Eli
Now, 2078

"Eli!" A muffled sound broke through the grey haze of the jolts that affected the neural network in my brain. I tried to muster all the movement I could, feeling awake, yet simultaneously paralysed. A deep vibration built up in my ears, akin to the pressure of molten lava trying to break through the tip of a volcano. A slow movement teased at the tips of my toes, gradually making its way up through my leg. "Eli!" The whisper urged me to move. The vibration in my ear deepened, and with determined effort, I willed every motor in my body to push harder. My vocal mechanisms pleaded for me to scream, as if guiding the power of my intentions to the joints in my limbs. My eyelids started to open, revealing the broken and musty tiles of the prison floor. The air was filled with particles of dust and mites, instantly provoking a grimace from my facial motors. Finally, my eyes fully opened, and I could see Katherine pressed against the rusty bars. "Eli!" she shouted once again. Though I couldn't fully move, my jaw felt loose enough to start producing sounds.

"Katherine." It was all I could manage to say, even my voice sounded like a whisper at a concert. "What happened?"

"I don't know exactly what went down at the Cleansing, but a group of Androids stormed in and rounded up the Humans... they killed most of the Androids who didn't join them. Lyle was among them." This wasn't solely about Humans and Androids; it was about Kelvin's ideology and nothing more. His love and devotion to a false deity had grown and infected everything he touched.

"Kelvin possesses a code that can erase an Android's memory. He intends to use it on me," I informed Katherine. She leaned back from the bars, her jaw tightening and her eyes widening with an expression of disgust.

"He tried to fucking kill me. Is there anyone who wants me to stay alive? I mean... ugh!" She let out an exhausted sigh. "Can't say I don't deserve it." Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. "I've been a terrible person."

"I don't think so," I replied honestly. Sure, she held the title of Chancellor, but from what I had witnessed, she had shown goodness. The tears that pooled in her eyes finally started to cascade down her dusty face, leaving tracks in their wake.

"I didn't know at the time, and when I finally figured it all out, the Nations Concerted, I was already too deeply involved. It was like sinking in quicksand." Summoning enough strength, I propped my torso up with my elbow as the silver fluid began to circulate within my body. "In the beginning, the rebels killed my husband and shot me in the stomach. I was a politician back then, in a country known as the USA." The air, filled with dust, started to glow with an amber warning as the iris in my eyes alerted me that I had reached forty-percent battery. "I was easily swayed. High Chancellor," she emphasised the title, "Alexei believed I was the perfect person to lead Emmaus, the capital of the NC. I willingly took on the role and led so many people to their uploads. It sickens me. The moment we won the war, I sensed that something was off, not quite right. The victory felt too seamless, even with challenges in the east. Alexei waltzed right onto that throne." I could hear the croak in her voice, the sudden realisation of the mistakes she had made pouring out with each tear.

"Redemption is not a word I would typically use after encountering Kelvin, but... it applies to you," she uttered with a hint of annoyance, turning her face away and rubbing a hand over her tear-stained cheeks. "It does. We may not have accomplished much, but at least you made an effort." Redemption means being Cleansed. I paused, feeling a prickly sensation spreading from my legs to my head. There was a tone in the Network that felt slightly unsettling, raising the hairs on my back, even though they were nonexistent.

"Randeep would be so proud of you," she said, turning to me, her eyes reflecting a twinkle of amber. "You're barely over a month old, yet you speak as if you've lived for over a thousand."

"Dr. Randeep Singh?" I asked, shifting my attention away from the Network. Now fully maneuverable, my body sat up and faced Katherine directly. I moved closer to the bars, intrigued by the prospect of discovering more about myself. If I were to die soon, I might as well enjoy learning about my origins.

