Chapter Text
There was always something… wondrous about how fast and efficiently man could grow and adapt. From the stone ages all the way to the very first space shuttle, the human race has been guided by survival, forging tools and weapons to carve their place in a vicious and beautiful world. They mapped the stars to find their place in the world, built grand ships to sail perilous waters and explored almost every inch of the planet they called home.
Cities were built, life flourished as the ultimate goal of man shifted from survival. When not pressed on all sides by unforgiving weather and their fellow man, humanity could build great wonders that improved the quality of life for all. Cures for sickness and plagues that ravaged their numbers, advanced architecture to weather even the most harrowing of storms and hurricanes. Even distance became a hurdle they eventually crossed with the invention of the phone, and later countless applications that could connect everyone with a working device.
Travel was streamlined, and before long, humanity had a grand suite of achievements to be proud of.
Unfortunately, for every achievement, there were at least two black marks in their history that accompanied them.
For man wasn’t just great at making tools of peace and progress, they were also adept at making weapons. The very first few inventions of man had been weapons, clubs and spears for hunting, beginning the long line of warfare that humanity steadily perfected. Their progress ensured that every war was more horrifying than the last, with enough blood and atrocities to leave deep scars in the minds of generations to come. Those same scars would dredge up bygone grudges, rekindling old squabbles and plaguing the Earth with another terrible conflict. It was a hideous cycle of violence that man oh so easily fell into.
They were the ultimate practitioners of war, beings capable of such destruction that would surely make their creator weep.
It was only a matter of time before their hubris caught up with them.
Gideon just hated the fact it had to happen during his lifetime.
The transport chopper he was in lurched for what felt like the fifth time during their flight, forcing him to clutch the straps of his seat harness nervously. He could see out one of the windows, darkened skies gracing his sight. There was a city in the distance, spotlights illuminating the night along with flak rounds that tore through the air alongside tracer rounds from Anti Air emplacements. The distant sounds of explosions and heavy fire were able to reach them despite the distance, only making the knot in his stomach worse.
He was accompanied by a small platoon’s worth of soldiers, adorned with different patches from their home countries as they checked their weapons. There was no trace of animosity or allegiance to one nationality, with men from countries that bathed in each other’s blood sitting side by side. It was almost surreal to the scientist, who had his own hand in creating the weapons and equipment they had used to kill each other for so long.
Now those same weapons and men were rallied against a common enemy… one that had ravaged more than seventy five percent of the world.
The Absolute Solver.
In all of his years in robotics and engineering, Gideon had never seen something as sophisticated and horrible as the Absolute Solver. No one has yet to lock down the AI’s origin, with no group or nation claiming responsibility. JCJenson, one of the leading technological giants when it came to robotics and AI were just as stumped. By all accounts, there shouldn’t be an intelligence with the capability of ignoring Azimov’s core rules, yet the events of the last two months had painted a pretty vivid picture.
The once obedient and passive Worker Drones of JCJenson were transformed into winged angels of death, tearing through cities and infecting other Worker’s with the Solver’s blight. What had once been a small outbreak had snowballed into a global pandemic, with an unknown anomaly blocking out the sun as the metal monsters began eradicating their creators. Humanity’s response wasn’t lax by any means, when the local authorities and self defense force failed to contain the mechanical scourge, the military was called to bring their full might down on this new threat’s head.
Gideon still shuddered as he recalled the raw footage that was salvaged from their first few operations. The sky was blotted with infected Drones, all descending and unleashing all sorts of armaments upon the soldiers. High intensity lasers that cut clean through tanks and helicopters, homing missiles that could track jets, claws and swords capable of rending flesh and kevlar alike. Dying screams and terrified shouts were eclipsed by wicked laughter as the machines feasted on the survivors, yellow X’s across their visors as they caked themselves in gore.
All the while, a Worker Drone sporting the Solver’s symbol watched on with a wide grin as tendrils of flesh and metal swatted choppers out of the sky. This was the final sight the nations of the world saw before the feed was terminated.
In the collective history of man, there has never been one thing that has united them more than survival, and the Solver made it abundantly clear that it was a threat that would eventually wipe out mankind and all it had created.
Thus, in the name of self preservation, the nations of the world forged an uneasy alliance, a concentrated effort to muster everything humanity had against the Solver.
Long abandoned projects and morally questionable practices were embraced in a desperate bid for survival. The first few weeks of combat against the now dubbed ‘Murder Drones’ had shown that man couldn’t fight on an even playing field, not when their foe could reconstruct themselves in seconds. The Solver’s minions were legion, growing with each city and country that fell to its rampage. It was clear that flesh and bone could not stand up to the might of the Solver.
So man did what they did best, improvise and adapt.
One of the many abandoned projects included a sweep of blueprints for autonomous war machines that were made back during the Final War, a brutal conflict that engulfed most of the world for eight long years. The only reason these machines weren’t conceived was due to their horrific nature, something many labeled as inhumane. These machines were created during a time where natural resources were choked out by contending countries, forcing them to get creative with alternate fuel sources.
Eventually, the researchers behind these machines managed to find the one thing the war machines would find in abundance on the battlefield.
Blood.
Gideon wasn’t sure how such a thing was made possible, the very notion of powering a machine through blood was outlandish to him. Yet it was a reality he was very much a part of, carrying the very activation index and kit needed to sustain one of these machines. The fact that they were pushed to such desperate measures made Gideon grip the briefcase he carried with him, knuckles turning white as he stared out into the wartorn horizon.
“Yo, doc.”
Gideon blinked, turning to the soldier he was sitting next to. The man’s face was covered by a helmet and balaclava, though the scientist could tell he was nervous by the way his leg thumped against the floor of the chopper. “People are saying this project of yours is what we need to turn this shitshow around, that true?” He asked bluntly.
“Collins.” His lieutenant warned from across the bay, glaring at the other man.
“Hey, it’s a fair question!” Collins said defensively, holding a hand up as he continued. “Those murder bots are tearing through Nevada and we’re out in the middle of fucking nowhere!”
“Command says this project is priority one, that should give you a pretty damn good idea how important it is.” The lieutenant bit back firmly.
“I didn’t ask how important it was, I asked if it would work .” He snapped, turning to Gideon. “We’ve got tinmen by the thousands fighting out there, and the best they did was slow these monsters down. I don’t see how one more will make a difference.”
Gideon felt expectant eyes on him as he stared down at the briefcase in his hands. He couldn’t blame Collins for his mindset, he himself wasn’t too convinced until he saw the schematics and details on this particular machine. The sheer data alone was enough to make a spark of hope ignite in his chest, that same spark carrying in his voice as he answered. “This machine is different compared to the others we’ve fielded… and unlike the others, it has required much more time to create. I can’t give you any projections or reports that can truly sway you all… but I’m confident this machine is the key to our survival.” He said with conviction.
The middle aged man wasn’t sure if it was his voice or eyes that helped carry the message home, but he could see some of the men around him sit up straighter, shrugging off the horror and fatigue of their encroaching defeat. Collins himself huffed, resting his head against his rifle. “I’m really hoping you’re right, doc. It's going to really suck if I die for a toaster that didn’t even power on.”
One of the men couldn’t help but smirk, nudging Collins. “At least you could say you died defending Nevada.”
“Dude, are you trying to make me more depressed?”
A few laughs filled the bay before the intercom buzzed, the pilot’s voice cutting through. “We’re approaching the facility, five minutes out! Looks like they’re dealing with some murder bots, get set to come out swinging!”
The sergeant nodded, standing up and shouting. “You heard the man, we’ve got a welcoming committee waiting for us! Keep them off the doc and show em’ some gratitude!”
“Yes sir!”
Gideon felt his heart begin to race as they neared the Carbullum Research Facility. The building sat near a ravine, surrounded by a barbed wire fence and several defensive emplacements. Machine gun fire lit up their approach, tracking what seemed to be a small contingent of Murder Drones. The Solver infested machines made use of their wings and agility to outpace the guns, retaliating when possible even as a few were shot down.
Three of the Drones noticed the approaching chopper, grinning as they broke off to engage. The pilot was quick to call them out as the onboard gunner crew ran to their stations.
