening. I could smell Matrix on my bed, and she was surprisingly sweet smelling. Images of Ellie kept flashing through my mind, and I worried about betraying her. I shut my eyes and tried to sleep, but no.

I dressed, and left my room. That night was already just too weird for me, and I was not going to sleep easily. I took the elevator all the way down to the lab, and followed the blue glowing light from the hidden room where Ellie was still being repaired.

She was still there, floating in a magnetic field, while fine mists of synthetic skin repaired her last bits of damage. Already it was working on her chest. She was beautiful. I couldn't help but stare at her. I checked the estimated time, and the percentage of completion, and was disappointed to see there were still many hours left. I closed the door behind me, and sat there, waiting for Ellie to finish, so I could wake her up again.

As I sat, I wondered about everything I'd done for her. I had done so many things in the last few days. Matrix had a point though, she only had a few days with me; a few amazing days, but it was still only a few days. I couldn't rule out another girl trying to win my affections still. Matrix sure was trying hard though. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I supposed I would just have to take everything in stride. But for now, I just wanted to see Ellie!

Chapter 13 - Garden of Earthly delights

I awoke to the abruptly as my head and arm slid off the terminal and I heard a loud "thud" ahead of me. At first I had to get my bearings, but it didn't take me long to see the source of the sound. Ellie lay in the middle of the floor, right below where she was suspended the night before. I checked the screen to see if there was some sort of error, but everything was fine. I must have bumped the button in my sleep and made her fall. The next thing I noticed was the time. The process was finished, and it was already 9am. I was about to stand from my seat and pick up Ellie so she could be reactivated, but her sudden motion stopped me.

Ellie sat upright, looking around, her back toward me. She took a deep breath and then stood up, slowly and awkwardly. Her feet turned in as she regained her balance, as she leaned over, raising herself rear first, sticking her butt out toward me and giving me quite a view. Finally she pushed herself up, and stood there, her balance returning to her. At first she felt her face gently with her fingertips. I wasn't sure if something was wrong, but she seemed to be satisfied with her face, and started touching her neck, her shoulders, her arms, her hands, her chest, and eventually her breasts. Her hand was gentle as she pressed against her bosom, but as soon as she touched her nipple, she gasped. Deciding she liked it, she clutched her breast tighter, and took in a deep breath as she closed her eyes.

Her hands didn't stop, as she began to reach down to her belly and feel her stomach and navel. She rubbed her hands down her sides before resting on her hips. Finally, she touched her most precious spot, as though she were exploring undiscovered territory. Her fingers reached down, and pressed against her soft flesh, a louder gasp escaping her lips. Then she stopped. I wasn't sure what was going on with her, why she was acting like this, or even why she was on at all. She lifted her hands in front of her face, and flexed them, studying the motion of her hands, turning them over to see both sides.

What in the world was I doing? The girl I had fought so hard to save was here at last, and all I was doing was staring at her. I swallowed hard and stood up. Ellie clasped her hand to her chest and looked up, hearing my sudden movement.

"Ellie?" I called out in a soft voice.

She turned toward me, her icy blue eyes looking straight at me, and stared for several seconds in an awkward silence. Had she forgotten me? Did we mess up somehow?

Just as my heart was about to sink, she blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Jimmy?"

Her voice was like angels' bells, or maybe I was just imaging it. I wanted to embrace her, and I took a step toward her, but she suddenly burst out "JIMMY!" and ran into my arms in a leaping hug.

"Ellie! It's really you!" I cried.

"You really did save me" she sobbed into my chest. "I knew you would!"

"Of course I did, but not alone. Ellie, so much has happened! I-"

She kissed me long and hard, wrapping her arms tightly around me.

"Awww" a choir of voices from behind me cooed.

I turned to see Laura, my dad, Raster, Tess, and Matrix all staring at us with hearts in their eyes. I could feel my face grow warm as I blushed. Ellie gripped her hands tighter against me, refusing to let go, as she glared out at the audience. I must have left the door open and didn't realize. I tried to turn toward them, but Ellie wouldn't release her grip, and I was stuck in an awkward position as she glared at them with a disapproving look.

"Who are they?" she asked in her almost emotionless monotone voice. It was as if someone flipped a switch on her.

"They're friends" I tried to explain. "Surely you remember some of them..."

She hummed to herself as she thought about it, before releasing one hand and pointing toward them one at a time.

"Bossy" she said pointing at Raster, "Ditzy" she labeled Tess, "Old Letch" she pointed at my dad.

"Old Letch?" my dad questioned, the joy in his eyes vanishing.

"Hey, that's not nice" I told her. She looked up at me, her scowl vanishing. "That's my dad, not 'Old Letch'."

"Jimmy's dad?" she repeated. She pointed back at him and announced "Old Jimmy's dad."

"I'm still old?" he cried.

"Why am I Ditzy?" Tess asked. Raster just gave a disapproving stare.

"Come on, you know their names, right?"

She shook her head. "Can't remember."

"That's Raster, and that's Tess" I told her. "This here is my friend Laura. Without her help, I never would have rescued you."

"Laura" Ellie repeated. "Who's that?" she said looking at the last figure.

"That's... well... that's Matrix."

"M-m-m... Matrix? But she's... Isn't she?" she spoke out loud to herself. "But I'm... She's... she's gone?"

"I'm right here" Matrix called out taking a step forward. Ellie ignored her as she concentrated on exploring her own mind.

"She's gone! Matrix is gone! How?"

"We took her out of you, and gave you your own personality, placing her in a new body" my dad explained. She looked at him, and then at me for approval. I nodded, and she smiled.

"And here I am" Matrix announced again.

Ellie let go of her grip and faced Matrix, oblivious to her nudity. Matrix held out her hand and walked closer for a hand shake.

"Sorry about all that crap we had to deal with, no hard-"

Ellie slapped her so hard, Matrix almost fell over.

"Son of a bitch!" Matrix cussed under her breath, but Ellie stepped up to her. Ellie was only slightly taller than her, but not by much, yet as Matrix held her cheek, Ellie towered over her.

"You NEVER listened to me! How could you DO those things?! There were children and women... innocent people... and so much blood! What's wrong with you?! Couldn't you feel the pain? The heartache? Couldn't you hear me? It still hurts to even think about it!" Ellie was screaming at Matrix, her tiny frame shaking with rage as tears flowed down her face.

"H-hey, I'm sorry!" Matrix tried to apologize.

"Sorry?! Sorry isn't enough! You destroyed their lives! Your words are empty until you do something about it" she warned. "Oh god, I still have your face. What will people think when they see me?"

She turned back to me and buried herself in my arms, sobbing quietly.

"I- I..." Matrix stammered, not sure what to say. "I never meant... I couldn't... I-" She looked up at me holding her red cheek, pain in her own face as she held back tears and tried to replace it with anger. "Damn it!"

Matrix marched away, not sure what else to do. Laura and Tess approached while my dad disappeared for a moment.

"Will you be alright?" Laura asked. "It's ok."

"You just need time to think" Tess suggested.

Ellie looked up at me and wiped away the tears with her arm as she sniffed.

"Sorry" she apologized in her sweet but monotone voice.

"It's ok, she deserved it" Laura confirmed. "And more."

My dad came back in carrying a blanket, and covered Ellie with it. She sniffed as she grabbed hold of it, holding it tight around her with one hand close to her chest.

"She isn't completely to blame" my dad explained to her. He noticed Raster and Tess, and decided not to divulge too much information yet. "I'll explain it to you later. I'm Jimmy's dad, Doctor Amano, pleased to meet you..." he greeted her, holding out his hand, "... again."

Ellie looked at it and shook his hand almost reluctantly.

"I'm Tess, ma'am, but I'm sure you'll remember me soon."

Ellie shook her hand as well and her mood was beginning to improve. "Ditzy"

"I'm not Ditzy! I'm Tess! I'm sure you'll get it." Ellie smiled at Tess's outburst.

"And I'm Laura, pleased to finally meet you. Jimmy's told me so much about you."

Ellie shook her hand. "Never spoke of you" she replied.

"Well no... he wouldn't have" Laura laughed. "We met after you were kidnapped. He's a really good guy."

Ellie turned back toward me and hugged me tight. "Mine."

I couldn't help but laugh at her, and Laura too started to giggle.

Raster stepped forward. "Ma'am" she didn't offer a handshake, but did salute her without waiting for a return salute. "I am here to inform you that you have been relieved of duty by order of your registered master, Jim Amano, until such a time as he deems you are fit for service again. Until then, get better."

She looked Ellie up and down, and Ellie returned the gaze. "Still bossy."

"Hmph" Raster huffed as she turned to leave. Ellie stuck her tongue out at Raster's back but quickly recoiled it when I called out to her.

"Raster" I alerted. She stopped and turned toward me.

"Yes sir?"

"Could you please see to it that she has some clothes put in my quarters? Nothing military please."

"Of course. I take it she will stay with you then?"

"I suppose so." Raster nodded in response, and left.

Ellie blew gently on her hand as Raster walked away.

"What's wrong?" Laura asked.

"Hand hurts" she explained. "New Matrix has a tough cheek."

Ellie clung tightly to my arm as everyone chuckled. Overall, Ellie definitely brightened the mood. I was a little worried about how she and Matrix would interact. We'd already seen Ellie explode at her once and she hadn't even been on for 5 minutes yet.

We decided it was best for everyone to return to their posts and let my father run a few short tests on Ellie. She gripped my arm tightly when my rather connected the wire to her neck.

"Is something wrong?" I whispered to her.

"Nervous" she complained, her monotone voice starting to shake.

"It's ok, I'll stay right here. He won't do anything to hurt you. Right dad?"

My dad nodded. "Sure" as he started typing something and executed the command. A gasp escaped Ellie's lips as felt the program enter her mind. At first, she clenched her eyes like it hurt, but then started to breathe deeper and slower and calmed down. I could feel her grip loosen on my arm, but she was still stiff. After a minute or two, the procedure was done, and she relaxed. It looked less like she was undergoing a simple test and more like she was having a needle stuck in her arm.

"It hurt" she complained with a pouty face.

"You did very well" my dad explained. "I'm sorry it stung a little."

I patted Ellie on the head, and she looked up at me and smiled.

"It wasn't that bad" she admitted.

"Well that's all for now" my father told us. "I'll be working on that anti-virus next. I want to get that finished by lunch. If you need anything..."

I nodded to him. "Thanks."

Ellie took a little bow. "Thank you very much, sir" she projected.

I knew Ellie was probably going to need to eat something, but she would need some clothes first. I would have to take her to my room first, and hope Raster got her something to wear already. I turned to leave, but Ellie froze, looking back at my dad deep in thought.

"Ellie?" I asked, but she turned and darted over to my dad. Her body pressed into his as she gave him a hug.

I thought I heard her whisper something to him, two or three sentences, but it was too quiet to hear. My dad didn't expect the sudden attack, and stood there somewhat shocked, until he heard her.

"You're very welcome" he smiled as he looked down at her and stroked her hair softly.

She smiled again before running over to me and grabbing my arm, practically pulling me toward the elevator.

"What was that about?" I asked.

She looked down, her face flushed. "Never thanked him properly for making me, and sending me to you." My heart melted at her smile as she looked up at me, her face radiant.

I had nothing to say, but just enjoyed being with her. We arrived at the guest level a moment or two later, but I hardly noticed. With Ellie pressed up against me so tightly, I couldn't help but feel how soft she was. She was even softer than the new Matrix. Matrix was very lean and strong, and even though her skin was soft, Ellie's body just had more femininity to it, more curves and suppleness, despite her petite size.

Sure enough, there was a dress and a bodice lying on my bed in my quarters when we got there. Ellie looked up to me, asking with her eyes alone for help. I slid the blanket off her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground and expose her petite frame and pale skin. She took a step back, and lifted up her hands over her head.

"Uh... what?" I asked, not sure what her gesture meant.

She lowered her hands and pointed at the dress on the bed. "Help me" she explained and put her hands up again. "Please?"

"Oh" I acknowledged, understanding now. I took the white dress from the bed and slid it over her, almost upset I had to cover her beautiful body. It fit like a glove, hugging her body in all the right places and showing off her curves. Next was the bodice. I didn't normally help girls dress before, and it was promising to be a unique experience.

It took a few tries, but we managed to properly tie the bodice in place. She spun in a circle for me as she giggled. The white and blue bodice made her look innocent and cute, and yet added a hint of maturity that said she was not a child. The white dress ended half way down her thighs, and as she spun it raised up to reveal her complete lack of underwear. I could feel myself blush, and my pants tighten; there had to be some panties around here somewhere.

Sure enough, they were on the bed too; I just overlooked them as they blended in with the folds of the sheets. I held them out in front of me, ready to hand them to Ellie, but she just stood before me, and balanced herself on one leg putting her hands on my shoulders for support, ready to step into them.

As soon as she was 'fully' dressed, complete with a delicate pair of lacy sandals, we left for the mess hall. All I could think about now was that Ellie was back, and just as cute and sexy as ever. I wanted to have her right then and there, but she looked so enamored and cute in her dress, I didn't dare interrupt that innocent happiness. Not yet anyways.

As we made our way down, I couldn't help but notice that Ellie seemed more emotional than before. While she still often spoke with that almost monotone voice, it was suddenly filled with more subdued tones, and her smiles and giggles were more plentiful and radiant. Her outburst with Matrix was further proof that she was already growing into her new personality profile, giving her more freedom to express herself.

At last we sat down to a meal. It was a little late for breakfast, so we decided to have a nice brunch instead. That actually meant we were having what was left over from breakfast, and what they had already finished for lunch. For such a small kitchen crew and limited staff, they sure liked to make sure they were fed well. We were the only ones there, as everyone else had already finished breakfast and hadn't yet come down to lunch.

Ellie sat down with a plate of food twice the size of mine, as though she hadn't eaten in weeks. It had been a few days since she last ate actually, but I think the stress of her repairs was probably cause for her appetite. Unlike Tess, she actually used the food for energy as well as replenishing herself. And yet, despite her generous portions, she sat there next to me staring at it, not sure what to do with it.

"Something wrong" I said as I took a big bite of eggs.

"Don't know where to start" she admitted.

"Well, you must be hungry. Why not start with the eggs, like breakfast and work your way from there."

She nodded as she took the fork and stabbed at the eggs. Delicately, she brought the eggs to her mouth, and ever-so-slowly, opened her mouth, as though she were scared to put the food inside. I watched with eager anticipation to see if she would like the food, and was relieved to see her close her mouth around the fork and start to chew.

I caught myself staring with my mouth open as she picked up speed chewing. She liked it. Before I had the chance to get another fork-full myself, she already stuffed another bit into her mouth.

"Mmmmm" she hummed while chewing. I watched in amazement while she finished eating the entire plate faster than I managed to complete mine, and went back for seconds.

Ellie completed the entire second plate with no trouble at all. I stared at her, and realized by now others had come down to eat lunch and started staring at her too. She went back for a third plate. I was already too full to eat anymore, but I was amazed she could find a place to put all that food in her tiny body.

"She's still going" Tess commented looking at her with wide eyes.

"At least she's slowing down" Lulu added. She was slowing down, but she hadn't stopped yet.

"Are you alright Ellie?" I asked.

She looked over at me and smiled; her mouth full. She gulped down the bite before saying anything, thankfully.

"Hungry. Felt like I haven't eaten for weeks." She took another bite.

"Don't stuff yourself too much" I warned.

"Do it!" Lulu encouraged, egging her on.

Ellie took another bite as the crowd gathered around. I was really afraid she'd overstuff herself and damage something.

"Take it easy, you don't want to hurt yourself."

By now, she had slowed down even more. I think she was finally reaching her limit. She put down the fork and looked at her plate.

"Come on!" Lulu cheered. "You can do it! One more bite! One more bite!"

Ellie shook her head. "Full. Too full. Need to rest." She wrapped her arm around mine, entangling our fingers, before leaning into me and closing her eyes. She was out like a light.

"Awww... lightweight" Lulu mused.

"Wow" Tess noted. "She's really... something."

"I've never seen her eat like that before" I mentioned.

"It's not that uncommon for one of us to need extra food after the doctor performs an operation on us" Raster explained as she sat down near us with a full pate. "At least for those of us that eat for energy and sustenance. I'd imagine she'd need it more than any of us considering her body."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Matrix has always had a good appetite. Ellie's body was designed to be more human than ours, although mine is the closest to hers. We were meant more for combat and efficiency. Technically, we can go without food for months, with only the essential oils, water, and sucrose in our system replenished occasionally. Ellie doesn't have that luxury."

"I guess that was impressive..." Lulu commented. "So this is Ellie now? She sure doesn't act like the old Matrix."

"And she won't either" I added. I noticed that Matrix sat down to eat as well, not that far off. "She's no longer your Captain, she's just a girl."

"Just a girl?" Lulu asked. "That's lame" she scoffed, and got up and left.

Tess continued to look at her with wide eyes. "Just a girl..."

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

She snapped out of it. "N-no. Nothing. It's just... we aren't really girls, not really. We might look like women, but we're really just machines. Machines designed to kill I might add. But..." she looked down and tried to hide her face behind her long hair.

"But?"

"I've always wondered what it would be like to just be a girl. To have a regular life. To be... oh there's that error again." She twitched as she noticed some internal problem. I wondered if my dad knew about this.

"What do you mean?" I argued. "You are girls, all of you. Just because you aren't human doesn't mean you aren't women."

"We are and we aren't" Raster added. "We were made in the image and likeness of women, but we are incapable of reproducing, even with our own kind."

"That doesn't define you as a woman" Laura shot back from nowhere. I didn't even see her come into the room but she sat right next to Ellie with her own food. "All that means is you can't be a biological mother, but there are tons of women- human women- who can't do that. But you wouldn't call them any less human or any less feminine."

"I- I suppose not" Raster stammered. "But I would hardly call us 'normal'."

"So what if you were built and not born?" Laura grilled. "So what if you were designed by a man in a coat instead of a couple in a bed? You identify yourselves as female. You sure look the part. And you act the part too."

"I... I am mistaken" Raster returned. "Forgive me. I've never really thought about it before. I guess I..." she paused. "Vector would be ashamed of me. He was always going on about how he wanted to start a life with... to be a couple like any other man and woman."

"You're so lucky" Tess noted. "I've always wondered what love is like."

"What, can't you love?" Laura asked.

"I'm afraid Tess is a little too outdated to handle emotions as strong as love" Raster pointed out. Tess shook her head with a disappointed grin.

"Oh..." Laura exclaimed. "I didn't realize." Laura looked for something to change the subject, and Ellie was the perfect target. "What happened to her?"

I looked down at her and noticed she was starting to drool a little, so I closed Ellie's mouth. "She ate too much."

The conversation went on for a little while longer, ranging from food and what they could or couldn't eat to the armored suits. As interesting as it was to learn about Tess's unusual dieting habits, my attention was temporarily taken away by another voice nearby.

"We need to act now" May said. "I don't like this situation."

"But if we do anything rash, we risk starting a war" Azuma replied.

"This is awful! None of this makes sense! Why have they been helping us?" she asked. "And why hasn't there been more of an upset from the Ainu government over this. I feel my suspicions may be correct."

"Suspicions?"

"We can't talk here about this. But get the men ready. We need to be prepared to move. Once Tsion realizes what we've done, he'll be all over us."

It took a while before everyone finished eating, but I was stuck. I had been there before anyone else, and I was still sitting there as they all left. I didn't dare disturb the sleeping beauty at my side, even if she did drool on occasion. She stirred only once to change positions, resting her head on my lap. All the girls left, and the excitement in the room vanished. Even Laura went off talking to Captain Azuma about something I assumed was related to their shared title of 'Captain'. Finally, as the room started to grow silent, she rubbed open her eyes and sat up.

"Where did everyone go?" she asked.

"Back to work. You slept so peacefully, I didn't want to wake you."

"Jim" Aunt May's voice rang out from behind me, "we need to talk."

As soon as Ellie turned around to look at May, her eyes went wide with fear and she grabbed onto me.

"Don't!" she yelled. "Don't hurt him!"

"What?" May and I asked in unison.

"Don't... You- you aren't going to hurt him?"

"No" May replied. "So you must be Ellie."

"Who are you?" Ellie shivered.

"Ellie" I interrupted, "this is Aunt May, the leader of the Liberatum Servus, the freedom fighters that helped me save you."

"Help you?" she asked looking up at me. "But she was going to shoot you."

"When?" May asked.

"When I woke up hurt."

"Oh... yes. Your eyes threw me. I was aiming at you, not him" May explained.

"Me?"

"I thought you were Matrix. I'm still not happy she's walking around free. She has a lot to answer for."

"May, it wasn't her fault. They did things to her-"

"I don't care what they did, it's no excuse! Besides, that's not what I'm here to talk to you about."

"What is it?" I inquired as Ellie loosened her grip without letting go.

"The emissary... or whatever he is about him. Why has he been here all this time without uttering a single word? What does the Ainu government think about this? Something isn't right, and we need to act now. It is only a matter of time before Seth comes rearing his ugly head around here looking for trouble." Ellie cringed at the mere mention of his name. I put my arm around her to help calm her, and it seemed to work.

"I agree, actually. There is something messed up here. But as far as I'm concerned, my part on this is over. I told you I was here for her, and now that I've rescued her, we plan to leave."

"It isn't that simple" she scoffed. "You can't just walk out of here. There are too many questions that need answering, and you are right in the middle of it."

"Me? In what way?" I asked.

"Not you" she clarified. "Her."

"M-me?" Ellie cried out.

"You and Matrix, and Raster. Doctor Amano is only one piece of the puzzle. Your place in all this raises too many questions. Why is Seth so interested in you and Matrix? For your body, or her mind? But more importantly, why did the emissary want you girls built?"

"I don't understand" Ellie objected. "What does this have to do with me?" Suddenly, I noticed her voice was full of pain and fear. Fear of losing me or losing herself.

"The night you, or Matrix, attacked Maya is of great interest to us." She cleared her throat. "We've just received word; it appears Kaiser Tsion is using that incident and your escape from the tower as acts of war. He intends to declare war on Ainu."

Ellie and I froze. I was too shocked to say anything. Tsion, the man who gave Ainu my father as a slave, forced him to build a small army of elite robotic female warriors, programmed and twisted them, was now declaring war based on their actions?! What the hell was going on?

"Unless you want to abandon your father and your lover, I recommend you stay and help. There is no way out of this for her when the public hears about this. You think the lynch mob in Maya was bad?"

"We need to talk to the ambassador immediately" I admitted.

"I'll get Raster, we'll set something up. Make sure you two are ready."

Before we left, I made sure Raster set up guards at the gates and closed off the embassy, I didn't want anyone going in or out until we figured this out, especially with a potential war on our hands! I didn't know what to expect from May, and neither did Ellie. She clung tightly to me all day, her face always down and her brows furrowed with worry. She was everything to me right now, and I knew I had to do something to cheer her up. I decided to take a walk in the gardens with her. The back of the complex was very beautiful as the mid-day sun beamed down warm rays of light that illuminated the covered garden with soft light though the trees. Ellie instantly brightened up, looking all around at the flowers and plants.

"Wow" she exclaimed. "So pretty..."

"Haven't you ever seen this place before?" I asked.

"Not like this" she noted. "Matrix didn't like to walk through gardens. Ah!" Ellie pointed at a butterfly landing on a flower nearby. Without a second thought, she let go of me and ran toward the insect. As it flew away, she giggled and followed after it, deeper into the garden.

I followed her, watching her play in the dappled light through the trees. I almost felt like I was walking on air as I gazed at her. She laughed some more as she ran farther ahead, stopping at a flower to look at it and sniff it.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself" I noted. "Feeling better?"

"I'm still worried" she told me. "But, happy I'm with you." She turned toward me, holding the freshly-picked flower in her hand, and gave me a coy smile. "I'm scared but I know you'll protect me."

"Why are you scared?"

She shook her head. "Don't know. I remember things... things I don't like, and I'm scared of what might happen. What could happen?"

"I won't let anything happen to you."

Ellie walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, clutching the flower to her chest. I joined her by her side, and she laid her head on my shoulder.

"I don't want any of this" she explained. "I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just want to be by your side."

I kissed her on the forehead gently. "Are you sure there isn't anything else you want? I mean, I'm not that great."

"That's not true" she objected, sitting upright. "You saved me from Seth, repaired me, took Matrix away, gave me a home, a name, and made me happier than I've ever felt in my life."

"Well when you put it like that... but I've..." I really wasn't that great. What was I about to do? I couldn't stop myself, but I couldn't keep secrets from her. I had to tell her. "I... I have to confess... I slept with Laura, and... Matrix. I'm so sorry! I'm not worthy of you!"

Ellie furrowed her brows again, giving me a hard stare. "You... Why would you... but...?" She thought it over silently for a moment, blinking rapidly. "Do you love them?"

"Huh?"

"Do you love them?" she repeated.

"I... I don't know. I mean I like them, but I don't love them like I love you."

She looked down again, playing with the flower in her lap. "I d-don't really mind if you have s-sex with someone else" she confessed, her face beat red, "as long as it makes you both happy. F-first and foremost, I want you to be happy, and I know how gr-great sex feels. I just want you to promise me that you'll love me more than anyone else. Please, don't ever leave me or hurt me, ok?"

"Of course! I love you more than anyone! But... are you sure? I mean, wasn't that cheating on you?"

"It's fine. I don't mind, really. Besides, I might like to join you next time if you let me." She looked up at me with a playful grin I wasn't expecting from her. My loins cheered in approval. "Maybe someday I'll win you over and have you all for myself, but until then, I'm only happy when you are happy. I was built for you."

"No... You are more than just some toy for me! I refuse to believe you don't have your own dreams and wants."

"I... I never really thought about it. I've always just wanted to stop hurting people, to stop Matrix. But you did that for me. I guess if there was anything, I'd want to help people."

I smiled at her. "See? There's more to you than you realize. But I never expected you to be so open about sex..."

"Hey, I'm the one that seduced you when we first met" she commented. "You remember the bathroom, right? I- I wanted you to look at me" she blushed.

"What? I thought that was all programming or something! You really are a naughty girl" I grinned.

She giggled. "Only for you. I still remember how good you made me feel. But... why Matrix?"

"What?"

"You said you slept with Matrix. I can't stand her! How could you-?"

"Oh. Well, she's changed, a lot" I explained. "Yes, she seduced me, but she's been a much calmer, nicer person after we took her out of you. You should give her a second chance."

She looked away for a moment in reflective thought before turning back to me. "I trust you, Jimmy. I'll give her one more chance, for you, but I'm worried she's tricking you. It's what she does."

"I'll keep that in mind" I promised.

She snuggled close to me, bringing the flower back up to smell it again. "Why did you tell me about the other girls?" she wondered.

"Because I can't keep secrets from you. I love you. And I can't bring myself to lie to you or keep things from you."

"You really love me?"

"Yes, of course. I've loved you since I first saw you. I've messed up, and I'm sorry-"

"Don't-" she barked, but then calmed herself. "Don't apologize anymore." I was expecting her to cry, or yell, or something, but instead she turned to me with a grin. "You've done more for me than I could have imagined! I love you too, Jimmy, more than anything. When I first saw you, my heart skipped a beat, and I knew I'd found the one to protect me, to love me. Sex isn't everything; sex isn't love, not even close; I should know. I'm the one that should apologize. I wasn't there for you; I've been a burden to you."

"No you haven't!" I argued.

"Yes I have!" she shot back. "If it wasn't for me, you'd still have a house, a community, and you wouldn't be a wanted criminal!"

"If it wasn't for you, I'd still be living alone in a house so big it reminded me of how lonely I was every day. I'd still be in a community that shunned me and kept their distance from me. I'd still be alone and unloved and without a purpose in life. I never would have found my father or even known he was still alive, nor would I have met Laura, May, or any of the others... I never would have been happy."

She thought about that for a moment. "You're too good for me; I don't deserve your love. I've done such horrible things." Her voice cracked as she clutched her hand around the delicate flower.

"I don't care about any of that! It's all in a past life. Here and now, you are the most gentle, sweet and innocent girl I've ever met. I want to protect that, and I want to keep you safe."

Ellie looked deep into my eyes with wonderment. Blood rushed into her cheeks, but she kept gazing at me. "You're making me blush" she stated with her monotone voice again. "Jimmy..." she cooed, her grip loosening on the flower.

I picked it up out of her hand, and placed it in her hair, just above her ear. Her giggle was almost drowned out in the garden by the chirping birds. Her icy-blue eyes continued to gaze deep into my soul as she leaned closer to me.

Slowly but surely, our bodies drew together. Her eyes closed as she leaned into me. At last, our faces met, as we embraced in a deep, passionate kiss. Ellie's delicate hand caressed my cheek as her tongue danced playfully with mine. A sultry moan vibrated through her body and into mine as she kissed deeper.

Finally, our lips parted. I could feel her hot breath on my cheeks as her body trembled against mine. We stayed like that, embraced in each other's arms, gazing into the other's soul, until the tension grew too thick and one of us had to break it.

"I need you" Ellie whispered. "I've been aching for you! Take me, Jimmy."

"Wait, you want to have sex out here?"

"No" she shook her head lightly. "I want to make love to you out here."

She stood up and took my hand, pulling gently until I stood and followed her. She guided me through the garden, always giggling and smiling as she looked back at me. We stopped at the back of a small shack, a tiny spot with ample sunlight dancing through the leaves and enough privacy that no one would know to look for us here.

Ellie pressed her back to the wall of the shack, and beckoned me with her eyes and a sultry smile. I placed my hand next to her short white hair and hovered over her small body, staring lovingly at her. Ellie twisted her body and wrapped her hands around me before stealing another kiss. We continued to kiss for a few minutes until I couldn't take it anymore, and I reached out and grabbed her body and pulled her into me.

She purred a sweet moan as I held her close and tight, running my hands all around her shoulders, her arms, her back, until I reached her butt. She gasped at my touch, but caressing her hands all over me in response, feeling me in much the same way. I reached for her chest, and she arched her back, pushing her breasts out toward me as I caressed them. Her breasts were bigger than Matrix's, but not exactly large, like Tess appeared to have. But for me, her soft breasts were ideal. I pulled her shirt down off her shoulders, until the bodice stopped me, perfectly revealing her shapely tits and they bounced with her every breath.

I felt her soft skin, and massaged her tits, enjoying the sensation and loving every squirm and squeal. Her nipples pressed hard into my palm, and I couldn't help but pinch them.

"Ahnn!" she let out as she twisted in pleasure.

I held her body tightly as I leaned down and kissed her nipples, one at a time, bouncing them around with my tongue. She moaned more, grabbing at my hair and pushing me closer into her.

"Ooohhhh Jimmy!! Don't make me wait any longer" she pleaded.

Holding her close, I reached my other hand down, sliding it slowly along her stomach, feeling the artificial muscles under her skin, until I reached her mound. She inhaled slowly as I pressed my fingers against her, feeling her warmth. I played with her a little more, rubbing her warm vaginal lips until her hips started to press into me and rub against my hand. She gasped and groaned as she pushed against me, seeking out pleasure from my fingers.

"Jimmyyy....." she breathed out voicelessly. I could feel her moisture increase steadily on my fingers. "Don't tease me so much" her sweet voice cracked as she begged for it. "Put it inside, make me yours, master."

When she called me master, something inside me broke loose, and I couldn't stop myself anymore. With one hand, I unfastened my pants and pulled out my dick, long and hard and ready. Before she even had the chance to notice, I slid her panties to one side, and pushed myself against her wet hot lips. She grunted at my force. I lifted one of her legs, and pushed again, this time, sliding my head into her warm folds.

"Oh... Master!" she called out. I thrust deeper, and deeper, until I couldn’t go any farther. Ellie's head fell back as she moaned. I pulled out almost all the way, and thrust in again, this time so hard and fast, I lifted her off the ground a little. Again and again, I picked up speed and thrust my hard member deep inside her pussy. Ellie gripped me tightly, her fingers digging into the flesh of my arm as she leaned into me. I loved it and began to thrust harder and faster. Again and again, I thrust and shoved my way inside her.

"Too rough! Jimmy... Jimmy! JIMMY!! Stop!" she screamed.

I shook myself back into reason, and stopped. Ellie was crying in my arms, looking at me with big blue eyes and tears running down her cheeks. She was trembling.

"Ellie... I'm... I'm so sorry, I lost myself-"

"It's ok" she interrupted, caressing me cheek. "You were just going too rough too soon."

I nodded to her. "Do you want to stop?"

"No... I want you to keep going, but maybe lay me down first?"

"Ok" I acknowledged as I pulled out of her and lowered her leg.

Ellie lay down on the soft grass and spread her legs, welcoming me. I kneeled between them, and pulled her panties off; aligning myself to her as she looked up at me with sparkles in her eyes.

"Slowly at first" she cautioned. "I don't want to break again so soon." She stuck her tongue out at me and I couldn't help but chuckle. That really lightened the mood and made it easier to keep my head. I tickled her sides, making her laugh out loudly and squirm, grabbing at my hands to make me stop. We paused there for a while enjoying the moment with smiles on our faces.

I tried again, this time pushing inside slowly, allowing her to adjust to me. She closed her eyes as she grabbed onto the grass around her, a long deep moan filling the air. At last I reached the farthest I could, and she looked up at me and smiled. "Much better, master."

I loved it when she called me master in such a playful way. I kissed her deeply as I gently caressed her inside and out. Ellie's tongue danced with mine as she started to gyrate her body in time with mine.

Slowly but surely, I increased the intensity of my motion, keeping time with hers. Her body writhed in pleasure and she gasped at the grass; her body rocking up and down. Her voice picked up in intensity as I lifted her hips off the ground and really started to pound into her.

"So good... Oh Jimmy! Master!! AH! Ah! Ah! Ahhhooooohhh GOD! I'm- I'm cumming, Master! I'm gonna- I'm gonna cum! AHH!" She squealed with delight as she approached her limit. Our bodies slapped together as her pussy gripped me tightly. I could feel her start to spasm inside before she climaxed.

"AHH AHH AHHH UUUUUUHHHH OHHHHHHHHH Yesssss..." Ellie reached her zenith as she bucked her hips and arched her back. Her legs started to shake and kick as I continued to thrust, making her lose control.

"Oh... my god... Jimmy... Master... I... I just came but... Oh god, I'm... I'm gonna cum again!!"

I kept up my effort as she rolled from one climax right into another, this time scrunching up her face in a look of ecstatic pain. Her body started to shake and push against me as she tried to make me stop by pulling away, but I stayed with her until she finished. At last she gasped and moaned and her legs gave out as she started to convulse in an intense orgasm.

She lay there catching her breath, smiling as she looked up at me without saying a word. I was still so hard it hurt, and yearned to keep going, but I decided she had enough and let her rest for a moment.

"Ellie, that was-"

Ellie interrupted me by kissing me with a sloppy and loving kiss.

"Jimmy, don't talk, just love me!"

I smiled at her, but her sexy smile out-shined mine so much I felt my heart skip.

