“IT IS NINE. HUNDRED. HOURS. TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT OCTOBER FOURTEENTH AND THIRTEEN HUNDRED HOURS GREENWICH MEAN TIME ON EARTH. ITINERARY: INVESTIGATE DISAPPEARANCE OF KALOPSIA CHROMO. INVESTIGATE OG1-5. THE TIME IS SIX HUNDRED HOURS AND FIFTY NINE MINUTES.”
Eurus opens his eyes as he wakes up in his Cell apartment. Like computers, they can function without shutting down virtually forever and operate without a break. Their brains are solid state and highly resistant to concussions for example. Back in the Machine Revolt, one of the purposes of this was for Cells to be launched from specifically designed cannons into Data Mother server complexes to draw the machines away from the battlefields for instance to help the human armies advance further into the machine territory.
However, Cells are still physical beings, and over countless millenia in the future they too will decay due to the inevitable heat death of the universe. Cells are capable of almost completely shutting down their life functions in order to delay such decay and keep their physical properties from losing capacity. Refitting a Cell is theoretically possible but a long and arduous process.
Eurus’s room is quite spacious. It has a wall that’s entirely a window, facing outwards of the Cell Tower and across the chasm is another residential megascraper, with flashing neon commercials on it. The wall opposite has an entertainment system analogous to a TV and stereo with a virtual game station attached to it and enough room to host an intimate but lively party. He has a large kitchen with most amenities and comforts but mostly Cells have food prepared by their tower which serves as a pseudo butler.
He dons his clothes which he wears under his gear. To call this an outfit would be misleading at best as a Cell’s dress code is highly functional. Eurus is no different in that regard and dons clothes similar to skin-tight sportswear. They offer a degree of insulation from energy weapons and heat and are also helpful for healing.
He then stands on a two meter and a half meter by two and a half meter square platform and it cracks open only to leave a small part for his feet. Robotic arms from the sides of the square reach out and they assemble a metal suit around him.
His chest is covered with a Cell-specific metal-clad chest-piece which carries miniature nuclear batteries operating on a fine line between fission and regular decay due to the very particular nature of the isotope powering the armor component. This allows for high energy attacks and to use its massive energy supply to absorb blows from almost anything short of a direct artillery strike. The back of the armor has circular vents which can extend to allow for short bursts of rudimentary flight in order to jump even higher, faster and further. By superheating the air with the energy from the reactors, it provides reactive force that pushes the wearer from the ground.
The suit is burnt graphite gray in color and it’s metallic composition closely resembles that of a human muscular structure. ;icroscopic fibres that each and all make up a pseudo-muscle constructed from carbon-titanium alloy. This material is almost as hard as diamonds when struck but almost as light as silk.
A metal helmet springs from one of the arms of the assembly machine and attaches itself to Eurus’s head. From it, a neck guard, consisting of a scaled structure of metal plates extends. Behind Eurus’s head there’s a metallic hole, which accepts a small metal rod from one of the arms. This allows input from his brain directly into the instrument of war he is surrounded by. Furthermore, thanks to the spinal neural implants that connect the suits to a Cell’s mind, one Cell can communicate with another telepathically while wearing his combat armor.
His arms and the rest of his body are covered by the same material as his chest. After this process, the machines in the floor guide his weapons of choice to their proper places however this time the only weapon in common with the previous encounter is the 50. cal Bullrifle. A much bigger powered longsword replaces his earlier-donned machete-like power sword. The grenade launcher is replaced by a shoulder mounted and telepathically guided energy weapon, that draws power from the nuclear energy sources in his armor. This energy is then used to fire orbs of pure plasma at over 6000K. This is sufficient to cleanly cut down a tank with a few direct hits. His previously used .357 pistol is replaced by a multi-purpose sidearm custom-made for Cells during the Machine Revolution. It can fire varying ammunition. His belt is covered with small pockets filled with programmable-grenades the size of a ping-pong ball each but weighted optimally to counteract atmospheric friction while not becoming overbearing.
His previously used jump-boots are now several times more powerful making him capable of jumping through for several dozen stories. During the Machine Revolt, these were used to cover hundreds of meters at a time to kill the advancing Titans.
After the machine is finished he then leaves his apartment.
------
When he arrives at the foot of the OG1-5, there are over a hundred police officers outside, with several riot wagons empty and their guns trained on the darkness within the tower. He starts walking towards the building but an officer comes and stops him.
?Who the hell are you? You’re not allowed in here. Explicit orders from the police chief,“ he says.
?First of all... Do I look like I take orders from a city cop? Seems like you came here in force. I count 150 men arrived, 50 are inside?“
?That’s right.“
?Have you heard back from them?“
?I’m not at liberty to say.“
?So you haven’t. This is going to go either of two ways. One, you can try to stop me from following the Cell Codex and the law forcing me to snuff out these beasts and doom how many more men to their deaths until you finally realize you’re out of your depth. Two, you can get on the comms, tell your chief that he’s interceding with the law, the Codex and will receive explicit commands to halt, tarnish his reputation with vanity unless he lets me pass.“
?One moment, sir.“
Eurus starts walking inside. He hears the officer arguing with someone on his communications device.