“Three bogeys inbound, pull those triggers till they don’t get up!”
A side hatch on the chopper opened up, M134 Miniguns spinning up as the gunners fired on the incoming Drones. The storm of lead successfully shredded one of the machines, its headless body falling as the other two banked around to assault the chopper from both sides. Gunfire smashed through the cockpit as one of them passed by, nearly killing the pilot as a bullet struck his shoulder.
The commotion was steadily gaining the attention of the other Drones. Worse yet, more were visible on the horizon, flying towards the facility with hungering eyes.
A warning of a lock on quickly made the pilot deploy his flares, gritting his teeth as the following explosion rattled the chopper and dented the bay door. A few rounds tore through the transport bay, causing the men to scream in panic and surprise. Gideon nearly took one to the head, the bullet missing by a few scant inches while another man went slack, blood painting wall behind him. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he caught sight of one of the machines outside, its cruel X glaring into his soul as it flew by.
Thankfully, that was the worst of it. A stream of concentrated fire dropped the two Murder Drones before they could circle back and cause more damage, the defenses below keeping any incoming Drones off the chopper long enough for it to land on a helipad. The men were quick to try and disembark, with the lieutenant cursing loudly. “Door’s fucking jammed, get a saw up here, NOW!” He ordered.
Just as one of the men moved to follow his command, something heavy impacted the door, shaking the chopper slightly as a dent appeared near the top of the door. Guns snapped up in preparation as black and red metal fingers curled around the gap, a voice shouting from outside.
“Friendlies, friendlies! Clear the door!” A stern voice warned.
The men did as advised, flinching as the metal bay door was ripped right off with ease, revealing a hulking machine with a rocket launcher replacing its other hand. It resembled a tank on legs with how thick its armor was, its visor reinforced alongside the tank on its back that was connected to its main weapon. Gideon could recognize the machine from the countless seminars and briefings that followed the activation of the Final War machines.
It was a Guttertank, an apt name for the war machine lovingly made by Germany.
The machine swept the interior of the chopper, emitting garbled radio-like sounds from its vocalizer before moving aside to let the humans out. It was accompanied by a small squad of soldiers in grey camo, as well as two large machines that marched past to engage the aerial threats still harassing them.
They sported massive riot shields, free arm carrying a minigun that spat death at the flying Drones above. Their heads were silver domes that almost seemed to resemble old Russian diving masks, several small ports acting as its eyes. Their brown armor plating easily absorbed small arms fire from the Drones, shielding the humans as they ran for cover. Gideon was quick to run with them, not at all eager to catch a stray round from the death machines on high. It was while he was running past the machines did he finally notice the coffin strapped to their backs, a shudder running through his body.
The Gutterman’s fuel source laid inside, in perpetual torment with a life support system that barely kept them alive. Another human trampled for the vain hope that mankind would win this war.
There wouldn’t be a circle in Hell fitting for mankind by the time this was all over.
‘Best to keep humanity away from oblivion, then.’ Gideon thought to himself dryly, slipping into the interior of the facility with his security detail. One of the facility guards sought cover near the lieutenant of the platoon, the men taking up defensive positions as they fired on the Drones outside. “Lieutenant Mathers?!” The man shouted over the gunfire.
“One and only! Give me a sitrep!” Mathers roared back, flinching as bullets raked over their cover.
“We’ve got Murder Drones hitting us from the North and Southeast! Our fire support’s been rerouted and we’ve got more hostiles coming in, they’ll hit us within the hour!”
Mathers bit back a curse, fumbling with his radio as a yellow laser tore through one of the walls, making the window explode while bisecting one of the defenders with ease. The top half of the man screamed as he was dragged away, a Gutterman taking his place swiftly as the men around it rallied behind its formidable frame.
“Helios 2-1 to Pantheon, we’ve reached the Carbullum facility with the HVT. Be advised, hostiles are converging on our position in force, requesting immediate air support!”
Static bled over the transceiver before a response came through. “Pantheon to Helios 2-1, all aerial assets are either engaged or assisting with CASEVACs in Las Vegas and Carson City.”
Mathers didn’t know what pissed him off more, the man’s calm tone or shitty situation he and his men were now in. “Pantheon, I can’t hold this position without some proper fire support! I’ll take whatever you can scramble, over!”
A rocket soared through one of the windows, striking a Gutterman dead on and ripping its shield off its arm. The machine let out a groan, its ports turning orange as it got back up and started firing with newfound ferocity. Several Drones were ripped right out of the sky, though improper termination meant they’d be back up eventually. Its near reckless assault almost made it seem like the blow had pissed it off. None of the humans put much thought into it, supporting the large machine as Pantheon replied.
“I have nothing to spare, Helios 2-1. Advise you dig deep and-” The man on the other end trailed off, confusing the lieutenant before he returned with urgency. “Helios 2-1, you’ve been given permission to Full Send. I repeat, you’ve been given permission to Full Send, how copy?”
Mathers’ eyes widened slightly, replaying the words in his head before he quickly replied. “Understood, Pantheon! Relaying orders!” He cut the radio off and turned to the facility guards. “Full Send is in effect! Get every tinman we can get out here, NOW!”
The man swiftly did as told, getting in contact with the scientists deeper within the facility as Mathers turned to Gideon. “Doc, go with Collins and Vic, they’ll take you where you need to go.” He motioned to the two men besides him, getting a quick nod from the rattled scientist. The soldier turned, listening to the gunfire outside as he readied himself. “Suppressing fire on my mark!”
The other soldiers prepared themselves, clinging to cover as their machines continued to rain hell on the Drones outside. It was only once the lull of gunfire dropped did Mathers shout.
“Mark!”
The human defenders leaned out of cover, opening up with assault rifles and carbines. The increase in fire paired with the machines made swift work of any Drone in the open, forcing many to either disengage and seek cover or join the mauled remains of their kin down below.
Gideon is quickly hoisted up to his feet by Collins, pushed along with Vic as the three make a mad dash across the room. They keep their heads low as more Drones arrive, firing at the defenders with rocket salvos to break their lines. The three clear the room just as the fighting intensifies, a bulkhead door closing behind them. The last thing Gideon sees is the Murder Drones dropping into the room, guns and launchers swapped for blades and claws as they eagerly pounce on the defenders. Screams and mechanical shrieks echoed from beyond the door as the group ran, leaving their allies to their grisly fate.
The once clean and organized halls of the facility were in chaos, men and women ushered to safety by security personnel. An occasional machine parted crowds of humans, rushing off to the sounds of battle with their handlers at their heels. The ones inside were much more humanoid in both stature and size. The three passed a squad of machines armed with flamethrowers, their synthetic breaths echoing in the hall as they ran past. Gideon barely caught a glimpse at the red fuel tanks on their back before they disappeared down the hall.
Streetcleaners were easily one of the more… unsettling machines. Who the hell decided to make them breathe like humans?
“Hey Collins.” Vic’s voice manages to cut through the clamor around them.
“Yeah man?”
“Think fire works on those things?”
“Fuck if I know, but I hope it hurts em regardless.”
Right on cue, the sounds of flames jetting out sounded behind them. Ear splitting screams assaulted their ears as more armed men rushed past towards the breach.
‘Guess I got my answer.’ Vic thought with a vicious grin.
No more words were exchanged as they finally reached a large elevator, one guarded by two new machines perched on either side. They sported green armored plating and had no arms, their weapon attached to their upper body. Said weapon was an anti material sniper rifle, capable of shredding through armored targets with ease. A small camera with a pink lens sat to the right of the barrel, a laser flashing over the approaching humans before they continued to scan the hallway.
Gideon wished he could say he felt safer with two Sentries watching his back, yet he knew they would likely be redeployed if the fighting grew worse. Even with the elevator door closing in front of him, he could still hear the distant sounds of combat and gunfire. The sounds of battle were only drowned out by the facility’s alarms, a firm voice coming over the intercoms.
“All non essential personnel, make your way to the evacuation shelters and await transport. Armored APCs are enroute for extraction.”
Collins couldn’t help but scoff at that. “The fuck? They can’t send us a helo but can spare a few Bradleys?” He asked with disbelief.
