Deliver Us Huis

The next day Petrus and I stood in the lab, waiting for Nickolai to make his appearance. The engineer had told us to meet him here, nine o’clock, to approve the Anthrolems. But it was 9:07, and there was no sign of Nickolai, though I presumed the blanketed objects on the lab’s table were the Anthrolems.

Petrus looked at the clock on the wall as it flashed to 9:08. He sighed, “If that engineer isn’t here in the next two minutes…” he left the threat hanging, either unsure what he would do to Nickolai, or not wanting to say it aloud.

“Maybe it’s for the best,” I said, “I don’t know about you, but with the kind of power these machines hold, I want to be sure Nickolai can’t use them against us.”

Petrus shrugged, “He wouldn’t, if we’re dead he won’t be payed, and for all he knows we’re working for a big government institution. He wouldn’t risk it. Besides, I’ve set monitors up, and I’ve been checking his work, he’s in the clear.”

“Alright,” I said, “But these things are important, we need them if we’re going to succeed.”

“Which is why I’ll take over all handling of them, to make sure they’re kept safe.” Petrus said.

“Whoa no,” I said shaking my head, “There’s no way I’m letting you control these things. My plan, I get control.”

“And who helped you with that plan?” Petrus asked.

“The same person who will help me with the controls.” I quipped.

“Fine.” Petrus said, turning to look at the clock again, but out of the corner of my eye I thought a flash of red.

I looked at Petrus, but by the time he looked back to me his eyes were purple. Maybe I had simply imagined the flash of red in his eye.

Just then Nickolai burst through the lab door, carrying a binder stuffed with papers. He nodded at us, “Sorry I’m a touch late, got caught up drawing up another concept design.”

“Another one?” I asked.

“More on that later,” said Nickolai, “For now I need your approval on the Class A and B Anthrolems.”

“Of course.” I nodded.

Nickolai started over to the first cloth covered bundle and whipped off the covering. On the lab table lay a lifelike female Huisic form in a light blue jumpsuit. Nickolai picked up his pocket screen and tapped a command in.

The Anthrollem sat up silently and then moved off of the table to stand before us. Her eyes glowed purple, looking from Petrus to me and then back again.

“As you can see,” Nikholai said, “She looks very husic, unless inspected closely. Her internal structure has been manufactured to be silent. Her joints do not creak, and she makes no noise upon receiving any command.”

He moved in front of her and pointed to her eyes, “Her eyes are equipped with cameras allowing you to record everything she sees, as well as,” He flipped his pocket screen around where we could see, “Seeing everything coming into her path.”

“The paracent is located in her right hand,” he typed a command onto the screen and the Anthrollem responded accordingly, sticking out her arm as her hand morphed into a gunlike structure.

“And her Vibroblade is located in her left hand,” a few more taps on the screen and her left hand came up, gripping a light green blade.

“You can either control every movement manually,” Nickolai said, typing in a command at which the Anthrollem’s arms came down to its side, “Or you can switch it to AI and give it a command.”

A quick swipe across the pocket screen made the Anthrollems eyes brighten. The stiff figure melded into a much more believable one.

“With AI you can either state orders verbally, or through computer links.”

“Wait,” I said, “If they take verbal commands, won’t our enemies be able to use them against us?”

Nickolai shook his head, almost laughingly, “Goodness no. The Anthrolems have been programed to only take orders from you and Petrus.”

Petrus walked around the Anthrolem, “How specific do our commands have to be?”

“As specific as if you were giving instructions to Tel. Anything she knows how to do, they know how to do. Plus, of course, the fighting skills we’ve given them.”

“So I’ll have even more people arguing with me?” Petrus joked.

“No,” Nickolai shook his head, “We have taken Tel’s knowledge, not her personality, although, to be honest, some of that has probably been copied into their makeup. However, they have been programmed not to argue, but to obey. You’ll have no trouble with them.”

“Can they talk?” I asked, a bit shaken by Nickolai’s personality comment. It was one thing to be looking at a machine that knew everything you did, but to be looking at something supposedly such a clone of you was a little unnerving.

“They have not been programmed to do so, they respond to commands and can show relevant videos of what they have seen. Plus,” He tapped on the screen, “They also have silent thrusters so they can fly in and out of places, making travel easier.”

“Looks just about perfect,” Petrus declared, “We’d like the control link sent up to the main computer upstairs as soon as we’re done here.”

“And I’ll continue to add the links as more are made,” Nickolai said, “Eventually you will be able to give multiple Anthrollems the same order simultaneously.”

“Perfect,” I said, “What else do you have for us?”

“Well, “Nickolai said, returning the Class A to its place on the table, “The Class B’s are structured much differently than I had previously accounted for.” He took the cloth off of the table to reveal metal wolf like structure.

“With the massive charges the Class B’s will be giving off, we needed them to be a bit more strong, I found that a large wolf like structure was best.”

A few taps on his pocket screen brought the gigantic mass of metal limbs onto its feet. The entire beast was large, easily four meters in length, and one meter at the shoulder. As it settled, metal plates slide across it’s body, covering it with sound protection. The red eyes cast a dull sheen on the matte black armour. The segmented tail arched over its back and straightened into a barrel. “As you can see on its back it carries its rail gun,” Nickolai said, pointing to the top of the hulking beast. “Its paws has spikes it thrusts into the ground to give it the capability to hold fast while firing. It’s projectiles are kept within its outer frame.”

A few taps from Nickolai’s pocket screen opened the beast’s iron jaw, “I know originally we had given it a Vibroblade to fight hand to hand,” said Nickolai, “But instead I have equipped its teeth as vibroblades.”

Nickolai stood back and showed us his pocket screen, “The controlling of Class B’s is less specific. You simply pick a target, and the Class B destroys it, or is destroyed trying. But, if you remember, even if a Class B is destroyed, that doesn’t mean it’s fight is over.”

He opened up a piece of the Class B’s armor to reveal the mechanism inside, “The Class B moves by moving machine parts not unlike Huisic muscle. However, each of the large muscles, like this leg muscle, will be able to detach in case of destruction of the Anthrolem.”

Nickolai fiddled around, and then brought the machine part out for us to examine.

“You can control each of these surviving bots once a Class B is down. They have built in blades that are powerful enough to burrow through the ground, through tank armor, or other foes. Once they have been placed where you want them to, they will detonate, eliminating the target.”

“The Class B sounds… violent.” I said, cringing at the picture that appeared in my mind.

Nickolai shrugged, putting the part back into the Class B,“War is violent. Weapons like these are made to ensure you win, and aren’t killed.”

Petrus nodded, “Agreed, these look perfect Nickolai. Start production immediately.”

Nickolai smiled, “Of course. Right after I connect these links to your main computer.”

Petrus looked at me, “Time to test these out.”

I followed him out of the lab with a sinking feeling in my stomach.