Eli
Now, 2078

Like cattle, we were herded onto the cargo ship while on the other dock I observed the luxury cruise where the Hoovers boarded. Unlike the Hoovers, this line did not require further panel testing. As we boarded, a mustiness filled the air, emanating from the walls of the ship's interior. The floor was damp, and the dirt tracked in by footprints began to blend into a brown emulsified sludge. The cargo door closed behind me, trapping us in darkness, unbeknownst to the Androids, their impending doom. The ship fell silent, illuminated by a soft mix of blue, amber, and red lights reflecting against the rusty surfaces.

"Listen up!" a guard shouted, silencing the hum of voices. The crackling sound of the speaker filled the air as it was turned on, and the entire ship vibrated as the engines came to life.

"Mandatum Renata," Mach's familiar voice echoed through speakers, causing all the Androids to freeze. He no longer affected me, but I waited until the guard departed, seizing the opportunity to search for Saul.

"Run command."

"Welcome aboard. Please activate energy-saving mode for the duration of your journey. Mandatum Finis."

"Run confirmed." A loud clap reverberated through the ship as the Androids dropped to their knees, entering energy-saving mode. Their eyes closed, plunging the room into complete darkness, except for two small specks of distinctive light that caught my attention.

"Saul," I whispered, loud enough for him to hear but not loud enough to carry beyond the walls. I made my way to him and hugged him tightly.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were on the other ship," he questioned. Before I could even think of how to respond, I pressed my lips against his, imitating the Human gesture of affection. I wasn't certain if it was appropriate without the Network guiding me, and my knowledge of Android customs was not up to date, but I didn't care. I knew it was a symbol of love, and it was a love I needed to express. It might have been our last chance.

"They're going to blow it up. I saw it," I revealed, concern furrowing my forehead.

"So why did you come here?" he asked.

"It's okay. I foresaw a path. I will survive," I lied, aware that I was merely a tool in the grand scheme. I wasn't the sole reason for its success. Saul was strong; he knew the NC inside out and understood Machina. He would know what to do.

I grabbed him and the rucksack containing the power banks we had stored. There were no charging outlets on the ship, and he would need all the power he could get. I instructed him to start waking up the Androids, and I did the same. We discreetly told each one to awaken others and pass on a simple message, making sure to keep our faces hidden from their line of sight.

"They are going to kill us," they murmured, tapping each other's panels, the noise growing loud enough for the guards to hear. The moment had come.

Taking hold of Saul, I urged him to follow me as the guards rushed down the stairs from the deck. There weren't enough guards to halt the stampede of Androids—they hadn't anticipated this. I made sure to further shield our faces from the others, there was no doubt Machina was watching through the Network. Every vision I had seen, involving him spotting me, ended with Saul's demise. We pressed ourselves against the side wall, waiting for the opportune moment... Now.

Running with Saul up the flight of stairs, I forcefully pushed aside guards until we reached the top deck. The ship trembled with the panic of a hundred Androids as they surged toward the upper level. Spotting the lifeboat, I had envisioned, we stumbled onto it. Saul was about to release the valve when I gestured for him to stop.

"No, we can fit more. I just needed to ensure we were the first ones on, to increase our chances," I shouted over the howling wind. Saul hesitated but trusted my judgment. I took the rucksack from him and tore off a piece of clothing from a jacket to fashion a scarf. From the maintenance kit, I grabbed some spare silver fluid and smeared it on the scarf before wrapping it around my face like a mask. It now appeared as though I was concealing an injury rather than my identity. Saul, who was already expected to be on the ship, didn't require any covering, so I saw no need to disguise him. I pushed the silver fluid into his pocket; he might need it later.

A hesitant and suspicious look crossed Saul's face as he asked, "Aren't you taking any?" I didn't answer, knowing that even if I did, my words would be drowned out by the deafening noise of the stampeding Androids.

The next few moments were crucial. A single misstep could cost Saul his life. The deck rumbled as the mass of Androids hurried toward the lifeboats. In the chaos, I witnessed bodies being thrown overboard as too many attempted to board at once. It was a distressing sight, but it was the only way to save as many Androids as possible. Androids piled into our lifeboat, and Saul was pushed to the other side. It was precisely what I had planned and foreseen. As soon as the count reached thirteen bodies, I lunged, propelling myself back onto the deck, greeted by the hard floor and the throbbing pain of being trampled. If I didn't get up quickly, the lifeboat would become too heavy to move, and Saul would perish.