“Must be the Fifth Armored, they’re the only active unit this far out.” Vic replied casually. “Heard they got some modifications to help keep the Drones off their ass, must be working if they're still kicking.”
Gideon felt a grim smile form over his face as he glanced at Collins. “Perhaps you won’t be dying in Nevada after all.”
Vic stifled a laugh while Collins merely gave the man a tired smirk. “With how shit my luck is, doc, I’d make it just far enough to see the border.”
They soon reached the research labs, the elevator door opening to reveal a more sterile, but still chaotic hall leading to a large lab. They moved past frantic scientists and armed guards, with Gideon taking out a keycard and holding it up to the scanner at the lab’s entrance.
It opened with a small hiss of hydraulics, allowing them to finally step inside.
The lab was exactly the same as Gideon remembered it, terminals and monitors abuzz with data as men and women rapidly typed away. The normal rush of the workday was accelerated by the murderous visitors knocking on their door. Beyond the lab he could see the autonomous assembly line a few stories down, working tirelessly to put together more war machines to send up to the surface. Most of the tech within the room was meant to keep the assembly lines operational, even if there were no human staff to type in commands or specifications. The result was a foundry that would never stop until either resources were depleted, or it was destroyed.
A slight rumble from above made it clear what the Murder Drones were trying to do.
“Doctor Ambers!” A man shouted, causing Gideon to look over to find his research partner, Terrance Locke running towards him. The man’s face was the perfect picture of relief as he embraced Gideon. “Thank God! I heard the fighting outside and assumed the worst! Are you alright?!” The white haired man exclaimed
Gideon couldn’t help but laugh, the sound drawn from both his surge of adrenaline and the fact that he had brushed so close with death. “I’m no worse for wear, old friend. Most importantly, the neural link is intact and ready for installation.” He said with a grin, holding the briefcase up so that his colleague could see it.
The man’s relief turned into joy, a spark of hope in his eyes that was shared by some of the surrounding staff. “Perfect! We don’t have any time to lose! All of the preliminary tests and calibrations for the V model are complete. All we need now is to fuel it and install the neural link.” He said, already turning to a monitor nearby and typing in a few commands.
Soon enough, the screen showed a camera feed of another suite of the facility, a few levels down from their current position. Inside of a dark room hooked up to an assembly cradle was a single blue machine, head bowed lifelessly with dull wings flattened against its back. It was humanoid in appearance, composed of durable yet flexible metal that would give it unparalleled agility in combat. Its experimental wings, while not allowing flight, would still serve it well alongside weapon storage. Its head resembled a security camera, a single optic protected by bulletproof glass. Its designation was stamped proudly onto its chest plate.
V1
The final blueprint created during the war gave birth to this single machine, designed purely for war in a battlefield dominated by mechanical horrors. The chaos of such a terrible war, the many machines that man would create to wage their wars for them, all of it was taken into account during V1’s inception. It was a machine designed to end the Final War, the apex of humanity’s ever expanding ability to kill and maim all they viewed as threats. It would have trumped all of its predecessors with ease.
It was a Supreme Machine, beautiful, perfect.
And now it was humanity’s last chance at stopping the Solver’s spread.
The machinery around it was prepared for its activation, all it was missing was Gideon and the neural link.
‘Two long months of sleepless nights and hard work have led to this…’ He thought with a frown, gazing at the machine through the feed before glancing up at Terrance with conviction. “Send word to Pantheon. Project Heaven Pierce Her is near completion and they will have a new machine ready for tasking.” He said briskly, tucking the briefcase under his arms as his friend ran off to follow his order. He then turned to Collins and Vic, who both stood at the ready near the entrance of the lab. “Gentlemen, your work tonight has been nothing short of invaluable. If this machine can truly turn the tide of this war, then all of mankind owes you and your brothers in arms a great debt.” He said solemnly, briefly surprising the two soldiers.
Collins was the first to recover, managing a grin. “Buddy, just get me front row seats to that bot kicking ass and we’re square.” The man longed to see the corrupted Drones out in their place. If this machine could do just that, then he didn’t want to miss its first mission.
“I’d personally go with a lifetime of beer, but I’ll settle for a show too.” Vic chimed with a shrug, arms folded over his M16 calmly. It was honestly hard to imagine a single machine having enough power to turn the war around
Gideon’s lips twitched, the beginning of a grin forming as he turned around to march down to V1’s charging room.
Only to freeze when the monitor he was just looking through glitched out, its screen reflecting a sickly yellow symbol of a hexagon with three arrows extending out from it.
Before he could even shout a warning, all of the lights within the room shut off, emergency power kicking in shortly after. No one moved for a moment, eyes wide with terror before the building began to rumble again.
The ceiling suddenly gave way, exploding and shrouding the room in dust and debris as panicked screams filled the air. Gideon was pushed behind cover by Collins, the man shielding him as cement and rebar rained down. One of the scientists was unlucky enough to get impaled by one of the falling metal rods, screaming bloody murder before a slab of concrete fell on his head and silenced his cries.
It was only when the screams died down did Gideon chance a look at the roof, face going pale when he realized there was no roof left. A large black orb sat where the ceiling used to be, bathing the room in yellow light as a single word was displayed at its center.
Null
The orb swayed before vanishing in a burst of particles and code, revealing a gaping hole that stretched all the way up to the surface of the facility. It was as if someone had just burrowed their way right down!
GIdeon’s shock swiftly turned to horror when he saw a figure floating in the middle of the hole, kept aloft by tendrils of steel and flesh. Two yellow, X crossed eyes stared down at the assembled humans with budding glee and manic bloodthirst.
“Delighted giggle. Found you…”
Collins gaped up at the horror above him with shock, a look that was mirrored by most of the surviving researchers. Gideon himself was frozen in terror, those eyes having haunted the dreams of man ever since they first appeared in that dreaded recording two months ago.
The Afflicted Drone, Patient Zero of this horrible nightmare.
And it was here of all places.
Every man and woman with a weapon snapped their guns up at once, firing on the eldritch horror. It giggled at the attempt, bullets and plasma washing over her like waves breaking against the shoreline. All it did was light up the newly made tunnel.
Exposing countless Murder Drones that were clinging to its walls, maws open as their visors activated to display that dreaded yellow X.
No one so much as breathed, every square inch of the tunnel had a Drone latched on, ready to pounce at that monster’s command.
They didn’t have to wait long.
It snapped its fingers with a wide, horrible grin. “Snack time.” It chirped happily.
Dozens of bodies fell at once, claws gleaming as bullets and plasma met the wall of death screaming down towards them.
Gideon was shoved to his feet and towards the wall just as a Drone landed where he was standing, screams echoing around him as metal met flesh. Some were gored from the impacts alone, the more unfortunate dismembered and mauled as the lab fell into a frantic battle between Drone and man. The scientists caught in the crossfire were slaughtered, with Terrance narrowly avoiding the same fate by rolling under one of the terminals.
The Murder Drone that nearly landed on Gideon craned its head to look at him, grinning widely as it shifted its left hand into a sword, lunging for the terrified man before Collins shoulder checked it mid flight. The soldier slammed the butt of his shotgun into its head, turning the Benelli M1014 around to blast the Drone’s head to smithereens, oil and electricity sparking from its headless body as he turned to fire on another one.
The Drone was swiftly shot down by Vic, who fired his rifle in short controlled bursts as he gave the two covering fire. “God fucking damn it! Helios 2-1, this is Helios-4-Victor! Confirmed eyes on priority target Keres, repeat, priority target Keres is active in our AO!”
All he received was static as another Drone lunged for him, clawed hands gripping his rifle as he was forced against a wall. It’s superior strength kept him pinned as he kicked at the mechanical monster, unable to free himself as it raised its nanite stinger to skewer him.
The loud report of a shotgun heralded its demise as it was flung away from the panicking man, its chest ripped open from the tight spread . The Drone’s core was exposed just long enough for Vic to pull out his Slab Revolver, the piercing round cutting clean through the monster’s biomechanical heart and putting it down for good.