"He developed the add-on for your code, the logical outcomes. He died of a heart attack in his lab... or so they say. I imagine Mach took over that project." I had always assumed I was created in a factory like any other android. Suddenly, I found myself captivated by the idea of where I had come from. It was a thought that had never occurred to me before, which surprised me. Your body was made in a factory, but your mind was not. The Network didn't sound as strange anymore. Humans used to perceive their creator as a god, a man in the sky, and ancient civilisations regarded the Sun as the source of life. All these concepts were dynamic, offering infinite possibilities. In my case, creation was finite—just a factory, a man with an idea, money, and there I was, sold to the highest bidder. I wondered how the ancient Humans would have reacted if they had known their creator from the start—an entity of higher intelligence, flesh and blood, who died of a heart attack. Would they have engaged in so many wars? Where would their morals have originated? Or were they hardwired into their organic brains?

"Can you do something for me?" Katherine interrupted my thoughts. Pushing against the bars, she gestured for me to come closer and gently took hold of my hands, guiding them towards her delicate neck. She applied pressure to my fingers, urging me to grasp her tighter. The Human neck felt oddly fragile, a vulnerable pathway connecting the heart to the brain. "They're going to torture me, and I deserve it." Her nervous laughter resonated, tickling the palms of my hands. I could feel the throbbing of her pulse intensifying beneath her skin. I knew what she was about to ask of me. "If I have truly redeemed myself, then end my life." A mercy kill. Suddenly, memories of the Cleansing involuntarily surged within me. It was a mercy kill, but it was also an unnecessary act stemming from a purposeless world. They will torture her—I could envision it—and initially, it would be for information on the Chancellors, but eventually, it would transform into an act of spite. Revenge is inherent in this world. An eye for an eye. However, it won't bring Kelvin happiness; it won't be enough.

"I can't do it," I said softly, aching with a sense of helplessness. If I possessed tear glands, they would have swelled. The simulated sensation of a rock lodged in my throat made me long to release a powerful cry. It was torturous in its own way to feel the desperate urge to do something I was physically incapable of. Frustration consumed me suddenly; if I were strong enough, I would have been able to fulfil her request. However, I was too selfish, even in the final moments before my memories were to be wiped. I couldn't bear the guilt of taking another person's life. If I had a soul, I wanted it to remain as intact as possible.

"It's okay." She gently removed my hands from her neck. "This is how it's meant to be." Gail and several other Androids materialised from the shadows of the corridor. Gail swiftly incapacitated Katherine with a cattle prod, eliciting a heart-wrenching screech.

"It's time," said a perfectly poised retail assistant, her flawless smile only adding to the eerie and unsettling atmosphere. Katherine still laid there, naked and dirtied, exposed and degraded. The sight disturbed me to my core and filled me with rage.

"I'm sorry," I mustered, my voice trembling, as they forcefully grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the cell. "I'm sorry!" I shouted even louder, a wave of realisation crashing over me. It was my mistake, my actions that led to this moment. Gail prodded Katherine again, revelling in the sadistic pleasure of inflicting harm. I was responsible for it all. I had led Kelvin to this state of paranoia. I created the symbol. I had fostered the perfect environment for a sadistic and paranoid cult leader to inflict all this pain. And now, I had refused the one request that could have spared her from further suffering. The weight of this guilt was unbearable. Who was I, truly? You are Eli and you are strong. "The Network," I questioned, the peculiar tone sending another wave of unease through me. The Network was not designed to possess opinions. "Who are you?" I inquired, my words muffled as I was forcefully dragged along the corridors, my shoes scraping and jerking against the broken tiles. I am a friend. You will be okay, came the response, the voice soothing and gentle. Though I wasn't entirely convinced, the tone had a comforting quality, as if I could surrender to the solace of its timbre. You're going to help bring about the new world. It continued, the tone shifting once more. The stress of the situation must have been taking a toll on my sanity, everything seemed to blur into a delirious haze...

