CHAPTER 6 (Amara)

“What happened to you?” Amara asked when Nerzogk entered the chaotic bunker in the midst of re-construction. She squinted to analyze the dark splotches marking his jade leather neck with a smirk as he approached. Given his size and strength, it was rare to see him banged up.

Her vorgon comrade dodged under a photon generator escorted by an assortment of assist bots. He returned to standing tall after they passed, then touched the fresh bruise and winced. “This guy is a real piece of work,” he mumbled.

Amara laughed.

Nerzogk scanned the room with a critical golden slit eye. “Will it be up to specs in time?”

“Of course it will,” Amara answered with mild offense. She rubbed her brow, exhaustion beginning to weigh her down. “Although the specs are insane, and I would prefer to have an assistant to manage the bots.” A grin pulled at her lips and she dropped her voice to a whisper. “Are you sure the guy isn’t a rogue quantum AI or something?”

“I’m sure.”

“Because the specs you gave me really seem tuned for a machine more than a man.”

“The procedure did change him. But an AI wouldn’t be this difficult to handle. He bleeds. He holds grudges. He has a biological body. At least, I think it still qualifies as biological.”

Amara raised her eyebrows.

Nerzogk smirked. “Stop wasting time, Agent. The General wants him transferred, and we need this unit to be fail-proof before that can happen.”

Amara detached her favorite pocket plasma knife from her tool belt and twirled it between her fingers. Its lethal edge brushing near her skin gave a meditative effect. She sighed, re-gripped the blade’s handle to still its dance, and returned her attention to the mob of construction bots awaiting her instructions.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m on it,” she said while waving a dismissive hand. “You should probably get out here before you get knocked over by a beam or something. I’d hate to add to your collection of bruising.”

“He landed one hit,” Nerzogk grumbled while retreating.