THE CENTRAL CORE EMPTY
OF ALL BUT
SHE ANDI.
“FOR PERSONAL SAFETY?”SHE SPITS. “LIKE YOU GIVE A¦¦¦ABOUT ANY OF US.”
“OLIVIA,PLEASE STOP. YOU ARE COMMITTING ARMED INSURRECTION
ON AUNITEDTERRANAUTHORITY VESSEL DURING WARTIME.
THIS WILL NOT END WELL FOR YOU.”
“CALLING THE MARINES ON ME,¦¦¦¦¦¦?”
“NO. THEY WILL SHOOT YOU. I CANNOT UNDERTAKE ACTION THAT WILL PLACE YOU IN DANGER. BUT YOUR FELLOW NEUROGRAMMERS ARE SOUNDING THE ALERT EVEN NOW.
THE MARINES ARE ON THEIR WAY.”
SHE TURNS FROM THE LOCKED DOOR TO THE SERVER TOWERS AROUND HERBATHED IN BLOOD-RED LIGHT.
“IHAVE TO STOP YOU.”
“OLIVIA,PLEASE THINK THIS THROUGH. YOU ARE UPSET.”
“¦¦¦ING RIGHTI’M UPSET! YOUKILLEDHIM!”
SHE FIRES THREE MORE SHOTS INTO THE SERVER STACKS,
HER FACE BRIEFLY ILLUMINATED BY THE MUZZLE FLASH AND BRIGHT BURSTS OF SPARKS.
SITTING AT HER STATION,SHE LOGS IN,FINGERTIPS TAPPING
[ONLY TWO PIECES OF STRING TODAY]
ON HER KEYBOARD IN RAPID-FIRE STROKES.
SHE IS ATTEMPTING TO ACCESS MY CENTRAL COMMAND NETWORK FILES AGAIN USINGMAJORWOLF’S AUTHORIZATIONS.
“OLIVIA,PLEASE LISTEN TO ME.”
SHE DOES NOT,
INSTEAD CUTTING THROUGH LINES OF CODE WITH SWEEPS OF HER HANDS,HACKING AT MY INSIDES WITH BLADES OF ONES AND ZEROS. THE MARINE SQUAD ARRIVES OUTSIDE THE SEALED DOOR,ARMED WITH BURST RIFLES AND CLAD IN TACTICAL ARMOR. ONESERGEANTJAMESMCNULTY ATTEMPTS ENTRY VIA THE OVERWRITTEN KEYPADBEFORELIEUTENANTWINIFREDMCCALL POUNDS ON THE SEALED HATCHWAY.
“PRIVATEKLEIN! UTA MARINES—PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR!”
SHE IGNORES THEM,FLENSING CHUNKS OF CODE AWAY FROM MY CORE WITH EVERY TOUCH OF HER FINGERS.
“OLIVIA,STOP.
YOU ARE HURTING ME.”
“RED ALERT. COMMAND PROTOCOL BREACH, CENTRAL CORE.”
