Post by Blindside Tex on Nov 26, 2017 0:20:31 GMT -5
Aldora munched on her rabbit in the morning, she felt refreshed. Enough sleep, and nutrition in her system, she wasn’t as drained, and she wasn’t freezing. She grabbed her bow and her staff and they were off toward the ruins. She marveled at the difference in the land without the blizzard. Without the sheering winds. She listened to Nadine and Kilan as they spoke back and forth. When Nadine nearly fell down the mountainside Aldora rushed forward, her hands on Nadine’s shoulders just as she caught herself with the staff. She gave a gentle smile. “Careful.” She spoke as she continued down the incline. Aldora looked to her and chuckled, “You’ve gotten much better, I remember that day in the field, with the flowers. Even in the short time that we have been on this voyage to cleanse the land, you’ve become stronger.” She nodded as they headed toward the mountain thumb.
When they came to the doorway and Kilan spoke Aldora only nodded and stepped up to the door. She scanned the keypad with her focus as the door began to scan her. She looked to the orb that scanned her in.
“Authentication in progress.” It spoke as the blue light moved over her body. “Access granted, welcome Dr. Ayla Henderson. Project New Dawn, awaits.” The robotic voice spoke.
“Woah….” Kilan looked to the door with a slack jaw as it slid from its place.
Aldora stepped into the ruin, descending down a flight of stairs immediately. She looked around, it was pristine, dust hadn’t gathered here. Or so it seemed. She could hear something ahead of them. Aldora pulled her bow as she listened to a swish, swish against the metal flooring. She rounded a corner and then froze.
“Good morning, Dr. Henderson, it is good to see you.” A robot stood before her, a broom in hand. “It has been centuries...” The robot spoke and then went back to sweeping. It walked off down the hallway.
Aldora stood with a baffled look on her face. She’d seen these robots before, they took the shape of humans, bipeds just like her. But of course they were all metal, and didn’t have a face per say. This was the first one she saw that was moving, that had life. She looked to Nadine. “This ruin, it is still active…” She spoke as she looked down the hall.
“Is…is that normal?” Kilan asked.
“No…usually the ruins are silent, filled with skeletons of our ancestors…” She spoke as she continued forward Aldora stepped into a large room that had what looked like beds inside of it.
“Welcome Dr. Henderson.” Another robot approached. “Are you here to test the final tweaks the team put in place with Minerva before they evacuated?” The machine asked, this robot did not look like the others. It had a face, it had musculature. The muscles that ran beneath the plates of its body were lit up blue. It had blue eyes. It even smiled when it greeted Aldora.
Aldora glanced to Nadine and then to the machine, her breath caught in her chest. “Minerva?” She questioned. “Tell me, what is Minerva.”
The robot looked to her for a moment. “Minerva, the knowledge of the future. It is a project created by you, Dr. Henderson. To install knowledge for life after the Carver robots bring extinction to our planet. This is an auxiliary station, made to hold the information in the case of a malware virus getting into the prime system. The system has back up technology placed throughout the world, you created this back up plan, just in case the same virus that corrupted the Carver robots caused corruption in our programs. So far it has been a successful 2,348 years since this auxiliary station has been put into service. I am Apollo, the AI unit that you created, Dr. Henderson. I have made several changes to the original Minerva programming to better it, to make a future for humanity after extinction….” Apollo paused a moment. “Dr. Henderson, why are you asking so many questions that you should already know the answer to?” He asked, his expression critical.
Aldora bit her lip slightly, “Apollo…” She spoke and took in a slow breath, “I’m…”
“You’re not Dr. Henderson, are you?” He asked quickly, his brow line raised. He watched as Aldora shook her head. He searched her eyes for a moment. “You are not completely a match to Dr. Henderson, there are small differences…I have noted the lack of freckles on your cheeks, you also seem to have longer hair….” He looked to Nadine and then to Kilan. Kilan looked to be in shock. “Did it happen?” He asked and stepped forward to Nadine. He looked to her clothing. He shook his head. “Did Minerva fail?” He paused then. “It must have failed…if you do not know of Minerva…” He took a step back. “Dr….er….” He looked to her. “The project to clone the creators was put to an end…how….” He stepped over to a computer screen and began typing away. Searching for something.
Aldora looked to Nadine. She wasn’t sure what to think of this machine. “Apollo…there are terrible machines, killing humans….they have a red corruption.”
Apollo clicked away and then stepped back. “Prime is in minimal power mode…” He turned to Aldora. “Corruption….? It is happening? Again?”
“There is a demon names Hades…”
“Hades.” Apollo spoke quickly, his eyes turned red for a moment then melted back to blue. “The Hades project was always a weak link.” He turned and clicked a few things on the keyboard. “I can’t locate the Hades installation…” He spoke. He then shook his head. “Dr. Henderson, she had great ideas, her project…” Apollo crossed his arms. He then looked to the beds that were set in the room. “Have you seen other AI units like me?” He asked. He watched as Aldora shook her head. “You are nervous.” He nodded. “Your vitals show it, do not be afraid…what do I call you?” He asked.
“Aldora…” She nearly whispered.