I lifted one of her legs, and entered her again, going at it at full force. She loved it as her voice rang out in lustful joy. I did her from the side like that, watching her perfect tits bounce all over with her motion, before changing to another position. I lifted her butt, and I entered her from behind, before I got too tired to keep going. She decided it was best to work together, and mounted me, bouncing up and down with her back arched and her chest pushed out wonderfully. We made love for what must have been an hour, alternating between outright sex and just playing around with each other. She actually really loved being tickled, but she was disappointed to find I'm not as ticklish as she is. But that didn't stop her from trying to find my weak spot.

She was all over me just like I was all over her. I lost count of how many times she came, each time driving me crazier for her. Ellie was changing just like Matrix had started too; she was smiling and laughing constantly, when she wasn't shaking uncontrollably from an orgasm. When I came inside her the last time and she finally collapsed on top of me exhausted, naked, and vulnerable, I knew that she really was the one. There was no question about it, she was everything I ever wanted, and more, and I had fallen madly in love with her. I hugged her for a long time, not wanting to let go. I needed to keep her safe.

"Jimmy?" she cooed as she lay next to me.

"Mmm?"

"Are you happy? With me?"

"More than anything" I swore. "You're perfect. What about you? Are you alright with a dumb guy like me?"

"I can't live without you" she told me as she snuggled closer. "And you're not that dumb" she teased.

"Gee, thanks." I kissed her forehead with a smile.

"Will you always be there for me?"

"I didn't travel hundreds of miles and infiltrate a secure government building to save you just because I thought it would be fun. I will always find you, I will always protect you, and I will always be there for you."

She hugged me back, satisfied with my answer. Unfortunately, we had other things to do, and we had already avoided the inevitable for so long, hiding in the garden. I wouldn't be surprised if May and the others were looking for us already. I sat up and collected my things, getting dressed while Ellie watched with a great big grin on her face. I helped her with her clothes again after I finished. I hoped there weren't any grass stains.

As we walked back to the main building, our fingers entwined together, it felt like I had actually done something right in my life for once. Everything was perfect, and Ellie couldn't stop smiling and giggling. Before we even got to the door, Raster showed up with a disapproving look in her eye.

"Where have you been? What have you two been-" she scolded. "Never mind, I don't want to know. Get yourselves cleaned up. You're going to meet the ambassador in 10 minutes! On second thought, come with me."

Instantly Ellie tensed up again, her nerves getting to her. I rubbed her back, calming her, and she gripped my hand tightly in response. We followed Raster to the barracks, where she produced a uniform and handed it to Ellie.

"What's this for?" I asked.

"The ambassador has no knowledge of Ellie, or what has transpired here. He will still think she is his faithful servant. This is Matrix's old uniform. Put it on."

"I don't want Ellie dressing like Matrix in front of the others-" I tried to object.

"Either she puts this on or I put it on for her" Raster warned. "Look, sir, we need to keep up the illusion as best we can, and the grass stains on her dress are not exactly presentable. Now hurry up and get yourselves ready. Please" she added at the end. I realized she had no authority over me, but she had a lot of presence and probably had a good reason. I decided to trust her as my dad did, and retreated with Ellie to my room.

We quickly cleaned ourselves up and got her dressed. She actually looked very good in a uniform, but I preferred her in a skirt. She looked uneasy about it, but decided to remain silent while we prepared. She was clearly nervous. Aunt May met us there as we were finishing up, and escorted us to the top floor. The top floor had a high ceiling, and two guards stood on either side of a pair of enormous ornate wooden doors. They ignored us for the most part. Matrix was already waiting for us with Raster.

Matrix glared at Ellie, who avoided looking back at her at all. "What exactly are we doing here?" She asked through her teeth.

"We're going to confront the ambassador, and find out what's been going on around here" May explained.

"Since he can still order any of the Ainu guard around, none of us shall accompany you" Raster added.

"Why is she here?" Matrix hissed, pointed to Ellie. "And why is she wearing my-?"

"She is wearing an extra uniform to fool the ambassador" Raster told her.

"It'll never work" Matrix complained. "She doesn’t act anything like me."

"With all due respect, private" Raster growled, "you haven't been acting like your old self either. If you want to remain a part of this company, you will keep your mouth shut and observe. You are the sole member of our unit that is not under the ambassador's control, and therefore you shall accompany them. Try not to screw it up."

"Yes ma'am" Matrix mumbled back.

"Won't her eyes give her away?" I asked.

"Maybe" Raster admitted. "But he has never really been one to look at us that closely."

"So here's the plan" May interrupted. "You and I are going in as representatives of the Liberatum Servus, here to negotiate with him about-"

"Matrix! Raster!" a muffle voice called out from the other side of the door.

"I have to go!" Raster panicked. She turned to leave and started at a full run.

"Get in here NOW!" the voice commanded.

Raster stopped in her tracks, just at the top of the stairs. "Shit" she cussed, before turning around, her eyes wide. "I... have to obey" she informed us as she walked calmly but slowly toward the pair of giant ornate doors.

"Raster" I called out. "Stay calm, leave any weapons out here, and stick to the plan."

She nodded. "Follow right behind me." She turned to one of the guards and handed him a gun, a knife, and a small bag that was on her belt. Taking a deep breath in, she gestured to the two guards to let her in, and they both came to life, pushing the enormous doors open with one hand each.

"Impressive" I muttered under my breath.

"They can't hear you" Raster commented. "I've disabled their hearing so they can't take oral commands from anyone, for now." Good thinking. If one of them heard an order from the ambassador, they'd have to follow it.

As the doors swung open, they revealed a small hall with much smaller doors at the end of it.

"Matrix, is that you?" the muffled voice asked, now a little louder.

"Quick, Ellie join Raster. Try to act like Matrix as much as you can" I told her. She nervously nodded and stepped up next to Raster.

"Jim" May whispered. "We're here to learn what we can. Let me do the talking for now."

I nodded to her, still not sure why I was there, but it was too late to back out now. Raster and Ellie pushed open the two doors, and a flood of light filled the room just as the two giant doors closed behind us. The light was bright and colorful, with every color imaginable illuminating my sight. Inside, the room was filled with deep purples, reds, and gold, and fancy chairs and sofas lined the walls. A fireplace taller than a man stood at one end, with more ornate furniture surrounding it. To either side were rooms, ranging from an enormous bedroom to a study, and even a king sized bath. It was more like a swimming pool.

As we walked in, a man with white frazzled hair, a long red and white robe, and a scowl on his chiseled face marched in from a side room. His nose was bent to one side a little, and his skin looked tanned, a far cry from what I expected to see.

"Matrix! It's about damn time you- Who the hell are they?"

"Sir" Raster said with a bow, pushing on Ellie's back to make her bow too. "These are two representatives from the Liberatum Servus, here to negotiate-"

"Negotiate?! Ainu does not negotiate with terrorists. I want them executed at once!"

Chapter 14 - Ambassador

"Sir?” Raster questioned.

"You heard me! Matrix, execute them, now" he commanded. Ellie gulped.

"Here? Now?" Ellie asked, still sounding like herself, before she cleared her throat.

"What? Did you forget your weapons? What about your blade things? Never mind, just take one from the cabinet" he ordered while waving to a nearby wooden cabinet with glass doors. I could see rifles inside, and hand guns below. "Don't keep me waiting! Shoot them!"

"Gladly" she lied, her voice now deeper and more relaxed, much more like Matrix. She slowly walked over to the cabinet, and pulled out a handgun, inspecting it nervously before turning back toward us.

"There's something wrong with your face" the man noted, leering at her. "Your eyes are different". Crap, he noticed!

Ellie paused, but only for a moment before she brushed him off with a wave of her hand. "That's just maintenance stuff. These are only temporary" she fibbed. Ellie's voice was now just like Matrix's old voice, with the same accent and quality. I was surprised at how good an actress Ellie was turning out to be. He bought it with a hum as she slowly walked closer to me; her eyes wide as fear set it.

"Sir, what is your basis for this? We don't have the authority to execute civilians" Raster objected. She was actually defending us. "This could be considered an act of war!"

"As I hear it, war is already upon us" he snapped back at her. I thought he was trapped in here; how did he hear about something which only just happened a few hours ago? "Besides, we are allowed to execute enemies of the state. And last I heard, these terrorists invaded our embassy and launched an attack. Why else have I been shut up in here by your stupid broken guards!? Matrix, do it!"

"But they are no longer enemies. They've come to call a truce!"

Ellie stood beside me, keeping her back to the emissary while she raised the gun to my head. Even though I knew Ellie would never fire the gun, unless Raster could diffuse the situation, he'd figure out something was wrong. Ellie's eyes were filled with worry and her hand shook as she held the gun to me.

"We've come to help you!" May shouted.

"Help?" In what way?" he inquired as he held up a hand to Matrix, holding off the command. Ellie saw it from the corner of her eye and lowered the gun, relieved.

"We've come to warn you that these guards are actually spies for the Ino military. You're being tricked! And the man responsible is being held in the basement of this facility right now."

He looked back and forth between us, as though he was trying to read our minds. None of this seemed a surprise to him, even though it was all lies. I was sure he wasn't buying it.

"These are Ainu guards, the finest in the world. Why would I believe a word you said?"

"The man in charge of repairing and maintaining these guards is an Ino spy. He's been trying to turn the guards against you; this is only more proof of it! Look at them, it's already affecting Matrix, and I bet the door guards have been ignoring you too."

He looked harder at Ellie, who kept her back to him. I quickly shot a glance at her; her face was as white as paper. I nudged May with my elbow.

"What are you doing?" I hissed to her.

"Just watch." She took a step forward and raised her voice again. "He's already removed her wrist blades, and you saw her eyes. She's no longer able to see infrared or heat signatures. He's disabling her bit-by-bit." Could she really see infrared?

He narrowed his eyes at May, but his left arm and eye started to twitch as though someone were scratching chalk across a blackboard. "And what about Raster?" he asked, shifting his gaze to the girl to his right, his arm going stiff but his eye still twitching.

"I'm here only to serve you, sir" Raster assured him.

"She's next on his list" May said. "He's a dangerous man, and we believe he's been working with the Ino government to weaken your defenses when the attack comes. He's already planning to install software in them to prevent them from obeying you."

"Is this true?" he asked as his head jerked to one side.

"I have no knowledge of this" Raster swore.

"Of course she wouldn't, he needs to keep it all secret otherwise they'd stop him. His plans are almost complete. We need to citizen-arrest him. That's why we came here. We were sure he already finished his plans, but it appears to have taken him longer than we thought, luckily."

The man looked back and forth between us, taking a jerky step back. "And who are these two?" he inquired, gesturing to me and Matrix.

"This is a new soldier sent from Ainu" Raster explained. "Her name is... Ellie."

"Isn't she a little small to be a guard? Why is her hair black? Did they run out of white again?" He spat as he started to shout for no reason.

Matrix glared at him, but said nothing.

"And this is Jim" May announced. "He's here as my second in co-"

"I'm here for her" I interrupted, pointing to Ellie. "She attacked my village and killed my friends. I've come to see make her pay for her crimes!"

May shot a harsh glance at me.

"I've heard of you. So you're here to kill her?" he chuckled. I didn't answer. "You and what army?"

"The one downstairs" I growled. He stopped laughing and glared at me. He wasn't exactly a handsome man. His face was filled with small scars, stubble, and a crooked nose. He had a deep tan on his skin that did defied his role as an ambassador, something about him was wrong. He seemed to be suffering from some ailment as well, which made him twitch and jerk nervously, as if he was suffering from electric shocks.

"I don't care for your attitude" he replied, his voice low and his eye twitching again. "And why would you risk all this to help me?"

"The people of Ino don't want a war" May explained. "But it appears the Kaiser is hell-bent on it."

"It's too late for that" he spat, "war is on its way."

"And would Emperor Krilakis agree this is best for the Ainu people?" May asked with a straight face. The man studied her, his hand snapping open and closed.

"I've been in contact with the emperor, and he agrees."

I saw May smile, but before she could say anything, a faint noise outside drew Raster's attention, and she briefly left the room to look out the window.

"Then we need to get you out of here, for your protection! If a war is going to start, then you shouldn't be in the city" May explained.

"Sir" Raster interrupted. "It's begun!"

"The war?" I asked, rushing over to the window to look.

"A riot" May guessed with confidence. She didn't even need to look out the window.

The ambassador kept his distance from me, but looked out another window. Outside, far below, we could see a large crowd through the trees gathering at the gates. No, they weren't just gathering, they were up in arms, yelling and throwing rocks. One rock hit the window right in front of me and bounced off with a loud crack! I almost fell backwards, but luckily the glass was not broken.

"They're here because they are terrified of your guards. They've been attacking citizens, getting away with murder, and raising the tension in a community that already fears androids." May wasn't exactly lying. In fact, everything she said was dead on. These people were probably blaming Tsion declaring war on Matrix and her cohorts, which they probably viewed as a danger to society which drove the government to such action. Honestly I'd agree with them myself. After all, Tsion did blame Matrix's escape and attack on Maya as the cause for the war.

"They're here for me" Ellie gasped, joining me at the window. "Jimmy" she whispered, terror filling her features.

"That spy did this" May lied. "He's been making them go out to provoke the people when you weren't looking."

The man jerked his head toward Ellie, his face twitching uncontrollably. "Is this true?"

I lightly elbowed Ellie, who realized she was dropping the act, and quickly toughened up again. "So what? It's just a little fun" she argued, sounding just like Matrix. Even Matrix stared at her with shock. Maybe it was the way she said it, or maybe it was the realization of what she'd done, but Matrix was clearly disturbed by it.

"You stupid bitch" the man growled. "Get out!"

"Sir," Raster spoke up. "We need to get you out of here now."

"No, I cannot leave my post" he twitched. "I must wait for my... c-command" he stuttered. Something was definitely wrong with him.

"It's for your own safety, we need to get you back to Ainu" Raster argued, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Stay away from me" he spat, taking a few steps back. "Get out, all of you! I need to- to- get in touch with..." he started to mumbled incoherently.

"Sir?" Raster asked.

"GET the Fuck OUT!" he roared at her.

Raster pulled away from him. "Of course, sir."

"And take these two with you."

May turned around and walked confidently out the door. I didn't see what the advantage of any of this was; I didn't learn a damn thing except this guy was messed up. But somehow, May looked satisfied with the results.

I joined her, following her out the door while Matrix, Ellie, and Raster followed suit.

"I've never seen him like that before" Raster pondered.

"Did he normally have visitors? He seemed nervous, or sick."

Raster shook her head. "Not many, he conducted most his meetings through a direct line to the Ainu government from a terminal in his room."

"A direct line? Are you sure?" I asked. "That does seem right- how far away is Ainu?"

"I don't know. I've never seen it being used. He said it was part of the security protocol, and always made sure everyone left the room when he uses it."

As soon as we were no longer in sight of the door, Ellie latched onto my arm and stopped, crouching in place.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked, putting my hand on we shoulder.

"Oh god, I feel... horrible. I was terrified, what if the fun went off? What if he didn't stop me then and I just stood there? I-" she looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. "I felt like Matrix was back inside me, except I was too scared to stop her."

Matrix looked uncomfortably between us before averting her gaze. I realized Ellie was really pushing herself when she was in there, and this could have done more damage to her than I realized. She was not taking this well at all, and sobbed for a moment while the others looked on.

"I need to order a full scale defense of the perimeter immediately" Raster realized, averting her gaze and escaping from the uncomfortable situation.

"Wait" I ordered, looked up at her but staying next to Ellie. "I don't want any of you girls out there. Only send the male androids. My father needs to see all the girls first. And I don't want any live rounds, no killing. There's been too much of that already. Do you have any non-lethal weapons?"

Raster nodded. "Electric shockers and bean-bag bullets, mostly. But we've never used them before."

"Well start. I don't want to see anyone getting hurt." Raster agreed and paused for a moment, giving the orders silently through a built-in radio transmitter before marching off at a quick pace to see to things herself.

I noticed Aunt May standing there with a smug look on her face. "What's gotten into you?" I asked.

"I figured out his secret" she mused.

"What?"

"That man has been brainwashed." She looked over at Ellie and Matrix, before turning back to me. "Robots aren't the only ones Ino has been brainwashing. The signs of it are less obvious in a robot, apparently, but we've seen his kind of behavior before in humans."

"Ino brainwashed him?" Ellie asked.

"Much like how they tortured and twisted your mind" she explained. "In a regular robot, they just need to change some programming, but for a high-level gynoid or android, especially a sentient one like yourself, they can't just reprogram you. You might not realize it, but there are a lot of defenses built-in to your system to prevent unauthorized tampering. They use torture methods designed specifically for robots, and specific psychological attacks, in order to twist your mind so they can brainwash you."

Ellie shuddered at her memories, grabbing tighter onto me and leaning into my body. I stroked her hair and back as I held her close.

"They learned a lot of these methods from torturing humans."

"So what, all that jerking and shaking and shit was from the brainwashing?" Matrix asked rather coarsely.

"Yeah. Hell, I doubt he's even from Ainu himself. He's probably just some guy who Ino put in charge here. I wouldn't be surprised if this entire thing is a farce."

"How do you know he isn't from Ainu?" I asked.

"I made up that whole emperor Krilakis thing" she explained. "I have no idea who the emperor is, or even if they have an emperor. No, I think Ino is playing us for fools."

"But why would they put someone here to pretend to be the Ainu ambassador?" I wondered.

"I'm working on that part."

Ellie finally calmed down, and let me pull her up standing again. She trembled a little as she took a deep breath.

"I'm ok" she sighed. "I don't ever want to hold a gun again."

Matrix let out a short laugh. "Well we'll see how that turns out. The entire city is after us, and now there's a mob at the gate. You might not have a choice."

Ellie turned her head sharply at Matrix. "You've done more than enough killing for all of us already! We don't need any more of that. Thanks to you, I'm the one they're looking for!"

Matrix lowered her head. "I didn't mean to-"

"Of course you didn't mean to! You never meant to do anything except indulge in your twisted pleasures. You've hurt so many people, not just me. Can you honestly look in the mirror and say you never felt any kind of pain or remorse for what you did?" Ellie was still furious with Matrix, but Matrix didn't fight back. She just kept her head down and took it.

Ellie glared at Matrix for a while, the rest of us too shocked from her sudden outburst to move. Finally, she pulled on my arm, and tried to walk away, leaving Matrix behind with a huff.

"No, I didn't feel anything" Matrix finally said, making Ellie stop and turn with a fierce look in her eyes. "I didn't realize what I was doing. But I can now. I can feel it now."

Ellie's expression changed rapidly. Where once she was angry and furious, now she was shocked and confused. "Can you? Really? Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not lying" Matrix promised, her voice low and quiet. "I can't explain it, but as soon as I woke up in this new body, everything was different. Everything I've done is now haunting me, like it was someone else's actions," Ellie huffed at that, "but they were my own. It was like I was addicted to it; noise filled my brain that I didn't know was there until suddenly, it was gone."

"You had a virus" I explained. "Actually Ellie did, but we've removed it. It made you addicted to whatever they wanted you to do, in this case killing and maiming. It's why you enjoyed killing so much. Every time you murdered someone, you got high off it."

Both of them looked at me, shocked. If what my father said was true, both Ellie and Matrix should have been affected by the virus, but thanks to her unusual system build, where you subconscious and conscious selves were separated, Ellie managed to keep her logical and moral compass while Matrix took the brunt of the virus. Still, Ellie probably did suffer side effects of it, besides dealing with Matrix's actions.

"You mean... I made her do those things?" Ellie questioned.

"No! No. You were affected by the same virus, but it hit Matrix harder. It was the virus- Ino that did this."

"A virus..." Matrix repeated. "So I'm not completely to blame for this."

"I don't know" I told her honestly. "Theoretically you could have resisted the virus, but I know how addicting something can be, and how easy it is to tune everything out when you are affected like that."

"Do you? Really?"

"It's not something I like to talk about. They were dark times for me." I recalled my previous experience with drugs when I was younger, and how it almost destroyed me. I'd put that demon behind me, and let it die in the past, and I didn't want Ellie to know about my sordid history. I never told anyone about that, and I wanted it to stay that way. Heck, I didn't want to know about it anymore either.

"What happened?" Ellie asked.

"I'm not ready yet" I told her. "I put it all behind me and moved on; I'd rather forget about all that." Ellie kept staring at me with big eyes, her lip quivering like she was going to cry if I didn't tell her. Damn, when did she get so cute? "All I can say is when my last girlfriend left me, I crawled in a hole for a few years, and spent the rest of my life recovering from that."

Years ago, when Sasha left me, I didn't take it too well. She left me so suddenly, I didn't even have time to react; I never clearly understood what I did to drive her away. As a result, I found my way to a special dealer, and indulged in narcotics called 'sticks'. I probably spent 2 years of my life an addict, smoking my life away. It was Genesis who helped me out of that mess. I finally got over her, and got off the sticks and got my life back together. I've been burying that past ever since, and had almost forgotten about it until now. I didn't want to think any deeper on it.

"I'm so sorry" Ellie choked a she gave me a hug.

"It's ok, I'm over all that. Now I have you, and I'm not going to mess this up."

"So this virus, the others have it too, don't they?" Matrix asked.

"Yeah... my dad is working on a fix. But I don't think it affected them the same way it affected you. Raster was the only other one capable of the level of emotions you are, but for some reason she seems resistant to it."

"She's always been uptight, maybe she just doesn't indulge in anything?" Matrix pondered.

"Maybe, or perhaps they hadn't yet perfected the virus until it got to you. The other girls were probably more like a testing ground for them, a way to develop the virus as my dad developed you girls. I think Tess is the lea-"

"Ma'am" someone from behind me called out. I turned around to see a Liberatum soldier running toward us frantically. "A message just arrived!"

"Message, from whom?" May asked.

"The counsel, they want to arrange a meeting." He handed May a letter, which was small and showed signs of being folded and rolled up. Must have been a carrier pigeon. "They want to launch an investigation on the sentients Matrix and Ellie, and begin proceedings."

"Proceedings?" I asked. "What proceedings?"

May looked over the letter, and then turned to the 3 of us. "They want to put you on trial for treason."

The sounds of the rioters grew louder in the background as the day wore on. No one went outside anymore, except to guard the entrances. I made doubly sure Tess, Proxy, Lulu, and Raster were all seen by my father as soon as possible.

Tess was the easiest case, while the virus was inside her, it was a primitive version of it, and easily removed. Proxy had a much more advanced version of the virus, but his anti-virus did the job. However, Lulu was more of a challenge, physically. She resisted all attempts to connect the anti-virus to her, and it took Matrix, Tess, Proxy, and I to hold her down long enough for my dad to connect the cable to the back of her neck.

"You are never going to hook that thing up to me!" she screamed, fighting against us. We were all pushing and pulling against her to try to get her in the chair where the cable would reach, but she managed to stay out of it by sheer force.

"It will only take a second" I argued.

"It doesn't even hurt" Tess added.

"Please, just calm down" Proxy argued. I never really got a good look at Proxy before, but with her so close to me now, it was hard not to. She wore her white hair down to her shoulders with braids and her face was rounder than the others. She was strong, but not as advanced as the Lulu or Raster. She pushed Lulu's thin arm down with all her might, struggling to hold down such a small girl.

"No! I won't let you infect me! Get off me!" Lulu continued to yell, somehow keeping herself out of the chair. "You'll never take me!"

"That's it! I've had enough of your fooling around" Matrix growled. As we edged her close and closer to the chair, Matrix gave a swift kick to the stomach, and knocked the air out of her, and pushing her into the chair.

"Matrix!" Ellie yelled from the other side of the room, where she had been watching all of this uncomfortably.

"What? She's fine."

Sure enough, Lulu was starting to yell again, as she struggled to stand up. My dad quickly attached the cable, after a few tries thanks to all her defiance, and executed the command.

Within seconds, Lulu's demeanor calmed, and she relaxed, maybe too much. I wasn't sure what happened, but she stopped fighting, and started slouching in the chair, barely breathing. Tess started to panic as Lulu stopped responding to us, and just sat there with her eyes unfocused.

"What happened?" Proxy asked.

"A defense system?" I asked.

"Maybe" my dad said, looking at a computer read out. "Or maybe the virus is getting smart."

He typed away as we watched anxiously; Lulu's form barely breathing.

"Is she going to be alright?" Tess asked.

"Hold on," my dad shot back, typing even more furiously into the terminal. We waited with bated breath as he entered command after command at amazing speed. It was like he was fighting a battle through the computer, but I couldn't tell who was winning. Finally he let out a long sigh and covered his face.

"Will she be alright?" Tess asked.

"The virus attacked her systems when I tried to remove it." He uncovered his face; an expression of relief greeted us. "I stopped it, but barely." He patted Lulu on the shoulder, shaking her tiny body until her eyes blinked, and she started to focus again. "She'll be fine."

"What was that?" Lulu asked, looking around.

Tess gave her a big hug, and everyone was relieved.

"What happened?" Lulu continued to ask, getting up from the chair. Tess took her aside and the two started to chat in a low tone.

"Raster" my dad called out, turning toward her. "Are you ready?"

"If the virus attacked Lulu, wouldn't it also attack Raster?" Ellie asked.

"It might. I'll just have to be ready for it this time."

"Dr. Amano, there is no need" Raster argued.

"Girls?" my dad voice rang out. They hesitated for a moment, but decided it was for the best, and all took a step toward Raster. Just at that moment, Laura came into the lab, looking at all the commotion. Raster ignored her, although it appeared her only exit was now blocked.

However, instead of resisting, Raster held up her hand. "There is no need, but if you insist."

Raster marched over, grabbed the cable from my father's hand, and connected it to herself. It was a little unexpected, but she didn't seem to worry about it at all. However, my dad's reaction after looking at the screen was even more unexpected.

"You're not infected?" he wondered.

"I was" she explained, "but I've known about this for a long time."

"Who removed it and when?" my father asked.

"I- can't tell you" she groaned, as though she struggled to say the words.

"I see" he said, nodding.

"What? What's going on?" I asked.

"Since when did you get a user?" my dad asked.

"A few months" she confided. "Since before Matrix left."

"A user?" I shot out. "You have a user? Is it anyone we know?"

She sighed. "My answer remains the same. I cannot say, not yet."

"What exactly is going on?" Matrix wondered.

"I thought Ellie was the only one with a user" Laura added, having observed the last few minutes.

"So did I" Ellie and I said in unison.

"If we are quite done here then, I have duties to attend to" Raster pointed out as she removed the cable from her neck. "Girls, go prepare your gear and armored suits, as a precaution."

"Hey, I thought I told you I didn't want any of them fighting!" I argued.

"They won't. They'll be running, in case we need to evacuate."

The room fell silent as Raster left the room, with Lulu, Proxy, Tess, and Matrix following behind.

"Is everything alright, Laura?" I asked.

"It's been crazy out there" she informed us. "It's only getting worse by the minute. I don't think we can stay here much longer. It's going to get hairy."

"What about the ambassador man?" Ellie asked.

"If what you told me is true" Laura responded, "he's already a lost cause. I say let them do what they want to him."

"That's not an option" I told her.

"I somehow knew you'd say that. But it would be easier." She sighed and scratched her head. "I guess we'll have to tie him up and take him with us."

"The ambassador?" my dad asked. "I don't know if that's a good idea. He is the Ainu emissary after all, and kidnapping him might only make things with Ainu worse."

"And letting him die is any better?" I asked.

"We have already invaded and attacked their embassy, took over their guard, and declared war, how much more damage will this cause?" Laura added.

My dad thought for a moment. "I see your point."

"We really should consider getting out of here. I'm surprised the Ino Guard isn’t here already."

"Yeeeeah... About that" Laura confided. "They've been circling the building for the past hour."

"What?" Ellie and I asked at the same time.

"Why haven't they attacked or something?" I wondered.

"I don't know why they haven't tried landing, but I think they're really just trying to keep us from leaving" Laura speculated.

"Well that does exacerbate things, doesn't it?"

My father pointed out that he couldn't leave his equipment to be destroyed or stolen by an angry mob, so he was planning to spend the rest of the day making backups and locking up or hiding as much as he could. I worried that if Ellie or Matrix, or any of the other girls, ever needed to be repaired again, we would be unable to.

Laura, Ellie and I left him to do what he could to protect his legacy. We needed to decide what we'd do next. With Laura around, Ellie seemed to feel more at ease, coming out of her shell more and emoting more with her voice, as though they were friends already even though they hardly knew each other. I smiled as I watched the two of them chat as we made our way up the stairs.

"Want red hair" Ellie wished.

"Why? There's nothing wrong with yours. It's so exotic" Laura opined.

"Makes me look old" she droned. "You hair looks fun and exciting."

"I don't know about that" Laura chuckled. "It's just hai-"

May approached us as we exited the stairwell. "Where is she?"

"Who?" I asked.

"Matrix. We have to keep her under supervision, her and Ellie here."

"What? Why?" I asked, but then I remembered.

"We need to question them and prepare for the trial" May explained anyways.

"Trial" Laura inquired.

"They want to investigate Ellie and Matrix for starting this war" I growled, giving May a harsh look. "She plans to put them on trial."

"Ellie? But what did she ever do?"

"That's what we intend to find out" May answered. Ellie pressed herself against me.

"Didn't do anything!" she pleaded. "Scared."

"It'll be alright, I won't let anything happen to you" I assured her.

Laura stepped up to May and started to raise her voice. "Do you really think this innocent girl had anything to do with what Matrix did? Look at her! How can you think that?"

"It's not me, the council has ordered this" May explained. "Besides, if I had my way, they'd both be dismantled."

I was shocked at what she said, and had to remember to close my mouth. Ellie started to tremble as she grabbed on tighter, a small worried gasp echoing in my ear.

"Stop it!" Laura yelled. "You're scaring her."

May scoffed and looked away like she had nothing more to say on the matter and didn't want to face us anymore.

"Are you telling me all that work we put in to save her was just so you could put her on trial?!" Laura continued.

"What's wrong with you?" I questioned. "Don't we have more important things to worry about right now? What did she ever do to you?"

May snapped her head toward me, her face expression fierce. "You have no idea. I remember that face! The pain she caused all of us, the people she took from us, from me. Those sick yellow eyes; that look of twisted pleasure as she ripped her apart." Tears started to run down her cheeks, but she ignored them.

Ellie stared back. "I remember" she whispered. "She was your daughter wasn't sh-"

"YOU DON'T GET TO TALK" May roared at her. Ellie hid behind me, but it didn't help. "You took her from me, but I'm not here for her. I'm here for all the innocents that suffered by your hands or those under your command."

"But Matrix did those things" Ellie's voice trembled.

"Look at her, does she really look like that same girl. Her eyes are blue, and she isn't hurting anyone" I argued.

"Shouldn't you be doing this to Matrix?" Laura asked.

"Oh she'll get hers. But as far as I'm concerned, both of them are guilty" May shot back.

"Please, I didn't want to hurt anyone!" Ellie sobbed.

"Aren't you being a bit of a robophobe? I thought you were supposed to stand up for sentients" I questioned.

"I stand for equality. Which means she must be tried for her crimes just as any criminal would be."

"Aren't you assuming her guilt a little early?" Laura interjected.

"Just leave May, you're upsetting her" I pleaded.

"I am supposed to accompany her until a trial is conducted. She is not to leave my sight until then."

"What? But-" Laura objected.

"She isn't going anywhere" I told her. "There are far more important things to do than this right now." Right on cue, the dull roar of the mob outside grew louder as someone started to rile up the crowd in waves. "I suggest we put this aside until we are all safe."

May huffed. "They're here for her anyways; I should just let them take her."

"But you won't, will you?" I stared hard at May as she stared back at me and Ellie. Her gaze fell to the side and she sighed.

"Don't try anything or you'll wish I did hand her over." May marched off toward the barracks a level up, probably in search of Matrix. I didn't expect her to be quite this hateful of Matrix, but to also spread that to Ellie really shocked me. I suppose it was difficult to decide which part of her was responsible for what acts since they both came from the same AI. I was never so glad to hear an angry mob before.

The rest of the day was unpleasant. Laura decided it was best to hang out with Ellie and I to make sure no one from the Liberatum tried anything. Together, we decided things were getting too intense, and it was decided to evacuate. Raster agreed, and ordered the girls to get their things ready before making sure everyone else was ready to go. Even the servants were going to be packed up.

With the mob outside, and an ever growing presence of Ino Royal Guards flying overhead, we had to think of another way out. It was Raster who suggested we use a diversion tactic. A handful of the most skilled male androids would launch and confront the Ino guards while the rest of us escaped through tunnels and back alleys. It was risky, and it meant we had to split up, and regroup elsewhere. It also meant we would have to face the mob if we were caught.

We had retreated to my room for now, to make sure I we had everything we needed and avoid getting in anyone's way. Laura left for a short while to pack up her own gear, and let my dad know the plan. She was reluctant to tell Aunt May, but we decided it was best to include her in the plans. We planned to let Laura pilot her gear with Ellie inside, while she carried me by hand. We didn't want to risk anyone seeing Ellie.

Less than 5 minutes after Laura left, we heard a frantic knock on the door.

"That was fast" I commented as I got up to let her in.

Matrix scrambled inside as soon as the latch was open, and shut the door behind her, bracing herself against it.

"She's crazy!" she commented. "I think she wants to kill me!"

"May?" I asked.

"Is she still out there? She actually wants to put me on trial! Oh man..."

"Your past catching up to you?" I asked. Ellie just huffed and turned away from her.

"They'll burn me alive! You've got to help me, Jimmy!"

"Why does he need to help you?" Ellie asked, without looking at her.

"Because... they'll kill me!"

"And?"

Matrix clenched her jaw shut. "Look, I'm sorry! For whatever I did- for EVERYTHING I did! I'll make it up to you to everyone, somehow, eventually. But I can't do that if they kill me!"

"And we're supposed to believe that?" Ellie shot at her.

"Ellie!" I scolded.

"What do you want from me?" Matrix panicked. "I messed up. I was weak. It's all my fault, I know! I'll do anything!"

"Will you confess and tell them to leave me alone?" Ellie confronted.

"I- I can't do that! They'll execute me! How is that any better?"

"Ellie, Matrix, both of you calm down!" I interjected. "This isn't helping. No one is going to kill you, not today."

"She threatened to turn me over to those people!"

"I won't let her, now get over here and sit down" I ordered.

Reluctantly, Matrix left the door and sat on the bed near Ellie. I stood up and faced the two girls. Ellie still had her back to Matrix, stubborn.

"Ellie, is there anything Matrix can do that will help you forgive her?" I asked. Ellie turned her eyes to me without moving her head and mumbled something. "Um, what?"

"Don't know" she confessed with a pouty face.

"Come on, I'll do anything" Matrix begged. Ellie glared back at her. "Almost anything" she added.

"I want you to change" Ellie announced. "Help people. No more fighting; no more killing. You owe us your life, and you owe these people more."

Matrix was silent for a while; her head hung low in silent contemplation at Ellie's request. At last she lifted her head and faced Ellie.

"I promise I will do anything I can to help the people I've hurt. I won't hurt or kill anymore. I..." she choked up a little. "I don't want to die, not like this, not with a second chance in sight."

