First sight

I would like to say it was easy to make my way off the mountain…but of course it wasn't.

My body was weak and I nearly fell off the side while climbing down a few dozen times.

Oh and I can't forget to add the fact I was nude.

By the time I realized that fact, I was already holding onto the side of the mountain getting pelted by a gust of wind that carried sand to spray me.

The only good part about this all was that the annoying AI in my head stayed quiet.

My guess is that he knew if he didn't stay quiet I would get distracted and fall to my, or rather 'our', death.

By the time I reached the bottom I was tired, scraped, and had sand in some unmentionable places that I would be trying to get sand out of for some time.

Looking around, I couldn't help but let out a grunt of dissatisfaction, as I saw the desert in front of me.

"Is there any way those nanobots could keep me from getting sunburnt or having a heat stroke?" I asked the AI out loud.

"Hmm. Well that depends." The AI responded.

"How the fuck dose that depend?" I asked.

"It's either a yes or no question."

"Well you prick. It depends because at the moment I don't have the bots to spare. That is unless you are willing to lose the full ability to use your new legs. I could take some of the bots that are powering the energy cells in your legs to keep you from getting turned into a bumbling crisp." The AI said annoyed.

"Do it." I said, using my hand to cover my eyes from the sun that looked to only be a few hours from setting. "Out here those legs won't be able to keep me from getting a heat stroke. And besides, the sun looks to be on its way to setting. Once it's cool enough we can switch them back so I can start running."

"fine." The AI said, as I felt a tingling sensation flow from my new prosthetics, and then up my spine to cover my skin.

"Whao! That one strange feeling." I said as I shivered.

Before starting out on the long journey ahead of me, I turned to look up the steep mountain, where the base sat underneath.

"This place could be useful one day." I said.

"For what?" The AI asked.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"There's about a million and one things it could be used for." I said.

"All of which could make me some serious money."

Even with the nanobots keeping me from getting a sunburn or passing out, I still felt as if I was being cooked alive by the sun.

"What the damn temperature?" I asked the AI.

"A responsible 43 degrees celsius." the AI said.

"What is that in Fahrenheit?" I asked, slipping on some loose sand.

"Geeze, why am I not surprised." The AI said sarcastically.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing." The AI said with a heavy sigh.

"Just me complaining about how people ever thought it was a better idea to use Fahrenheit over Centigrade." The AI said, again with another sigh.

"Riight." I said, again confused.

"It's 110 degrees Fahrenheit." the AI grumbled.

I shook my head as I hunched my shoulders and continued on.

As I started up a steep sandy hill, I couldn't help but ask the AI a question.

"Do you have a name?" I asked him.

"A name?" The AI asked.

"Yeah, a name."

"Pfft. Why the hell would I need a name?" He asked me.

"So I can stop thinking of you as 'the damned AI' in my head." I said.

"How rude." The damned AI said.

"I could just call you asshole? No, wait, Dickhead sounds like it would fit you better." I said with an evil laugh.

"Uhhggh!" The AI grumbled.

But after a few seconds, he started to chuckle.

"How about Ares?" He asked.

"Oh for the live of~"

"Hear me out would you." The AI interrupted.

"It stands for Artificial Responsive Entity System." The AI said quickly.

"I don't care what it~." I tried to get out but was again interrupted.

"And besides, it's a badass name and you can't deny that."

I slumped my shoulders.

"I suppose." I said with a sigh. "It is better then 'the damned AI.'" I said, as I crested the large hill, and promptly stopped dead in my tracks at what I saw.

"What in the fuck is that?" I said open mouthed as I looked at the large buildings that gleamed in the setting sun's last lights.

"I don't, but I think I might, know." The AI or rather Ares, said in my head.

"And what would be your hypothesis?" I asked, as I watched a few flying vehicles fly between the buildings.

"That we were in that base much longer than we thought."

_______________________

Short chapter, I know.

But from here the story will start to take shape and start following a path.

Also, I would like to give a shout out to DaoistPCowBD for continually leaving power stones for this fic for some time. Thank you.