Collins dragged the man away from the bloody scene, their backs against the wall as they flanked the terrified scientist. “Radio’s fucked! We need an exit!” Vic shouted, shouldering his rifle and downing a Drone that shifted its arm into an SMG. For every machine they dropped, two more took its place, massacring the defenders with ravenous fury.
Just as Collins was about to make a break for the lab’s main entrance, the door was suddenly blown right off its housing, careening through the air and crushing three Murder Drones as a Guttertank sprinted into the room. The surviving humans ducked in cover as the large machine barreled in, quickly engaging the intruders. Its vocalizer released harsh barks of radio static as it fired at the airborne Drones above, the ensuing explosion carrying twice the destructive force of its usual missiles. It detonated within a cluster of Drones, a red shockwave blasting anything nearby into the tunnel walls while those caught in the blast were ripped apart.
The monsters released screams of pain and panic, quickly zeroing in on the Greater Machine as it continued to fire up at the breach. One of them attempted to stab its blade through the war machine’s visor, rewarded by a heavy punch that all but splattered its internals all over the lab floor, oil mixing with blood as the Guttertank crushed its core underfoot. It ignored the small, black hole like anomaly the crushed core left behind to keep up its assault. Bullets pinged off its frame, missiles leaving dents in its armor while heated lasers pierced through, blood leaking from its wounds.
For all of its destructive force, it was still greatly outnumbered. It was only a matter of time before it fell.
Collins wasn’t going to waste this opportunity. “Door! Now, NOW!” He ordered, pushing Gideon back. A few other survivors had the same idea, rushing after them as the Drones occupied themselves with the Guttertank. Despite the massive threat assailing them, some Drones still managed to slip past it, giving chase and picking off the survivors. Small arms fire ripped through the crowd of survivors, agonised screams filling the air and prompting Collins and Vic to tighten up around Gideon.
Vic turned to fire on their pursuers, two shots leaving two Drones temporarily offline before a third swapped to a rocket launcher, aiming at the group with demented laughter.
The soldier’s eyes went wide. “Incoming! Hit the floor!” He screamed, shoving Collins and Gideon to the ground just as the rocket struck behind them.
Gideon couldn’t see anything for a moment, his ears ringing as he got on one knee. He raised a hand to his head, wincing at the dull pang of pain and sticky feeling that met his palm. The hallway was riddled with dust and ash, alarms occasionally cutting through the smog as he slowly looked around. Several figures were laying motionless on the floor, missing legs and arms. Some of them were twitching, shock settling in while others attempted to crawl with what mangled limbs remained.
Muffled gunfire and shouts drew his attention back to the lab, eyes widening with terror as the Guttertank was forced back by the sheer numbers of Murder Drones clinging to it. Its rocket arm had been ripped clean off, the tank on its back also missing as it thrashed to shake them off. It rammed itself into the walls around it, crushing Drone after Drone before one finally latched onto its visor, jabbing its sword through the thin slit.
The machine went still, a garbled groan weakly sputtering from it before it toppled over. Like a pack of vultures, the Murder Drones ripped into the Guttertank’s carcass, ripping off plates of armor and feasting on its inner components and blood. A good deal of them were busy with this, but a few stragglers had enough sense to finish off the remaining humans, descending on the wounded with wicked claws.
Gideon’s terrified gaze was brought to a Murder Drone that tackled a woman that had barely managed to stand into a wall, silencing her screams by crushing her skull against the cold metal. It tossed the corpse aside, head snapping to him with a predatory grin. It cackled as it flew up to the ceiling, crawling towards him before leaping at him, claws outstretched to rend him apart.
A blue beam ripped through its chest mid leap, puncturing its core as it fell over like a marionette without strings. Gideon scrambled away from the corpse with a shout, tracing the shot to a wounded Vic. The man was sitting up against the other end of the hallway, his right leg reduced to a bleeding stump with loose strands of meat barely keeping what remained intact. His Slab Revolver was raised, held in a slightly shaking hand. The man’s helmet was blown off, messy dark hair tinged with blood as he sighted in on another Murder Drone. The metal monster was put down by a clean headshot as Gideon felt hands wrap around his torso, helping up as Collin shouted at Vic.
“Vic!” The man sounded justly concerned for his brother in arms, free hand holding a similar revolver as he fired on any approaching Murder Drones. “Sit tight, man! I’m coming for ya!”
The wounded soldier let out a slight wheeze, free hand clutching his chest as he tried to target another Murder Drone through his blurry vision. His shot struck the machine’s outstretched gun instead of its head, ripping the limb clean off. Aggravated, it shot towards him, free arm curling into a sword as it plunged the blade straight into his chest. The man screamed in pain, raising his gun to fire point blank when it was knocked to the side by the Drone’s stump.
“Aghh! God damn metal cunt!” He roared, unable to reach his combat knife with the Drone bearing down on him. Driven by desperation and rage, the man gripped the back of the robot’s head and smashed his head against it with a yell. The headbutt did far more damage to him than the Drone, evident by the nasty gash left behind, but it stunned it long enough for him to draw his knife. He didn’t hesitate to bury it in the Drone’s neck, savagely sawing its head off before kicking the sparking corpse off with his good leg.
The entire ordeal left him with a pair of burning lungs and a gaping chest wound that assured he wasn’t long for this world. His eyes narrowed, spying more Murder Drones advancing as Collins and Gideon were forced back by sporadic gunfire. The man’s briefcase sat next to him, barely damaged by the chaotic firefight.
Grunting and pushing his battered body forward, his blood slicked hand gripped the handle and slid the briefcase across the ground towards a wide eyed Gideon. The scientist looked up to see Vic removing a grenade from his belt, fingers curling over the pin as Collins’ eyes filled with dread.
The Drones grew closer, one falling down next to Vic as he locked eyes with Collins.
“Vic, don’t you fucking dare-!”
“I expect some beers when I see you two in Hell!”
Just as he made to pull the pin, a clawed hand clutched his hand, ripping his arm clean off and sending the grenade tumbling away. The Drone kicked him over and stomped on his neck, robbing him of air as it sneered down at him. “Sorry to ruin your big hero moment, but I don’t feel like blowing up today.” It hissed with a malicious grin, raising its claw to finish him off before a voice shouted from behind it.
“Then it sucks to be you!”
It turned around quickly, nanite stinger flying through the air and piercing a rushing Terrance straight through the shoulder. The man was a mess of soot and blood, his right hip a mess of lacerations with shrapnel stuck in his flesh. The acid rapidly ate away at his flesh, melting through bone and rendering his left arm useless.
A pity the Drone hit the wrong arm.
For the man held a Guttertank mine in his right hand, thumb flicking over the activation switch along its side. It let out a low beep, red light flashing as he swung it at the Murder Drone’s face.
The robot’s visor flashed, replacing the X with hollowed out eyes of disbelief.
“You crazy sack of-!”
The last thing Gideon and Collins were able to see was Vic’s satisfied grin before an explosion enveloped both them and the advancing Drones. It ripped through the advancing horde, ripping off limbs and sending many scattering in a gory mess of bodies. Their shrieks of pain filled the hall, many struggling to stagger back to their feet as their lost limbs regenerated. The two men had just gotten up to their feet when the doorway behind them opened, allowing a fresh squad of heavily armored guards to storm in alongside a trio of Streetcleaners. The machines wasted no time in dousing the disoriented Drones in flames, their screams rising an octave as the guards supported their mechanical allies.
Collins didn’t allow himself to linger on the death of his squadmate, pulling an equally despondent Gideon along with him. They left just as the Drones regained their bearings, fighting back as the two fled down a winding hall.
The facility was in pure chaos, alarms blaring as muted explosions and gunfire echoed in the distance. They passed a window that overlooked the foundry, catching a glimpse of the chaos below. Countless Murder Drones were engaged against machines fresh off the assembly line, furiously protecting the foundry as more and more Murder Drones flooded the room. Collins knew it’d only be a matter of time before they were completely overrun.
“Doc, I need to know where that bot’s room is.” Collins said with urgency, racking fresh shells into his Benelli while checking the hall behind them for stragglers.
