Taking Space 2

INTRIGUE

The giant metal tube structure finished snapping together and the dimensional door flickered to life.

The Savage Razor flew through it and the dimensional door collapsed behind it as the metal tubes micro self-destructed.

"There now no one will be able to track the ship," Michael said.

Daniel huffed, "Well so much for not having XRenia disappear and pop up in a different place altogether."

"Yeah well having XRenia being a normal resurrected bounty Hunter came to an abrupt end when Stephanie ran her out in front of thousands of people carrying her own head," Michael stated throwing Stephanie a sidelong glance.

"Hey don't blame me I didn't want to be a bounty hunter to begin with," Stephanie answered. "And there was no way I was going to let the thing that cut my head off escape."

"Speaking of which, now that were done here can we please finally go check him out?" Daniel begged.

Michael glanced up at a screen displaying Alf sitting on his haunches and raised his eyebrow.

The lion nodded. "I have finished my preliminary examination and Soul Knight has concluded that it is safe to interact with it. He and Snoire are in the secure chamber with it now."

"Yes!" Daniel shouted jumping to his feet and dashing out of the room.

Michael rolled his eyes and followed after him with Stephanie hot on his heels.

***

Steven stood over the dissected android with a tablet in his hand looking at different readouts when his two brothers and sister ran into the lead lined room aboard the factory ship they had confiscated from president Winkler.

"So what did you find out?" Daniel asked excitedly as he burst in.

Catherine smiled at her husband enthusiasm and projected to screens up on the wall. "Well this thing is indeed an android. It is made of some of the finest synthetics I have ever seen in underneath them guarding its core components is high-grade molecular re-constructed steel."

"Wow," Daniel exclaimed.

Michael crossed his arms and frowned, "Sounds like were dealing with a heavy hitter here, most likely a government."

"It gets better, or worse whatever we want to see it as," Catherine continued and tapped on a spherical object embedded in the stomach of the dissected android. "This is what power the whole thing. It's three layers thick of stealth fiber, covering a miniature dynovamator. It's also what powered this plasma pistol he was using to try to kill XRenia."

"That's not the best part, either," Steven piped in. "After analyzing the remains of the communication signals I discovered this thing wasn't being controlled by human but rather an AI."

"No way!" Daniel shouted. "Like AI, AI? Like one that can actually rewrite its own code?"

Steven nodded.

"Wow this is starting to sound just like the storyline of the game AI Vergince," Daniel proclaimed with aw as he stared down at the android

Stephanie rolled her eyes and covers her face with her hand, "Please tell me this is not happening."

Catherine laughed. "It's not. The AI is chained."

Michael raised an eyebrow encouraging her to go on.

Steven spoke up instead, "After examining the databanks on the android I determined that the AI even though autonomous is governed by quite a few rules. Which is why it chose to run instead of fight, it wasn't supposed to draw attention to itself." Steven exclaimed. "So I believe it's still under the control of humans."