Suspicions and revelations.

"Is this about that AMCWU outside trying to force its way in?" Asks PAI.

"Yes, its about that AMCWU that is trying to get in and kill us! That's why I need the link now!" Shouts Jack starting to get annoyed with the AI system.

"That does sound like an emergency, in that case, I'll prepare the link immidiatelly..." Says PAI.

"Finally we're getting somewhere..." Grumbles Jack, as a cable extends out of his seat and connects to the connection port on the back of his neck. "While you're at it, prepare for stage 2 link, I'm temporarily blind so I'll need to utilise the headpiece optics to see around myself."

"Understood, have you ever entered a stage 2 link?" Asks PAI.

"Yes, twice." Says Jack.

"Stage 2 link prepared, are you ready pilot?" Asks PAI.

"Ready, initiate link!" He says and braces for what is to come.

...

When a pilot links, it feels like their consciousness is leaving their body and expanding into a much larger vessel, yet it doesnt leave completely, this state is fittingly called "expansion".

But human mind was not made for such feats, first generation pilots were trained to withstand the negative effects of the expansion and the record was set to be 1 hour, 24 minutes and 47 seconds, in calm and relaxed state, after which the testing pilot suffered from cerebral apoplexy. Luckily he was treated immidiatelly after and made a full recovery. The first actual death caused by being connected to an AMWU was two months later when a rookie test pilot decided to steal the first generation AMWU and go on a sunday stroll.

The AMWU was found about 12 minutes later collapsed in the backyard of the facility, and the pilot was already dead.

The project was facing a shutdown, but was saved by the invention of the spinal duplicant module, the thought behind it was this.

"Why would you need to expand the mind into the whole machine when you only need it to control its brain?"

Right question, the spinal duplicant module was able to mimic the exact signals the pilot's brain sent out to control the muscles, in almost real time. Saving the pilot a terrible headache everytime they connected, and shortening the abysmal reaction time delay to almost nothing.

The second generation have fully utilized this new invention and were finaly ready for wider use, ports and warehouses used them to carry cargo that was too heavy for any other equipment. Fire fighters used them to support collapsing structures before they were fully evacuated. And military finaly recognised them as an opportunity to carry heavy weapons into places where tanks couldnt get to.

The third generation, with further improved spinal duplicant module, that was officialy used only for military purposes, alowed the AMCWUs to grow in size and weapon capacity as well as to carry advanced electronic warfare technology like sensor, radar and targeting system jamers. But also the pilots to grow in numbers and become the dominant part of the military.

...

As Jack's body stops quivering, he gets a pleased smile on his face. "I missed you too old budy..."

"Reactor online, sensors online, weapons online, all systems nominal, calibrating left side..., calibrating right side..., link stable. AMCWU-015 ready for combat." Says PAI.

"Alright..." Jack groans, as he stretches and the AMCWU does the same. "... ugh... ohhh... he feels soo stiff and rusty, why?" He says standing up. And finally having a proper look around, noticing the everpresent rust and decay all around the maintenance bay.

"After almost 25 years of neglect its inevitable that 015 would be affected and suffer some mobility damage." Says PAI.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on." Says Jack caught off guard by this revelation. "25 years? I was asleep for quarter a century?!"

"It appears so, but we should discuss this matter later, the bay door will not hold for much longer, I recomend to pick up the hand-held weapon and wait for them to open the door for us." Says PAI and a yellow outline appears on Jack's heads up display showing him the weapon and ammunitions dispenser. Also known as the 'over-sized gym locker'.

Jack has to pry it open as it refuses to open on its own and checks the contents. After spotting a 100 mm assault cannon inside he sighs and grabs it. "I would prefer my 200 mm, but this will have to do... and just in time." He says just as the door gives in, but before it does he's already got it in his sights.

Another AMCWU of unknown origin walks inside but pays 015 no mind, instead it immidiatelly fixes on Electra who is still standing on the support structure.

"Peekaboom!" Says Jack and fires half a clip into the AMCWU's bowels.

The AMCWU fall to the ground, face first.

"Big and scary, but not very bright. And what is this?"

He bends down and rips off one of its weapons, and after examining it says, with a speaker so that Electra hears him. "Armed with microguns, this AMCWU wasnt outfitted for AMCWU versus AMCWU combat, but for anti-personel engagements. I think we'll have no problem shooting our way out, if the other ones are also this poorely armed."

He turns around and raises his arm to pick up Electra, but freezes at the sight of them.

Standing on the support structure in front of him isnt a human being, like he expected, but a humanoid robot immitating the apperance of one, and if not for the unnatural colour of the skin and the obvious joint connection points it would have fooled him completely.

"You arent human." Suddenly all of it made sence to him, their strange voice, the way they talked, and how unnaturaly cold their hands felt. "What are you?" He asks and lets his hand fall back to his side.

