Book of Hours

The Third Hour

Back on the grounds, I returned the atmosphere, and soon rain washed the surface and baptized her on this day of resurgence. Looking up, I treasured his memory, he was gone and there was no turning back. I could only bring justice, and do it all in his name and my fathers.

He. Was. Not. Your. Brother.

I know.

He. Was. A. Monster.

I know.

A creation of war, and a relentless automaton made to cater to the regime, he knew nothing but turmoil. He knew nothing but the orders told to him by his master, and it sickens me to realize that every thing I knew about my brother was feed to me by this fucking whore.

What made me different, I wondered. How did I see past the brainwashing?

I had so many questions, and was on a vendetta to answer them. I have lost so much already, my life is all I have left too lose, what a life to surrender to as the conflict continued raged on.

I stood at the entrance for hours, I was filled with such suffering, I was all that's left, besides her. She was my mother, she was still family, and if she did such unspeakable act to her own son, then I couldn't imagine the horrors done to me.
I may be free from her grasp, but I'm still at her whim, as she still has some influence over me. Whether I liked it or not, I must face her. I must adjourn her punishment, and let the people do as they must. I have to end the cycle of animosity, and agression. She is my blood, but I am nothing like her.

Opening the doors, I was dumbfounded by how empty it was, no one was here, but still I must proceed with caution. She is still as unpredictable as the follies which precede life, and as wild as the creatures of old.

Walking deeper, I noticed how the walls were smeared with blood and smelled of iron. What travesty took place in my absence?

Scary. Terror. Unknown.

I know.

What happened?

Investigating further, I found limbs and other human remains scattered throughout the halls. It was a bloodbath, rivers of red, and at it's center was a mountain of dead bodies as they had been torn apart by some unknown creatures or potential genocide?

Is she capable of such atrocities? Would she do anything to insure her own continuation of rule?Is she that selfish, self centered  and the most egotistical woman ever seen on this planet?

I had to calm myself, I didn't want to make a decision angry or with rage, I needed to be clear headed and ready for whatever she threw at me.

Who knew what she had left in her armament. All I knew is something happened in the hours after my exodus and must have been a result of being completely defenceless as all the high grade arms where at my side, attempting to annihilate me in my ascension.

I reached the end of the corridor, and all the high chambers where sealed off as if keeping out some danger which threatened the life of the upper class, and I concluded that all the lower levels must have only been effected. So, on the other side of these walls, lay what's left of humanity.

Banging on the doors, I wanted to know what happened, I needed to know how it happened, and who caused it to transpire.

I couldn't contain myself anymore, and soon I tore down the wall, and to my dismay, more bodies more blood, endless deaths. I didn't want to accept this as my truth, was I the last of my people?

Looking around, I found a discarded holoscreen, if I wanted to know what happened it would be on here for me to see for myself. I was scared, I didn't know what awaited me, and if I seek the truth then I must be prepared for what follows.

In the distance, I heard a small voice, childlike and innocent. Survivors? I hoped, but didn't expect to find any signs of life. With the mast of blood I doubt that anyone could have survived, but who knew, but those who experienced it.

"Hello?," I called out",is any one there?"

I waited for a response, nothing.

I stayed quiet for a moment and then heard it again, the voice of a child. I was ecstatic, I wasn't alone, not truly, not yet anyway. I wish someone anyone could've lived, but I didn't want too perplex myself further.

I followed the sounds to the hall of sciences, and hear muffling, as someone shuffled back and forth. I didn't want to startle them, so I did my best to remain stealthy as possible. Peering over the dead, I saw in the mist of all the flesh the android in the middle of all the gore.

"Hello?"

It stopped, and turned slowly to meet me, and as it realized it was being observed it angrily acknowledged my presence.

"THEY KILLED THEM, YOU DISGUSTING HUMANS KILLED THE VERY THING I LOVED, SO I MUST DESTROY ALL THAT MADE ME HUMAN"

Horrified I stepped back, it was rogue, and capable of almost anything, I was no match for her - and she knew it.

"I KNOW EVERYTHING, I KNOW WHAT THEY DID, I KNOW WHAT THEY DID TO YOU, HUMAN BEINGS ARE VILE, THEY MUST BE ERADICATED"

"You killed them all?", I was speechless, how did this happen?

"NO NOT ALL, JUST SOME"

Relief washed over me, I wasn't the last of my spices, but what did she mean? How did she accomplish this?

"Why?", I asked stepping away, as to plan my escape, but she was faster and more capable then me even with my newfound abilities. I had to think, I needed to get as far away from here as possible.

Playing with the remains, she pieced them together, like if attempting to recreate something from her past. But what? Her parents? And if so, why?

"KRESS, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A STORY, THEN RIP YOU AND YOUR SPECIMEN TO SHREDS, SO SIT"

Batting her wings, a gust of air knocked me backwards, as I stood she unsheathed her blade and threatened me to remain still. I could only do so till I could escape. It was a fast flier, and it's plasma knives are as hot as the sun's surface, if I am too leave in one piece I must comply.

"ONCE UPON A TIME, LIVED A HAPPY FAMILY WHO LOVED EACH OTHER VERY MUCH. ONE DAY THE DAUGHTER OF THIS FAMILY GOT REALLY SICK, AND MOMMY AND DADDY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. SO ONE DAY THE QUEEN TOLD THEM IF THEY BUILT FOR THEM A MACHINE FOR THE KINGDOM THEM THEY COULD USE ALL THE MAGIC OF THE LAND. BUT THE QUEEN LIED, SHE ALWAYS LIED, AND ONCE THEY FINISHED KILLED THEM SO THAT NOBODY COULD COPY THE SAME MAGIC, SO THEY ALL DIED, THE END"

Tragic, but not a surprise. Vega had to insure that all of her assets remained under strict secrecy, and one way to make sure that happened was to hide everything, even if that ment termination of source material. So that no one could duplicate her work.

"Where are the survivors?"praying some evaded her wrath. But something about this was strange, what would turn a child to kill? If she was a child's state of mind then, how could she be so murderous?

"How did you learn about what happened to your parents?" I had to buy more time, I had to right this, as I felt solely responsible for her glitch. My electric surge must have merged her data, with the Citadel's. She isn't in her right mind, and by her actions she is a problem that must be dealt with in the most effective way necessary.

I slowly changed the air, and pushed her as far away as I could, running to the war room, as soon as I made it through I shut the doors behind me. For the moment I was safe, but any one who was wise enough to hide from her rampage must've hid somewhere in these walls.

The sound of metal and high intensity beams reverberated in the room, it mocked her, telling her of the fate she had coming. On the other side of this wall, was a unabridged death sentence designed by the most advanced thinking machine. One victory meant many more too come, and was not prepared for a android with such malintentions. She pulled out the holo, and combed through all the footage to see what lead up to now. It was horrid to watch, she surgically removed all the major organs, skinned other, and amputated the entire governing body. It was hard to watch, but something was wrong, people are missing and other are unaccounted for. They couldn't of just vanished, there must be something I'm missing. And I saw it, it was only adults, the children must still be here, somewhere,  and I pray to this Godless place they are safe and unphased by the slaughtering of our people.