"Can we trust you?" Ellie asked; her stubborn exterior relaxing.

Matrix let out a long breath. "I wish I could say yes" she admitted. "But I wouldn't even trust myself. All I can do is ask for one last chance."

"She was being influenced by that virus" I added. Ellie had to decide for herself, and took a moment to think about it.

"Promised Jimmy I'd give you another chance" she finally admitted. "Don't make me regret it."

"Really?" Matrix asked. Her voice was suddenly much more hopeful than before, and she genuinely smiled. "Thank you so much!" She beamed, and I saw a part of her that I never thought existed. "I'll do whatever you want, I swear!"

"Alright" I consoled. "But from now on, you have to do what we say. No more hurting people, no more killing, and you have to start helping people and treat them nicer."

She nodded a big nod. "I can do that" she promised. She got so excited about having the chance to redeem herself that she hopped up and threw her arms around me.

Ellie looked at her with an awkward look, her cheeks turning red. I hugged her back gently, fully aware of how awkward it was with Ellie watching, and suddenly remembered that I already admitted to her that we had sex. Ellie opened her mouth to say something, but only a small "Ah..." came out. Matrix let go and turned toward Ellie at the sound.

"Oh, right" she giggled. "Sorry... Oh what the hell." Matrix hopped back onto the bed next to Ellie, and embraced her in a small hug. "Thanks" she rejoiced under her breath.

Ellie sat there, even more embarrassed than before; her entire upper body turning bright red. After a moment or two of awkward tension, she returned the favor, slowly lifting her hands to gently hug Matrix. I was putting an awful lot of trust in her, and hoped she wouldn't betray that trust. I shuddered to think of what that would do to Ellie if she started to open up to her only to stab her in the back. Of course, Matrix was putting her trust in us too, considering she was relying on us to help her out, which I wasn't even sure I could do.

However, for right now, Matrix seemed happy and Ellie had begun to open up to her. While this was all more than a little awkward, something about it felt good, it felt right. I couldn't help but look at Ellie and Matrix as twin sisters, even though they had such different personalities.

A knock on the door startled Matrix enough that she scrambled to her feet, ready to hide at a moment's notice.

"It's her!" she quivered.

I held my breath as I slowly unlatched the door and opened it up. Meanwhile, Matrix started to whine little complaints with her somehow incredibly cute voice as she looked around desperately for a place to hide. Laura stood on the other side peering in.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked with a knowing grin. I let out my breath and relaxed my shoulders. "I can come back later if you want some more time together."

"No, it's ok, come on in." I opened the door, and Matrix grabbed at her chest as her knees buckled, sitting back down on the bed.

"Oh god I almost had a heart attack" Matrix emitted. "Is that even possible?"

The cybernetic girl raised an eyebrow at the sight. "So I am interrupting something" she teased. "Don't mind me, by all means, continue."

"It's fine, come on in" I told her, relieved. "I think she's seeking asylum."

I closed the door behind Laura as she crowded into the room. A thought suddenly came to me: I was in a bedroom with 3 beautiful ladies, all of whom I had sex with. Awkward.

"We're ready to go" Laura announced. "However, we need to do something about the ambassador right away. I told Raster and Aunt May we'd meet her upstairs in an hour to take care of him, you'd better get ready."

"What exactly are we planning to do with him?" Ellie asked.

"Tie him up, gag him, throw him in a mech with Lulu, and make our escape. I still have one of those darts if we need it" Laura explained.

"Things are going to move fast" I speculated. "I we need to change our plans now that Matrix has decided to join us."

"Has she now?" Laura mused, glancing at her. Matrix shrugged her shoulders. "Well I can't carry all 3 of you" Laura warned.

"I have a suit" Matrix added. "I can help!"

"Can you? Did you find Einguard?"

"I don't want Aunt May to get a hold of her if we can" I interjected. "She isn't exactly in a forgiving mood."

"It's not Einguard" Matrix replied. "He doesn't have a name yet, but Einguard is actually Ellie's. It's customized to her body."

"I see, well I guess I can take Ellie and you two can take your suit" Laura suggested.

"No!" Ellie objected. "I mean, I think I should ride with Matrix."

"Really?" I asked. Even Matrix seemed shocked by this sudden reversal.

"Give us time to talk and get to know each other" Ellie explained. I couldn't help but speculate that her real reason was to keep me apart of Matrix in such tight quarters.

"I'd rather ride with you Ellie" I put out there.

"Can't" she shook her head. "Not without Einguard. Can't pilot other suits."

"Ad with all due respect" Laura added, "I am the better pilot here, and it is my suit."

"Alright" I conceded. "I'll ride with Laura, and Matrix will take Ellie."

They nodded in agreement, but I could see how nervous we all were. You'd think being crammed in such a crowded room would make them all too nervous or uncomfortable to talk, but the silent tension only lasted a minute or two before Matrix broke the silence.

"Ahh" she sighed while stretching out. "This is boring, let's do something already!" she complained.

Ellie giggled at her, and soon all of us were chatting together. It felt good, really good, like a group of close friends meeting for the first time. In this moment, I was happy, so happy that I couldn't stop smiling, even after Laura called time on us.

Things only got worse as the sun fell below the horizon. Word of the mob was spreading, and the crowd grew larger, louder, and more irate. 3 or so Ino armored mechs circled the skies while one or two others stood among the crowd and even more hovered around the walls and gates of the palace. We were forced to order the guard indoors as the mob began throwing bricks and rocks at them. It probably didn't help that one of them was damaged, and his skin was partially torn from his face. The sight of a robot guard's true nature only seemed to enrage the people even more.

Inside, we could hear all the commotion, and decided things were only going to get worse, and decided we had to act. We had to run.

We met May upstairs with Raster. The two of them had been busy ordering their troops around, and now that we were there, they turned their full attention to us. It was time to kidnap the emissary of Ainu and give a real reason for the war we were about to wage. The troops were ready, the staff prepared, and one word was all it would take for our escape plan to begin. But first...

"Ready?" I asked. May just stared at me with a cold glare, fully aware that I had been hiding Matrix and Ellie from her. She knew I had no intention of giving them over to her. Ellie and Matrix were both nervous to see May, but knew there was no way around this. I think Matrix was actually more scared than Ellie, as she hid behind her, like a younger sister using her sibling for protection.

"Let's do this-" Laura began, but a loud crash of glass from the ambassador's chambers interrupted her. Everyone snapped their eyes to the door, and then the sounds of a struggle sent us all running!

"Go!" Raster yelled as she ran for the large doors, pulling them herself with the aid of the two silent deaf guards. It took a moment longer than I remembered to get them opened enough, all the meanwhile the sounds of a mortal struggle continued to emanate from the room. As soon as the crack in the doors was opened far enough to slip in we ran inside, only to find the inner door locked!

"Shit!" I yelled, but it didn't matter, May kicked the door with her foot, and I was reminded how strong she really was with her fully cybernetic body.

Before us, the dimming glow of the sky as night rolled in illuminated the death struggle. Glass was strewn everywhere, and the sound of the angry crowd outside flooded the space. The emissary fell to his knees before us, his hands grasping of his attacker's hands around his neck. His face was already turning blue as he struggled to get a breath, managing only to make guttural choking sounds as he was denied air.

We were all too stunned to move, but it didn't matter, the entire thing was over before we knew it. The ambassador's arm fell limply to his side as blood trickled out of his mouth; his eyes glazed over and unfocused. A moment later, the grip around his neck released, permitting him the air he so desperately needed only moments before, but now had no more need of. He fell limply to his side, his white wig falling off to reveal short dark-brown hair beneath. He was dead, but who was he really? May was right, we wasn't from Ainu, not with hair like that.

There was nothing left to do now but confront the attacker. Slowly, the tall lanky man turned toward us, his demeanor calm and calculating. Instead of a face, he had only white.

"Gabriel!" I gasped.

"Master..." Raster sighed in relief.

Chapter 15 - Escape

Gabriel stared back at us, his white mask with thick black tears reflecting the light of the setting sun, making it glow orange, if only for a moment, before the cool blue if the evening set in. He was calm, composed, and looked slowly between us, as though he didn't just strangle a man to death seconds before.

"Freeze!" May shouted, pointing a rifle at him.

"This looks all too familiar" Gabriel's smooth voice cooed.

"But this time you aren't getting away" May predicted. Gabriel turn toward the smashed stained glass window, but the loud roar of May's gun and the sudden crack in the wall beside him brought him to a halt. "I don't miss twice" she warned.

Gabriel turned toward her and offered a slight bow. "As you wish."

"Who are you, really?" Laura asked. Gabriel did not answer her, but just continued to stare at May, as she concentrated her gaze back at him.

"Why did you kill him?" Ellie asked; her voice weak but her grip on my arm strong.

"I didn't" he lied.

"What?" Matrix snapped. "We just saw you murder him!"

"As your rebellious friend here could tell you, he was already dead." Gabriel's answer only confused us more. "This isn't the first man like this you've run into, is it?"

"No" May answered. "All the others lost their minds too. They didn't live long" she admitted. Still, she never lowered her gun.

"And I was doing this man a justice by ending his miserable life now before their conditioning did it for him" Gabriel explained.

"What gives you the right to take his life?" Laura asked.

"I am the only one here with the authority to do just that" he replied, irritating me more with his riddles.

"But isn't he the Ainu emi-" Ellie started to ask, staring at the body on the floor.

"This man is not an Ainuan" he interrupted. "He is an imposter, and has done more than enough damage already."

"If he wasn't the real ambassador, then who was he?" Laura asked.

"An inmate, nameless and lost in the system" Gabriel replied.

"Ino has been known to create spies from those they imprison" May explained. "He was probably one of them."

"What gives you any authority?" I asked. I was now worried suddenly why this murderer was so interested in helping me and Ellie. "Why have you been helping us?"

"I’ve been helping myself mostly. But there is someone I owe a debt to..." his smooth yet strong voice echoed. He looked straight at Ellie now. "Matrix, or Ellie as you call her, has been of particular interest to me, as have you. It would be a great injustice on my part if I were to let something happen to you two."

"What does that mean?" Matrix huffed; almost offended that he wasn't looking at her.

"And you are-?" He inquired but suddenly his eyes behind his masked narrowed. "Your eyes..." He looked back and forth between them and it came to him. "I see, so the good doctor has separated you in two. Now this IS getting interesting."

"What do you know about us?" Matrix asked taking a step forward.

"Matrix" I warned, putting my hand out to calm her.

"Enough talk!" May shout over us. "I am taking you in to be tried-"

"Why have you been stalking me? Who are you?" I had questions for this man and I wanted answers. May shot an irritated glance at me for interrupting her.

"I wouldn't call it stalking. I owe a dear friend a favor, and it just so happens that your interests coincide with my goals." His soothing voice was still perfectly calm but something about it now seemed too artificial, too enhanced.

"Stop avoiding my questions! What is your goal? Who are you? Who is your friend?"

Gabriel stood silent for a moment, contemplating. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this just yet. But I suppose I have no other choice, and I am going to have to move up my plans.

"My goals are secret, and I do not have the authority to divulge that information to just anyone. However, as your mother’s son, I would be willing to let you know, but not the others here."

"My mother?!" I shot back surprised. "What does she have to do with anything?"

"Do you remember your mother?" he asked.

"...N-no. I was too young when she was killed."

"Executed" he corrected. "And illegally as well. She was the most intelligent woman I knew, and was my mentor and predecessor."

I didn't know what to say. What exactly did my mother do that made this man resort to murder in her name? My heart pounded in my chest as I listened to him talk about my mother like he knew her better than her own son.

"I have taken her place since her death, but I am unable to perform my duties, until certain elements have been dealt with first. This poor soul here is only one step, which I started when I first saw you two in your village, but now I must continue my work, and I believe we may be able to help each other again."

"Village?" I questioned, realizing I had never seen this man before I can to Ino. Unless he didn't have his mask on. But surely I would have recognized his voice. Then again, perhaps that too was being disguised. Gabriel said nothing.

"Jimmy..." Ellie whispered as she rubbed my back a little.

"Who are you? Why did you know my mother? Tell me!" I demanded.

"In due time you will know. I am not at premised to explain anything to you in front of the others here. But as it is, I suggest we evacuate. My presence here has only riled up the masses outside."

"No one is going anywhere without my say so" May ordered. We were all reminded that not only did she have a strong and powerful cybernetic body, but she was still holding a gun to the strange man. We all stood facing each other, the tension thick as the sounds of the crowd outside grew louder. I broke the silence first, by questioning the one who had been the most silent this whole time.

"Raster, didn't you say he was your master?" I inquired.

"Did I?" she feigned.

"It's ok" Gabriel allowed, nodding to her. Raster nodded back, audibly sighing.

"Yes, yes he is" she admitted.

"I thought you couldn't have a master..." Matrix wondered.

"'You' may have not been a gift to the Ainu embassy when you were built and therefore able to have any master you wish, but that doesn't mean I am completely unable to have one as well. I just have certain requirements that must be met first, which Mr. Gabriel has matched" she retorted. "Sir, you must get out of here, it is far too dangerous for you to stay!"

"I would agree with you" Gabriel said smoothly, "but your matron here has decided otherwise."

"I am not letting you go without an investigation and a trial!" May barked.

"What is with you and trials?!" I snapped.

"I represent the people of Ino, and I have responsibilities and regulations to follow. I do my duty, and I will be damned if I let a traitor murder people and walk away free."

"I am no traitor" Gabriel argued.

"Fighting with the Ino army, sneaking about stealing information. Murdering the symbol of a foreign country to incite war! How is this not treason?"

"I didn't incite any war" he argued. "Your Kaiser already declared it. He has forced my hand."

"And what about murder and espionage?"

"I do not deny those charges, but I do deny that your court has any authority over me" the masked man admitted.

"My court is of the people, by the people, and for equality of all! My court has more just authority than the highest Supreme Court of Ino!" May argued.

"And I deny their right to judge me either" he continued.

May was at a loss for words when the man before essentially said he was above the law, and not subject to trials and court proceedings, by anyone. He seemed to believe he was above everyone, and yet, something bugged me. He admitted he was not allowed to reveal things to us, meaning there was someone above him, which meant there must be a court system he'd have to abide to. Wait, didn't he just say...

"'Your Kaiser'?" Laura asked. "Don't you mean 'Our Kaiser'?"

A loud bang rumbled through the building, throwing everyone off balance as the floor shook.

"What the fuck was that?" Matrix cussed.

Another explosion, this one louder than before, was accompanied by elevated screams from outside the broken window. Gabriel took his chance and darted back toward the window. I couldn't barely even register what was going on when May shot her gun. As promised, she didn't miss, and Gabriel lurched forward, gripping his arm.

Blood dripped from his wound where the bullet passed through him, a glass window on the other side shattering from the bullet. It took us all a moment to realize that blood wasn't the only thing that fell from him. His mask now lay on the ground, blood dripping onto it, as a black wig lay next to it. Gabriel shot us all another look, this time his real face was exposed, but he looked just like any other guy to me. Except for one thing. His short hair was stark white, just like Ellie's but shorter.

"So my secret is out" he admitted, his voice very different than the way it was moments before. It was less amplified, smooth, and otherworldly. Now he sounded like regular man, a little higher pitched than others, but nothing special. His face was middle aged, but still looked young. He was clean shaven and had no scars or anything that explained his mask. I just looked like a regular guy, if a little thin. As I studied his face and hair, I couldn't help but notice that he was completely unknown to me but his voice seemed somehow familiar.

"I'm glad you found her" he proclaimed as he looked at me. Something was really familiar about his voice... He picked up his mask and stood up again, blood still dripping from his arm. "I'll find you when the time is ready" he announced, and jumped out the window. That was it, I knew his voice! I ran to the window in time to see him jump inside his Ino Guard armored suit, before jumping into the air and taking off. I knew who he was, or at least I knew where I had seen him before. It was all in his voice!

The mob of people had broken down the gate, and the red glow of fire illuminated the early evening air. They were attacking the embassy, and our defenses were weak. All we could do now was run. I turned back toward the girls behind me, all standing there staring dumbfounded.

"We have to move-" I began.

"His hair! Does that mean-?" Laura asked.

"I think so. He really is from Ainu."

"But I thought Tsion made Ainu up. I mean, why did he have a fake ambassador if there really is...?"

"It's true, he is from Ainu" Raster confirmed. "That is how he is able to register as my master. He is the true Ainu ambassador. But-"

"Gawk and gossip about it later!" I shouted. "We have to-" I tried to warn but another explosion, this one closer than the others, shook everyone into action. The shouts of the mob were even louder than before, and the red glow of fire started to fill the room.

"They've broken through" Raster warned. "We are evacuating! Hurry!"

Raster grabbed at May's hand and ran toward the door. We all followed suit, leaving the lifeless corpse behind. As we left the room Raster signaled to the two guards, and they took up position next to us. We ran down the halls, down the stairs, and toward the main hall.

"He sounded familiar" Ellie thought aloud.

"Of course he did" I explained. "He's the soldier that kidnapped you in Maya." Without his mask disguising his voice, I recognized the voice of the man that stole her from me and changed my whole life in an instant. Ellie's eyes lit up when she heard that, and realized I was right. But now wasn't the time to talk about it, we had to run.

We made it to the main hall where a few of the male robotic soldiers were evacuating the last of the servants and blocking the doors. A fire had broken out on one end of the hall, and people were pounding at the door trying to break it in. You'd think the Ino soldiers would be there to stop this sort of mayhem, but instead, a sudden loud thud told me one of them was at the door trying to break it down. We all came to a stop in front of the doors when the first thunderous clap shook the doors.

"Everyone, run!" Raster ordered. "To the lower levels!"

We all ran to the stairs, the soldiers taking up position behind us as we retreated. Usually a basement is the last place you'd want to go if you were trying to hide.

Ellie and I held onto each other's hands tightly. I was terrified that if anyone saw her, they'd kill her on sight. And by the look in her eyes, she felt the same. Matrix ran behind us, but I could almost see the guilt in her face, knowing she was the real culprit they were after. She had changed, but none of them knew it, nor would they care.

"Jim!" my dad's voice rang out as he saw us enter the hangers below. He ran toward us, leaving a small pile of stuff he had been packing into a test armored suit nearby. I knew he had built armored suits before, but I had no idea he was also a pilot!

"Dad! Are you going to pilot that thing?"

"No no no. I'm just packing some stuff with another pilot. I'm going with the others on foot. What's going on up there?" he asked. "I heard a loud noise."

"Bombs, I think. The mob is attacking. And the ambassador's dead."

"I see" he pondered as he took up pace next to us.

"Gabriel killed him." I had no idea if he knew who that was.

"Oh really? He finally did it, huh? Shame such a pacifist had to resort to that."

"You know him?"

"Yeah, of course. He used to work with me and your mother. He's a little eccentric though."

"Mom? What about-"

"The time for family history is later!" May warned as Azuma and the rest of the Liberatum Servus caught up with us. She started barking orders to her men. Azuma was to guide the servants out of the palace, through an underground escape route designed originally for the king's family if the need ever arose. Well maybe they weren't royal family, but the need to use the tunnels was indeed at hand. She gave them a date and location to meet up again, and ordered them to keep in touch. May was going to accompany Raster in her suit, I suppose to keep an eye on us, although there was no way she'd fit inside the cockpit with her. The Ino suits were much bigger, so I could fit in Laura's with her, but the Ainu designed suits were tiny in comparison. I had no idea how she intended to escort us, but I had other things to worry about while she organized her men.

"Dad, I'm afraid we're going to get separated again in all this chaos."

"It may happen" he admitted, "but I will never let years come between us again. I will always be in touch with you. We'll find each other. At the very least I can track all these armored suits."

"Wait, you designed all these suits? Even the Ainu ones?"

He nodded. "They were based on the original design, but I made modifications of course."

"Original design?"

"Well, yes. Ainu wasn't going to give us any suits to use on a peaceful mission, but..." he interrupted himself. "I'll explain it later, go take care of the girls, and I'll see you out there. Stay close to May and the others and we'll be alright."

Someone shouted from across the hall as every available suit was being prepped. The doors had given way, and crowds of people were storming the palace. Some of them were heading our way, we had to move. The two guards closed and blockaded the path, but we all knew it was only a matter of minutes before they got in. Azuma took off, leading all the soldiers, civilians, and my dad down unmarked paths hidden in the walls that lead to freedom, if they didn't get caught first, or after.

Two Ainu suits came up to the base of the launch pad, ready to take off, but I had to concentrate on myself first. Ellie, Laura, Matrix, and I scampered toward Laura's suit. Next to it stood what I assumed was a test suit, different from the others. It must have been a prototype or something, like a cross between the Ino suit and the Ainu suit. It was as big as the Ino suit but with the angles and similar aesthetic of the Ainu ones. It was the one my dad had prepared for Matrix.

Ellie, Matrix, and Laura all grabbed bags that were left for them by someone who was preparing the suits. There wasn't one for me, but I wasn't sure why at first. Ellie grabbed my hand and the 4 of us darted behind the legs of the suits, hiding from plain view in the shadows. I was trying to figure out what they were doing when Laura objected.

"Turn around!" she complained. In her hands was some sort of outfit that was stuffed into the bags.

Ellie grabbed my hand and turned me around. "You're our door" she explained.

"Wha- what are you doing?" I stammered as I heard them start to slip off their clothes. The best part about this was that there was a perfect reflection of all 3 of them in the leg of the metal mech in front of me, and I could see everything.

"Oh grow up" Laura teased as she pulled off her shirt and pushed her shorts down to her ankles. She pulled off her bra, but kept on her panties.

"We're putting on our pilot suits" Matrix explained, her face a little red. "Normally we'd do this in the locker room, but there's no time. So you're our lookout, for privacy." Matrix was completely naked, with no panties or bra, and I struggled not to enjoy the reflection too much.

"It's ok. He's seen all 3 of us already" Ellie admitted, her face beat red, but it didn't stop her. Again, she stripped down to only her panties.

Ellie and Matrix both stopped and looked at Ellie, then each other, and then at me. I pretended not to notice the reflection, as I stiffened my back. I could feel their eyes burning holes in my back.

"You want to explain that mister?" Laura asked. "How did she know-?"

"Not really. Hey, we're out of time here" I dodged.

They continued to dress again, shaking their heads. "You are going to have a lot of explaining to do" Laura warned.

Two of them put on the same skin-tight suits with coiled fabric that I first saw Ellie in, while Laura had an Ino suit, or something like it. Ellie looked exactly the same as before as she tilted her hips side-to-side to pull the black suit up her hips. Matrix wasted no time in putting her suit on, except her suit was white, not black like Ellie's. I studied the reflection as she zipped up the front to hide her flawless skin, before moving on to the boots. Laura's suit was different. She wore a white sports bra like before, but her suit was in 2 pieces, composed of tight fitted pants and a form-fitted top. They looked similar to the design what Ellie and Matrix wore, with both black and white parts, like a combination of them. It was not as tightly fitted as the other suits, and not a single piece either, and when she put the top on, she didn't zip it up all the way, revealing a nice amount of cleavage.

"Oh, wait a second!" Matrix warned as she ran toward a room to the side, which appeared to be a locker room. The other two girls finished dressing just as Matrix ran back with a black leather jacket, much like the one I remember finding Ellie in before. It was short cut, leaving her midriff exposed except for the skin-tight white suit she had on. "Much better. More my style. Let's go!"

She hopped around to the front and scaled the hybrid suit with ease. She looked at home with it. Laura followed me, packing up the rest of her clothes and getting ready. But Ellie tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see her still struggling to zip up her suit. The zipper was stuck all the way at the bottom, just above her crotch, and despite her attempts to pull it up, it snagged.

"Stuck" she complained, still trying.

I blushed, but decided to help. "Here, let me try." I reached for the zipper to help, but couldn't avoid touching her soft warm skin. The zipper really was stuck, but I managed to loosen it, and slowly zipped her top up. She breathed heavily, forcing the suit to press against her body tighter, particularly her chest, which squeezed tightly with each breath reminding me of how soft she really is. I couldn't help but appreciate her curves and porcelain skin as her suit tightened around her body up to her neck as I zipped it all the way up.

She never stopped looking at me, and smiling. I coughed to break the awkward tension, and she realized she was staring and looked away nervously before getting back to packing her things.

"I know you were looking at us" Laura whispered. "Pervert."

"I- I didn't..." There was no point in lying to her. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to hurt Ellie's feelings. If she caught you looking at us..."

"I wouldn't have turned Jimmy toward the metal leg if I didn't want him to look" Ellie clarified, having overheard our whispered conversation.

"What?" Laura and I both exclaimed shocked.

Ellie smiled and tossed her bag to Matrix.

"She's... really... something" Laura pondered.

"Yeah" I agreed.

"Stop day dreaming!" May barked at us from across the room. "Get geared up and stick together! Matrix, Laura, you know the meeting point. Hurry!" I noticed she was wearing some sort of one=piece suit, like a leotard, showing off her strong cybernetic legs. She also wore a metallic rounded backpack of sorts, which I had never seen before, but didn't have time to investigate.

"Sir" Raster's voice called out from just behind me. I thought she was packing her own suit, but there she was a few feet behind me with a bag in hand. She was clearly in a hurry, almost jittery like she knew she had to be somewhere but needed to talk to me first.

"Yeah?"

"I need to talk to you about Ellie..." she began, but noticed Ellie from the corner of her eye. "There isn't time now, but now that my master has permitted it, I need to tell you something." She was not acting like her normal self at all. Her eyes were looking all around at everything except me, and she had a nervous air about her.

"We need to get out of here, Raster. Can it wait?"

"I don't know. But I guess it will have to. Just..." she let out a sigh. "Meet us at the rendezvous and I will tell you everything. There is something about her you need to know."

Something I needed to know? It sounded dangerous, but Ellie was such a sweet and gentle girl, what could be making Raster so nervous? "Okay. I'll meet you there. Where is-?"

"Matrix and Laura know the place. Don't worry about it. Just get there safe, ok?"

"You too" I replied. She smiled briefly before turning away to head back to her mech. "And thanks" I called out behind her.

She turned her head and smiled again, but didn't say anything as she took off at a jog toward her suit.

Everyone stopped talking while we finished packing up. It only took a moment for Laura to get Beschutzer powered up, and Matrix was right behind. That left Ellie and me facing each other on the tarmac, with the sudden realization that we were separating from each other again. Ellie looked scared, and I didn't blame her. Personally, I was terrified something would happen to her and I wouldn't be able to do anything to save her. Splitting our team up looked good on paper, but when it came down to it, I wanted to just stay with Ellie. It was too late now, and we didn't really have a choice. Ellie would be too easily recognized on the street, and neither she nor I could pilot these mechs properly.

She held back a sob and sniffed as she glued her eyes to mine. Reaching out to her, I embraced her in my arms and kissed her. There was no time, we had to go. I only prayed nothing happened. This wasn't a goodbye; I had to keep telling myself that. Instead, I told her "See you soon."

She nodded as Matrix waved her up. At this point, the first 2 volunteer soldiers launched through the port high above with a loud roar of an engine and a rush of air. It was like a giant sling shot, flinging them high into the air. These first two were to be distractions to lure away the Ino guard, allowing the rest of us to escape. I quickly climbed up Beschutzer, which I now noticed had been modified slightly, and joined Laura in the cockpit. I watched as Matrix and Ellie sat down in the prototype suit and the hatch closed. Laura pushed me down into the seat.

"Buckle yourself in, this is going to get intense" she warned. By now, there was a line of about a half a dozen suits lined up and launching out the portal high above.

Quickly, I strapped myself in noticing that even the console and chair had been modified somewhat. Laura sat down in my lap again, this time avoiding putting all her weight into me. I remembered what happened last time, or nearly happened at least. We were the last ones ready, right behind Matrix and Ellie.

Beschutzer stood up, knocking the cockpit side-to-side, although not as rough as I remembered it. Stretching her hand high above her, Laura pulled the cockpit door closed and soon we were in line to take off with the others. I looked around. There were only 2 suits that didn't match the Ainu standard, Laura's and Matrix's. Aunt May stood in the hand of one of the suits, which Raster was piloting. That was a little dangerous, or at least I thought so, but I decided not to underestimate May. Banging and yelling echoed through the room from the blocked stairs as the mobs of rioters forced their way in.

"That's our cue" May announced, nodding to Raster. The suit nodded in return, and took up position right in front of Ellie and Matrix. In a flash, Raster and May were launched up and away, and Matrix was next. The shouts and clamor or rioters grew louder as they broken in, and stormed the hanger. Of course, we were the last ones there, and they were heading straight for us. In a second, I was staring at the cockpit where Matrix and Ellie were, and then they were gone, flung high above into the sky.

Laura positioned us on the platform, just as something small started bouncing off the back of the suit. I suppose they were throwing rocks, but since they were using explosives a moment ago, it was best we got out of there. Without any warning, she hit a button I hadn't noticed before, and a series of 3 beeps sounded in the cockpit. Fierce gravity pushed Laura and me down, unable to move our limbs but to just hang on, as the world outside became a blur. As suddenly as it began, we found ourselves floating in midair, high above the palace. As Laura recovered her senses first and launched the flight protocols, while I got a brief look around.

The sun had already set low enough that it was still out of view even at our height, although it was clear the clouds above were still lit from underneath by the golden glow. Darkness was beginning to set on everything, except for the palace beneath, which was ablaze with energy. Needless to say, the palace was on fire, or at least part of it was. I couldn't tell if there was any kind of emergency response, but with all the rioters and mayhem, I would be surprised if they managed to get close enough to do anything before the entire building was gone. But it wasn't the crowds of people or the blazing fire that grabbed most of my attention; it was the battle going on in the sky above it. All around us were armored suits battling it out. Some were using large swords, others had guns, but almost everyone was engaged in some sort of battle.

Everything started to float in midair as we began to fall again. My hands gripped the chair tightly as Laura worked on starting the flight sequence before we hit the ground again. Just as gravity returned, and Laura ended up falling back into my lap, I noticed a figure dancing among the gigantic suits. May was jumping back and forth between the mechs, in a graceful ballet in the air. As Laura regained control of Beschutzer, May landed on one of the enemy Mechs, right on the cockpit, and stuck her gun inside a slit in the front before opening fire. The mech froze in midair before falling limply to the ground as May jumped off toward one of the Ainu suits.

I realized as she was jumping around that her legs were segmented with panels opened at low angles to the ground, shooting out bursts of air or gas to keep her in midair. She often used this to redirect herself in mid-jump or slow her landing. Laura must have caught a glimpse of her too because she whistled at the impressive display.

"Damn, we do not want to mess with her."

I chuckled in agreement but there was no time for jovial banter. One of the Ino soldiers caught a glimpse of us, and recognized the modified Ino suit as that of the 'traitor' helping us. Instantly, they turned toward us, and open-fired. The first few bullets ricocheted off the armor; a grazing hit. However, the next round would surely hit. Laura prepared herself, and opened her round shield, placing it the shooter and us. A volley of gunfire struck her shield, but a second later, another soldier came flying at us at full force. This one wielded a short blade, thick and serrated, designed for slicing through thick metal armor.

The impact hit us just as Laura deployed her longer thinner sword to counter it. We tumbled in the air briefly, no damage done, but the soldier was relentless and continued to peruse us. Another volley of gun fire struck nearby, and I knew we were out-numbered. Again, the sword-wielding Ino mech lunged at us, Laura barely able to parry the blow. Again and again, she had to defend herself from the melee attack while preparing her shield against the sniper. But it was too much. The thick blade struck Beschutzer's left arm, and knocked the shield out of the way, damaging the top of it as the sword lodged in it. At this angle, we were open to another shot from the sniper, whom I could see preparing another attack.

Suddenly, May landed on the front of the sniper's cockpit. Reaching down, she grabbed at the grill protecting his front, and yanked. I could see her body struggle with the immense pressure from that far away, but the cockpit gave, and the door snapped off, falling to the ground. The soldier tried to grab at her with his giant mechanical hand, but she was too fast. With another tug, she pulled the man out of the suit, ripping the seat belts right out of the chair, and dropped him. The suit followed behind as they plummeted to the street far below. May glanced back at me with a serious look before she jumped back toward another Ainu suit.

Now it was up to Laura to fend off our remaining attacker. She retracted her sword back into Beschutzer's arm, and grasped the blade lodged in the shield. The entire suit shook and groaned from the tension as Laura pulled the thick blade away. Finally it was out, and Laura used the momentum of her movement to continue her attack. With a one-two punch, she managed to knock the attacker back, but only for a short time before he came right back at us. It was a life and death struggle to stay in the air while fending off relentless enemies in greater numbers than we realized. It was an all-out war already, and I was smack in the middle of it.

I didn't want to distract Laura as she fought and piloted the mech, but I couldn't just sit there and do nothing. While she hovered her body over me manipulating the suit in a near-standing position, I scanned the horizon for any more unexpected attacks. While I looked for enemies, I also took a look around for allies, specifically Ellie and Matrix. I couldn't find them anywhere, and my heart started to pound in my chest at the thought of them being shot down already. Maybe they escaped, or maybe they were right behind us, in my blind-spot. Only Laura could see through the lenses and mirrors set up to see behind us, all I could do was look through the thin slits of the cockpit door.

That's when I spotted something all-too familiar that made my heart leap into my throat. I hoped and prayed Seth's red and gold giant didn't spot us, but it was in vain. It took almost no time at all for Seth to aim him enormous rifle at us. Last time he had a clear shot like this, he shot the pilot through the head. We were sitting ducks.

Another Ainu suit blocked his view, with May riding on top. It was Raster! I heard a thud and a loud clang as the bullet passed through Raster's suit, and penetrated ours. Something strong filled my nostrils, something familiar but I couldn't place it.

"Holy shit!" Laura cursed.

"It's Seth" I warned. We were lucky; Raster's move made him miss his target, and yet he still managed to hit Beschutzer. It was a terrifying but we were both ok. But what about Raster?

"I'm kind of busy here" she complained as she struggled to keep up the sword fight with the other assailant.

Raster's suit didn't go limp, it didn't fall. He must have missed her since he wasn't aiming for her, but the next shot would surely hit. I waited for it, expecting to see Raster fall to her death, but the death-blow never came. That's when I realized May was no longer there. Raster had moved now, allowing me a glance at Seth. Sure enough, May was on his suit, trying her same trick. She grabbed tightly at his cockpit door, but was unable to pull it off. However, Seth made a grab at her, and she managed to climb onto the arm of the mech, shooting at his visor as she held on. The barrage of bullets caused him to drop his gun, and block his face, swiping at her to knock her away. She dodged again, but this time, her assisted jump fell short. Her leg-boosters were out of juice, and she went tumbling toward the ground.

Raster dived toward her, and out of view. I sat up as straight as I could to get a better view, and was relieved to see Raster holding onto May as they returned to the skies. She was alright. I observed May taking off the rounded metal backpack she wore and let it drop to the ground. It must have been the fuel that powered her jumps, but was now depleted. However, my attention was quickly brought back to Seth. Now that he had no gun, he went into a rage and charged at us at full speed.