The scientist gave a look at his surroundings, sweat trailing down his forehead before he pointed towards a side door. “There! That stairwell should lead us down to its charging room!” He said, prompting the soldier to step in front of him. The man swiftly approached the door and kicked it open, sweeping the stairway with his shotgun raised before peering down. All he could see were the swirls of stairs illuminated by flashing yellow lights.
“How many floors down?”
“Five, then it's just a short trek to its room.”
Five whole flights of stairs with Murder Bots on their ass… Collins was starting to thank God that he brought a shotgun to this OP.
He ripped his Piercer Revolver out of its holster, handing it to the shocked scientist. “I’ll take point, you cover my ass as we move.”
“W-Wait a moment! I-I’ve never even fired a gun before!” Gideon shouted, his grip on the weapon uneasy as they began to descend.
“It’s pretty fucking easy, doc. Point and shoot, didn’t need to go to college to learn how to do that.”
The man scoffed but said nothing as he followed the soldier down, eyes constantly jumping at every loud gunshot that echoed around them. Collins led him down, shotgun raised and at the ready. Their steps echoed with each flight they passed, getting to the fourth flight just as one of the doors flew off its hinges, slamming into the guardrail with a thundering clang!
A Streetcleaner was thrown over the rail, its mechanical scream echoing as it fell past them and splattered over the ground floor. The Murder Drone responsible watched its demise with a grin, its gaze shifting to the two men.
Gideon raised his revolver and fired, his shot skimming the Drone’s cheek and making its grin widen.
“Shit…” The man muttered in terror.
Collins grabbed his shoulder and pushed him forward, racing down the stairs as the Murder Drone jumped and began to fall after them. They had reached the door to the fifth floor just as the Drone reached them, deploying its wings and launching forward to bisect the two humans.
Thinking quickly, Collins kicked Gideon to the floor, bracing himself and slamming into the airborne Drone. The two were knocked away from the doctor, stumbling across the ground as they wrestled for dominance. The Drone attempted to shift its left hand into claws, something the soldier halted by drawing his knife and slamming it down on its forearm, compromising its systems before lashing out with an elbow that broke its visor.
Enraged and in pain, the Drone sent a swift punch to his head, metal fists slamming into his cheek and dislodging a tooth. Despite the pain, the man managed to spit on the drone’s visor, blood clouding its sight as he leaned back to avoid a wild swipe. He turned and shifted his position, leg sweeping its outstretched arm and pinning it to the floor as he drove his blade into its chest, right over the glowing yellow skull imprinted on its polymer skin. He shredded its mechanical flesh, oil staining his gloves as the Drone screamed bloody murder. He tore through its organic ribcage, spotting its core just as the robot shoved him off with a shout of desperation. He didn’t even get a chance to right himself before a stinger punctured his chest, causing him to lock up in agony before he was dragged back over to the furious Drone.
“Let’s see how you like getting operated on!” It shouted, shifting its arm into a terrifying chainsaw as Collins struggled to escape its clutches.
It reared its arm back, laughing maniacally as the hungering teeth of the chainsaw descended down to Collins’ chest.
Before they could hit flesh, a bright blue beam struck the Drone in the chest, piercing clean through its core. The chainsaw sputtered to a halt as oil flew from its mouth, body staggering back before falling to the side in a heap. That same black hole-like anomaly flew out of its chest, confirming its demise.
Collins ripped the stinger out of his chest with a gasp, glancing over to see Gideon holding the smoking Piercer Revolver. He lowered it, quickly running over to the downed man who grinned at his approach.
“I told ya… point and shoot.” He laughed, the action bringing forth a wellspring of pain as the doctor shoved his clothes and armor pads aside, staring down at the burning hole with a grimace. He didn’t have much medical experience, but it was clear that the spreading acid eating away at Collin’s flesh wasn’t a good thing. He didn’t have anything nearby to neutralize it either.
“Stay still, I’ll get you up in a moment.” He promised, preparing to move the soldier only for the sound of demented laughter to fill the stairwell. The two could hear more Drones coming, crawling along the walls as Gideon hastily wrapped an arm around Collins’ shoulders.
“Wasting your time, doc…” Collins wheezed, weakly picking up his shotgun. “Murder Bot got me good… I’ll only slow ya down.” He shoved Gideon’s arm off, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a block of C4. “I can make sure they don’t follow you through here… maybe take a few with me.” He grinned, strapping the explosive to himself while taking out a few grenades. He had enough explosives on him to easily force a cave in, paid to be the platoon’s pseudo demolitions expert.
Gideon frowned deeply, the weight of everything that’s happened, all the people that have died, all of it came crashing down on him. With the enemy so close to unraveling humanity’s final hope, a single life was an easy thing to trade. That same callousness that justified the activation of these horrible machines, the same thought process that helped him sleep at night despite knowing what fueled those like the Guttermen, it all made the choice of leaving this dying man behind easy for him.
Yet his conscience wavered.
There was nothing he could truly do for the man. The only real choice left was to continue on and ensure V1 was fully operational.
The downed soldier threw the explosive near the corner of the doorway, just out of sight while allowing his grenades to roll around the floor. He held a detonator in a tight grip, bracing his shotgun against his side for one good shot. Gideon watched the man prepare for his final moments before he stood up, regarding him with a resolute stare mixed with grief. “The sacrifices made by you and countless others will not be in vain, I promise you that.” He said solemnly, turning and running as the sounds of scrapping metal grew louder.
Collins couldn’t help but grin, his teeth bloody as a yellow light came from the stairway door. A Murder Drone peaked its head through, mad grin on full display before it was blown away by the man’s weapon. ‘Sacrafice… wonder if that’s enough to get me into Heaven?’ He thought with amusement, recalling all of the horrible things he’s done and witnessed. From assisting units in corralling those unfortunate souls doomed to fuel a Gutterman to gunning down those who tried to fight against their grisly fate. Would this count as atonement? Would God recognize the horror they faced and forgive him for his transgressions?
As he watched the next three Murder Drones pile in, blades and claws reaching out to him as more of their kin flooded the stairwell, he came to a clear conclusion.
God would be sickened by him, and humanity as a whole, for what they’ve allowed to happen.
Only a select few would meet the Father up at the pearly gates, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be him.
Despite that fact, the man felt ecstatic .
For he knew he deserved punishment for his sins, and was more than happy to atone for them if it meant taking as many as these mechanical devils along with him.
His grin never faded when the first few claws reached his flesh, tearing his stomach open and spilling his innards all over the floor.
His grin never faded as his thumb came crashing down on the detonator, the resulting explosion deafening as it tore through the drones and the infrastructure of the walls.
It only faded when that blistering light reached him, and he knew no more.
-
Gideon was forced to lean against the wall as an explosion shook the hall, eyes widening slightly at the sheer force of the explosion. He didn’t chance a look behind him, hands tightening over his briefcase as he quickly began to move again.
Activating V1 was all that mattered. It would justify everything, it had to.
It wasn’t long before he reached its charging room, punching in a code on a small keypad before rushing inside. The door shut behind him, automatically locking as he managed to breathe a sigh of pure relief. Said relief nearly melted away when he heard movement from outside, the screeching of metal paired with the hungering laughs of more Murder Drones. He stepped away from the door, holding his breath as the Drones moved past the hall.
Their laughter echoed long after they left, leaving Gideon to clutch his chest in fright. The sound of distant fighting made him slouch in relief, turning his gaze away from the door to look at the lifeless form of V1. A single light illuminated its frame, the machinery it was connected to humming lowly as he approached. He deposited his briefcase on top of a nearby table, opening it after inputting a code along the clamps.
Cool air hissed out as the briefcase opened, revealing a specially sealed interior with a small microchip safely tucked away in the middle. Gideon carefully picked it up, staring at the little thing between his fingers.
The mind of what would be the most lethal war machine ever conceived sat delicately in his grasp, no bigger than a potato chip. This small, fragile thing would dictate every action V1 would take, generating takedown tactics and strategies to use on the fly in combat.
Gideon couldn’t even begin to count how many souls were lost just to keep this safe.
He didn’t allow such thoughts to take root, quickly starting up the boot up sequence before approaching V1 as the machine around it began to power on. The scientist carefully reached behind its nape, opening a small compartment in the back of its head that held a slot for the neural link. He slotted it in, the compartment snapping shut as it began to integrate into the dormant machine’s systems.
