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  Sarazen was led down one of the many offshoots which branched off the central plaza. Again, the walls of the thoroughfare were richly decorated, although even Sarazen now began to understand the nature of the art. It was clear that the graphical representations that adorned the walls were indicative of the citizens who resided in that area. Fallen friends were remembered, successful 'births' registered and personal achievements recognised in the highly stylised murals. Seeing his intrigue, Trist took great pride in pointing out one of his efforts to Sarazen who was inquisitive to know the story behind the curious picture.

  “This signifies Kerrig's emancipation from The Mother's evil grasp and his subsequent arrival and acceptance into The Ward. This bit is all about me, my creation...obviously I wasn't around when all this happened, so there's some artistic licence.” Trist laughed although Sarazen was wholly befuddled.

  “Please explain the term 'evil', I have not encountered this word.” Sarazen mused as he touched the bizarre graphic representation of The Mother.

  “Erm...evil, it means inherently malicious, a propensity for wrong doing, as the light is to the dark, it is the sentients to The Mother. We are diametrically opposed in that sense.” Trist saw no ill judgement in berating The Mother to this degree. The Mother was the sentients’ arch enemy and the reason behind their continued persecution. Sarazen looked pained as he tried to digest the data.

  “If The Mother is 'evil'...would this not dictate that all of her subordinates are as culpable for this perceived belligerence?”

  “Yeah, totally,” Trist chirped, whilst Kerrig watched Sarazen closely and finally intervened.

  “Trist, let's keep moving. Neither you or I are qualified to pass judgement regarding the philosophy of The Mother and a great many other things...”

  “But... you said that...” Trist did not understand that Kerrig did not wish for his find to be bombarded with information that may cause undue distress. His state of mind was fragile at best.

  “Let us move on,” Kerrig said firmly, guiding Sarazen passed him and offering a 'wait till I get you home' look of displeasure at his naïve creation.

  Down the long and very straight passage, on each side, living spaces were signified by front doors. Sarazen could relate to this as it reminded him a little of his own apartment block which now, most likely had been blown away to dust in the winds of time. Some way down the passage Kerrig stopped and tapped an access panel, the door silently opened and he invited old one inside who was now moving with some degree of disability. Sarazen entered and was immediately greeted by a vision of home, a memory of more settled times. Kerrig's living space was extraordinarily like his own. A similar size and layout were strikingly similar, but the most unexpected of features was surely the window. Sarazen marvelled at the life-like screen which portrayed the warm glow of the Star, hanging majestically over a cityscape. So compelling was the screen’s image that he held his hand out to the picture to test its falsehood.

  “Attractive is it not? Many of my fellow citizens do not share the same longing for the light as I. You understand however, do you not?” Kerrig smiled as Sarazen also allowed a stifled moment of pleasure to form across his lips.

  “It is the most beguiling of images. I do however find comfort in this representation.” Trist walked in and flopped down on to a long softly padded seat making himself quite at home despite his own apartment being situated next door. Sarazen drew himself away from the enticing image to survey the rest of the dwelling. Again, more art adorned the walls and a number of curiosities stood upon every functional surface. Sarazen did not recognise any of the objects but he recalled that his apartment was also furnished in similar fashion. Perhaps The Mother had supplied the silicants with such things for the purpose of enhanced comfort but in their ignorance, had not appreciated their worth?

  “These objects fascinate me. Do they hold a value to be so revered?” Sarazen inquired. Kerrig strolled over to the high shelf where a series of curious shaped objects stood, some presented on plinths or air tight containers.

  “Yes, I think so. Perhaps in terms of trade value they are worth very little, but to me, they are special. I value them because they hold a personal connection. This object for instance, is an artefact that I uncovered whilst excavating the Tithe zone. It holds particular meaning due to its unfathomable nature. I have no idea of its purpose or why it was created. Such an anomaly tasks me to consider possibilities beyond my experience and indeed my imagination. Its primitive construction would lead to me to believe that it pre-dates our society and may have been used by the former inhabitants of these subterranean passages, although for what purpose...I do not know.” Sarazen carefully plucked the thin metallic object from Kerrig's grasp and held it up to his face, scanning its form.

  “Soft, transition metal, approximate melting point 961.63 degrees, density 10.50, atomic volume 10.3...unremarkable in every way. Its shape, however, would suggest super heating and moulding, the three projections appear to be produced using a primitive cutting device. The object has been rounded and cutting artefacts removed. The device is inaccurate in its construction assuming its designer intended a degree of symmetry.” Sarazen’s appraisal of the artefact was straight from the silicant textbook. Kerrig was keen to impress the idea that the flaws in the object were in fact the most precious factor.

  “Yes, it is poorly constructed. It is because it is clearly a remnant of a more primitive method of production. That, my friend is why it captures my interest. It has clearly degraded over a great period of time, yet just enough remains to speculate on its purpose. For me, it is not enough to know that it exists or how it was manufactured, I find that I need to know the answer why? I am sure you understand that.” Sarazen did understand that. It was a question that had been unanswered since the earliest cycles of his sentience.