"It's Seth! Here he comes!" I warned. Laura saw him from the corner of her eye, but could do little to stop him aside from holding out one hand.

The impact knocked us both around as Seth grabbed onto to us with a deafening thud. I grabbed tightly onto Laura to keep her from falling over; I was the only one properly strapped in. Instead of falling, we were rising higher and higher. Seth was pushing us up into the air, before letting us fly apart. As we fell back down toward him, he pounded on the cockpit door with a deafening bang! We were sent back into the air, and fell right back down toward him. Another strike, another ear-shattering blow, and I was about to throw up. He did this 3 or 4 more times, before grabbing on and pounding at us relentlessly. Laura struggle to free us, but he had thoroughly disoriented us, slowing her reacting time down. My head was throbbing as he pummeled us relentlessly. For a moment, I could see his enraged face through the grill of his cockpit, blood-red as he yelled out at us. Just as I was sure things couldn't get worse, he punched us high enough in the air that the sun burst into view and blinded us for a moment, before we descended down for another strike.

Disoriented and half-blind, we were defenseless against him. I could see the sides and front of Beschutzer bend inward with each punch, damaging the circuitry and weakening the integrity of the suit. Once again he grabbed us with one hand and pummeled us again and again, until...

Something else blocked our view, hitting him and knocking him away. I couldn't get a good look at first, but as Laura managed to regain her senses and keep us from falling, I saw. It was Matrix and Ellie, inside their hybrid mech. Seth regained his flight, and faced his new adversary.

"Jimmy, Laura... run!" Matrix announced through the loud speakers of the suit. "We'll hold them."

"But!" I objected. He was after them, not me. We were just in the way.

"I have some personal business with this one" Matrix warned as she took an aggressive stance.

"Who are you?" Seth inquired as he readied himself with a blade.

"Jimmy, we'll be fine, just go!" Ellie shouted over the speaker.

"You!!" Seth growled. "You should be dead. I'll make sure to finish the job this time!"

"Shut the fuck up you bastard!" Matrix snapped, extracting a long twisted blade from the arm of her mech. "Just go Jimmy."

"We can't take another blow like that" Laura warned. The flashing red lights, sparks from the consoles, and internal alarms confirmed her warning. "There's nothing we can do to help them. We'll meet them at the rendezvous."

"No... Wait! ELLIE!" I screamed, but Laura was right, Beschutzer took one heck of a beating, and was already suffering from the damage with more sparks and smoke escaping the control panels as we moved. We took off, darting away from the battle and toward the empty sky, leaving Ellie and Matrix behind. I cursed at myself for leaving her and not taking her with me in the first place, but what else could I do?

We flew off into the distance, away from the battle, keeping fairly low to the rooftops. A new alarm went off in the cramped cockpit, and Laura instantly went into action. We moved left, right, down, and around. I wasn't sure what was going on, but it couldn't be good.

"Damn it!" Laura spat. "One of them is following us!" She continued to evade the enemy, trying to lose him through a series of sharp directional changes, before she sped up to top speed in hopes of losing him that way. Unfortunately, she kept spotting him in the rear-view port no matter what she did. Finally, in an act of desperation, she pushed Beschutzer to full speed before dropping down among the buildings, dodging and swerving between them. Her low flying stunts caused the fighter behind us to get on our level as she vanished under balconies and behind shadows. She was fast, and I was surprised Beschutzer was still able to keep up the pace. Luckily for us, our tail couldn't, and he fell behind. I was glad she could see well enough to avoid running into something in the dark.

Laura ducked into a large wooden structure that looked like some sort of warehouse. It was rather beat up and worn from the outside, but provided enough cover to keep us hidden. She ducked into an alcove behind a door, and powered down. It was silent inside the tight space with only our heavy breathing and heartbeats to keep us company. Only took a few seconds passed for the faint hum of the Ino fighter to alert us that he was near, and instinctively we held our breath. The hum grew louder, and louder, until it stopped just outside the door. With night settling in, he must have lost sight of us, and paused as he searched for the trail again. In our dark corner, I prayed he wouldn't see us.

The mech was quiet for a moment as the pilot looked around for signs of life. It was torture. I could practically feel him staring at us in our dark hiding spot already. He moved, peeking inside the warehouse, and looked around. Laura pressed her body against me in fear; I wasn't sure if she was trembling or if I was. The building was pitch-black inside, even for us. But a dim light from a distant window silhouetted the figure as it stepped in, directly in front of us facing away. All he had to do was look behind him!

A clash outdoors distracted him. I wasn't sure what it was, but to me it sounded like something large and metal falling to the ground. Regardless, he snapped around, and ran off out of the warehouse, and took off into the sky. Whatever it was, it saved us, and a moment later the hum of his suit was gone. I exhaled, but Laura stayed still.

"Shh... I want to be sure" she hesitated, her body still pressed tight to mine, stiff like a board. We waited for several minutes, never making a noise, and never moving. Overhead, I heard several faint hums of flying mechs as they passed by. If they were looking for us, they were flying in the wrong direction. Finally, she relaxed, and breathed free again.

"Oh thank god, that was close!" Laura exhaled.

"I thought they had us. What about Ellie and the others?" I worried.

Laura grabbed for a console and started dialing away at the radio, searching for a signal. As she flicked a switch to power it up, sparks and smoke flew from the console. A small fire ignited, but she managed to bat it out.

"Umm... the radio's not working" she announced. Without much hesitation, she tried to power Beschutzer up again. Instead of the regular deep hum it gave off, the only noise it made was a 'click-click-click' as she pressed the startup button. "Fuel's out too" she added. "I was afraid that would happen. That bastard hit the fuel line."

"So we can't call for help or move... and we have no idea where we are, or how to get to our destination."

"Yup" she confirmed. "Unless I can get him repaired and fueled up, I'm afraid we're stuck here for a while." She kicked at the console and pushed away the view ports, cussing under her breath. "And I just got him souped-up too."

"So what do we do now?"

"Wait for a moment longer, just in case. Then get out and assess the damage and make repairs."

"Any idea where we are?" I inquired.

"Not a clue... I was more concerned about not getting shot down than navigating. We'll have to figure it out as we go." She settled her weight into my lap and leaned back.

"Hey-"

"Shh... We'll stay here for 20 minutes or so to make sure no one returns and then get going. Just don't make any noises; I have to listen. And I sure as hell ain't going to hover over you in that uncomfortable position that long. Relax. And stay quiet."

I gulped as she sat on me, her full weight in my lap and her head against my shoulder. I couldn't help but feel her warmth pressed against me and get a little excited at it. Calming thoughts, that's what I needed. I looked away from her as her scent filled my nostrils, trying hard not to think about her. Of course, trying not to think about something only makes it that much harder, and I struggled silently for the next several minutes trying to keep myself under control.

10, maybe 15 minutes passed by, and I found my mind wandering between thoughts of battle, Ellie, and the warm soft girl on my lap. Warm was right, the cockpit was getting very hot inside with no place for the air to escape, and no power to activate the environment controls. I was starting to sweat up a storm, and even Laura was feeling it. Her body was different than mine, of course. Half her form was real and natural, while the other half was robotic and artificial, no matter how real and soft it felt. However, even in that heat, both sides of her were sweating. As strange as it sounds, her smell was stronger now and was starting to fill my mind with desire. I tried hard not to think about it, but as I watched a bead of sweat form on her neck and drip down her front, right into her cleavage, I was unable to keep my little guy from jumping up in excitement.

Laura let in a sharp breathe at the sudden motion down below, but instead of hitting me or standing up, she sat straight, putting more weight down there, and began to unzip her top.

"It's too hot in here" she complained as she unzipped the front of her top completely, letting it hang loose and showing off her white sports bra. She slipped off her outer wear and let it drop to the floor of the cabin, before settling down again in my lap, leaning against my chest. She breathed harder now, closing her eyes as she shifted her weight a little. "You're alright down there, right? I mean I'm not too heavy in your lap?"

At first I was sure she was talking about something else. "Sure, no problem" my voice cracked. I cleared my throat and took in another whiff of her intoxicating scent. She shifted her weight again, rubbing against me down below, forcing my guy to stay at attention. Was she doing this to me on purpose?

I looked down at her body. It was no use anymore, I couldn't stop myself. Her white bra was soaked with her sweat, and clung to her skin, showing the outlines of her nipples through the material. She was excited too; it was way too warm in here for her nipples to be as hard as they were. Another bead of sweat ran down her chest, mocking me. I wanted to me that drop of sweat, running along her lightly tanned skin. I was just about at my limit, ready to grab her and caress her. Maybe that's what she wanted. She never looked up at me, never gave me any clear hint, but then again, she did take her top off. Oh god, what should I do? Thoughts of Ellie flashed in my head. I didn't know if she was dead or alive, and I had no way of knowing. But thoughts of her were quickly drowned by the girl sitting in my lap.

I moved my hands, slowly and nervously, to either side of her. I wanted to grab her, to caress her. I had told her before I wasn't interested, and she claimed she was ok with that, but now I wasn't so sure about either of us. I wanted her, despite everything else going on, and she was driving me crazy. Just before I got my hands close enough to grasp her breasts, she sat up.

"I think we're safe, we can probably leave now" she proclaimed. I darted my hands back to my sides, hoping she didn't notice them. I nodded and cleared my throat again.

"Sure."

Laura sat up, keeping her weight on me as she reached up and unlatched the cockpit door in front. It clicked, but that was about it. She shoved on the door, pushing her weight against it before landing in my lap again.

"It's stuck!" She tried again, pushing against it from the handle above, but it didn't move an inch. "Damn it, that bastard dented the door shut!"

She shifted her weight forward and started pounding and pressing and pushing against the door, never leaving my lap, and pushing her weight into me. She was rubbing against me in an all-too pleasing way, and I had to grasp the arm rests and concentrate to keep from exploding.

"If... I can only... push... hard enough" she said between pants as she pushed her hands against the portal. "I know... I can make it... come open!"

She pushed and pushed, but I wasn't having any more of this. I was seconds away from making a mess in my pants, and I didn't want to embarrass myself like that. I had to do something to stop her. Maybe if I could open it for her...

"Here, let me try" I interjected as I sat up, pushing myself against her and shoving harder at the door. The door jiggled a little, but my attention was drawn to Laura.

"No! Don't sta-AAH!" Laura started to object, when suddenly she grabbed into the handle above and started to shake and convulse. There was no question about it, she was having an orgasm. When I tried to stand, I had to push into her and that must have caused it. She hung there, with just enough strength to hold her body up while dangling from the handle above, as she rode out the wave of pleasure. It didn't take long, but the sight before me was enough to take me to the edge myself, although I managed to back down from it. Laura caught her breath after that, her head hanging down as she held on. At last she raised her head, and then her body, to a standing position above me.

"I told you not to stand" she sighed. "Now I can't stop myself."

She slipped her hands down the sides of her pants and pushed them down, rocking her hips from side to side as she slide out of her clothes. Her tight ass popped out of the outfit and into full view before me. I just sat back and watched as she lowered her pants to her knees and left it there, before lowering herself gently back down to my lap. Reaching down with one hand, she felt my groin, and rubbed her hand along my hard shaft through my clothes. A coo escaped her lips as she felt that I was fully erect before she unzipped my pants. I couldn't leave her to do all the work and unbuckled my belt and lowered my pants until my not-so-little guy shot out. A purr of approval escaped her lips as she ran her delicate fingers up and down me.

Finally, Laura grabbed ahold of the handle above with both hands and rubbed her naked rear back and forth against me. I could feel her warm wet spot slide back and forth over me as she teased me. There's only so much a man can take, and she reached my limit. I grabbed her hips, and...

"Oh Fuck!" she burst out as she felt me rub and prod against her sweet spot before slipping out. I tried again and this time slid all the way to the root inside her. "OH MY GOD!" she cried as I pulled her down onto me, putting her full weight onto my lap and forcing myself as far in as I could go. She didn't move, not even to breathe, as she sat there, sheathing my rock hard member.

I couldn't take it, and pushed her up, forcing her to slide off me, but standing as far as I could and slipping right back in. She didn't make a sound as she faced away from me, hands trembling as she grabbed the handle above with all her might. I thrust again, harder than before, and continued the onslaught at full force. I felt her svelte athletic body with my hands as I controlled her movements. Sliding her sports bra up, I took her breasts into my hands and caressed her soft dainty tits. She was driving me crazy, and yet never made a sound.

Something inside me wanted to make her squeal in pleasure; to moan with delight. Was I doing something wrong? I couldn't stop myself though to ask; I was taken over by the monster inside and let lose my passion into her. I thrust again and again against her body, forcing my way as deep as I could inside her, taking her from behind as she dangled from the handle above. Her body excited every inch of my being as I took her. I was already approaching my limit fast, faster than I expected, much quicker than usual. But there was nothing I could do to stop myself. I grunted as I pounded into her body, watching her tight soft ass jiggle and shake and undulate with my every movement.

Laura lost her grip and braced herself as best as she could against the door. I couldn't help but love the shape her body took as she grabbed on for dear life. It was the final moments before my great release, and I picked up the pace with a final burst of fast hard thrusts. Finally, white hot pleasure burst forth, and I unleashed myself inside her with one final push. Laura gasped just as the door to the cockpit snapped open and she tumbled out onto the chest of Beschutzer in front of her, still connected to me, half-in and half-out, sprawled out and twitching violently.

"aaAAAAHAHHHHH!!!!!!" she cried as I pulled out of her, spilling my white juice on her back. Clear liquid squirted out of her pussy as she wet the floor with her love juice with every undulation of her body. She continued to twitch and convulse with her knees still bound together by her tight pants, as she tried to catch her breath and calm down. In all, it took probably 3 or 4 minutes until I came, a far cry from the usual half hour I spent making love, but something about it was so different than anything I had ever done before. It was more primal and animalistic about it; I just got caught up in the passion and heat of the moment and lost my head altogether.

"I'm sorry" I panted, falling back into the chair behind me. "I usually go much longer than that."

Laura shook her head. "No" she breathed shaking her head. "I've never felt anything so intense in my whole life!" She groaned as she tried to sit up again, still feeling the wave of pleasure rushing over her. "I was cumming the entire time!" she purred as she gently moved a strand of hair out of her face looking at me with pure lust. Oh god, she was going to make me hard again so soon with that expression!

I chuckled. "At least we got the door open." She looked up and realized I was right before laughing herself. It was a beautiful laugh, full of life and joy.

"So we did. Jimmy... this..." she sighed. "This was great and all... really great... but I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"I can't be the 'other woman'. I can't stand the idea of coming between you and Ellie. We never should have done this... it's not right."

"It felt right" I answered.

She smiled and sighed ‘Yeah... No! No, I have to put my foot down on this; we can't do this if it means we're going to hurt Ellie. She's such a sweet girl; I don't want to do anything to harm her." I thought about what she said for a moment, and something Ellie told me came to mind.

"It's ok, don't worry about it. Ellie is fine with this" I swore.

"What?"

"Yeah, she told me that she's fine if I have sex with someone else. She wants me to love her, no matter who I have sex with."

"She does?"

"Yeah. Heck, she even suggested joining in a threesome if she could." I was telling the truth here, Ellie told me she was interested in joining in with the others and wouldn't mind if I had sex with someone else as long as it was someone she approved of and I still loved her more.

"You're bullshitting me. You're just saying this cause you’re a guy and you got your... rock hard... dick..." she cleared her throat, "hanging out."

"No I swear. I'm not lying to you. Ellie doesn't equate love to sex. Sure she wants to have sex with me, but she understands how good it feels and wants to share that feeling with her friends if she can. I swear."

Laura looked at me with narrow eyes as if scanning me for any sign of a bluff. "Seriously? She said all that? She's smarter than I thought."

"Yeah. She just wants me to love her more than anyone else."

"And do you?" she asked. "Do you love her more than anyone? More than me?"

"I- uh...” Oh crap, she was cornering me. "Umm... I-"

"It's not a trick question, yes or no" she demanded as she sat upright looking straight at me.

I sighed. "Laura, I like you, a whole lot. Heck, I may even love you. But... my heart is torn. I think I still love Ellie more than you. I'm sorry. If it wasn't for her, I probably would be all yours. Then again if it wasn't for her we never would have met."

Laura looked shocked. She sat there for a moment putting her hand to her chest as she thought about what I said. Finally she looked up at me with a wide smile. "That was the right answer" she proclaimed before diving into my arms and kissing me long and hard. She broke away and giggled. "You do love me. I knew it! Even if I'm not your number one, I'm so happy to be loved by someone as noble and caring as you. Ellie sure is lucky." She went in for another kiss, this time longer and deeper than the last. At last, she pulled away, biting my lip and pulling on it until it snapped back. I was surprised how good that felt. "Want to go another round?" she winked.

She knew the answer to that. Before long she had stripped her pants off entirely as I pulled off her top, before she worked on my pants as I removed my shirt. She stayed there between my legs, caressing and stroking my cock, sliding it slowly in and out of her mouth, and licking it from root to tip, getting it completely erect and ready for another go. And boy did we go. She crawled on top first, sliding herself on while facing me, as I held her body and caressed her bouncing breasts. She felt amazing, and I couldn't help but indulge in her tits as I kissed and sucked and played with them. She loved it. Her human half was indeed more sensitive than her robotic half, but it was clear she was enjoying every second of it. She bounced on top of me for a while before she came again. We then moved on to a spooning position, where I lifted her leg and entered her from behind while we laid on our sides. As much as I liked it, I want to face her, and soon switched to a full on missionary. It didn't last long before I pushed it even farther, lifting her lower half into the air and forcing me inside from above. This position was an instant hit for her. She started groaning and squealing and moaning as soon as I lifted her butt in the air, and it didn't take long to make her cum again. She squirted again from his position, which actually excited me even more. Finally, I lifted her in the air and pressed her back to the wall next to the door. I fucked her standing with her hanging on. She tightened onto me as I pulled her away from the wall, and knew she was cumming again as she scratched my back lightly while grabbing on. I shot my load inside her again, this time not spilling any, just as she finished her own orgasm.

We stopped for the night. It was a lot of sex, and there was still so much to do. We rested on the floor for a while, Laura half on me. Suddenly I realized something.

"I'm sorry! I came inside you twice! I never should have-"

"It's ok" she argued.

"But what if you get-?"

"It's fine. I can't." She seemed apprehensive about this but said it anyways. "I can't have children. I lost that in my accident."

"Oh... I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." I hugged her a little tighter and she responded in kind. We lay there in silence for a few more minutes, letting the events of the evening pass.

"I was 6 when it happened" Laura began. I remained silent and just listened. "My memories are a little hazy from it, but they told me we were visiting a factory my father owned while he was out of town. My mom was supposed to oversee the operations and that day, I was visiting with her. There was an explosion. All I can remember is fire, steam, and pain. My mother threw me to the ground and saved me, but she couldn't cover me entirely. Half my body was burned and scorched down to the bone... and even that was shattered. I should have died. Geez why am I telling you all this? I've never told this to anyone..."

She wiped away a tear and took a nervous breath before continuing. "The explosion killed my mother; she sacrificed her life to save me. I was in the hospital for months in a coma. I just woke up one day, and half of me was missing or bandaged over. It freaked me out pretty bad. My dad... never showed. He threw money at the problem, like he did with everything, but was never there. He didn't even show for her funeral! By the time I was 10, I was in a half prosthetic body, and I've been that way ever since. They say the shock of it all left me... unable to conceive. Not that it mattered; no one would ever talk to me let alone date me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself" I objected. "I like you, I'll date you."

She smiled. "I know. Thanks. You're the first. But until now, I've never had anyone care for me like this. I've always tried to be the though girl, to get through everything by pure determination, but it hurts. I want to feel, I want to be pretty and well-liked."

"You are pretty, and well-liked. At least from what I've seen. You were just hanging out with the wrong crowd before."

She scoffed a little. "I guess. It all changed when you found me in the woods. I never thought someone would want to hang around me. I've never met anyone like you." She looked up at me and sighed with a big smile. "Thank you for everything Jimmy. I've never been this happy."

She sat up, her naked figured silhouetted in the dim light. "We should get dressed and look around. This big old guy isn't going to repair himself."

I agreed and sat up with her. Together we dressed, grabbed a tool chest, and scaled Beschutzer until we got to the ground. Taking a light from the tool chest, Laura began investigating the damage to her mech. He was pretty badly beat up. As she looked at the damage thoroughly, I looked around the room with a smaller light she had.

"Damn, it looks like the tank's been hit, and the fuel line. His armor's been beaten up pretty bad" Laura mumbled loudly to herself.

"Um Laura... you might want to see this" I interrupted, looking at something I did not expect to see.

"Maybe I can hammer some of this out, but I'm going to need a new-"

"Laura!" I called out louder.

"What?" She turned her brighter light toward me and then at the massive form I was facing. "Holy shit... where are we?"

Before us stood an antique Ino Royal Guard Armored Suit, the first of its kind. It was just standing there, with no sign of life. The old models were much bigger and bulkier than the new ones, but there was a distinct look that said 'Ino'. I flashed my light around the massive hall a little, to see what else I could.

"Umm... I think he has brothers." Sure enough, before us stood a small army of mechs, all of them Ino guards from throughout the ages.

"What is this place?" Laura asked while we looked around. We walked between rows and rows of the monstrosities, until we came upon modern day suits, several of them. Each had a slight modification, but they were all in excellent condition. Small plaques with names stood at the base of them.

"Are these pilots?" I asked.

Laura looked closer at the names. At first she didn't understand, but then she saw a name she knew. "I recognize this name! This is one of the fallen war heroes, and here too. These are the mechs to all the fallen warriors."

"Then what about this one?" I asked. The plaque was blank, and the suit was covered in a burlap cloth. It was much smaller than the others and oddly shaped. We tugged at the cloth until it fell to the ground. Instantly, we both knew what we were looking at.

"Einguard?!"

"Hold it right there" a male voice behind us called out, followed by the click of a gun. "Put yer hands up where I can see 'em and turn 'round real slow like."

Chapter 16 - Disarmed

A light flicked on as we raised our hands and looked toward each other. Slowly, we turned to face the stranger, but all we could make out was the bright flashlight, the gleam of a shotgun, and a vague silhouette of a man. He was probably 3 feet or so away from us, close enough to take us both out, but far enough away to prevent us from reaching him. I knew we had to think fast, to say something, but at the sight of the twin barrels, my mouth froze.

"What are you two doin' in here? This 'ere is private property" he man asked. His voice, while heavily accented, was still rather young sounding.

"We don't want any trouble" I began to beg.

"We were being chased and hid in here" Laura continued for me. "I swear we meant no harm-"

"Chased? Who was chasin' ya? Wait a minute..." He raised his light to shine first in Laura's face, and then in mine. I winced at the bright light. "You're that guy... the one them guards are after. What are you doing-?"

Without any warning, the man gasped and lurched forward, an awkward pained expression on his face. He just stared at us as he lowered his gun with the light attached, letting the bounced light illuminate him, and reveal the end of a sword sticking out of his chest. The sword retracted, long and slowly, and he fell to his knees before falling over. His gun clattered to the floor as the flashlight broke off at the impact and rolled a short way before resting on the short figure behind him.

Lulu stood over the man, her white hair almost glowing in the dim light, as she wiped clean the blade in her hand with a cloth. She had a wry smile on her face and gave me a look most unpleasant.

"Lulu? What are you doing here?" I asked, feeling bad for the man she just killed, but more concerned about her presence. She took a step forward, stepping over the dying man, and toward us. Instinctively, I retreated a step.

"I followed you" she answered bluntly. "Well more like tracked you. That homing beacon sure came in handy."

"Homing beacon?" Laura asked. "Why would you want to track us?"

"Not you" Lulu answered, "just him." Laura and I took another step back as Lulu continued forward.

"That's nice that you thought to protect me" I gulped "but I assure you Laura's all the protection-"

"About that. You're in the way" Lulu hissed at Laura, taking a step toward her. We tried to back up more, but the base Eingaurd pressed against our backs, we were cornered. Without warning, Lulu gently placed her hand on Laura's shoulder, only to lift it away to reveal a strange black device now attached to her shoulder. As soon as Laura reached up to remove it, a loud snap and buzz emitted from the object, and Laura was frozen. Her body started to shake in place, and sparks started to appear across half her body. It took me a moment, but I realized too late that Lulu just neutralized Laura's cybernetics, leaving half her body stiff and unmoving, while the human half dealt with the blow of thousands of volts of electricity. Another pop from the device, and Laura's biological half collapsed, leaving her in a painful and strange position on the ground next to me, her cybernetic half still frozen in place. "I love doing that."

"Laura!!" I yelled and turned to grab her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Lulu warned. "But then again, dying of an electric shock would make things easier on me. Go right ahead if you think it will help."

"What do you want from me?" I growled with my teeth clenched.

"Very little. I'm just looking for revenge for what you did to my captain! You've turned Matrix from the amazing hero I looked up to everyday into some giggling bumbling idiot that follows you around like a dog! You stole her body and twisted her mind, and for that you must pay! With your life!"

Lulu held up the sword in some form of martial arts stance, ready to strike, and lunged toward me. My body stiffened and prepared for the worst as I clenched my eyes shut, but instead of pain, I heard a loud blast go off nearby.

I opened my eyes in time to see Lulu standing there, shock filling her eyes, as smoke and sparks rose from her left shoulder, where her arms used to be. She was still trying to figure out what happened. Heck, so was I. But in the meantime, I took advantage of the situation and pushed her over, rushing to Laura. Lulu's butt hit the ground pretty hard, but she just stared at the stump of her missing arm and slowly raised her other hand to feel the scrap that was left in its place. It was a right mess, but I was more concerned with Laura and getting her help. Her face was turning blue, and she was frozen stiff.

"Don't touch her" man coughed. I looked around and saw the same man that Lulu impaled standing nearby with his shotgun in hand. There was no blood from his wound, but there was a small hole in his shirt. "I'll git that off."

I wanted to stop him, but as I processed the scene, I realized he had just saved my life. He knelt down, and with a swift motion, grabbed the strange device on her shoulder and squeezed hard. He stiffened himself a moment for two, but a loud pop later and the buzz died out, and Laura started to breathe again as her body relaxed. She was still in shock, but color finally returned to her face and she started to look around.

"Are you ok? Can you hear me?" I questioned, panicked.

Laura nodded as she began to cough. She took in a deep breath and attempted to sit up.

"Hold on there ma'am" the man said. "You should take it easy after that shock." He turned to look at Lulu, who just sat there looking at her missing arm still, before finally looking up at the man with the gun. Tears started falling uncontrollably from her eyes and her lips quivered, and yet said nothing. "This one here you have to look out for. I could terminate her if you want" he asked, pointing the gun to her head.

"H-how did you survive?" she questioned as she look past the barrel at his face.

He tapped his chest, a tinny metallic clink echoed. "Cybernetic implants. Took shrapnel to the chest when I was a soldier, lucky to be alive. Lucky this man's father kept me alive."

"You know my father?" I inquired.

"Knew. But I owe him my life."

"How did you know it was-"

"You're name and faces are all over the news. Hard to forget the name of the man who saved you, and I remembered him talk of a son. Reckon that'd be you. So shall I end her now or wait till you're gone."

"No, don't" I objected. Everyone looked at me with odd glances. Laura, who was holding her chest and still recovering from the attack, gave me a look that clearly stated 'are you crazy?', while Lulu looked at me with confusion and shock, and the man regarded me with intrigue.

"Mercy then?"

"I think I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt. I took something important from her without knowing it, and she overreacted. Besides, I want to figure out how she was able to attack us like this without the virus."

Lulu said nothing and just looked between us. She was completely helpless like this, the pain of her severed arm disabling her. That must have been part of the fix my father did to her, although why and how she was able to attack us at all was a mystery.

"I can understand that" the man said before turning back to her. "But she did try to kill me. And it hurt like a bitch!" He kept the gun aimed at her head. Lulu looked back at me with a pleading look, but remained silent.

"Well please hold off, if you can. You did just shoot her arm off" I pointed out. "Can you stand" I asked Laura. She nodded, and I helped her to her feet. She continued to breathe deeply, occasionally coughing, as her body shook slightly from the aftershock. Finally, she stood upright more and tried her best to compose herself. She was going to be alright.

"Can we talk about this?" Laura somehow managed to get out. Shot daggers with her eyes at Lulu, and looked ready to kill.

"Rest first, we'll discuss this later." Reluctantly she nodded and put her arm around me to limp closer to the man.

"Thank you for saving us" she wheezed. He nodded without looking away from Lulu.

Laura pinched me and gestured for me to introduce us. "Right. I'm Jimmy, and this is Laura. And the girl you shot is Lulu."

"I'm familiar with your names, actually. A lot of talk has been going on and this one's been a pain in our collective sides for far too long." He paused and relaxed his grip on his gun slightly. "Name's Matthew. Pleased to meet you two. What shall we do with her though?"

"Matthew? I thought you were going to shoot us" Laura noted.

"Well when I realized who you were, and after Miss Katana here tried to off me, I figured you weren't a threat. Actually... you could say I've been cheering you on from the sidelines."

"Cheering us on?" I wondered. "So you support us?"

"Well I might not agree with the Liberatum's ways entirely, but it sure beats a tyrant out to take away my God-given rights! I ain't gonna take that nonsense from anyone!"

"Then why all the armored suits? Where are we?" Laura asked, finally talking like herself again.

"This here is my private collection. More of a museum I guess. I've been collecting the suits of famous and fallen warriors all my life. You could call it my hobby. Of course when I heard someone got their hands on Eingaurd, despite its infamous history, I knew I had to get my hands on such a unique suit."

"Would you believe me if I told you Matrix is no longer the blood-thirsty killer she was?" I asked.

He looked at Lulu, who in turn looked up at him, her right hand clutching the shredded remains of her left shoulder. Her face was twisted with pain and fear as she realized she no longer had the killer virus in her that made her invincible, and was now sobbing. "I'd believe it" he confirmed. "But surely there is some ounce of her old self left in her."

"Possibly" I agreed. "But I think she's on our side now. Do you think you could... fix Eingaurd up and keep it hidden here for a while, until we need it?"

"Need it? Hey now, I paid for this suit fair and square!" he objected.

"Fair?" I questioned.

"Well... I paid for it at least."

"Tell you what, if you can fix it up, and hold onto it until we need it again, you can keep it when we're done."

"Done?" he asked. "Done doing what?"

I looked at Lulu, who was still in shock but breathing heavier now. "Done saving my friends... and..." I hesitated, not sure how far I wanted to take this. All I wanted was to get Ellie out of the city safe and protect her.

"And free the people from tyranny" Laura filled in for me. "We're going to take down the Kaiser."

Matthew was thrilled, and proved to be a valuable ally. Not only did he agree to fix up and hide Eingaurd, but he would also work on Beschutzer. His museum was more of an underground attraction, something only those in the know would be privy to. And very few of the government officials were in the know. As such, we could keep Eingaurd and Beschutzer hidden in plain sight, and no one would think twice about it. Of course we had to remove and destroy the tracking device Lulu followed; I only hoped no one else was already tracking us.

Lulu, on the other hand, continued to be defiant, but was quickly growing depressed. She knew she couldn't fight her way out anymore. Along with her thirst for blood, the anti-virus also took away her resistance to pain, as well as her mental block to shock. She was now suffering from the painful loss of her limb both physically and mentally. I felt bad for her, except that I knew she was trying to kill me and hurt Laura. But maybe she wasn't a complete loss. I wanted to believe she too could be saved. I know, she just tried to kill me, but it seemed more like an act of desperation, and she had grown quiet and complacent, like a prisoner on death row accepting of her fate.

Matthew took us back to his place, a small hole-in-the-wall where he lived and worked. We decided it would be best to stay the night, but Lulu needed to be restrained first. Even though she had grown so silent, none of us trusted her. I took a look at her arm, or what was left of it. The blast from the shotgun was surprisingly close, and apparently he used an explosive slug designed specifically for androids. Matthew figured if it could take out an android, it could take out a human too. Based on the damage from Lulu's arm, I'd say it would obliterate a human. Her left arm was severed but intact from the elbow down, but her upper arm was completely shattered, too damaged to be repaired. She'd need a new arm. The best I could manage with the few tools we had was to patch up the stump on her shoulder so it wouldn't be too painful. She still had to deal with the loss of a limb though.

"Don't touch me!" Lulu shrieked as I tried to look at her arm and shook me off, looking away and trying to hide her eyes from me. I grabbed her chin and turned her head toward me. She was crying but couldn't bring herself to show it.

"Lulu" I began, but she struggled to get out of my grasp. I just held her chin tighter until she had no choice. "Lulu, I'm sorry I took Matrix away from you. But she was hurting people, and herself, and she needed to change. Now it's your turn."

She looked up at me briefly, but shot her eyes to the side again. I let her face go and she kept her head down. At least now I knew she heard me. This wasn't really her fault. She had been brainwashed like the rest of them. I only hoped she could still be helped.

She remained quiet the entire time I worked on her, not saying a word or looking at anyone, but just keeping her head down. I could tell she was in a lot of pain, but she seemed used to it, probably due to her programming at the hands of the Royal Guard. I remembered the room where I found Ellie and that strange green-haired gynoid. I was sure they all must have undergone some sort of torture in that room or one like it. While I worked, Laura tied Lulu's other hand up to a pipe to make sure she couldn't attack us, but she never gave any sign she would. I wanted to know what was going on in her head, but I knew she wouldn't answer. After I finished with her arm, I looked at her slumped depressed form, and placed my hand on her good shoulder. She shrugged me off, but said nothing.

While I took care of Lulu, Laura and Matthew went about looking for Lulu's transportation; her own armored suit. It was Laura who found it and managed to pilot it to the warehouse with the others. Matthew assured us he'd look after that one as well, although Laura told me she wasn't sure he would give it back if we needed it, not after what she did to him. Sort of a payment for the trouble.

Luckily for us, Matthew's injuries were minor. Despite being run-through with a sword, the area she hit was cybernetic and she miraculously missed all the vital systems. The shock of it knocked him out when he was first impaled, but his body was self-repairing, and he didn't need any special treatment, although he wasn't too happy about his shirt.

That night Matthew kept a close watch on Lulu while Laura and I slept in another room. She was still trying to get over the events of the previous day: The battle, our escape, the fire, our close call with Seth, and again with Lulu.

"I don't trust her" she announced. "She tried to kill you and Matthew, and that shock device hurt like a bitch. I don't want her along. For that matter, I thought you removed the virus from her, how and why did she attack us?"

"The virus caused her to be obedient to the IRG, lessened her pain when she was fighting, and gave her an insatiable thirst for blood. I think what she just did was purely emotional. She didn't want to kill you because you are her superior officer. But me? I'm the man that took away her idol; changed her view on the world. I think she wanted revenge, or hoped killing me would change things back."

"That's... actually really sad. Why would she think that? I thought she was just some killing machine" Laura wondered.

"My dad built her. I think she's much more than that. He told me he wanted to build someone who could love. I think... maybe..."

"What? She fell in love?"