“Two long months of war and bloodshed… all leading to you.” Gideon spoke lowly, stepping back as the machine’s assembly cradle sputtered to life, charging up as the man watched on. “Two months, that’s all it took for humanity to be pushed to this sorry state. To use everything we had to make you.”
A compartment opened up along V1’s chest, twin tubes ending in sharp needles extending out and hanging lifelessly before Gideon. The man rolled up his sleeves, a look of apprehension on his face. The machine would obviously need fuel to start up properly, fuel they had prepared from donors. No one had a chance to move them when the fighting started, leaving him with only one real option.
“I suppose its only fitting that I should be the first life you claim…” He said, grasping the needles carefully. V1 would need a great deal of blood just to start up, almost more than what one human could produce. This would at least ensure that V1 would have enough fuel to begin moving once the firmware was installed. He was sure it wouldn’t have any trouble topping off once it was online. There wasn’t much of a choice to be made here anyways.
Humanity’s days were numbered. The Absolute Solver would eradicate every last human on Earth before moving on to the exo planets. If even a small amount of its code infected the Drones beyond Earth, then it would only be a matter of time before it conquered distant worlds. It was only when Gideon placed the needles in the veins of his arms did he realize what this all really was.
This wasn’t a last ditch effort to save humanity, it was an attempt to ensure the Solver’s victory wouldn’t last long.
The machines they had let loose upon the Earth would fight long after their masters perished, driven by unshakable directives and a thirst for blood that was hardwired into their systems. A seemingly ever expanding AI program would keep things running, all interconnected across worlds to direct the machines when humanity perished. The very same AI that was connected to a small terminal next to V1’s cradle, a soft tune playing from its speakers as Gideon’s blood was siphoned into the Supreme Machine.
The man slowly sat down near the terminal, its soft melody comforting as the pain in his arms began to numb over. “I only wish… that I could see you once you wake up… watch you put the fear of God in those wretched Drones.” He laughed weakly, resting his head against the cool metal of the terminal as he took out the Piercer Revolver. “I know what fate awaits me for what I’ve done, for even bringing something like you to life… I can’t say I care much for the consequences. Eternal damnation will be worth it if it means bringing that antichrist of an AI down to the infernal depths with us.”
It was petty in a sense, but that was what humanity was best at. Stubborn pride saw them through the most turbulent of times, and the only thing more motivating than self preservation was pure spite.
“So… if I must die so you can tear that horrible creature’s heart out… then I give my life gladly. Let it be my blood, the blood of the one who helped construct you, breathe life into your metal frame. Let it fuel you, so you may avenge this race of fools who made a mockery of God’s will.” Gideon’s speech began to slur, bloodloss leaving him dizzy as his vision swam, darkness encroaching around the corners of his sight. The sounds of the machinery around him grew distant, barely audible over the slow beat of his heart. His grip on the weapon began to go slack, resting against his lap as his body tried to desperately cling to life.
“The last breath of man… a defiant curse hurled through bloodied, gnashing teeth. May our spite and rage imprint into your very code.”
With those last words, Gideon closed his eyes and allowed death to claim him, praying that V1 would bring mankind’s retribution down on the scourge that was the Absolute Solver.
There was hardly any blood left in him when the fueling process concluded, tubes retracting into V1 as a soft whirring sound came from its chest.
-
BOOT UP SEQUENCE READY
FIRMWARE
LATEST VERSION (3056. 08. 10.)
CALIBRATION
UP TO DATE
STATUS UPDATE:
MACHINE ID: V1
LOCATION: CARABULLUM RESEARCH FACILITY
CURRENT OBJECTIVE: FIND A WEAPON
MANKIND IS DYING
BLOOD IS FUEL
SOLVER IS FULL
-
The boot up screen fades, allowing V1 to take in the sights around it for the very first time.
The Supreme Machine did a cursory scan of the room it found itself in, optic eventually landing on the magnetic clamps keeping it tethered to its cradle. It only takes a small push to free itself, magnets disengaging as a few cables disconnect from its clamps.
The facility it found itself in was dark, the yellow strobes of emergency lights being the only source of illumination alongside its glowing optic and wings. It stepped away from its cradle just as a small tune chimed from the terminal nearby, instinctively drawing its attention.
The machine approached, finding a corpse near the terminal with a Piercer Revolver in its hands. A quick scan showed that the man was not his original creator, that man had long since died along with many of the minds responsible for pioneering blood fueled technology. Even so, it understood that this Gideon was one of the reasons why it was online right now. He had hardly tampered with V1’s design outside of its new directives and influx of knowledge on the corrupted Drones it was entrusted with exterminating.
With a careful touch one wouldn’t expect from a war machine, it kneeled and took the weapon from his hands. It took a moment to examine the revolver, ensuring it was in functioning order before interfacing with the terminal.
A slew of information was exchanged between the two machines in a matter of seconds, with V1’s objective being updated as its optic rapidly flickered.
CURRENT OBJECTIVE UPDATED:
REACH MACHINE HOLDOUT IN LARSON’S SHIPYARD FOR TASKING
The flickering stopped, optic returning to normal as the machine turned away and marched towards the door. It stowed its weapon in its wings, punching the door hard enough to warp its surface before slowly prying it open. It gave way with a metallic screech that echoed in the silent hall. The sounds of war had long since passed on, with the only noise being the hum of still working machinery.
There was another sound it could faintly pick up in the halls above, movement mixed with the psychotic laughter of Murder Drones.
The Supreme Machine instinctively followed the sound, combat protocols kicking in as it drew its only weapon.
Despite being at full capacity, V1’s systems still craved blood. Combat subroutines began to run in its processor as it slipped into an elevator shaft, ignoring the sparks that fell around the damaged interior to look up. The third floor up had a busted open door, small droplets of fresh blood dripping from the edge and landing on V1’s head.
The fresh blood and promise of conflict was all the machine needed to climb.
-
Cruelty was not something that was foreign to humans. After all, some of the most terrible punishments and atrocities were committed by human hands. There were men and women who had no qualms with causing unimaginable suffering of it meant furthering their own agenda.
It was a reality Sienna could understand. How could she not? She helped placed men and women into the coffins of Guttermen for the simple sin of being afraid, of refusing to fight a losing war.
Sienna knew cruelty well, she simply didn’t know Drones were just as capable of it.
The soldier had been left behind by her comrades, their deaths coming swiftly while the mechanical horrors picked at her flesh with their acidic tails. Her two tormentors had been slow at first, darting around her and sticking her lightly. It wasn’t enough to leave her crippled, only enough to have her slow down, the rifle in her hands getting heavier with each sting.
Eventually, the weapon had clattered out of her hands, leaving her with only a pistol and a knife to try and ward them off.
Soon enough, she didn’t even have that.
The woman was brought to the floor, her blood creating a growing puddle around her as the Murder Drones continued to leisurely pick at her with their tails. Her voice was raw and bloody from all the screaming, nerves in her body blaring with horrible agony as acid ate its way through flesh and sinew.
The acid and blood loss made it impossible for her to move, having lost the strength as the Drones hovered over her with semi bored expressions. Their once bloodthirsty grins were gone, interest lost the moment Sienna stopped moving. Her eyes were dull and tear stained, the drive to live bleeding out with each agonizing minute that passed.
“Hmm… this isn’t as fun if they just give up like this.” One of them said with a masculine voice, head tilted as he pokes at Sienna’s hole riddled back with his claws.
“They tend to do that when you cripple them.” His partner snarked, gesturing to the woman’s mutilated knees. The acid had eaten through most of her flesh and bone, leaving a sizzling limb that was barely attached by a few strands of meat. “This was fun for like, ten minutes, but now this just feels like a waste of time.” She sighed, crossing her arms.
“It’s not like there’s anything else to do.” The male said with a grunt, stepping back from Sienna. “We’ve scrapped all of those outdated war machines and she’s probably the only human left here.” The fighting had certainly been fun, but Cyn’s support had quickly turned the tide in their favor. Now there wasn’t much to do here besides mop up the stragglers.