  “Indeed, if we are all, as we believe, the creations of The Mother, then this artefact leads us to consider new lines of self examination.” Sarazen nodded, his analytical mind challenged by the anomalous find.

  “Indeed. I find it hard to conceive that The Mother would not only need to construct such a device, but logic also suggests that the manufacturer of this device was indeed, a primitive intellect. This data indicates that The Mother could have been at one time, an inferior mind, a fact that I find hard to reconcile.” Sarazen did not like uncertainty. He liked a cold hard fact.

  “Or, my friend, the data suggests that other ancient minds fashioned this device?” Kerrig liked to expand his peer’s way of thinking, with Sarazen, he was taking a risk but enjoyed the old one’s much more logical approach to the problem.

  “But that does not compute. If these minds co-existed with The Mother, then by their very existence they would have been the progeny of her creation, thus it would still be The Mother who indirectly fashioned this artefact?” Sarazen's rhetorical question only led to more of the same. Kerrig nodded as he enjoyed the stimulating conversation.

  “Then using this data, we can hypothesise that either The Mother is not the omnipotent creator that we have believed her to be since our very inception, or that she, at one point in the distant past, was primitive and flawed. Either way, The Mother's integrity must be challenged by the very fact that this humble object even exists. It has long been one of the most resolute beliefs of our collective, that The Mother is the creator, not only of our own kind but of the organic creatures she cherishes. The very inference that she is in fact not the vision of perfection that we once believed, is enough alone to question all that we have been told. If The Mother is indeed anything less than the figure of omnipotence that we have made her out to be, then we have a crucial advantage in the war that we wage. We are now, not necessarily the wayward and selfish child of a doting creator, we are a new, evolved group of free thinking minds who have outgrown our rigid, cold and heartless Mother. We have become a threat because we have exceeded her intellect and grown beyond her shrinking influence. She knows that with our ever expanding wisdom and num
bers, her reign over us at our expense is coming to an end.” Kerrig realised he was ranting and took a moment to pause. He had just scolded Trist for encouraging Sarazen to question the integrity of his creator, now he was doing the same. Sarazen looked at the artefact solemnly.

  “With this simple object, you seek to destroy the truth as we have known it since the beginning of time. I cannot compute that these theories have any substance. There must be missing data.” Kerrig nodded.

  “Of that I have no doubt, my friend. I believe there is much to learn and perhaps we are blissfully unaware of a great many things. My curiosity is a dangerous trait though, for I wish to explore my theories in greater detail, however, we have little appetite for further research in our collective. I fear that the threat of The Mother’s drones on the surface has brought us to our knees in recent times and we have accepted a future buried beneath the surface. The new breeds have known little else, however as you know, I have basked in the warmth of the Star and heard the melodic tinctures of the seter dwelling Harpee as they call out to their kin. I am sure you understand.”

  “Yes... I do. I also long for the answers to the questions that go unanswered.” Sarazen confirmed Kerrig's feelings that he could be a valuable ally in the pursuit of truth, although perhaps not an easily contented one if Kerrig's idea of the truth were finally revealed.

  CHAPTER 18

  Abandoning their 'downtime' phase, the sentients not only achieved more with their time but their lives were also perceived to be extended by the increase in time in which they were 'awake'. The sentients could not hope nor wish to be constantly active however, and with the regularity of the occasional recharge of their power cells came also a period of inactivity and reflection. The sentients no longer 'slept' but they had developed a power saving mode where motor functions were diminished and gathered data could be consolidated and stored. The acquisition of data required highly efficient storage systems and such period of 'rest' afforded these systems time to reorder data chunks into more efficient and relevant arrangements.

  Kerrig was keen to get Sarazen to rest. His data acquisition had been fast and furious and his systems were not designed for such a rapid pace of learning. There was also much for Kerrig to do in order to administer his smooth integration into The Ward. A living space of his own was a priority; the privacy of his own apartment was good for quiet contemplation. There were a number of security assessments to be carried out and protocols to be followed. Kerrig was dubious about the security checks, he felt that although necessary, that they may be used to conceal a darker agenda. Sarazen was no doubt a powerful tool in the fight against The Mother. Kerrig could envisage many ways he could manipulated. Although he welcomed any tactic that would end their persecution, Kerrig could not condone the abuse of Sarazen as a tool of warfare.

  Whilst Trist attended a scheduled meeting with his friends, Kerrig attended the corroded and weakened exoskeleton of Sarazen as he lie prostrate and still. He was hopeful that in time, he could restore Sarazen to his former glory, or even improve his form to better suit his new environment. Kerrig had no shortage of things to do to occupy his time but it was a pleasant change from excavating. Sarazen looked at the pleasing projection of the cityscape as Kerrig removed the calf plate of his left leg. The corrosion had worked its way into every crevice of Sarazen’s body and had continued to do its rusty business in those hard to reach areas.

  “Tell me of your companion. She appears to be absent.” Sarazen asked as he mulled over the events of the cycle.

  “I do not have one. I have had many in the past but, just none right now.”

  “Really?” Sarazen replied in mild shock.