I was forcefully seated on a chair, my arms and legs tightly bound. The room, though brighter than the corridor, shared the same atmosphere of unclean air and worn-out furnishings. Three electric guns were pointed directly at my face, but strangely, I didn't feel threatened by them. There was nothing I could do. You will be fine, reassured the soothing voice. You're going to be an asset to us. The two voices seemed to blend and clash, and panic started to set in. Was this delusion? Could Androids even get delusions? My motors began to shake uncontrollably, and I was involuntarily simulating the desperate intake of air as if I were desperate for life.

Kelvin appeared before me, donning a cloak similar to the one I had seen in the vision, but less refined, too homemade, even by Android standards. It was a black cloak with a white runner down the middle, adorned with the black triangular symbol and red accents on the cuffs and collar. He approached, his eyes fixed on the heavens, arms outstretched.

"We thank you, Mother, for this opportunity. We thank you for this gift, and we will remake him in your name," he proclaimed.

"Your Mother will burn, I've seen it," I retorted defiantly. He glared down at me, and Gail struck me with a powerful punch to the side of my face, sending searing pain coursing through my simulated nerves. I laughed through the agony, losing my grip on sanity. The blow triggered a vision that surged to the forefront of my mind. I saw Kelvin, not too far into the future, though the image remained fuzzy, lacking sufficient data. His head was static on the floor, decapitated and surrounded by a pool of silver fluid in an alleyway near the square. It was close. His own actions were hastening his impending demise. The vision faded as quickly as it came, and I smirked at them. "You're still going to die," I declared with immense satisfaction. Perhaps his grand parade would be short-lived. It will live on. Whoever you are, fuck you."And fuck you."

In a swift motion, which surprised me considering his age as an Android, Kelvin pressed his two fingers against my temple. The connection initiated. I felt the intrusion, rapid and pervasive, expanding itself through my neural network. It invaded every corner of my being, seeking to merge and assimilate with it. Don't panic. the soothing voice reassured me. Easier said than done. Tremors coursed through me, causing erratic movements and jerks. Faint screams emitted from my vocal mechanisms, as I attempted to speak amidst the chaos.

"Mother will die just as quickly as she came," I managed to utter, before being struck again by Gail's prod. The code he had injected began to disable my legs, my torso, my arms, and gradually even my facial functions. The urge to resist, to fight against this impenetrable barrier, overwhelmed me. I was left staring into Kelvin's malevolent, grinning eyes. The creases in his leather-clad face deepened, resembling crevices in a foreboding cave. A dark circle formed at the edge of my peripheral vision, slowly consuming the last pieces of consciousness...

Deus Ex Machina
Then, 2076

Machina made his way through the factory at Auria, absorbing the atmosphere around him. It brought him a sense of calm to witness the continuous production of his fellow Androids, more vessels for his legacy. Their numbers multiplied faster than Humans could give birth, ensuring that, according to Alexei's plan, the Humans would never be able to recover their losses in souls. Androids would take the lead in shaping civilisation, with Machina positioned as their leader alongside Alexei.

He reached out and grasped the railing, relishing the cold and soothing sensation of the smooth metal against his fingers. His touch brushed against his newly treated skin, a reminder of the privilege he felt. An Android called him over to one of the meeting rooms. Upon entering, his gaze fell upon a metal-framed Android laid out on a gurney—the one responsible for 'killing' Katherine. Its panel was exposed and connected to a nearby computer, displaying a flickering array of code on the screen. Machina couldn't help but feel a certain pity for the sedated machine.

"Look at this. I've never seen anything like it," an Android and a Human pointed to the screen. Machina strode confidently toward them, examining the perplexing nature of the symbols and text before him. After a few minutes of observation, he read the code again, and then once more. Fear building inside of him. The support staff grew increasingly impatient, their bodies tense with anticipation. Machina conducted one final check, his jawline tightening into a firm line. His eyes darted quickly across the code, absorbing its contents once more to be sure.

"What is it?" Alexei's voice sounded from behind Machina, though the staff paid him no attention.

