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Authors: Jake Bible
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combat,” Norton said over the com. “Not in BC form. This tech is new to all of us, so keep an eye on your systems at all times. The wasteland environment is harsher than anything we have tested you in. The second your mech starts to show any signs of failure you need to bail. If your mech shuts down you could be fused in there.”
“It would not be the first time my consciousness was trapped in a mech,” Shiner said as he started to walk forward. “I will be fine. There is no need to worry.”
“How do you think Capreze will react to you returning?” LaFrance asked. “You aren’t his favorite AI.”
“I believe he will put the survival of his people before our differences,” Shiner said. “He is an honorable man.”
“That’s what I’ve heard,” LaFrance nodded. “Good luck, Shiner.”
“You as well, Commander,” Shiner said as he switched on his halogens to illuminate the underground tunnel. “I will keep you informed.”
“Just Norton,” LaFrance said. “Only Norton. Anyone else from up here gets on your com you ignore them. My gut tells me we Canadians are in for our own shake up right quick.”
“Great,” Norton muttered.
“Not to be spoken about, Norton,” LaFrance scolded. “Nothing I’ve said here or what Shiner reports to you. All that matters is helping get that shield down.”
“I will do my part,” Shiner said. “You can count on that, Commander.”
“I know I can.”
***
“Okay, so we have about six preset modes your mech can change into,” Norton said over the com as Shiner walked his way deeper into the tunnel that was a good quarter mile below the surface. “Last recon showed the tunnel had some structural issues in zones four and eight. You may need to shift your mech to fit through those places.”
“Thank you for the information,” Shiner replied. “I am confident everything will be fine.”
“I’m telling you this because once you hit the locks the com will go dead,” Norton said. “We won’t reconnect until you are on the wasteland side. And even then it can be spotty. Knobel has com relays throughout the wasteland, but we haven’t had a deep mission in a good while to test them.”
“Except to retrieve my CPU,” Shiner said. “When Capreze took the UDC Stronghold.”
“No, even then we were com dark,” Norton replied. “We couldn’t risk being detected. Not with all that tech being activated.”
“I understand,” Shiner said. “I am used to keeping my own company, so do not worry about me if we lose contact.”
With complete integration with his mech Shiner didn’t need to check systems, hewas systems. But even with full integration, even with the ability to see/hear/feel what was in the tunnel on many different spectrums, Shiner was not at ease.
He was an AI and he knew that, but he had what the humans constantly referred to as a “bad feeling.”
“You doing alright?” Norton asked. “I’m seeing an energy spike and some system fluctuations. If I didn’t know better I’d think you’re nervous.”
“Cautious,” Shiner replied. He upped the power on his halogens and broadened the range, filling the tunnel with light.
“What’s up?” Norton asked. “I’m connected to your vids and I don’t see anything.”
“Who knows about this mission?” Shiner asked.
“No one other than you, OC, and me,” Norton replied. “Certainly didn’t want it getting out.”
Shiner walked another few yards then stopped. He powered up his weapons and waited as his mech’s arms morphed from smooth biochrome to heavy caliber guns. His shoulders expanded and RPGs were loaded and ready.
“That’s a lot of firepower,” Norton said. “Are you sure you need it? Only two ways into the tunnel system and you just went through one. The other side is closed securely until you get there.”
“I don’t believe in taking chances,” Shiner said as he started walking again. He picked up his pace, trying to cover as much ground
“It would not be the first time my consciousness was trapped in a mech,” Shiner said as he started to walk forward. “I will be fine. There is no need to worry.”
“How do you think Capreze will react to you returning?” LaFrance asked. “You aren’t his favorite AI.”
“I believe he will put the survival of his people before our differences,” Shiner said. “He is an honorable man.”
“That’s what I’ve heard,” LaFrance nodded. “Good luck, Shiner.”
“You as well, Commander,” Shiner said as he switched on his halogens to illuminate the underground tunnel. “I will keep you informed.”
“Just Norton,” LaFrance said. “Only Norton. Anyone else from up here gets on your com you ignore them. My gut tells me we Canadians are in for our own shake up right quick.”
“Great,” Norton muttered.
“Not to be spoken about, Norton,” LaFrance scolded. “Nothing I’ve said here or what Shiner reports to you. All that matters is helping get that shield down.”
“I will do my part,” Shiner said. “You can count on that, Commander.”
“I know I can.”
***
“Okay, so we have about six preset modes your mech can change into,” Norton said over the com as Shiner walked his way deeper into the tunnel that was a good quarter mile below the surface. “Last recon showed the tunnel had some structural issues in zones four and eight. You may need to shift your mech to fit through those places.”
“Thank you for the information,” Shiner replied. “I am confident everything will be fine.”
“I’m telling you this because once you hit the locks the com will go dead,” Norton said. “We won’t reconnect until you are on the wasteland side. And even then it can be spotty. Knobel has com relays throughout the wasteland, but we haven’t had a deep mission in a good while to test them.”
“Except to retrieve my CPU,” Shiner said. “When Capreze took the UDC Stronghold.”
“No, even then we were com dark,” Norton replied. “We couldn’t risk being detected. Not with all that tech being activated.”
“I understand,” Shiner said. “I am used to keeping my own company, so do not worry about me if we lose contact.”
With complete integration with his mech Shiner didn’t need to check systems, hewas systems. But even with full integration, even with the ability to see/hear/feel what was in the tunnel on many different spectrums, Shiner was not at ease.
He was an AI and he knew that, but he had what the humans constantly referred to as a “bad feeling.”
“You doing alright?” Norton asked. “I’m seeing an energy spike and some system fluctuations. If I didn’t know better I’d think you’re nervous.”
“Cautious,” Shiner replied. He upped the power on his halogens and broadened the range, filling the tunnel with light.
“What’s up?” Norton asked. “I’m connected to your vids and I don’t see anything.”
“Who knows about this mission?” Shiner asked.
“No one other than you, OC, and me,” Norton replied. “Certainly didn’t want it getting out.”
Shiner walked another few yards then stopped. He powered up his weapons and waited as his mech’s arms morphed from smooth biochrome to heavy caliber guns. His shoulders expanded and RPGs were loaded and ready.
“That’s a lot of firepower,” Norton said. “Are you sure you need it? Only two ways into the tunnel system and you just went through one. The other side is closed securely until you get there.”
“I don’t believe in taking chances,” Shiner said as he started walking again. He picked up his pace, trying to cover as much ground
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