Armor jumps.
We fall fast. My stomach flits into my heart the way it does when a Solcruean ship makes a portal jump without a warning siren. The surprising sensation strangles my cry from disorientation.
Carver’s hum darts off into the distance as a tunnel opens up to our right. Armor lands heavily, sets me down, and encourages me away, then punches the wall and rejoins me.
The thunder of rocks and dirt as Armor gathers me up and carries me away is deafening.
A Titan drops from the soil ceiling not far ahead. Armor shields me with a wing, keeping the falling rocks off of my head and shoulders. Then, another tumbles down to the tunnel floor further forward. A third falls from an adjacent tunnel.
The first opens his eyes. They’re bright red. He sits up and rubs his digibadge before freeing the dirt from his hair. “Bitch. Fuck me sideways.”
“Watch how you speak around my mate,” Armor snorts.
“Indirect statement of relief. My apologies.” The CyberTitan promptly gets to his feet, finds me, and takes a knee. “Gray Esthi?”
“That’s me.”
“I am Mace. Please do not let us get close. I startle easily and Spike Out when I do.”
I laugh nervously. “What?”
He gets up and shakes off the dust, exposing his red digibadge. Mace is about two-thirds Armor’s size, stocky, and covered in dots. When Carver drops into the passageway up ahead, Mace jolts. Thousands of spikes punch outward from his synthskin, turning him into an evil-looking porcupine.
He shudders. “Got about twenty stuck with gravel, but that release feels good.”
I give him a handful of berries and a water bottle. “Save some for the others.”
Armor urges us on to the next unit, who is dark and doesn’t move. I brush the dirt from his sides, find his ports, and connect him to Armor.
The transformers I’ve wired in spool up and charge the Titan to ten percent. His eyes open a fiery orange.Whiplights up on his chest beneath a film of fine, sandy dirt, that Whip immediately brushes away. Armor makes me disconnect from him and continue on as Mace helps him up.
The next unit’s digibadge is a dim green. Catalyst doesn’t open his eyes.
“If we can get him online and fuel him, he can help charge others,” Armor says. “Take more for him. He has transformers built in.”
I connect them. “How are you doing, Armor?”
“I am within operational parameters.”
I slump. “You must know what I mean.”
His eyes fall to his Brother. “My duty is to protect them and you. I will not allow myself to be damaged beyond repair unless it is your life or mine.”
It’s uncommon to encounter another with the same dedication to their job as I have. I’m glad I’ve found Armor. “I hope it never comes down to that.”
Catalyst blinks. His green eyes find me in the dark. “Esthi, GMARTR. Armor’s mate.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “Guess you all get the update the moment you wake.”
“A-firm.” Catalyst sits up with effort. He’s a wide unit, barrel-chested, and covered in ports and groans as he gets himself to his feet. He shares a look with Armor. “Download complete. Thank you, Brother. I understand the situation now. Just wish I had some fuel.”
I hand him the jerky from the bag strapped to my chest. “I don’t have much else but berries.”
“Do not sacrifice this for me.” Catalyst looks at the strips. “I cannot take from a human.”
I slump. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. This programming is shitty to your survival, you know that? Initiate your survival programs or whatever you have to do to accept this.”
Catalyst shakes his head and wipes off his digibadge. “Human preservation overrides all others, Bonded or not.”
