Memory of AUSOS

S1| Ep20: The Forgotten

The rogue Doll raised an arm, aiming straight at the houses clustered against the slopes.

Intan snapped back into focus.

“Stop!” she cried into the wireless. “Don’t do this!”

Knowing well that she could not make it there in time, she fired a single warning shot.

It hit the rogue’s arm. A stray shot crashed into the mountains. A flock of birds took to the skies, screeching in alarm.

The rogue Doll adjusted its position, as if confused. Then it raised its arm to fire again.

“STOP!”

“She can’t hear you like this,” Eguzki said from behind her, too quietly for the wireless to catch his voice. Intan still wasn’t sure when he’d unstrapped himself from his position. Now he was bracing himself at an awkward angle against her seat and the controls. She worried that he might hurt himself, though she knew that the Doll would not hurt him.

He took a deep breath. “I’m going to change the channel.”

Intan looked desperately at him. “Are you sure? What if she’s got all communications turned off? Just like last time!”

“Last time...” he repeated. After a moment, he seemed to realize what she referred to. “No. I think... I think I know why Kasih’s come.”

His expression was sad, but also a little resigned. It reminded her of the way he had looked on the stairs, just before the news of the king’s death.

That was what made her decide to believe in him.

“Okay,” she said. “Hold on tight. I’ve got to --”

In the background Tuyet was shouting something at them. But Intan didn’t pay any attention to it. She charged forward at the fastest speed she could, planting her Doll right in the line of fire.

Eguzki was still fiddling with a dial Intan had never bothered to figure out the use for when they were hit.

A flash of light blinded their view. The Doll trembled from the impact. Despite expecting the blow, Intan cried out. Eguzki spit out a few half-mumbled curses, rubbing at where his shin had smacked against the edge of her seat.

But he seemed to have accomplished whatever he was doing regardless, for as soon as he had righted himself again, he said, “Park, what the hell are you doing this time?”

Two beats passed before they received a response.

“Oh, Kaneshiro. I’m surprised. Thought you were forbidden from ever stepping foot in a Doll again.” Park cackled. “Come to stop me as usual, I suppose.”

“And who do you think’s to blame for that?”

“Stop!” Intan shouted again, ignoring them both. “You’re going to destroy Hadil’s village! Everyone’s going to die!”

The Doll will be sad, she wanted to say, but it was already so mournful that it would probably make no difference.

Eguzki’s grip tightened on the edge of Intan’s seat.

“Good! They’re just as bad as the Clans, the military, everyone else!”

The sheer hatred in the other girl’s voice took her aback.

The other two Dolls piloted by Tuyet and Rusli’s friend closed in. But before they could pin down the rogue, it zipped up away at a sharp angle, firing continuously as it flew.

Tuyet and the other Doll dodged and swerved, firing back. But Intan did not move.

“And you know who’s the worst of them all?” Park continued, panting. “Headmistress Liow!”