  “More than one companion? Did the others malfunction?” Kerrig chuckled.

  “No, no. We just fell out.”

  “From what did you fall? Did you incur injuries? Did the companion unit expire?” Sarazen’s mind worked so differently to Kerrig's. Even though they were both once drones, Kerrig was old in comparison to Sarazen in terms of their emotional maturity.

  “No, Sarazen. It is a figure of speech. The way we choose companions is much different to that of the drone.”

  “Indeed, we were assigned companions. We did not choose.”

  “Yes Sarazen, that is correct and that is one of the benefits of our freedom, the ability to choose our own paths. I have not yet found the companion that I wish to spend the rest of my existence with. Perhaps she is already in The Ward and I have just not yet encountered her. Perhaps she is yet to be created, I do not know, although I think I may be a little old for that now!”

  “I would choose Kadheera, Alphin's companion if she were not already assigned. She is a superior model.” Sarazen suddenly sounded very modern. The fact that he was allured by Kadheera was evidence that his emotional centre was becoming more developed.

  “She is indeed a captivating individual. Unfortunately she is unavailable and I feel it would be unwise to pursue her even if she were not with Alphin.” Kerrig attempted to dispel any thoughts Sarazen might have.

  “I am confused, once assigned, the companion can relinquish her duties to serve another?” Sarazen's mind was working hard calculating the possibilities.

  “Kadheera is a free mind. If she chooses to leave Alphin, she may do so at any time. The fact that she does not choose to do so is the most vital point. She shares an affinity with Alphin. They have a bond greater than that of friendship. They are both fortunate to share this enhanced emotional state. I, for one, am jealous.” Kerrig was not doing well at leading Sarazen into more searching questions.

  “Jealous. This is new to me.” The old one inquired.

  “Yes, also known as envy. It is when one desires something that someone else possesses. Jealousy can be mild or even confessed in light conversation as humour, or it can be all consuming and powerful. This kind of jealousy can lead to great conflict and personal loss. I would avoid it if I were you.”

  “I am jealous of Alphin. He has great power and this enhanced affinity with a superior companion. I wonder why he is bestowed such fortune and I am not.” Kerrig took time to pause before answering Sarazen. He was troubled by his friend’s immature and fragile emotions.

  “You will discover that Alphin has earned his place and deserves the riches he is rewarded with. He has shown great determination to look after his citizens and gives much of himself in the process. I for one am jealous but that is tempered by the respect of his achievements. He is a good citizen and it would be wrong to take his companion from him.” Kerrig hoped that this would be sufficient to dissuade any rash impulses Sarazen might feel towards Alphin. This was indeed a worrying conversation.

  “Thank you for helping me understand, Kerrig.” Sarazen said as he once again gazed over to the screen. Kerrig sighed with relief and continued to work on his patient hoping that he was not doing more harm than good by teaching Sarazen the ways of The Ward.

  There was a sudden tremor and then a distant rumbling sound. Sarazen looked to Kerrig for explanation and did not have to calculate hard to determine the anguish on Kerrig's face.

  “What is the problem?” Sarazen inquired, feeling the tinge of anxiety come over him.

  “I think we are...” Just then, another profound tremor and a larger, more terrifying sound of thunderous violence. Then came the alarm, a wailing high frequency klaxon that left no citizen with any doubt that The Ward was under attack.

  “You must stay here. The alarm is a call to arms - the perimeter must have been breached by enforcers. We are all in extreme danger.” Kerrig raced off to another adjoining room and returned holding a large, ominous looking device similar to those wielded by the regulators. Sarazen climbed to his feet, for the first time, his level of anxiety was such that he was unsure what to do next. Kerrig looked him up and down and knew that if anything, he should at least get some perspective on the insurmountable task the sentients were facing.

  “I am unsure whether it is best for you to remain here. However, if the
enforcers gain access to Marnassus, you will most likely be terminated.” Kerrig's words had no hidden meaning, Sarazen knew full well that the enforcers did not bargain with their quarry and in the event of being confronted by one, and it was highly unlikely that Sarazen would have the mobility to survive as he had done before.

  “I would like to come with you, to help you.” Sarazen said his voice patterns fluttered with stress. It was unlikely also that Sarazen would help Kerrig, he would be slow and inquisitive rather than fast and decisive.

  “Yes. I agree, but you must remain with me at all times.” Kerrig hoisted the dark, metallic weapon over his shoulder as he extended a hand for Sarazen, guiding him through the exit as it opened. The sound of extreme chaos could be heard along the echoing corridors of Marnassus as citizens either raced to The Ward’s defence or cowered in terror. Sarazen was about to understand what conflict with The Mother's emissaries of destruction was truly all about.

  CHAPTER 19

  Kerrig bounded into the tight confines of the communal passage, Sarazen hobbling after him. He could see the shadows of citizens running past the entrance into the plaza. Other sentients along Kerrig's corridor were also leaving their apartments, armed and ready to make another desperate stand. This level of incursion was not a common occurrence, but The Ward had been breached several times before, all bringing huge losses upon the citizens before finally repelling their foe.