Porter inspired

Salvage these days

Chapter 1


   The muted crunch of snow beneath my feet, the only company on my salvage run
 today. Luckily for me the snow has made the ruins much easier to transverse. Long
 climb to start, but once you've got the salvage you just sled it, and yourself down.

    Letting out a sigh, my HUD fogged slightly before the temperature settled.
My suit was starting to warn me of energy usage. Expected, since this is a longer salvage run, already at seventy-percent or so. I wondered if the drain will speed up when higher up, after all wind speeds, and just being higher up.

   Flicking my eyes up to the corner of the HUD, the environmental menu. The suit power cell was on a steady decline, a few bumps in the graph when I had to shove things aside. I looked back smiling at the packed snow that would be my trip back, even with death being a possibility on salvage runs, it is nice to look forward to a nice speedy sled ride if I can survive.

    Finally, atop the ruins. I stopped for a moment, catching my breath. Even in an environmental suit with some handy assistance from servos, you still had to go through the motions. As I took in the breathes, hoping my suit was filtering everything properly I looked up. Clips of rainbows washed over the vast white as the fading sun shown through bits, and pieces of glass. Even on top of the ruins I thought to be massive stood taller ruins. I was told they were work places. Part of me wondered if people could fly back then, maybe vertical jets? We do use dogs, and jets on sleds our selves.

   Making sure all of my gear was no where near the edge, I sat down. Simply looking about from the vantage point I had. After the short respite I started shifting my fingers, updating the HUD, adding markers, setting another battery alarm for fifty-percent, scowling I shifted that back some setting the alarm for sixty-percent. I would need more than it took to get here to get home with whatever I find.

Finally, before heading downwards into the ruins. I shifted the HUD through the various displays. Starting with short range X-ray, scanning about my break area, I tagged a spot that should get me inside once I cleared then snow. Making sure the tag was set, I swapped over to thermal-vision, which brought me quite a shock.

   Lines of red ran all along the ruins, up, down, around corners even! Using a bit of extra battery I snapped a picture, wouldn't want the family back home thinking I went snow crazy. Stomping over to the area I tagged, I unhooked a folded up shovel. Getting the snow worked away the sight that greeted me was a mostly rusted away door. Planting the shovel in the snow I stepped in grabbing the rusty red handle. Giving it a solid yank the whole door came with me as I flailed backwards falling into the snow.


   Stepping my way inside I held the shovel ready, 'always be prepared', a common term, but one you keep to. As that phrase passed my mind I rushed my hand over to my hip clicking on a flash light. A drain, but only a few steps in, darkness was all I could see. Probably need to shift the light some where else. Letting a sigh out at the clunky shifting about I set the shovel down, unclipped the light on to the helmet of the suit. Even with the light I was blinded for a moment as my bumbling with the light made the HUD dim to protect my eyes. “Gifts, and curses...” I muttered to the void before the HUD fixed its self.

   Shovel back in hand, I switch to thermal-vision often, trailing the lines downward. Surprisingly the inside of the ruin was fairly normalize. Even with the flash light on I wasn't using nearly as much of the battery as I was keeping warm outside. Swinging my head, and in turn the flash light about, I spotted what looked like a junction. Flipping over to thermal-vision, again I nodded as the red line stopped there. Pulling my shovel up I grunted as I wedged the panel off.





Reboot Complete

Chapter 2


    Setting the shovel aside, I unclipped the flash light getting in as close as I could.     My face split with a grin as the wiring looked actually pristine. Clipping the flash light on the junction box I undid the front harness of the suit, getting to the first battery I had used on this trek. Tongue flipped out past my lips I slowly worked the battery into the junction box. Taking my time I worked the battery wires out more and more. As I tapped the negative, and positive wires in a blinding white light well, blinded me.

   Shaking my head, the HUD shifted and dimmed again. I sighed not fully realizing that there were now a length of lights on above me, not until some sparks fell along the suit. Scrambling my arms out I grabbed the battery, and tucked it under my arm. Taking a moment to calm myself, I took some deep breathes before looking up. The HUD dimming again as I looked directly at a bare lightbulb. “Power...” uttered past my lips.

   The bit of flailing I did ended up breaking the flashlight. The bulb broken and dangling from my side. “...Gifts and curses...” Tucking the flashlight back to the hip clip, I set the possibly charged battery down in a side room. As I stood back up the lighting shifted as a soft blue blanketed the wall. A monitor coming online. I blinked a bit as the HUD shifted, and altered my view adjusting the blue as to not strain my eyes. Once the HUD settled the monitor held a simple question.



Reboot?
Y / N


  Shuffling forward I bit my lower lip as I reached out pressing against the monitor with my suited finger. As a confirmed chime rang out, I looked about expecting something for a moment. The monitor its self went blank before a symbol appeared directly in the center. As the symbol settled a bar with 'LOADING...' started to fill. Peeking over at the battery I set under the table, no burning so looks like the sparks didn't get to it. As my thoughts drifted away another chime brought my thoughts, and view to the monitor.




Username
 ______
Login password
______


New User


    Noting the prompt I started searching the room a bit more. Pulling out drawers. Shifting through the random papers about the various tables. Nothing pointing towards usernames or passwords if the paper was even in a readable state. Giving a shrug, I leaned over typing away at the keyboard, after a moment of nothing I huffed leaning in. A blank expression fell across my face as I grabbed the keyboard wire, hunting down a port for the plug, as I spotted the plug slot I ended up jumping as my suit rang the alarm I had set earlier.