The female threw her head back with a loud groan of boredom. “Ughhh, guess that means we should wrap this up and start heading to the next stronghold.” She complained, standing up and walking past the downed woman towards a connecting hallway. She hardly paid the dying human or her befuddled companion a second glance.
“Uhh… Where are you going?”
“Outside, obviously.”
“Yeah I see that, but aren’t you gonna…” The male trailed off, gesturing to Sienna. The poor woman was barely clinging to life at this point. Just moving her eyes to track them was an arduous task alone.
The female gave her male counterpart a dull look. “I don’t feel like wasting more time with her, let her bleed out and-”
A heavy thud from the nearby elevator shaft interrupted her, startling the two Murder Drones. They swiftly turned, arms shifting to SMGs as they took aim.
The elevator shaft was empty, nothing popping up in their sensors besides the occasional spark from a cut wire.
Another thud sounded, louder this time as the female sneered. “Damn it, I thought we took care of all of those archaic toasters.” She hissed, approaching the elevator while swapping her free hand to a chainsaw. “It better not be another one of those big red ones…”
“Doesn’t sound like one. I don’t hear any of that weird radio chatter they do.” The male replied, moving closer to reinforce her just as she reached the elevator shaft.
A blue blur suddenly slammed into her, knocking her down as she released a startled cry. The Murder Drone didn’t even get the chance to swing her chainsaw before a microscopic metal shard tore clean through her visor, oil spurting out as a red message popped up over the Drone’s eyes.
Fatal Error
The machine responsible stood over the body, setting its sights on the other Murder Drone while casually charging up its revolver. The male could only watch as the blue robot fired a piercing shot clean through the regenerating Murder Drone’s core, destroying it completely and stepping off the corpse as a singularity ate through its chest cavity. It hardly paid the anomaly any mind, blazing yellow optic focused solely on its next kill as the Drone stared at this new machine with mounting dread and trepidation. It didn’t match any of the Final War machines he’s fought and killed thus far.
The Drone didn’t get much time to analyze it, the machine bursting into motion as its golden wings unfurled. It cleared half the hall in two seconds, ducking under his initial spray and firing a single shot that compromised his SMG. A second shot tore the limb clean off, forcing him to jump back and unfurl his wings to create some distance. His remaining arm shifted into a rocket launcher, visor adopting a wicked yellow X as he fired it straight towards the unknown machine.
At such range in a cramped hall, there was no way it could evade. The rocket would at least ensure it would be damaged if it somehow managed to clear the blast radius. The Murder Drone was confident as he watched on with a bloodthirsty grin.
Said confidence turned to pure bewilderment when the machine reared its fist back and punched the rocket, sending it firing straight back at him at twice the speed.
The Drone could only scramble forward in a bid to escape, the explosion shredding his wings and sending him careening right into a brutal clothesline from the machine. His world spun for a moment, pain sensors blaring as he rolled across the ground before finally coming to a stop right next to the woman he had been torturing not too long ago.
His bleary optics could make out the small grin on her face as the blue machine stalked closer, delighting in the hollow look of fear in the Murder Drone’s eyes. That was the last thing he saw before horrendous pain wracked his system, followed swiftly by darkness.
When the Murder Drone opened his eyes once more, he would see his own motionless corpse laying on the ground with a growing pool of oil. Confusion would set in before he would notice his crab like limbs, small optic going hollow when realization set in.
He had been reduced to a core, held in the blood and oil soaked hand of the machine that had bested him in seconds.
The machine seemed to take a moment to observe him, head tilted as he was bathed in the piercing yellow light of its optic. It seemed drawn to the fleshy bits that were wrapped around the Murder Drone’s core, examining the mesh of flesh and steel before its grip slowly tightened.
Fueled by panic and desperation, the core tried to slice at the hand holding it, drawing only a few drops of blood from its alloy as it held him over its head.
The crushing force only increased, the lens of its optics cracking as the organ let out a shrill cry of pain. “W-Wait! J-Just let me go! I can’t hurt anyone like this, just-!”
A sickening squelch filled the hall as the core was crushed in the machine’s hand, blood and oil coating its plating and repairing its semi damaged hand. Just as with the other Drone, a singularity formed, incinerating what remained of the core and drifting out of V1’s blackened hand. It scanned the anomaly briefly before it faded, unable to pinpoint what exactly it was even after cross referencing it with what humanity had gleamed from dead Murder Drones.
Data for the terminals, then.
The Supreme Machine turned to check on the human the Drones had been occupied with, finding a still corpse with no vital signs. Its gaze remained on the grinning body of the woman before it turned and began walking down the hall. It’s new objective came with a marker on its HUD, leading it outside the complex and towards the evacuation zone used by the facility’s personnel. The terminal had assured the Supreme Machine that it would find reliable transport there.
As it made its way through the darkened facility, it passed countless bodies, human and machine alike. The walls became more ravaged the closer it got to its destination, arriving at a small junction with sandbags and busted MGs set up against them. It pushed past the torn open bulkhead door, entering a large maintenance bay. It was filled with incomplete husks of tanks and machines that never got serviced, left to rot alongside their technicians and those who tried to flee.
The room was also occupied by five Murder Drones. Three of them were sifting through the remains of a Guttertank, while the other two sat on top of an Abrams. One of them was perched on the barrel of the tank, easily spotting V1 the moment it entered the room.
A grin split over its face, hands shifting to claws as it called out to the others. “Looks like we missed one! I call dibs on the-?!”
It was forced to abandon its perch when V1 ran forward, ripping off the fuel tank of a dead Streetcleaner and chucking it towards it. It evaded the improvised projectile.
Its companion wasn’t so lucky, looking up and getting hit dead on by the tank before V1 fired on it.
The following explosion engulfed the Drone and made the tank buckle from the force alone.
+HEADS UP
+EXPLODED
The Supreme Machine didn’t slow its charge, charging up the revolver’s alt fire as the Drones by the Guttertank began to move. Two of their paths intersected, bodies lining up for what could have only been a few seconds at best.
Yet that was all V1 needed.
The blue beam of its revolver pierced straight through the both of their heads, leaving a burning hole in their visors as they fell over.
+FORCED SHUTDOWN X2
+HEADSHOT COMBO X2
It would have leaped at the downed Drones if another didn’t blitz it. The mechanical monster clipped V1’s shoulder, forcing it into a slide before its back slammed against a humvee. The Murder Drone lunges for the Supreme Machine, prompting it to jump off the vehicle and away from its clawed hands. The blades easily rend through the armored car, leaving horrible gashes as the Drone turned to follow after V1
It flew up to catch up with its airborne foe, grinning as it saw another Drone fly up behind it in a pincer maneuver. They had aerial and numerical superiority even with three of their own out of commission.
It’s claws were nearing the machine’s chest as its comrade lined up a shot with its SMG, anticipating the sweet blood they’d be able to ingest from their prey.
Seconds before contact, V1’s free arm curled into a fist, crashing into the first Drone’s claws. The world seemed to freeze for a moment for the two, as if holding its breath.
The punch shattered the Murder Drone’s arm with ease, reducing the limb to a stump that was gushing oil as the Drone screamed in agony. The Supreme Machine swiftly dashed to the side with the aid of its wings, leaving a yellow trail in its wake. The dodge was performed just as the Drone behind it fired, three bullets screaming past and ripping through the still shrieking Drone.
It’s screams turned into gurgles as it fell, a ‘Fatal Error’ flashing over its bullet ridden visor as its companion cringed at its mistake.
“Crap, sorry!” It called out to the offline Drone.
+PARRY
+DECLAWED
+FRIENDLY FIRE
+FORCED SHUTDOWN
V1’s flight through the air brought it over the two Drones it had knocked offline, heads nearly fully repaired. The Supreme Machine rapidly descended, crushing one of the regenerating Drones and stomping over its core. Blood and oil caked its legs as V1 dashed towards the other Drone as it began to sit up, leaving a trail of viscera in its wake.
The Drone’s visor came back online just in time for V1’s fist to smash right through it, revolver charging up as it pressed the barrel flush against the robot’s chest. The Supreme Machine heard the slowly building whine of an energy weapon above, clenching the inside of the lifeless Drone’s head before turning to face the still airborne threat.
