"We can communicate like combat friends and please address to me with the informal “you” without any curtseys (someone once showed Alex what curtseys and bobs were like).
“Are there people at the base?”
"There used to be a division consisting of five humans and one AI in charge of information compilation. We conducted air and ground intelligence in this region, designed drones and new bodies for AI. By the way, this cyber-body was developed here,” Wolf Abel said proudly.
Alex was aware that their though forms exchange in fact took a short period of time, which was an advantage of this communication mode. Her instinct told her that they should leave open area at once.
“Abel,” she referred to the wolf, “we’d better get out of here. Is there an accommodation module at the base? Can I hide in you place till morning? Before dawn I will be off to the north-east to join my people. All data related to you and the base will be blocked and deleted to prevent their scanning from my chip in case of my being taken captive.”
Alex knew she had no right to give orders in another operating unit and it was AI Abel who was in charge there. She took a liking to the Wolf – there was something appealing in the way he held himself. She instantly heard Wolf Abel’s response thought form in her head. The tone of his voice suggested he was also glad to have met her.
“Well,” he said drawlingly “Of course, the information we’ve compiled is somewhat unique, and I should keep our location in secret. The enemy believes us to be completely eliminated. But, taking into account that you are wounded and lots of other factors, I seem to be obliged to extend you a welcome. But we’d rather get into the biological unit or else we may come in sight of drones. Are you coming?"
With these words, the Wolf came up to a big concrete piece of wall and made a slight move with his face. Instantly, a rectangular passage appeared in the block, and a heavy door smoothly opened inward. Alex saw a stairway leading downwards. The Wolf gave a quick look at Alex and disappeared in the aperture. Alex saw his broad back, low hanging tail and heard his claws making a scratching sound.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she followed him. Her eyes were becoming to get used to the greenish light filling the long stairway.
"It’s a good thing he is among my friends,” Alex thought, looking at the handsome, well-muscled body of the cyber animal. The Wolf’s hair was now light-grey with black scorch marks. As they were silently descending, Alex remarked a good quality of the indoor air. The bending wide stairway went deep downwards. The walls radiated soft greenish light. Alex was familiar with facilities of that kind. As a rule, such bases were well equipped so that one could stay there for years without the need to come up to the surface.
Soon their descent was over, and they found themselves in a tiny hall. A few heavy doors led to corridors of different blocks, each featuring a specific pictogram in accordance with the room purpose. The facility was perfectly clean.
For the first time Alex felt safe. But she was overwhelmed with fatigue. The wound began to sting with an unpleasant dull pain.
Having come a bit ahead, Abel turned sharp round and set down beside her. Then he looked her closely in the eye. Alex guessed that he was scanning her biological state.
"It’s the logical thing to do now," remarked Abel prudently in a soft low voice. And his honey-yellow eyes again stared at her face. “Go to the medical module, where you’ll get your wound properly mended. By the way, don’t forget to thank the doctor. She can do unique operations. When you are done there, pick up a uniform and a complete set at the warehouse. Then we’ll meet in the bunk room, where you’ll get something to eat, I will tell you our story and listen to yours. Then we’ll outline a logical course of your actions,” he said, wiggling his ears. All along, the Wolf was blatantly gazing at her right in the face. But strangely enough, the girl was not annoyed at that. “And while you are busy doing all this stuff, I will go and get my hair decontaminated and cleaned,” with these words he came up to the door with a pictogram, again made an elusive gesture with his face, and then the door noiselessly creped aside. The Wolf unhurriedly walked away down the hallway.
Alex headed to the medical block. Not to waste her time, she started unclasping her suit on the way. Before medical examination she had to undergo decontamination and cleaning procedure.
The hallway ended up by hinged doors. She found at once all the things required: shower, warehouse, arsenal, equipment. Having taken a shower and popped her shirt and underwear into a utilizer, Alex decided to leave her suit and boots at the warehouse in case she would need them again. She put her pistol and holster on an empty table next to the exit, threw a bathrobe on shoulders and went to the room with a pictogram indicating a medical station. Upon entering the room she underwent one more decontamination procedure. Now she was prepared to see the doctor.
“Hello! Please come in,” said an agreeable female voice. “I see you are injured in the stomach area. It was a good idea to use a nano-gel. Lie down on the surgical table with your back down and hands over the body. Breathe smoothly. I will do an examination. Close your eyes.”
Alex nodded politely in response and, as directed by the doctor, stretched herself on the surgical table. Biological scanner rays were slowly crawling along her body. The doctor’s AI could operate all equipment in the room by shifting to any appliance. In fact, AI was part of the base’s command processor.
Alex felt the touch of arm manipulators and realized that the doctor started her job.
“Something serious?” she asked.
“Not at all, officer,” replied the doctor in a soft voice. “Only you’ll have to endure a slight discomfort for a couple of days. No meds are required. I’ll make all necessary injections.”
“I see you still use your biological body. I should notice that it’s in good shape,” the doctor tried to distract Alex from unpleasant feelings, “There were times when the scientists in our base, all of whom were advanced researches and gifted individuals, used to design and develop artificial bodies on their own and to successfully rewrite anyone’s conscience wishing to change their body for a mechanical or biomechanical one. Oh! What awesome bodies our guys produced! Just take Abel or Arwid for example.”
“Arwid?” Alex asked.
“Oh yes. Translated from an ancient language this word means “eagle on a tree”. He is a most interesting person yet a bit short-spoken. You are sure to like him.”
“What happened to the people?” Alex asked.
“Aren’t you aware of that?” the doctor inquired in surprise. The Coalition had spread a nano-virus. We were not prepared for that. It began to quickly infect physical bodies and brains of our natural biological organisms. Of course, bodies affected were instantly becoming unfit for use. Fortunately, we managed to rewrite ourselves into the main processor. I hate to remember those bad days.
Nevertheless, we managed to preserve our staff, although in a slightly different form. At least now we can unite into a single controlling component. This is a unique case, as you can see. However it came as a shock for me to have to abandon my physical body to wake up inside a machine. Can you imagine that? You see through monitors your biological body being disposed while you are still alive! And what is even more complicated is that you have your mind transferred from your natural body into an artificial one or the processor. Feels like your brains are being scrubbed with a brush.
Also we had difficulties adapting to the new living conditions. Just imagine, you still have all human qualities being deprived of your physical body. While something was lost forever, new qualities were acquired, and the perception of the world itself was altered. For instance, the whole visual and auditory wave range remains available. One has only to limit perception so as to perceive the world as a human being living in a unique biological body.
