The IHSA had built their automatons to fix themselves when compatible parts were detected. After they’d been stolen by the Thunderworks terror operation, this programming remained in effect. Kol watched the two remaining Striders search the field of craters looking for replacement arms and connecting ligatures. There was a large selection. All of the automaton …
Enoa sipped at her coffee. She and Jaleel sat outside the Aesir in folding chairs. Orson was recording a threatening message for the Liberty Corps, so they’d gone outside rather than sit in silence. They waited in the overgrown parking lot to the Halfpoint Lodge. Its stucco was covered in a tracery of cracks and …
“And the bathroom also has an emergency eye wash.” Orson flew the Aesir through the lower cloud cover, guiding their flight by the ship’s scopes and his visor’s HUD. They’d been traveling three hours. They left the cold Great Lakes far behind them. Miles below, the terrain changed from grasslands to an arid flat expanse. …
The Solar Saver Crawler left two days later, taking with it the full caravan of followers and over two hundred new Collective employees. Commodore Augustin, Adelyn Castillo, the four Moritas, and the assembled Wuyar Archers, along with Jaleel’s parents and younger sisters, gathered on the crawler transport’s rear walkway, bidding farewell to a son and …
Kol returned to his office, Arlene Greco’s photo album stowed in the glove compartment of his newly-assigned rover. He considered the old woman’s life and the strong likelihood that he’d never see her or hear of her again. He found the rest of his convoy parked outside, two more rovers and an armored supply truck, …
Kol Maros arrived at the front desk of the suburban office complex-turned-shelter that the Liberty Corps used to house displaced individuals. It was a plain building that still sported the old signs from its days as an analytics firm. The Wilson Analytics headquarters showed no exterior damage, but the waiting room was strewn with mismatched …
Orson gave Enoa and Jaleel the armored raincoats before they trekked into the fake forest. Enoa adjusted her coat. It didn’t fell well over her cloak, which kept bunching up at her shoulders. She should’ve stayed behind with Kash. She’d been a spectator since they’d walked in the building, and she hated it. She had …
Orson had to act. The smoldering corner where he hid would soon burst fully aflame. He was running out of time. One-on-one, Orson could outmaneuver any of the armored Sabres, but their weaponry and numbers presented a unique problem. Just the force of the repeating blasters would keep him off of his feet, even if …
Orson led the Milo animatronic into the Age of the Dinosaurs attraction. The interior was dark, but he didn’t bother with the lights. That could wait until Kash and Jaleel arrived to support him. He kept his visor lights lit and entered a foyer, with fossil-design carpeting and chandeliers manufactured to look like they were …
“I own my body. I rule my mind. I command Iron.” Kol Maros knelt in a Liberty Corps private training chamber. As Captain, he had the right to use such spaces. The walls and floor were tiled and soundproofed. He had gone too long without working on his Shaping – almost a month. He had …
