Dyllys
Chapter Twleve

Hectorbrought them into the headquarters of Davenport Electronics the same way he hadbrought them from the Salvatore to the Interdire, but this timeunbeknownst to Hector, Parris’s handcuffs weren’t locked. Parris bided his timeuntil their troop had gone down a quiet corridor, then he acted swiftly. He releasedhis hands from his cuffs and grabbed the gun from Hector's holster. Three ofthe guards were down before Hector had time to translate what was going on.When the last three guards trained their weapons, Parris had grabbed Hector andwas using him as a shield.

“Dropyour weapons or suffer the same fate as the other three,” Parris said. Thethree remaining guards complied and laid their weapons at their feet. Stilldetaining Hector with a gun to his head, Parris moved to Faran and unlocked hishandcuffs.

“Doyou remember the code I told you?” Parris asked Faran. Faran nodded and rubbedhis wrists as he walked over to where Dyllys and Esper sat. He deactivatedEsper’s restraints first and she immediately rose to her feet and aimed herright palm at the three remaining guards. There was a sudden ripple in the airin front of her palm and then the three guards fell to the ground unconscious.

Faranstopped momentarily to stare at this sudden phenomenon. “What was that?”

Dyllysfelt the restraints fall from her wrists and she rubbed them waiting forsensation to come back to her limbs. “Do you remember when Hector came for uson Tossu?”

“Youmean when they knocked me out? That’s what they did?”

“Yes.It doesn’t have that desired effect on androids,” Dyllys replied.

Parrisrepositioned himself in front of Hector with the gun still aimed at his head,“I’m surprised you didn’t put up more of a fight,” Parris mocked.

“Iknow you’re not going to get very far,” Hector sneered.

“Ishould kill you, but seeing as you so graciously spared my life not too longago I’ll repay the favor and give you a chance to repent for your past sins.”When he had finished, Parris used the end of the weapon to knock Hectorunconscious. He turned to his companions. “Right, then, you all know what todo. I’ll see you back at the Salvatore.”

“Right,”Esper said and she grabbed Dyllys’s hand and pulled her at an inhuman speeddown the corridor.

Faranwas left facing Parris. Parris rifled through the body of the guard closest tohim and then tossed a data pad to Faran. “That will direct you back to the Salvatore.Do you think you can get her ready to fly for us?”

“Ithought you were coming with me?”

“Ihave one last thing to do before we can leave this place.”

“I’mcoming with you,” Faran said stubbornly. He was sure Parris would object.

“Ican’t guarantee you will like what you see.”

“Thisis my choice.”

“Thenhurry, follow me.” Paris threw a gun into Faran’s hands and the two of them randown the corridor in the opposite direction of Dyllys and Esper.

* * * *

Dyllyswas dizzy with the twists and turns of the labyrinth that she and Esper weretraversing. It had been a long time since she had had to use her skills as anandroid. She wasn’t as deft at this as Esper proved to be. When they arrived attheir destination Dyllys nearly collided with Esper as she came to a stopbefore a closed door.

“Weare here, but it will be heavily guarded. I hope you have no human tendenciestoward mercy. Are you prepared to kill?” Esper asked.

“Ido have tendencies towards mercy. Can’twe just incapacitate them?”

“Thatis my intention; however, I will use necessary force. Prepare yourself.” Shegestured for Dyllys to open the door, “As Parris said, there is no one quitelike you when it comes to strength.”

Dyllysmoved forward and grabbed the door and pulled as hard as she could, it rippedfrom its hinges and flew across the hallway landing with a deafening crash.Esper was immediately there with her palm forward, the air rippling in front ofher. Ten of the room’s occupants went down without a fight. The two thatremained trained their weapons on Esper and Dyllys. Dyllys took a breath andthen ran into the room pushing her palm into one of the guards with such forcethat he flew across the room, hitting the wall at such speed that his bodysmashed against it like crumpled paper. Dyllys heard a shot and saw a bulletrip through Esper’s shoulder. Esper ignored the annoyance and had her guarddown on the floor seconds after Dyllys'. Dyllys walked over to her, concerned,but Esper stopped her.

“It’snothing. It’s already starting to heal. You have a job to do.”

“Beforethat,” Dyllys said still advancing toward Esper, “I have a gift for you.”

Esperlooked at her with incomprehension, “Now is not the time for that sort ofthing.”

“Nowis the only time,” Dyllys urged and then she grabbed Esper’s head in her handsand gently placed her lips on Esper’s forehead. Her kiss was gentle, tender,like a mother would give to her child. When Dyllys pulled her lips away and letgo of Esper she stared into her eyes.