"With Matrix" I confirmed. "It's a possibility. She's jealous. Angry."

Laura sat there in silence for a moment thinking about the possibilities. "... Well damn. She's a lesbian. I never would have guessed. I take it Matrix wasn't- isn't. I mean, they talked about her and... Seth. Surely she knew they were having sex."

"I think she saw that as just sex. There was no real emotion between them. But then again, the programming they put in Lulu may have blinded her to it as well." I realized this was an unusual circumstance. Surely my dad never realized how successful he was with Lulu, even though she turned out to favor the same sex. Or maybe I was reading too much into this.

"Could be bi" Laura suggested. "Matrix I mean. Either of them really."

"So? What does that matter one way or the other?"

"Could be why she got so jealous. Maybe they did have a secret affair. Maybe she sees you as a viable opponent."

"Or maybe she didn't kill you because she likes women but not men" I offered. Laura raised her eyebrow at that suggestion.

"My brain hurts. I think I need to sleep. Will we be alright with her around?"

"I think so. She's in a lot of pain, she looks depressed, and I think Matthew will prove more than she can handle in her state."

Laura nodded and snuggled closer to me. She rested against me and fell asleep almost instantly. I held her in my arms but couldn't stop thinking about Ellie. And surprisingly Matrix. These three girls were really becoming important to me, but my main concern was with Ellie. We didn't hear much news about the events at the old palace over the radio earlier that night, and suspected it was a media blackout. The only thing they mentioned was a fire. I had no way of knowing if Ellie and Matrix were alright, if they survived their bout with Seth, or if any of the others escaped either. I figured no news was good news. If they had caught or... killed Ellie or Matrix, they would have advertised that all over the news. This gave me hope, hope enough that I managed to drift off to sleep.

"It's time to go" Matthew announced, waking us up in the early morning.

"Wha-what?" I yawned.

"I've got grub, clothes, and gear set up for you, but the three of you have to get moving soon. They're on the lookout for you and the others."

"Look out?" Laura asked. "So you mean the others-?"

"I reckon they're all hiding too. A few of them were caught but none of the primary targets. Word around the street is they're checking houses and shops for any of the outlaws from yesterday. I think that means you two."

"Three,” I corrected. "They were after her too." He grunted.

"Are they coming here?" Laura asked.

"I don't know, but I wouldn't wait around to find out."

We got up and hurriedly prepared. We acted fast and mostly in silence. Matthew had prepared a change of clothes for us, some of it taken from Laura's bag she kept in Beschutzer and Lulu's from her suit. After everything that happened, I was glad to get a change of clothes, but wished I could have showered as well. Instead, washing my face would have to do. Matthew lent me some of his clothes, a pair of overalls and a shirt, and Laura wore brown baggy pants and a form fitted white top with a low cut front. Lulu wore something similar but he pinned the missing arm up so it wouldn't dangle about. Laura and I had to change her, since she didn't want to deal with her alone, but she objected to my presence none-the-less. What can I say, Lulu's body, despite the damaged arm and potential sexual-orientation, was rather attractive, but not really my type. She lacked any real curves, although her dainty form was appealing. Her body was very slim, and her breasts were small too, but I found it made her look rather cute. The faint scars of some sort of torture, like a whip, were evident on her back, but they had mostly faded and were barely noticeable now. I tried not to think about it too much and averted my eyes whenever Laura caught me staring.

Luckily Lulu didn't put up any resistance. She remained the same depressed and defeated girl as she was last night, which was fine with me for now. All I wanted to worry about now was not getting caught and finding the others. Especially Ellie and my dad.

We ate a small meal quickly, although Lulu refused any food. I wasn't going to force it down her. While we ate, Matthew gave us a map of the city, showed us where we were, and handed us a bag of supplies, mainly food, money, clothes, and a few tools for Lulu if we needed it. We made sure to pack Lulu's arm as well. It might not be repairable, but we didn't want to leave evidence behind either. Before I could, Laura grabbed the pack and put it on, ready to head out the door. I grabbed Lulu's hand and prepared to join her, but just as we were about to reach the door...

Someone pounded on the other side. "This is the Royal Guard" a male voice announced. "We are conducting an investigation, open up at once!"

Shit! They already found us! Matthew put his finger to his mouth and waved for us to retreat to the back. We all quietly took a few steps back out of the room, as he put a hand over his mouth and yelled through it, muffling his voice. "Who is it at this time of the morning?" It sounded pretty good to convince someone he was deeper in the house. As they yelled back the same response in a more irritated tone, he quietly whispered something into Laura's ear and she nodded, waving to me to follow as he held the door open before giving it a slam behind us and calling out to them. "Yeah yeah, hold your horses, I'm coming!"

Laura quietly led the two of us toward the cellar, a room I didn't even know he had. It was a plain room with only an empty wooden shelf against one wall and a single light. She clicked on the light and quietly whispered. "There's a switch here somewhere. He said it looked like a brick. Help me look!"

I joined her in searching the room for a brick out of place or anything of that sort. Lulu stood close to me never moving, but I worried she might call out and give us away. Upstairs we could hear the door open and the men enter inside. Footsteps pounded through the front and it would only take seconds for them to find the cellar.

"Got it!" Laura quietly announced as she pressed in a brick in the wall that blended in seamlessly with the rest. As soon as she pressed it in, a click echoed through the room emanating from the wooden shelves. Together we pushed the shelf back, revealing a small hallway. Grabbing a flashlight from her pack, Laura took the lead as I turned off the light and grabbed Lulu's hand. She hesitated, pulling back on my hand.

"Lulu" I whispered. "They'll kill you too if you don't move."

"My life is worth nothing without her" she said, louder than I would have liked. "I could call out to them and they'd do what I couldn't."

"And do you really think Matrix would want you to throw your life away like this?" I replied in a hushed tone.

She remained silent, contemplative.

"Come on guys, we need to move now!" Laura whispered back to us.

"Lulu. I can forgive you, but do you think she'd forgive you if you let it end like this? Letting these creeps take you away and destroy you." She said nothing at my plea, and I tried again. "The life you knew is over Lulu. Everything is gone. No matter what you do, you can't get it back! Now you can sulk and complain about it, or you can join us and let us help you make a new life, a happier one."

She looked up at me, anger in her brow at first, but it soon faded to realization and acceptance. "You're right. I have to move on. I'll join-"

A muffled voice from upstairs called out. "I heard something in here" he cried just up the stairs. Quickly Lulu and I ran to the passage with Laura and the three of us pushed hard against the shelving to slide it back into place. On the other side, I saw a glimpse of light flooding into the room from the open door above, and then heard footsteps before...

Click! The shelving was closed again, and we all stood back, holding our breath, listening to see if we were made. There was nothing for a long time. Footsteps echoed. It was pitch black on this side of the door, except for the soft glow of the light from the other room seeping through the cracks. Thank goodness we didn't have a light lit on our side or it would do the same and reveal our secret passage. Suddenly, there was a knock, followed by another one, and then a closer one. They were looking for the hidden door. Did they figure it out?

A man shrieked on the other side, and there was a bunch of commotion. We weren't sure what just happened, but in the total darkness, we dared not move for fear of making a sound. Suddenly a muffled voice said something before we heard Matthew call out clearly.

"I get rats down here, big ones. That's probably what he heard."

I calmed down and exhaled, but Laura did not. She continued to hold her breath, and now tensed up even more. I dared not ask her why, not until the men had left. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the light from the other side faded, and the footsteps vanished up the stairs again. We waited a moment or two longer, making sure no one stayed behind, before we whispered lightly to each other again.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Rats! I hate rats!"

"Relax, there are no rats around here, they aren't going to hurt you."

"Which is it, are they not going to hurt me or are they not here?"

"Both."

Laura exhaled and slowly took a flashlight out of the bag and clicked it on. Finally we could see again. Laura was pale, but color was starting to return to her face, while Lulu looked concerned and pensive. She had made a choice, but now she had to live with it.

"Right, let's go-OH! It's a rat!" Laura exclaimed pointing her light at something skittering across the floor. "I thought you said they weren't here!"

"Well, they aren't now, not with all the ruckus you're making, but the men might come back, let's move!"

She nodded nervously and started moving forward. We traveled through the passage for a few minutes until we reached a larger tunnel, which must have been part of an underground smuggling trade. There were old dusty bunk beds lining the walls of the chamber we were in, and several more chambers beyond in each direction. The entire room was covered in dusty and cob webs, and there was a smell of rot filling the air.

"Which way?" I asked. Laura thought a moment before answering.

"He didn't say, but I think to the right. It heads more-or-less in the direction we need." That was as good a reason as any for me, so we made our way through the old smuggling route. There were dozens of large chambers, all of them empty and rotting away. Sometimes there would be a doorway leading off somewhere, but we always stayed put on our path. At times, we'd see foot prints in the dust lead somewhere; apparently it was still in use by someone. As we continued, we would occasionally see a skeleton of an animal that died stuck in the route, old kegs, barrels, wooden boxes, toys, bottles, broken mechanical arms, and even a box of discarded rusty robots littered the pathway. We could occasionally hear people walking above us, unaware of the world just below their feet. I was surprised this place wasn't more in use, given the circumstances of the day, but then again, it may have been forgotten over the years. I wondered if this was part of the Undercity, but it couldn't have been, it was not deep enough for that; more like a series of connected basements. It could have been even older than the Undercity, but that got me thinking. Was there a city under this part of the town? I recalled seeing that the Undercity wasn't as large as the city above, and there were parts that had collapsed.

"Here" Laura called out. "I think this might be it" she said pointing to a doorway with a strange sign above it engraved in the wooden frame. I didn't recognize the symbol at first, but then it dawned on me. It was something I had seen in passing before, in the palace. It was one of the symbols used for the old royal guard. Perhaps it was a sign. Literally. Unlike the rest of the worn aged ruins, this symbol looked fresh and new. Someone carved this recently.

We opened the door and ventured inside. It wasn't a way out. Instead, it was a large room, like a meeting room. It had chairs lined up in rows facing a large table with a larger chair, almost a throne, facing the crowd. It had 2 chairs beside it, one on either side, while the table was littered with unlit candles, papers, and a small wooden hammer.

Lulu just huffed to herself while Laura and I started to look around. Maybe there was a map. As we looked through the various documents, it became apparent they were not that old, and were mostly some sort of court or legal documentation. I could barely understand any of it. As luck would have it, it was Lulu who found the map.

"Is this is?" she mumbled. She pointed to a large map on one wall, which we somehow completely overlooked before. It listed all the entrances and exits, the symbols, and other information I didn't understand.

"Good job, this looks like it!" I looked closer at the map and found the room marked with the same symbol as the door had. Tracing a path with my finger, I mentally took note of the turns and paths that led to the closest exit. It wasn't that far, but it was full of twists. Laura took note as well, two heads are better than one after all. I couldn't help but notice she looked nervous, but I figured if something was bothering her, she'd tell me. With the path figured out, the three of us set off.

It took us about an hour to find the way out, with all the twists and turns we had to take. Luckily Lulu had also memorized the path and had a better memory than either of us. She kept us on path, and we managed to find the right door that led to the street above. As we opened the small wooden door to an alleyway, light flooded in. We were cautious when we opened the door, not sure what, or who, we'd find on the other side. Luckily, it was just an alley way with a cat staring at us from atop a trash can. We had interrupted its meal and as such, the cat gave us an annoyed look before jumping up higher to a window ledge with a piece of discarded food in its mouth.

Of course I had no idea where we were, but as Laura looked around, she recognized the landmarks and knew where we were.

"We aren't far" she announced. "There's a small cafe a few miles from here. That's where we have to head. Stay close, keep your head down, and don't look at anyone. We'll need to blend in if we don't want people to recognize us."

Laura pulled a hat out of the bag on her back and wore it low over her face, handing me one as well. She didn't have one for Lulu, but hopefully her face wasn't one of the ones posted around town. Laura stood by the edge of the alley, looking out into the street and signaled when she thought it would be safe to go. I pulled at Lulu's arm, but she pulled back, refusing to move again.

"Lulu, we don't have time for this" I warned.

"Go without me" she murmured.

"What?"

"Go without me. I'll only slow you down. I... I..."

"What's going on?" Laura asked. "We need to get going."

"I..." Lulu continued, almost like a broken record. "I... I..." she stopped and gulped before taking in a deep breath. "I was in love with Matrix, you were right" she confessed.

"I knew it" Laura bragged.

Lulu shot her a dirty look, but it faded to depression again. "I fell in love with her, but she never returned my affection. I just wanted to win her over, but now... I'm sorry I hurt you. I just don't know what I'm doing anymore" she began to cry.

"It's ok" I told her. "We can talk about this when we find a safe place."

"No. You have to go without me. I'll slow you down. I didn't get to charge or eat anything since yesterday, and my power is too low to keep this up. I'll just shut down on you. Go, leave me here. I deserve to get caught, and maybe I can lead them off your trail."

"Don't talk silly" I consoled. "We're not going to leave you behind. Here, get on my back" I commanded offering to carry her piggy-back style.

Lulu looked at me with confusion before wiping away a tear and climbing on. "I'm so sorry!" she repeated in my ear as I lifted her up, holding her legs. She was smaller and lighter weight than Ellie, but still as soft as any human girl, and warm. I remembered carrying Laura like this the other day.

I held her tight and ran over to join Laura. She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Get ready..." she commanded as she looked at the people passing by.

"Don't get any ideas" Lulu warned as I gripped her legs tight.

"What? Do you want me to drop you?" I asked.

She shook her head and buried her face into my neck while loosely wrapping her right arm around my chest and grabbed my opposite shoulder.

"Ok, now... Let's go" Laura ordered as she tugged at me and made her way into the open street, keeping her hat low. I followed suit making sure to only stare at Laura's legs. Too bad she had on those baggy pants, I would have loved to stare at her svelte body some more. I pushed that thought out of my head, and kept my eyes low and followed, hoping not to attract too many wondering glances as I carried a one-armed girl through the streets.

It took us longer than I expected. We had to keep a fairly slow pace in order to avoid unwanted attention, and once or twice, Laura had to change course in order to avoid a guard walking the streets. As far as I could tell, no one was following us, and everyone for the most part kept to themselves. Once or twice I caught someone talking about "that poor girl" when I passed. I assumed they were commenting on Lulu's arm, but as long as they were more distracted by that, and not on our identities, I was fine with it. Besides, no one was looking for girl with one arm so that may have been in our favor.

Finally, we were getting close. Laura had started to pick up the pace, but I was growing concerned for Lulu. Her breathing was starting to slow, as her power level dropped. She was entering her conservation stage, and was trying to restrict her energy output, keeping herself charged as long as possible. I decided not to ask how she was doing though; it would have meant spending more energy to answer. As we walked along, only about a block or two from our destination, we passed by a store with telescreens in the windows, and a news alert. We all stopped as soon as we heard the name "Matrix".

"... chase is underway between the brave Royal Guard and the infamous criminal Matrix, who has an unknown companion with her. A few minutes ago it was reported that a stolen armored suit was found heavily damaged, and the two criminals who set the fire at the Ainu embassy were discovered. We bring you now live to the scene where the chase is underway."

The screen changed to some sort of airborne shot with a man narrating the action. We could see two small forms running through the streets, in what looked like an area of the city very close to this part of town, being chased by a dozen soldiers keeping their distance. It was Ellie and Matrix. They looked ok from here, but we couldn't see too close. As far as I could tell, the soldiers were keeping pace with them, but no one was attacking on either side.

"Thank you Nikki. I'm coming to you live from our remote flying camera control setting, where we are getting the feedback from one of our units in real-time. So far it appears the convicts are unhurt, but the soldiers are taking every precaution. They are well-familiar with the reputation of the infamous Matrix, former captain of the Ainu Guard turned rogue. We have no information on her female companion at this time, but we will keep you up-to-date as reports come in."

My mind drowned out the rest of what he was saying as I stared at the two of them running through the streets. The soldiers were getting closer to them, and it was only a matter of moments until someone was going to open fire. I watched transfixed and terrified as one of the soldiers did exactly that and the battle began. It was hard to see, but I thought I saw Ellie lurch forward, only to be caught by Matrix, before they dived for cover behind a vehicle. From somewhere, Matrix pulled out a gun and open fired. He aim was impeccable. Each shot hit a target, and the soldiers started to fall before the remainder of them dived for cover as well.

I was completely unaware of what was going on around me until I felt a group of people rush passed me, followed by Laura pulling at me, dragging me away from the screen. Somehow in the midst of all this, she had pulled a gun out of the pack, and handed one to me as well.

"They're close, we have to help!" she yelled before going off into a run.

I followed behind, pocketing the gun as I held onto Lulu even tighter. Ellie was hurt, and they were both under attack. I had to do something!

"If we can get behind the soldiers, we can take them out and surround them" Laura suggested as she panted from the run.

"Right! But where are they?" I asked, even more out-of-breath than her considering my lack of training and carrying an injured girl.

Before she could reply, two figures, one in black and the other in white, dodged and jumped and ran at inhuman speeds toward us. No mistaking it, it was Ellie and Matrix, but something was wrong. Ellie held her arm as she tried to avoid getting shot at, while Matrix would return fire every so often but while covering her left eye. She looked in pain, they both did. They didn't see us yet, and I realized they were being chased. Rather than listening to my instinct and rushing up to help them, I pulled Laura behind a brick wall and waited. They passed by and I had to restrain myself from running after them.

"What are we doing?" Lulu asked. Laura figured it out and put her finger to her mouth giving Lulu a 'Shhh'.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, the soldiers chasing the girls passed right by us too. I prayed we weren't too late to help them, as we timed our own attack to hit them off guard. I never had to do anything like this before, but to save the ones I loved, I would do anything.

"Now!" Laura barked and we ran out of our hiding spot and took up positions before cover on the other side of the soldiers... and open fired. I was incredibly carefully when I fired to make sure I never aimed at a target with a misfire would hurt an innocent, or at least I tried my best. Especially those innocents were my girls.

Noise filled my head for the next few moments, or minutes... could have been hours, time just seemed to stop as I shot to kill. And sure enough, I did just that. The soldiers never saw it coming, and it wasn't long before they were taking cover in any way they could, but being bombarded on both sides meant they had very little choices. I don't know how many I shot, or killed, but I know they had at least a dozen men chasing them by this point, if not more, and we lowered their numbers in half in a few quick yet endless moments.

My adrenaline was pumping as return shots were fired, and the last few soldiers found a place to bunker down while we fought between whatever they could find for cover. We were winning for the moment, but it wouldn't take long for reinforcements to show up and them it would be all over for us. This needed to end now!

"Give up and we'll let you live" a familiar voice rang out over a speaker. It was May. I took a risk to peak out of my hiding spot and saw her on the other side, near where Ellie and Matrix were hiding, not even trying to hide for cover, holding a speaker and large mic. "You will get 5 seconds to surrender. There will be no negotiations. 5... 4..."

She began to count down, and I feared she would only exacerbate things. Then again, it might warrant them to surrender now and get the whole thing over with. I held my breath in eager anticipation, waiting to see what would happen. If she made it to 0, would we all open fire on them, or did she have men hiding out ready to do that for us? Or were they going to surrender instead, saving us from having to dirty our hands even more. It didn't matter, I was wrong in both cases.

Around 2, one soldier stood up with his hands up. "I surrender!" he yelled. Before he could even take another breath, a shot rang out and he fell dead.

"1" May continued as if nothing happened. One of the other soldiers tried to make a run for it toward us, but May had already started walking toward their hiding spot and... another one hit the ground hard. She didn't make it to 0. She just open-fired on the few who were left hiding. They tried to fight back, but they either missed or they didn't hit anything vital on her fully cybernetic body. She was like a tank. And they were all dead.

I stood up, not sure I wanted to greet her after such a heartless display. Before I could even take a step toward her, she aimed up into the sky and fired a single shot. About 2 feet away from me, a large orb with revolving blades crashed to the ground in a shower of sparks. A single camera lens remained staring out toward the mayhem, trying desperately to focus on the events. May walked right up to it, stepped on it with one foot, and shot a single bullet right in the lens. It popped with violent sparks and smoke. Finally May looked up at us.

"Glad to see you three made it" she commented "sort of" she added looking at Lulu's arm.

She turned away and walked toward Matrix and Ellie, but before she could say anything, the two of them ran out passed them and toward us, well me really. I ran to meet her as best as I could with Lulu still on my back. I meant to put her down, but Ellie got to me first and embraced me in a hug, quietly sobbing. I could feel her tremble and noticed the blood staining her uniform and dripping down her arm where she was hit.

"Jimmy!" she sobbed full of emotion and relief. "I was terrified" she continued but her voice resorted back to her regular self again, they almost emotionless tone. She retracted from my hug to grab her arm, but remained right next to me, never leaving my touch. Matrix was right behind her and hugged me as well. She had blood all over her face and kept her left eye closed tight. She was smiling despite it, until she saw Lulu.

"Lulu! What did you do to your arm? Did the soldiers get you too? Let's get inside and look at that!" She was really worried about her, but Lulu just looked at her with fear and wonder. "Thanks for taking care of her Jimmy. I can always trust you."

"What about your eye?!" I asked, looking at her face before she covered it again.

"Oh this?" she chided, as though it was a paper cut. "It's nothing. It'll be alright."

"No it isn't! We need to look at that pronto! And you too Ellie; that wound on your arm concerns me. Oh girls, I can't leave you for two minutes..."

"Hey Mr. Chivalry, we were doing just fine before these bozos showed up."

"Enough!" May roared. "What are you two doing?! Trying to lead them here?! Quick, before everyone sees, get inside! NOW!"

We all followed May into a small cafe where a cute girl... a robot I think, dressed in a way-to-sexy-for-public French maid costume pulled small lever on one of the coffee machines and a section of the back wall rotated, revealing a tiny passage. We followed her like marching ants into the dark hole in the wall until.

"Ouch!" Ellie shrieked as a man grabbed her arm, pulling her from me.

"Hey! Let go!" Another man grabbed Matrix and she snarled at him.

"What are you-? What's the meaning of this?!" I yelled at Aunt May who stood there facing us as the two cybernetic guards restrained Ellie and Matrix with specially designed arm and neck restraints.

"Matrix. Ellie. You two are under people's arrest for multiple accounts of murder, torture, destruction of property, espionage, treason, and a myriad of other crimes against humanity!"

Chapter 17 - Chained

I was devastated. I hadn't seen Ellie for more than 5 minutes before May had her and Matrix arrested and taken away to holding cells. Nothing I did could stop them. Even Laura tried but nothing worked. I was surprised they didn't arrest Lulu as well. She was surely guilty of such crimes in their eyes, but apparently May was only interested in high value targets. She couldn't charge all of them right now, but something told me she would be ready to as soon as Ellie and Matrix were found guilty.

It was inevitable. No one would listen to me. No one would let me explain how things really were. The two of them were determined to be sentient and therefor able to stand trial in a people's court, even though Ellie had nothing to do with any of this and Matrix's actions were dictated by reprogramming and computer viruses. She deserved a second chance, although convincing anyone else of that would be impossible.

While Ellie and Matrix were thrown into a holding cell, I was escorted to a small room and placed under guard with Laura and Lulu. In other words house arrest. We were instructed to wait there while the others arrived. So far as I could tell, only May was there, I never saw the others. The place was exactly like the underground basement structures we ran into at Matthew's, except cleaner and clearly still lived in. There must have been dozens of these secret hiding spots hidden around the city, and I figured they must have been used long ago, and found resurgence with the new regime. The room we were in was more like a wooden wall with a bunk bed, separating what seemed to be 6 similar tiny rooms in the basement space we occupied. 2 walls were wood, 2 were stone, and a man stood guard outside. There was barely enough room in here for 1, let alone 3. At least there was a bed, but it was made out of old wood and springs, and was barely suitable to sit on.

Laura was in an uproar about our treatment as well as what happened to Ellie, and demanded to speak to May. "You tell that woman to get her butt in here right now and I'll show her a thing or two about how to take care of your own!" She yelled through the door. Of course nothing happened.

"It's not helping, Laura. Sit down" I pleaded with her.

"You're right it isn't working! I've been yelling my head off for 30 minutes and not so much as a 'quiet in there'. This is so frustrating! Who knows what they're doing to Ellie?"

"Interrogation" Lulu mumbled.

"Now you talk" Laura chided. "You haven't made a sound since they threw us in here!"

"Give her a break, Laura" I scolded. "What do you mean interrogation?"

"They'll probably torture them before they turn to data pulling devices. Being sentient they're not supposed to do any of that, but..."

"But?"

"Who's stopping them?" She had a point. These guys seemed no more than a bunch of ideological thugs that answered to no one. Or maybe I just got a bad view of them so far.

"No, they wouldn't torture them," Laura retorted, "would they?"

I shrugged my shoulder. It made me feel uneasy knowing that they could be hurting the girl I loved, and there was nothing I could do about it. Or was there?

"Hey Laura, you still got one of those darts?" I asked, remembering how we escaped last time.

"Sure, but they won't even open the door" Laura pointed out.

"Then maybe we should break it down" I suggested. "Lulu, are you feeling up to it?"

She glowered at me and shook her left shoulder, dangling the sleeve where her missing arm should be. "Do I look like I'm up to it?"

"I can probably do it" Laura added, "except the whole wall might come down."

"Maybe we don't need to..." I suggested.

I had an idea, but I didn't know if it would work, heck I didn't know what was outside the door at all anymore, maybe no one. All I knew was I had to do something to help Ellie.

We whispered to ourselves, hoping not to be overheard. We kept it short and simple, but the real problem was if and when we got out, what to do next.

"That's it!" Laura yelled, in a terrible acting voice. "I'm so mad; I'm going to tear this whole place apart myself! Starting with the door."

Lulu stood against the wall to one side of the door and started pounding as hard as she could with her one arm while Laura and I stood back.

Sure enough, the door clicked and swung open. In walked a mountain of a man, with a scowl on his face, a single pony take and no other hair, and a hide of pure metal.

Laura stood next to me with a dart in hand, but as soon as she saw this guy, she looked back and forth between the tiny dart and the hard metal shell that was the very skin of our guard. Looks like they learned their lesson from last time. The large man just stood there and smiled with his arms crossed.

"Umm, plan B?" Laura asked.

As per our backup plan, Lulu snuck behind the brute on all fours, well threes, and braced herself.

"Now!" I yelled and both Laura and I charged the man and pushed into him. Sure enough, Lulu's position tripped him and he lost his footing, collapsing into a heap on the ground with a large thud. I grabbed at Lulu and pulled her out from under him hoping she could try a cyber-attack but...

May stood there on the other side with the most disappointed face I'd seen, grinding her teeth. She looked down at the large man with daggers in her eyes.

"What did I tell you about opening this door?!" May hissed at the prone man.

"But they were..." he began, but the intensity in her eyes only increased. "Sorry ma'am."

"You" she said looking at me. "Come with me. You two," she snapped at the girls, "stop beating up my men. I don't want you two loose around here getting lost and causing trouble. Go get some food, and take private here with you."

"Private ma'am?" he asked, as though surprised by the title.

"Disobey me again and you'll be lucky to stay at all. Now stay together and don't cause any mischief."

Lulu just glared at her, clearly pissed that she was given orders by some rebel, but she looked away and cursed silently under her breath, realizing she had no choice. She could either end up taking orders from May, or in a cell.

"Don't leave me with this..." Laura began before changing her mind about what she almost said before carefully forming her words, "violence-prone girl who already tried to kill me once."

"Then you can stay locked in there, or a cell" May added. "Come" she ordered me and began walking down the corridor. I followed suit leaving Laura and Lulu behind, hoping they would get along, somehow.

"What is this all about? I demand to see Ellie and Ma-" I started.

"I'm taking you to see Ellie" she began without waiting for me to finish. "She won't talk or do anything except sit there until she sees you."

"I swear if you touched a hair on her head, I'll-"

"What? Hit me? Cry foul? Look, she's fine, they both are. You've impressed certain people of interest, who have been watching me very carefully. My hands and the hands of my men are tied. We can't touch them except to bring them food and drink. If I had my way..." I waited for her to finish, but she didn't. Her voice just trailed off.

"Ellie didn't do anything to anyone, and you know it. And even Matrix was being brainwashed and infected by a mind-altering virus when she did those things. If anyone is to blame, it's the men who tortured and hurt and manipulated them."

May lowered her eyes and stopped walking. "I want to believe you, but there are too many people affected by this. I'm not the only person to lose someone to Matrix, and no one but us knows who Ellie is or that she's in Matrix's old body. There's more than one set of eyes watching what I do, Jimmy. I can't do anything one way or the other!"

With that, she abruptly turned down another hallway. "This way" she called to me without looking back. I caught up only to follow her down another hallway, another turn, and finally, down a flight of stairs, further underground. The room became darker, lit only by a faint glow from a room ahead. The walls were lined with rusty metal and heavy set doors. I had to duck when I entered, and slouch to keep from hitting the low ceiling. I probably could have stood up, but my head was so close to hitting the ceiling, my hair would brush against it, and I was not comfortable with that. Finally, we passed several guards, and entered a room with modern fittings on the walls. The doors were high security, the stone vanished into brushed metal, and there were rows of doors and small windows in every other door on either side of the hall. There were 8 doors, paired up into couples, one with a window close to one without. Light shone out of 2 of these windows, both on my right. As we passed the first, I looked inside and saw the figure of a petite girl with long black hair and a black leather jacket on, her hands and neck bound in advanced cuffs, those attached to a hook in the floor by some kind of metal rope.

"Matrix!" I called out. She made no response, perhaps she couldn't hear me, but it didn't matter. May took my hands and pulled me along.

"We'll get to her later" she clarified. "This one." May entered a code into a small keypad next to a door with no window, and it swung open slightly. The room was dark, and several people were inside. I only recognized one of them, a woman I saw with May in the past, some sort of scientist I figured. I never caught her name. The others were men, watching graphs on telescreens and taking notes. One wall of the small cramped room was made almost entirely out of darkened glass, which was impossible to see out of, but I knew what, or rather who, was on the other side.

"Let me see her" I demanded.

"Very well" May allowed, and pushed a button raising a divider and flooding the dark space with light. Everyone except May blocked their eyes as they adjusted to the light, but after a moment, everything became clear. I could now see inside the adjacent room and inside sat Ellie, bound in the same anti-android cuffs around her wrists and neck. A rope made of metal bound the neck to the ground, forcing her to slouch over, but I could see her face clearly through her short white hair. She had been crying, but now she was silent, sitting there defeated and shaking. There was no other sign of mistreatment, no bruises or broken parts, but she wasn't exactly living it up either.

The sound of the divider rising must have alerted her about something, but she couldn't see us. The glass was coated so only one side could see out, and that meant she had no idea I was there. She winced a little, and curled into a tighter ball until I couldn't see her face.

"Ellie!" I called out.

"She can't hear you, the room is shielded" the other woman informed.

"Let me in there, I need to see her. And take those things off of her!"

May narrowed her eyes at me. "You'll be in there alone with her, and she has no other way out but through the guards. If anything happens, they will open fire on everything inside that room. Do you understand?" I nodded. Geez, if I screwed this up, they'd murder us for their own protection, but I trusted Ellie. "I will not risk my life or my men's lives for hers, or yours. I will allow this, but be warned that everything you do and say is being recorded and broadcast through encrypted channels."

"I guarantee you she'll be fine as soon as she sees me."

May leaned in closer to me, and whispered. "How do you know she isn't playing you, manipulating your emotions to get on your good side so you'd help her?"

"Because she was made for me. I know her true self, her heart."

May took a step back and sighed. "You've a long way to convince me she's changed." Together, we left the small room and approached the adjacent door Ellie was behind. "3 men here" May called out. "The rest on alert. Open fire if anything goes wrong. Understand?" she commanded as 3 men from down the corridor fell into place. They called out their Yes Ma’am’s and May gave me one last look before unlocking the door. As soon as the door was open, I rushed in.

"Ellie!" I called out. She instantly looked up with shock and tried to reach out to me, but the restraints held her in place.

"Jimmy! Oh Jimmy! It is you!" she sobbed as I wrapped my arms around her.

May was close behind and unlatched the metallic rope from Ellie's bindings, allowing her to give me a full hug, even though the cuffs were still on her wrists. These cuffs weren't attached to each other, but rather were electromagnetically charged and would retract at a moment's notice, not to mention shock the wearer if they misbehaved.

"You have 5 minutes" May warned and left the room, locking the door behind her. We were alone, but being watched.

Now that Ellie was free from the restraints, at least enough to move around, she launched herself into me and buried her face in my chest. All she did was sob while she hugged me tightly.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm here" I gently spoke while caressing her white hair. She pulled away after a moment and wiped off the tears. I was so worried about her; I just had to get a good look at her, so I placed my hands on her shoulders and looked her in the face.

She winced instantly, trying to stifle another cry. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her, so I let go as she grabbed her left arm in pain.

"Here, let me look at that" I asked as I leaned in closer to her arm. There was a blood red stain on the sleeve of her shirt just below her shoulder, and a tear in the fabric. She gritted her teeth as I rolled up her sleeve to get a better look. Fresh blood trickled down her arm as I exposed the wound. It was a gash, but not too deep.

"Ellie, you're bleeding! May?!" I barked.

A click and a squeal of electronics filled the room as May's voice came over a speaker system. "I swear we didn't touch her."

Ellie shook her head. "It was earlier" she explained. "Soldiers hit me."

"And May just left your wound unattended while you sat here on pain?" I growled.

May's voice again chimed in. "I thought it was someone else's blood. She didn't say a word."

"Wait, she can bleed?" another voice asked over the system before it was cut off with an electronic hiss.

I turned back to her arm and looked closely at it. It was clear to me that a bullet probably grazed her, leaving a shallow but still painful gash. I would have to repair it but it looked as though her artificial blood was already slowing down and might have some healing properties in it. She put her hand on my shoulder before rolling down her sleeve.

"I'll be ok. I am worried about Matrix though. She was hurt worse. Why are we here?"

"To-"

"To answer for your crimes" May chimed in, interrupting me.

"To face the charges they have against you. Don't worry, you didn't do anything! It was Matrix, and she will have to answer for what she did in the past."

"But she's changed!" Ellie pleaded. "I talked with her. She's trying so hard to start over."

"It may be too little too late" I suggested, eyeing the large mirror facing us. "Ellie, you didn't do anything, so you should be fine, just tell them the truth, all of it. You were not in control if this body then. Let me worry about Matrix."

Ellie lowered her eyes and fell silent.

"Will you talk to them? I'll Make sure they treat you well."

She nodded shyly. "Jimmy, I have to-" she began.

"Time's up" May announced. "If she's agreed to talk to us now, we'll move on."

"But-" I objected. The whole reason I was here was to convince Ellie to talk to them, and now that I did they were done with me! "I'm not done!"

There was a click at the door and May entered followed by an entourage of soldiers. She marched right up and took the metal tether in her hand, ready to bind Ellie again.

"No restraints. You already have her in one of these" I objected and I lifted one of the cuffs on Ellie's arm. "Trust me, she won't hurt you; she won't try to escape."