"If we dont leave now, another AMCWU will surely come to eliminate us both." Electra says, giving the fallen door a look.

"Nope, they're after you, that guy didnt even mind being aimed at. Besides the worst microguns can do to me is scratch the paint a little. So spill the beans, who are you, what are you, why are you being hunted, and why did you not tell me that I was in that damn thing for nearly quarter a century?" Jack maintains the same voice volume and his adamant demeanor the whole time he speaks. He cares little that they could be found by other hostiles in the area, he has time, or he thinks he does.

In the meantime Electra keeps shut, carefuly analysing the situation like the computer they are. In a split second they make the necessary personal data searches and voice analysis, and come to the conclusion.

That Jack can be at times very stubborn and unyielding, and that after he has decided on doing something, persuading him not to do it, is next to impossible. Like now, that he will get the answers, or he'll not move an inch until they're both dead.

"Alright, I will tell you everything, under one condition." Says Electra.

"Being?" Asks Jack.

"That you wont leave me here."

"Fine, get on and start yapping!" He says and raises his arm again, once Electra is inside, he steps over the disabled AMCWU and walks out of the hangar. Fully aware of the possibility that the other hostile AMCWUs in the area could be armed with proper weapons.

And for the first time, sees the world he woke up into.

...

The Dam City was built in between two large mountains, that's how it earned its name. The east side had a great view of a valey beyond. It was mostly covered by forests and meadows with a river flowing from one of the mountains carving a narrow curving path of blue in it.

Now the once green valey was dead and barren, the meadows covered in gray ash. Where trees once stood, were now only charred black stumps. And the river turned into a stream of mud, as thick and black as tar. This was the result of humanity's greatest mistake.

...

"What the hell happened here?" Jack exhales as he sees the devastation done to the land. Over the course of his 108, dangerous and bloody, assignments in various places all over the globe, he had never seen this much destruction and in his homeland of all places.

"Eden did this." Says Electra, who is holding on to a handrail right next to Jack's seat.

"Alright, start with that then. Who the hell is Eden?" Asks Jack, finally tearing his eyes away from the painfull scene and heading for a ramp that was used for moving AMCWUs and vehicles from one level to another.

"Eden is a very advanced AI that was created to solve humanity's problems. Problems like rising sea levels, water polution and other things. But it was also created to work efficiently, and why solve all of these problems when you can simply solve the source?" Says Electra and stops as Jack sharply turns his head, from one side to another. Electra sees on a monitor that Jack is in fact peeking around a corner to see if there's something there.

Once checking that the coast is clear, Jack turns the corner and asks. "So? Were we the problem?"

"No... Humanity as a whole wasnt the problem. It was your free will." Says Electra.

"What do you mean by that?" Asks Jack as he takes them down the ramp onto level 3.

"Eden saw that humans willingly make choices that harm the planet and create the problems he was designed to solve. But eradicating all of humanity seemed like too much of a drastic measure to him..."

"Bullsh*t!" Yells Jack, interupting Electra. "If our eradication seemed too drastic, then what the hell is this?!" He asks gesturing towards the burned buildings, the carcases of AMCWUs that were laying there for many years and to the burned land beyond the Dam.

"Eden didnt want this, he wanted to do things peacefully at first. He came to the world leaders with a proposal. That they should give up control over the people to him, so that he can make the necessary changes to the society people live in. But the world leaders refused."

"I'm not blaming them, they did what they thought was right. Refusing to let a machine decide what best for you is something anyone would do." He says checking behind every corner for potential hostiles.

"That limited Eden greatly, so he thought up many other possible courses of actions, all of which were both costly and limiting to the humans. One by one they were all rejected. In the end Eden had to resort to a different plan of action."

"So he nuked us?" Jack asks.

"No, in secrecy, he started to build an army of Automated AMCWUs and amass non-nuclear weapons of mass destruction. After some time and preparations, during which you were injured by one of the prototype AAMCWUs and put into the vitae chamber, he set his plan into motion. He quickly took over several cities, and demanded the world would surrender to him."

"I guess they didnt listen to his demands." Jack says.

"Precisely, instead humans launched a counter attack that resulted in a total war, and in the end to the use of weapons of mass destruction. Eden knew that if he lost all he had done would be for nothing, so he decided, instead of fixing the already broken world, to start over, basically from scratch, and reduce the population to more controlable size. To forge a new world built on strict control, logic and programming."

"Did anyone survive the destruction?" Jack asks.

"Yes, but most of humanity was wiped out, the ones who survived were either captured and forced to work for Eden in his new cities, or escaped and are now living inside of mountais, caves and who knows where. Most of them live as scavengers picking up the pieces of the lost civilisation, but there are records of several groups that still fight."

"Even aftet almost a quarter of a century? Hmmm... Admirable. I wouldnt be half surprised if they were lead by one of my old comrades, where can I find these guys?" He asks as he turns a corner and colides with an AAMCWU that was doing the same think.