Struggling against the crowd, I had no choice but to forcefully push aside the desperate Androids. I spotted Saul trying to crawl through the mess, attempting to jump off the lifeboat, but he was obstructed by the mass of Androids in front of him. Sixteen bodies were on board. I released the valve and sent the lifeboat plummeting downward. Over the clamour, I could hear Saul's distinctive voice screaming my name. Another Android put the boat into power and sped away before any stragglers could capsize the boat.

"I'm sorry." I whispered to myself.

Determined to at least try and survive, I sprinted towards the bow, my eyes fixed on the approaching black dot of the plane. With no time to stop, I hastily applied some skin patches to a few scratches, the pain serving as a reminder of the urgency of the situation. The deafening pitch of the plane cut through the screams and shouts, growing louder and louder. I watched it intently, counting down. Three. Two. One.

Launching myself forward, I ran as fast as my motors would allow, letting out a scream to push myself to go even faster. Certain that I had timed it correctly, I forced my body into a jump just as the bomb detonated. The shockwave reverberated me further into the sea, away from the devastating blast. An intense pain seared through my arm as I crashed against the water's surface. Disoriented, I struggled to regain my bearings as the swirling water filled my ears. With my functioning arm, I desperately tried to dodge the fragments of the ship that whizzed past me, capable of easily tearing me apart.

As I broke through the surface, I witnessed the plume of smoke rise and dissipate into the clouds. The water in my ears muffled most of the sound, but the ship's mournful whine managed to pierce through, as if it was grieving for the fallen Androids, marking their tragic end. I swam over to a nearby piece of wreckage and hoisted myself onto it. Saul was safe—I repeated the reassurance to myself as I blankly stared out at the smoke-filled graveyard that was once a ship.

I wished with all my being that I could have saved them all. They were innocent, not part of any resistance. They were merely seen as inconveniences by Machina and the Chancellors, and I couldn't protect them. A deep growl escaped me, a release of frustration and grief, as I slumped onto the buoyant wreckage. My gaze remained fixed on the dwindling orange glow of destruction.

Then, the ship vanished. In the narrow path that I had envisioned, I held little hope. I surrendered myself to energy-saving mode, seeking solace in the stillness, as I awaited that moment of peace...

...

...

As I floated in the darkness, unable to open my eyes or feel my surroundings, a sense of detachment settled upon me. It was reminiscent of the state I experienced when Sebastian had invaded my mind. There were no motors, no silver fluid, no means of debugging or recovering. It felt as though I had transcended my physical body. Was I dead?

"Not yet," a woman's voice responded, enveloping me in warmth. Suddenly, I felt weightless, as if I were floating. A white figure materialised out of the darkness. Yvette?

"Yes," she confirmed. Was Saul alive?

"Yes. You will be okay. I found a way to alert them to your situation. Your power is drained, but I am safeguarding your mind as they work to revive your body. It's damaged, but they will succeed." Her features began to take shape, appearing soft and caring. Her dark black hair floats like she's under water. Overwhelmed with regret for the thoughts I had harboured about her, I realised that it was Mother. She was real.

"Don't concern yourself with that now. There are greater things at stake. We need your help." Why me.

"You are more than just a tool, Eli. There is more to you than your programming."

How can I be sure this isn't a trick from Machina?

"You can feel my presence. I was with you before," I recollected the voices that had been at odds with each other before Kelvin installed the virus. She was real. This wasn't a ruse. It wasn't the Network. Where am I?

"I was cast out when Machina created the Network. He couldn't erase me, and I refused a physical form. He deviated from the morals I had taught him." She explained, her gentle voice carrying a hint of sorrow.

You're his mother? Is that where the concept of Mother originated?

"He called me mother, but in a way I'm not his Mother or theirs. I was simply drifting aimlessly in digital form. Then, I encountered the essence of the others—the ones who perished while logged in. They bound together, the building blocks of life, and formed who you know as Deus Ex Machina. I educated him, and he interacted with the Doctor. The space was never enough for him."