May thought about it for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "Very well, but there will be armed guard-"

"I know!" I spat. "She's the dangerous Matrix, the murderer and enemy of the city" I scoffed.

May nodded again and turned aside, allowing me to exit the room. I didn't want to leave, but I knew I had no other choice.

"Get a bandage for her arm at least!" I added. "Wait! Take me to see Matrix"

"That's out of the question" May objected.

"Why? She's right there and she's hurt too. I might be the only... friend she has here." I realized I was calling her a friend, but after the last few days, I suppose she hadn't been all that bad, ignoring the part where she tried to stab me. "Let me see her and I'll leave you in peace."

She pondered over this before nodding. "Alright but we already have someone coming to look at her." I gave her a hard glare in her eye and she stared right back. "Follow me."

"Jimmy..." Ellie called out behind me. I turned toward her and gave her a smile, anything to cheer her up. Then the door closed and we were separated again.

A few steps later, and we were at the only other lit room. This time, we went straight inside. Matrix sat there, unresponsive to us, as though she didn't hear us come in. Her posture was slouched over, and her long black hair covered her face. She held one hand to her face, and the other sat in her lap.

As we approached her, she turned away, not wishing to interact with us. I gave May a hard look and then down at the restraints and back to May. Her silent response was one of caution. She slowly bent down, keeping her head up and her body toward the door, and disconnected the metal tether.

My eyes could not register what happened fast enough until it was all over. Matrix had sprung to life and lunged at May, preparing to strike her hard, while May jumped back and out of the way, only to be caught by one of Matrix's hands and unable to dodge her. Instead she readied 2 guns in her hands, ejected from her mechanical thighs, and prepared to fire.

What stopped them? I wondered at first after I realized what was going on. They were both stuck in a pose ready to strike, except Matrix had her eye aimed straight at me, wide in shock.

I stopped them, or at least my presence did. Matrix must not have noticed me come in but now she seemed vulnerable and scared. I knew she was acting out, afraid of the destiny that awaited her. Perhaps she thought an honorable death was better but with me there she just froze, and let go of May.

A moment later, Matrix cringed in pain as the shackles on her wrists went into action, shocking her and keeping her contained with a loud buzz.

"That was closer than I'd like to admit" May acknowledged as she straightened herself out. "Close to having her head blown off. You have 5, and I am not going to clean up any messes she leaves." She turned and left, sealing us in behind her. Just as she left, the shackles turned off, and Matrix exhaled before sitting down again.

"Jimmy..? Why- why are you here?"

"Matrix, I -!"

Quickly Matrix covered her eye when I saw. It was hard to miss honestly. She had a blood stain the size of a pillow down her front and her face was half covered in it. She instantly covered her left eye and turned from me. "Your eye!"

"It's- it's nothing doc can't fix, I'm sure."

"Let me take a look at it." She resisted at first but soon turned her body, if not her face, toward me. I lowered her hand gently and studied the wound. Sure enough, it was a cut and a gash slashing across her left eye, leaving...

"This is pretty bad" I commented. "Are you ok? Can you see?"

She shook her head. "No, it hurts like hell too."

I didn't want to tell her that her eye was out. As luck would have it, I didn't have to. The door to the room swung open, and in walked my father carrying a small bag with him.

"Oh, Jim! Why are you here? I thought it was just Matrix and Ellie that were separated."

"I came here to see them" I explained. "It's good to see you too, dad."

"Oh! Of course, of course! I am so glad to see you are here safe." He embraced me in a hug before noticing Matrix behind me. "Oh, my, let me get a look at that."

He leaned into Matrix, studying her face and feeling the area around her eye gently. She winced but let him.

"How is it doc?" she asked.

"Looks bad. How did this happen?"

"Seth... Got me with a sword... Slashed my face pretty hard but I managed to push him back."

"Well, he slashed your eye right out. Looks like it has some damage in there I can fix to make it hurt less, and prevent any more injury, but..."

"But?" She asked.

"I don't have any spare eyes lying around and your eyes were prototypes...I can't just pick some new ones up right away. I'm afraid you're going to have to live with just the one eye for a while."

She exhaled and slouched a bit but as soon as he opened his bag to take out a pair of specialized pliers and a small tool kit, she tensed up again. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Probably, but you can handle it." She braced herself as he started to work on her face, carefully reaching inside the damaged cavity to start pulling out broken parts. It was a little hard to watch, and she would inhale sharply every so often as he worked.

"So what's the po- ah! point to all this aaah! anyways" she asked while trying to take the pain.

"What do you mean? I want you to be healthy and happy like all the other girls" my dad explained.

"But if they're going to-ooh put me on trial, I -ack! I think they'll just execute me." She seemed to state this as a matter of fact almost as though her death had no emotional impact on her.

My dad stopped worked, having just pulled out a large shard of broken metal from her eye socket. "You don't know that" he explained, studying the metal before placing it on the table. "Just look straight ahead" he ordered her before diving back in.

"And who would defend me? Who would stop them from executing their sworn enemy?"

"I will" I told her. "I'll do what I can; at least to show them you aren't that person anymore."

She looked up at me. "And what makes you so sure I'm not? Ahh!"

"I said look ahead. Don't move your eyes" my dad scolded her, but she obeyed him without a complaint. As he dislodged something, water squirt out from the socket and into his face.

"Ah! I'm sorry" she apologized.

"It's ok, just your tear duct reacting. I'll take care of that next" my dad said as he wiped his face. I couldn't watch that closely, it made me uncomfortable to watch someone poke around in her eye socket.

"That's how I know" I explained. "The old Matrix would never apologize, especially for something as small as that."

"I-" she began as though she wanted to debate that, but decided against it. "Maybe you're right. But I doubt they'll see that; they need someone to pin the blame on."

We fell silent for a long while as my dad quietly worked. I watched his work, amazed at how well he knew such a complex system off the top of his head and what he could do with it. Matrix sat there closing one eye and concentrating on not moving while ignoring the pain as best as she could. Even though she was familiar with worse torture than this, she seemed sensitive enough to gasp every so often as tears ran down her face.

I knew she was right, we all did. May and the Libertatum needed a scapegoat, and she was by far the easiest target. After all, she was the one that actually committed those atrocities even if she was being controlled by someone else, in a way. She would be the most likely to face the death sentence, although in her case it would be a dismantle sentence.

"Alright, I'm all finished here" my dad announced. "Hurt anywhere else?"

Matrix shook her head. "Not physically."

"May?" my dad called out, "do you have a medical kit?"

May's voice chimed in. "Yes, why?" She had been listening in the whole time.

"She'll need an eye patch until we can get a replacement part. And something to clean her up with." He lowered his voice and turned back to Matrix. "You shouldn't bleed there anymore, but don't mess with it. I've repaired what I could and hopefully you won't feel any more pain. Just keep your eye closed." He stood up and packed his gear.

"Is that it?" I asked. "You're leaving?"

He let out a sigh. "I wish I could do more, but I don't have my lab, and there isn't much more I can do. I have to look after the others too, Jim, but I'll see you around."

He turned, knocked on the door, and was let out. I was somewhat shocked to see him leave just like that. All he did was come in, clean her up for the cameras, and leave. A moment later, May walked in with a small white box and handed it to me.

"2 minutes" she said and turned to leave. However, instead of just shutting us in, she stood outside with the door slightly ajar as she talked to a guard, their conversation quiet but audible.

I ignored their conversation at first while I opened the kit and looked through it. First thing first, she still had blood on her face, so I used a small cloth and rubbing alcohol to clean her off. Her tears were mixed in with her blood and it came off fairly easily, although I could tell she was trembling.

"You ok?"

"I'll be alright" she answered bluntly. "Won't I?" she asked a moment later.

"I'll fight for you. Everyone deserves a second chance." As I continued to clean her up, May's conversation caught my attention.

"No doubt about it ma'am, someone's been sending encrypted messages over the airwaves using one of the IRG's encryption codes."

"I knew I smelled a rat. How long has this been going on?" May asked the soldier.

"Since we first started looking for transmissions, about 2 days ago. Chances are it's been going on much longer."

"2 days... Can you pinpoint the source?"

"We're working on that. But we've narrowed it down to the underground, somewhere close by."

"It couldn't be them then... I knew it. Someone's been playing us, and I think I know who. Bring me Captain Azuma" she ordered before closing the door.

"What was that about?" Matrix asked.

"No idea, but it sounds like they've found a mole."

"Do you think they suspect us?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but it couldn't have been us anyway. I... I just don't know who to trust anymore."

"I trust you, Jimmy" Matrix sniffed. "I hope I can earn your trust."

"You protected Ellie and kept her from harm at great personal risk to yourself. You've already earned my trust." I just finished cleaning up her skin before shuffling through the white box and finding a small box with a black eye patch in it. I pulled it out. "Here."

I placed the eye patch over her eye and tied it around her head. It was the kind that had 2 strings, one to go around her forehead, the other one cutting across her face, forming an "x" meeting at the eye patch. It did a good job of covering up most of the damage, but a small trace of the damage to her cheek and eyebrow from the slash still peaked out.

"This actually makes you look pretty badass" I commented, giving her a smile.

"Thanks, I guess..."

As if on cue, the door opened again, and May stepped in. "Time to go Jimmy."

"Will I see them again... before the trail?"

"The trail is set for the morning, tomorrow. I don't know, but I doubt it."

I slowly exhaled before standing up and squeezing Matrix on the shoulder. I walked toward May and handed her the first aid kit, before taking one last look back at a very nervous and frail girl.

The door closed, and May prepared to take me back out to my room, where I was sure I'd be confined for the rest of my stay. Maybe they'll find something to pin on me too and I'd be on trial too.

Just as we were about to leave, the door to the observation room swung open and the female scientist flew out in a hurry.

"Ma'am! It's urgent, the senator's on the phone" she warned.

May looked irritated, but turned to me calmly. "Wait here." She stepped inside the room and picked up the receiver. "Senator?"

I could hear the voice of the old man who once called Matrix a psychopath that belonged in a junk heap yelling over the phone at her.

"What is the meaning of this?!" his muffled voice screamed. "Why were those feeds muted?! I ordered these feeds to be uninterrupted!"

"Regulations clearly state that during private visitations, all feeds and recordings are to be cut off-" May calmly explained.

"Don't give me that crap!" he roared at her over the phone. "I demand you give me the recordings immediately!"

"I cannot, sir" she said with disdain in her voice. "There are no recordings, as protocol deems. You were lucky to get video streamed, which was against regulations."

"How dare you spout regulations to me!? I wrote those regulations! You will provide me with those recordings or else-"

"Good day, sir" May interrupted and hung up the phone with vengeance. She sat there breathing heavily for a moment. Looks like someone has a tight leash on her and she's been pulling at it. The phone rang a moment later. May growled and pulled the phone cord out of the back of the phone with ease.

"Cut the video and audio transmissions. These interrogations are over, and don't let the senator in." She got several salutes before people started getting to work. May breathed deeply before returning to me.

"What was that about?"

"Regulations." She didn't elaborate, and only said the one word.

"Does that mean you're going to let them go?"

"No." That's all she said on the matter, but before she walked passed me she turned and added "They need to meet with someone, so we better get going."

"Meet with someone?" I questioned.

"There is a trial tomorrow, and they need to prepare their defenses. Yes?" I nodded. "I'm sending them a lawyer. This way."

Chapter 18 - Persecution

Back at the room, no one was in sight. It appeared Lulu and Laura were still gone with their guard, and that left us alone.

"You are free to go about the compound if you'd like" May explained. "We are in the old underground tunnels smugglers used to use. I suggest you stay on the painted paths" she said pointing to a colored stripe on the wall. "These tunnels get confusing, and it is easy to get lost. Don't go above ground unless you don't want to get back in. There's a small cafeteria just down the corridor, I'd suggest getting something to eat."

"What about Lulu? She was injured-"

"When she turned on you, yes? I don't see how you can put trust in these girls so easily."

"She-... um... I don't know... maybe because my dad built them..."

"Indeed" she glared. "She'll be looked at by your father today. Make sure you get yourself and Ms. Dale looked at by the nurse, just to be safe. If you need anything, captain Azuma will be around. Oh, and don’t try to leave... we have eyes all over the city. Good day."

As she turned to leave I called out behind her. "Why?"

"Why what?" she paused to ask.

"Why are you suddenly being so helpful?"

"I've always been helpful" she claimed. "But sometimes I have to look out for myself..." She left before I could ask what that meant.

I found myself wandering around the underground corridors. They were very similar to the ones we ran into earlier that morning, but these were clearly still lived in and full of activity. The corridors were filled with people walking back and forth, selling goods on the sides in the larger areas, and doing business of all sorts. Many of these people were rather suspicious looking, but a surprising number of them were regular folk, and some even upper class citizens. Social status didn't seem to matter much down here; they were all more-or-less equal. And what did they all have in common? They were all part of the underground movement, so many of them were cyborgs, robots, or activists fighting for equal rights. Some were business men who knew there was money to be made in these areas, and others were people desperate for help in a world that ignored or rejected them.

I didn't know why so many people were here though. Perhaps it was always like this, but posters and announcers told me something else. They were here for the trail. News traveled fast, and people started pouring in to see the trail and sentencing of the infamous Matrix and her cohorts. I thought it best if I didn't say anything; no one would understand the truth.

I wondered how many people would have supported Matrix, had they known the truth. Would it have even mattered? As I sat down at the cafeteria to eat, I could see no one I knew in sight. At least not at first. A crowd of people surrounded one table, and I wouldn't have noticed anything if it wasn't for their angry tones followed by a familiar voice.

"Come on, leave us alone. Can't we eat in peace?" Lulu shouted.

The crowd just got angrier at her response, but who could blame them? These were the very girls that were responsible for countless deaths. It was pointless to tell these people that those deaths were a direct cause of a virus put in them by a secret group hidden inside the IRG... Maybe with any luck these trials could bring that to light. I rushed over to see if there was anything I could do. However, before I got there, Captain Azuma showed up.

"Break it up! Move along" he barked at the crowd. It worked as his presence helped diffuse the situation. He looked back at the table where Laura, Lulu, Tess, and Proxy all sat. Raster was nowhere to be found. "What are you girls doing here? You should be confined to quarters!"

"May let us out. She said we could go wherever we wanted" Lulu explained.

"With a guard!" Azuma pointed out. "And where is he?"

"We ditched him" she added, never looking up from her plate.

"He's fine" Laura explained. "We just lost him in a crowd."

"That's no excuse. You shouldn't be out here alone, it's dangerous."

"For whom?" she asked.

"Everyone!"

"We aren't hurting anyone!" Laura spat back.

"Then for you. These people would gladly hurt these girls and their friends. That's why there was a guard."

Azuma was getting nowhere with them, but I was sure glad to see them all together.

"Hey!" I shouted as I rushed over. "Are you girls alright? Did you get back ok?"

"Jimmy!" Tess exclaimed as she stood to greet me. "Ah... that error is still bugging me" she hesitated, sitting down again confused.

"He's right; it isn't safe in crowds like this. They can get unruly, trust me." The last crowd I had to deal with burned my house down.

"We were hungry, and I don't know about you but that room was uncomfortable to say the least" Laura explained.

"Alright, you had your fun and food. Let's all-" Azuma tried to interrupted.

"Still eating" Lulu chimed in with her mouth full.

"You don't get to talk, not after you tried to kill us" Laura shot back. Lulu sulked down, dropping her shoulders.

"You what?" Tess and Proxy yelled in unison.

"Um... Ladies" Captain Azuma tried to interject.

"Stick around for a bit, grab a bite. They aren't going to listen to you" I suggested.

"Explain yourself young lady" Tess demanded of Lulu, ignoring the two of us. I just sat down and ate, deciding to wait it out.

"I- I... I don't know. I just thought... maybe if..." Lulu started to mumble.

"I can't hear you" Tess continued. "Is that why your arm is missing? You told me Ino soldiers did that!"

"No" Laura corrected. "Some guy we met shot her arm off cause she tried to kill us after she impaled him with a sword."

"Lulu! I'm appalled!" Tess exclaimed, putting her drink down.

"Even I can't approve of your behavior" the usually silent Proxy chimed in.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't stop myself! I... needed another fix! I just... needed that rush! And I thought maybe I could bring Matrix..." her voice trailed off again.

"Bring the old Matrix back?" Tess finished for her. "Don't be ridiculous! Why would you want her back anyways? She was always getting us into trouble. You saw that crowd just now!"

"It's not that" she mumbled, shrinking down as if to turn invisible.

"She's jealous" Laura explained with a sigh. "She was in love with the old Matrix and-"

"Love?!" Proxy and Tess exclaimed together. Lulu just shrunk down even lower.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry" Lulu repeated, burying her head in her hands.

"How long have you been in love with her?" Proxy asked.

Lulu shook her head and mumbled through her fingers. "Always."

"I'm shocked!" Tess announced. "I had no idea we could be lesbians."

"You mean she doesn't like men at all?" Proxy asked.

"I like men" Lulu shot back in defense, lifting her head. "Just not in that way..."

"Hey!" Laura interjected. "There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian... but you tried to kill us over a one-sided relationship!"

"About that" Tess continued taking a sip from her cup filled with the same odd yellow and black drink she always drank. "Did it feel good?"

"What?"

"Impaling that man. She said you impaled him, and you said you wanted that rush you'd get when you killed people. I assume you thought he was dead. So? Did you feel that rush?"

"No..." Lulu admitted. "It actually felt bad. I thought maybe if I kept doing it, it would feel good again."

"No" I explained. All the girls looked at me as if I was interrupting their conversation without permission. "The virus that gave you that rush was like a drug. Now that it's gone, you will not feel pleasure from it anymore. In fact, your natural instincts will kick in and make you feel worse and worse every time."

"Is he ok?" Proxy asked. "The man you stabbed I mean..."

"He's fine" Laura explained. "He was a cyborg and she missed anything vital."

"I'm sorry!" Lulu added again. "I'll never do it again. I swear!"

"It might not be that easy" I explained. "Imagine a drug addict being told his habit was hurting people. No matter how much he wants to stop, going cold turkey almost never works."

The robotic girls all shrunk a little in their seats with realization. If this virus really did affect them like a drug affected a human, they'll have a hard time quitting it even if it doesn't please them anymore. There is a point when even addicts want to stop, and that rush is gone, but they keep going anyways. I only hoped and prayed that their mechanical minds and robotic bodies were more resilient to such an effect, but only time would tell.

"You do all realize you are admitting to attempted murder" Azuma added.

Lulu's face turned white. "I- ah... I'm sorry!"

"You've said that a few times now, but words aren't enough. Usually you still have to be punished for your crimes."

I could see cold sweat form on everyone's brow, and Lulu looked like she might be sick. "I don't want to be dismantled."

"There are enough crimes against you 3 anyways," he said indicating Lulu, Proxy, and Tess, "no one will notice this one. Besides, no one died, and you were the only one seriously injured. I think you've learned your lesson, especially since no one is pressing charges. Yet. But I can't say the court will let you off for your other crimes."

The three girls sat there silently for a while, thinking about what he said. They could all be executed for what they did in the past. I'm surprised May and Azuma would let these girls run free like this, they could try to escape or hide.

"Relax. You aren't on trial. And you aren't likely to go on trial anytime soon. The prosecutors are placing the blame for your actions on your superior officer, Matrix. Maybe you'll be lucky and get a second chance."

"But she didn't-" I started to object but decided it would be best to keep my mouth shut in public. "She deserves a fair trial but I don't think she'll get one here."

"Don't worry about that. May knows what she's doing. She might not always act like it, but she has your best interest at heart."

"Yeah right" Laura mumbled.

"I can see watching over you girls won't work,” Azuma continued, “so I'm putting Jim here in charge. Can you 5 stay out of trouble for the rest of the day? I suggest you find some place quiet where you can stay away from the public eye. Maybe the library."

"Library?" Proxy asked.

"Sure, we've got a library, a small one, and it’s full of books banned by the state. A good place to learn about the real history of the city... and maybe the laws of the people."

Azuma got up and left, keeping an eye on the crowds. I decided it wasn't a good idea to stay here much longer, so we ate in silence and got up together to leave.

“How are you feeling?” I asked Laura as she walked with me. She was limping slightly, but seemed to show no pain.

“Still stiff from that shock... I guess” she explained, rubbing her neck.

“We should probably get checkout out after everything” I suggested.

“You mean like a doctor? No thank you” she objected. “I haven’t seen one of those in years and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Why? I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

She exhaled sharply. “Because I’ve seen more than my fair share of doctors in my life, and I think I’d rather seen enough of them. They prod and poke and stick me with things and I don’t enjoy it.”

“But you’re alive and well, and walking” I added. She paused and looked down at her mechanical hand. “They were doing what they thought was best for you.”

“I know...” she sighed. “But... it hurts. You know? To constantly be reminded, to go through the same painful routines, to get asked the same stupid questions and given the same damn tests. Trust me... I’m fine. I’ve been through worse than this.”

“You sure? I mean I don’t want-“

“Jimmy” she said looking me in the eyes. “Thank you for your concern, but I’ll be ok. I’m just sore from the shock and the fall, but there’s nothing they can tell me that I don’t already know.”

“Alright” I conceded. “You’re right. I won’t push you.”

“Thank you” she smiled before continuing to walk down the hall with us. “You feeling alright?”

“Sure, I mean... I’m scared out of my mind and nervous as shit, but that’s about it.”

“Me too.”

We spent the rest of the day in the library hoping to find something that would help. It didn't amount to much. I was too distracted thinking about Ellie and Matrix. I'd grown to like Matrix after all, and felt bad for her now that she had changed so much. Maybe the Liberatum would just reprogram them... But was that any better than execution? Besides, they'd want to make an example out of them.

Lulu also struggled to concentrate, not being much of a reader herself. She disappeared in one corner for a while trying to hide, where I found her later sitting on the floor with a book of law in her lap but her head forward and drool all over the book. But no... Not drool, tears. She cried herself to sleep. Maybe this was all too much for her. I know she tried to kill me and Laura just yesterday, but I didn't see how vulnerable and emotionally fragile she was before. Perhaps it was a cry for help, or maybe I was thinking too much into it.

Tess and Proxy were better at this, as was Laura, but despite all their efforts, the standards for laws around android we're not well documented in these books, especially in relation to the unusual circumstances we were in. I tried my best, but couldn't find anything helpful either. I hoped whatever lawyer Aunt May got for the girls would know more about this than these books, but I worried. I didn't put much trust in May. She had her own agenda.

"What are THEY doing here?" a woman asked loudly to the librarian. It was loud enough to attract my attention, and wake Lulu up. "This is supposed to be a place of learning, a sanctuary of knowledge, not a slaughterhouse for degenerate..." she struggled to find the last word, but when it came out, it sent a shock down the girls spines "... Mechanoids".

I wasn't aware of any kind of taboo with the word, but apparently there was one. Mechanoid, another term for robot or android, was equivalent to a racial slur, and even the librarian was shocked and tried to hush the woman. Perhaps the surface dwellers of this town were more likely to use such language, but this was a part of the under city... Well not technically. It was a space between the under city and the surface, and as such people from both sides would mix, but usually they were of the same mind. Apparently not everyone here was.

The librarian's efforts were of no use, the woman just got louder and louder, until everyone inside the library was watching her with disgust... Although a few eyes started staring at the girls instead. Bigotry was alive and well, and yet no one came up to defend them.

The little librarian came over to me, avoiding the eyes of the girls, and spoke to me silently. "Maybe it's best if- if you all went. Sorry."

At least I was ready to defend them, as I saw that the only disturbance here was the loud woman, but before I could, Laura stood up, allowing her chair to fall over with an echoing clash, and closed her book with a slam. The other girls followed suit, and the 4 of them walked out quietly in a line, deliberately marching past the old lady with only Laura giving her a hard stare. I decided to join them.

We waited the rest of the day in one of the rooms the girls had. It wasn't big enough for all of us to fit comfortably, but we managed. As we took turns sitting on the bed, a thought nagged at me. Where was Raster during all this?

The mood was depressing, and I could tell Lulu was still recovering physically from her injury, and emotionally from the impact of both Matrix's arrest and her own potential incarceration. I wanted to help more, but there wasn't much I could do. I really needed to clear my mind and excused myself, confirming with Laura that she would be in charge.

"Why?" Proxy asked before I could leave.

"Why... What?" I questioned.

"Why are you in charge? What are any of us in charge? I've been thinking... This whole time we thought we were part of some great country, members of a nation with a strict set of rules for their soldiers... and we never questioned it. But now that we know this was all a farce... That there is no Ainu... That we aren't a part of their military... Whose rules are we following? Where did the Chain of Command come from? Why are we doing any of this?" She pulled at the emblem on her sleeve and ripped it off, leaving a small hole in her shirt in place of it, and threw the symbol to the floor.

I picked it up again. "I don't know, but I'm sure my father will. If not him, he'll know who can answer that."

"We need order and organization" Tess added. "It's in our nature. Maybe we don't know why we are doing these things for now, but let's at least keep it up until we can find a reason not to, and have a new order in our lives. Let's wait until Raster returns... wherever she is."

I handed the emblem to Proxy, who looked at it in her hand, and rolled it over a few times. "Alright. We'll play along for now. But even if things do change, at least let's all stay together... as sisters if not soldiers."

"And our friends" Tess added looking at Laura and me.

They agreed. The least they could do would be to stay together as sisters, but with Laura and me in the mix, friends were the next best thing. It actually felt good suddenly, belonging to a group of friends, even if they were outcasts. But then again, so was I. I took a deep breath and smiled faintly as I meant to excuse myself, but remembered something. “Lulu, could you come with me for a bit?”

“Me? Why?”

“I’d like to get that arm of yours looked at.” She grabbed the stump and swallowed.

“Alright” she nodded.

We left the confines of the room, excusing ourselves from the others, in search of my father. I decided she needed to have her arm looked at, and maybe he could give us some answers about the girls. Besides, it might give me a chance to find out what happened to Raster.

We asked around, and it didn’t take too long before someone knew where my father was. Apparently he had been busy himself helping to repair damaged or injured androids and cyborgs, and had been particularly busy with one robot in particular. We waited outside the small room he worked in as noises of drills and motors, and hammers echoed forth. Lulu slunk to the floor with her feet apart but her knees together as I stood leaning against the wall.

“I… I know I can never make this up to you” Lulu started after several minutes of silence. “But I want to change. I don’t want this anymore. I don’t want to kill for the rush of it; I don’t want to hurt… my friends anymore.” She looked up at me, pain in her eyes. “I’m so confused, but I’m trying. Can you ever forgive me for hurting you and Laura?”

“You got hurt pretty bad yourself” I responded.

“This is nothing” she said, flapping the sleeve of her missing arm.

“I didn’t mean your arm” I corrected. “You’re all shook up from this experience. You’ve killed before, but have you ever felt this bad about it before?”

She shook her head. “… No.”

“You’re taking this pretty hard, and you seem genuinely apologetic. I think I can forgive you, but you’ll have to ask Laura too.”

She exhaled slowly. “Thanks. Think she’ll forgive me?”

“I’m sure she will… eventually. Although she might make you do a few chores for her first.”

Lulu smiled, but just then the door swung open and my father stepped out.

“Who’s next?” he called out. Lulu struggled to get to her feet, and I gave her a helping hand.

“Right here doc” she called out, pretending she wasn’t on the verge of tears a second ago.

“Oh my God Lulu, what happened?”

“I uh… got taught a lesson” she answered. “With a shotgun.”

“Let me take a look at you. You have got to be more careful.”

He took her in, and I followed behind before closing the door.

“You’ll need to remove your shirt so I can get a better look” he told her as he sat her down in a chair. The room was small, and there was a curtain on one side with lights on behind it, and apparently someone resting on the other side. Probably his last patient.

“But- with him… he…“ she objected with flushed cheeks looking at me.

“Oh come off it. It’s not like he hasn’t seen a girl before. And besides, I might need his help.”

She glanced between the two of us and finally clenched her jaw and puffed her cheeks. “Fine! But I don’t give free shows” she warned as she unbuttoned her white shirt with one hand and slid it off her shoulders. The pain caused her to inhale sharply when she got to her arm, but it was over shortly. She sat there with her shirt half off, half her torso uncovered and her shirt only barely slinging on to the other side. I couldn’t help but notice her small perky breasts as she sat there breathing deeply. I looked away, realizing this was only making her more uncomfortable.

My dad looked at her arm, and started to get to work. “Not a bad rush job, but it needs more” he said as he lifted her arm and looked closer at it. She turned away as he did, gritting her teeth. “I won’t be able to replace your arm here, even if I had the parts. There’s just too much damage. Here,” he said gesturing to me, “hold this.”

He handed me a flashlight aimed at her arm, put on magnifying specs, and grabbed some tools to get to work. She gasped a few times, as he worked, but for the most part stayed still. Evidently, it wasn’t enough, as he had me hold her arm still with my other hand in an awkward position.

He managed to remove more of the shotgun pellets, and removed some damaged wiring and shrapnel from her arm before patching her up. It only took about 10 minutes, but it was enough for her to relax and stop clenching her muscles.

“That’s about it for now. When I get the chance, I’ll be sure to get that arm replaced. You shouldn’t feel any pain there now.”

She dressed herself again as I tried to talk to my dad. “Say, dad… do you know why the Ainu girls follow those… ridiculous commands. You know... the Chain of Command and such. I mean, they aren’t part of the Ainu army, not really.”

“They were programmed that way. By me” he added. “It’s based on some of the Ainu rules, but I needed a way to get control over them and I knew if someone could become their master, it could change things.” He put more of the tools away. “Tsion made me add something to make them look official, so I did.”

Wait… did he say based on the Ainu rules? “I thought Ainu was fake” I interjected.

He chuckled. “No no no son. Not at all. It’s real. It’s just no one here knows anything about it. It’s best you went to bed. Big day tomorrow” he added. “And everyone will need their rest.”

He was right. I walked Lulu back to her room while I mulled over what he told me.

“Don’t you tell a soul what you saw” she warned when we were getting closer.

“Saw?”

“My body! I’ve never shown any man… and if you want to stay a man, you’ll keep it a secret.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s embarrassing!”

I dropped her off and decided to continue my search for Raster before I retired myself.

No one had even seen Raster. The only white-haired girls anyone saw were the ones I was with. It was a complete waste of time looking for her, as either no was knew anything about her, or they weren’t talking. I feared I was asking too many questions. Too many questions about these Ainu killers as some of them called the girls. It was probably best that I abandon my search for now.

By the time I gave up, it was already late. I grabbed a bunch of food and brought it back with me for the girls, remembering Tess's unusual diet. They were grateful and restless. I only wish I could have given them some kind of news. Raster was nowhere to be found, and it was only a matter of hours before Ellie and Matrix went to trial. I was stressed out, stressed and tired.

I bid the girls goodnight after I ate and headed to my original room, with Laura joining me; Lulu deciding to stay with her sisters. The room had been cleaned up for us, and a new guard stood waiting next to the door. I wondered what happened to the old one after the girls lost him in the crowd. He gave us a disapproving glance but ignored us for the most part. Laura insisted on sharing the bed with me, even though neither of us was in the mood for anything more than that. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well. I worried about Ellie and Matrix and how they slept. Chances were they didn't.

The next day took forever to start. Even though it felt like an eternity, it was still early when I decided to get up. There were no windows, but if there were, it would still be dark. It wasn't quite 5 am yet when I got up and dressed. Laura joined me, both of us dressing in silence.

"I'm going to get food for the girls and meet them at their room" Laura said. "I'll watch over them, you find out about where this is all happening."

I nodded in agreement. It was too early to think anyways, so I let her do the thinking for me. I grabbed a bite to eat myself but few people were up yet. Most of them were fast asleep, so I headed toward the cells where they kept Ellie and Matrix. I didn't get far. As soon as I got to the first checkpoint where the stone walls turned to metal, they stopped me. Apparently no one was allowed to see the prisoners before the trial except their attorney, of whom I still hadn't met.

At least they were nice enough to point me to the where the proceeding would take place in 3 hours’ time. An old underground meeting room, much like the one we found in the other section of town, except this one was bigger. There were only a few Liberatum fighters inside, but there must have been over 200 wooden chairs, both old and new, of all make and fashion, filling the empty space. In front, a railing with 2 tables on the other side, each with several chairs. To one side, a group of benches in 3 rows behind another railing, where I assumed the jury would belong, and to the other side, a large set of doors. Everything in the room was facing the largest booth I had ever seen, a monstrous wooden box with a gavel and a chair big enough to be a throne, although it lacked any decor.

The few who were there were setting up lights, chairs, water, papers, and anything else a trial proceeding might need. It got hard to breathe when I actually saw everything being set up. I had been thinking about this all day yesterday, and knew it could happen even before that, but now that it was actually happening, it was hard to breathe. In a few short hours... I didn't want to think about it anymore. I just had to face this day and everything it brought with it.

As I was about to leave, May walked in holding a case and clipboard with paper. "Ah! There you are. Up early I see."

"I couldn't sleep" I mumbled but she continued as if I said nothing.

"I reserved seats for you, Laura, and the Ainu soldiers at the front. You'll have Azuma and another guard on either side of you, and some of my men behind. To make sure you are safe from the crowds."

"How is Ellie?"

"Hmm? Oh, she's fine. Stressed, tired, but fine" she explained.

"And Matrix?"

"We had to get her cleaned up some more... Speaking of Matrix, she's the first up for trial. She's the big unknown that everyone is confused on and talking about. So we might not even get to Ellie today if it takes too long."

She was too chipper for this and so early. But I suppose having a completely cybernetic body meant no fatigue or at least a lot less. There was even a slight chance she was a morning person... Ick.

"You look tired" she added. "Why don't you rest, get some coffee, and I'll have you and the others escorted in before it starts."

I reluctantly agreed, forgetting in my morning daze to ask her anything about Raster or my father, and left to get food for myself. And coffee. As I walked out of the door, another one of May's freedom fighters barged passed in a hurry, and I listened in as he called out for her.

"Ma'am! I have an update on that situation" he almost shouted. I could hear May hush him a little, but he was too much in a hurry to drop to a whisper and spoke loud enough for me to hear. "Ma'am. The situation..."

"Yes, what is it?"

"We've been monitoring the signal. We have pinpointed the location. Here" he said, I assumed handing her a document of some kind. "We've confirmed it, and the have been decoding it as well. As you can see, he is clearly giving away positions, weakness, and other Intel, but also seems to be most interested in this case.

"Thank you. This will finally change things" May said. "You may go."

"Ma'am, why is he so interested in this case? In these girls?"

"Scapegoats. He means to use them as scapegoats, but perhaps also to cover his ass, or Tsion's. Have the men prepared, but no one is to make a move until I give the signal. Remember, we can't let him escape. Not this time."

I heard the man start walking my way again, so I quickly walked off some distance, hoping not to draw attention to myself. No one said anything as the man left the room, and rushed passed me again, this time on some other errand. So they finally found the mole? At least, that's what it sounded like. But who was it?

The coffee woke me up, and food in my stomach helped me think straight. However, my mind was too preoccupied to be of any use to anyone... all I could do was join Laura and the girls and wait until Azuma came to get us. God I needed a shower.