The hostile machine recovers first, managing to fire off several volleys of microgun fire.

But the bullets do nothing, they either simply bounce off or flatten and get stuck on the AMCWU's armor.

"Its like a mosquito trying to takedown an elephant, you said these things are automated, right?" He asks and doesnt wait for the answer, instead shoving his AMCWU's fist into the hostile's chest and ripping something out.

"No pilot... but they die when I destroy the chest as if they had one, why is that?" He asks as he watches the hostile fall backwards onto the concrete floor.

"Eden copied the known AMWU and AMCWU blueprints, the only change he made was that he removed the cockpit and replaced it with an AI housing module. Afterwards he proceeded to create some of his prototypes, one of which put you into the vitae chamber."

"AI? Like you?" Jack asks and turns his head toward Electra, even though he cannot see them.

"No I'm nothing like them. AAMCWU AIs operate within constricted parameters, and therefor are unable of learning, change and development like me. They are more like robots, where I do not have any constricting parameters which makes me an android."

"IAs, robots, androids, what is this? A sci-fi movie?" Jack sighs and moves into the next area.

.....

"Okay, you told me that Eden is an IA, but you're an AI too, what makes you different from him?" Jack asks, with a hint of suspition in his tone.

"Our primary programing, and our objectives. Eden was created to solve problems humanity had, but he was incapable of understanding humans as inteligent beings." Says Electra.

"So he created me, an AI without constrictions, I was supposed to learn human behavior, how they think and why they act in the way they do. That was supposed to make it easier for him to control them. In the end it turned out to be much more difficult than Eden thought, so he gave me another instruction. To learn human emotions. That lead me to ultimately betray Eden."

"Heh... That's the stupidest thing I think I've ever heard. AI? Learn emotions?! You have no chance!" Jack laughs at the thought of a machine being capable of understanding emotions.

"I am making progress, for instance I feel nervous and scared at the thought of being captured and erased. And a bit of excited, as things are, for now at least, going my way for once." Says Electra.

"Hmmm... whatever you say, anything else that makes you different, exept for being tasked with the most difficult and perhaps impossible task?" Jack asks.

"I as opposed to Eden, was created and programed as female, so humans would find me more approachable. Please refer to me as such." Says Electra.

"..... that isnt what I had in mind, but fair enough, you've got it." Says Jack, stunned by the straightforwardness, but then again, machine is a machine.

....

"So... as I was asking, before I was so rudely interrupted by that AAMCWU, where can I find these rebels?" Jack asks, taking them to level 2.

"One of the groups that frequently attacks Eden's patrols was last reported roughtly 120 km, north west off here. I strongly suggest heading there first." Says Electra and freezes for a moment before saying.

"Be on guard, I detect strong signatures just around the next corner, probably rest of the hunter group."

"Oh, dont worry. Ill get it over with them fast enough." He says and jumps from behind the corner, and empties a clip into the first AAMCWU he sees. There are 5 in total but the other 4 dont react to his presence, standing silently as one of them falls to the ground smoke rising from the dissabled carcass.

"What? Why arent they firing back?" Jack is very confused by this turn of events, and proceeds to reload his hand-held weapon before taking aim at another one, but not shooting.

"They are not supposed to act like this, their only goals are to search and destroy or search and capture. They must be remotely controled by..." Electra is unable to finish her sentence, because one of the AAMCWUs steps out of the line and moves towars them.

Jack takes aim at it and uses a speaker to say. "Not another step closer!"

The AAMCWU stops at the threat. Replies with. "I have come for the fugitive you are harbouring. Hand her over and no harm will come to you."

"Oh... no..." Says Electra. "... its Eden!"

"Yeah, and those are some big guns." Jack says looking at each one of them and thinking how he could get out of this mess.

"How do I know, you're not lying?" He says trying to buy some time to make a plan.

"You wont, and do not try anything, your chances of victory are zero. I have already identified you, as JS015P, and I have all your combat data, you can do nothing to surprise me." Eden says.

"Well that for one isnt much of an assurance, and for two, you're underestimating me. This is my home, and in my eyes, you are illegal trespassers. You have until the count of ten to get out of my sight..." He says when he finally has a plan in mind.

There are 4 hostiles in total, but only 2 of them pose any significant threat, the one Eden speaks through and the one the far right. The other two are armed with what looks like heavy 500 mm cannons, as deadly as they are, they're meant for long range combat, especially fix-mounted to the torso of the AAMCWU. They are heavily armored, to the point where their turning speed should be significantly lower. And if he gets behind them... its over.

Eden's and the last AAMCWU appear to be lighter in terms of armor and weapons, they will be faster and that makes them deadlier, especially in close-quarters-combat.

But if Jack's plan works, he will be the one who has the final word in this.

"You are a fool who doesnt understand the meaning of..."

"One, two, TEN!"