Apollo smiled slightly. “Aldora, hm.” He then turned and stepped to one of the beds. “Come and lay down here. I want to help you and your friends…” He looked to Nadine and Kilan.
“What is…that…?” Aldora asked. She looked to a strange piece of equipment that seemed to slip over the head. The bed would close around her like a cocoon.
“It is Minerva.” He spoke with a smile. “You will see. Dr. Henderson would have wanted you to see. This is exceptional work from her and her colleagues. It will help to make things more understandable…” He paused a moment. “I am here to aid you.” He gently helped her into the cocoon of a bed. “Just, relax.” He nodded as he helped hook wires to her body. He then slipped the device over her head. “Take in a deep breath and count back from ten.” He spoke as he carefully closed the top of the bed.
Aldora lay inside, darkness surrounded her. She took in a shaken breath as she began to count back. Apollo went over to the computer and began clicking away quickly. On a screen behind Aldora her vitals became visible. “Minerva initiated.” A robotic voice spoke over the speaker system. Apollo looked to Nadine. “Ready?” He asked before he stepped over to a bed.
**
Aldora gasped and sat up. She looked around her surroundings. A vessel whizzed by her from one direction and then another flew by a sound coming from beneath the hood. She realized she stood in the middle of a stream of these contraptions. She ran quickly to the edge where other humans walked. She looked down to her clothing. She wore thread she’d never seen. Blue pants, brown leathery boots, she wore a jacket that had fluffy fur around the hood and on the inside. She glanced around at the huge square buildings that reached up into the sky. “What…is this…” She spun around and accidently knocked into a man that walked quickly down the street. She stumbled and fell.
“I’m so sorry!” The man exclaimed and reached down to help her up. “Are you alright?” He asked and picked up a case from the ground that he was carrying.
Aldora looked to him, he wore very clean clothing, a strap around his neck that hung in the front. His hair was short and combed to the side. “I…I’m okay…” She spoke, her breathing quick.
The man watched her for a moment. “Where are you headed?” He asked. “I’ll get you a taxi there, how about that?” He gave a smile and gently helped her.
“I…don’t know…” She spoke softly.
The man looked to her with concerned eyes. “You work for Reinhaus?” He asked and pointed to the badge that was barely visible from beneath her jacket. “Me too.” He grinned. “Come on.” He stepped to the edge of the concrete and held his hand up. A yellow vessel stopped for them and he helped her to sit inside. Before long they were off at a high speed down the road. “I work in the analysis department, where do you work…um…”
Aldora took in quick breaths, they were moving so quickly. Other vessels rushed passed. “I…um…” She tapped the man that sat in front of them. “I remembered where I have to be.” She spoke. “Please stop this…urm….taxi.”
She pulled at the door. “Th-thank you!” She spoke and ran into the crowd of people once more. “Nadine…” She muttered and rushed around. She felt up to her ear, she had her focus. She turned it on and glanced around. “Nadine where are you? What is this…” She stared up at the buildings once again.
When they came to the doorway and Kilan spoke Aldora only nodded and stepped up to the door. She scanned the keypad with her focus as the door began to scan her. She looked to the orb that scanned her in.
“Authentication in progress.” It spoke as the blue light moved over her body. “Access granted, welcome Dr. Ayla Henderson. Project New Dawn, awaits.” The robotic voice spoke.
“Woah….” Kilan looked to the door with a slack jaw as it slid from its place.
Aldora stepped into the ruin, descending down a flight of stairs immediately. She looked around, it was pristine, dust hadn’t gathered here. Or so it seemed. She could hear something ahead of them. Aldora pulled her bow as she listened to a swish, swish against the metal flooring. She rounded a corner and then froze.
“Good morning, Dr. Henderson, it is good to see you.” A robot stood before her, a broom in hand. “It has been centuries...” The robot spoke and then went back to sweeping. It walked off down the hallway.
Aldora stood with a baffled look on her face. She’d seen these robots before, they took the shape of humans, bipeds just like her. But of course they were all metal, and didn’t have a face per say. This was the first one she saw that was moving, that had life. She looked to Nadine. “This ruin, it is still active…” She spoke as she looked down the hall.
“Is…is that normal?” Kilan asked.
“No…usually the ruins are silent, filled with skeletons of our ancestors…” She spoke as she continued forward Aldora stepped into a large room that had what looked like beds inside of it.
“Welcome Dr. Henderson.” Another robot approached. “Are you here to test the final tweaks the team put in place with Minerva before they evacuated?” The machine asked, this robot did not look like the others. It had a face, it had musculature. The muscles that ran beneath the plates of its body were lit up blue. It had blue eyes. It even smiled when it greeted Aldora.
Aldora glanced to Nadine and then to the machine, her breath caught in her chest. “Minerva?” She questioned. “Tell me, what is Minerva.”
