A digital smile on Mat-Ree’s screen beamed brighter as she took in the sea of giant mechanical arms putting together assembly lines of NG-10’s that stretched for miles.
The NG’s skulls and sides of their heads as well as their limbs were a porcelain colored steel their asymmetrical faces and perfectly toned torsos were artificial skin of various tones, they were designed with facial features and ice blue eyes that were known to entrance their victims, no taller than five foot five yet twenty times stronger and faster than any of their contemporaries.
Having the added bonus of being able to biologically reproduce with any model of Mechani-Man regardless of their generation, in the three months since their arrival the NG’s and their hybrid offspring nearly outnumbered the Mechani-Men three to one. Her electric dream to reshape the world and hold it in her mechanical talons was closer to a reality.
Mat-Ree noticed the small strident dot at the back of the factory, speeding through the black marble floor like a missile getting closer and closer to reveal herself as KVXIV; she leapt on to the platform while barley making a sound landing softly next to Mother.
KVXIV
It has begun Madame president; our unwitting target has been placed at the highest ranks within the Archy Corporation.
MAT-REE
Begin the second phase.
KVXIV
I will guarantee success.
MAT-REE
I know you will, you understand what terrible things were to befall you if you failed.
KVXIV leapt off the platform igniting her jetpack, flying through the open glass ceiling into the night. Mat-Ree ‘s digital face turned a crimson red as a jagged smile filled its screen.
KVXIV had trained for this mission over the past year, learning everything she could about her target including what repressed triggers she could use to her advantage. She landed twenty miles north of the event, activated the holographic implants placed all over her body and changed into the form that would be the most appealing to her target.
She scanned the party guests, looking for the weakest of the herd when she came across an M-URL 18 accounting bot, a round silver tinned ball with a giant see through animatronic skull. KVXIV used her “ice blue vision” to entrance the helpless robot so she could dispatch with his body and take his invitation.
Once inside she felt an even greater uneasiness as she was around the most amount of Mechani-Men she had ever seen. Her target was perched on a specially crafted throne of bones, Antag Archy, the black chrome butcher himself.
KVXIV maintained her composure running through an abundant list of scenarios unwittingly catching Antag’s eye, he headed towards her direction.
Antag pondered leaving the party since it began, locking everyone in and burning the building to the ground and that’s when he saw her, an angel with magenta chrome skin, blonde hair and a kaleidoscope colored gown. He recognized the model type as the 51-U7, but he thought they had been all but discontinued, memories of nights he and his brothers spent without their parents in the care of their nanny D0-N-Na as she tucked him in at night and let him stay up an hour longer flooded into his mind.
It was rare for Antag to give into his emotional chip let alone the secondary nostalgia application, but for some reason he could not control himself. Leaping off his throne he cracked the ruby quartz floor beneath his feet then jaunted towards the 51-U7.
ANTAG
State your name and occupation youuuu… beautiful creature!
“Here we go” KVXIV thought, switching into the Southern Belle modulator.
51-U7
That has got to be the most hauntingly arousing introduction I have ever received, the name is V1V-AH, Vee for short.
ANTAG
You compel me, let us leave this place together and never come back.
VEE
Sugah we barley know each other, I could be an assassin sent to kill you.
ANTAG
Astute.
A red beam emerged from Antag’s visor scanning Vee’s body.
ANTAG
You are an NG 10 masquerading as a 51-U7, you are superior in strength, yet lower experience points in hand to hand combat, as well as a limited weapons cache, you may be an assassin, I am not concerned.
She returned to her default voice after being exposed.
KVXIV
I cannot tell if you are so cunning you seem crazy, or so crazy you seem cunning.
ANTAG
Column A, column B.
They left the party arm and arm. They took Antag’s sky limo flying as far away from the Museum as possible.
ANTAG
My place or yours?
KVXIV
Neither.
She grinned programing the coordinates of the kidnap/rendezvous point. Antag became suspicious the moment they flew over the redwood forest; heading in the direction of the Archy Family’s old summer home. When the Limo landed KVXIV and Antag emerged from the car, both aiming at each other, he with his wrist cannon and her with her plasma berretta.
ANTAG
Tell me how you knew the coordinates to this place.
KVXIV
Hush now Antag, this won’t hurt a bit.
ANTAG
I challenge you to get a shot off before I disintegrate your skull.
A raspy voice called out from behind them,
VOICE
Calm down children, no more fighting.
They turned around to see another 51-U7 but this one was older with a rusted face and disheveled mop of gray hair.
ANTAG
D0-N-AH?
She told them they were welcome inside as long as they left their weapons in the sky-limo. The cabin had been kept in shape, appearing jus as Antag remembered from all those years ago
ANTAG
What happened Donna? My parents told me you went south after the affair was exposed.
D0-N-AH
Your Mother was furious; she wanted me dead, especially after she found out I was with child.
ANTAG
You and father, had…
Antag turned to KVXIV and put two and two together.
ANTAG
I am disgusted and ashamed.
KVXIV stood defiantly from her chair.
KVXIV
You are mistaken; I am KVXIV, the first NG-10.
D0-N-AH
Tried as he might, Pat-Ree could not keep me and our baby hidden for long, it was only a matter of time before Mat-Ree found us, tore you from my arms and then forced me to watch as your body went limp after she extracted the tiny memory stick from the back of your neck.
As D0-N-AH spoke the buried memories came back into KVXIV like the remnants of something recorded over on a VHS tape, she switched off her hologram projectors revealing her NG-10 form. Daughter and Mother stared at each other then embraced.
Returning to the Next Gen factory KVXIV played Mat-Ree the video footage of her knocking out Antag, then placing the timed atomic micro-bomb inside his chest leaving him on his bed. He would restart assuming the entire nights encounter had all been a dream.
MAT-REE
Well done my dear.
Mat-Ree rolled out of her office leaving KVIX behind to ponder her new alliance.
The Drewniverse 44 