It pulled the trigger, a brilliant blue beam punching through the Drone’s core and ripping clean through its left wing. The Drone cried out in pain as it misfired, falling and crashing into a crate, wood chips and debris flying through the air as V1 threw its latest victim aside.
+GROUND SLAM
+HEARTBREAKER
+CRITICAL PUNCH
+HEARTPIERCER
+GROUNDED
+KILL X2
The war machine turned away just as a figure rolled off from the back of the Abrams, arms and face reconstructing as flames cling to their form. They eventually died, revealing the scowling face of the Murder Drone V1 blew up. “You good for nothing toaster! There won’t even be scrap left when I’m through with you!” It shouted in anger, a low hum coming from its core as its eye lights began to glow intensely.
+ENRAGED
It took off at great speeds, forcing V1 to slide under a blade meant to take off its head. The Drone and Supreme Machine turned on a dime, with V1 noting that its speed had drastically increased. Its attack were much more frequent and vicious. The Supreme Machine parried a thrust and its follow up slash, with the Drone’s arm cracking and warping with each successful counter attack. That same damage was healed almost instantly by the Drone’s regeneration system, said system being overclocked by its rage.
Its combat systems were already calculating the best approach, sidestepping a wild swing before slamming the barrel of its weapon into the Drone’s visor. The protective glass cracked from the impact, the following shot narrowly avoided as the Drone sent its nanite tail towards V1’s head.
The war machine deftly caught the tail, evading a thrust aimed at its chest and wrapping the length of the tail around the overextended arm. It pulled the Murder Drone into a knee that shattered its visor, ripping the nanite stinger out while putting a round through its chest. The shot left a gaping wound in its chest, allowing V1 to quickly jab the stinger into its beating core before dashing away from the screaming robot.
The acid swiftly ate through its core, flesh and steel melting as the Drone began to twitch. Its eyes disappeared, lights going dark as it fell over with a sizzling hole in its chest.
+CAUDECTOMY
+ACUPUNCTURE
+HEARTMELTER
+KILL
It turned away from its kill, strafing behind a flipped over humvee and charging up its revolver as bullets struck the vehicle. The last two Drones had recovered now, one pinning down the nimble machine with gunfire while the other prepped to hit it with a rocket salvo. Neither of them could comprehend how a single machine was wiping the floor with them. It only had a dingy pistol for Robo-God’s sake!
‘Let’s see you dodge this you archaic piece of shit!’ The rocketeer Drone hissed mentally, heat building in its arm as a rocket began to scream out into the air.
It barely left the tube before the Supreme Machine slid out of cover, Piercer raised before a blue beam shot out with an electric hum.
… And struck the rocket dead on.
There was a white flash before the Drone was consumed in a massive fireball, pieces of molten metal shooting out like shrapnel. The shockwave was powerful enough to knock its ally out of the air, sending them crashing back down with a cry of pain and shock.
What remained of the Murder Drone was a scorched torso, its core barely functioning. Its crab-like legs reached out of its ruptured synthetic skin weakly in a bid to escape. Its efforts were rewarded by a swift shot from V1, blood and oil splattering over what remained of the mechanical corpse. The singularity left behind was ignored as the Supreme Machine eyed the last surviving Drone, golden wings unfurling as it approached the hollowed eyed Murder Drone.
+INTERUPPTION
+FORCED SHUTDOWN
+HEARTPIERCER
+KILL
The corrupted robot slowly scrambled back in building horror, staring at the thing responsible for bringing four of its own down with ease. One scrawny, unassuming machine had slaughtered its friends like it was nothing. Friends that had butchered their way through the country, killing humans and machines alike in droves. It had believed that they were untouchable, that even man’s attempt at fielding war machines against them would simply delay the inevitable. They were a nuisance and formidable, but the machines of man were nothing in the face of the Absolute Solver or the endless horde of Murder Drones that blotted the sky. Armies of the most powerful nations of the world couldn’t even slow the Solver’s advance, with the machines being regarded as a speed bump at best.
That view was shaken to its very foundations by this winged machine of death.
“S-Stay away from me!” It shouted, shifting its arm into a gun and firing at the machine’s head. V1 raised its hand and simply parried the bullet back at the Drone, destroying its arm and causing it to wail in agony and terror.
+PARRY
+DISARMED
The Drone clutched its ruined arm, turning and extending its wings before flying towards the exit on the other side of the vehicle bay. The open garage door was its only salvation, its only possible escape from the blue menace behind it. The moonlight and clear skies promised safety to the Drone, fueling its desperate attempt at escape.
It had just cleared the doors when a blue beam ripped through its left wing, causing it to fall to the ground harshly with another scream of pain. It dug its fingers into the dirt beneath it, trying to crawl forward before an orange light fell upon it. The Drone locked up in terror, rolling over to see the Supreme Machine towering over it, blazing orange optic staring deep into the Murder Drone’s soul as it raised its smoking revolver casually.
The Drone shakily raised a hand, tears appearing in its eyelights as the revolver began to charge up. It repeated the same pleas it heard countless times. “W-Wait! Please, I don’t want to-!”
And just like those times, they went unheard.
The blue beam pierced its head, removing the top half of it as V1’s free fist plunged into its chest, violently ripping out its core. A deluge of blood and oil coated its upper body and arm, absorbing into its plating as it crushed the core in its palm. The singularity was discarded, the minor damage it inflicted repaired from the excess blood.
+FORCED SHUTDOWN
+HEARTBREAKER
+KILL
The Supreme Machine took a moment to stare at the corpse before stepping over it. The horizon showed a distant city, anti air fire and faint explosions lighting up the night. V1’s system highlighted the city, the shipyard laying just beyond its outskirts.
The evacuation zone was a mess of ruined vehicles and broken bodies. The corpses were mangled, barely recognizable piles of flesh held together by a few strands of meat and skin. The machines defending the site were in a similar state, reduced to scraps and bleeding circuitry. Several light armored vehicles were still burning, barely any managed to get past the crumbling gate at the facility’s perimeter.
One thing stood out from the wreckage, a mostly intact armored truck carrying a machine on its back. V1 was able to recognize it instantly, systems marking it as a D.P.L. The device had a drop pod hooked to it, with thrusters built into it to swiftly launch the pod and remain airborne for a time. The machine itself was little more than a mobile launch station, made to fire shock troops deep behind enemy lines. Its speed ensured that conventional anti air systems wouldn’t be able to shoot the pod down, only a specialized machine like the Sentry could possibly hit such a target.
The drop pod on the D.P.L opened up, an inviting tune playing from the interior speakers of the pod.
V1 clambered up to the pod, stowing its weapon and stepping inside. The pod shut with a hiss as the launcher began to power on, a low hum filling the air as the pod was aimed towards the city beyond. A small screen near the top of the pod door blinked to life, showing the predicted trajectory before the roars of the thrusters filled the air. Within seconds, the pod was launched into the air, cutting through the night sky at top speed.
All the while, V1 ran through the data provided by its skirmish with the Murder Drones, processors calculating possible strategies for quicker takedowns with its current arsenal, one it would no doubt need to expand if it wished to eliminate the Absolute Solver and its legions.
At its current state, the Supreme Machine wouldn’t be able to touch the Solver’s host. For all of its lethality, it had little in the means of countering its reality altering abilities. Obtaining new weapons and upgrades to face the Solver was a necessity, one that demanded its presence at the shipyard.
It would tear through the city to get there, and it would rend apart any Drone foolish enough to stand in its way.
The sounds of gunfire and flak grew closer as the pod began to descend, V1’s optics blazing with intensity.
The Supreme Machine was built for a singular purpose, one it was designed for long before Gideon ever began to work on it.
It was built for war, and it was determined to wage a bloody one against the Absolute Solver.
Perhaps this determination was a product of its programming… or maybe Gideon’s last few moments, his blood, raged within the confines of the machine, fueling its desire to destroy the enemy that had brought man low.
Whatever it may be, it carried with it the dying hope of a race of fools, a hope that the mechanical scourge that terrorized them would meet the same fate as humanity.
V1 was created to wage war and avenge humanity.
And it would not fail…