Honor Bound by Christopher Hopper

Author:Christopher Hopper [Hopper, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hopper Creative Group
Published: 2019-07-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“’Six?” Ezo asked, ripping himself away from the women. “Is that—is that you?”

The bounty hunter stumbled toward the robot, his expression hopeful but apprehensive too. His footsteps slowed the closer he got. The robot’s eyes were not lit the way they normally were; instead of a soft yellow, they’d turned white. Likewise, the bot stood too rigidly to be TO-96.

“Who is ’Six?” the bot asked.

Ezo’s shoulders slumped. “So, you’re not TO-96.”

“No. We are the Novia Minoosh. Who are you?”

“The Novia Minoosh?” Awen asked, incredulous. Now it was her turn to get her hopes up.

“Careful, Awen,” Ezo said, putting up his hands to slow her forward rush.

“You’re the Novia Minoosh?” Awen’s eyes darted all over the robot, then went back to the orb, then returned to the bot. “So, are you an AI, then? What… what are you?”

“We are the shared consciousness of our species. What are you?”

Awen felt her hands trembling. Is this really happening? She blinked, trying her best to step into her role as a Luma ambassador, but it felt awkward. The dream of making first contact with this race had died the moment her team realized the Novia had gone extinct. But they weren’t extinct—at least, insofar as a sentient consciousness was concerned. This is wonderful, she thought.

“I am Awen dau Lothlinium, galactic emissary of the Order of the Luma, sent—”

“Sent on an enduring mission to ensure the inalienable rights of all sentient species, regardless of origin or destiny, with the intent of preserving their customs, languages, and cultures against hostile forces and factions so long as it is within your power. Yes, we understand this. We are accessing and integrating your robot’s data drive now.”

“You have the bot’s data?” Ezo questioned.

“We do.”

“Are you going to… erase him?”

“Erase him?” The bot tilted its head. “We don’t understand.”

“Have you killed him?”

“The robot, as a nonsentient being, cannot be slain. Likewise, it has no gender that we are aware of, yet you continue to refer to it as one of your species’ males. But if you mean, are we going to overwrite his data drives, yes. Those have been purged.”

Ezo cursed, his hands balled into fists.

“Its contents, however, have been successfully integrated within our singularity.”

“Hold on,” Ezo choked. “So, you mean, he’s alive… in you. I mean, his data, his subroutines, and programming—it’s all still intact?”

The robot tilted its head at Ezo. “Of course, sentient humanoid. Why would we seek to destroy his archives of your civilization?”

“Well, it’s just that… you know… wait. So can I speak with him?”

“You wish to speak to the robot’s neural network?”

“Yes. Yes I do. Is that possible?”

“Of course, humanoid sentient.” The robot’s head twitched. The eyes lit up, and the body slouched slightly.

“Ninety-Six?” Ezo asked cautiously.

“Sir, it is so nice to see you again.”

“‘Six!” Ezo charged the bot and threw his arms around him. Awen and Sootriman couldn’t help but share the man’s enthusiasm, and they joined him.

“I am afraid that the amount of affection you are displaying leaves me to question your mental stability.

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