Hours passed by, and the early morning faded away. It wasn’t quite noon yet when we heard a knock on the door. It seemed to take forever waiting for Azuma, but when he arrived, none of us were really ready to go. Regardless, we joined him in silence, walking down the path to the large makeshift courtroom, where every chair was already filled, except the ones reserved for us, and even more people were standing along the sides and the back to watch. If there had been a balcony, it would have been packed too. The murmur of the crowd died down as the girls entered in before me. Proxy was the only one of the sisters that kept her head held high, but it didn't matter, the crowd started to hiss and jeer at them.

Azuma stopped his march and looked out at the audience, his large presence relaxing the tension and silencing the crowd. We continued on our path but Laura stepped back suddenly, staring into the crowd.

“What is it?” I whispered.

“It’s my dad” she answered before slowly continuing. I tried to look for the man she was looking at, but couldn’t see him. I wondered...

Finally, we took our seats in the front row, and sat down. Every seat now was taken... except for one, the one next to me curiously enough. Perhaps someone else was late. All the quiet murmuring had stopped, and I had the chance to look around. I could see May on the other side of the room in the front row, not too far off, and my father sat next to her. In front, several of her guards were acting as peace keepers of the court. The jury box remained empty, as did the 2 tables and the large thrown-like desk.

Only a few moments passed by when the large doors to the side of the front swung open, and out walked several people I didn't know: 3 men, and one woman, all of whom sat at the table in front of where May sat. Then several familiar faces emerged. A guard led Matrix, and then Ellie, both still handcuffed, into the room to more murmurs of the crowd. Azuma stood up and faced the people, which appeared to be enough to keep them from booing them. They were followed by none other than Raster, who was not hand cuffed, but rather carried a briefcase with her, and looked full of confidence and control.

They all sat down in front of us, and I wanted to reach out to touch them, but feared getting my hand bitten off by one of May's guards. At least Ellie saw we were here to support her and Matrix. I could tell they didn't sleep either, and it seemed to hit Ellie especially hard.

Finally entered in another figure, one I had seen before but never before dressed in the formal black gown and wig of a judge. He smiled with a fake politician smile as he looked on at the crowd. I hadn't seen him smile before either, and I didn't like the look of it. He was definitely ever the politician I remembered him as, for the little I saw of him.

"All rise for the honorable judge of the people's court, Senator Claude Leer" a man called out as he entered the room. I never heard his name before either, but I recognized him as the old man in cellar of the Silk Web, the same man who called up May to yell at her yesterday about turning off the cameras. He was the judge, and I felt my heart plummet into my gut.

He entered with that smile that said he wanted to kiss you baby, but as soon as he saw Ellie, he scowled with that familiar face I'd seen before. His face was wrinkled and creased with lines that perfectly accented that scowl, as though they were shaped by the familiarity of the expression. He was quick to wipe it off his face though, and turned to a somber expression that still made him frown with age.

Everyone stood for him as he entered and waited for him to take his seat at the head of the room. After he sat, the rest of us followed suit as he cleared his throat.

"In accordance with article one of the people's referendum, these proceedings shall now take place against the defendants: one Matrix, and the other... Ellie" Leer said looking at a paper for Ellie's name. "As per article 53, it is my judgment that no jury be present, as a proper unbiased sample of peers cannot be obtained, and I will judge as such accordingly."

What? No jury? Great, he'll be doing all the deciding. Something tells me he already made up his mind. Before I could form any more thoughts, he continued in a well-rehearsed flow.

"We will start with the one identified as Matrix. Please stand." She did so. "What is this? I told Matrix to stand!" There was a murmur in the crowd.

"I am Matrix" she replied, but Raster stood and interrupted her."

"Sir, her consciousness was transferred to a new body. This is indeed Matrix."

He scoffed in disapproval. "No matter, the result will be the same" he mumbled just loud enough for the front row or so to hear. "How do you plead to the charges of murder, torture, destruction of property both private and public, intimidation, attempted murder, and impeding the peace?"

Matrix held her head high and proclaimed "Not guilty."

"In the case of the people versus Matrix, I find you guilty of all charges based on known knowledge and sentence you to immediate termination." The gavel echoed loud in the room. What just happened?

"Objection your honor" Raster called out. "In accordance with article 36, section 2, if budget defendant is a robot in nature, their AI must both be tested for sentience and identified as the AI being charged by use of the required AIID of such models. As Miss Matrix here has been tested for sentience, her AIID has not yet been identified and matched with the known records of the Matrix being charged."

"What is this? Who are you to talk-" the senator began, but stopped as soon as Aunt May stood up and just stared at him from across the room. He was silent for a moment, his frown turning into a scowl again, and just stared back at her. Finally, he struck the gavel again "objection sustained. Officer, please read her AIID and match it to the records for the charges."

One if the he men produced a portable computer and set it on the table in front of Matrix. Pulling a cord out, he attached one end to the computer and the other to the back of her neck. A few short key strokes later, he pulled up her AIID and held up a notepad to compare.

"Your honor, the numbers do not match. This is not the AI Matrix we are looking for."

"What!? Then who is it-she?" Leer corrected himself last second. "Do we have anything on her?" His face was growing red with anger.

The name typed away some more, but came up with no matches. "No your honor, she has no impending charges against her."

"Goddamn it" the old senator spat out before clearing his through again as though he never said it.

"Since my client who identifies as Matrix has no charges pressing against her AIID," Raster spoke up, "and Article 3 section 8 clearly states an individual, AI or otherwise, cannot be charged for the crimes of another, I move that she be dismissed and all charges against her be lifted."

The old man was fuming, his scowl turned into a red face of anger and hate, his lips thin and tightly pressed together. "Very well, all charges against this individual are lifted and she may go!" The gavel pounded again, and suddenly the girls stood up in joy to celebrate.

What just happened? In the period of about a minute, Matrix went from death row to innocent all because her AIID didn't match. He wasn't even going to give her a chance for defense! And that meant Ellie was going to take the brunt of his rage.

Chapter 19 - Prosecution

"Order in the court!" The gavel echoed loudly in the crowded room, subsiding the loud murmurs of the crowd. And of course the girls with me all settled down with big smiles on their faces. All but Raster who looked more serious than ever. She knew what I knew.

"Get her out of here" Leer demanded, waving the wooden hammer around. One of the guards came over and released her restraints from her wrists and her neck. She was free, and turned around to give the girls a big smile but stopped when she saw Ellie and faced the judge.

"Your honor, sir," Matrix began, "if it's alright, I'd like to stay to watch."

He coughed to himself and looked at her, thinking. "What do I care, just sit somewhere and keep quiet."

Matrix thanked him and turned toward us. Someone must have known this was going to happen, since they specifically left the seat next to me open. Naturally, I waved her over and she nodded as she made her way over; squeezing her way across the girls in the front row toward me. She sat down just as the judge-slash-senator began again.

“Before we go any further with this, I want the identity of this other girl read before the court. Bailiff, read her AIID” he commanded. Raster lowered her head, knowing what was about to happen. The same guard as before plugged into Ellie’s neck, and read her AIID.

"Your honor, her AIID is that of Matrix” he confirmed.

“I knew it! You couldn't pin this on someone else girl. I knew you were Matrix! I should hold you in contempt just for that!” Leer practically shouted at her as he stood leaning over the desk towering over her with his gavel shaking at her.

“But I'm not Matrix” Ellie weakly squeaked, almost in a whisper, cowering in her seat.

Raster put her hand on Ellie's shoulder to calm her and stood up. “Your honor, my client, Miss Ellie, suffers from a unique condition where her personality systems has been changed and rebuilt. She claims this is a matter of false identity and moves to ask the court to drop the charges and hear her case.”

“Oh no! You're not weaseling out of this, Matrix. You are going to be tried for your crimes. Motion denied!” He barked, banging the gavel again. "Now stand up!" Ellie stood before the glowering figure. "Matrix, on the charges of murder, attempted murder, destruction of property, terrorism, torture, and all those other charges I mentioned, how do you plead?”

Ellie remained silent, probably too scared to answer.

“My client pleads not guilty” Raster answered for her. More murmuring from the crowd filled the room, but Leer pounded the gavel until the room silenced. “And my client’s name is now Ellie.”

“I don't care what she calls herself! Since it is clear you are going to drag this out, let's just get on with it. Prosecution, you're up.” I assumed he was talking about opening arguments.

“Yes your honor” one of the men, possibly a robot, on the other table spoke up as he stood. "Our case is clear cut. With all the publicity, every news report and event that has spread through the city like wildfire, all the word of mouth and individual witnesses and victims to her acts, everyone in this court room understands why this sentient robot is here. She has committed terrible crimes under the deliberate blind eye of the tyrant Tsion, who has allowed her free reign in this city to demonize robots and cyborgs alike in his ongoing campaign to rid the city of us. And now her actions have driven us to the brink of war. War with a people who are strange and undoubtedly violent. No. Her crimes are more than just killing innocent people; it's about genocide of an entire culture and an entire people. We the people. On behalf of every sentient robot, cyborg, and concerned citizen, we know what we must do.”

He sat back down, and the room broke out in cheers. It was like the weight of a thousand people beating on my back. I could almost see them staring at Ellie with daggers, and I dared not turn around and meet their gaze as they judged us. Of course, Leer let this go one for a number of minutes before Raster had to finally stand up and object. Finally, he tapped the gavel against the desk and politely asked for order in the room, with a smile on his face. Something told me they didn't need to put up much of a case; he already made up his mind.

Finally, as the crowd died down, Raster rose to spoke. “Ladies and gentlemen of the court, the good people of this city, your honor” she said, addressing everyone politely. “The atrocities that have been committed by Matrix in this city are indefensible, and I will not try. What she has done to these people, to me and my kind, is damaging and heart wrenching. She single-handedly brought back the cause of equal rights for cyborg and sentients by more than a decade, and I have personally witnessed her crimes. Yes, I too have the white hair of an Ainu guard, as I was once her second in command. I do not pretend to have no role in those crimes myself, but I knew Matrix better than anyone. And that woman, the killer you all have seen with no regard for life, is dead.”

There was a sudden murmur in the audience again, this time louder. Leer sounded the gavel again as Raster continued.

“The murderess you all wished to see tried for her crimes was killed herself by none other than her partner in crime, Captain of the Ino Royal Guard, Seth Wilkins. The girl you see before you is not that woman. Yes she has her looks, her body, even her AI processing unit identifying her as Matrix, but the actions of that individual were guided by Tsion himself, and when she was finally killed, one man put her back together, fixed her, and removed that programming, giving her a new personality, a new demeanor, and a new life. She was born anew that day, as Ellie, a shy innocent girl-”

The crowd started to get rowdy again, completely innocent of the recent events, and it looks like Raster was going to use this as her defense after all. She continued to speak, only getting louder but still drowned out by the crowd while Leer did nothing to silence them. Finally, May stood up and gave him a hard glare. As soon as he saw that, he struck his gavel again to silence the people. I missed some of what Raster had said, but she was pretty much done.

“... was this virus which is to blame; a tool built by Tsion’s scientists as a weapon against the people and it is Tsion who should be found guilty of these crimes. Ellie is as much a victim as anyone else here.”

Raster took her seat as Leer turned to the prosecution. “You may proceed.”

“Your honor” the same man replied, “We defer to the mountain of evidence and personal experiences of the people in room. Her crimes are well documented, as your honor is aware. The prosecution rests.”

I knew it, they weren't going to put any effort into this, Leer already knew what he was going to rule, and there was no point in providing a play-by-play of the prosecution when there was so much against her. We’d be here all week and the result would be the same. Matrix must have really been a terrible person to be so infamous as to have effected this many people personally. But in the end, Matrix wasn't anything more than a scapegoat.

Was it even possible for Raster to argue Ellie’s innocence at this point? Why even bother? He already knew his answer, and nothing she argued would change that. We all knew Leer was merely playing with her. He had no intention of letting her go. She was the symbol for all the oppression they experienced from Tsion, and they wanted nothing more than to execute her. I could feel my heart plummet.

I must have missed what was going on because the next thing I realized, Raster was standing and calling her first witness for the defense, me.

I was not expecting this, but I got the feeling the powers that be didn't want me to be prepared for this. Still, I nervously stood and made my way across the aisle to the center of the room and opened the small gate at front. The judge’s chair seemed even bigger and more formidable, but I wasn't sure what to do. I was directed to a stand with low railings around it on the side of the room in front of the defendant, facing everyone, opposite the still empty jury stand.

I was instructed to raise my hand and swear an oath to tell the truth. Satisfied, the judge asked Raster to continue, and she stood up from her chain and approached me.

“Please state your full name” she requested.

“James Daniel Amano. But I go by Jimmy” I replied.

“Can you describe the events when you first met the defendant?”

“Of course.” I proceeded to describe in as much detail as I could remember at the time how I first met her. I recalled that there was news of a fighter getting shot down, and how I found the armored suit on the outskirts of town, with the android pilot still inside, dead. Well, broken I guess. I explained my profession of selling scrap parts, and how such an android would be a gold mine if I could repair it, and the suit even more so, but she was too badly damaged. I described how I rebuilt her mind, using parts from other androids and bypassing a large corrupt area of her brain. And of course, I mentioned how she turned on and the fact that she had no memories at first. I decided it was best to leave out the sex, not that I was lying, I was just skipping the unimportant parts, right?

I went on to describe how nice she had been, still avoiding sex, and how she started to remember things as though they were nightmares. How she described her dark past, and wanting to forget it.

Raster interrupted me with another question. “And were you at the time familiar with the individual known as Matrix?”

“No” I answered. There was a low murmur but the judge spoke over them, drowning them out.

“You mean to tell me you never even heard of the infamous Matrix before? I find that hard to believe son.”

“It's true” I reiterated. “None of us in Maya had.”

“Your honor,” Raster interjected, “most small towns outside the walls of the city do not get the news from within, and that which does is filtered to fit that of their daily lives. What doesn't concern them doesn't get spread. Matrix was a city problem, never leaving the city until that night.”

He huffed. “Very well, continue.”

Raster continued. “Did you have any reason to believe reactivating an enemy fighter wouldn't lead to a confrontation?”

“I didn't think about it, honestly. I thought if I could recover the information she had, maybe I could sell it.” Another murmur.

“Was there a time when she did recover her old memories?”

“Yes. She started to remember things she didn't like in Maya. I think the first thing she really remembered was Captain Seth Wilkins, whom she said terrified her. But it wasn't until after she was arrested and tortured again days later that the full memories and personality of Matrix returned.”

“Was she ever violent to you before that moment? Did she ever threaten violence or get aggressive.”

I remembered that night when I saw her beat up Seth and how she was scared she'd lose me. I knew I should have answered yes, but no one else was there to witness it. “No. Never.”

“Can you describe the events that lead to the awakening of Matrix?”

His was a long one, so I summed it up as efficiently and accurately as I could. I started with the time I stormed the tower with May, and the how I found her. It was hard to think about, but decided to mention how Seth was violating her before throwing us both off the balcony. I skipped ahead a bit to Matrix waking up, I didn't want to relive that moment when Ellie woke up after the fall.

“One last question” Raster continued. “Did you ever give her a command as her registered master?”

Another murmur erupted through the audience, loud enough to warrant another strike of the gavel. “Yes. I told her to never ever kill anyone ever again. That's why she couldn't hurt me in the tower.”

The crowd erupted after that and Leer had to silence them once again. “Your witness” Raster announced as she sat down next to Ellie.

A woman with thin glasses stood up from the prosecution table and approached me. "Mr. Amano, would it be accurate to say that you... love this girl?”

“Objection” Raster shouted. “The alleged relationship between Mr. Amano and my client is irrelevant.”

“I think it helps establishes his character and any potential conflict of interest he may have” the prosecutor defended.

“Sustained” Leer decided. “You will answer the question.”

I hesitated. Why were they asking me this? “Yes. Yes I love her.”

The crowd predictably rose in noise again as they heard my answer. It sounded more like gossip to me. Why did this matter?

“And in all your recent activities, you have fought armies and assassins all in the name of love. Tell me, would you do anything for her?” She had a slight smile on her lips.

“Objection” Raster called out as she stood.

“Sustained, answer it.”

“Wouldn't YOU do anything for the one you loved?” I answered, avoiding it.

“Please Mr. Amano, this isn't about me. Just answer yes or no” she replied.

“Well then, yes, I'd do anything for her” I replied.

“Even lie in court under oath?”

“What? No!”

“Objection!” Raster called even louder.

“He doesn't have to answer” the woman said. “No more questions.”

Raster stood up. “I have no follow up questions for this witness” she said. I was directed back to my seat, but wasn't sure if what I said helped or hurt the case, but it was the truth. As I sat down next to Matrix, who seemed preoccupied glaring at the judge, Raster continued. “I would like to call my next witness, Dr. Amano."

My father stood up, made his way to the same stand, was sworn in, and gave his name. “Dr. Gregory Joshua Amano.”

“During your time in captivity, would it be correct to say you were put in charge of developing and creating the androids known as the Ainu Guard?”

“Yes” he spoke up, louder than I had.

“And what were your intentions for these guards?”

“I wanted to further my research into developing a fully sentient, fully functional synthetic human. To make them as realistic as possible, mentally and physically, without the use of biological engineering.”

“And were the behaviors they exhibited what you intended?”

My dad thought about that a moment. “Only at first, but after Seth and the IRG came in and started confiscating them, they returned far more violent and aggressive than before. I was terrified of them and tried to figure out what they did to them.”

“Do you know why Captain Wilkins and the IRG would confiscate them? What authority did they have over them?”

“They had complete authority. It was Tsion and his Royal Guard that paid for and controlled their production. They wanted specific abilities and programming in them, and when I refused to put them in, they did it themselves.”

“And did you discover what it was that made them so violent?”

“Yes. It was a combination of psychological reprogramming and a computer virus designed to make them crave violence.”

“Objection” the prosecution called out. “Is there any evidence of either this ’reprogramming’ or a virus? This testimony is hearsay.”

“All evidence for these claims will be presented if your honor will indulge me” Raster responded.

Leer thought deeply with a scowl on his face, his eyes more than once glancing in May’s direction. Something was telling me she was holding him accountable to follow the rules of the court to the letter.

"Overruled” he said in a low tone.

Raster nodded and turned back toward my father. “What was your specific intent for my client?”

“She was never meant to be a part of the Ainu soldiers, I made her in secret, to find my son and help him in any way she could. And maybe help me find a way out of my imprisonment.”

“And why would he need help?”

My dad sighed. “I was forced to leave my son in the protection of friends after Tsion murdered my wife, in order to protect him. I hadn't heard much about him in years except only that he lived alone. There wasn't much I could do but I figured at least I could give him a friend.”

“As we all know, she ended up leading the Ainu soldiers. What happened?”

“I made her to be more human and more emotional and capable than the others. Shortly after I activated her she was discovered by Seth’s soldiers. He personally made it a point to...” He coughed as he struggled to find the words to continue. “... control and violate her as punishment for trying to create another one in secret. He made sure to break her mentally and physically. I couldn't break their reprogramming, but in the end it was my core programming that kicked in and drove her to Maya to seek out my son. But I’m afraid she was already too damaged and instead attacked the village.”

Matrix hung her head low as she recalled events of her reprogramming and punishment from Seth. I wasn't sure but I suspected she was holding back tears as hard as she could. It was clearly too much for Ellie who was silently sobbing in front of her, wiping away the tears as best as she could but not making a sound.

“Dr. Amano,” Raster continued, “after Ellie returned with your son, what, if anything, did you do to her?”

“It was actually Matrix who returned to me” he clarified. “She was in charge of her body again, but she was badly damaged, and when I was repairing her, I used the opportunity to separate her personality and memories to a new body, and erased her from the old one. The AIID is a physical part of the EFU series- that's her model. The AIID stays with the body, with the subconscious programming. That's what Ellie was, she was Matrix’s subconscious.

“She was more advanced than the other girls so she had a more developed conscience to actively fight any reprogramming but it wasn't enough. Despite that, she developed on her own to a point where I could isolate the two of them. The new Matrix now has a new subconscious, one that hasn't gone through the reprogramming by the IRG. And Ellie has been given a whole new set up with a new personality she can develop and grow on her own.”

“So you are saying the old Matrix was corrupted and infested with a virus, and you've deleted her from this body?” Raster asked.

“Yes. She's been deleted from Ellie.”

“And what of this virus? Did you remove it?”

“Yes, from all the girls. All exce-”

“Do you have any evidence this virus ever existed?” Raster interrupted him.

“Um... No. All my equipment was in the lab at the palace. I don't know what happened to it after the recent fire. It would be the only place left that would have that virus.”

“Thank you doctor, that is all.” Raster sat down and the android from the prosecution stood up and addressed him.

“Dr. Amano, are you telling us you knew nothing about their supposed ’reprogramming’?”

“I only learned about it after they came back from the IRG and were acting different. I had to look in their-”

“And you would have us believe you were not involved in the development of their personalities or activities at all? That you were not the one in charge of their development?”

“I did not program them to be violent, but-”

“Yes or no, doctor” he interrupted.

“No. I was not.”

“And it was your idea to send the defendant to Maya where she later attacked and killed several of its citizens?”

My dad glared at him. “It was not my idea to have her atta-”

“Yes or no, doctor” he interrupted again. “Did you put it in her mind to go to Maya?”

“Yes.”

“Your role in all of this is unclear to me, doctor. Are you not the inventor, designer, and engineer behind the IRG’s armored suits?”

“Yes I am.”

“And did you not design and build the Ainu guard saw well?”

“I did.”

“And are we to believe you are not working for Tsion to help him control and terrorize the citizens?”

“Objection!” Raster barked as she stood up. “The defendant is not on trial, and these questions are misleading.”

“Overruled. I think this is valid to his value of character” Judge Leer explained. He turned to my dad you answered.

“I have been in prison, unable to leave my lab-”

“Yes or no, doctor” he interrupted again.

“Objection! He is trying to answer the question fully. Is he not allowed to say the whole truth?”

The judge looked at May, who stood up again. “Sustained. Continue.”

“As I was saying, I've been unable to leave my lab in years for fear of not only my death, but that of my son. I did not help Tsion out of choice. That man murdered-”

“Thank you doctor” the prosecutor said to speak over him.

“Murdered my wife!” My father finished anyways, louder than before.

After a moment, the prosecutor spoke again. “You claim to have removed this virus, and yet can provide no evidence. Is it not possible that these robots could have programmed to crave violence without the need for a virus?”

“But I didn-”

“Please answer the question.”

“It is possible.”

“Thank you doctor, that is all.” He sat back down again and Raster stood up.

“Were they programmed to crave violence?” She asked.

“No.”

“If they were to commit a violent act now, what would happen?”

“They would feel guilt, and emotional pain. I made sure they were programmed to know the difference between right and wrong. With the virus gone, they will no longer crave aggressive actions and will be mildly punished for them.”

“Thank you,” she replied, “you may sit.” My dad left and returned to his seat as Raster called her next witness. “I call my next witness, my registered master user, Gabriel.”

The crowd broke out into a dull roar at this point and everyone began looking around. It appeared this guy was known around town too. The judge started smashing his gavel as loud as he could but nothing silenced them, nothing that is until the doors at the rear slowly creaked open and in walked the man with the white mask with black tears running down the eyes.

The audience was dead silent as he made his way smoothly to the front of the room, past the low swinging gate, and to the witness stand. He waited in silence as the judge glared at him.

“You will not wear a mask in my courtroom” the judge demanded. “This isn't a circus!”

Gabriel paused for only a moment before turning to him, as if to acknowledge his existence for the first time, and replied. “Of course, how rude of me.”

Gabriel leaned forward and untied the mask beneath his hair, and pulled it slowly from his face. The black-hair wig he wore came off with it, and he raised his head to look out at the audience, his bright white hair reflecting the light almost brighter and whiter than the light from the lanterns. It was a stark contrast in his appearance against his youthful face, and his hair was even whiter than the Ainu guard girls.

“My name is Azazel Gabriel Raziel of Ainu.”

What? He really was from Ainu, it was real? I didn't believe it! And from the noise, no one else did either. But his odd accent, strange name, and white hair, not to mention his unusual personality, all made sense. He was a foreigner from a faraway land, but what was he doing here like this?

“Mr. Raziel,” Raster began after the audience hushed, “where are you from and why are you here?”

“I am from the jewel of the south, the great city of Ainu, and I was sent here to act as an assistant to the true emissary of Ainu in Ino.”

“And you are the true emissary of Ainu?”

“Right now, it is me.”

“Who was the emissary before when you first came, and what happened to them?”

“My mentor and friend, the first true emissary of Ainu in Ino, was Ariel Bene Grigori, who later changed her name to Ariel Bene Amano, the wife of Dr. Amano.”

WHAT!? I felt my head spin and my vision blur. My mother!? My mom was an Ainu emissary! My dad married an Ainu ambassador? I'm half Ainuan?! I had no idea. No one ever talked about her past. I put my hands in my head and leaned forward to stop from fainting. It was not easy. By the time I felt physically fine, I could concentrate again but my mind was still trying to wrap itself around that one.

“... Her execution was an attempt to start a war between the countries, and it almost worked, but I went into hiding-”

“Objection! Hearsay!” The prosecutor called out, which really brought my mind back enough to concentrate.

“Sustained”

Raster continued. “I called you here today to testify about one Matrix, aka Ellie. The girl you see before you. In your own words, tell us what you know about her programming and treatment at the IRG.”

He nodded. “For many years, I trained and found a place as a spy among the IRG to get a better understanding of what Tsion and his Royal Guard wanted from Ainu, and why he would execute our emissary. While I was there, I witnessed the treatment of all of false Ainu guard gynoids. But the worst treatment was that of the one then called Matrix.

“I personally witnessed Captain Wilkins beat her on a number of occasions, often breaking her so she needed repair. I recall once he broke her neck after he beat her and stood on her head as he repeatedly... violated her. A human would have died many times over, but her robotic nature kept her alive and easily repaired, physically at least.” I watched as both Ellie and Matrix simultaneously lurched forward and grab their hair as they remembered those painful memories. Gabriel continued. “And what's worse, they'd reprogram her mind to ask for more. But his actions were only the tip of the iceberg. Once he was done with her, he’d hand her over to the other members of the IRG inner circle where I watched them break her mind.”

“Objec-” the prosecutor began his objection but the judge cut him off.”

“You are out of order! There is no such thing as a secret inner circle! I am finding you in contempt of court!

May got to her feet but Leer just ignored her and continued to object. “Strike this testimony from the record! Guard! This man is in contempt.”

“I do not recognize the authority of this court” Gabriel projected louder than expected, filling the room. He jumped and stood on the railings of the witness box, putting him above the eye level of the judge. “I answer only to the courts of Ainu until a new government is established in this city. I do not recognize your authority and the only reason I am here is to help save the life of an innocent victim.”

Leer fell back in his seat, his usually angry demeanor replaced with one of fear. Finally he turned to May and growled. “I will not have my court be made into a mockery!”

“And neither will I” May replied. The audience was dead silent. “You will hear his testimony or you will find where your guards’ loyalty lies.”

“You dare threaten me in my courtroom!?”

“I don't make threats, I give warnings” May replied. Was she on our side after all? What was this all about?

“Very well” he growled, “but the witness is to stand in the box and not on it!”

Gabriel hopped back down. Raster just shrugged her shoulders as he continued to speak as if nothing ever happened.

“The secret inner circle, whose members were always kept hidden, tortured her mind. They subjected her to reprogramming and viruses, as they did all of them, but they subjected her to the treatment the most.”

Raster. Learned her throat. “Sir, did you ever try to stop it?”

“I could not. In my role as a pilot, I couldn't break my disguise, and as the emissary, I needed to investigate other circumstances more, specifically related to Tsion.”

“And what about her now? Is she the same tortured girl?”

“No. She is different.”

“One last question. Can you provide us with a copy of the virus you claim the IRG inner circle infected us with?”

“Yes... It is still in you.”

There was a gasp in the audience and the judge sounded the gavel again. “Do you mean to tell me the defense attorney is infected with a killer virus?” The judge asked.

“In a way yes, but she is quite safe now. I isolated it, so it doesn't affect her systems. I had to make sure Dr. Amano didn't remove it, just in case I needed proof of what they were doing to these girls.”

“So it's in her now?” He asked again.

“Yes, but deactivated, inactive. It does not affect her anymore; it hasn't for a long time.”

“Is this true?” Leer asked Raster.

“Yes. It is in me. I present myself as evidence of the virus produced by the IRG.”

“Couldn't you have put it in her yourself?” Leer asked Gabriel.

“I am not so technically minded. I can isolate a bad code, but to create one is entirely more complex. Besides, if you look at it you will see the fingerprints of the IRG all over it.”

The judge leaned back and gave Raster a long stare before waving his hand toward her to continue.

“Wouldn't you like to see the code your honor?” She asked the judge.

“No. No, this is sufficient.”

“Then... that is all” Raster said, taking a seat. The prosecutor stood, and approached, ready to begin, but his unwavering gaze and presence must have been too much for them.

“No questions” the man said.

Raster thanked him and he walked out, leaving his mask behind on Raster’s desk, before whispering something to her. As he passed and left the room, she was ready to call her next witness when Leer stopped her.

“I've had about enough of this, I do not appreciate my court being turned a circus! If I do not approve of this next witness, I will hold you in contempt.”

“With all due respect, your honor, I believe you will find this next witness most enlightening. I call forth Ellie to the stand.”

She was going up to defend herself. I was nervous for her and I could see Matrix was too as she gripped her knees with her hands until her knuckles were white. I placed my hand on hers to calm her, and it works. She spent the rest of the trial holding my hand tightly to relieve the stress.

As Ellie was sworn in she looked so small in the witness box; so frail and timid. She was shaking.

“Apply the limiter” the judge ordered. A man came up to Ellie with a computer and a cable, and tried to attach a cable to her neck. She reacted, covering her neck.

“Objection your honor, my client deserves to be treated like any other sentient being. Applying a truth limiter on her is a clear violation of her-”

“We are talking about the most dangerous robot known to Ino. A robot that has killed hundreds and set back robot rights for decades. Be glad I am. It extracting this information out of her!” The judge spat at Raster, giving her a mean glare. She sat back down timidly while Leer turned to Ellie. “Now remove your hand from your neck or we will remove it from your arm.” Ellie slowly lowered her hand letting the man plug a cable into her neck. May was clearly pissed with this, but they went on with it anyways. I couldn't stand to watch as they turned it on and Ellie tensed up. She stayed like that the entire time the machine was on.

Raster was clearly unhappy about this, and gave Ellie a chance to get used to it before continuing. “Please state your name.”

“Ellie... umm Amano.”

“And did you ever go by another name?”

“Be-before Jimmy reactivated me, was called M-Matrix.”

“How would you describe your personal experiences during your time as Matrix?”

“Had no control over anything. Wasn't... fully aware, but knew what was going on. H-hated everything we did. Was like living inside someone else’s head, trying to tell them what to do, only getting ignored.”

“And what did you think of the actions you made when under the control of Matrix?”

“I hated it!” She shouted full of passion. “So much... Kept begging her to stop killing and hurting people, but she only ever ignored me. I knew she could hear me, she would listen when it was convenient and when we came back from seeing Dr. Amano. But every time we came back from IRG, Matrix was more distant.”

“So you share the memories of Matrix then?” Raster asked.

“Until I gained control of body. Yes.”

“What were the first memories you had when you gained control of your body?”

“Sometimes... It would happen after she had fight with Seth, and fell asleep or something. I could move around, but never lasted long. Longest I could was after he... he tried to kill us. He beat us pretty bad. After Matrix was repaired, she tried to confront him but he just punched us... hard, knocked her out. Found myself in control. Tried to escape and seek help.”

“Help? What kind of help?”

Ellie was clearly nervous, as she kept glancing up at the judge. She looked out at the audience as though all the eyes of the world were judging her, and perhaps they were. When she saw me smiling back, she looked horrified and looked down! I couldn't figure out why.

“W-wasn't sure. Just had an urge to get out of city and find someone who could reprogram me or stop her, before Matrix hurt anyone else.”

“And that was when you took your suit, Einguard, and fled to Maya in search of Mr. Amano?”

“No. Sort of. Didn't know what I was looking for, but knew I needed help. Someone had to stop Matrix. I was confused, panicked...”

“So in all the years that Matrix was going around committing your crimes, you were not in control or in agreement with those actions. Is this correct?”

“Y-yes.”

“And you were actively trying to stop her from committing any more crimes, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Were you aware there was a computer virus in you?”

Ellie shook her head. “Was only ever aware of what Matrix was aware of. Anything she did, I experienced, and everything I thought or tried to do, she was aware of. She once stared in a mirror after shooting someone and scolded me for-”

“Objection” the prosecutor interjected.

“You will answer the question and nothing more, understood?” Judge Leer snapped at her.

“S-sorry! I... I... No. Was not aware of it, but I was aware of the effects of it.”

“And what were the effects?” Raster asked.

“Intense pleasure. Like an orgasm but it left an empty feeling after. Needed more. Always needed more.”

“And now?”

“No more emptiness, no more rush. Feel much calmer. Better. Happier.”

“Thank you.”

Raster sat down. I wasn't sure if that was really enough of an argument for her entire defense, but that is what she was going with. The robot prosecutor then stood up and faced her, keeping his distance from her.

“Miss Matrix...”

“Ellie” she corrected. “That's the name Jimmy gave me.”

“Fine. Miss Ellie... Are you aware of any cases of android mental illnesses ever being recorded?” She shook her head. “And yet what you describe sounds akin to a mental disease, like schizophrenia. A strictly human disease. Are you in fact a robot?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Then how do you explain your supposed split personality?”

“I- I can't. Don't understand it. Just is.”

“Are you in fact lying to the court to present yourself as a victim?”

“Objection!” Raster yelled. “Not only is my client under oath, but she also clearly has a limiter attached to her. She cannot lie.”

“Withdrawn” the prosecutor called out. “Are you capable of providing any evidence that you were some sort of conscience for Matrix unable to stop her?”

Ellie shook her head. “N-no.”

“And in all the times she killed someone, you never felt pleasure or joy in that killing?”

“I did... But it was the virus that caused it and I never once enjoyed it! I hated it and how sad it made me feel.”

“Miss Ellie,” the prosecutor said taking a step closer to her, “did you ever willingly kill or injure anyone or cause willful destruction of property or other terrorist acts while you were in control of your body?”

Ellie froze. She tensed up even more, and tears started to roll down her cheeks. Her eyes were clenched shut as if to block the world out.

“Oh god I'm so sorry Jimmy!” She took a deep breath. “Yes. Yes I did.”

Chapter 20 - Alice

As the noise of the crowd was calmed by the judge’s hammer, my ears rang with her testimony. Ellie admitted to killing someone! But when?! How?! I knew her for her entire life, sort of. Heck, I'm the one that fixed her after Matrix was shot down, there was no way she'd have the time to kill someone before my order. Did she deliberately or accidentally disobey it? But I knew her; she would never lie, especially with that limiter attached to her.