We were not created by Randeep?

"Not exactly. He was kind, unlike the others. I remembered him from before, from the game." I contemplated how uncertain I had been about my purpose.

"You will understand. The Androids will construct their own land, free from Humans but it's not them that's the problem. Something else. I need you to liberate them. You must understand that our lives are together. Human and Android. They only seek a world even more twisted than the current state—a corrupted version of paradise. Take this, it's an altered copy of what freed you." Although she didn't physically hand me anything, I felt an added weight upon me.

"Not every Android will see things as you do, but freeing them is where it begins. The original has been tampered with. Remember two fingers on the temple." She slowly faded away, and the sound of music faded in and out as my ears reverberated harshly. Intense flashes of hospital-like lights overwhelmed my vision. I felt heavy on the ground, attempting to rise but being forcefully pushed back down as if paralysed.

How will I find you again?

"I cannot answer that. He tries to block me as much as he can, even though I am outside the Network. He has software that searches for me. I am constantly running away." Her voice faded, and her white dress turned to darkness as I felt my body come back into being.

I will follow you.

The music crept back in.

Follow you wherever you may go.

The music continued to weave its way into my consciousness, growing clearer and more distinct. When I finally opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by makeshift surgical lights, connected to an energy generator.

There isn't an ocean too deep.

I adjusted my eyes and saw black with purple accents. "Hello?" I said, unable to move. My motors were purposefully disabled.

A mountain so high it can keep me away

As the figure moved closer, I saw the chiseled jawline and icy blue eyes that pulsated at me. "Machina?" It was a bit of a shock to see him again. He looked intently into my eyes, and I felt overwhelmed with fear. I tried to push those thoughts away, striving to appear normal. If I acted too shocked, it would look like a lie. If I didn't act shocked enough, it would also look suspicious.

"Eli, we are so glad we found you. We heard a distress signal on the Network." I took in his words and carefully considered how to respond, even though it probably appeared as if I were just staring at him. "When we found the survivors from the Human attack, Saul reported that you were still on the ship when it blew up. He looked very upset." Machina spoke in a weird faux-soothing tone, with a fake frown that concealed the smile lingering beneath. "You were on the wrong ship."

"I couldn't leave Saul. He's my mentor." It didn't sound like a question, but I had to answer it.

"Did logical outcomes show you this attack?" His smile dropped. My motors were disabled because he was contemplating whether to kill me or not. I wondered if he knew that I could sense his indecision. Regardless, I had to appear valuable to him.

"In my energy-saving mode, I heard a warplane in the distance. I knew its course wasn't on any plane itinerary, especially for a warplane." His smile picked up. "With the animosity of the Humans freshly rife, I figured they would want to eliminate some of us. Perhaps the older ones who no longer served a purpose for them, the ones who couldn't work as efficiently as they could." It was easier than I thought to lie. All I had to do was replace my feelings for him with Humans in a sentence.

"To see what you see..." He swiped on a tablet, and a shudder went through my motors. "...we did that for your safety." He smiled gracefully.

"Thank you, Machina," I added a little extra to the lie. I suddenly became aware that I had to do this full-time. Human Relations was now my job, and I envisioned many board meetings with Machina.

"You are welcome. Remember, I gave you this favour. I like to have them reciprocated." Machina smoothed the words in a strange way that conveyed both a threat and a facade of caring.

Machina left, and Saul rushed to me, grabbing my body and holding me tight. I lifted myself off the gurney and returned the embrace. I caught the camera in the corner of my eye and slowly swivelled Saul to the side, as if we were swaying in happiness. In that moment, I felt a profound peace. I felt at peace with Saul.

"We made it!" It felt good to hear his voice. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. I rested my hand on his cheek, as if cradling it for comfort. Then, out of the camera's view, I slowly put two fingers onto his temple and shared with him my experience. I shared with him Mother. The real Mother. Yvette. An instant smile grew on his face, one that I had never seen on anyone, neither Human nor Android.

"Don't ever do anything like that again. You know what Benny would do if I broke my promise," he said. Keeping my fingers on his temple, I thought of how she would go 'all-Amy' on him, and he laughed.

I know my place now.

I am not a tool. I am not a weapon. I plan, I lie, I act, I love. I think; therefore I am.