The robot looked to her for a moment. “Minerva, the knowledge of the future. It is a project created by you, Dr. Henderson. To install knowledge for life after the Carver robots bring extinction to our planet. This is an auxiliary station, made to hold the information in the case of a malware virus getting into the prime system. The system has back up technology placed throughout the world, you created this back up plan, just in case the same virus that corrupted the Carver robots caused corruption in our programs. So far it has been a successful 2,348 years since this auxiliary station has been put into service. I am Apollo, the AI unit that you created, Dr. Henderson. I have made several changes to the original Minerva programming to better it, to make a future for humanity after extinction….” Apollo paused a moment. “Dr. Henderson, why are you asking so many questions that you should already know the answer to?” He asked, his expression critical.
Aldora bit her lip slightly, “Apollo…” She spoke and took in a slow breath, “I’m…”
“You’re not Dr. Henderson, are you?” He asked quickly, his brow line raised. He watched as Aldora shook her head. He searched her eyes for a moment. “You are not completely a match to Dr. Henderson, there are small differences…I have noted the lack of freckles on your cheeks, you also seem to have longer hair….” He looked to Nadine and then to Kilan. Kilan looked to be in shock. “Did it happen?” He asked and stepped forward to Nadine. He looked to her clothing. He shook his head. “Did Minerva fail?” He paused then. “It must have failed…if you do not know of Minerva…” He took a step back. “Dr….er….” He looked to her. “The project to clone the creators was put to an end…how….” He stepped over to a computer screen and began typing away. Searching for something.
Aldora looked to Nadine. She wasn’t sure what to think of this machine. “Apollo…there are terrible machines, killing humans….they have a red corruption.”
Apollo clicked away and then stepped back. “Prime is in minimal power mode…” He turned to Aldora. “Corruption….? It is happening? Again?”
“There is a demon names Hades…”
“Hades.” Apollo spoke quickly, his eyes turned red for a moment then melted back to blue. “The Hades project was always a weak link.” He turned and clicked a few things on the keyboard. “I can’t locate the Hades installation…” He spoke. He then shook his head. “Dr. Henderson, she had great ideas, her project…” Apollo crossed his arms. He then looked to the beds that were set in the room. “Have you seen other AI units like me?” He asked. He watched as Aldora shook her head. “You are nervous.” He nodded. “Your vitals show it, do not be afraid…what do I call you?” He asked.
“Aldora…” She nearly whispered.
Apollo smiled slightly. “Aldora, hm.” He then turned and stepped to one of the beds. “Come and lay down here. I want to help you and your friends…” He looked to Nadine and Kilan.
“What is…that…?” Aldora asked. She looked to a strange piece of equipment that seemed to slip over the head. The bed would close around her like a cocoon.
“It is Minerva.” He spoke with a smile. “You will see. Dr. Henderson would have wanted you to see. This is exceptional work from her and her colleagues. It will help to make things more understandable…” He paused a moment. “I am here to aid you.” He gently helped her into the cocoon of a bed. “Just, relax.” He nodded as he helped hook wires to her body. He then slipped the device over her head. “Take in a deep breath and count back from ten.” He spoke as he carefully closed the top of the bed.
Aldora lay inside, darkness surrounded her. She took in a shaken breath as she began to count back. Apollo went over to the computer and began clicking away quickly. On a screen behind Aldora her vitals became visible. “Minerva initiated.” A robotic voice spoke over the speaker system. Apollo looked to Nadine. “Ready?” He asked before he stepped over to a bed.
**
Aldora gasped and sat up. She looked around her surroundings. A vessel whizzed by her from one direction and then another flew by a sound coming from beneath the hood. She realized she stood in the middle of a stream of these contraptions. She ran quickly to the edge where other humans walked. She looked down to her clothing. She wore thread she’d never seen. Blue pants, brown leathery boots, she wore a jacket that had fluffy fur around the hood and on the inside. She glanced around at the huge square buildings that reached up into the sky. “What…is this…” She spun around and accidently knocked into a man that walked quickly down the street. She stumbled and fell.
“I’m so sorry!” The man exclaimed and reached down to help her up. “Are you alright?” He asked and picked up a case from the ground that he was carrying.
Aldora looked to him, he wore very clean clothing, a strap around his neck that hung in the front. His hair was short and combed to the side. “I…I’m okay…” She spoke, her breathing quick.
The man watched her for a moment. “Where are you headed?” He asked. “I’ll get you a taxi there, how about that?” He gave a smile and gently helped her.
“I…don’t know…” She spoke softly.
The man looked to her with concerned eyes. “You work for Reinhaus?” He asked and pointed to the badge that was barely visible from beneath her jacket. “Me too.” He grinned. “Come on.” He stepped to the edge of the concrete and held his hand up. A yellow vessel stopped for them and he helped her to sit inside. Before long they were off at a high speed down the road. “I work in the analysis department, where do you work…um…”
Aldora took in quick breaths, they were moving so quickly. Other vessels rushed passed. “I…um…” She tapped the man that sat in front of them. “I remembered where I have to be.” She spoke. “Please stop this…urm….taxi.”
She pulled at the door. “Th-thank you!” She spoke and ran into the crowd of people once more. “Nadine…” She muttered and rushed around. She felt up to her ear, she had her focus. She turned it on and glanced around. “Nadine where are you? What is this…” She stared up at the buildings once again.