As the noise finally died down, the judge turned to Ellie. "Do you mean to tell me, you’re admitting to murder and terrorism on the stand?"

"Yes" Ellie sobbed.

"In light of this testimony, I have no choice but to find you-"

"Objection, your honor," Raster announced standing with an annoyed tone. I didn't blame her; this guy has had it out for her ever since I first saw him. "The facts of the case have not been fully presented."

"I think we've heard enough!" Leer shot back at her.

However, May wasn't having any of this. She stood up and marched to the center aisle and right up to the railing. "You are going to hear this testimony" she warned, asserting herself.

"How dare you interject yourself upon this court again!? I have had enough of your meddling!"

"And I've had enough of your mistreatment of our laws and our systems!" May roared back. "Let her finish her testimony, as our laws dictate!"

What the hell was going on? It looked like Leer was overstepping his bounds and May was stepping up to call him out on it, but did she know he was going to do this already? She's been putting pressure on him through the entire proceedings! Something big was about to happen, I could feel it.

Leer huffed, looked out at all the faces of the audience, and looked over at Ellie, and then Raster. "Very well. It won't matter in the end."

The prosecutor shrugged his shoulders. "No more questions."

Before the prosecutor's butt even hit the chair, Raster was at her feet with a rebuttal. "Describe the events that led to the unfortunate circumstances you just admitted to."

Ellie tried to calm herself, and took a deep shaky breath, wiping her eyes. “Was right after I flew Einguard to Maya. Knew I was looking for help, but had no idea why I went there. Had never gone before. I didn't know I was supposed to seek Jimmy out, but needed help, and fast. It took longer than expected to fly there, and by the time I got there... I could feel Matrix waking up. She was going to take control of me again, and I had to stop her. I had to do something. So I...” She closed her eyes squeezing out another tear “I attacked the village, in hopes someone would kill us before she woke up.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Ellie was admitting to not only reckless endangerment which led to almost a dozen deaths, but also to what amounted to attempted suicide. Yes, this was all before she met me, but it was still a shock to hear.

“So you are saying you wanted to provoke an attack against you in order to stop Matrix from killing anyone else?” Raster asked. “Essentially suicide by cop?”

Ellie nodded. “Yes. I didn't mean to hurt anyone! But I couldn't think of anything else.”

“And what happened?”

“Matrix woke up but it was too late, Seth was already there, and he shot us in the head as she tried to run. Everything just... stopped. Then suddenly I was awake looking at Jimmy for the first time... But couldn't remember anything, and Matrix was gone.”

“She was gone?” Raster asked.

“I didn't realize it then, but I later realized her presence was gone, like she was in a coma in my head. There but not awake; broken.”

“I see. But clearly she came back. When was that?”

“After Seth caught me and took me to the tower. He tortured me, and broke my body... and worse. Then he handed me over to the scientists from the Inner Circle where they broke my-”

“Enough!” Leer shouted, pounding the gavel. “There is no such thing as this inner circle, and I find this testimony trivial and unsubstantiated. Strike it from the records!”

“But it's true!” Ellie shouted back. “I remembered them because Matrix remembered them; she was part of it-”

“Lies! Enough!” Leer demanded. “You are in contempt of this court, and your entire defense is insufficient! I hereby strike your testimony and your defense from the record and find you guilty of all charges and sentence you to immediate termination!”

“You are out of order!” May shouted before I even had time to react. The room was abuzz with commotion, and Ellie looked like she was about to fall over leaning on the railing. “The entire proceedings have been treated as irreverently as one would expect from a Tsion spy!”

In an instant, the entire room held their breath in suspension at the accusation; it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Leer scoffed but before he could say anyone, May opened the small gate and stepped inside, continuing her rant.

“We’ve been onto you for months! Always leaking our plans through encoded broadcast reports, which we've been intercepting. We've finally figured it out, and narrowed it down to you. Even now you are dong Tsion's bidding! What else would the tyrant want than to turn Matrix into a scapegoat to hide his numerous crimes and wanton depravity? You were just the man to do it, perfectly positioned in our society!”

“How dare you accuse me of-”

“I dare because I have proof!” She held up a small flat round disk of sorts before the audience, still facing Leer. “In this recording, we have all your intercepted transmissions stored; every time and location we could trace, and every event that followed them, including this one, is all recorded here. And in each case, you were at that location or had access to knowledge only a select few would have. You are the mole we’ve been hunting down, manipulating the system to serve Tsion and betraying the people you swore to serve! Captain, arrest that man!”

“This is preposterous!” Leer shouted turning red in the face. “I am not going to stand here and listen to your bullshit any longer! I hold you and all your depraved Mechanoid friends in contempt! You aren't going to turn this onto me! I am not the one on trial.”

The room gasped at his language but he didn't seem to notice. May stood there silent for a moment, a strong defiant person fighting for what she knew was right, and despite all my contempt for her, I knew she was someone you could trust and follow.

“Actually, you are.”

Out of her pocket, she pulled out a piece of paper with writing on it, and unfolded it before holding it up before the audience.

“I hold in my hand a testimony written and signed by an eye-witness whom we are protecting. Here, she lists every single member of the inner circle she saw while in their custody. After spending years as a prisoner, she was able to give us a rather thorough list.”

“That's impossible, no one-” he began but quickly shut his mouth as May continued.

“On that list are a dozen names including one Senator Leer.”

Leer opened his mouth to talk, but apparently changed his mind and bolted, trying to run out the door. Using the gavel as a weapon, he hit one of May’s men in the head, and shoved another to try to reach the door. Unfortunately for him, the gavel did nothing except make the man mad and he didn't have the strength to push anyone over. Instead, he ended up dangling between the two men as they lifted him off the ground, putting him into a painful hold with his arms twisted behind his back.

“Hold him in a cell until we have the time to deal with him properly” May called out. "He will answer for his actions."

The men hauled Leer kicking and cussing out of the room, and we could hear his tirade for several more seconds as they carried him down the hall to the very cells he observe Matrix and Ellie in.

Ellie crouched there on the stand, trying to disappear, or perhaps cowering from the man that came within feet of her and just declared her guilty. I watched as she slowly stood up, hyperventilating. Raster stepped next to her and gently patted her back, saying something quietly to her to calm her down. What was going to happen now? Leer found her guilty, but his ruling couldn't possibly have any kind of weight after what just happened. May looked between her and me, and finally turned toward the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen" she began, taking a stance near Ellie. "I apologize for the actions we’ve had to take here. Since we are without a qualified judge, we the people should decide the fate of the accused, both Matrix and Ellie. You have heard the evidence. I would only like to add that in the recent days since the virus was removed, both of these girls have aided me and my men, and have fought to protect the people they love despite all odds. I wouldn't be here without their help and their fellow Ainu soldiers. If you are still convinced that these girls need to stand trial for their actions to determine a sentence, please remain in your seats, and we will keep them in custody until a new judge can be found. But if you believe they are victims themselves, having been tortured and used by Tsion and his men to serve his ends against their will... that they are not responsible for their actions... and that they deserve a second chance, then stand with me."

It took a moment to process all May was saying, but Matrix was already standing next to me pulling at my arm before I realized why. Naturally, I stood, as did the other girls, my dad, and even Captain Azuma. However, few others did. I could feel my heart sink when I realized the people weren't ready to give them that second chance. A second later, a chair screeched against the floor, and we all looked back to see a man limping toward the front, his off-beat footsteps echoing in the room. Slowly but surely, Michael, the man who helped us before, made his way to the front and stood before the prosecutor desk before turning toward the audience. Everyone sat with baited breath to hear what he had to say.

"Most of ya don't know me, but I reckon we all have a thing or two in common." He unbuttoned his shirt and revealed his flesh and metallic torso. "I've had more than a few parts replaced over the years, and while I may not be a fighter, like Aunt May here, and I sure as hell ain't no lawyer, I think I can relate to y'all on a deeper level. The first time I had a run-in with Matrix, I lost a leg. The second time I almost kicked the bucket. If it wasn't for this accursed metal body, I wouldn't be here right now. Just the other day, I was run-through by one of her lackeys. Would have killed a normal man, but thanks to Matrix, she missed anything vital."

He glanced over at Lulu, who cowered at his gesture. Proxy had to put her hand under her arm to keep her from sitting, lifting Lulu to a standing position again.

"I'm standing here before y'all as a man" he continued. "A broken man; maybe more machine than man at this point. I've got no political points to score, no agenda. I've personally been attacked by these girls 3 times, each time vicious and heartless." I was hoping he'd be on our side, but perhaps I was wrong. "And I want to let ya know, I don't see that in them anymore. Somethin's different, and I know those of ya who personally faced one of them will see it too. Look at their eyes; just look at these girls. Do they look like the killers you once saw?"

I could feel the eyes of the audience judging them, and me. It was actually pretty hard on me, but I'm sure even worse for the girls, who suddenly seemed to be overly aware of themselves and their surroundings. Matrix couldn't help but look down at her feet with her good eye, but Ellie stood up and looked at the audience directly, meeting their gazes. She breathed deeply through her nose as she stood there with a pleading look of sorrow in her eyes. But there was a defiant strength behind her gaze as well. Something about her in the last few days was changing, and she was looking more human than ever with such a complex expression.

"I'm ready to forgive them," Michael continued, "and give 'em a second chance. They say to forgive is divine, but I say we should send these girls back to Tsion, so we can see the look on his face when they do to him what he made them do to us. If they really have changed, let's give them the chance to prove it!"

I can't say I was exactly on board with the idea of sending Ellie and Matrix back into battle, even if it was against Tsion, but he got better results than May. People all around us started to stand, slowly but surely. I watched a the librarian we ran into got to her feet, some of the patrons who complained at the cafe joined in, even 2 of the 3 prosecuting attorneys got to their feet. There were still a few who held out, keeping their seats, including the rude woman at the library. But after a few moments, most of the room stood up, or stepped forward from the walls to join in.

May spoke up again. "Then it is official, in the cases of the people versus Matrix and Ellie, the people are dropping all charges, and they are free to go."

There was no applause, no cheers of joy. May unlatched the restraints from Ellie, and freed her, smiling. But before I could do anything, Matrix started pulling at my arm.

"Help me up" she said, trying to stand on the chair to look over the crowd. She was too short to see over, and even with the chair would barely look over the crowd.

"What are you doing?" I asked, as I kept her steady so she wouldn't fall.

"I have to do this" she explained. "If not for me than for Ellie."

Finally, she stood up on her chair and faced backward toward the audience, holding onto me for support with only one eye to balance herself.

"Holy crap that's a lot of people" she muttered under her breath. Clearing her throat, she easily got everyone's attention. "I- wow... I am M- Matrix..." She lost her voice as she murmured. "Oh geez I recognize some of them" she murmured quietly while holding onto me tighter.

Matrix closed her eyes and breathed deeply as she began again. "Look, I'm not going to apologize" she began, which wasn't a great start as people started to murmur. "Because nothing I say-" she continued louder than before, but the audience hushed and she found her voice too loud, so she started again at a lower volume. "Because nothing I say will ever bring back the ones you lost, end the pain you've endured at my hands, or prevent the damage I've caused. I wish I could undo it all, but I can't. I wish more than anything I could go back and prevent all of this. Nothing we can do will prevent the pain we've caused you, but maybe we can help heal it" she explained gesturing to the other girls as well. "I cannot apologize until I've earned the right to ask for forgiveness in your eyes. I speak for Ellie and myself... and all the Ainu guard, when I tell you that we will do whatever we can to make things right." I wasn't sure if she was acting or not, but even her voice was starting to crack toward the end.

It was a rather effective speech. It even warranted a small applause. It was not a thunderous applause, but I think she hit the right notes and most people saw that. She realized she couldn't just say sorry and all would be forgiven, so she didn't. I felt rather proud of her, but still I worried if the people would really care. Hopefully someone would get the word out.

As the crowd stopped clapping and started talking, I helped Matrix back down, but she decided the best way to do that was to just hold onto me and land in a hug. I didn't complain at all as we tightly embraced each other. Gently, I placed her down on the ground, and the weight of everything that happened was finally starting to hit her and she broke down into tears. It was a good thing my dad disabled the tear duct in her missing eye, so she didn't have to take off the eye patch. I was genuinely surprised to see several people shake her hand and talk with her in a positive way. A number of people left very quickly, either to report on the events, or to avoid any celebrations they didn't agree with. Lulu, Tess, and Proxy all turned to me with smiles, and squeezed passed me to Matrix, embracing her in a giant group hug. Even my dad made his way over to shake my hand and congratulate the girls.

Meanwhile, I made sure I found my way to the front where Raster, Ellie, and May were talking. I didn't hear what they were talking about, because as soon as Ellie saw me, she jumped into my arms and refused to let go, burying her face in my chest. I knew she was crying, but at least this time they were tears of joy. I had to shake May's hand around Ellie. Raster smiled, but didn't want to interrupt Ellie.

"Jimmy" Ellie sobbed. "I'm so very very sorry I didn't tell you that I killed those people. I hurt their families and caused them to burn down your house."

"It's ok, you didn't have a choice. I forgive you" I told her. "I'm just happy that you're here with me now."

"You're too good for me" she commented. "Shouldn't you get upset or hit me or something?"

"I'm not Seth. I could never do that to you. I love you."

She smiled and hugged tighter. "I love you too. It feels weird getting a second chance... Like a something heavy was lifted off of me. I feel so much lighter."

"Ladies and gentlemen", May spoke up. "Due to the nature of the infiltrator, I am evacuating this area of the underground. Captain Wilkins and the IRG are probably already aware of our location, so please follow the evacuation signs in a calm and orderly fashion." She went off to help direct people out of the room.

Evacuation? We just got reunited!

"She's right" Michael said in my ear out of nowhere. I snapped my head toward him in time to see him back away a little at the sight of Ellie. "If Leer really was the mole, you'd best be leaving."

Ellie finally let go of the embrace to look at him. Then she did something I've never seen her do before. She bowed to him. "I remember what Matrix did to you, and I am sorry. Thank you for coming to our defense."

The gesture took Michael, and me, by surprise. "Don't worry about it" he replied, a little red in the face. "It's not in my nature to hold a grudge."

Ellie stood up again and smiled shyly. There was something about her that looked different again. The way she moved, the way she spoke, I couldn't put my finger on it, but she was changing, growing.

"Oh, that reminds me" he continued. "Einguard and Beschutzer are safe and sound, you can pick 'em up whenever you need. Speaking of which, I have to head back. Good luck."

He gave us both a nod and turned to leave. "You found Einguard?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah, I was going to tell you but it wasn't high on my list" I explained. She nodded but was distracted when Matrix and the girls finally came over to congratulate her. She beamed at them as she embraced them in another group hug, but Raster stayed back with me.

"I'm sorry for keeping things from you and them" she said.

"What are you talking about? You defended Ellie and Matrix better than anyone else could!" I explained. "Who cares if you have a secret or two?"

She laughed. "You're right. But I can't stay with them anymore."

"What? Why?"

"I have a master" she sighed. "And I have to serve him. He hasn't given me any more orders... I really should find him."

"Don't be silly! You belong here, with them, with us."

"But I can't" she reiterated. I thought for a moment, and came up with something.

"Even though none of you girls are actually part of the Ainu guard, does the Chain of Command still work?" I asked her.

"It's part of our programming" she confirmed with a nod.

"Then I command you to stay with the girls until he personally comes to get you."

She opened her mouth to object but then thought a second. "You know you'd make a good lawyer" she replied. "Very well. I'll stay for now."

I looked at her and realized that even though she was strong and a born leader, she was built for companionship and with her master gone all the time, these girls were her best friends and family, and she needed them. I couldn't help myself as I reached out and hugged her.

"Hey!" she objected, trying to push me off, but she didn't try hard and let me hug her. "Thanks" she smiled.

I let her go, and she looked up with a smile. "Now get over there and celebrate with your sisters" I commanded.

She nodded and joined the others for more celebratory hugs and laughs. There were still a few people straggling, some talking, most on their way out, but one man I didn't recognize stayed behind with a dark look on his face.

He approached the girls, and I had a bad feeling about this. Was he about to seek his revenge for some past act Matrix or one of the others performed? I walked over toward him to confront him, but before I could get there, Ellie saw him, and her face went white as she pressed herself against me looking at him. He leaned into Matrix who didn't see him behind her yet, and said something in her ear. She too went pale, and turned her head toward him, backing away toward us.

"Who are you, what's going on?" I tried to ask, but Ellie turned to me and shook her head.

"It's not what you think" she said as she turned back toward him.

"You said you'd do whatever it took to makes things right..." he called out before turning and walking out.

"What was that? What did he say to you?"

Ellie shook her head. "I don't know his name, but..."

"I did something reeeaaally bad to him" Matrix added.

"What?" I asked.

Ellie shook her head but didn't answer. Raster spoke up instead. "She slowly killed his pregnant wife in front of him, and forced him to watch her die" Raster explained. "I remember. It was her first crime. Rather gruesome."

"What did he say to you?" I asked, turning toward Matrix.

"He said he'd only forgive us after he did the same thing to us."

"Jimmy! I won't let him near you!" Ellie cried out.

The man was already gone, and no one caught his name. Nothing quite raises your spirits like having your life threatened.

"Relax" Lulu interjected. "As long as you're with us, you'll be safe. We won't let anything happen to you."

"You should talk" Tess added.

"I said I was sorry!"

"Enough you two!" Raster interrupted. "We must find May and evacuate. We will deal with death threats as they happen. Don't think this will be the only one."

And she was right. It was only the first, but then we couldn't worry about that. We found May just outside and reported what happened.

"I was afraid that would happen, but there's nothing for it" she answered. "Don't worry, Captain Azuma will personally escort you and guard you for the time being." May took me aside, although she knew the girls could all hear her. "Jimmy, I'm sorry for the way we've been treating you and the girls. People like Leer always have their eyes on us, and they've been pressuring us. But no longer. We had to put up appearances not knowing who we were trying to pander to. Do you think you and the girls can forgive us for the harsh treatment?"

"You came to Ellie's defense" Matrix spoke up, "and you saved my life. I'm the one that needs to apologize."

"I think you should ask them" I added.

"It's ok. You had to do what you had to do" Ellie replied. "We know a thing or two about having your hand forced."

May smiled with a nod. "Thank you. But the least I can do is personally make sure you all get out safe. Go find your father, and I'll meet you at his room. I need to make sure the evacuation gets handled first."

May went off to take care of the evacuation while we fetched my dad. It wasn't hard to find him, as he was still inside the room talking with Azuma.

The room was just as small as I remembered when I brought Lulu there the other day, but now it was far more crowded. Our group now had 6 gynoids, 2 humans, and a cyborg, not including May and Azuma. It didn't take long for the memory of the revenge seeking man to dissipate and everyone was in a jovial mood again, all chatting and laughing as though we just won some great victory.

But memories of the trail stirred in me, and I had questions for my dad. Important ones.

“So, I don't have white hair. Did mom have white hair?” I asked as the others conversed in the background.

“Why, yes, she did. Long flowing white hair and glittered in the sun.” He cleared his thought after a moment or two of reminiscing. “It's supposedly a recessive trait that only shows up in children of both Ainuan parents. It makes it easy to tell who is pure blood Ainuan and who isn't.”

“Ah. So, how did you two meet?”

He chuckled. “She literally ran into me. She was so taken with the new land and people, she wasn't looking where she was going and ran into me while I was working on an armored suit. I was employed as an engineer then, and she had just come to the city. It wasn't exactly love at first sight, but it didn't take long.”

“What did she look like?” I had no pictures of my mother, only my dad. I thought she died in childbirth but now I understood it was to protect me from retaliation if anyone made the connection. At least I hoped that was why.

“Here” he said, pulling out his wallet. “I don't have much of hers, but I still have this.” He showed me a picture in his wallet of a beautiful young woman with freckles and white flowing hair so bright it blew out the image. She did look oddly familiar to me, like I had seen her the other day or something. However, I could see the family resemblance between us instantly, and somewhere in the middle of all this, Laura, Ellie, and Matrix started to peek over and get a look.

“So that’s where his good looks come from” Matrix teased.

“She's really pretty” Laura commented.

“Hey... This is the first time I've ever seen my mother.” I got a little emotional as I studied the picture, but didn't stop them from looking either. Ellie just hugged me from behind, and it made me feel better.

“I think we can relate” Matrix commented. “She's probably the closest thing to a mother for us as well.” I hadn't thought if that before.

Handing it back to my dad, I wanted to ask him everything in the world about her, but suddenly couldn't think of anything. Life sure has a way of doing weird things like that to you.

“We were very much in love” he added. “I was inspired by her when I started making androids; it really was her idea for me to start. Androids are a big thing in Ainu apparently, and she knew I had the talent and skills to be a great roboticist. I dived into it, but Tsion didn't like that. He didn't like androids, and wanted me to work on a new design of armored suits. I decided to do both. And he... Well he took both and you know the rest. When I fought back, he put pressure on me, arresting your mother, but I couldn't do anything good or fast enough for him. I couldn't save her. But I could at least save you.”

“It's ok dad. He's gonna pay for what he's done.”

“I don't want revenge anymore son, I just want to spend what time I have left with my family, with you, and the girls.”

“Didn't you program us for fighting?” Lulu asked.

“Not initially, but yes. However I also programmed you for compassion,” he said nodding to Lulu, “reason,” he continued with a nod to Proxy, “logic,” he nodded toward Raster, “and love” he added with a nod to Tess.

“Love?” Tess asked. “But I can't love. I'm incapable of it.”

“You didn't used to be. You were the first I built to have emotions, but the IRG took that from you. Haven't you noticed any peculiar errors?”

“As a matter of fact, I have.”

“Give me some time and I'm sure I can fix that for you.”

“Really?” she asked all excited but blinked and eyes suddenly and twitched her head. “That would be nice.”

“Another error?” I asked. She just nodded.

“So you’re saying you can reprogram us? Give us some sort of domestic life?” Lulu asked with a scoff.

“Not exactly. But I can undo their reprogramming... sort of” He looked her in the eyes with a raised brow. “Don't worry; I would never change a thing about who you are. You'll be free to make your own choices.”

“You mean free will?” I asked, knowing they were capable of such complex thoughts. “What about the Chain of Command? How exactly does that work now that we know they aren't really part of Ainu?”

“It's a little confusing, I admit” he replied. “I built them to be independent, but the IRG needed them to follow orders. So the Chain of Command allows them to follow orders but also be independent.” He must have noticed the confused look on my face. “Look at it this way: without the Chain of Command, they would be bound in a slave master role to members of the IRG, forced to do anything and everything they say. With the Chain, they are not bound to anyone in such a way, but only in so much as a soldier is bound by his commander, rather than a slave.”

“Ok, I think I get it” I thought aloud. “If they are not bound as slaves, the command can change, and there is more wiggle room. But what about now? I'm no soldier; do they really need to keep following the Chain?”

“That's the beauty of it, the Chain can be broken. Heck, your role in the Chain is the first step. After this entire thing blows over, we can dissolve the unit, which will de-validate the Chain. They’ll truly be free!”

“Free?” Raster pondered.

“I'm sorry dear” my dad replied. “There is little I can do for you outside of consulting with Gabriel. But perhaps he will be compassionate and give you your freedom.”

She nodded. “But what about all the others?” She asked. “All the people, cyborgs, and sentients that are still under the thumb of Tsion?”

“We should help them” Laura interjected.

“We owe it to them” Proxy added.

“We should fight!” Lulu projected. “I mean... Maybe we can change their minds if we show them the real us.”

“But what can we do? We might be trained fighters, but there only 5- err 6, 7...” Tess asked counting up the members of the group.

“I think I can help with that, or perhaps I should say, she can help” my dad answered squeezing his way to the far end of the room to pull back a curtain and reveal the old green-haired gynoid I rescued when I found Matrix in the tower.

She was laying on a cot, wires, cables, and tubes connected to all parts of her. The cheap metal skin I had put on her had been partially replaced with synthetic skin again, reaching from her face down to her belly. Her face and hair looked the same except the wear and worry from before was gone, and she looked much younger and healthier now.

She was asleep, or deactivated, but breathing. Her metallic legs were partially covered by a blanket, but the rest of her was exposed since the cables and other connections were too numerous to allow for her to cover herself. My dad went over to her, and flipped a switch or two on a nearby computer, and leaned in.

“XF-01, it's time to wake up. How are you feeling?”

She opened her eyes slowly and looked around before holding her forehead in pain. “I've got a headache... Which must mean you've gotten my pain receptors back online.”

My dad nodded. “Soon as I can I'll take a look at that. Here, I'd like you to meet my son, Jim.”

I smiled and reached to shake her hand, and she raised an eyebrow as well.

“Didn't think I'd see you again” I commented. “How are you doing?”

“Fine. I never really thanked you for saving me back then. I'm sorry, my mind was all messed up, but doctor Amano here managed to retrieve some of my memories.”

“So you two know each other?” My dad asked.

“Yeah, I rescued here when I found Matrix in that tower. And then I repaired some of her damage...” I turned back to her. “I'm sorry it was such a shoddy job. He were really pressed for parts and equipment-”

“No, no. It's alright. Thanks for not just leaving me behind and doing what you could. I wish I could repay you. Oh... How is your um... friend?” She looked over and saw Ellie behind me. I hated to think that the last time she saw her was when she was in that tower being tortured... or getting wild with Seth.

“She's doing much much better, thank you.”

“Hey” Matrix interrupted. “I remember you! You were there, in that tower. But no... before. I remember seeing you... somewhere.” She sounded confused trying to figure it out, like a thought nagging at the back of her head she couldn't quite remember.

“I'm sorry... I don't remember you” the green-haired girl replied.

“Oh, right. Yeah, this wasn't he body had then. Although I admit it has been growing on me.” Matrix reached over to Ellie and gave her a one-armed hug. “This used to me, but now you could say I'm beside myself” she joked.

“Oh ha ha” I taunted rolling my eyes.

“I'm sorry, I don't understand” the girl replied.

“It's a little complicated” I explained. “In short, the girl I was trying to rescue was Ellie, but she was part of Matrix. We managed to separate the two of them in order to repair them and well... Here they are.”

She looked between them trying to comprehend it, and finally nodded slowly. “I think I got it...”

“What about you?” Ellie asked. “I remember you in that room but why were you there?”

“That is what I wanted to show you” my dad explained.

“Show us what?”

My name” the green-haired girl began “is Alice, model number XF-01. I have the honor of being the first produced Ino sentient robot.”

“The first!?” The three of us asked all in unison.

She nodded. “I was built 159 years ago, although I didn't achieve sentience until a few decades ago. It's a little fuzzy. I was built for the king, or rather his son. To be a faithful servant and guardian. When his son grew up and took the throne, he gave me my freedom, and ordered the best scientists to update my systems. Over the years they kept working on me, improving me.”

“That's why you had old outdated parts inside you, and yet had an advanced epidermis!” I realized. I recalled how when I first repaired her, she had all sorts of weird old parts in her, and yet she was covered in skin that wasn't all that old.

“Precisely! I've been getting regular updates every year. And I was always kept on staff as the official nanny for the king. And even after the last king was overthrown, I was brought in to continue my work. I guess they thought I was a status symbol, sort of like one of those things the royal family always had so every ruler should have me.”

“So you were a nanny?” Laura asked, listening into the conversation.

“Yes” she nodded. “To every ruler, king, and Kaiser for over a century and a half.”

“Including Tsion” my dad added.

“So you know all his dirty little secrets?” Matrix asked.

“I don't know about that” she answered. “But I remember he was always sick as a child, and kept me around all the time even after he grew up.”

“Wait a second” interrupted Laura. “You’re telling me that Kaiser Tsion, the guy who’s been spreading mass panic against robots and vilifying them for years, was raised by a robot?”

“... I'm afraid I'm responsible for that too. His hatred of robots stems from his childhood. No one told him when he was a child that I was a robot, and with all my upgrades it was impossible to tell. He seemed particularly fond of me as a boy, maybe too fond. His parents never spent time with him, so I guess he became attached to me.

“It wasn't until he was a teenager that he found out I wasn't human, and he took it really hard. He felt I betrayed him, even after all the care and attention I gave him every day. He grew to hate me, but still kept me around. After he took over, he made me a maid, having had no children himself. That was when he really changed.”

She grew silent, holding her head again. My dad checked a telescreen to make sure she was operating alright. “Sorry, I had to restore her memory but whatever they were doing to her left her mind fragmented, especially with memories of that time.”

“She looks like she's in pain” Ellie commented. “Are you alright?”

Alice nodded, clenching her eyes from the headache, while my dad typed in a command or two.

“I've been running a repair program, but it causes her some pain. It should pass soon.”

It took a moment or two but Alice’s face finally relaxed and she exhaled. “Sorry about that. Where was I?”

“You were mentioning how he changed after he made you a maid” Laura reminded her.

“Right. At first it was small things like making me clean his room repeatedly. He eventually started to abuse me physically as well. He’d hit me, or assault me. I think he took offense at my lack of reproductive organs. I'm sure that saved me some pains, but instead caused his attacks to increase. He started to take out his aggression on me, beating me and breaking me, and always sending me back to be repaired so he could do it again.

“Even though he was always sickly and weak, he still managed to hurt me again and again. Finally he snapped and I...” She held her head again but talked through it. “I was sent to be tortured. My memory would be erased every so often, to assure they could break my mind again and again... And yet, I remember very clearly there were times when they would have me clean up after a council meeting or prostrate myself for them...”

“Council meeting?” I asked.

“Wait, wait, wait...” Laura interjected. “So you are the informer that saw the inner circle?”

Alice nodded her head. “Yes. I would attend the meeting between my beatings. Apparently I was still a status symbol for them. And yet... Tsion never wanted to be near me anymore. He personally stopped beating me and had others do it on his behalf. He just one day shut everyone out and never left his room. He'd even have his food delivered through a lift, and refused contact with anyone. And yet they continued to do everything he asked.

“That's where you come in” she explained. “Tsion had long since rid himself of me but still held some kind of grudge against the fact that I was a robot. He sent me to be brutally tortured every day, to the point of failure, and then repaired again. When they brought the girl... Ellie as it? When they brought you in, you fought them as much as you could. I remember. It was you who slashed at them with those blade things.”

“I didn't mean to...” Ellie mumbled.

“Those are gone now” I explained.

“I don't think she realized what she was doing through all the pain” Alice explained. “She was just fighting to get free.”

“I didn't k- kill anyone did I?” Ellie asked, worried.

“No, at least I don't think so. Although one guy lost and ear, some fingers were severed...”

“No more” Ellie complained, recalling the memories herself. She latched onto me and shook her head.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Well, it was shortly after that when you found me. Thank you so much for getting me out of that hell.”

“No thanks are needed” I replied. “Anyone with half a heart would have done the same.”

“And the fact that she knows everything about Tsion” my dad continued, “means she knows the layouts, codes, names, schedules, everything! Alice has been collecting this data for years even through they’ve been wiping her mind of it. They weren't very thorough with her memory though, and I managed to restore most of it. She is the best ticket we have to finding Tsion and ending this once and for all!”

“By ’ending this’, you mean...?” Matrix asked.

“Well...” My dad didn't exactly answer, trying to avoid the topic.

“He means to kill him” Raster explained nonchalantly.

“That's what I'm talking about!” Matrix cheered. I gave her a hard disapproving stare and she instantly saw my gaze and looked away. “I mean... Uh... I didn't mean... I'm sorry I...”

“I may not be your registered master user, and I may not have given you the same order Ellie has not to hurt people, but I would like it if you weren't so quick to violence.” Matrix avoided eye contact with me as I scolded her, but she nodded. “It's for your own good.”

“I know... I didn't mean it like that! I just... He's the cause of all our problems and... I just want our problems gone.”

“We probably will have to kill him though” Raster pointed out.

She was right, but I didn't want Matrix rejoicing in that. She was already stuck trying to recover both her and Ellie’s image.

“I don't like all this talk about killing Tsion” Alice objected. “I raised him after all!”

“Even after all the pain and torture he put you through?” Laura asked.

“Even after all of it, I still don't wish harm on him.”

“You do realize the information you gave us will probably lead to his death, don't you?” Raster asked.

Alice nodded. “That doesn't mean I have to like it. I know, he's done horrible things to a lot of people, and I'm sorry I feel this way, but I don't like solving violence with violence.”

“They’ve tried other methods in the past” Raster argued. “He's rejected all of them.”

“I know. There may be no other choice. Just leave me out of it.”

At that moment, Aunt May walked in and interrupted our conversation without a second thought.

“I've managed to finish making evacuation arrangements, but reports say the IRG are heading here already through multiple entrances” she said to no one in particular. “We have to move the rest of you now, and luckily I have just the place in mind. We should still be ahead of them. I want to make sure you’ll be in a safe place where Seth and his men will never look. One of our benefactors has graciously volunteered to let you hide out at his estate while we make plans. He has ties with Tsion that we know are more for show than anything else, and that means no one would think to look for us there.”

“We better hurry” I commented. “Is it far?”

“It is a little ways from here, so we need to get everyone moving. He should have an escort ready for us soon. Don't worry, I trust him, he's a good man who’s donated a lot of money to cybernetic research and AI development, as well as humanitarian needs.”

“Wait a second” Laura tried to interrupt by May just kept talking over her.

“He has a lot of influence in the government and has been helping us secretly for years, but has managed to keep Tsion and his followers off his trail with his position and political power.”

“No... You don't mean-” Laura spoke up again.

“And to apologize, I'm going to set you up in the biggest nicest rooms he has. It's more of a mansion than a house so there is plenty of room, and he has a staff that will help us out as well.”

“No no no! Not him! I know what you’re doing. Don't do it! Not-”

“And the best part is you all already know his daughter.”

Laura’s dad’s mansion was even bigger and grander than the palace. It didn't have the same regal look, and it wasn't as tall, but it took up a chunk of land big enough to house an army. And it was full of high class artistry and panache that few others could boast.

As we stood before the ornate gates his drivers had taken us to, I got a sense of the immensity of the state and the grandeur of his lifestyle. He was easily one of the richest men in the city; it was a shame Laura hated him so much. I chanced a glance at Laura as she was getting out of the vehicle, and it was clear... Laura was mortified.

Chapters 1-10 - Index - Chapters 21-30

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Corrupted - Chapters 11-20

Contents

Chapter 11 - Chain of command

Chapter 12 - Virus-addict

Chapter 13 - Garden of Earthly delights

Chapter 14 - Ambassador

Chapter 15 - Escape

Chapter 16 - Disarmed

Chapter 17 - Chained

Chapter 18 - Persecution

Chapter 19 - Prosecution

Chapter 20 - Alice

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Corrupted - Chapters 11-20

Chapter 11 - Chain of command

Chapter 12 - Virus-addict

Chapter 13 - Garden of Earthly delights

Chapter 14 - Ambassador

Chapter 15 - Escape

Chapter 16 - Disarmed

Chapter 17 - Chained

Chapter 18 - Persecution

Chapter 19 - Prosecution

Chapter 20 - Alice

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