It is irresponsible to leave evolution to chance now that we have the means to manage it.
Arnon D’Bvaym
HANNAH PAUSED IN front of the door to Id’s control room and glanced around again. After the distance she’d walked, hiked, and trekked to get here, she then had to find her way through seemingly endless rooms and corridors, all composed of patchy stone and metal, wondering the entire time what message Id was sending with such a place. Surely Prophet was aware that Id’s . . . lair felt less like a holy temple and more like a common dark technomancer’s rozie factory.
Thrum . . . thrum . . . The empty, rhythmic pain that always accompanied Hannah had slowed as she approached the control room. If there was one thing for Hannah to look forward to, it was the dampening effect of being back in the presence of a technomancer trained by Prophet.
Hannah stepped through the door and was greeted by a large, open space, rising high enough that Hannah couldn’t see the ceiling for the darkness that cloaked it. To one side of her was a little space filled with potted plants, and to the other, Id.
Were she still mortal, Hannah might be horrified by Id’s appearance, by the thick column of tubes and wires that descended from the cloaked ceiling into her back, leaving her hanging above the ground at all times, or by her overlarge fake eye which grossly dwarfed the natural, drooping eye beside it, or by her thin, wasted body; instead, Hannah felt nothing.
“I have arrived,” Hannah said.
Id was facing away from Hannah, hanging in front of a control station and a large, black screen set into the wall. Hannah waited a moment longer but received no response.
“I have arrived,” Hannah said, louder. “The Divinity has requested that I assist you in retrieving the core processor.”
This time, Id twitched, a ripple that caused her bony legs to knock into each other like wind chimes. She remained silent, unmoving.
Hannah stepped forward. “Id . . . what are you doing?”
With a slithering sound, the column of wires and tubes extending from Id’s back turned, bringing her with it. Her eyes opened, revealing only the bloodshot whites of her one natural eye before it rolled out of the back of her skull and focused on Hannah. Words slithered into Hannah’s mind, leaving slime in their wake. How dare you interrupt me—address me by name— while my signal was alive, Id said.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Hannah said. She nodded her head. “As you may be aware, I have been sent by the Divinity to assist you. I am at your service until Prophet calls me to return. My companion, Gabriel, he is inspecting your factory and looking for the Enlightened.”
Id’s false eye narrowed. Strange that you should be sent without announcement. Come, let me see what I need to learn—it will be more painful if you resist.
Hannah’s body went rigid as she felt Id’s mind grasp hers. She felt an overwhelming sense of nothingness, meaninglessness, as Id picked through Hannah’s mind, examining her thoughts and memories, with the casual air of a child inspecting toys and discarding them. Neither body moved as Id inspected Hannah, but a tightness filled the air.
Id clucked and released her grip on Hannah’s mind, then watched as Hannah sagged in response. An interesting message— you are his creature, but you will be unable to put up even a token resistance if I desire something of you. I can tolerate it. You will go with my rozies when they assault the settlement.
“As . . . you wish . . .” Hannah forced herself to straighten. She wanted nothing more than to find an empty room and stand in it for hours, but she forced herself to continue Prophet’s work. “What was it that had you distracted when I first entered?”
Hmmm? Oh, that. Id turned, one of her hands twitching dismissively as she did so. Something seemed off with this core processor. I have been keeping watch, studying.
“You told Prophet that you were certain.”
I did, didn’t I. Id’s thoughts were bone-dry.
A few moments passed. Hannah said, “Is not an attack on the human settlement dangerous? What if the core processor is killed? It is difficult to control such a situation.”
Then I shall have you go ahead of my rozies and collect it before it can escape or come to any trouble. A grin twitched onto Id’s face. Yes, that will fit into things nicely. He would approve of having his pet lead the vanguard. It’s a boy that you are looking for—there’s an elder technomancer, then the acolyte.
Hannah nodded. “It shall be as you wish. When do we leave?”
Id’s head cocked to the side. After a day, at the earliest. Perhaps two. It takes time to imprint rozies with orders to follow when they have to leave my range of influence.
Hannah stood for a moment, then turned to leave. Id was taking her time, making Prophet wait, and there was nothing Hannah could do to rush her. The core processor would be collected when he would be collected, and Prophet would either be pleased or angry.
Did I give you permission to leave? Id whispered.
Hannah paused at the edge of the room. “Do you have anything for me to do before we collect the core processor?”
No.
“May I leave?”
Id waited, staring at Hannah, several minutes dripping by. Finally, Now you may.
Hannah strode into the darkened hallway beyond, hoping to quickly find an empty room with blank walls.
Copyright © 2023 by David Ludlow
Boo Ludlow 