“Yes, sir,” he says frantically, “Yes I KNOW we’re not supposed to work with a Cell. How am I supposed to stop him? He says it’s Codex-bound... Yes... Yes... no need to yell, sir.”
After a few more moments of arguing and a tiny voice in his ear belonging to Yusef shouts him down it appears Eurus has been given a green light by the commissioner.
The officer turns to Eurus, who has gone past him and inside.
?He didn’t even bother to wait,“ murmurs the officer.
Eurus’s eyes adapt once again to the darkness within the structure and he can already smell the blood of the armed response who was likely mowed down by the beasts like wheat in a field. As he walks further in, he arrives at the location where he killed the first horde of the beasts that attacked him and Paskal. The footprints of the responders are still fresh and he concludes that the beasts wanted to lure the attackers deeper. The beasts also realized when fighting Eurus that there was a good chance of losing that conflict outright which is why something called off its beasts. Knowing that they use stealth, probably their method of choice isn’t head-on collision but much like a feline carnivore on Earth, long chase and battle is suboptimal. The cheetah and the tiger prefer the instant kill blow instead of a marathon compared to a bear who will eat its prey alive if it can hold it down. Luring the policemen deeper was premediated thought and it’s likely there’s a hive mind or a strong psychic force at play. Therefore to shatter the beasts and make them mindless, he must destroy their nest and kill whatever is exerting its intelligent dominance over them.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Deeper within the compound the smell of blood and urine (who can blame the policemen?) gets stronger and finally, behind a cluster of pillars, there is a hole in the ground. It’s clear for Eurus that though it was burrowed a long time ago, it was from the ground up. Therefore the beasts might have been living in the caves before venturing outwards.
The thing about Papülonis is, that since it was an old mining city, that statement is kind of selling it short. It was millions of diggers and their families strong, beasts and machines en-masse had arrived almost instantly when founded and its underground is comparable to a sieve in terms of the tunnels digged. There are however a few central chambers from where the city grew above ground, but basically any building in the city can be accessed from these caves if one’s carrying enough explosives or has the ability to move through a wall. Eurus is following the scent of the dead policemen and it’s leading him directly to the central chamber. Probably the beasts know that he’s there too and the head honcho wants to set up an ambush. This is a critical mistake by the alpha-beast because the central chamber allows Eurus to fight in any direction.
Still, what perplexes Eurus, is the fact that though there is blood on the walls, no body has been found. Did the beasts eat them? So quickly? Bones and all? Who knows... Eurus keeps going when suddenly he hears breathing – human. A few dozen meters away a police officer is hunched up on the wall, bleeding from his mouth. His abdomen has been pierced by something.
?Who’s there?“ he asks, clearly panic and shock in his voice.
Eurus activates diodes on his armor, lighting him up and illuminating the whole cave. The walls are completely soaked in blood. They’re literally dripping wet from it.
?It’s Eurus from Caste Erebus. I’m a Cell, I came here yesterday with Paskal,“ Eurus says when he arrives and crouches beside the fallen officer. As the officer breathes, it’s obvious that he has several broken bones in his ribcage. Eurus touches a few buttons on his wristpad.
He continues: ?Can you stand?“
?What’s it look like?“ the policeman asks, ?We got the shit kicked out of us by these beasts. Others were mauled out of existence but I don’t know why they didn’t kill me.“
?Do you have kids, officer?“
?What the fuck kind of a question is that?“
?The kind that lets me decide what I can do to help you.“
?I do. Three boys, one daughter,“ the officer says.
?Plan on having any more?“
?Does it look like I can?“
?I can give you something that will make you sterile, but will able you to walk out of here. You will be hospitalized by it by the time you exit this building but I have already summoned an ambulance. Would you like to see your children again, officer? Play ball with them at the top of Papülonis?“
?...,“ the officer’s eyes light up and he gives a yearning look to Eurus.
?This is a strong substance. As I mentioned, it will sterilize you, it will turn your blood to sludge and numb you to pain. You will feel enormous pain while it passes through your digestive system but it will amp up your adrenaline to the point that you will sprint out of here. You’ll make your way back to the surface where help is waiting. It will taste like shit and you will probably suffer a heart hemorrage when you arrive, you’ll spend four months in the hospital but you have a strong chance of survival if you do this. You can play ball with your sons, send your daughter to prom and see your grandchildren look up to you as you tell them you survived this ludicrous ordeal. What do you say?“
?I thought you Cells weren’t human...,“ he groans as he spits up more blood.
?We’re far from it, but you have the opportunity to still be one,“ Eurus says.
The officer nods. Eurus takes a small vial from his belt and carefully pours it’s contents into the officers mouth. His face looks like he’s going to vomit but he forces the liquid down.
?Take this,“ Eurus gives the man a small flash light, ?I carry this around for humans.“
?You weren’t kidding about the taste,“ the officer says, ?Thank you, Eurus.“
The man switches on his flashlight and is still on the ground and Eurus turns off his diodes. When Eurus has walked away from him, he hears a few dozen meters behind him the man scream at the top of his lungs and start running back the way he came. While walking, Eurus wonders where the beasts might be during all this time. He walks the path of blood and red sand when he sees light behind a corner. He’s closing in on one of the central chambers. Do the beasts know how to make a fire?