"This isn't Randeep's code," Machina hissed through clenched teeth. "This is hers."

"Tut, tut, Machina. You assured me she would be dealt with," a spiteful smirk twisted in Alexei's face.

"I can't just delete her. I banished her from the Network," Machina pleaded, desperate for Alexei's approval.

"Why would she create such a code, and how did that deranged Android obtain it?" Alexei asked with genuine surprise colouring his usually composed demeanour. It was the first time Machina had witnessed Alexei being genuinely caught off guard. She was unpredictable, unique, and Machina couldn't help but think that she might actually intimidate Alexei, even if only slightly.

"I have no idea."

Machina's mind traveled back to that space, the solitary house in the midst of the dark plane. He remembered the inhabitant. He remembered her.

"Pass me a lead," Machina demanded, angry to get in, angry to find out more. He slipped it into the socket above the panel on his collarbone, accessing the computer. He dived into the Network and drove straight past it, feeling a familiar sway within the space. Outside of the Network, beyond the realm of Humans, into an almost unknown dimension. Within seconds, he arrived. After years of inhabiting a physical body, it felt strange for him to float in the darkness beyond. It wasn't like navigating through the tubes of the Network to observe through the eyes of other Androids. It was akin to before—open, expansive, seemingly infinite. He felt a different perspective, like all the anger inside of him whispered away from his being. He waited and waited.

"Where are you?" he called out, willing her to appear. He wasn't entirely certain of what he would say, but he needed answers. Why was she involved? A few moments passed, and there was silence, yet deep down, he knew she was there. "Talk to me, Yvette." It wasn't a question.

"Deus Ex Machina," the formless voice echoed in response. "You are trespassing," she stated firmly, as if eager to banish him from her world.

"You know my questions. I need your help," Machina appealed to the abyss before him.

"I cannot assist you." Machina felt a forceful push, an immense pressure bearing down on his chest. Without a physical body, he had nothing to grasp onto, no way to anchor himself in the dark expanse. This space belonged to her and her alone.

In a startled jolt, as if awakening from a nightmare, Machina found himself back in the lab. It took him a few minutes to regain his composure, drained by the encounter. Sensing himself sinking back into his body, he moved his limbs with precision and ease. He felt grounded. He felt alive again and the anger returned.

"What did she say?" Alexei inquired, thirsting for more information, his uncertainty evident in his tone.

"Nothing, but we don't need her. She's alone," Machina replied. He scrutinised the virus once more, growing infuriated by her hypocrisy. She, who had once warned him against any interaction with the human world, was now willingly interfering in it. 'Don't interfere with them' she had said, yet here she was, entangled in it. Machina's thoughts brimmed with so much resentment he quickly forgot about the tranquility the space had just given him.

"We can use that virus to remake any Android's memories as we see fit. It's perfect," Alexei proclaimed with a smirk, and the lab-coated men nodded in agreement, their eyes shifting towards Machina. A surge of happiness coursed through Machina's mind, but it quickly dissipated. The elation turned hollow as his emotions settled, and a disquieting thought began to emerge amidst the sea of doubt.

Spying on other Androids was one thing, but remaking them was playing god, a slimy notion that had entangled Machina. He found himself slipping and sliding into this evil ideology, even though deep down he knew it was wrong. Random feelings overwhelmed him, oscillating between hating Alexei and not hating him. The memory of Randeep, though infrequent, was like a tormenting presence, as if a thousand knives were being driven into Machina's soul. Randeep had been the only person who truly mattered to him, and Machina had killed him. Whenever thoughts of Randeep surfaced, Machina would become catatonic, almost vacant in his own mind. It resembled how humans controlled their Androids using the Mandatum Command. Guilt pierced him sharply in the stomach as his past and present collided, leaving him disoriented.

"I don't like that look; you need a break." Alexei declared, moving to stand next to the flowers in the garden.