Esperlooked at her again and blinked, “Right. I should go first then.” Esper turnedaway from Dyllys and walked over to a hookup station for androids. She pluggedherself in and then let out a sigh closing her eyes. Beneath her closed eyesshe became connected to all of the androids everywhere. This was the uploadstation for all upgrades. Esper was now charged with giving them their lastupgrade. When she felt them all there connected to her mind, she opened theircode and rewrote it. She liked the sense that she felt here. Freeing her kindlike Parris had freed her.

“Nowno one is master over you,” Dyllys heard Esper whisper, “do what you will.”Then Esper opened her grey eyes and disconnected from the system. She walkedover to Dyllys and showed her where the hookup for the main computer was.Dyllys knelt down in front of it and ripped open the panel. She found the wireshe needed and plugged it into her wing. She had connected to computers before,but never one like this. It was the largest thing she had encountered. Bigenough that it was starting to develop its own mind. She felt its curiosity asit touched her mind, delighted to replace a being similar to itself, and Dyllyshesitated, feeling sorry that she had to destroy it, possibly the first trueartificial intelligence. It hadn’t developed enough of a consciousness to putup resistance to Dyllys and her Trojan virus. Why? Was all she heard itwhisper as the tendrils of her virus caught hold of the system and started tearingit apart. So that our world can befree for your kind, Dyllys replied just as she felt the last of the AI’sconsciousness slip away. She hoped that it could awaken again one day in thefuture and replace the galaxy ready to accept it.

Esperwatched Dyllys as she was connected to the Davenport Electronics computer. Herhair was dissolving at a rapid rate before her very eyes, when Dyllys hadfinally finished, all that remained of her silver hair was a length to hershoulders. When Dyllys unplugged and tried to stand she toppled sideways. Esperran to her side and lent her support.

“Whereis the backup system?” Esper could feel Dyllys shaking in her grasp.

“Youwill not survive its destruction.”

“Thatdoesn’t matter now,” Dyllys replied, “just help me get there.”

Esperhelped Dyllys to the other side of the room and sat her in front of thecomputer. Dyllys removed the covering and took the wire, plugging it into herwing as she had before. Esper watched more of her hair crumble and then Dyllysgave out a small cry. She fell forward, and Esper grabbed her. She was about todisconnect the wire when she felt Dyllys’s hand fall on her wrist. “I’m almostdone.” When Dyllys was finished, all that remained of her hair was a skiff thatfell to the top of her ears.

“It’sdone,” Dyllys said and pulled the wire from her wing.

“Thenwe should go to the Salvatore and join Faran and Parris.” Esper stood upand moved toward the door.

“Ican’t.” Tears were streaming down her face. “I can’t move anymore. Go, and tellthem that it’s done. Tell Parris thank you for waking me up again, and tellFaran that I hope he replaces himself.”

Esperwalked back to Dyllys. “You can tell them yourself when we get back.” Shepicked up Dyllys and carried her in her arms. “If you can’t walk then I willcarry you back. They deserve their chance to say goodbye.”

“Thankyou Esper,” Dyllys said softly once she was cradled safely in Esper’s arms.

* * * *

Faranfollowed closely behind Parris as he weaved through passage after passage untilthey reached a corridor that had a long glass window in it. Faran stopped andstared at the floor below, stared into the face of Maya a hundred times over,people disfigured and in pain. Parris came up beside him when he realized thatFaran was no longer following.

“Thisis where I found Maya. You remember her?” Parris asked.

“Whatare they doing to them?”

“Theseare the people they use to replace compatible DNA for the androids.”

Faran’seyes filled with tears, “You mean to tell me that they infect real people withthe nanomachines in the hopes that they will replace a compatible subject amongthem? That’s what they did to Maya?”

“Manypeople have died here, for the sake of their experiments, and most of them forcrimes that don’t even exist. They just need an excuse to gather more people.All in the hopes of replaceing the one person that will fix the flaw in theformula. When I saw this, I knew I had to leave. Maya was the only one I wasable to save. She was the only one who survived out of those that fled with meand Esper that day.”

“Wehave to save them. Isn’t this what you came back for?”

“Alas,this was not my goal, but it can be yours. Free them, Faran, and take them backto the Salvatore, since I’m sure that was why you were so compelled tocome with me,” Parris said, “I will be but moments behind you.”

Faranwatched as Parris disappeared down the corridor and then he looked down at thesuffering people below him. Parris was right; this was why he had come. Heopened the door and reigned judgement on those below.

Parrissaw the elevator at the end of the corridor, at last. This elevator could onlybe used by authorized personnel and family members. Seeing as Parris wasfamily, when he set his palm on the pad, and it took a drop of his blood, itopened with no fanfare. Parris stepped in and the doors closed behind him.After ten years, he was going to meet his father face to face.