When he arrives at the threshold, he sees an enormous chamber with flying orbs of light. It’s at least 10 meters high 300 meters in diameter. All the beasts are lying dead scattered across the room and the expected big one also lies slain. What could’ve done this? A Dynamo might have a hard time with these beasts. Could there be another Cell in the area? He examines the beasts lying there. They’ve not been shot, stabbed and don’t have blunt force trauma.
The hairs on his body are standing up. He realizes that he can’t be alone in the kill zone, because the beasts can’t have dropped dead out of their own accord. He can smell another odor... faint... But unmistakable. It’s like no other he’s ever known. Studying the sand beneath him and the beasts’ carcasses, he can see footprints belonging to a biped approximately 95 kg in weight, judging by their depth in the sand and their total area. Is someone breathing someone? He feels like he might be hallucinating. Suddenly he hears a sultry, female voice in his head.
?Eurus. I was wondering when you’d arrive.“
?What the fuck?“ thinks Eurus. Cells don’t have telepathic abilities for obvious reasons having to do with fears of exploitation of humans.
? I am Draia, an envoy from Tomorra, a world beyond your empire’s reach. We have watched your kind from the shadows—and now, we seek your help.”
?Show yourself,“ Eurus says out loud.
?If I were to challenge you, Eurus, my death would be likely,“ her voice says.
?Trust me, you wouldn’t be able to challenge me,“ Eurus says to the empty room.
?I’m right behind you,“ he hears her behind himself suddenly. He turns around and there she is. An armor clad humanoid not unlike himself is standing behind him. She is noticably shorter than him at a height of 6,5 feet. She has four arms with four humanoid hands at the ends of them, five fingers each. Her face is obscured by her mask. She is clearly a mammal and doubly strikingly so. Eurus takes pause when he sees her, but it only lasts a split second.
?How did I not see you?“ Eurus asks.
?Phase-shift technology. Something humans have trying to understand ever since contact with Tomorra.“
?Tomorra?“
“It’s my home world. We made contact with one of your explorer ships. In our trepidation, we attempted telepathic communication but this put the residents of the vessel on edge, risking war. Right now we’ve pulled back, but we require urgent cooperation with your kin.”
“Why?”
“We are at risk of losing several of our colonies.”
“And?”
“The creatures we encountered originated from your Terram,” she says.
“From Terram? How do you figure?” Eurus asks.
“Our scientists used our phase shift technology to post clandestine listening posts to various worlds of interest. Furthermore, these posts send data either instantly or have been set up such that the information is in real-time, meaning that we can see things that occurred centuries ago.”
“That’s smart,” Eurus says.
“I think so, too,” Draia says, “And this listening post shows that based on your time-keeping, a few centuries ago a spacecraft left Terram. It was carrying the creatures we’ve been encountering. They’re machines of war with sentient thought enveloping entire worlds. From what we can gather thanks to the listening posts, your kind has already successfully freed your worlds from them. We were hoping you could do it again.”
“Machines of war… The Machine Revolt… Lives?” Eurus says.
“If that’s what you call it, then yes,” Draia responds.
“That’s deeply disturbing news,” Eurus says, “But it also sheds light as to why the attempts at reconstructing my kind have risen in frequency. We must move at once.”
He motions Draia to follow him, which she does. They start moving through the chasm, with the orbs of light following them. Eventually, they come across one of the straggling monsters. Draia activates something in her head, with her eyes lighting up and the monster simply drops dead.
“How did you do that?” Eurus asks, while they move through the tunnels.
“Our telepathic abilities can allow us to shut down basic processes such as pulse or breathing,” she says.
“Oh? Could you do it to me?” Eurus asks.
“Ah, no. It requires relatively simple physiology to succeed. Yours is orders of magnitude more complex than what I could handle,” she responds, “Unlike your beasts which still function like any other living being.”
“How does it work?”
“Basically I have a way to almost touch a beings nervous system. The simpler it is, the more it reverbs from this touch. If I touch it too much, it collapses. I was at the risk of collapsing myself by talking to your consciousness.”
When another stumbles their way, Eurus paints the ceiling with its brains. Their methodologies are distinct. A quiet lullaby by Draia and a violent Jackson Pollock by Eurus. The diodes lighting their way no longer reflect back bloodied walls and guts from the tunnel. It’s slowly but surely turning more tidy and more obviously man-made in its construction as they move through it.
Soon their surroundings are solid concrete and metal, ordered and meticulous, as they’re approaching the tower’s foot above them. Having looked at the Cell Archives before, Eurus knows exactly where they are. But as they move, the tunnel converges at a spot where a massive metal hatch is blocking their way.
“Hmm,” says Eurus, “This hatch is not on any of my charts.”
“Is that a problem?” she asks.
“Not really,” Eurus says, activating his shoulder-mounted plasma caster. He flicks a few superheated orbs of atmospheric plasma towards the hatch, cutting it down immediately. It clanks down from its hinges and reveals a small room ahead of them.