  Grumbling about being so distracted an jumpy I shoved the wire in, getting back to the actual keyboard, I tapped down to the New User option. Enter, typing my name in, and a password.




Username:
Markus

Password:
**********

Log in




    After clicking the log in button, I was greeted with yet another simple, and ominous message along the monitor.



Reboot complete



The Girl that Slept

Chapter 4


    Once the reboot was confirmed a success, the computer automatically brought up a chat messenger program. I was logged in, a default profile of a strange R designed icon the only clue towards anything. Yet, that was a single letter. Could be anything.

“Hello, anyone there?”

   I typed in, waiting, staring...Figuring I wouldn't get a reply ever I leaned down grabbing the used up battery. A bit singed, but it would probably still take a charge if the wires didn't rip at all. Maybe I could hook it back up?

   As I wracked my brain over such things a 'bloop' sound clip barely heard through my suit made me look up at that monitor once again.

-“Hi, who survived?”

   Blinking for a moment to make sure I wasn't just going crazy being alone for the few days I had. Leaning into the desk I groaned out as I didn't account for the suit and rammed it into my hips.

“Survived? I'm Markus, from the North Camp. Who are you?”

-”Designation: R1A. Is M.A.R.I.E active?”

“I have no idea who, Marie is. Ria. Sorry. Do you know where you are? Can you activate anything yourself?”

-”Attempting...”

   My breath hitched a bit as suddenly the entire ruins shook. Clangs, and hissing echo out. Luckily I was still helmeted. Loud....

“What was that?”

-”Attempted to open security door.  Hydraulics failure.”

“Well, these buildings are ancient. Ria. Are you safe?”

-”Integrity fine. Systems green.”

“I take it you mean the room you're in, well at least you're safe. Where are you Ria?”

-”X78.90 Y-61.87 Z-255.55”

   I almost face palmed as I read what I could only believe this Ria person giving me longitude, and latitude...And her height? Weird.

“If you can survive there, I'll come get you Ria.”

   Adjusting my gear I nodded my head. As I started out the door way to see about heading deeper down into the stair well. Maybe find an elevator shaft, the entire building shook again. Red coated everything as small bulb lights slid down. Obviously an alarm. Rushing back to the monitor a banner along the top, and bottom repeated.

EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN INORGANIC INSTANCES LOCKED OUT



   Rushing my gloved hands over the keyboard I started working at figuring out what the lock out even meant. Eventually a file labeled Marie came into few. Running it I held my breathe for a moment as the alarm died off.

/”Is anyone there?”

   Biting my lower lip I shifted my hands back over, the chat program selected once again I typed in a reply.

“I'm Markus, who are you? Marie? Is Ria safe?”
/”We are the Multiple Artifical Robotic Intelligence Entity. User Markus: admin status. It appears the inorganic lock out is in effect, turn off? Y/N”

“Y”

/”Inorganic lockout successfully shut off. Inquiry: Whom is Ria?”

-”Good morning M.A.R.I.E.”

/”Good morning, model designated R1A. Possibility factory systems: Ria, is R1A?”

I out right gasped at this, if what I was reading was true, I had just turned on a set of robotic Ai.”

“Uh, organic, human in fact. Markus here. Uh yeah, I thought she was just doing leet speak. Are you both inorganic?”

-”Yes.”

/”We are.”



I'll Go Alone

Chapter 5

   Shaking my head at the scene playing out on the monitor, I took in a deep breath. Ok. You just activated two ancient devices. One of them is designed in a way that it can understand you. The other seems a bit wonky in the head. As I was going over the facts the fifty-percent alarm for my suit battery came to life.


  Scrambling to grab my shovel I dashed up the stairs stumbling now, and then as the cold winds pushed against me. I forgot just how bad the weather could grow over the night. The rusted door mostly covered in snow to the side I waded through the new snow grabbing it. Grunting, and heaving I rammed the rusty red door into the snow bank.
Even with a marker for the suit, I wanted a visual marker for this place. Having made sure the door would stay, I yanked a plate off my back, unfolding, it became a nice light weight sled. Hopping on I slid my way down and started my trek back home, empty handed for now.


-”Hydraulics need repair.”

/”Confirmed....Working....Hydraulic pistons appear to be stuck.”

-”Can they be fixed manually?”

/”We believe so.”

-”Confirmed, inspecting.”

Slowly, mechanically even the R1A, a recon assistance Ai worked its way towards the wall. Inspecting each hydraulic lift. After a moment of inspection the Ai gave each a solid hit with her Pseudo skinned hands. A loud hiss rang out once again as the pistons slowly pushed the secret all way. Returning to the monitor she slid her arm around plugging her finger into the computer terminal to communicate with her sister Ai.

-”Repairs made. Directives empty. Does M.A.R.I.E have directives for this unit?”

A short delay of silence held the air as the multiple integrated Ai cluster.

/”Directives for model designated R1A updated. Proceed to gather information on the survivors. Suggestion : follow Organic, Markus.”

-”Primary directive updated. Secondary directive updated. Following reconnaissance protocols. This unit shall go alone.”

/”Confirmed. Under organic designated Julia's pre-stated rules, we shall never speak of this again.”

Confirming the rules left to them from hundreds of years ago, R1A slowly and mechanically worked her way upward. Climbing step, after step. Reaching the snowy peak R1A tilt her head noting the rusted door standing up, bits of the broken steel wobbling in the strong winds. Having noted, and saved the information R1A worked down the snow following Markus' fading snow prints as the snow whirled filling foot holes at random.