The Ice Warrior

Chapter 15

"Arthur and I are coming with you, of course," Rose said.

She was more determined than Silv had ever seen her before which caused fear to uncoil in Silv's stomach and start writhing like live wires. The very idea of putting her dear grandmother in danger was so repelling that Silv couldn't help but flinch at Rose's words.

"What is it, my dear?" Rose asked, noticing Silv's reaction.

"You can't come with us, grandma. It's too dangerous." Silv said.

"Need I remind you that I have been a soldier long before even your mother was born?" Rose asked sternly.

"No, of course not. But this is different. If you join us, you will be going against the Government itself and who knows how dangerous that can be." Silv said.

"My dear, I know how lethal the Government can be. I've seen it with my own eyes. That's why I want to join you. With my help, you might stand a chance, without it, I am sure to lose you again. I can't go through that pain again, so I'll do everything in my power and beyond to protect you." Rose said.

"She help. We succeed." Wir Eis said before Silv had the chance to utter even one word.

Although losing the only person who ever truly cared about her was unbearable, Silv knew that she had to accept that her grandmother had much more military experience, that her help would be invaluable.

Yet, how does one put the people they love the most in such grave danger?

On the other hand, weren't all of them in danger of being swallowed up by the monster that was the Government?

They were already suppressed, limited, although they were convinced it was for their wellbeing. What was next?

One day, they might wake up confined to their homes 'for their own good' while the Government did who knows what.

Silv swallowed hard and resigned herself to accepting what she couldn't or at least shouldn't change.

"How about Arthur? Have you finished constructing him a body?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Well, I was planning on adding a few more things, but I guess will have to work with what we have. It's not perfect, but it's as good as it will get, all things considered." Rose said.

Then she moved to what appeared to be a kitchen cabinet and what Silv knew to be a secret human-size safe typing in the code swiftly.

Only the two of them knew about it since its very existence was breaking more laws than Silv could count.

It became clear that Rose had always known that the day would come when she would have to rebel against the iron hand of the Government. Thus, she was well prepared for it.

All the secret programs, compartments, security cameras made more sense to Silv when this realization hit. Although her grandmother might not have known beforehand what shape the rebellion would come in, she knew it was coming.

As she carried out a humanoid metal body, Silv wondered why she ever thought of it as beautiful.

In truth, it looked run down. Like a metal can and not a vessel that could hold a great AI such was Arthur.

"Remember when I taught you old Earth expressions, and you couldn't understand what 'don't judge the book by its covers' meant? Well, this is what it means. Don't think that because it looks plain on the outside, it isn't equipped with the best technology I could acquire." Rose said, seeing Silv's suspicious look.

Silv remembered the said conversation rather well since it made her annoyed that she couldn't comprehend something that appeared so simple to her grandmother. However, it was mainly because, in Silv's time, all the books had the same faded brown covers. They were all equally boring. At least the few books that were left in the hands of the collectors looked like that, all the other books were digitalized.

Silv had never held a physical book in her hands, but at least now she could understand the expression that she struggled with the most.

However, it didn't change the way Silv felt about the oddly shaped vessel. It simply looked too ordinary, unimpressive. Yet, once again, they had no choice but to try.

"Arthur, please initiate data transfer," Rose said, plugging in a strange-looking cord in the AI's main hub.

"Transfer initiated, your grace," Arthur said.

"Grandma, how many old-fashioned, ridiculous phrases have you put in our poor AI's memory?" Silv asked.

"Too many, my dear, and yet not nearly enough," Rose said with wistfulness.

The slow buzzing sound was heard that Silv didn't think was good. After all, machines and devices produced by the Government were silent and efficient, everything that Arthur's new body was not.

Soon enough, the eyes of the humanoid machine started glowing. At first, they were dull yellow, but then they turned to yellow, orange, and finally red.

"Transfer complete," Arthur said, moving the metal lips of his new body.

"So how does it feel?" Rose asked Arthur.

Silv was about to protest about asking an AI how it felt, but Arthur answered before she had the chance to get a word out.

"It feels like me," he said.

AI usually struggled with the concept of emotions, and Silv was shocked that robotic as the voice was because of the body it wore, Arthur seemed content. It made Silv wonder if AI were more sentient after all or at least Arthur.

After all, it was still a great debate among humans if AIs should be considered as conscious beings and treated accordingly or not. When it came to Silv and Rose, they treated their AI with respect, not as a servant but as someone who happened to work for them, and Silv couldn't help but wonder if that made any difference.

"Alright, then. Let's gather supplies and head out." Rose said.

Silv was annoyed with herself upon hearing those words. It should have occurred to her to prepare for every occasion, to gather enough food and water in case something happened. Also, to gather any communication devices that would make coordination easier. It was as if her whole military training had vanished from her mind, the moment Denis attacked her, and she hated that he had such a strong influence on her.

Before long, they had all the basic provisions and were heading out. The humans and the alien had a confident stride as if willing victory into being, while Arthur shuffled behind them needing time to adjust to the transfer. The time that they did not have.